How to prepare Rosehip Tea :)

Cut up Rosehip 4-5 berries per cup. Add

Cinnamon + Cloves = Lovely Spiced Drink

Here you can watch how it's done ;)

After 15 min breving berries and spice add spoon of honey. Let drink set or strain it ,so you can drink it without seeds and berry bits bothering you. :p

Enjoy just like we do.


VANILLA XX

Sloe GIN

Sloely walk is better, then just a walk ;D.

 We enjoyed picking sloe berries, on a nice sunny day.

 

The Sloe trees are a bit prickly, so should have brought my gloves....to protect my hands....

Two kg of sloe berry's was more then I expected, but with my helper, it was quick and easy.

Actually , these were the biggest sloes I have found in years. Lovely finding. We were very pleased to find those.

At home, I washed sloes and removed leaves. Put sloes into a jar and covered them with sugar.
1kg of sloes
1kg of sugar
1 litter of Gin
I had to make mine in 2 jars, as I didn't have one jar big enough. So I just split it. Every 3 days I shake a jar a bit, so flavours of the sloe are realised and that sugar works magic in there. ;D
Sloes are still in season. Am encouraging you to go for that lovely autumn walk and get yourself some berries.

Sloe Gin at Christmas time. It will be a treat. Home made is always best !!
Can't wait to get 4flavours drunk on my special Gin :D ha ha
Cinnamon mentioned a Thanksgiving dinner is coming up...
Hope to see you girls soon for a cuppa before we meet at the Cinnamon's table for Thanksgiving.

Vanilla xx

Gems of Autumn...

Nature provides us, with plenty healthy herbs or berries at all times.

The arch of rosehip on sunny October day and the smell of autumn is beautiful...

When I found this bush full of rosehip, I instantly felt happy, that I can pick something and store it for cold wintery days, just like squirrels do ;D

   

Unbelievable how these blackberries are still fighting for attention ...They are doing well, still growing strong.

But today, I am after this beauties. Rosehip , quite big. Nice :D The season for Rosehip is between September and end of October. I always thought, that Rosehip, that was frosted and nicely softened is the best value, but I am wrong. Aberryntly ;) the best quality Rosehip is picked still hard. That is when it has the most vitamin C in it. I did well then, picking it at the right time.

At home in the evening, with some music and candle burning vanilla esences I have got as a present from Ginger for my Birthday. Lovely atmosphere am cutting Rosehip. It is quite hard, so next time I will try to get a grinder suitable for this Toughies.

Here I am drying them on very low heat like 100-120 C in the oven. I leave it for about 10 min. and always keep checking after that...it can take longer then 1/2 an hour...depending how much Rosehip you cut up. It should look dry but not burned!! After working so hard, getting them of spiky tree and cutting them for so long, last thing you need is to burn them ;) ..After taking them out of the oven, you can leave them on the table for another day or two, to make sure, they dried properly and then they are ready for a jar. 

  The Recipes how to use Rosehip are on their way...
First go and get them ready ;D .

Ps:) Am very sorry , for not blogging for some time...I am not feeling too good at the moment.
Hope to get in touch soon.

Vanilla xx

On my coffee table at the moment...

    Missing Summer already, so am having look at Italy, potential holiday next year?

Feels like ages...but time flies, so am sure it will come around quick enough. For now I can enjoy traveling trough whole Italy on my sofa and choose The perfect place for me to go to visit. I already like look of the Lakes. I love mountains and pine trees around, good vineyards and some wine tasting would be nice too. Sicily or Sardinia looks wonderful. Will see where we will end up ;)

  

 Medicinal Cookery is amazing reading, am just engrossed in it. So much health knowledge packed in  a small book. Am loving it. Can't wait to cook more healthy dishes. Actually I think, everyone of us, should have that book on the table, so it reminds us , to care about what we put in our mouth. It is really important to know, what is good for us. In the book there are different health problems targeted and advice is given on what we need to eat, if we have so and so problem. Therefore, it make sense to eat what we need, to sustain healthy. That book is really worth every penny ! :)

 And VOGUE magazine. Bit of fashion never hurts! In my case lots of fashion doesn't hurt at all ;)) Dior said it well: Shine, don't be shy. Soo good. As it almost gives us encouragement to not be worried to shine. To go for it ! Love it !

 Burberry bag. O YES PLEASE ! The colour, the size, the shape, the style !! Everything about that handbag is great!

