France – Page 23 – Our French Oasis

THE MAD HATTERS’ TEA PARTY

The photo that started it all

It’s a dismal rainy afternoon in South West France. The children are on their winter break for two weeks and it’s raining. What is one to do ? Make cupcakes of course! So, with the two youngest girls, we baked, we iced, we giggled, spoons were licked and a fine mess was made – baking with the children is always wonderfully sticky fun.

The girls then said they were going to have a tea party. I thought this was a great Idea. So they dressed up in their party clothes, dragged in a small table from the garage, found the low stools and chairs, and then took out some real china and silver napkin rings. I just knew this was going to be one heck of a tea party!

However, the number of place-settings confused me at first, until I realized that an invite had gone out to one of the American Girl dolls. This was followed by much giggling and whispering, and then I saw Bentley, our dear sweet long-suffering Jack Russell, offered a seat. Nothing really too unusual here I thought, and carried on with my paper-work.

However, out of the corner of my eye I then saw Rory, one of our six month old kittens, had joined in the fun. This now peaked my interest and I furtively started to watch a little more closely, un-noticed, in the background. The giggling continued unabated.

Our youngest then left on the pretext of going to the bathroom, but she had that wicked glint in her eye and I knew something was up! She returned carrying Eleanor, the friendliest of our Pekim Bantam hens; yes Eleanor was coming to the tea party! Now I’d forgotten all about the paper-work, I grabbed my phone (no time to look for the camera) and started snapping away….this was hilarious !

Rory wasn’t sure – what was that icky-sticky stuff on the table ? Bentley started to have a meaningful conversation with Elizabeth, the American Girl doll.

More tea anyone? Bentley looked perturbed that his plate was empty.

Rory thought he might just get the last of the crumbs as he enjoyed the rest of ‘whatever it was’ so much. Bentley on the other hand, now has something ON his plate but cannot quite understand that he is going to be allowed to eat off the table, that’s a definite NO normally; and Eleanor, well she’s just sitting, wondering what on earth is happening….

Rory really wanted more – and then some more. Who knew cats liked cake?

Well, as soon as Rory licked his lips (yum, that butter cream icing is just too good!), Bentley decided the temptation was too much, and no one was going to stop him from having just a sneaky little taste….

and all the time Eleanor just sat there, unruffled by the chaos and laughter….

What a fun afternoon; there is one thing for sure – our household is never dull – but this certainly beats electronics and television on a rainy afternoon. Of course, Mr H thought it was all totally normal when he walked through the door, but then he is slightly barmy himself – I can see where the girls get it from now.

February 27, 2015February 27, 2015 by ourfrenchoasis

CUPCAKES AND KISSES

Cupcakes and kisses, flowers and chocolates, you would be forgiven for thinking I am a hopeless romantic, that February 14th is one of my favourite days of the year – alas no, it’s not me but our two youngest daughters aged 8 and 10 who are obsessed with Valentine’s Day!

Browsing in shops in La Rochelle this week there was very little evidence of Valentine’s Day. Just a glimpse here and there of a red heart, a little reminder delivered with understated elegance.

The chocolatier offered exquisitely presented chocolates

sometimes with a hint of passion

The Florist, the Parfumerie – so simple, so chic, so French.

Our 14 year old is currently making stunning little figurines with oven-bake modeling clay and I borrowed some of the red and sat and made kisses and hearts, lots of them, it was strangely therapeutic! I put them in a little box which I covered and decorated and the next day they went in the mail to our eldest daughter at University in the UK. I told her a little package was on it’s way and she must not open it until Saturday, “but why not until Saturday Mama? I don’t understand” she said. We message and send a long line of kisses everyday but I just wanted her to feel extra special, to have a few extra kisses.

On the subject of kisses, how it tugs at the heart-strings when our little ones don’t really want to go to school, don’t want to leave us for a few hours, what do you do? Sometimes I blow them a couple of extra kisses, they catch them, it’s a routine we know well. I tell them to pop them in their pockets for later, so that when they feel a little low, a little insecure, they have those extra kisses warming their pockets – they can take them out and use them when they need to.

Sometimes, I write a little message in the palm of their hands, whilst they are struggling with something at school sitting at their desks they can take a little look, knowing I am thinking of them, knowing they are not alone – feeling loved always.

Do we ever need an excuse to eat cake? Probably not but this was an excuse to be a little more creative than usual. This is my standard cake recipe, I use it regularly whenever I make cupcakes or cakes. I always use spelt flour, we love the slightly nutty flavor it gives, but this recipe works just as well with plain or wholewheat flour. The cakes are a very light and fluffy sponge, not heavy at all as is sometimes the case with wholewheat flours. I don’t normally spend hours piping icing onto my cupcakes, they don’t usually last long enough to warrant such effort and to be honest they taste so much nicer without the extra sugar! However, these are special occasion cupcakes, I colored the butter icing with a little juice from some defrosted frozen raspberries and it produced a fabulous color without any artificial chemicals and gave the icing just the smallest hint of raspberry.

6ozs/170g butter, softened

4ozs/125g sugar

6ozs/170g wholewheat spelt flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

4 eggs

3 tablespoons cocoa powder and 3 tablespoons water

(if using Spelt flour or Wholewheat flour I add 1 tablespoon milk)

Ok, so this is where I break all the baking rules. I put all the ingredients together in the mixer and beat on the lowest setting until everything is combined. Then I beat at top speed for about 30 seconds until the color changes and is lighter. You will just have to trust me on this one, I have been using this recipe, which is my own for many years and it always works, the cakes are mouth wateringly light. Place in cupcake holders and bake at 180C/350F for 12 – 15 minutes.

For a classic Buttercream Icing

5ozs/140g butter, softened

10ozs/280g Icing sugar

1- 2 tablespoons warm water

a few drops of vanilla essence

For the Pink Icing, I replaced the vanilla essence with the juice and pulp of a handful of frozen raspberries. I let them get really soft and then pushed them through a sieve straight into the icing mixture.

I then used a standard icing nozzle for the vanilla icing and a petal tip nozzle for the roses.

A little decadent but worth every second to see the smile on my children’s faces

X X X

February 11, 2015February 14, 2015 by ourfrenchoasis

FROSTY WINTER WALK

The current cold spell has us all in it’s frosty grip. It can be really hard to leave the warmth of a good fire and get all dressed up to go out walking; even Bentley, usually keen for a walk no matter what, looks outside the door and tries to slope back in to the flames. However, once I get out there and have been walking for a while, my contradictory self comes into play and I don’t want to go back home!

Anyone who has been following my blog to date will know that we have fallen in love with the marais on the edge of our village, an area consisting of thousands of acres of coastal freshwater marshes and ancient salt workings. It is a permanently changing landscape that never fails to disappoint. An absolute haven for wildlife, especially birds, and home to several endangered species. Even though man has worked the land and water here for thousands of years, there remains little vestige of feudal servitude – instead, there is just an overpowering sense of peace and enchantment.

It is needless to say, one of our favourite dog-walks. At this time of year the natural canals and lakes are full to the brim, and on a cold clear frosty morning as the sun is rising, the light is absolutely magical.

Soon, no doubt, the shrubs and trees will be bursting into life and the marais will change again, but for the time being I will leave you with a few more photos of winter here in the marshes.

February 8, 2015February 8, 2015 by ourfrenchoasis