Quick message
Hi!
Quickie message to say that there are only two more market days this year, the 12th & the 19th. And then I’m going to take most of January off like I always do every year.
So, if you wanna sample some Coco&Me cakes & chocolates (aswell as my creamy hot chocolate drink!), don’t miss your chance, hop on down to Broadway Market in the next two Sarturdays!
Hope to see you there! xoxoxo
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x . x . x . x . x . x . x . x . x . x . x . x . x . x . x . x . x . x . x . x . x . x .
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ps: I know, I know… I’ve been slack with posting blog entries! Like always, there’s loads to write about – but never the time…
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Since my last post, I’ve managed a second-degree-burn on my right wrist. The culprit was the cheese cake that I always rave about. I dropped it as I was getting it out of the oven, upside down, & the hot cake wrapped itself on my wrist. It hurt like hell, no joke. The burn is about 5cm, & the skin peeled off & it was really raw for a long while… I’m afraid that it’ll leave a scar… which will be ultra annoying because it’s a place where it is so visible…
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(The absolutely gorgeous smell of gingerbread cookie fills our living room!)
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On a lighter note, here’s a picture of an IKEA gingerbread house I decorated with my boy. We just copied the decoration design that was on the box! LOL! And instead of icing, I just melted & piped white chocolate. The little bambi next to it is my new addition to my ever-growing animal theme collection. It is made by “&K Amsterdam” & it uses real lamb fur! I got it at Selfridges department store & they had the bigger Mummy n’ Daddy version too. I was in the store for about a good 10 minutes contemplating getting those too, arranging it side-by-side, picking it up & down, but in the end I just got the ‘child’ one only. I kind of regret not getting them now though… I might have to go back!
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Really looking forward to Christmas – how about you?
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I so love smarties. You can also do a fun project with rice krispie square-cut them and turn them into an igloo-take a piece of cardboard cover it with tinfoil, spread some blue icing sugar for the ocean. Use gummy drops to make penguins. You will be surprised with what your child creates. I did this probably over a decade ago with my niece and nephew.
Comment by Esme - December 8, 2009 3:20 am
Please put aloe vera cream or Vitamin E cream on your burn mark. These will really help get rid of the mark. It will take time – a few months but it will work. You need a live aloe vera plant in your kitchen. Whenever you are burned, wash off the area and then slice off a piece of aloe vera and put the slimy juice on it. It really works well! Also, silver oxide cream is also excellent for burns! Do take care and I hope your Christmas will be very Merry as I think mine will be.
Comment by Su Su - December 8, 2009 9:28 am
I was looking around for a gingerbreak house kit! IKEA, that’s where I should go! Now do I want to drive out that way, with the metro strike going on (again) and the horrendous traffic everywhere?
I love your baby deer; he’s very sweet. You must post photos of your other animals, too!
Comment by cocopuff1212 - December 8, 2009 11:19 am
ow! hope the burn is healing well…i have a various assortmen of minor scars (they all fade with time :) from the cats or gracelessness. they don’t particularly bother me as i’m in no way a model!:) the gingerbread house is lovely–might have to pop on down to the new haven ikea & pick one up. esp. like the idea of piping melted choc. for decoration. here’s to a lovely & joyous yuletide for you & yours…
Comment by jonquil - December 8, 2009 4:19 pm
Love the gingerbread house..the white chocolate is a nice idea and, in my mind, a little healthier than icing??!!?? Maybe not!! Thanks for the post…
Comment by heidy - December 8, 2009 7:56 pm
Hello Esme! That’s a very good idea! Very creative!! I’ll definately take note of that!
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Thanks Su Su for your kind tips! My chemist also said the same – live aloe vera is best – I need to get one!!!
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Oh yes cocopuff1212 – Ikea truly is THE place to go for the gingerbread house kit! … and to pick up their crunchy ‘double chocolate cookies’!
