Netherlands Dolls House Show

For the first time, Apeldoorn is hosting the Netherlands Dolls House Show next weekend.
Saturday the 27th October 11.00 am till 6.00 pm
Sunday   the 28th October 10.00 am till 5.00 pm.

The entrance fee is quite expensive at 10 euros. This is a day ticket and children accompanied by an adult are admitted free.  I am really looking forward to going and having a look around, There are quite a few stall holders from the UK there.

Have a look at the website :  http://www.dhnshow.com/dhns.html

Our local stationery shop Bruna has a display advertising the event with the cutest little Dutch Dolls House created by a local lady, Elly Lameris. Each time I pass the shop I make a bee line for the window and stand for  several minutes enjoying all the miniatures she has created.




Elly Lameris - Dolls House.



Melt in the mouth Scottish Shortbread recipe.

I absolutely love biscuits and have to have them in the pantry - a drink is just too wet without one. Being Scottish, my favourite biscuit is shortbread.
It originates way back from medieval times - originally made with yeast - hence the 'bread'. Later the yeast was removed and the butter added. Bakers would classify it as a bread so they did not have to pay the tax that was put on biscuits back then - thank goodness that was stopped. Mary Queen of Scots was said to enjoy shortbread that was cut into petticoat tails (wedge shapes).

Some recipes call for rice flour or semolina which gives the shortbread a grainy texture. I prefer to use cornflour as an extra - this makes the biscuit more delicate and melts in your mouth. Butter is absolutely essential in shortbread anything less just will not taste the same.

My Scottish Shortbread recipe

Ingredients

125g/ 4oz butter

55g/ 2oz caster sugar (and a little more for sprinkling)

150g/ 5.5 oz plain flour (you can use self raising as I do and it makes no difference to the biscuit)

30g/ 1oz cornflour

pinch of salt.

Method

1.  Heat the oven to 190C/ 375F/ Gas 5.

2.  Beat the butter and caster sugar together until smooth.

3.  Sift the flour, pinch of salt and cornflour into the butter and sugar and mix together until it forms a
     paste.

4.  Turn out onto the work surface and knead a few times until it is all worked together.

5.  Sprinkle a tiny bit of flour on work surface and roll the dough into a sausage shape about 22cms
     long.

6.  Wrap in cling film and chill in fridge for 10 mins.

7. Slice the shortbread into 1/2 inch thick slices - I usually get around 17 or 18 biscuits.

8.  Place on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper - spacing them apart slightly. Prick with fork.

9. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until pale golden-brown. As soon as they come out of the oven - sprinkle
    with caster sugar. Leave on tray till cool. Store in an airtight container.

    These will keep for at least 2 weeks but I guarantee they will be eaten well before then.
    Why not make them as a gift for christmas? Home made from the heart. Enjoy!

 

Strictly Come Dancing and Merlin - oh my!

Every October brings Strictly come dancing and Merlin from the BBC  and I look forward to both. Tonight Strictly begins the new show and continues again tomorrow. It takes me back to my childhood when I was 8 years old and my mum paid for my 2 older sisters and myself to attend ballroom dance lessons every saturday morning. The majority of the students were female with a handful of males so we ended up dancing with each other. Our tutors were a married couple and their daughter, who were all excellent dancers.
Some years later my eldest sister and myself have also attended line dancing lessons and tap.
My favourite style of dancing has to be tap - you can still find me toe -heel -toeing on the kitchen floor in a pair of my tap shoes - I have 3 pairs in red, black and white.
The costumes are amazing on strictly - the detail they put into them is time consuming to say the least.
Really looking forward to tonights viewing.

Then there is Merlin also starting the new series tomorrow. I just love all things magical and mysterious - combine that with historical and I am hooked. A time for escapism to another world for 45 minutes - perfect.

Zutphen Chocolate Festival 2012

Out of the few places I have visited so far here in The Netherlands, I really love Zutphen. It is a very quaint, medieval, small city originating from roman times and became a city in 1190. The buildings and cobbled streets are so pretty. We visit there often and always enjoy our stay.

We hopped on a train and made the 20 minute journey there yesterday for the annual chocolate festival - those who know me - know that where there is chocolate there is me and the biggest grin.

Everything imaginable there was chocolate related. Chocolate face painting - chocolate car painting - painting pictures in chocolate for the children - large chocolate fountains brimming with the heavenly nectar - living statues covered in chocolate - demonstrations from chocolatiers and many free samples.
There were a few very good bands also which guaranteed to get your toes tapping.

 This year the good people of Zutphen attempted to establish a world record for the largest mosaic made from chocolate - they succeeded and as a result will be entered in the Guiness book of records - congratulations Zutphen!! The picture in chocolate was of the skyline of Zutphen. They then sold off the chocolate pieces in bags and the money went to charity. We of course had to be a part of this and dutifully bought a bag.





The largest chocolate mosaic in the world.



chocolate facials



excellent living statues covered in chocolate.

 


The smell of chocolate permeated the whole of the city yesterday much to my delight!
We had a wonderful day and the chocolate was just divine Yum!





Our little piece of the largest chocolate mosaic in the world



our chocolate goodies