How to Make Homemade Truffles

Truffles are another thing that I’d put off making because I thought they were difficult. NOT SO! And the great things is that if you use the quantities laid out in this recipe you’ll have truffles coming out of your ears. These truffles not only taste scrumptious but make really awesome homemade Christmas gifts.

I have friends that are great  lovers of both milk and dark chocolate so I decided to make a batch of milk chocolate truffles and a batch of dark chocolate truffles. This way everyone is happy!

Each batch makes 36 truffles

For the dark chocolate batch-

• Break the 400g of dark chocolate up into smallish pieces and place into a large mixing bowl
• Heat 300ml of double cream and three tablespoons of Cointreau in a saucepan on a medium heat until it bubbles slightly and is clearly hot!
• Remove the pan from the heat and pour the contents over the broken chocolate pieces in the mixing bowl
• Allow the chocolate pieces to melt into the hot cream mixture for a couple of minutes
• Gently whisk together the cream and melted chocolate until smooth and shiny
• Allow to cool completely
• Cover the bowl with cling-film and chill the ganache (the correct term for the chocolate mixture) in the fridge overnight

Use exactly the same process for the milk chocolate truffles but add 3 tablespoons of Amaretto to the cream instead of  Cointreau

The next day…

• Ground your hazelnuts into very small pieces and transfer into a small bowl
• You can chop them using a sharp knife but I used a pestle and mortar as I found it quicker
• Then sift your cocoa into a small bowl
• Take the ganache from the fridge and remove the cling film covering
• Using a melon scoop or teaspoon take a small amount of the ganache from the bowl and roll onto a small ball in the palm of your hands

Note: The ganache will slowly start to melt once removed from the fridge so you will need to roll the truffle balls as quickly as possible

• Take the truffle ball and roll it around in the chopped hazelnuts
• When the truffle is totally coved in the hazelnuts place into a petite four case
• Repeat this until until all the ganache is used up, remembering to alternate between dipping the truffle balls in the hazelnuts and in the cocoa
• When all the truffles balls are rolled and covered and placed into their petite four cases, place onto a large tray and chill in the fridge for two hours

After two hours the truffles are ready to eat. Yum!

If you are giving away your truffles as gifts think about placing them in some pretty boxes decorated with a big bow. Any chocolate loving friend will love to receive these as a gift this Christmas.

Tip: These truffles are also a great homemade gift if you want to give something a little more personal this year to the likes of your child’s teacher or to your postman

All of these Christmassy ideas are added to the site early to give you as much of a choice as possible when it comes to choosing which projects you’ll opt for. I know you can’t do them all as you have lives to lead and jobs to do. But this is my job. To give you as much information and inspiration as I can possibly conjure up in order to make your Christmas as peachy as possible.

Pick and choose. That’s what it’s all here for.

lots of love

Cherry xox

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We have some friends in our garden - a Robin called Ian and a Blue Tit called Betsy. Ian is rather awesome actually. He can often be found sitting atop an abandoned log and watching while we garden. He has a nice inquisitive face although he gets a little annoying when he decides to fly in to the garage just as we’re closing it up and are on our way out for several hours.

“Ian, come out of the garage please. If you don’t come out you’ll be stuck in there and that won’t be very nice, will it?”

Ian can be a little naughty on occasion.

The name Ian is stolen from a Starling that visits my sisters garden and was named by my Dad. I thought it sounded good as a birds name and it clearly suited my Ian, so I nicked it.

Betsy on the other hand is a new addition and has been seen hanging on to these two decrepit Sunflowers a great deal over the last two weeks.

The rest of the Sunflowers are long since gone but these two flowered so late into the summer that they just got left in the ground. Robert the Husband spotted Betsy upside down and chowing down on the seeds that were left. And look at the meal she’s had!

Betsy has almost totally cleared this Sunflower as the weather has gotten colder and she’s even started in on the surrounding area. It’s wonderful to see Betsy do her very best Cirque du Soleil impression as she hangs upside down and reaches for the hard to get at seeds.

It’s reminded me to make sure that all of the bird feeders are full and has also made me realise that the show put on by the birds when they raid the sunflowers for seed is far greater a site than that of cleared empty beds.

I’ll be leaving ALL of the Sunflowers in the ground for a lot longer next year and perhaps we’ll have a whole row of birds feeding at once.

Bees visiting by the minute when it’s warm and birds eating it empty when it’s chilly. All that from the humble Sunflower…. It’s got to be worth the £1 I paid for the seeds

And in only four or five months time I’ll be looking to plant them all over again.

Love it!

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Gimme S’More!
How to make S’mores

I think it’s safe to say that it is currently bonfire season. Bonfire Night was yesterday here in the UK but a great many people will be waiting until this weekend to celebrate it. Along with Bonfire Night you more often than not get a bonfire (funny that!) which is perfect for making today’s recipe on.

I had my first S’more at the age of twelve. It was explained to me that the name S’more comes from the fact that these campfire treats are so good that you always want “some more”. They are thoroughly “moreish”

Hence, S’more.

“I want s’more, please?
Have I explained that right, American readers?

I hope so or I’ll be told off good and proper.

