Friday 22 July 2011

SHEER INDULGENCE!


Yesterday was an embroidery day.
We all gathered at a friends
for a relaxed afternoon.


We chat and embroider
share bits and bobs -
magazines
books
recipes
patterns
ideas


and we eat!!!!!

Our hostess Jane
spoilt us with
these exquisite truffles
her daughter had sent
from Harrods in London
for the
"embroidery ladies"!


... just a wee peek
at the piece
I'm working on -
can you guess
what it is???

Take care
and be kind to one another
LOVE LIFE

Thank you
for visiting me
and leaving your lovely comments
hugs
Shane x





Thursday 14 July 2011

VIVE LA FRANCE!! Vous êtes magnifiques


"Happy Bastille Day"

to my family in France!

to my French
blogging friends

and to all the other
obsessed Francophiles
just like me!!

14th July 2011



"La Marseillaise"
(please turn your sound on!!)


Liberté

Egalité

Fraternité




Dieu vous bénisse tous.

Thank you for popping in to see me,
and for leaving your comments.

I really enjoy visiting your blogs
and catching up with
what's happening in your
"neck of the woods"!

You all inspire me so much
thank you!

Take care and
be kind to one another.
LOVE LIFE

hugs
Shane x


Vive La France!!

Sunday 10 July 2011

PORTUGUESE TARTS


As promised my dear friends here is the recipe
for one of my favourite sweet treat.
Sorry I'm late but I've been fighting
the ghastly flu!!!

PORTUGUESE CUSTARD TARTS
3 egg yolks
½ cup (110g) caster sugar
2 tablespoons cornflour
¾ cup (180ml) cream
½ cup (125ml) water
strip of lemon rind
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
1 sheet frozen ready rolled puff pastry

* Preheat oven to 200C
* Grease 12 hole (80ml) muffin pan
* Whisk egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in medium saucepan
* Gradually whisk in cream and water until smooth
* Add lemon rind
* Stir over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens
* Remove pan from heat, remove and discard rind
* Stir in vanilla essence
* Cover surface of custard with plastic wrap - cool
* Cut pastry sheet in half
* Stack the two halves on top of each other
* Stand 5 minutes or until thawed
* Roll pastry up tightly from the short side
* Cut the log into twelve x 1cm rounds
* Lay pastry, cut side up, on a floured surface
* Roll each round out to about 10cm
* Press rounds into prepared muffin pans with your fingers
* Spoon cooled custard into pastry cases
* Bake in hot oven 20 minutes or until browned well
* Stand tarts 5 minutes
* Transfer to wire rack to cool

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!
Portugal is also renowned for beautiful tiles
like this one


Take care,

be kind to one another and
"love life"
Thank you for visiting my blog

I really love meeting each

and every one of you.

hugs
Shane x

Sunday 3 July 2011

Marche par la mer à St Heliers - and Portuguese Tarts!!

Our doggie friend Floss and her shadow!
A friend and I walk almost every day.
Sometimes we have woolly friends
to walk with us as my friend
often has dogs to stay
when her friends go on trips overseas.

Walks with doggie friends
are much, much more fun!
Their enjoyment knows no bounds
and even on the coldest, wettest days
they are always enthusiastic
to head out the door!

Today is perfect "walkies" weather,
crisp and clear
with not a cloud in the sky,
and the harbour was as calm as
a mill pond.

Our walk was along the waterfront
of St Heliers, a pretty
seaside village in Auckland.
Rangitoto Island is in the background,
it is an extinct volcano
in the harbour,
and a great landmark for all
Aucklanders!

The village shops are just
off the main waterfront road.
There are many lovely
restaurants and cafes,
and shops of all kinds plus
a local library.

Looking towards the Kohimarama
another seaside village.

The dogs love running on the sand
and meeting other doggie friends
along the way.
Noses are always down searching for
interesting smells
and hints of who has been
on the beach before them!

On our way home
we stop at 'The Store'
it's renowned for excellent coffee -
there's always a queue here,
which to me is the sign
of something good and
worthwhile waiting for....

They also have the most delicious pastries.
Today we tried their
Portuguese tarts - so yummy.

Just as well we don't do this waterfront
walk every day
there are just too many
temptations!
My dear walking companions -
one human and two canine!!!

We stopped at a friend's apartment
to drink our coffee and have a chat -
enjoyed on her balcony
overlooking the harbour.

Come back tomorrow and I'll
share my friend's recipe for
Portuguese tarts -
they are "to die for"!!!!

Interesting blogs
I've visited this week include:
(1) my friend Patty of Magpies Nest
she is an artist whose work I admire
and she is having a giveaway!
(2) Laura of Decore to Adore
I love Laura's interesting blog
and she has great links to
Prince Albert's marriage
in Monaco.


Take care,
be kind to one another and
"love life".
Thank you for visiting my blog
I really love meeting each
and every one of you.
hugs
Shane x

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