Sweet treats this Christmas

Christmas cake, mince pies, stollen and lebkuchen. Usually for us it's a choice between these for us, but this year we seem to have all four. And when I thought more about them, I realised that for each of them we have our own traditions, and I expect you do too.

Christmas cake, for example, you can probably see in the picture below it's still in its cellophane. It's clearly not one I've made and we don't tend to make a Christmas cake. Christmas pudding yes, but not Christmas cake. This one was part of one of our early Christmas presents from our early family Christmas, at the start of the month. I'm a big fan of Christmas cake, and quite often we leave my parents and my in-laws with a chunk of cake, which is always very welcome.

But the one thing about Christmas cake is we never eat it before Christmas Day. And actually after Christmas lunch, a snooze and a turkey sandwich in the evening, there's often not much room for cake, but it's always worth a try, isn't it?

Mince pies on the other hand, for us they're perfectly acceptable to eat in the run up to Christmas and we'll probably have almost a box a week. We'll eat them over Christmas too, but it's unlikely that we'll buy any more once it gets to January. I made mincemeat once, a while back now, when I was clearly feeling more industrious, and it tasted good. I remember it made a lot, but it's the sort of thing that keeps, and matures well. Maybe I'll make it again another year, but in the meantime we've still got these to eat.

It's only relatively recently that I've added lebkuchen to our repetoire. These pictured, along with the stollen are by Bahlsen and arrived in the post, slightly battered, but still tasty. It was only last year that I made a Finnish version, somehow it seems longer ago than that.

Stollen is another favourite of mine and I'd quite happily eat this all year round.  The marzipan in this one is more like a swiss roll than how I'd expected it to be. I've not made a stollen, but I think it's something I'd definitely give a go. I'd made something similar, an Almond Kringle Wreath and that tasted way better than it looked!  Although I personally think anything containing marzipan is a winner! 

And both of these German treats, we eat in the run up to Christmas too. I'm not sure if that's because they're newer to us, and not part of our childhood traditions, or just because we're making our new traditions with them, and like how they taste!  So while I settle in and help myself to at least one of these, let me know about your traditions with cake at Christmas. 

And if you're wondering about my Christmas stocking, then pop back on Christmas Eve and I'll share more about its story then.

* This is a collaborative post, with thanks to Bahlsen who sent me these German treats to try. As ever, all views and opinions are my own.

Habitat's Christmas Supper Club

A couple of weeks ago I headed up to the Habitat store on Tottenham Court Road. Nothing strange about that you might think, but it wasn't to shop. Yes, that's a little bit strange, I'll give you that. Instead of shopping I was off to the first of Habitat's Supper Clubs. What I failed to realise until I got there was that I'd spend the evening eating dinner in the shop window.  Thankfully not alone, but I can't help but wonder what the people wandering past must have thought. 

I'm a big fan of Habitat, it was always the epitome of cool as I was growing up and any item bought from there was treasured. In recent years I've rediscovered my Habitat habit and I'm glad that I have too. And I think it's just as cool now.

I never expected to have dinner in one of their shops, in the shop window or not, but I'm very glad I did. Even better the main course was fondue, so what's not to like. I mean cheese, or should that be che-e-e-e-e-e-se!  I'm not sure I've really appreciated the delights of fondue before, but I'm seriously tempted by one for myself. I mean at home, and of course I'd share, not just keep it for myself.

I had a hunch that we were in for a good evening when I arrived. I mean with a table looking as full and as festive as this, it'd be hard not to right?

After a starter of hot smoked salmon, gin cured salmon, salmon caviar, avocado cream and pickled cucumber the promise of a good evening was confirmed. It was delicious, and you'll be pleased to hear usual service has resumed and I was halfway through demolishing it before I even thought about taking a photo.  And as a half-demolished meal is nowhere near as pretty as it should be, you'll just have to take my word for it being good.

Then there was a chance to make a Mulled Mojito cocktail. It was the kind of cocktail making I like, for making read assembling as everything was laid out for us.  But you'll see from the pictures below, it still takes some concentration.  

Image credit: Habitat

Image credit: Habitat

It tasted great and it's definitely something I'd try at home, actually scrap that, it's definitely something I'll be encouraging MOH to make for me at home. Yes, that's better.

