Weaving

Here's a few pictures which I took when assisting the school for a class visiting of the local heritage. And Weaving is part of Angers' heritage. 

This is a view on top of the weaving machine. I have a love for these objects, the colours, the wood, shape..art..patience.. perseverance..

And many pairs of little hands working hard to preserve the "Savoir Faire"

Bobbins

Rainbow

One of the many end products

Proudly display in the classroom.



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Orangette au chocolat /Candied Orange peels in chocolate coat

Orangette au Chocolat/ Candied Orange peels in Chocolate coat

Hello everyone, wishing you a very Happy and prosperous 2013. Today, I would like to share with you a very simple yet easy to put together recipe for a good and sweet start.

All you need is: a few organic oranges, brown sugar or just white if you don't have in hand and the third ingredient is a good 70% dark chocolate. That's it!! Only 3 ingredients. No kneading, no baking and oh the best is no tons of dishes to wash :)

Oh yes, it's Orangette au chocolat /Candied Orange peel with chocolate. Think Valentine's day.. which is not too far away or just for any day indulgence. It is so easy to make and the result you get can be as good or better then store bought but the price difference is quite significance.


Ingredient:

3           Organic oranges
300g     Caster Sugar
100g     70% dark chocolate

Method:

1. Wash your oranges, dry them then cut them into quarters.
2. Pull the flesh away from the skin. (I left the flesh just so to have more bit, I cut my oranges length wise then into about 5-7mm slices)
3. Par boil the skins in boiling water for 5 mins, drain and repeat for another time. I like the bitterness in the peels so I skiped this step all together.  So it is very much up on you.
4. Now in a saucepan dissolve your sugar in some water say 100ml. Add peels and simmer for 10 mins until the skins are translusent. 
5. Dish out and let dry on a wire rack over a tray for a day or two. Loosely cover it with foil and let it dry or you can dry them in the oven. I have never done this so can't give you a right temperature and duration. For those who does only the peels, this is when you cut the peels into little stripes of 5mm when they are a little chewy.
6. When peels are dried, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering watering, making sure bowl does not touch water. Cool slightly, then dip half of each orange peel strip in chocolate and place them on a tray lined with baking paper until chocolate hardens.
7. Keep them in an air tight container and place them in the fridge.

Note:

 The candied orange peels/orange slices can be use in cakes and desserts or simply enjoy as it is. I did make some to be added in my Christmas cake.

 Candied ginger, lemon, Kumquats are done in the same way..

 I never buy any candies fruits for my Christmas cake as not only they are expensive but they are full of additives too. 

Hope you enjoy this :) 

Sylvia xoxoxo

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Tears

How to describe the pain of losing someone?

or is there a way to put the feeling into words? so that it would ease our pain?

My heart goes to all those who had lost their child/love ones in the Connecticut shooting.

I can't stop asking myself...

What has gone wrong with this world??

I am grieving not only with America

 but also Humanity

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Angers by night

It's freezing out there but the lights make me forget all about the cold.

I am standing right opposite the Chateau D'Angers. Also known as Chateau de Roi René (castle of King René) but you can't see it.

What shows in this picture is the Cathedral Saint-Maurice D'Angers which was constructed in the 11th century.

Everything in this place is just so old, yet very well preserved and still in use.

At the Chateau D'Angers, we can even see some stone-aged tools being exhibit next to a modern souvenir shop.





Pont de Verdun, Angers

 Have a great Sunday,
Gros Bisous,
Sylvia

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Foire St. Martin

We went to the Foire St. Martin Angers which happens a month before Christmas each and every year. According to their web page, they are celebrating their 388th anniversary.. for what I know this funfair happens only in every November just before winter comes. For someone who comes from a young country (Malaysia is only 55 years old) and this funfair is.. err 388 years old?? 

This makes me wonder what their games were?? cochon (pigs) race?? but 388 years ago..we are talking about.. let's do some maths, oh boy the first year would be 1624!!

Photo source

I have made a search on the net and this happened even before Loius XIV our most famous and flamboyant Roi Soleil who was born in 1638.

Imagining them wearing their big wigs, white powdered face and a little "mouche" sitting on their upper lip..and didn't know that heels were in for men at that time until I see this picture. (La mouche is housefly in French but is also beauty mark which was commonly used)

Coming from a young country where everything is so instant and recent makes me appreciate how the French blend the old and the new. Example?? La mouche in 1638 and  Lip piercing 2012 ;)


Have a wonderful week...

Love xoxoxo,
Sylvia

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October; A month in photo

We had our last harvest of tomatoes from....Ahem, our balcony. They were potted that's why we didn't get many and they were not big. they might be smaller in size compare to store bought but they have all the taste minus all the sprays. Mine were simply yum...

September/October was also the season for Mussels. I cooked mussels many ways, Mussels in garlic herb bread crumbs, the classic Moules Marinieres (as shown in picture) or simply steam mussels with french vinaigrette.

Soup is something we have for every dinner all year round. During the summer it would be something light, mostly vegetable soup or Le Miget/ Migé but came October, we had creamy Lima beans soup with some Chorizo chips to gives textures and saltiness (picture above) and pumpkin soup of course.

I did a few desserts too, mostly tarts apples, pear and chocolates. But the lemon above was a Lemon Curd Tart simply to prolong the taste of summer.

All these were accompanied by a few French country, Ciabatta or Buckwheat sourdough loaves from my own oven.

What about you? what comes out of your kitchen? Wishing you a Happy November...
xoxoxoSylvia

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A walk in the woods

Our local community council has organised a walk in the wood and we went along. We were lucky that the storm left and it was a sunny day with crisp cool air.

 I was hoping to see lots of fall colour but there were not many due to a storm and this was what we got..

Logs were piling high.. each tree has an average age of 25 years or more. We were hopping to collect some chestnuts but there were non. Instead, we found mushrooms.. a lot of mushrooms, beautiful mushrooms..

At the end of the trip, we went home empty handed but my camera was filled with beautiful images...

Wish you a beautiful week ahead..
XOXOXO
Sylvia

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