slowly sunday

I had good intentions. 

Intentions of cleaning and making order from chaos. I may have started out well but things didn't quite go as planned. Of course when you get an invite to go to the park to play with young Ben and feed the ducks there is not a lot of arm twisting that is needed to drop the vacuum and skip out of the house. 

I did manage this morning to harvest some more lilly pillies- and get sprung by the home renter! She thought they were cherries (!) and I had to explain what they were and I promised to drop in a jar of jam. So there is a bag of jelly hanging ready to be boiled up and a pan of fruit that needs to measured and made into jam. 

Tomorrow is another run up country for more gloves and then I have to spend the rest of the week juggling dyeing at home and making at the studio. I seem to have lost the juggling knack at the moment. I feel guilty if I work at home (not 'real' work- go figure!) and jumpy and unfocused at the studio. Hmmm, I need to sort this out. 

The little bit of cleaning I did manage unearthed Evans' book on the table, The Real Food Companion. It really is quite fabulous. Beautiful photography and the writing is full and funny at the same time. Try the recipe for 'The world's best hot chocolate'.

'This hot chocolate is best enjoyed in front of a fire, on a sheepskin rug, in your ugg boots and after you have popped the hot water bottle in the bed. You could put less cream, less chocolate or less alcohol in this recipe, but you could also put your tongue on an ice cube to see if it sticks. I don't recommend you do any of that.....'

So you want the recipe???

150ml full cream milk

100ml whipping cream (35%)

100gm good quality dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa)

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa ppowder

1-2 tablespoons brandy, cognac, kirsch or whisky

sugar (optional)

Put the milk and cream in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook until it's warm, then whisk in the chocolate and cocoa until the chocolate is melted. Bring to nearly boiling point, then remove from heat and whisk in the alcohol. The chocolate will add a little sweetness, but you can add more sugar to taste if you like.

Pour evenly into two mugs and serve hot.

I love the evenly bit!