In the States I believe S’mores are made by using Graham Crackers, Hershey chocolate and marshmallows. I hope this is also correct! Eeek!

In the UK the closest equivalent are Digestive biscuits, a slender-ish bar of chocolate (Green and Blacks in this case) and marshmallows.

In my world I always, ALWAYS, melt the chocolate a little first over the fire.

I then set it on top of one of the digestives.

I then toast the marshmallows, slowly, so that they melt on the inside and without charring too badly on the outside. A little blackness around the edges tastes pretty good though so don’t worry too much.

Those marshmallows are then placed on top of the melted chocolate…..

….and another digestive is brought down on top of the whole lot creating a sandwich of sorts.

And what a sandwich it is.

I love these things and although I can usually only manage one and a half or two at a push every time I eat them they take me back to wonderful nights spent by a camp fire in Yosemite National Park.

Which in turn reminds me of my wedding because it took place in the small wooden chapel there.
And then of course I think of my Robert.

We’ve had a real ‘week’ of it over here and I can only tell you that I picked a good ‘un in him. He’s rather solid is my husband. And very funny so gets away with being INCREDIBLY naughty. Damn you, Hafner!

S’mores.

Try ‘em!

They take you places.

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Cherry’s British Boston Baked Beans Recipe

In the UK the 5th of November  is celebrated as Guy Fawkes Night and if you are having some peeps over for a bonfire and some fireworks this weekend then I have the recipe for you. It’s hearty and guaranteed to warm the cockles. This is also a recipe that we’ve created specifically for LARGE BOOMING gatherings. So often I bang a chili in to the oven on such occasions but this is just as good and another dish to add to the repertoire.

We needed the perfect dish that we could serve with some nice crusty bread and steamed rice and this dish is perfect for that. Please bear in mind that the quantities I have given will produce 2 large pots (5 lt. pots - I told you it was a lot!) of my British Boston Baked Beans. You can of course half the quantities if you like but if you do decide to make the full amount you will be happy to know that these beanie babies freeze beautifully and are even better having been heated up.

For the beans…

If the packets of your dried beans tell you to soak all your dried beans in large pan overnight then you must do this.

• The next morning….  drain the beans and distribute them equally between two large pans
• Add 1 litre of water to each of the pans ensuring the beans are totally immersed in the water. Add more water to cover if necessary
• Peel your onion and cut it in half
• Add  half of the peeled onion to each pan along with 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• Put the pans on a high heat and allow them to reach boiling point and then let them boil for a further 5 minutes
• After 5 minutes turn the heat down to a medium/low heat and part cover each pan with the lid
• Allow both pots of beans to gently simmer for 2 hours until the beans are tender

Note: the beans should always be immersed under water so add more water throughout the simmering process if necessary

After 2 hours….

• Drain both pans of beans
• Remove and discard the onion pieces.

For the British Boston mix…

• Use a large mixing bowl to combine the cinnamon, apple cider vinegar, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard and salt and pepper.
• Stir until blended.
• Finely chop the Romano peppers and add them to the bowl.

• Cut the uncooked smoked gammon into smallish sized cubes,  removing any fat from the cut, and add to the bowl
• Then add the crushed (or finely chopped) garlic and stir well until all the ingredients are blended together
• Divide the boiled beans into two separate pans or oven proof dishes - they must be able to fit into the oven and have a lid (I used one large oven proof pan and a one dutch oven)

• Divide the British Boston mix equally in two and then pour over each pan of beans
• Stir gently but thoroughly to ensure all the beans are covered in the mixture
• Pour one litre of fresh water into each of the pans and once again stir gently
• Peel and half the other onion and add the two halves to each of the pans
• Put both pans, with the lids on, into a hot oven - 220c - and cook for 1 hour.
• After one hour remove from the oven and stir well making sure there is still liquid in the pans and they have not dried out.
• Add more water if absolutely necessary but don’t dilute! On the other hand don’t let them dry out. Pesky beans.

At this point the beans will be cooked but to get the most out of all the flavours you have added to the pan it is advisable to let them cook slooowwly for a further three hours in a warm oven - 150c.

Serve immediately …..
or warmed up a little later …..
or even freeze them and eat them another time once defrosted.

They taste great with crusty bread, rice or cornbread.

If you are heading out tonight then have fun. Remember to put your pets inside as they can get scared by the big bangs and don’t pick up a firework after it has gone off as it may still be hot.

Hmmmmm, at least there was one of us paying attention during Blue Peter as a kid! Do you remember those adverts they used to play on the tele around this time. That poor girl who picked up a firework, screamed, and then had to show her hand to the camera!

Jeez, I was scarred for life over that one.

Cx

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Well, hello there cowboys and girls! Welcome to Kindling 101 with ME!! All I’m missing to go with the smug grin is a Christmas sweater….perhaps I’ll dig one out for next time.

If you’re anything like me and have an open fire or log burner that you use during the colder months then gathering in the fire-making materials will be a lot of fun. It usually takes place on a Saturday morning and involves getting logs, kindling, coal and paraffin fire-lighters. Well this year we’re doing it all a little differently. We’ve had a huge pile of logs delivered from the Log Man. A mixture of Beech and Ash and he has offered to bring us Oak for slower burning should we need it but I don’t think we will. Mr Log Man gets his logs from sustainable sources and by doing it this way we have eliminated our need for coal.

