Tag Archives: british traditions

Toffee Apples for Bonfire night

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It is that time of year again!!  visit the dentist, and pull out the toffee pan as it is BONFIRE NIGHT!

Last year – I shared the gum breaking joys of  Grandma Dora’s bonfire toffee…still a must I glad to say in our household (note to self: when exactly is that diet going to start!)

My wonderful, colourful Grandma Dora has been a huge inspiration for me, but her legacy of colour, pattern and hit family recipes live on and her influence on my style is obvious to anyone who knew her.

So this year I am going to share recipe number 2 – TOFFEE APPLES – best made with mini British Apples (of course) – we used our surplus from the Apple Bobbing antics of our Halloween Party…

DORA’S TOFFEE APPLES

Ingredients
225g demerara sugar
110 ml water
A drizzle of vinegar
2 tablespoons of golden syrup
25g butter
6 best English apples
6 wooden skewers
An oiled (or lined with baking paper) baking tray

Put the water and sugar into a heavy bottomed saucepan
Heat gently at first, stiring, until all the sugar is completely dissolved.
Add the vinegar, golden syrup and butter and bring to a vigorous boil.
After about 10 minutes it will reach the “hard-crack” stage – which means it hardens into a ball when you drop a teaspoon of it into a jug of cold water.
While the syrup is cooking, pierce each apple with a wooden stick.
When the toffee is ready, dip each apple into the pan toffee,  coating it completely in the gorgeous golden goo!
Place on the baking tray to set and cool.
Wrap with pretty cello wrap or grease proof white paper and ribbon as little bonfire gifts.

THEN BRUSH YOUR TEETH WITH VIGOUR!

Best Friend Russian Dolls & Best of British Collections

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My best mate Claire came to visit at the weekend – and loved all the new Granny Knits bits that were scattered around the office.  She particularly took a shine to a Russian Doll Cross Stitch Kit I was working on, so keen to please we raced ahead and finished it.  Must admit I am v pleased with the result, especially loving the ric rac border detail.

Also new online today are our BEST OF BRITISH new colour collection..  in classic red, whites and blues, but with added chic highlights.  Available in wool felt and button mix, they are here by regular request…  also in the collection is our new MORE TEA VICAR cross stitch kit….  just as I finally completed my UNION JACK kit cushion..    We are feeling suitably patriotic it has to be said.

Pumpkin Lovers

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Hope you lot has a Spooky but fun filled weekend like we did.  Libby designed our pumpkins this year, and what a splendid job she did too.  We ventured off to Slindon (our neighbouring village) for the annual Pumpkin Festival to choose our wares.  The Slindon pumpkin festival was particularly poignant, as the creator of this 20 year old tradition, Clifford Ralph Upton, died earlier this year.

 

Having worked for Mr Upton for more than a decade, Tony Smith masterminded the current design – a reworking of Mr Upton’s 2002 Sunflowers and Butterflies display.

Since the first display at the family’s, about 10,000 visitors annually flock from around the world and descend on the otherwise peaceful village to peek into Mr Uptons garden at the display and to buy their Halloween pumpkin, or other member of the squash family!  Libbys nursery goes on an annual walk through the woods to the event in search of their own mini perfect pumpkin.

After what was a bumper harvest, this year’s display features more than 500 pieces of fruit weighing over two tons.

Our Arundel display was limited to 2 – but we thought was just as admirable – and we had fun too!  The insides were carved out to make PUMPKIN SOUP which went down a treat as Autumn seems to have finally hit Sussex.

Conker Tastic British Tradition

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Libby started school this month and just outside her school gates is a HUGE CONKER TREE (Horse Chestnut to those in the know)!  The rainy / sunny Summer combo this year has apparently sent the the folk into a tizz at the Annual World Conker Championships held on October 11 in Ashton, Northants..  as they are very excited about the size and scope that could be on offer!

Must admit we were just happy to bundle in and collect as many as possible, and head home where dad Gareth glowed whilst passing on his conker skills and tales to the next generation…

It is yet another crazy but fabulous British Tradition that we love!