Language Of Flowers Love

A couple of weeks ago after a lazy morning in bed with Tatler. Having read every article not once but twice I hopped online to Tatler to see more recent happenings (magazines and especially monthly glossy magazines aren't up to time with current events because of publishing deadlines ect).

This is when I stumbled across Language Of Flowers.

A new luxury t-shirt brand started by two friends Stephanie and Alexandra. A concept inspired from Great Britain in the Victorian era where flowers were given to express feelings as communications out loud were frowned upon.
With every flower having a meaning, the beautifully illustrated designs combine these with a playful, unique, sexy, rock and roll touch.

For the day I resisted my temptations of snapping one up straight away after falling in love with the creative designs and the concept behind the brand.

However this soon changed after receiving an invitation (of which I can't state till tomorrow as I'm taking one of my close girlies with me as a surprise along with lunch as a treat and cheer me up).

All I'll say is, the concept is perfect for where were off too.

A few clicks and sleeps later, one was mine.

Arriving beautifully wrapped in pink tissue sealed with a flower along with a hand written note from the girls.

I chose top Lily meaning death, which isn't really the best meaning to chose and too wear but I loved the femininity that the lily flowers brought to the connotations of skulls. I like skulls but I always feel too girlie and not me in something with a skull on but this had the femininity I have been longing after. My sister is also named Lily so seemed like the perfect choice.

A small packet of seeds hangs along side a tag explaining the meaning behind the flower.

The brand is currently only available at Wolf and Badger on Westbourne Grove or you can simply shop online here at ilovelof as I did.

I wish the girls every success with the brand and look forward to seeing it grow and develop. But for now I can't wait for tomorrow where my location and where about's can be reviled and my new top can have its first of many outings. (Blog post will of course follow)

A Gingery Friend For Those Cold Spring Nights.

I've been stuck in work trekking up the country for work over the weekend luckily spring seems to be on its way finally. Waking to crystal blue skies and mist across the city has made the early morning starts and travel just bearable. 
However snuggling up with a hot water bottle in bed with a good book or in front of a roaring fire on getting home in the evenings is still very much needed but can be very lonely. 

But wait I have found the perfect friend to keep me company on these cold spring nights.
They give you so much pleasure.......
Always smile.....
Are pretty.....
Don't answer back....
Smell amazing...
And taste even better..

Meet my EDIBLE GINGERY FRIEND

You can be the best of friends in under an hour. 

For 5 friends you'll need: 
85g Plain Flour
65g Margarine
25g Sugar
1tbsp Ginger
1 tbsp cold water

To decorate:
Coloured writing icing.
Smarties (or what ever you want to decorate with, love hearts, chocolate buttons, M&M's)
Glitter sugar
Icing sugar

Pop the oven onto 180 degrees, fan oven 160 or gas mark 4.

Step one:
Mix the flour, margarine, sugar and ginger together, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. 

Step two:
Add 1tbsp of cold water and using your hands knead the mixture together into a ball. 

Step three: 
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of approx 0.5cm.

Step Four:
Cut out 3 ginger men shapes, re-roll the remaining dough and cut out a further 2. 

Step Five: 
Place your ginger bread men on a baking tray and put in the oven for approx 10 mins until lightly golden brown. 

Step Six:
Remove from tray and leave to cool for 15 minutes other wist the decoration will melt straight off.  

(while they are cooking and cooling, you can get the dishes washed up and the decoration ready. For the icing mix 3 tbsp icing sugar with a drop of cold water and mix)

Once cooled bring your gingery friends to life.

Then pop the kettle on and head into the warm depths of your bed with your new best friend for the shortest friendship you will ever have, but also the best. 

I told you it would be best but quickest friendship you'll ever have. 

I personalised one for each of my housemates and left them on the side for when they got in from work so they also had a friend each to take to bed too. 

Yummy Jammy Hearts

So its officially the most depressing day of the year for all us singletons however a quick 30 minuets in the kitchen and the blues of being single will soon be lost. 

There is no reason not to treat those close to us. So whip up a batch for the girls for that girlie night in, house mates, children or parents just to say I LOVE YOU. 
or 
for those of you that are loved up for your other half, perfect if you have forgot that its valentines day and need to do something quick and romantic without showing any sign that initially the day was over looked. 
Plus all of the ingredients should easily be found in your kitchen cupboards so you wont even have to hit the supermarket.

Makes about 15 depending on heart size.

For the biscuit base you'll need: 
175g Plain flour
125g Butter/ Margarine (I use margarine as its a lot lighter than butter)
50g sugar 

For the filling:
125g Icing sugar
100g Butter
3 tbsp strawberry jam (you can use any flavour jam, but strawberry is the traditional heart colour) 

2 different size heart shape cutters. Mine I picked up from paper chase but you can pick them up in cook shops, good supermarkets especially at this time of year I've seen them every where. 

Step one: 
Pop the oven on to 180 degrees, 160 for a fan oven or mark 4 for a gas oven. 

Step two: 
Mix the flour, sugar and butter into a bowl and blend together until it resembles bread crumbs. 

Step three: 
Add a tbsp of cold water so the mixture goes sticky and lightly knead so it forms a dough. 

Step four: 
Roll the dough out on to a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 3-5 mm (if you don't have a rolling pin and bottle works just as well) 

Step five: 
Using the larger heart cutter cut out as many as you can. Place these on a lightly greased baking tray or baking paper. 

Step six: 
Repeat step four and five and before placing the hearts on the baking tray, use the smaller heart shape to cut out the center. 

Step seven: 
Pop in the oven for 10-12 minuets until they slightly turn golden brown.