I’m chuffed about this and not even because we’ll mine all the coal one day so that there isn’t any left. No. I’m chuffed because coal is FILTHY and I always, without fail, drop a single piece on to my cream rug and it looks like I’ve been sketching with it. Robert The Husband also likes to walk coal thorough the living room on his trainers and chat happily while building a fire while I look on with tears in my eyes. So the log option works for us.

Another thing we’re dispensing with this year are chemical fire-lighters. Yes, they are easy to use and faster but I prepared a huge amount of kindling from recycled bits and bobs the other day and found it satisfying. Using more natural kindling not only saves money and fuel as you don’t have to take the car out to buy the fire-lighters but it’s also another way to recycle.

Here are some more ideas…..

If you could hear my tone of voice right now you’d know that I’m not preaching or telling you how to do this. Just offering information that you may or may not want to try out.

I’d love to hear your kindling tips if you have any as this is by no means a comprehensive list……….

I’m off now for a very exciting adventure. Where’s my cape?

Cx

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Tapenade Recipe

If I could describe my favourite times in the kitchen it’s when I attempt to make something that I had always thought of as too difficult or I had avoided in some way and it actually turns out OK. I prefer this experience much more than when I’m making something that I’ve made a million times before and I can just phone it in. Now the funny thing is that more often than not the ‘thing’ that I have always wanted to have a go at but have been too chicken to try is very, very easy. And I end up, when the ‘thing’ is completed, saying out loud and usually to myself “Was that it? Jeez, if I’d have known we’d have been eating that seven days a week instead of Bangers & Mash!!”

Tapenade I wanted to conquer for two reasons - 

1. I like eating it.
2. It is brill (did I just type that word) for serving when you have guests over and seeing as Christmas is approaching it’s a good one to have under your belt. It’s tasty and fast and I only know this because I can now make it and make it gooooodd. It’s so good that I’ve only just about stopped short of spreading it all over Robert the Husband and that’s because he didn’t want to go to work smelling of olives, garlic and capers. I told him to be thankful that my recipe didn’t include anchovies.

Here’s how you make it using the ingredients found in the red info box to the right of this article. 

• Place all of the ingredients in a processor and whiz for a few seconds until it has been blended but NOT pureed. 
• Serve with biscuits, crackers and bread sticks. 
• This amount will fill approximately two small serving bowls, one for each end of the table or two corners of the room.

Told ya!

HOW SMUG AM I??????

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If it’s good enough for the cat it’s good enough for me!

The clocks have changed, it’s now dark shortly after five pm and if there is one thing that we have to do during the month of November it’s hibernate. I’m sure it happens this way around in order to prepare us for the madness that ensues next month but more on that later.

As you can see I’m napping in front of a newly tiled Union Jack that sits proudly behind the Aga. I chose three really pale and rather muted colours for it and Robert the Husband tiled the whole thing over a couple of weekends and in the evenings. We still have the sides to grout but that will only take a moment and I really wanted to show it off. I’m proud of him and the awesome flag he made. Thanks, love!

So, we’re already in November, what’s that all about?!

Well , first of all don’t forget to download my calender for this month. This can be found right here!

We’ve also decided to give you, the reader, all that we can to help ease you into a time of the year that can get a little hectic. We have been working like elves in order to post our own Christmas projects super early for you to have a go at. We’ve got brand new recipes, some beautiful craft ideas, house keeping tips including how to make kindling for any roaring fires you may decide to have.

We’ve also got gift ideas, decorative how-to’s and I’ll be starting a new series called Anatomy of a Room. This is when I showcase a room I’ve been working on and go through each and every corner writing about how I got there.

My diary is pretty full this month as among other things I’ll be filming my 24 Days of Advent as part of my ‘Have Yourself a Cherry Little Christmas” series. Something I’ve tried to run since I started blogging about four years ago. Each day I’ll be popping up on screen and suggesting one simple thing to prepare, check on or sort out before the big day and I’m looking forward to shooting them. Knowing how these things go there will probably be a far longer blooper reel than any actual usable content as I find it very hard not to ad lib or act like a fool. But it’ll be worth it for the giggles.

I’d like to take this moment to say a massive HELLO to all the folk out there who have found this website over the last couple of months. It really is awesome to see you visiting and I hope that we continue to create content that is relevant, doable and beautiful for you to look at, take part in and simply enjoy. If you’re anything like me sometimes just looking at pretty pictures is enough to make one feel totally revived and ready to move on.

However, before we get deep into Christmas prep we still have Bonfire Night to celebrate in the UK. And that means only two things…

Beans and  S’mores.

The bean recipe is on it’s way and here’s all you need for the S’mores….UK style of course!

This past weekend was Halloween and we had a little visit from the twins.

They had both just gotten over an horrific cold. During which time they learnt to say “Calpol” very, very clearly indeed. Poor little mites.

