the patchwork dress

1 : scandinavian clutterbuckets!

I have some new, full size clutterbuckets in my shop - made from a lovely soft charcoal wool - a bolt of fabric that I reclaimed + upcycled from a charity shop  (all the fabrics have been prewashed).  

The inner is a sweet striped cotton with rosebuds, and the handles have a new bird and heart design braid. There is also a more unisex version with striped flannel inner and a blue stripe braid.  

I think they have a scandinavian feel!

I am going to attempt an advent post each day - in addition to general musings I'm going to recommend my favourite finds of the year (books, film etc) incase it inspires anyone who hasn't come across them yet.

Ps - anyone buying a clutterbucket will have it wrapped in handstamped paper complete with one of my handmade tags - ready for gifting!

Happy December!

22, 23 + 24: christmas eve

Woah! - it's Christmas Eve! what happened there? I seem to have got swept up in some sort of last minute christmas snow ball effect, which meant I missed these last days of advent..

...doing this

... a commission for the brother of a colleague - I was set a challenging brief with a list of places he had lived around the world, starting with Glasgow.  I had an image of a globe, divided up with some sort of geometry - so the next stage was finding the appropriate maps.

I got my hands on the UK maps pretty quickly, and even one of Australia, but was flumoxed by the more obscure ones such as japan, singapore etc.  I had looked through every single map in the second hand bookshop where I usually get them.. when there, right at the bottom, was a folded piece of paper just poking out.  So I pulled on it, and it turned out to be a National Geographic map of the pacific ocean, dated 1936.  It almost seemed a shame to cut it up as it was beautiful, and provides that lovely deep blue and rich tones around the edges.

The next amazing thing was trying to cut the pieces so that the right bits of the map and the names fitted in the shapes - I got to the bottom there, and thought maybe that piece with Indian Ocean would work, as that is the ocean the recipient lives beside - and I thought, we all identify with the nearest pieces of water to our home - right?  And as I went to cut it, it was miraculously on the same curve as the globe I'd created! Serendipity.

The background is part of a map which says 'Firth of Clyde' up the side - I must admit I hadn't even noticed I was so in love with the numbers and the scale up the side!

It was hard to take photos as the light wasn't so great that day.

T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T

now, as promised..

gluten free all purpose sponge cake recipe

I used this recipe today to make a small madeira style loaf, which will cut up and form the base of our Christmas trifle.  

The basic recipe is below - this time I threw in a chopped up pear which baked inside the cake... The beauty of this recipe is you can just chuck it all in one bowl and mix.. again it can be used with normal or 'free from' ingredients and it always works out.

Another adaptation for the same recipe is to make madelaines - using a madelaine baking tray, or equivalent - add the juice of a lemon at the end of the mix - you can also add handfuls of raisins, cranberries or almonds - they only take 20mins to bake.

T T T T T T T 

4oz (125g) soft magarine (for dairy free use PURE)

3oz of caster sugar

5oz of plain gluten free flour (DOVES) plus 1.5 teaspoons of g/f baking powder

2 eggs

1. Grease/line a tin - this quantity will make a small loaf, a tray of madelaines, or half a layer for a sandwich cake (ie double the quantity for 2!)

2. Put everything in one bowl and beat until the mix goes slightly lighter and creamier in texture.

3. Add to tin and bake 160C/325F/Gas 3 for 35-45 mins. (time may need extended if you have added fresh fruit such as pear or apple).  Madelaines will take around 20mins, individual sponge layers maybe around 25-35mins.

I hope this cake will prove as useful and adaptable for you as it has for me.

(This recipe was adapted to gluten/dairy free from the original by Evelyn Rose, P417, The New Complete International Jewish Cookbook - an absolute bible for any kitchen! and nearly all of the recipes work for normal wheat/dairy or replacing with alternatives.)

T T T T T T T 

Now all that is left is to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful new year in 2011.

I am going to be taking a break, so see you in the new year!

21: just a bit of fun

...this has actually been done/edited very well! I particularly like Gemma the dog at around 31 seconds in...

enjoy! x

solstice night - full moon eclipse

I love this time of year.  Aside from Christmas, there is the very special winter solstice tomorrow - I have always wondered why my excitement 'peaked' a few days before Christmas, and perhaps it is connected to this?

