We love Chai Tea

High Tea
Originally uploaded by Margot-

I really love Chai Tea, its not an all the time drop but just a lovely treat for a sleepy tv type day. (I'm watching 'Murder She Wrote' on dvd, in new pj's with the heater on low - I highly recommend this amalgamation)

ingredients -
tea and spices

the basic recipe is something like

- Bring water to boil. add tea leaves (any black tea) and reduce heat.

- Add the spices: some cloves, cardamom (squeeze and crack the pods add them whole), a cinnamon stick (I like to break them into two).

- Simmer (until you get a nice rolling boil happening).
- Add some milk and cook a little more.

-Strain to serve.

-Sweeten to your own taste.

This on is a little fancier I found it here

1 Tbsp fennel or anise seed
6 green cardamom pods
12 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1/4" ginger root, sliced thin
1/4 tsp black pepper corns
2 bay leaves
7 Cups water
Add, bring to a boil, and simmer 5 minutes:

2 Tbsp Darjeeling tea
Add:

6 Tbsp honey or brown sugar
1 Cup milk

Oh my gosh darn

my sweet heart picked me a flower cos I'm a little under the weather, it really is the little things isn't it. (pic from here)

We love Saddle Shoes

Seriously Cute (have a look at these)

So I found a great DIY to make myself a pair of

off the charts cute Fifties Saddle Shoes at Bleubird Vintage.

As it is end season sale bargain time

I thought ha this will be great I'll wear

these till it gets too cold and then I'll wear them next season cos they will never go out of fashion in my book.

So I trotted off to town all excited

only to be disappointed at every shop stop

for no one had my size.

Grr so now I have to wait and sweet talk someone into driving me across town.

In the mean time I will be looking at the lovely photos bleubird took

and just ask can someone please make a pair of these.

WE Love Lotte

Yep. We love Figgjo Lotte china, but in truth Pip loves it even more than me so I made her a little gallery to share mind fantasy drooling: Way pretty

WE Love Shelves

Made a little Flicker Gallery of Lovely Shelves

Have you ever wondered what we look like?

While eating cake and drinking creaming soda?

Something a little like this:



Yes, that shop is called The Cake Lady. Too cute, right?
( you can visit the Cake Lady at 12 Charles Street, New Norfolk, Tasmania)

Image by Pony Parade.

Quince Paste

Quinces - They make the house smell like a home.

Yes autumn is here, always my favourite time of year, as birthday season is just around the corner and quinces are at the farmers market (or ripening up on a tree near you).

I cannot remember who gave me this recipe it may have been my aunt it may have been my mums friend Gail - either or thank-you it’s lovely and so easy which makes it all the better.

Ingredients:

4 or more Big Quinces

Lots of sugar

Wash the fur off the quinces, but do not peel them.

Put them whole into a pot; add enough water to cover them by about 3cm.

Bring to the boil. Reduce heat medium, cook for about 30 minutes, just until they begin crack open and the peel starts to come away. Remove from the pot and set them aside to cool.

When the quinces are cool enough to handle, peel them, and remove the seeds and cores, I found it easiest to carve the soft flesh away as opposed to cutting them up like apples.

Now weigh the quince flesh, and then mash them up (with a potato masher) or whiz them in a whizzer (thank-you really wonderful boyfriends mum) until smooth.

Transfer flesh to a saucepan, and add the same weight of sugar as fruit, Mix. Cook at a very low heat for about 1 hour, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the mixture blushes red and gets very sticky, and there is no visible liquid left.

Transfer it to a shallow dish (or if you are super cool some really cute jelly mould), and let it cool.

Once cool it should solidify and you can cut it up and portion it up for your true friends.

Its meant to last for up to 2 months in the fridge but I've never had it last that long. I brought stacks of Quinces in my excitement - so if anyone knows any more recipes please don't hesitate to share.