This meant that there was no dressing up as ghosts or making camps for them to play in in the living room. We all just spent an evening by the fire having cuddles,eating  Mexican food and it was an early night for all. But that’s OK. Truly was up bright and early at 5am, arms outstretched and wanting a cuddle. Auntie Cha-Cha was on hand to whisk her out of bed, still  wrapped in her quilt and settle down in front of the tele for a very early showing of Polar Express. Which currently goes by the name of ‘Train!!!”.

Precious, precious times.

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For many of you with children this will be the last day of the half term so we thought we would share a really great but simple recipe with you that you can make with the help of the kids; however, these little ghostly treats are also a winner with the adults as Robert the Husband will tell you *scoff scoff*

• Useful Weight Conversions
• Pre-heat oven to 190c

For the apple sauce -

• Start by peeling your apples and cutting them into smallish pieces. I used Bramley but use a cooking apple that has a certain crisp sweetness if you can find one.
• Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and water and place on the heat.
• Let the apples simmer for around 8 minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the apples are soft.
• Remove from the heat and set to one side.

For the pastry -

• Add the flour, salt and butter to a large mixing bowl and with your fingertips crumble the ingredients together until the mixture resembles a breadcrumb like mixture.
• Add the water and knead the mixture together until it forms your pastry ball.

• On a lightly floured surface roll the pastry out until it is about 2-3mm thick

• Take the ghost cookie cutter and start cutting out your shapes

• Using a small spoon, spoon the cooked apple onto one of the ghost shapes. Try spread the apple across as much of the pastry as possible without over filling as when the parcels go into the oven the sauce will start seeping out if they are too full

• Place another ghost pastry piece on top, pinching the sides of the ghost parcel to secure the apple sauce inside.

• When all the ghost pastry shapes are cut and the fillings are in, place onto a non-stick baking tray and brush the ghosts with whisked egg white.
• Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

Caution! The contents of these yummy little parcels will be VERY hot when removed from the oven so make sure they are good and cool if serving to children.

I decorated mine with some piped black icing just to add to the fun of it all but you could leave yours au ‘natural.

Try and gives these a go because they really are quite delicious. Yum!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN everyone and if you are trick or treating this holiday, have fun.

I’m back on Monday with my brand new calender download, brand new monthly newsletter and a full rundown of what’s going to be happening in the month of November.

Christmas is fast approaching and it’s time to get ready,ready,ready!!

Lots of love and have a fabulous weekend.

Cherry, xo

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So, in light of yesterday’s revelation I thought that it may be a good idea to put my money where my mouth is and really explore all there is to do within the lazy, hazy days of Autumn and pottering about in general, all the while maintaining my slower pace of course. The simples that mean so much and enrich the soul and where better to start than with apple bobbing. We can still buy some wonderful Bramley apples around here and they make a really good size for bobbing with. An enamel tub, a patchwork rug and some apples are all that’s needed. And if the all the participants get given a toffee apple on a stick at the end of it all then it makes the wet sweater worthwhile.

Having a good kick-about!

There is nothing like letting off a bit of steam with a good leaf kicking. We have so many leaves to rake up and put in to piles but what fun it is to be able to fling oneself through the piles and watch as the leaves fly high in to the air and float back down again on to our heads. This is especially precious when played with kids. We did just this with the twins the other day and they LOVED it. They picked up armfuls of leaves and were both in total awe of these things that were on the ground one minute and are now on their heads! Kids are amazing before they really know what’s going on, don’t you think? Before the need for things outweighs the joy of being.

This is something I’ve been looking forward to.
We’ve had our logs delivered.
The Log Man (as he called himself on the phone, no disrespect here) delivered half a load to us last night. He warned me that he can’t deliver any more after the first week in December so either we get some more or keep an eye on the quantities we burn.  But what I like  about this is that we get to stack them up at the side of the house. You know those lovely pictures of alpine homes set in to the  mountains, they always have huge amounts of perfectly cut logs outside them. We saw so many of them on a ski trip and I remember marveling at the neatness of the stacking. Certainly not saying that I’ll be able to replicate this wonder but I’m looking forward to doing a job that is so rustic and so outdoorsy and so in keeping with the all pervading autumnal atmosphere.  Some of them may even need chopping! Woo Hoo!

“Christina, bring me the axe”
*if anyone can name that film I’ll give you an imaginary lolly-pop*

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Do you ever walk in to your office or walk up to your desk or even just walk in to your kitchen and see how much there is waiting for you and walk right back out again?

So do I.

In fact I did that today.

I was up and dressed saw what I hadn’t managed to finish, walked back across the drive, through the kitchen, up the stairs, along the hall and climbed right back in to bed again…. for only about three minutes though as I really HATE getting back in to bed when I’m already up and about but I thought it added to the drama of it all. You know getting back in to bed fully clothed and all that just to make my point!!

The sad thing was that there was nobody in the house so I was in fact acting out a little scene to myself.

………………………………..!!

Yup, slowly losing it.

It’s becoming clear that I need to get a very firm grip and take things in bite sized chunks. What I mean by that is that I work in this type of way……

I get tremendously enthused by a great number of projects and scream from the roof with thunder and lightening crashing behind me  ”Let’s do them all. Hahahahahahahahahaha!!”

