Christmas Time

It finally feels like winter here.

Its cold. Its cosy and its the week before Christmas.

Before the last few crazy days, I managed to squeeze in the World Peace Cookies...

And squeeze in eating a few of them too...

Or 10.

But...

They weren't everything I wanted. If I dare say... Too chocolatey...

Christmas Cookies and Chocolate

I think most people are out there now, baking cookies.

And I am about the join the list, in a few days that is. Sorry for the suspension.

I am still researching which to make, but I think I've found the ones that promise to be THE best, the most amazing and seriously worthy of World domination...

The World Peace Cookie.

As previously written about here (great blog I recently discovered, love that!) and here (one of my favourite go to recipe people).

I am just dying to make them.

Sneak preview...

All copyright to CafeFernando

I am also waiting for those days when all you want is chocolate.
To eat it, devour it, bathe in it...

You know those days.

Because until I feel like that, I think baking these cookies and not thoroughly wanting to wolf down the whole rack is abit of a waste.

You see, I'm not an 'eat chocolate everyday' sort of girl. I prefer to wait till that feeling 'must eat chocolate now' comes on and when it's all I want. And eat ridiculously large amounts of it.

Have I just admitted I am one of the worst kind... A binger?

Which I did with these. The first time I baked them, I resisted eating any as I was making them to take to a friends get together. Silly me... I should of tried their gorgeousness there and then, and saved a good lot to keep at home. Bad me.

And since then, I get requests to make these and get pleads for the recipe by anyone who tries them.

So these World Peace things have got ALOT to live up to.

***

I'll be back in a few days with the report. And in the mean time, if there are any other cookie recipes you think are worth giving a try this time of year, please let me know.

I am still drooling over a recipe for Stollen that I just read here...

All in the name of research and Christmas, hard life!

5 minutes to Chocolate

Yum.

Chocolate cake, made and baked in 10 minutes.

No joke!

And gooooood.

Not the most exciting picture to make you drop everything and go bake it! But, seriously THE easiest chocolate cake in the world to make.

My boyfriend's work colleague gave him the recipe to give me. I've had it on the shelf for a few weeks,  and on sunday when deciding what birthday to cake to make for his mum, he remembered this and said how amazing this cake is, and how easy it was to make - having tasted it again at work on friday. This cake had been made by his colleague, twice in 2 weeks, I think at their request. And seeing as they're only 4 of them in their work... that's alot of cake for each of them!

Autumn to Winter

From yesturday, suddenly its winter.

Its dropped to 8-10C here in Lisbon, which for us is cold, freezing.

Especially since days before this, it's been 16-18C most days.

Ok, its not freezing.

But i must admit i was abit envious when I heard there is snow in England now.

Wedding Love

Last weekend i went to the wedding of a very special friend of mine.

The place was beautiful, a chic, nature inspired hotel by the beach, in the mid-north of Portugal, Santa Cruz.

What weekends are made for

I don't know about you, but i love a weekend every now and again, where i just get organised.

I scrubbed my kitchen, cleaned the house top to toe and did the things ive needed to do for ages. Boring, but necessary...

I treated myself, and partner to a special dinner for two last night. Rather than saving an indulgent meal to share with friends, i made our favourite and a special dessert to follow.

It was one id saved to do one day, as it had promised to tame, and keep the man of your dreams close by. And i felt my man (and me) needed a little sweetness.

Unfortunately i didn't take pictures, and we ate the leftovers today. But the recipe is from Joy the Baker, the funniest writer and baker. If she says something is worth baking, i do it. Seriously.

(From Joy the Baker) All copyrights to Joy! 

This apple crisp didn't disappoint either. Crunchy from the oats and sweet from the Muscovado sugar, spiced with cinammon and the softest of baked apples underneath. A perfect pudding to warm you up from this every looming winter weather, and a yummier way to eat all the apples around at the moment.

I hope you enjoy!

Sit and Stay a while Apple Crisp

Autumn Festivites

Today is November 11th...

Dia de S.Martinho, as its called here in Portugal or St. Martin’s Day, also known as the Feast of St. Martin. 

It is a day celebrated by drinking, and eating Chestnuts..

AKA the best day ever!

Saint Martin, was a Roman soldier, who later became a monk. The most famous legend is that he once cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm, to save the beggar from dying of the cold.

Across Europe people celebrate this day and here in Portugal the day is commonly associated with the celebration of the maturation of the year’s wine, traditionally the first day when the new wine is tasted. It is celebrated around a bonfire, eating the magusto, chestunuts roasted under the embers of the bonfire (sometimes dry figs and walnuts also), and drinking a local alcoholic beverage called água-pé (literally “foot water”), by adding water to the remaining grape bits (pomace) once they have been pressed for wine.

Summer time??

I don't know from whereabouts you might be reading this, but today its:

- November 5th

- Its sunny

- Its warm, quite warm actually... like 25C ?!?

Sorry if i'm making you jealous, but its nice out here.

I hope it stays for a few days at least, as im away this weekend. But i am kind of looking forward to wintery months, and cosy nights in or out wrapped up.

And of course cold enough for more roasted chestnuts to be enjoyed!

Have a nice weekend!

Ashtanga Yoga

I began practicing yoga when i was studying for my GCSE exams in secondary school. I told myself it was a way to calm my nerves, but really it was something that i had been interested in for a long time. I was always fascinated by the odd picture or text you saw in the papers, celebrating this wonderful practice for all its merits and healthy looking lifestyle.

I wanted that.

I  know i was only like 16, but i wanted to find something to challenge me, physically and in the end now i understand also mentally.

So i went to my local library and found a book called something like, Introduction to Yoga, a basic, teach yourself book.
So that's how i started. I slowly read the book, studying the pictures and trying to twist and sit into all the positions. I liked my (grown-up) regime of getting up early, practicing and trying to feel the benefits of it. Of course at this young and naive age, i think what i was after was the toned and flexible body from these pictures.

So each month i'd keep renewing my library book, lock myself away in my mum and dad's sitting room and practice this 'yoga'.
After a while i was eager to speak to other people who practiced, wondered what they did, i was also very interested in the whole lifestyle choices of a yogi too, the hippy-esque foods and healthy glow.

So i went to my first class, and it was everything that anyone who doesn't do yoga, thinks yoga is all about...

... Lots of women (a few brave men), in a after school hall room, slowly arriving and laying out their mats, and basically looking like they were having their weekly catch up.

Not the dynamic, sweat dripping experience i was craving for.

But i stuck it out, and i enjoyed it. Sure it wasn't that challenging, it was more typically sitting cross legged, looking at a candle kind of thing. But i was introduced to breathing techniques and it was a glimpse into a lifestyle i secretly felt at home in.

When i moved away to university i found a local class near my halls of residence. And this was getting there.. it was more challenging, but it didnt have the discipline that i now realise is what i enjoy most from Ashtanga yoga.

Abit of what i love

So this time of year, there is generally less fruit around, and abit fewer veg.

But this doesn't bother me. There are some things available now that can replace all others....

Is there anything better than the smell of roasting chestnuts in your oven?

Teaming them with a silky bowl of soup is one thing to do, and its the only thing im wanting to eat these days.

This is Pumpkin and coconut milk soup, a great combination with a hint of ground ginger and coriander.

And yesturday i adapted on this basic recipe...

Long thought about beginning

As many people out there, i wanted a place to write, to keep my thoughts and experiences, adventures logged and remembered.

I've thought about writing here some times, and now im doing it for real. I hope you enjoy the experiences we share.

P.s. That's not me in the picture ;)