Anyway, my friend Susan also informed me that it will be a full moon eclipse around the time of the solstice. In fact tonight! It's quite auspicious and powerful in terms of planetry and astrology.  Read here if you are interested to find out more about what that means inside and outside of ourselves - written in a far more eloquent style than my own - any of it resonate?

These photos were actually taken over a year ago - when N ventured out to try and capture an amazing moon one night.  Tonight the snow is lit up - its practically daylight out there - but there is a cold mist off the loch, so I doubt we will see much of the moon here.

happy full moon eclipse solstice eve!

19: a bird in the hand(made)

A hand-made bird in the bush, is worth two mass produced ones... or something like that.

Bought at the Country Living Christmas Fair, SECC, Glasgow - unfortunately I have lost the details of the maker.. she made little tiles as well.  

ammendment: thanks Debs - who has reminded me that it is sea holly of course!

 

 

18: gluten and dairy free steamed pudding

(...not the greatest photo, please excuse -  it was taken at night without a flash!)

I LOVE Christmas pudding, but N is not so fussed by it, so last year I tried an alternative by making a fruity, spicey steamed pudding with a syrupy topping.  It's not as rich as Christmas pud, and is totally homemade from scratch - so can be whipped up of a cold winter's evening.

T  T  T  T  T  T  T  T  T  T  T

 

gluten/wheat + dairy free steamed pudding

**********************************************

4oz (125g) soft margarine (for dairy free try PURE)

3oz (100g'ish) of caster sugar (I reduced this from the recommended 4oz)

4oz of plain gluten free flour (Doves brand)

2 tsp of gluten free baking powder

1-2 teaspoons of mixed spice as per taste

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons of (corn) syrup - or substitute with a jam or sauce of choice

couple handfuls of chosen dried fruit and/or nuts

**********************************************

1. Put the margarine, sugar and eggs in a large bowl.

2. Sift in the flour with the baking powder and mixed spice.

3. Beat all until smooth and creamy.

4. Add handful(s) of mixed dried fruit and nuts as per your choice eg sultanas, raisins,

cranberries, dried blueberries, pecans, walnuts, flaked almonds etc.. and fold in.

5. Meanwhile, set up a steamer (steamer above with boiling water below) or use a pressure cooker (see individual instructions for pressure cooker times, although roughly around 50mins cooking time).

6. Grease the inside of a greased pudding basin with margarine (an old plastic christmas pudding bowl is ideal - medium size).  Spoon the syrup/sauce/jam into the bottom of the bowl.

7.  Pour the pudding mix ontop.  There should be approx 1" clear to the top of the bowl to allow for expansion.

8. Cover with foil (I also put a sheet of greaseproof paper under the foil).  Fasten with an elastic band, or tie with string.

9.  Steam the pudding for 2 hours if over a steamer.  You can probably do the same with a trivet in a pan, but be very aware and keep checking the pan to make sure there is always enough water as it evaporates.

10.  Check after 2 hours, the pudding should be touching the underside of the foil by this time.  Remove and turn out onto a plate.  Hey Presto!  Insert holly decoration as indicated.

Once you have tried this, you can try substituting different toppings, or mixing in 5 tablesps of drinking chocolate powder to make it chocolatey.  (I'm still working on that one!)

T  T  T  T  T  T  T  T  T  T  T

(This recipe was adapted to gluten/dairy free from the original by Evelyn Rose, P307, The New Complete International Jewish Cookbook - an absolute bible for any kitchen! and nearly all of the recipes work for normal wheat/dairy or replacing with alternatives.)

 

17: santa claws - simon's cat

16: gluten free pies

It's been a while since I made these... but since then I have perfected the recipe for shortcrust - although the old recipe still holds strong, omitting the ground almonds leaves you with a normal pastry that is much easier to handle, cuts with a cookie cutter and holds together better.