Grace Kelly , fashion icon. I love her style. When ever I have a chance, I always like to wear something aristocratic :D I just like to make it Modern-Aristocratic ! Like my green dress I wore for  Valentine's day. Go to fashion and look at blog - ( MY pick for the weekend away )I am sure I'll wear it again soon. It's my autumn-winter favourite :)
 Anyway ...Maybe I'll share some of my Aristocratic Fashion one day ;)
For now am going to watch that movie as it was one that I wanted to watch from day one it was released...but I never got the chance.  So for now, Feet up and Dvd on time ;)

Vanilla xx

Perusing in Bristol...

started of course with much loved cuppa ;)

At Bristol Coffee place. There was a girl asking for the vacancy there, and the guy told her, there are 4 other shops like theirs in the city ...so it is worth  leaving a CV with them. They were smiling nicely, wu wu wawa... They might be liking to be working together in future ;P
I only overheard the conversation ;D

Quirkily designed Cafe, that is why I thought I will pop in there to try something different...I must of seen hundreds of Costa and Starbucks coffee shops on the way... What is the point to have coffee always in the same place? Try something new ! That is what I like ! Authenticity is something I love about the places, when I visit...
 It was empty inside, but few people were sitting outside enjoying last bits of sunshine ...so I did the same...Had my coffee outside and watched life go by in Bristol on Sunday afternoon. Coffee was nice, but I missed some art on it ;) special touch like they have in Coffee Lab in Winchester ;)

Look who I bumped into :) Ooo they are so cute. Boy and the girl ...Well ,apparently boyfriend and girlfriend...Puppieeees are planned I was told by the owner... But I still will have to wait , for my special Pup , as I am never home and I have no garden, that would be so cruel to have one now:(
Well, as I say : ONE DAY

I walked down the hill from Clifton, where I found parking just for 2 pounds. Sunday is cheaper. I thought it was quite good ;)

It was sunny when I was walking towards the Cathedral...It is beautiful , historic place I couldn't miss to visit. I didn't have to pay a fee to get in. I walked around...

Burned the candle ...and asked for ...
I believe, where there is no hope anymore... here in this world. I think there still is....hope somewhere there in heavens. I believe they have their door opened there for everyone's prayers ...everyone, who needs help and hope...

I do not believe in Unicorns , but I do like this one ;) if that makes sense...that is why I took this picture ;D

 Going up the hill again, to get to the car park, I guess ,it's time to go...

Look what I found in HOUSE OF FRASER Ted Baker bags are gorgeous ... I also found Ted Baker shop in city centre , wow, that was something...Luxurious

 Famous Christmas Steps

Evening time chilling at the Pub with my date :) my Darling finished his course for the day and it was nice to catch up on His day and My day highlights...

Next time...I do have to get to that Clifton Bridge I didn't manage to see...

Vanilla xx

The Coffee Lab, Worthy's Festival still going on...

 Beer festival this coming weekend with lots of other activities like a Dog show, Bell ringing,  Competitions , Music and so much more....Pop in to see it :D

 Last Saturday I met my friend at the grounds to go to see the Start of the Festival. We bumped into someone very proud of his coffee stain ;p How unusual ;) I thought to myself... He told us , his Cafe is opened today,

  so we decided to start the festival with the coffee.

 Coffee lab, that sound sooo goood and quality too :) That really explained the stain ;)

 Here is my special coffee being made and cake being cut. I couldn't possibly have the cake, as I already had tons of ice-cream with my lovely God Daughters before I met my friend in Kings Worthy ...She didn't resist and had that yum cake.

This is my coffee, beautifully done...

 It was made by professionals. This little card, would provide you with info, how to get on the course to become Home Barista, Professional Barista Level One, Filter Brewing course and if you like Latte Art, you can try that too ;)

 So if you love your cuppa , just like I do, maybe you would give it a go ...and get yourself on that course !

So what do you think?

 While enjoying a sun outside on the Cafe balcony, we were offered some water from a lovely member of staff and talked coffee of course ;D I mentioned, I had a coffee plant, when I was about 15 , had it for few years. I had to leave it to my parents to take care of it and all my other plants while I went to America. The Coffee plant sadly died.

 Anyway...these are the fresh unroasted coffee beans , which I was given for the experiment by friendly guy, who works there. I thought what a lovely family business it is. The owners are so passionate about coffee and that is how you should be, having whatever business. Passionate, devoted, proud of what you do and driven !!! That is what they are and they do run a successful business.

 So here are my coffee beans, which I will try to plant and grow into healthy coffee plants...

We will see if it works... They asked me to come back to show them how I am doing with growing them.