At which point Jodie looks at me, sideways, and slowly bangs her head on the desk for about an hour and a half. This is what’s happening right now actually you’ll pleased to know.

I have to say that we do seem to get done all that we need to but it feels like we’ve been on a spin wash at the end of it.

So I’m going to be conducting an experiment and my experiment is this…

I am going to take the pace DOWN a little. Yes. That is what I am going to do. I am going to keep the workload the same but I am going to s..l..o..w.. it down. This means that I shall do one thing at a time and not start another until the first has been completed.
I once read The Secret. A lot of it I liked and some I discarded but one thing that book taught me was that if I continually walk around bemoaning the fact that I don’t have enough time I won’t have enough time. So I’m not doing that any more. I am just doing one thing at a time. Checking it off when it’s done and resisting getting distracted.

When I tell you that Jodie has forbidden me to bring any more projects in to the house you’ll get the picture. I am not allowed to go to the shops any more unless it’s for postage stamps because I bring back a thrifted project.

Jodie - “Oh no”

Me - “Nooooo, you don’t understand this will look AWESOME at the top of the stairs and it was only a fiver”

Jodie - “But you said you weren’t going to do this again”

Me - “Nooooo, you don’t understand this will look AWESOME at the top of the stairs and it was only a FIVER”

Jodie - “OH NO”

I’m just convinced that I spend more time than I need to thinking about all I have to do rather than doing it. Do you ever do that?

Anyway, so that’s how it is behind the scenes right now. Lots of cereal bowls and cups of tea on desks (mine not Jodie’s I hasten to add) and approximately 23,411 Christmas baubles that need THREADING!!!

SINCE WHEN DID THEY START SELLING THEM WITHOUT ANYTHING TO HANG THEM WITH????

Oh Dear!

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When Making Over a Room, Where Does One Start? With the Blanket Cupboard Of Course!!

The weekend that just past started off so rainy. It came down steadily for several hours at the start of Saturday so as Robert was busy tiling something wonderful for behind the Aga I set about making mischief in one of the guest rooms. When you are forced to stay indoors there is nothing like getting busy on a project that has been waiting for you.

I love this room. It’s big and square and has a certain symmetry. You all know how I feel about THAT! But I wanted to change it a little and was at pains to discover just where the best place to start should be. 

In the summer I bought about eight vintage Witney blankets from a local thrift store and I got my answer……. I will start by creating a blanket cupboard in this room and create the rest around that space. 

Here’s where I’ve got to. I have finished half of the room. Can you see the blanket cupboard to the right of the bed?

Blankets hold actual real emotions for me, I’m not kidding. The act of having a blanket to hand and being able to reach around and pull it over a chilly body is one of my favourite things. 

To make this blanket cupboard work for me I had to have them visible. So I unscrewed the doors to the cupboard and began folding my blanket collection with a certain gusto.

The pastel coloured heavy duty blankets are all thrifted and all cost…….ONE POUND EACH! You have to know what you’re looking for. When I got them to the till the lady looked at me and said in a very haughty tone “You do know that these are dog blankets, don’t you?”

Well I didn’t know that, thank you, and even if they were dog blankets in a former life after a boil wash they would be my blankets so stick that in your pipe and smoke it  lady!

Of course I didn’t say that to haughty lady I simply smiled benignly and said “Oh, really?” and grumbled all the way out the door.

Neat piles. 

Love ‘em!

So much of my life is not neat or in piles so I do like a neat pile to pop up occasionally. 

Beatrix Potter, Vintage Paisley Eiderdowns and dog my blankets. 

My new favourite corner and the room is only half finished. 

The bed was brought from our old house and was too woody so the ends were covered with a blanket at the top and a huge vintage tablecloth at the end. Not ironed and all the more cosy looking looking for it. 

And now to the future project news….Can you see the blanket stitch? We are working on various Christmas bits and pieces around here and several of them are covered in blanket stitch. As one of my all time favourite and most useful stitches I’ll show you exactly how easy it is in a post coming very soon. 

And as soon as the other half of the room is finished I’ll show you that too!  I can’t get enough of before and afters!

Cherry xo

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This past weekend was one of my favourite types of weekend. I awoke on Saturday morning wearing my favourite pajamas safe in the knowledge that Robert the Husband and I had two full days together. Our body clocks woke us up instead of an alarm and the house was already warm as we both padded downstairs to start mooching. I say mooching, we both had a few things we wanted to get done but when you want to get them done as opposed to having to get them done it officially turns in to mooching. So we mooched.

It was a normal two days and I was so grateful for normal. Normal can be good…….. for about five minutes and then it’s back to the adventure. Which of course is awesome but respite is needed even if it is just wandering around the market deciding what to eat for the week instead of booking a slot for a delivery online and filling the trolley with “maybe I’ll eat that”.

Autumn on a Saturday with a cosy husband (in a sweater, yay!) that doesn’t mind how many times I ask for a cuddle or pinch him really hard or squeeze his ear……I’ll go no further with that activity as my parents read this but suffice to say it was bliss.

ALRIGHTY THEN!