There is still an element of after rolling out and cutting, you may need to press into shape in the tin a little - but its very pliable - and, I understand, can't get overworked like wheat pastry does.

new improved wheat/gluten and dairy free shortcrust pastry

this recipe makes enough for several (8-9 mincepies/or 4 cornish pasties/or 4 larger individual pies - chestnut + gravy for instance/ or one medium size flan dish type pie)

*************************************************

9oz of gluten-free flour

**3oz caster sugar** (SWEET PASTRY ONLY - OMIT FOR SAVOURY PASTRY)

6oz margarine (any will do, for dairy free use PURE or equivalent)

pinch of Xanthan gum - if available

1 egg yolk 

2 tablespoons of rice milk (if not dairyfree you can use milk, or any milk substitute)

*************************************************

1. Heat oven to 190/C (375F) Gas 5 (less if fan assisted)

2. Rub the flour *(plus sugar, if sweet pastry)* and margarine together between fingertips until it resembles breadcrumb texture.  You can add a pinch of Xanthan gum if you have it - but not essential.

2. add the egg yolk and milk - you should be able to work the dough into a ball.  use a little extra 'flour' if it is sticking on the outside.

3. on a floured board, flour up a rolling pin and roll to desired shape/thickness.  If making pies with a top, split the dough so the bigger half makes up the base.  Don't worry if it splits a little at this stage, you can 'fix' with your fingers once the pastry makes to the pie dish or tray!

4. Once you have made up the pies etc - the egg white can be used, or a little of the milk substitute to glaze the top before baking in oven.

5. Mince pies will take around 25mins - bigger pies, such as apple - may take longer, and you can either precook the apple, or turn the oven down towards the end.

Makes really nice soft but crumbly proper shortcrust taste - not hard and biscuity like some gluten-free alternatives!

hope this is helpful and not too vague - I seem to be losing the use of english!

 

15: when it's cold outside, bake!

It is still cold here, although most of the snow has thawed, there is still a thick hoar frost which seems to stay all day.  A real 'earth cold'.

I have spent 3 out of the past 7 days feeling really unwell and on my back as a result of eating 'wrong' things. For a number of years I have cut out wheat from my diet which made a major difference to my health, waistline and energy, but in recent months I have discovered that things such as spelt, rye, barley are also too strong for me, as are most baking products such as non-glutenfree baking powder or big doses of bicarb of soda!  

Because of these recent episodes where I thought the cake on offer looked ok, that I now cannot chance this without checking ingredients very carefully.  One was made of rice crispies but a cheaper brand perhaps, as they were puffier - so probably also contained wheat or barley.  A polenta cake yesterday, may have unknowingly had non gluten free baking powder in it - or maybe the waiting staff didn't know if it also included flour.

So from now on I am going to have to be careful - and I have thought of sharing with you through the remainder of my advent posts, incase you do have friends or family who cannot eat wheat or gluten, or have some other intolerance - a few recipes, and best buys that I have experienced, incase you would like to bake or cook for them over christmas and new year.

Let it be known I am not one for fiddly baking - so the recipes I will share will be simple and hopefully fairly fool proof!  In addition, N is dairy intolerant, so the recipes/best buys will also be milk free, although may contain eggs.

To start with, here are some basic shopping items you will need if you want to bake gluten-free.  These are tried and tested, and for me have worked as the best combination.

1. Doves Gluten/Wheat Free Plain Flour is available in nearly every supermarket and health food shop now.  There is also a self-raising version, but I find the plain works best with 1tsp of baking powder to every 4oz of flour.  It also means you can use the flour for pastry and pizza bases.

2. Dr Oetker Gluten Free Baking Powder  This is the best! even better than 'Doves' own.  Now stocked by ASDA and Sainsburys.  Tescos do their own which is made from rice flour and is also good.

3. Doves (or Suma) Xanthan gum This is not essential - basically it makes the mix a little stickier so things like pastry/pizzas are less dry and crumbly.  I just put a pinch in (not very technical!) but improves the mix.  Can be bought in Sainsburys and health food shops.

I hope to post some recipes for shortcrust pastry (sweet + savoury), a basic failsafe sponge mix, a steamed pudding and a list of where to buy the best freefrom christmas and baked goods!

13: christmas can be mixed emotions

the wisdom of the Schulz... check out Snoopy's ice dance!