 We than walked around the grounds ...

met few more friendly people...it is nice to see the community to gather and have some lovely times socializing ...

Hope to go to Bell ringing on the weekend.

That must be something !!

What about 6 am? I would be sooo popular ;D Someone 

would have to push me out of the bed first...so it is not happening ;p

Vanilla xx

Blackberries and corn , Summer is gone

Yes , end of August, end of Summer holiday...

is when you enjoying corn and blackberries.

Easy to make Blackberry desert. 

You could call it Messy Missi Blackberry if you like ;)

You will need : freshly picked ,blackberries.

I love our organic , juicy and massive blackberries. My Darling was picking them every day, when we were staying home in Slovakia with my parents. 

It is some kind of tradition or daily routine,when we are back home,

We walk around the garden and each time,there is something new and ripe to pick.

Can't wait to have my own garden.

One day...:)

 This was the desert for the party I organised. As we all are away a lot,we don't get to see our family and friends very often. So I thought ,lets invite all those lovely people around to spent day with us and have a good time.

Ingredients needed for this delicious treat:

1 box of meringues
1 box of cream cheese
1 whip cream
Stevia natural sweetener
and Vanilla sugar

Blackberries

Mint to decorate the puds ;D

Whip your cream, mix it gently into the cream cheese. Add Stevia and bit of Vanilla sugar, it does make a different really ;D it smells and tastes beautiful.

Crush blackberries ( I do it with the fork ) they don't have to be pureed just crushed ;p so juice runs out of them a bit and that will colour the mixture of cream and cream cheese lovely. 

Break meringues mix them in and share mixture between glasses.

Decorate with mint and blackberries .

I was surprised , when I asked my Darling to bring me some Mint, he brought some mint flowers too. That was nice touch I thought. They looked really yummy.

And they really were. 

You still might find some Blackberries somewhere out there in the meadows or on the side of the  woods.

Or in supermarket ...and romantica is gone ;) supermarket's blackberries...hmm better then no blackberries at all...when you feel like you have got to give it a go and make that scrum pud.

Enjoy and let me know, how you have got on...

It's easy ;)

Love Vanilla xx

Kuala Lumpur next

After amazing time in Singapore we wanted to go to Kuala Lumpur. We decided to get there by overnight train. It would be great experience and also you can save money for not booking a hotel. You can book train on website: http://www.ktmb.com.my/, although it never worked for me. The website always showing no trains available, so I e-mailed office and did reservation, all nice and quick. But, once we got to Singapore it turned out they lost our reservation and what was worst there was no train for day we needed. Luckily we found out we can buy bus ticket on the day of departure and also you can purchase vip tickets. Vip tickets means reclining, big chairs and only 4 people including 2 of us in a compartment. Journey takes about 6 hours including crossing border which by the way was quick and easy. Also all the buses are departing from Singapore center, whilst if your travel via train to Kuala Lumpur, you have to get to Woodlands, it takes you about 30 min, then you have to take bus to Woodlands Train Station which takes you another 20 min and then another bus that will take you to Johor Bahru Station and then you get train to your final destination. So lots of hassle, time consuming and very poor customer service.
We have spend 3  nights in Kuala Lumpur wich is more then enough. Below few pictures from places we have seen and been to.

That's what happen when you drank and you trying to take picture ( as you can guess it is Kuala Lumpur at night )

KLCC

Petronas Towers

The scary part about Petronas Towers is the Skybridge, a double decker connecting both Towers, located on the 41 and 42 floor. The Bridge is not attached to the structure but instead is designed to slide in and out to prevent it from breaking, which in my case I could see it and feel it. My husband said to me that suddenly my face became very pale and I just couldn't move. Before you get here you have to buy ticket and book time to entry Petronas Tower Sky Bridge. And tickets are limited to about 1000 a day. But really worth it. In our ticket we have included entry to the 86 floor which was amazing and seemed more safe  to me, lol. 

 Lunch brake :)

Batu Caves

Orchid garden

Bird Park

Butterfly park

Sultan Palace

National Mosque

And of course shopping

I always recommend to visit Kuala Lumpur, but it wasn't one of my favorites place. I didn't feel safe there, also cousin with Arabic and Indian influence which is not my taste at all. Kuala Lumpur is also very cheap place to be so other then plane ticket you won't spend to much money. Good place for shopping, lots of restaurants but alcohol very expensive. So much to see and to do, Kuala Lumpur  was on my must see list for long time, it seemed to me like a dream. And as you can see dreams do come true, when you believe and work hard to it :)

Pepper xxx