As you can see there are huge amounts of leaves around here (above) that need to be raked up and disposed of in the best way. We really have been confronted with a carpet of leaves. Don’t get me wrong the leaves look amazing but they are not great when they eventually get wet and start getting soggy and slippy. So I grabbed my rake and set out on my leaf clearing mission. I couldn’t help noticing how beautifully formed and colorful the leaves were. It seemed like such a waste to discard them so readily when they still looked so lovely. So I grabbed my log basket and set about collecting some.

And came up with this.

A length of regular household string with the end threaded through a large eyed needle. A bit of leaf threading later and I had enough leaves threaded onto the string to loop into a circle. I pulled the string tight and secured it in a knot. And I made a hanger - upper out of wire edged ribbon with a bow tied in front.

It’s a voluminous, leafy, wreathy, pom-pom.

Hmmmm!

I need another weekend!

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How To Make A Halloween Cake For The Kids

I can’t tell you how funny it’s been here in the office sorting through the pictures of this cake. We’ve been comparing the shape of our sugar paste spiders to crab and octopus anything but spiders of course! And then there was the case of the less than orange Halloween icing that made the cake look more like a giant peach than the scary creation we were aiming for!

This seriously got me thinking. There is so much out there online and in print that tells us how to cook, bake, craft, sew, keep house etc!!
I’m one of them for goodness sake. But it is really important to me to say that if it ever appears that we have it all sewn up here at Chez Menlove that appearance is 100% false. If I could only tell you the amount of expletives that fall like a torrent from my mouth each and every time I burn the inside of my arm on the Aga! Or the recipes that we test that have us spitting them out in the sink! Hahahahahahahaha! It doesn’t happen daily, granted, but it happens. And when it does we have one of two choices.

Get annoyed and swear even more.

Or shake our head in dismay, laugh ( a lot ) and then put it up on to the site anyway because even if the cake is a little more apricot in appearance than we’d have liked it tastes extraordinary and that’s all that matters with cake because you don’t look at them you EAT them and the cake recipe works.

Pre-heat your oven to 190c

I used a food mixer to mix my cake ingredients but you could also mix this cake by hand.

• Start by mixing together the butter and the sugar until it is smooth and creamy
• Sift in the flour and then add the eggs, cocoa and milk, mix all the ingredients together until completely blended
• Pour the mixture into the greased cake tin and bake in the oven for 1 hr 15 minutes, making sure you keep an eye on it
• Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool completely before the next part

• Using a long sharp knife, slice the cake in half width ways so you end up with two circles of cake

• Generously spread the Nutella (hazelnut chocolate spread) on to the top of the inside of the cake
• Put the other half of the cake back on top and press down gently to secure in place

For the cake icing and decorations  -

• Mix together the butter and the icing sugar and add the food colouring to get your desired colour of orange
• The topping should be thick and stand up on its own, not runny

• Using a pallet knife, spread the orange butter icing all over the cake, including over the sides, until it is completely covered

• For the cake decorations I used black sugar paste to make the spiders but coloured marzipan would also work for this
• I started by rolling out a small black ball (about the size of a marble) for the  crab’s spider’s body
• Then rolled out four long legs which I attached to the middle of the underside of the crab’s spiders body
• I also gave him some orange eyes which I just rolled out of orange sugar-paste.

Let me present Colin the Crab Sid the Spider

• I made the tombstones out of white marzipan writing on them with a tube of shop bought black icing from the baking section.

• You can be as creative as you like with the decorations and even invite any children you have laying around to help you make some of them.

See? We got silly and put skulls, ghosts……

….and lots of writing along the side. SUCH fun though!

Happy Halloween - here’s hoping it’s a right old ’spook-off’ for you.

Woohaha!

Check that slice out! Utterly, utterly divine.

Happy Bake Fest Friday folks.

Cherry xo

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The kitchen dresser. This one will be getting a lot of attention paid to it as Christmas edges closer.

My favourite spot, my favourite type of warming device and my current favourite read.

My other favourite type of warming device. I’ll show the thing lit soon but we’re waiting for a HUGE log delivery.

It’s only becasue I know they’ll be back again next year that I don’t feel sad seeing these beautiful creatures laying on the ground waiting to be swept away.

But having been outside for a good chunk of the day it’s lovely to come indoors ….

….and warm one’s bottom on this.

And it’s even BETTER to get in to bed at the end of the day. Sometimes I pass by during the day and gaze longingly at it. Waiting for the moment that my bones hit the mattress. Robert the Husband and I call this our old fashioned bed due to the blanket that’s on it. Nothing like a bit of vintage retro bedding

Another favourite warming device.

I seem to be forming an obsession.

I’m also enjoying blue tableware.

Blue anything.

And itching to explore creative possibilities….

alongside planning for the near future….

…and a little further up the road.

While LOVING the hope that each new day brings.

Thank you so much for reading.

Cherry Menlove xox

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How To Make A Dried Apple Wreath for National Apple Day

Today in the UK it is National Apple Day and what better way to acknowledge this day than to make something for it out of apples.

Genius, eh!?

You may remember that a couple of weeks ago I suggested that you start drying your sliced apple pieces, and this is why…

Now look, this is not complicated crafting. What it is however is a lovely little wreath to decorate your home with or to give away as a gift and it is one that ages really, really well. I’m not kidding. The apples came out of the oven a little brown and withered looking and have appeared to have garnered a rosy glow since that time.

