Cantucci biscotti

Inspired by British Bake Off's biscuit week, I made Cantucci from Anna del Conte's Gastronomy of Italy. This is a gorgeous book which explores the simple local dishes of Italy, their origins and significance. These are a twice baked biscuit flavoured with the intriguing and exotic combo of saffron, fennel, almonds and pine nuts. They are also fat free so can be enjoyed any time. 

Retro Gaming

Once a month, we meet up with friends to play Dungeons and Dragons. This is the original roleplaying adventure game, in a medieval fantasy setting. There are always far too many snacks. This time, our friend Tor suggested a retro 70s snacks theme (as medieval snacks are probably things like turnips and boar). She created this 'porcupine' of cheese and pineapple displayed on a half grapefruit. It was surprisingly nice.

Fasque Gothick

We visited the beautiful Fasque House today. Fasque is a fascinating early Gothick house of about 1809 which used to be lived in by Prime Minister Gladstone in the C19th. It is rarely open to the public so I was very excited to visit. What really caught my imagination though was the huge walled garden, tucked away in the woods. This little house at the centre of the walled garden was built as an apple store (!) and is now the most romantic teeny holiday cottage. Already fantasising about staying there...

Carpetabulous

Before and after pics of new bedroom carpet. See the horrible crushed faded pink carpet.

We had to move so much stuff, books and all those things you keep under the bed (spare pillows, duvets, luggage, inflatable mattress...

Weekend of Bread

This weekend I made the leap into sourdough bread. Sourdough is made with a starter of a flour and water mix which you leave to ferment and creates natural yeast. I keep mine in the fridge to minimise feeding. (It needs to be halved and topped up or fed about once a week). Sourdough takes a long time with two rises of several hours, or overnights in the fridge. 

I made half the dough into English muffins, which you fry in a pan and half into a flatbread topped with zaatar (Lebanese thyme herb mix). Both were lovely, I will be doing proper sourdough bread soon and experimenting with more breakfast foods...crumpets are my favourite.

I also made a sweet loaf with dried fruit which I make every week as a healthy cake alternative. Great with a mug of tea.

Rainy in Fittie

When my Mum, Leen, was visiting last weekend, she said she wanted to go to the seaside. This is fascinatingly varied in Aberdeen as you go through the industrial working docks, the fairground and cinema complex (and the Ladyboys of Bangkok marquee) and then arrive at the long, open beach overlooking the surging North Sea. If you continue down the beach it is amazing to then find the tiny, quirky village of Fittie. This was built in about 1820 as a planned community for fishing people. It is delightful, with little cottages, courtyards and tarry sheds for fishing gear (seen above). These days lots of arty people seem to live there and the sheds range from the decrepit to the pretentious to the kitsch (gnomes or kissing lip prints). A magical place.

Magical Moon Gate

This is the wonderful Moon Gate in the gardens of Leith Hall. The Hall has amazing gardens including a mountainous rockery, spiral maze, fruit and vegetable garden and woodlands with a lake. The Moon Gate was inspired by Japanese Gardens but also has a rather Hobbit like sensibility to it somehow.