Author: Yvette

Christmas Message

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I was given this message from a friend some years ago and have passed it on over the years…I send it to YOU. To who wakes in the morning and smiles and says thanks at the end of every day, to who still says hello and greets with a kiss, to who can listen without interrupting, to who welcomes the toils and lives with joy, to who gives a little bit of time to who needs it, to who see’s black only in the darkness, to who believes that the days more beautiful are still to come, to who is convinced that the more beautiful seas are still to be navigated. To who doesn’t wait till Christmas to be ones improved self Merry Christmas With love, Yvette…x

Castagnaccio…Chestnut Pie

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We’re well into the season of Autumn showers and new snowflakes falling…an image of everything in the garden sprinkled with a light dusting of icing sugar. Chestnuts are also in season, and although they’re not (of what I can remember in the past) the in thing over in my homeland, chestnuts are the “in” thing here at the moment. I introduced you to our roasting methods here and have had many more Sunday family get together’s  since then, another family favourite is Castagnaccio it’s made from chestnut flour and originates from Tuscany. There are many variations of this recipe, but I found this one and I’m sticking to it! If you haven’t used or tried chestnut flour here’s your change to make a traditional Italian chestnut pie..read on for the recipe…

Our first Snow

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It’s hard to believe that today we’ve had a first snow fall and it’s November. Bitterly cold winds and temperatures and yes…snow. Thank goodness not enough to make a snowman, but enough to send us in a quiet frenzy of carefulness and patience on the roads. I love the snow, the clean crispness of the garden covered in all it’s whiteness. I took these photo’s last week, just as the sun was breaking through a cloudy foggy morning.   Just a little ray of sunshine! To start another day…. Yvette..x

Natures Splendor

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Do we ever get the time to sit still and relax? Do the things we love, find the time for comfort and happiness…I always seem to return behind the camera and capture the moment, the mood and the feeling of the day,somehow reflecting  the inner me. Find the time to look at nature and all her splendor! Yvette…x

Grilled Ratatouille

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What a whirlwind of a week. I haven’t had much time on here and with my last post well over a week ago, I have some serious catching up to do. I haven’t had extra time to make the finer things, like planned desserts, but this grilled ratatouille was superb with grilled steak.   Fennel,zucchini,red and yellow peppers,and eggplant make up this delicious combination. Cut vegetables into large pieces and place on grill. Nothing hard about that, this dish is all in the presentation…after you’ve grilled the vegetables slice into thin strips, leaving the fennel in slices … Arrange in orderly fashion, first the fennel then zucchini and eggplant and finally the colourful red and yellow peppers.   And here’s my homemade delicious dressing: 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 3 tablespoons olive oil zest and juice of 1 lemon freshly ground pepper 6 capers 2 anchovies sliced black olives sprinkle of pine nuts Finely chop the anchovies and capers and place in mixing jar. Add balsamic vinegar,olive oil, zest and lemon juice,black pepper and mix well.Pour …

Pear and Prune Tarte Tatin

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This month’s fruit in full season are pears. Delicious, good for you and a whole lot of nutrition in a sweet juicy package.A good source of vitamin C, fiber and only 100 calories (raw) per serving. Sodium free, fat free, and cholesterol free. This particular variety I used for this recipe was the Concorde pear,they’re a golden yellow, green colour and great for any type of cooking and baking. They’re firm in texture with a delicate vanilla taste. When cut they don’t turn brown so are great added to  fresh salads and when cooked at high temperatures don’t disintegrate into a sugary mass.   I really should have made this recipe long before now, I can’t remember an easier dessert with a fantastic visual impact, and I assure you one to try. A delicious mouthful of syrupy sweet pear and prunes on a delicate crust of puff pastry, light and flaky… Read on for the recipe…

A Touch of Spook

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A corner, an entrance, a table setting, what ever it may be just a hint of inspiration,changes the look of our homes interior, and with the changing mood we move on through the year (and isn’t it passing quickly). Autumn is a spectacular season,with it’s changing colours of reds,yellows and oranges,I’ve only put a hint of it in my home.With this hallway display of coloured berries from the garden and a  pumpkin sitting in a birds nest garland. However as it’s nearly Halloween,and the end of another month, I wanted to add a little spook to the display. Halloween isn’t really celebrated here in Italy, although we have been invited to a Halloween dinner with my American girlfriend this year. If you’re looking for a little spook why not grab this idea, Happy Haunting Bunting by Moselle. I printed out the motifs free, printed them on to Ivory parchment paper, drew a black pen border around each letter them glued them to kitchen twine,and as you can see a real treat to the eye. A …

A Magical Place

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One of the first vivid images I have of seeing the magnificent Dolomites was on my initial holiday here in Italy. I hadn’t seen anything like this wondrous, spectacular mountain cluster before. There’s such a magical feeling when you see this mountain range, I just stared in awe at it’s beauty.   Having the opportunity to visit again this special place, we take a drive to see the “queen of the dolomites”, the highest peak in this range, Mount Marmolada. Her highest point 3343m…my feet stay on the ground, and better to have a  lot of climbing experience to see her great beauty close up. “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain “The fruit of silence is tranquility.” – Arabian Proverb “The more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is his success, his influence, his power …

Crunchy Cranberry Cookies

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What better way to get everyone together for that morning coffee with a freshly made oatmeal crunchy cookie,with succulent bits of cranberries. There’s something about the atmosphere of that warming fire in the family room, the cooler mornings and the sweet smell of baking in the kitchen. Having the day to myself I had a few household things to do…and do just that some baking…

After Dinner Choco -Mint Cupcake

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Cupcakes have been around for age’s, I think everyone has tried one recipe or another. I have to admit this is my first. I wanted to make something a little different for a dessert,not too sweet, chocolate, fresh and satisfying. And so that’s how I arrived at this special treat. Chocolate and mint has always been a great combination. Table Eights- After Dinner Mint has always been a decadent finish to a dinner party, so enjoy my after dinner mint cupcake. Finding a recipe for a quick chocolate cupcake wasn’t too difficult…I decided on this one bowl recipe, I can see why cupcakes are a quick choice for many home making cooks, preparation time was a whizz, cooking time was quick, no cleaning of tins, and definitely a buzz whipping these things up. I however, didn’t want the normal look of a cupcake,(cake and frostinf) it wasn’t for afternoon tea,but an after dinner dessert. So knowing how delicious our gelato (ice-cream) is I put together this combo. Read on for the recipe…