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Hello Jonquil, I just hope mine fades with time too…! You have a great Xmas too, with warmth, happiness & laughter!
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Thanks Heidy! I guess the white chocolate may be a tad healthier perhaps! ;-) And it certainly is easier to pipe than the usual icing! Although, having said that, I worry that it may melt if I put a candle inside the gingerbread house – the melt point of the usual egg-white icing may be higher??
Comment by tamami - December 8, 2009 9:08 pm
Tamami. ALOE VERA ON YOUR BURN! WILL WORK WONDERS.
I wish you a very happy christmas and newyear, keep on making those truffles, love and best wishes Janiex
Comment by Janie - December 9, 2009 11:38 am
Hi Janie! Yup, I had this aloe vera gel from the chemist, & now that the wound has closed, am using another oily spray which is supposed to reduce the appearance of scar! – Hope all is well with your venture – have a lovely Christmas!
Comment by tamami - December 9, 2009 1:48 pm
Yeah… looking forward to Christmas too. What a way to end another fascinating year. I can smell that ginger bread house – seven seas away.
Wish you a Merry Christmas.
Comment by Ishrath - December 9, 2009 5:50 pm
So sorry to hear about that burn… hope all those tips everyone’s dropping works well for you. And I hope it doesn’t discourage you from continuing making your lovely creations.
Comment by Rita - December 9, 2009 11:39 pm
Hi Ishrath! The gingerbread smell is most potent when the living room door is shut over-night, & I go downstairs & enter the room! It really is lovely! Recommended!
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Rita, thank you!!! So kind…! One problem I have though is that I often forget to put the oily spray on regularly… I’m always like that with medicine…
Comment by tamami - December 10, 2009 12:58 am
Hi there, I just discovered you through the “Notes by naive” site. I’m a graphic designer too and I’m deeply impressed with your courage to quit your job and start doing your current work. Maybe it’s time to rethink my position too.
I wish you all the best.
Raluca
Comment by Raluca - December 13, 2009 1:22 pm
Hello Raluca! Thanks for visiting my blog. I actually got made ‘redundant’, so no courage was necessary there! As I look back, I think it was a turning point in my life, & now I’m glad I got away from graphic design – though at the time I was not appreciative of their decision to let me go like that!!
Comment by tamami - December 13, 2009 11:28 pm
Sorry to hear about your burn. :( Hope it’s better now, and that your last markets of the year are a success – I’m sure they will be! And that you have a lovely Christmas and a well-earned January rest.
I’m looking forward to Christmas, but I keep having to remind myself that it’s coming soon – LA doesn’t feel very Christmassy (notwithstanding strings of lights wound round palm trees – seriously!) xx
Comment by Rachel - December 14, 2009 2:18 am
Hi Rach! The burn is much better now – I’ve been a good girl with rubbing in the anti-scar oil every evening! ;-)
I just checked the weather in LA online! What? 17c degrees during the day?? Not bad…! Enjoy your tropical Christmas there! Sounds fun, surrounded by palm trees with Xmas-lights…! xx
Comment by tamami - December 14, 2009 1:38 pm
Hi, I’m sorry to read about that nasty burn, but it sounds like it’s healing nicely. That is so great that you made a gingerbread house with your son. I always wanted to do that when I was a kid but we never did! Have a very Merry Christmas!
Comment by Jennifer K - December 18, 2009 2:41 pm
Hello Jennifer K! Yup, it is healing quite nicely – phew!! RE gingerbread house – never too old for it surely!? Merry Xmas!!!!
Comment by tamami - December 20, 2009 10:58 pm
Nasty burn! Heal well!
Have not made to London or your stand.
Planning trip in summer.
Hope you feel better! Merry holiday!
Comment by lyn - December 21, 2009 10:21 pm
Hi Lyn!
Wow! Well I hope to see you next Summer then!! ;) ;) ;)
Merry Christmas to you & have an amazing holiday!!
