Baking

I set about making gingerbread dough, for the children to use later, this morning and as my LE walked in and exclaimed 'Oh you're a sucker for punishment doing it all by hand!!' it made me think 'Why on earth do I spend literally hours baking by hand when a mixer could do it in no time at all?' here are the fruits of my thoughts:

• baking by hand is what my Grandma and I have always done, even though I'm a good 700 miles from home and there's an ocean between us I still feel very close to my Grandma any time I bake something.
• it's a very meditative process, the beating the ingredients together and getting exactly the right consistency may take a while, but you get to focus on just doing that.
• I feel insanely proud of myself when I've made fluffy meringues all by hand, that wonderful moment when you've whipped the egg whites until they're stiff glossy peaks, and they don't fall out of the bowl when you turn it upside down, I don't know about anyone else but I find that incredibly satisfying.
• I secretly think that using a machine is cheating!

This is my favourite cake of all time and is perfect for any occasion (like cheering up a sad work colleague or as a thank you gift.)

Christmas is coming!!!

I've decided to give the children a dog each for Christmas, what child doesn't want a dog for Christmas?

I've not quite finished the dogs yet though!

Aren't they just the cutest things?! I found the tutorial here and have fallen in love with how easy it is! (although it would be so much quicker with a sewing machine!)

Last weekend I went to Trier Christmas Market, which was lurvely! I picked up a few bits and bobs to decorate my room with ...

My little Christmas display

The man who made these tree's was so lovely, and gave me a great discount because I brought two of them.

A berry nice alternative to a Christmas tree.

Some beautiful baubles made by a lovely lovely lady!

And my collection of Gluhwine cups! They're amazing and slightly tacky but I love them all the same!!

A belated birthday treat.

Yesterday a wonderful package arrived for me from my wonderful friend K. It was a birthday treat box and my goodness what a treat it was! Gorgeous silicone moulds because she knows I love to bake, a lovely necklace, some fuzzy socks (not pictured because they're on my feet) some fudge from my favourite fudge shop in the Lakes and some seriously scrummy body butter (which just happens to be my favourite flavour!!)

As lovely as all of these were the lids was the bit that made me burst into happy tears!!

Our favourite pictures of us and a picture of the Lake in winter, the perfect collection of pictures!

The card was also pretty special. I remember reading a print out of this on K and J's kitchen cupboard when I was still living in the Lakes and it just makes me smile every time I look at it!

The best bit in the card was the list of things that K wished she could send me, these were her and J and their wardrobes, some lakes and some mountains. I am very lucky to have a friend like K. Very lucky indeed!

Happy Birthday to Me!

So today was my birthday, and the parents brought me a lovely camera (which I really need as the pictures on here recently have been horrendous!) Since I now had a camera I set about taking it for a walk through the Petrusse Valley down to the Grund. What a beautiful day for it!

The steps that I walk down

The wonderful bridge that crosses the valley to go the La Gare

More steps up to the old prisons

My favourite view in Luxembourg.

My second favourite view in Luxembourg

The wisdom of five year olds.

This morning Foodie Child came up to me, sat on my lap and said 'Hold onto your heart'. Now normally this would just be sweet, but my fiancé and I had broken up the day before so it was even more poignant. It's amazing what children pick up on even if you don't tell them.

So this is my advice for today 'Hold onto your heart.'