Archive for May, 2010

Blackberry Cheesecake & Jelly Verrines….

….with a crisp almond & brown sugar topping and lime

I sit down and write, a part of my journey, a place in my daily struggles to find who I am.

IMG_6761I want to know me, in my entirety and what I want. I want to walk this earth with gratitude but also fired up with great purpose. I want to lead, to share, to teach and to stand up convincingly for what I believe in. I find fulfillment in my parts – mum, sister, friend, colleague, neighbour, teacher, mentor, mentee, writer, photographer, person…I could go on and on. Read more…

Roasted Rhubarb Limeade

The prospect of S’mores fired her up intensely. From deep in her belly, she longed to stoke a fire, so its rising flames and cackling sounds could warm her and melt her ‘mallows till they softened and oozed their sugary goodness onto some good grahams. And the chocolate would quickly follow, it too melting in a marble sea of toasted flavours, perfect for a midsummer’s night on the range. Any range. With the stars ‘bove n up and the silver crescent of the moon shining on.

Oh, the beginning and end were here. For her, this was the adventure – this sit down, tales by moonlight and laughter with flames. This, the steaming cup of hot chocolate. Not the trek or setting up of the tent, not the food in tin cans and the bushes for bathrooms, no, her heart lusted not after one of those things but she sat there anyway, knowing the first bite of a S’more would be heaven or hell.

Which would it be? Only her lips could judge.

And if it was heaven, then the drive, the cold and the rain even would have been worth it. All of it, superb payment for one bit of this.

And per chance, it all went wrong and the S’more  experience was hell in itself, then what?

She says ‘It would still be heaven, of a lesser plane for then I know now that camping again, I need not do!’

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Black & White – All you need to know about garlic

This is one post I haven’t planned – rather unlike me!

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Chocolate glut. Chocolate dessert

I have a chocolate glut. Oh yes. Chocolate. Glut.

IMG_3341 If you didn’t know, I’ll tell you now – I have a huge chocolate plant in my back garden, right next to the trampoline (my non-DIY husband sweated to put together) and my not-so-barren veggie patch, teeming with mint and lemon melisse.

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Ladurée in London- Perfect Calibration for my Macs

A throne is only a bench, covered in velvet

Napoleon Bonaparte

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We just got back from a few days away in London.

I especially wanted to attend a one-day seminar being organised for ‘Women in Energy’ in London plus we had public holidays in the Netherlands so we all trooped over. The seminar was all about taking your ambitions to the next level.

So, Thursday afternoon, I left my man with his our kids and headed to Piccadilly.

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International Dumpling Incident – Soup up too!

This month for our International ? Incident party, we made dumplings.

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And we celebrated a few birthdays:

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Matcharons and Midnight feasts

My most loved stories and books as a child were all written by Enid Blyton. My sisters could well say the same. We sought book after book after book from Famous Five to Secret Seven, culminating in the adventures at St Clare’s and Malory Towers. The one thing I loved the most and still remember with more than a twinge of nostalgia are the midnight feasts the girls had. Somewhere deep inside of me, I always felt a bit deprived because I couldn’t flatten myself and slip into the pages of the book, to partake of the glorious delights they indulged in.

IMG_5044Instead I held the pages and imagined…….and longed, never thinking I would someday forget they ever existed.

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Dutch Stroopwaffels, revisited

Its my nature. I can’t leave things be.


IMG_4707 I like it like that so bear with me.

Not satisfied with having witnessed stroopwaffels being made by experts, I decided that I would try it at home – without a proper stroopwaffel maker. And try I did. Verdict later! Read more…

Rhubarb Tian – in the shadows of the Daring Bakers….again

I will not be left out, it is rhubarb season after all and this time I am determined to cook it rosy pink.

IMG_4401Last year when I rustled up a compote of rhubarb and ginger, I was happy with the taste but secretly abhorred the brown, ugly compote. Thankfully, this year, none of that happened. The disaster forestalled by gently roasting the rhubarb till soft.

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Koninginnedag 2010

Yesterday was Queen’s day.

I sold no macarons, or cookies, or anything for that matter.

IMG_4242Instead, we walked the length of our village centre, and I hunted bargains….wisely of course. More on that in a minute.

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