Comment by tamami - December 21, 2009 11:23 pm
Wishing you and your family a very happy Christms and here’s to a brilliant 2010!
Comment by Alex - December 22, 2009 1:58 pm
Cheers Alex!! Wishing you the very best Christmas too & hope to hear from you again next year!! xx
Comment by tamami - December 23, 2009 1:14 am
Hi Tamami! Just popping in to wish you a great Christmas, wich I’m sure will be filled with all of your sweet goodies :)
Kisses from Portugal!
Inês
Comment by Inês - December 23, 2009 7:42 pm
Hello Inês!!! And a very Merry Christmas to you tooooooooo!!!!
Comment by tamami - December 24, 2009 11:51 pm
THIS LOOKS SO NICE. WISH TO MAKE ONE TOO. :)
Comment by Natalie - December 25, 2009 8:27 am
Hi Tamami, you have such a nice and useful blog for all home bakers! first of all, I love London. Used to visit London quite often. I have just started my food blog in November. I too wish one day I could own a small and cosy cafe, and enjoy my passion – Baking.
I really miss the double cream from London. There is no way I could get anything that’s near to it over here (Singapore). And not to mention the dairy whipping from Japan it’s heaven too!
I am very much into Japanese bread and cakes baking. I have got quite a numbers of Japanese recipe books and tried them out , which they give really good results. I blog on those I find they are the best among all the recipes, from all the different books that I have.
I am planning to go to Japan in Feb, and shall brign back all the goodies for baking, and I can enjoy baking after I come back to Singapore! I am also hopping hard, that I will be able to go to London in June-July period, and shall find my way to Broadway Market and say HI to you.:)
Cheers!
Honey Boy
Comment by Honey Boy - December 26, 2009 3:30 pm
Thanks Natalie!! ;)
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And hello Honey Boy! Thank you for your lovely comment. – I’m surprised that you can’t get a good double cream in Singapore! Do you mean that the fat content (%) is different? Good luck on your search.
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And also have fun in Japan! I’m sure you’ll bring back an extra suitcase full of goodies! –
And I hope to see you in June/July too!
Comment by tamami - December 27, 2009 9:55 am
Hi Tamami,
the double cream in Singapore is not the fresh ones like in UK or Japan. As Singapore is not a farm /dairy country. so we are very much depend on UHT dairy cream or those made of Palm oil, Which is totally unacceptable to me. The taste is nothing comapare to the REAL cream though it gives a very good body for icing cakes. So most of the time I’d buy UHT dairy whipping cream. And of cause the fat content is another issue. We do have the fresh double cream from Australia. But the taste is somehow not what I wanted like those I can get form Mark & Spencer, Waitrose, Sainsberry….
Wish you and your family a Happy and Fruitfull New Year!
Honey Boy
Comment by Honey Boy - December 27, 2009 2:57 pm
Hello Honey Boy, I see… I sympathize… UHT is definitely not as tasty… But I wonder what the cake shops over there use? Perhaps ask them? – Anyway, Have a good hols! t x
Comment by tamami - December 28, 2009 3:30 am
Hi Dear,
most of the local bakery they all using the same thing (UHT cream) or even just the cream that is made of palm oil! Really no way I’d take that.
But we do have one bakery that is own by a Japanese chef who imported thier cream and many other ingredients form Japan, which is why thier cakes are more expensive. But I really think it’s worth it !
Honey boy
Comment by honey boy - December 31, 2009 1:51 pm
Honey boy, oh nooooo!!!!! I guess you’re stuck with UHT then…. – well I guess you’d have to make desserts that doesn’t involve cream as ingredients then! Good luck bakin’!! Xx
Comment by tamami - December 31, 2009 7:45 pm
Sooooo cute !
Comment by ElodieVeryPetit - January 1, 2010 7:33 pm
Thanks ElodieVeryPetit!!!
Comment by tamami - January 1, 2010 9:25 pm