A DIY Christmas

It is December 1st, which means that even if you are a bit bah-humbug like me it's probably time to think about Christmas. This year I'm trying to save a bit and really think about what I'm spending my money on...and I'm sure I'm not the only one. My 7-year-old sister asked me for a Designafriend outfit yesterday and got a firm no. I refuse to spend over £10 on clothes for a dolly. Sorry little sis but it is not happening. In fact, even the presents I've agreed to will be sourced at the lowest prices.

What's more, where possible I will be doing it myself. I always end up buying lots of chocolates and treats for people and this year they will be getting a (probably slightly special looking) hand decorated box of handmade goodies. I'm thinking shortbread, peanut butter fudge, treacle toffee and maybe some handmade crackers. After all, what better time for crackers and cheese than Christmas? There are a whole host of recipe ideas on the BBC and Good Food, which is great as baking is something I can actually do.

My first attempt at shortbread using this recipe and sprinkled with caster sugar when still warm.

The rather rustic look is due to the fact they were cut with a glass due to the absence of a cutter.

Graze

I am not very healthy. Right now I have fish fingers in the oven for the sole purpose of becoming a sandwich with ketchup. I was swayed by Graze solely because of their nibble box, which allows you to have yummy flapjack and chocolate buttons as well as fruit, nuts and seeds. I was sold when I was given a code by a fellow blogger to receive the first box free...and so today my first box dropped through the doorstep.

A complete surprise every time you choose your likes, dislikes, loves and things you'd like to try and Graze choose 4 items for you that match these as well as working well together nutritionally. It's all about balance after all. It all looks yummy and I can't wait to try it.

If nothing else as a promotion student I have to give them top marks for not only getting me to order one but to also get excited about healthier snacks. Everything is conveniently packaged in recyclable packaging which has been mostly made from recycled plastic and cardboard.  The branding is consistent and the little personalised welcome card and top tips leaflets are a sweet addition to your first box.

I have surprised even myself by wanting to try the Black Forest selection first, which contains raisins, strawberries and walnuts and is the only punnet I have received that has one of my 5 a day. I probably should have liked more of the healthy options but oh well.  Clearly chilli slipped through my radar when I was choosing my dislikes because the Great Fire Dragon punnet, roasted maize, jumbo chilli maize and satay broad beans, will be given away sadly.

All good fun and a great brand concept. You can use the code H1L3JBX3 to get your free box. You can cancel straight after the free one if you want :o) and who knows, you might be pleasantly surprised just like me, then you too can "feed your friends" and spread the word.

Cannabis Over Breakfast

I don't know why I've started appreciating the amusement in little things that happen at home...maybe it's because I might be leaving...but over breakfast lately I seem to laugh a lot.  I don't know why as there are very few things that can make me smile in the morning.

As I was making coffee I noticed that there was a bag of green stuff in a plastic food bag.  Surely not...no it must be...nah not cannabis.  Not in my house.  Then I notice it's sat on top of a tub of flour.  Oh God, someone is going to make cannabis cakes.  My dad.  My dad cannot be doing weed in our house.

Turns out I wasn't the only one to consider it.  My friend arrived for breakfast (she was early for work and decided to pop in) and my dad joined us.  Only for them both to stare at the "cannabis" oddly and us to have to work out what it actually is.  It was basil.  My sister had decided to make a pizza at school using dried basil from a tub.  (I said no and gave her fresh basil leaves.)

What I found most amusing about this though was that not only did three grown adults decide that cannabis was a more likely thing than herbs to find in my kitchen but that my dad then went into a detailed description of his cannabis consumption.  Then my friend joined in, not thinking that it was odd breakfast conversation to be having with your friends father over Weetabix and a rather strong cup of Carte Noir instant. 

Yes he'd tried it, no it wasn't always successful, skunk in fact sent him paranoid and gave him hallucinations.  One of which involved hitting his ex-girlfriend over the head repeatedly with a spade.  "One of those big flat ones like they have in America for the snow and stuff."  I pictured the old guy brandishing his shovel in Home Alone automatically.  This kind of violence must have stuck in my mind because in a recent dream I started banging a girls head repeatedly off hard surfaces (floors, walls etc).  This is not healthy.  Clearly people should be talking to me about happy, fluffy kittens and things.  And not ones that have been shoved in a bin.

On an additional note my sister made the pizza.  The dough base was actually made from a scone recipe because according to her teacher "pizza dough takes too long".  The resulting cake pizza provided only added amusement to the entire situation.

The Delicious Miss Dahl

I love Sophie Dahl, always have, and when I heard she was making an appearance on the BBC with her own cooking show I was delighted.  Any model that knows how to cook, enjoys what she eats and is as adorable as Miss Dahl has my support.  The only problem is I missed the first two programmes.  Thank God for BBC's iPlayer.

After declaring I wouldn't be hungry until about 6pm I decided to indulge in some time alone and watch The Delicious Miss Dahl's first episode: Selfish.  I loved it, just as I knew I would.  My favourite part was her quote of Dorothy Parker's martini rule: I love martinis, two at the most, three and I'm under the table, with four I'm under the host.  Grinning as she sipped Miss Dahl simply smirks and says: "Make sure you know your host well."

I am now ravenous!  Needless to say episode two, Romance, will have to go on hold whilst I go cook a now rather unsatisfying pasta bake.  I want halibut and sweet potato really.  Catch The Delicious Miss Dahl on BBC 2, on Tuesdays at 8:30 or on iPlayer right now.

Unique store design...at a butchers!

I'm not much of a meat eater.  I don't like the taste, the fattyness (not in terms of my own diet in terms of the chewy-factor) and I definitely don't like the smell or even the look of meat.  Basically I only eat chicken and only because if I eliminated this I'd have very little left to eat.  I'm picky.  Extremely.

Needless to say, I was amazed when The Cool Hunter highlighted a Sydney based butchers that actually makes meat look worth my time.  Victor Churchill's store utilises rich timber walls, marble flooring, refrigerated glass fronted copper cabinets and a ‘chook cam’ wall (a nod to the recent 2008 Fall Louis Vuitton window display, with multiple video cameras trained onto our daily special within a glass domed display pedestal).

Theatrically Victor Churchill's butchers slice and carve at timber block 'stages' and behind the glass fronted cooler where cuts of meat rotate for viewing purposes.  Of course, "the backdrop for all this is a Himalayan rock salt brick wall that infuses the hanging meat with flavor and sterilizes the air."  The designers (Dreamtime Australia Design) have thought everything through visually and practically...a far cry from the butchers in my village, from which the stench of meat permeates through the sliced plastic door curtain.  Nothing is hidden but nothing puts me off either.  This is reinventing the expected and it's what more brands should be doing!