LA DUREÉ

A long overdue tribute to the macarons hand carried all the way from France, I miss the precious munchies... and best of all, it comes with Cath Kidston kitchen cloths!

Who knows me better than Juanie? Thanks babe!

Warm love,

Starningblue

Christmas Muffins

On my usual blog hop, I stumbled upon Sweet And Simple Bakes on this Christmas Bake Event. Currently in the fever of baking, I jumped at the chance to try out a new recipe and participate in a bake event!

Effectively, this is only the 3rd time I make muffins since I own myself a mixer. I ask for your leniency on this!

Not long ago at the bookstore, I just picked up Nigella’s Christmas Book and wowed at the recipes within. To much delight, I am able to now try one of those for this event. The best thing is there’s a get-together tonight so I can bring a bunch of this to share.

Turns out this recipe is extremely easy to follow, especially for a newbie like me – I did not mess it up. The aromas of nutmeg and cinnamon filled the place when the muffins were baking, bliss! This recipe will definitely be kept for coming Christmas years.

I didn’t like grating orange zest though; I used a fruit peeler so that was the only step that took me some time. *I have a fear of peeling my skin off!!*

Thank you Sweet & Simple Bakes for organizing this!

Happy 2009 to all and be blessed in the coming year~


Warm love,
Starningblue

Merry Christmas

On 24th ~ Eve…

On 25th ~ Xmas…

Home made mulled cider…

2 days of sumptuous home cook… Hope all had a good feast and Christmas filled with love! While we round up for 2008, lets gear up and look forward to a brand new year! Jetting off soon…catch ya’ll in 2009.

Drooling,

Juanie

Christmas Get-Together 2008

Some who knew about it wanted to know how my little party went last weekend and what was on the menu. The get-together was great! Very enjoyable to have a cosy group together and all the effort was worth it but guess what, we totally forgot to take pictures of our yummy spread and I call myself a blogger.

I threaten to sack my photographer. However, it was a mad rush to serve the guests and he doubled as my party planner so I let him off the hook this time. *Kidding! Kel, would not have done it without you*

For the record, the menu of the night was…

Roast Chicken
Roast Beef with Mushroom Sauce
Black Pepper Ham
Greens & Melon with Peppers Salad (with love from Aileen)
Mushroom Tomato Spaghetti
Chocolate Log Cake
Liquor Fruit Cake (with love from Pat & Eve)



Bingo was exciting mostly because I had a lucky hand at it and pass the parcel was challenging - try playing out the Rudolph Reindeer song by physical actions. The Christmas feel is picking up!

All the most, I want to give my many thanks to Kel for being the life of the party and given much assistance in the organizing and making our very own DIY Christmas Tree from scratch!

Wishing all my dear family and friends a very blessed Christmas and all the best for the New Year~


Warm Love,
Starningblue

Christmas Market

Frankfurter Weihnachtsmarkt

Largest German market staged outside Europe, I’ve travelled 105miles to a city in midlands called Birmingham. Ok I made it sound far but its actually only 1.5 - 2hrs drive.

Welcome to the Christmas Market filled with 140 traditional German stalls.

Garlic Bread in Garlic.

Hot piping bread fresh from oven.

Ever had Pretzel but the burger way?

Don’t fancy floury stuff? How about sweet treats.

Don’t have sweet tooth? Lets tuck in for some salty stuff.

German sausages. XL sizes, no kidding.

Fried potato, fried mushrooms… with garlic sauce. Very yummy.

Or grill meat to fill your roll?

Enough of food, its thirst quenching time. Ok, not quite if its alcohol. Hot mulled wine in pretty mugs

German beers / Weissbier aka wheat beer

More mulled wine

If you drive, don’t drink. Sighz, I can only settle with hot chocolate with baileys and I… I smuggled the mug home.

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Time check: 1417hrs, I’m home blogging. Holiday starts right now for 15days. Woohoooo. Happy Holiday All!

Drooling,

Juanie

Pre-Xmas

Dinner 1 @ Hole in the Wall

Located by the dockside in Bristol town centre, this pub built in the 1700s, earns its name from the small peep hole (now still visible) that sailors used to keep a watch out for pressgangs in the olden days.

From recollection, I mixed my drinks, big No. Spirits, wine, beer, cider… you name it, I had it that night.

Smoked salmon as starter

Typical Xmas main course – Turkey with pigs in blankets and chestnut stuffing

Very rich chocolate tart with fresh cream as dessert.

~

Lunch 2 @ Site

Back at work, we celebrated Christmas with a get together lunch and was served exactly the same meal but cheaper version.

And the most exciting part, Raffle time! Every year, this time, we get Xmas gifts from ‘people’ we work with. Because we are a team, whatever we received will be put together for the raffle so everyone gets something.

Geez, I contributed my wines & chocolates prezzie and still get to lug back wines and a box of beer from the raffle. Not bad huh.

Booze time!

Drooling,

Juanie

Ritz Crackers

Sinking in the couch, enjoying a cuppa with (limited edition) snow flake Ritz Crackers while catching a good movie at home. Oh I feel so lazy.

Drooling,

Juanie