While these are in the oven mix the icing and butter together to make the filling and spoon your jam into a small dish and give it a little stir (this makes the consistency a little less jam like and is easier to spread onto the biscuits)

Pop them on to a dry surface/cooling rack and leave to cool for 5 minuets or so other wise the icing middle will not set when you put it on. 

Once cooled using a knife spread a layer of the butter and icing mixture on to all of the full heart biscuits followed by spreading a layer of jam over the top. 

Finally place the hearts with the cut out over the top and leave to set for 15 minutes. 

Plate them up and put the kettle on ready for those loved ones to arrive home from school or in from work. They will love the surprise but even more the thought. 

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

X

Julien Plumart Boutique Salon du The

After 7 days at work with a few late evenings and several days working through my lunch break I was shattered but now had 6 days off to recuperate and catch up with friends that had been neglected over the previous week. 

Wednesday disappeared to house work, food shopping, laundry… you get the idea. So on waking Thursday morning to find my housemate had the day off as well we had a leisurely breakfast and wandered into town, as neither of us can stand staying indoors all day. 
On catching up with work, family and life over breakfast he dropped into conversation that there was a new Cafe on Dukes Street in the lanes that apparently looked ‘amazing’ and was full of ‘pretty cake things’ that I would apparently love. My housemate Ryan enjoys his tea and cakes just as much as me, so what was worth losing by checking his place out. 

Its amazing…. Julien Plumart Boutique Salon du The 

A French tea lounge serving traditional French cakes and pastries as well Macaroon’s (the pretty little cake things as Ryan describes them) and 24 different flavors from the traditional Pistachio and Rose to Mojito and Mulled Wine. 

For a second I thought I had died and fallen into heaven… but was shortly brought back to earth and reality on hearing that my house mate didn't know what they were and had never tried one, can you believe it. 

With it only opening on the previous Friday things are still coming together and the tea rooms upstairs weren't quite ready so we did as the French do and settled ourselves down out front on the street and watched the world go by. Luckily it was dry and the winters sun was trying to peep through the towering chimney tops and down the side streets. 

Wrapped in fur with the sunglasses on and the wind rustling up my hair, Ryan ordered a latte and a selection of Macaroons and  I a peppermint tea (as I was still on January detox) and a Rose and Pistachio Macaroon (I have found every way around having no tea, coffee and chocolate).

Tea was served in individual glass tea pots and cups along with a flask of boiling water to top it up with. You cant eat macaroons with a fork or spoon so its fingers only and then to lick each one of the clean savoring every last bit possible. Along with crystal cut effect cups of water, pink for the lady's and green for the gents… of course. 

I've already fallen in love with this place, the elegant décor, outstanding service, friendly staff and the most mouth watering cakes and macaroons. I will be visiting regularly whether it’s a catch up with the girls or to take away a box to devour in front of a good film after a long day at work. 

I've already slipped back once at the weekend taking my beautiful friend Amanda to show her the beauty of this café and to check out the lounge upstairs which open to the pubic on Friday. She also has fallen in love and went just as snap happy as I did with full of giggling excitement.

I am now just waiting for the savory menu to be served (which looks amazing, you wont believe that your still sat in Brighton on seeing it) however I’m returning to work to work tomorrow so this visit is going to have a wait a few weeks till I have a free space in the diary. 

Julian Plumart Boutique Salon du The

27 Duke Street 

Brighton 

07881207006

www.julienplumart.com

or follow them on twitter:

Julienplumart- Twitter

Happy Pancake Day.

So what better day to let slip to you my favourite breakfast recipe for the most healthiest pancakes I know than on pancake day itself. 

There's no need for milk, flour, sugar and the rest, just one egg and that one other secret ingredient..... A banana. 

Now you must be thinking how will that work and how will they stay together but trust me. If you've seen my numerous Instagram posts of variations of the recipe then you'll know it works and they come in at just 170 Calories a batch. 

So here you go... get the kettle on as they wont take you long (2 minuets prepping and 5 minuets cooking if that).

Step one:
Peel, dice and then mash the banana into a cereal bowl.
Doesn't matter what consistency you mash your banana too. It can be lumpy where you can tell its still banana or complete mush and look more like baby food.

Step two:
Crack the egg into the banana and mix together so the yoke is broken.

Step three: 
Heat a small amount of oil or margarine into a frying pan. Keep the heat on low as you don't want the to cook too quickly so they blacken on the outside before being cooked in the middle.

Step four: 
Here you have the choice as to whether you want mini pancakes or giant ones.
For mini use a large serving spoon and spoon the mixture into the pan or if you want giant ones pour half the mixture into the pan.

Step five: 
As the they cook and the edges lift slightly so the mixture isn't stuck to the bottom of the pan flip it over and lightly cook the other side. The first side will take longer than the second so be careful not to let them over cook.

Step six: 
Plate them up and garnish with what ever you fancy.
I always top mine with soya yogurt as its so light and keeps the Calories down and then with what ever else you fancy.

Here's some ideas:
- Forest fruits.
- Apple and cinnamon.
- Banana and honey.
- Layer them with jam.
- Grapes and coconut.

Or if you fancy being a little bit naughty or want them served as pudding:
- Peanut butter and banana.
- Raspberry and chocolate chips.

 Soya Yogurt with winter berries and honey.

(above and below)

Soya yogurt, sliced banana and peanut butter. 

Blueberries and banana. 

Blueberries, Grapes and coconut and vanilla Greek yogurt.

Melon, Strawberries, Blueberries, soya yogurt and cinnamon. 

Steamed apples, cinnamon and winter berries. 

What a better way to start the day.

Happy Breakfast