Monday 28 February 2011

The Month of February

A relaxing Kentish Countryside weekend at home. Popping in to see Granny - holding her hand for an hour. A 'Clear up Christmas' Saturday lunch, clothes shopping with mum, A 'Chinese New Year' takeaway followed by playing Chinese Chequers. A brisk Sunday morning walk followed by coq au vin and Queen of Eve's pudding.
The first farewell for a dear friend who's leaving for New York at Bedford and Strand for old times sake and then Great Queen Street for a British food extravaganza.
A Forest Hill supper with friends who live here too. How lovely to be able to walk there... and back. I'd decided to make Florentine's - oops should have made them a little earlier. Touch and go whether the chocolate would have hardened enough in time...

Valentine's Day
Eating Julia Child's Beef Bourginon - oh it is delicious. Exchanging bookish gifts. From me to Warmth The Food Thesarus (well that was more a joint gift) and Clandestine in Chile by Gabriel Garcia Marguez. Warmth to me Julia Child's Cookbook and my very own copy of Julie and Julia.
Buying a new camera...
Finding a great pair of purple suede LK Bennett kitten heels for £60.
A great Friday night out. I started out wishing we were staying in, this increased when entering the bar but then... We had a seat. And the in house band started playing and it was just a great evening.
Final farewell for the dear friend, who's leaving for New York, at The White Swan a lovely small pub that she hired out for the evening.
Visiting other dear friends and their three week old baby...
Eating alot of cake in one day - four slices of four different types - oops! Delicious.
Oh the joys of Liberty Stationery room.....
Off to Worthing to visit Granny Warmth and delve into the Warmth family archives. Looking at very old marriage and birth certificates. Enjoying finding out about their family history.
On to Brighton Hotel du Vin and the most gorgeous hotel room with roll top bath and walk in shower. I didn't want to leave...
A Persephone Reading Weekend. We were out alot but it was still a PRW. One of the house viewings we went on had a row of Persephones. On Saturday we visited Twin and the Blessings and she has most Persephones and is the reason I know about theme too. Although I couldn't read many posts on the internet I joined in by reading my book!

Reading A House in the Country by Jocelyn Playfair for Persephone Reading Week. Sense and Sensibility for Book Club. Round About a Pound A Week by Maud Pember Reeves for Persephone Reading Weekend.
Films watched Milk
Baked - Delia's Ginger Nut biscuits - most eaten that night. ooops. Nigella's Florentine's. Eat Me Cookie Girl's Chocolate and Hazlenut muffins. A repeat of Hummingbird Bakery Fruit Nut Loaf.

12 comments:

  1. What an earth were the four sorts of cake that you ate in one day!? :) That sounds like a lovely month!

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  2. Your February seems to have been about a lot of eating - lucky you! Mine has been largely about trying to reduce my food intake! Its good to list what you have done, as it seems to answer that old question - where does the time go?

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  3. oh Verity can I remember? The hazelenut and chocolate muffins, the Nutty Fruit cake and then Papa Warmth (who likes baking) had tarte tatin and a fruit cake!
    potterjotter - and my March will be about not eating.

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  4. What a very busy month! It made me positively dizzy and I'm comparatively slothful in comparison! But we have visited a delightful Arts & Crafts house with a view to my writing an article about it; seen The King's Speech and agreed with all the accoldates; baked cakes (mainly Victoria sponges filled with raspberries & cream, or lemon drizzle cake, or rock buns); walked by the sea; read South Riding (and bought several new books, including the latest interiors book by William Yeoward; and visited my first car boot fair (not a very good one, sadly, but at least I'm not a rookie booty any longer!)
    Margaret P

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  5. Sounds like a very full and lovely February! We also just bought Julia Child's cookbook, and were quite the sight this past Sunday huddled over the stove together trying to make our first poached eggs. They actually turned out well, but if anyone had seen our overly scientific timing methods and the super intense look on husband's face they would have laughed and laughed!

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  6. Sounds like a wonderful month of huge variety and cake-based happiness! Have to apologise for not saying this before now (have been a neglectful blogger of late), but a huge, huge thanks for the giveaway - really can't wait to read Whigs on the Green!

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  7. Margaret P - ooh all sounds delicious. I'd like to read South Riding at some point. Are you enjoying the series?
    hiphip - oh I can just picture it, even though I've not met you! Glad they tasted good - when are you boning the duck?
    Tonia - No apologies needed. It's all packed and I hope to get to the post office tomorrow.

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  8. How I would love to view a house that had a shelf of Persephone Books! I'd know that we were kindred spirits and I'd be happy in their home.

    Such a lovely month you have had. We must meet for cake some time seeing as we live so close.

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  9. Paperback Reader - yes absolutely I shall email you....

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  10. I love Julie and Julia...that sounds like the perfect day.

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  11. I'm intrigued by the Queen of eve's pudding, I have never heard of it but it sounds good... Would love to know more! And your February sounds wonderful, hope March is as good and a touch warmer too.

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  12. Re Queen of Eve's pudding. I think there is a slight muddle here. There is Queen's pudding, which has a breadcrumb base with jam and meringue on top; and there is Eve's pudding which has an stewed apple base with a baked sponge on top (the same mixture as for Victorian sponge cake, but put on top of the stewed apples and then baked in the oven.) In other words, there are two different desserts, one with white breadcrumbs and meringue and one with apples and sponge.
    Margaret P

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Ooh how lovely more stripes on the page...
Thank you for taking the time.