Plus it’s dead easy to make.

• Using wire cutters, start by cutting your 3 meter length of wire into five 60cm pieces and then twist the pieces together so you have one piece of 60cm wire.
• The reason I decided to use several pieces of thin(ish) wire is because I have always found it quite difficult to manipulate very thick wire and bend it into shape by hand. Using five thinner pieces of wire it makes it much easier to mould yet the wreath will retain its shape and strength.

• Feed the apple pieces onto the wire.
• Continue until the whole wreath is nearly full.
• Leave around 3cm of free wire which can then be twisted together to secure the wreath at the top.
• Bunch the apple pieces together as tightly as you can before you tie the wire together to secure.
• You don’t want gaps or wire showing, you see!

• Take 50cm of light green ribbon and wrap it around the wire you can see at the top of the wreath.
• Ensure you cover all the wire.
• Secure the ribbon in place with a hot glue gun and allow to dry for a short time.

• Using the green organza ribbon, feed one end through the middle of the wreath

• Tie the ends in a secure bow which in turn creates a generous loop which you will then use to hang the wreath.
• Secure the tie in place where the bow meets the other piece of green ribbon (on the upper inside of the wreath), with a hot glue gun.
• Allow to dry for a short time.

• Finally - take the pink organza ribbon and tie into a bow.
• Secure the bow in place (onto the green ribbon) to the top of the wreath with a hot glue gun, and allow to dry before hanging.

Although it’s National Apple Day and it’s nice to celebrate and support such a day, it is also always nice to create something inspired by materials that are entirely natural (the apples not the wire) this wreath will actually last you for ages and ages. It will look just as good in the Summer as it will right now. So it’s time well spent if you like that kinda thing.

Have a wonderful day.

Cherry x

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How To Line A Hanging Basket & Playing With Ornamental Cabbages

Aha!

Many of you may find yourself in the same predicament that I did about a week ago. Summer is over and the baskets that held the annuals and bedding plants so well are now empty and a little tatty.

Case in point.

So instead of emptying them and leaving them dormant for the winter I have set about giving them a nice new lining (a basket’s equivalent of a new Winter coat) and some ASTOUNDING Winter colour ( a basket’s equivalent of a brand new pair of boots)

I used two pieces of Natural Moss Look liner per basket. They were not pre-cut which meant I could place them in the baskets and trim off any excess. The front and bottom of the basket were covered first and held in place with thin covered garden wire that is easy to poke through the lining and twist in to place. I suppose you can use twine if you find it more aesthetically pleasing. I think if I were doing these again I would use twine but to be honest working with the wire made the whole job not only work but also made it a great deal faster!

I placed the second piece of lining down the back of the basket and made sure that it overlapped with the piece that was already in place on the bottom so there would be no holes for soil to pour out of.

I attached this second piece to the back of the basket using the same ‘loop through the basket’ method.

Although the lining itself is polythene lined for improved water retention I placed a thick piece of polythene in to the bottom of the basket to create a pool.

And there you have it.

It looks like a cosy upside-down hat don’t you think?

No?

Neither do I really but it certainly looks like a nice hanging basket.

Finished!

Nice and symmetrical.

If you know anything about me you’ll know that I love my symmetry.

In to my new baskets I placed ornamental cabbages also known as Ornamental Kale. Bliss! I love, love, love these splashes of vibrant cabbagyness.

Kanome White.

Northern Lights Red.

And a ridiculously beautiful  one which looks great by my potted Hydrangea but from which I have mislaid the tag.

An aerial shot.

Utter bliss.

I can’t tell you what a relief it is to get this corner sorted out and hopefully leave it alone for the foreseeable future. Although I will bring the Hydrangeas inside when it really starts to turn.

And in this blueish light it all looks so Wintry.

I’ll be sure to keep a light on in the window to welcome any chilly visitors.

With the only exception being the half dead ones that Boo brings in in her mouth.

Not so keen on those funnily enough.

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Rack of Lamb with Chestnut & Mustard Thyme Crust

Useful Weight Conversions

My parents have a sweet chestnut tree at the front of their house that is five hundred years old and it has never once been tempted by botox. Needless to say it’s growing old terrifically. These chestnuts are a minute portion of this years crop. Sweet Chestnuts are the variety that you can cook with. Horse Chestnuts are not, so make sure you know which ones you’re working with.

With my share of the harvest I decided to create a nutty crust for a delicious rack of lamb and this is how I did it.  

Pre-heat the oven to 220c / 425f

• In a bowl place the chopped chestnuts, the breadcrumbs, the thyme, 1/2 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of pepper
• Mix together
• Trim the fat from the rack of lamb
• Paint the top of the lamb with a generous layer of french Dijon mustard

• Grab a handful of the crust mixture from the bowl and start covering the lamb with it by pressing the mixture on to the mustard. Some will fall off so do this part over a plate.
• Place the lamb on a trivet  in a baking tray to allow air to circulate 
• I cooked the rack for approx 30/35 mins which cooks the meat so that it is medium - although other ovens may vary so do keep an eye on it!

