Happy Easter to everyone!

Before this special Easter Sunday comes to an end, I have to share some of my creative Easter Inspiration with you......Enjoy and more to come later.

My homemade button Easter decorations...... such fun to create. Raid everyone's button stock and you will be amazed at what you can create! For this tree I used Aloe from the garden..... a local touch on a European tradition.

An Easter collection from over the years....... just love it more each year.

An Easter Tree in the midst of chaos....... at least it happens!

Loads more tomorrow!

Preparing for Easter..... Pickled Fish is ready.

And so Easter is upon us again......how time flies by.  I have only recently finished packing away my Christmas decorations!

A real Cape Tradition is Pickled Fish. It is one of the oldest and best known dishes from the Cape. Pickling is a great way to preserve food and add flavour at the same time. Centuries ago Malay fishermen lived off their catch and devised this method of preserving the fish with vinegar and spices. This method and tradition came with them to the Cape.
The inspiration and  recipe came from Jenny Morris.....Thanks Jenny!    

Best prepared three days before serving to allow the flavours to develop.

Select 2 kg firm white fish fillets such as Snoek or Kabeljou.

 

Cut  fillets into slices and season well.

Sprinkle with a little cake flour.

Shallow fry the fish in oil and drain on kitchen paper towels when done.

Prepare the sauce with the following ingredients and cook for 10 minutes.

 

 Curry Sauce ingredients:

750 ml White Vinegar
250 ml Water
250 g White Sugar
30 g Curry Powder
5 g Salt
15 g Black Peppercorns
4 Onions, peeled and sliced
6 Lemon leaves
15 g Crushed Fresh Ginger
250 g Sultanas
2 Bay leaves
15 g Turmeric
15 g Cake Flour

Combine Vinegar, water, sugar, salt, peppercorns and spices.
Bring to the boil.
Add onions, lemon leaves, ginger and bay leaves.
Simmer gently for 10 minutes, remembering that the onion should remain crunchy in texture.
Mix cake flour to a paste with a little water and add to sauce to thicken slightly.
Stir in Sultanas.
Layer fish and sauce, cool and refrigerate for 3 days before serving.

If you can resist the temptation, store for 3 days before serving...... but with the wonderful spicy aroma's wafting around the house it will be difficult!

And then, I have to be creative and match this wonderful colour of the Pickled Fish with a gem stone or two and some flowers......

What could be more fitting than Cirine? The wonderful deep honey, yellow colour of this gem perfectly matches the curry sauce with the yellow turmeric spice.

 

My favourite Amber, or Bernstein is the other most suitable organic gem to match with the Pickled Fish.

And finally, a splash of golden, warm yellow of the Nasturtinum would be my choice of flower to match the Pickled Fish.

More Easter inspiration in my next blog. 

A very much belated Valentine's Day Blog.

As I sit here in Cape Town, it is a calm, wind free evening with the sun setting in the distance. The light is soft outside, the air is a lot cooler than it has been recently and I am in awe of the bright beauty that surrounds me in my garden. I am looking at the bright red bottlebrush flowers, the pink Oleanders and the vivid colours of my favourite Bougainvillea's. All very simple, but that is all I ask from life......to love those close to me, love my simple home, my garden, my dogs and to stay creative and to inspire.......

My little piece of paradise........ When you wake today, affirm in your heart to get closer to your dream..... and keep on dreaming until the day is done!

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

And so I missed the special day as far as this blog goes......but not at home. My kitchen remains my display case for various celebrations and changes in season. Soon after my Christmas decorations were taken down, my Valentine's Day decorations emerged!

The warmth of a home and all its beauty depends on the love that lives there....... well, my kitchen is loaded with LOVE !

How can I not love washing dishes at my kitchen sink when I can day dream and look these bright Bougainvillea flowers? Friends and flowers are an exquisite beauty given to make us feel cherished.

 

And so my drying rack is laden with Valentine's Day collectables...... but wait until you see my fresh, new French collection?

 

...... fresh from France. Intended for Christmas, but displayed until well after Valentine's Day! Special thanks to my life long friend Tina Burckhardt. I am proud and honoured to be your friend....we have each travelled our own journey  of discovery in life. Long may our friendship last......

These new items on display were sourced from chehoma atelier d'ambiances. Look them up on www.chehoma.com

Entertain and make preparations to bless all those around you! This is what I love to do.

Treasures of old and new make our lives a little more interesting.

Pack a picnic basket and head off down to the beach or into the winelands. We have so much to explore on our doorstep. 

 

While I am talking about all things French, I have to include my classic pate pot. I use this dish on a weekly basis for my chicken liver pate. Just perfect to pack for a picnic or for a trip out on the yacht.

 

In memory of my beloved Shumba Boy......your pool still awaits.....we miss you!