Food – Page 6 – Emma Varnam’s blog

Battenberg Teacosy

After making my Prim Pleated Teacosy I quickly cast on my next version. I had seen a couple of checkered versions and felt that an even greater level of chintz could be achieved!! I have to tell you that this has been a couple of week in the project bag. It has been the on-off knitting companion, but I managed to finish it yesterday.

In the meantime I read Issue 3 of Mollie Makes with the delightful crochet flowers. Now I have made many dozen crochet blooms, and even created my own versions. What I liked about these little chaps was the combination of embroidery, felt and ribbon. Could it get more girly? Well in some ways I might have gone too far. I am not sure a home can be found for it. But I did enjoy making it. The pattern I used was from GMC’s Tea Cozies book. I then used the flower ideas from Issue 3 of Mollie Makes.

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Glam Jam cover

Well after my first attempt at creating a beaded food cover for my friend Mrs J, I got into a little groove. I am a big fan of Rico Cotton Essential DK for crochet, it has a wonderful sheen and texture and inspired by raspberry jam I have created a little glam cover for a jam jar. The pattern is not mine and is from Jenny Hill’s Book Two Balls or Less. The patterns she has created are really easy to follow and quick to create. Now finished both covers will be winging their way to Mrs J, before the summer starts to wane and she has no use of them.

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Cute as a Button

Ho Ho Ho we have had some fun in our house. Things have been rather busy running up to the end of the school term. Inspired by Little B’s excitement for the school fair we set about baking some cupcakes. Just like my knitting book collection, I have far more cooking books than I actually use. I don’t need to buy anymore, but I made a little purchase of this book ‘Celebration Cupcakes‘. It has many good ideas for little cakes which inspire little imaginations.

My little brain was inspired by the button design. Yet again there was substantial mess. It has been a while since I used food colouring. Mmm. Little B was also enthused by using an icing pen. The results were ‘artistic’. But we managed to turn out enough to show willing. I hope they taste nice, my tasting spares were snaffled before I get a chance.

Hope you have a lovely bright and fun filled weekend x

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Icing – lets see how the professionals do it

We had a bit of a downy dumpsy day on Friday and so in order to lift our spirits I popped into a rather beautiful local cupcake shoppe. Since my rather messy venture into icing, I have been yearning to have another sneak peak at what a professional cupcake looks like.

So here you are. Little B did what the average child does, licked off the icing and said, ‘Right, that’s enough!’ I know what you are thinking, that is how you would eat a cupcake if no-one was looking… But don’t they look pretty.

You will be pleased to know I have finally finished my Vintage Stripy Teacosy, very satisfying but a real labour of love. I have been patting it ever since it was finished. Have a lovely week x

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Lessons Learned – Icing

I hope you are looking forward to a happy and sunny weekend. Little B and I have had a bit of fun this week trying out new cake recipes. In the last wee while I have been thinking it would be nice to properly pipe icing on to our cupcakes. So, on one of those late night computer shopping episodes,(don’t do it, don’t do it!) I bought some nozzles and piping bag. My word, I don’t know if I particularly bad at this, but it was messy, icing was seeping out in all directions. I was giggling to myself, wondering whether there was more icing on me, the worktop or the cakes. I can’t give you a conclusive answer on that. However let it be said that edible glitter can basically glamorize anything, however wonky. Plus who cares once you have ate it. Yummy.

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Apple and Pear Cake

I spent a really lovely hour on Sunday afternoon prep-ping a Sunday Roast and baking a new recipe. The above little cake is Apple and Pear Cake ripped from a magazine article previewing the new book by the formidable Rosemary Shrager, Absolutely Foolproof Classic Home Cooking. She can be found frequently on our television screens here in Britain and is very no ‘nonsense’. The cake turned out beautifully, but being a fan of cinnamon, I think that any cake which combines apple and cinnamon is bound to taste yummy.

On another cake based subject, I am just finishing off a little ‘cake’ pattern which I will publish on the blog. Hopefully photos to follow this week. Hope you have a great week x

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Tunnock Teacosy

What was I thinking? It wasn’t until my friend Tracey pointed it out, but actually the obvious name for my little vintage teacosy was Tunnock. This seems utterly bizarre but the link wasn’t there in my head until it was pointed out…but there I had been staring at these little marshmallowy beauties and out came its cosy equivalent.

Well I have been so delighted by all the comments on the biscuits and all the memories of mis-spent times at University. I had in my mind that I had spotted some rather fine tea-towels which celebrate the wonders of the traditional British Bickie. So I have put a link to the online company here. I have decided not to change the name of the pattern – it is on Ravelry and other sites now and has a life of its own. But for us who love a wee little teacake, we will think of this pattern as the Tunnock Teacosy.

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Caravan Tea Cosy

Recently I have felt a yearning to make a little vintage tea-cosy. There have been a number of lovely articles about caravanning and camping in the multitude of magazines I peruse…(we have discussed the addiction issue before). So this little sweetie is in honour of Monica Rivron and her new book on Caravan Cooking. It is intended to bring a little bit of home comfort to the outdoor adventure.

The pattern is available for free to you to download, if you feel so inclined. However, a word to the wise, when you make the foundation chain, make it loose as otherwise you will wrestle with your cosy rather than elegantly ‘popping’ it on.

The loops on the top are inspired of my dear friend Susie. I made her a blackberry/raspberry cosy a while ago and was delighted that she hung it up. How fiendishly clever. So in the spirit of decoration the loop is a handy addition.

Finally I want to celebrate the power of kitsch biscuits. We had a fairly ‘serious’ meeting at our house last night. I felt that the kitsch or ironic biscuit can bring so much to such an occasion. The wafer ones were particularly enjoyed. But when it comes to a Tunnock Teacake. Well that my friends is a design classic.

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Rhubarb Stash Busting Cake

Sorry I am on a bit of a baking tip at the moment but I must just share this recipe with you whilst rhubarb is still in season. We are not huge fans of rhubarb in our house. Yes, we will eat it in a crumble but would not choose it in a million years as an indulgent pudding. However when we moved to our house last year we discovered that our lovely garden had a rather impressive plant. It felt dreadful to leave the leaves to flop unpicked. Well lets face it, this plant may be the the only productive food crop we will successfully harvest from our soil. (I will attempt to change this situation this summer, but I cannot promise success). Anyway I discovered this recipe for Rhubarb and Ginger Cake from the lovely people at Riverford Organics. It is lovely and moist and very, very more-ish. Be warned.

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