You’ll see that I have served this rack of lamb on a bed of Thyme Sweet Potato and Sauteed Leeks. To make this accompaniment ……

Serves Four

• Peel, chop and boil three large sweet potatoes until they are soft but not mushy
• In the meantime …. heat 1 tbsp of olive oil gently in a pan
• Add to the pan -  1 large leek chopped in to slices, pinch of salt and pepper, 1 crushed clove of garlic, 1 knob of butter
• Sauté gently
• When the sweet potatoes have softened, drain and add to the sautéed  leek in the pan
• Mix and roughly mash the potatoes in with the leeks
• Serve on a large plate, placing the rack of lamb on top
• Serve immediately

I was out early yesterday morning and this is what I saw for the first time ……

Jack Frost is here!

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I’m going back to my crafty roots today and making something I used to make with my Nana whenever we’d visit. Super simple, GREAT to make with the smaller versions of you and I  think they are wonderfully retro too.

What are we making?????

Pom - Pom Spiders!!!!!

How To Make A Halloween Spider

• Start by cutting two circles out of card with a hole in the middle of each. My circles measured 9cm wide with the middle hole measuring 4cm; of course you could make yours bigger or smaller if you wish.
• Take the ball of black wool and secure the end of it to the card by tying it in a knot, then start wrapping the wool around the card by feeding it through the hole
• Continue to wrap the wool around the card until it is totally covered

• Using sharp scissors start cutting through the wool.
• Cut all the way around.

• Cut a length of wool about 20cm long and tie the piece of wool between the two cardboard pieces into a tight knot, thus securing the pom-pom in the middle.

• Then take your length of black elastic and secure one end of it around the centre of the pom-pom as well, again securing in a knot

• When you are happy that the pom- pom is secured adequately in the middle with the wool tie and black elastic, remove the cardboard circles.
• You should be left with a woolly pom- pom

• Take your first pipe cleaner and feed it under the black elastic attached to the middle of the pom-pom, making sure that you have the same amount of pipe cleaner poking out from each side.
• Repeat this with the the other three pipe cleaners

• When all the black pipe cleaners are in position, fold each one over itself to secure in place
• Bend the legs into shape as you wish

• Using some craft glue, attached the small black pom-poms to the main black pom-pom for the eyes, then add the very small red pom-poms to the small black pom-poms, also using craft glue.

You now have very spooky if not a little disgruntled looking spiders.

I hung mine inside the inglenook. They hang there bouncing slightly and generally being grouchy.

See?

He’s not having any of it!

And occasionally they spy on you from around the side of the brickwork. There are a lot of spys around here actually.

What can you do? They’re meant to be scary after all!

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Halloween is a great time of year, especially for children. Trick or treating, dressing up, apple bobbing, carving pumpkins… it’s all so much fun for the small ones. But let’s be realistic, not all towns, cities and villages are as safe as we would like to think when it comes to allowing our children out to trick or treat. So it got me thinking about how it would be nice to create an area in my garden, or indeed in any garden, where children could trick or treat in a totally safe environment.

My nieces are not quite two yet but they are incredibly inquisitive and love being outdoors. They love touching things and investigating all the little areas in the garden. Although they do not understand the idea of Halloween just yet, creating a trick or treat area in the garden is a safe and fun way to get younger children involved.

I felt that the perfect place in my garden for something spooky was this pathway, lined with pumpkins and lights and leading to some treats.

To make a giant treat bag I glued felt letters that I’d cut out to spell “Treats”  on to a hessian sack that I’d picked up at the garden centre. It was then filled with all manner of very sugary things (well it IS Halloween after all).

I lit the surrounding trees with some outdoor lights and added colourful paper chains.

I used a pathway that existed in my garden but this set-up can be created anywhere. On the grass, on the driveway, in the front garden, in the back garden or even in a neighbours garden if you don’t have one (remember to ask them first though!)

I can almost guarantee that as soon as the kids see what you have created for them they will love it.

This trick or treat pathway will be put to great use this Halloween as the children of family and friend’s have been invited over to trick or treat in the garden whilst the parents can relax with a beverage safe in the knowledge that the children are perfectly safe and having great fun.

But if you’re not exactly brimming with children of various shapes, sizes and ages this idea can certainly be modified for the adults.

Swap the hot chocolate and marshmallows for hot chocolate and Irish liqueur. Serve baked potatoes with the spiciest chili you can handle and put scary movies into the trick or treat sack and see what comes out first!

Just remember…….

…… after watching the movies you may not want to walk home alone!

Woo Ha Ha Ha Ha!!!!!!

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It’s magical out there right now. Each and every corner of the garden has another tale to tell and another emotion to lay upon any person who walks on by.

This I love.

When the leaves turn that beautiful golden colour and then fall to the ground.

Then the ground becomes a carpet.

Bouncy, full, vibrant, joyful, ever changing, crunchy.

Their job on the tree has ended for this year and yet they still offer us so much by simply lying there on the ground. Willing us to walk through them, kick them up in to the air and throw armfuls of them high above our heads.

Good times.

I’ve posted twice today - check out my cuttings tutorial!

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