Back at the table the fondue of Gruyere, Emmental and Beaufort cheese with white wine, kirsch, nutmeg and spices had arrived and it tasted even better than it looks. It was served along with boiled new potatoes, green salad, crusty bread and charcuterie and crudites. 

Image credit: Habitat

Delicious. I was skeptical about the charcuterie and fondue, but along with the crusty bread it was my most dipped item. Pure heaven. Charcuterie, cheese, bread, red wine, cocktails, I told you it was a good evening didn't I?

But there was more food to come and while this dark chocolate mousse pudding with espresso mascarpone and banana in smashed shortbread was good, it beat me. It won't be often you hear that from me and while the banana sounds odd, it was gorgeous. 

And if that wasn't enough, with the coffee along came some homemade treats - biscotti, homemade hazelnut bon bons, you know the ones that the Ambassador likes, and some mint aero. Well the mint aero was amazing, so light and fluffy and so much better than the chocolate covered bars. 

And if like me you like the dinnerware and decorations on the table, here's some links to them, or similar items:

Sintra dinnerware

Hamburg wine glasses

Dublin oak and glass dining table

Gold Glitter Dipped Bauble LED Garland

Glitter Circle Paper Garland

10 LED Gold Splatter Boxes Christmas Lights

And if you want some more Christmas table inspiration, pop over to the Habitat blog for this post: Decorating the Table for Christmas.

Thanks Habitat for a great evening!

* This is a collaborative post with Habitat, but as usual, all views and opinions are my own.

A riot of colour at the London Graphic Centre

I've been busy lately and have been to some great blogging events. Recently I was invited to the London Graphic Centre in Covent Garden for a "Wrap Battle" - but don't worry it was wrapping presents, rather than anything musical. It was held in the store at Covent Garden and I was like a kid in a sweet shop.  

It was exactly the kind of place - and may well have been the very same place - that I used to spend my Saturday afternoons in as a teenager.  It was dangerous then, but even more dangerous now armed with a credit card.  I know that I'll be going back to the London Graphic Centre to buy some materials, but I just have to work out what first.  

As soon as I arrived I was drawn towards the Caran D'Ache display, these were the pencils I coveted most in years gone by, and their attraction was still as strong today. It seemed that everywhere I looked was swathed in colour, and I naturally felt at home.

Christmas Fair - Saturday 10 December

This Saturday the London Graphic Centre are hosting their Christmas Fair in their flagship store and as well as the usual supplies, this year's highlights include:

• Personalising your Leuchhturm notebooks with free embossing on A5 notebooks
• Build your own pop-up keyring workshop hosted by Frietag
• The POSCA wall doodling - this is great fun, it's a glass wall and you get to doodle all over it, my contribution is at the bottom of this post!
• A gift wrap station with MT Masking, who have a glorious array of washi tape to try
• A calligraphy demo, where you could get some great gift tags

And if that isn't enough, for all purchases over £25 there'll be a goody bag. I expect it'll be busy, and if you go let me know how you get on.

And if you're looking for a different Christmas tree, then here's one for you. 

It's great fun isn't it?

And still everywhere I looked as I wandered around the store was colour. Maybe this is where my love of colour comes from, who knows. It's the type of place that I'd be in my element doing a trolley dash in, now could you imagine that...

It was these Lego markers that came closest to breaking my resolve on the evening. I've not seen anything like them before and even I was tempted, I wouldn't count myself as an active Lego fan, but these, well I'd make an exception...

And while I enjoyed the walk around the store, reminiscing about my teenage years, the real reason I was there was to wrap a present. And the present I wrapped was for week 3 of the London Graphic Centre's Christmas Wrap battle and that's now available to win on the London Graphic Centre's blog. Do pop over and enter, it'd be great to see someone I know win!

This week's blogger-wrapped prize giveaway is from Stephanie of Life at 139a. 🎄🎁 Enter and WIN here https://t.co/TO8VedOKF3 🎄🎁

— London Graphics (@LondonGraphics) December 6, 2016

And remember that POSCA doodling I mentioned above, what do you think of my tree?

* This is a collaborative post with the London Graphic Centre, all views are as usual my own and with thanks for a great evening