Bright Copper Kettles and Warm Woolen Mittens

There is nothing so lovely as the turn in temperature to make one feel all cocoon-y.

Yesterday, I spent most of the day preparing for a dinner party.  I always love to do that, but I can be a bit of a tightrope walker, suddenly deciding that I am going to make something I've never made before.

In this case it was a panna cotta recipe by Gordon Ramsay, and despite fears, it turned out beautifully.

PANNACOTTA WITH POMEGRANATE GLAZE

Serves 4
2 medium sheets leaf gelatine (11 x 7.5cm)
250ml double cream
50g caster sugar
50ml milk
15ml dark rum, or to taste

Pomegranate glaze:
20g caster sugar
275ml pomegranate juice

Chocolate shavings:
Block of good-quality dark chocolate, for grating

1. Soak the gelatine in a shallow dish of cold water for a few minutes. Meanwhile, put the cream, sugar, milk and rum into a saucepan and slowly bring to a simmer. Heat gently for 30 seconds, then remove the pan from the heat. Taste for flavour, adding a little more rum if you wish.

2. Squeeze the gelatine leaves to remove excess water, then add them to the cream mixture and stir until fully dissolved. Tip the mixture into a jug.

3. Now pour into four individual glass dishes, leaving enough room for the glaze. Leave to cool, then place the glasses in the fridge to set for at least two hours, or overnight if preparing ahead.

4. To make the pomegranate glaze, heat a dry frying pan.Tip the sugar into the hot pan followed by the pomegranate juice. Bring to the boil and allow to bubble for 10–15 minutes, until thickened to a sticky, syrupy glaze. Pour into a small jug and leave to cool completely.

5. Pop the chocolate in the freezer for 10–15 minutes before serving. Pour the cooled pomegranate glaze on top of the chilled pannacottas. Take the chocolate from the freezer and draw a small straight-edged knife along the flat side of the bar to make curled shavings. Top each pannacotta with chocolate shavings to serve.
 

(Christmas with Gordon by Gordon Ramsay is published by Quadrille.)

NOT mine!  Stolen from the internet!

Yay Gordon and Wendy!

After hours of good conversation and a healthy dose of wine, I headed to bed after midnight.

Honestly, midnight itself is exciting enough; I see it so rarely, that when I do see the two hands of the clock pass twelve it feels as if I am doing something naughty!

The morning after a late night is reserved for coffee and much laying about.  In this case, you would have found me curled up with Indy on the couch, reading Middlemarch.  I am getting ready for Dani and GSL's book club in late November, and I am truly loving the book.

Last night, however, you would have found me boiling my homemade ravioli in my lovely new copper pot.

If a person can love an inanimate object (no Ryan Gosling jokes please and thank you or other smutty comments), well, I love this pot:

Made by the Italian company Ruffino, it cooks like a dream.  I do not mind the polishing one little bit.  It is very meditative!

And of course once you start thinking of copper kettles, you start to think about warm woolen mittens, don't you?

And when I think of warm woolen mittens now, I can't help but think of my friend Barb, a retired school teacher and gifted writer, who has a wonderful blog called wool gathering.

In the blog, Barb shares her perspectives on many things, but what I love best about her blog (and her Facebook posts) is when she shows the spectacular mittens she makes and sells:

Given her literary bent, she is not one to simply make the mittens and sell them.

Nope - she gives them the most spectacular names.  The ones above are called (left to right): Strawberry Blizzard: Strawberry Blush; Stormy Rose; Strawberry Yogurt; I Never Promised You a Rose Garden.   Last winter she had a pair (and Barb correct me if I'm wrong!) named after David Adams Richards' novel Evening Snow Shall Bring Such Peace.  I mean, come on, how cool is that?

Don't you just love it?????? 

Well I do, and so I thought it worth sharing, along with Barb's blog link for those who are interested in some of Barb's favourite things.  

I see a pair of Barb's mittens in my winter wardrobe for sure!

And perhaps a cream-coloured pony under the Christmas tree?

It has been so long since I had a "real" pair of mittens!  I can't wait!!!

Hope you are having a fantastic Sunday!  Stay safe out there!

xoxo wendy