In a Vase on Monday- Golden Goblet

A small crocus is catching the sun at last and shining across the garden.  I planted just a small patch of these bulbs last autumn.  Described as golden goblets they have been closed tight during the colder days but now are opening.  They are virtually the same colour as the Mango Jam I made yesterday, and also very fragrant....

My little old salt glazed ink bottle is just the right size, and in with Crocus chrysanthus var fuscotinctus, a little branch of  Hebe Topiara.  This makes a lovely small compact silver green ever green shrub.  I had taken some cuttings from Liz's garden in Kenilworth before moving, and they are sturdy enough now to have a little bit chopped off.

I think it was last year, Alison C posted a vase of snowdrops poised on a mirror.  I've just received my mirror and remembered to take it outside for its first 'showing'...inside it is a wonderful way of seeing the underside of nodding blooms, particularly snowdrops.  Here when the blooms are open, the marron stripes are still visible.  Cathy asked if I bought the mirror specially.  Yes I did after the yearning for one was going round my head for over a year!  A real bargain, nicely finished and with little pads underneath .

Cathy who leads us and started this meme, has come up with a poignant and intriguing post this week, well worth visiting.

Sunshine Jam on a rainy day

When its cold and wet....making Mango, Lime and Cardamom Jam is the way forward:

The link above leads to my blog on preserving in case you would like to follow a step by step guide to making this fabulous preserve.  Just right for topping yogurt, cheese cakes or any other way you would like to.  Marie Claire, I know would have it on brioches.

Almond and Pistachio Petit Fours

One of my favourite flavours is Pistachio.  When in the Mediterranean, the first ice cream has to be a pistachio flavoured one.  Today I wanted to do a little baking, partly to have something to take when visiting friends this evening, and partly to have a little store/stash of these dainties.

I call these petit fours.  In Italy and specifically when admiring the trays of tiny nut biscuits in patisserie windows, I would call Mr S just to look at them.  They have all sorts of local names ranging from Ricciarelli, Cavallucci or just 'Macaroons' .  The little I know about such 'nutty' biscuits is that they are delicious. 

These nutty biscuit are just the thing to have after dinner,  when no dessert is needed, but lovely with a little thimble full of liqueur.

Here is my original recipe for

Almond and Pistachio Petit Fours

50g shelled pistachios

200g ready ground almonds

100g icing sugar

25g very finely chopped candied lemon peel

1/4 tsp almond essence

2 egg whites

1 egg yolk


First:  if the pistachios have a skin, cover them in boiling water, and removing a few at a time, remove the skins.  Put the skinned pistachios on a board and chop.  Its good to have varying sized pieces so it is best not to do this in a processor, where there is a danger of getting too fine pieces and too much oil coming out of the pistachios.

Preheat the oven to 150 c Fan, and line a couple of strong baking sheets with baking parchment.


Whisk the egg whites until light and fluffy, but not dry.  Add two thirds of the icing sugar sifted, and whisk well again.

Add the very finely chopped candied lemon peel, and whisk, to ensure even distribution.

Add the almond essence and egg yolk, and mix in the egg whites.

Add the remaining ingredients except for a couple of teaspoons of chopped pistachios, which will be used to garnish the top of the biscuits.

Leave to stand for about ten minutes.  During this time the dried almonds will absorb some of the moisture.

Have a small bowl of water into which to dips your hand, as moist hands makes shaping the mixture far easier.

I weighed my biscuit dough to about 18g, shaped them into a ball, and put them on the parchment.  I got 32 small biscuits.

Left them a further 15 minutes at room temperature, then popped them in the oven.  Watch them and turn and change shelves to ensure a pale even colour.  It took 20 minutes for them to bake.

Remove from the oven and the leaving them on the parchment, remove the trays, and place the parchment and biscuits on a cooling rack to cool.  After five minutes remove the parchment and continue to cool.  Store in an airtight tin....and enjoy!

In A Vase on Monday - Advantages of Snow

It didn't snow where Cathy lives, and her vase this week is also one that makes the most of some of her Winter Garden Beauties, so do check out what us gardeners have come up with by clicking on this portal.

So it snowed here, and we decided to stay put.  Various rendez-vous were postponed, and except for a walk down a very slippery road and pavement to Town on Saturday, to pick up essentials, I took full advantage of the quiet time.

Now the snow has melted, some of the crocus tommasinianus 'Barr's Purple' are starting to open.   They are joined by galanthus nivalis, and cyclamen coum which although flattened by the snow, have bounced back in time for IAVOM today.  Overnight temperature rose from -4C to 11C, and with a light rain, almost all the snow has melted by this lunch time.  Now the sun has come out, and the birds too are rejoicing.

The earliest crocus which has been cheering up the gloomy days is Crocus sieberi Firefly,  and looking out for bulbs coming up draws me into the garden.  This is a pale violet crocus with a yellow throat, and was in flower mid January, even piercing the snow. In between the harsh weather, we have bumblebees visiting the blooms.

Instead of being limited to the house, we do have a little splash out on heat for the Conservatory for breakfast, and if it is sunny, then for the rest of the day is warm and bright there.  As we linger after breakfast and then chat, lingering over coffee/tea, I love to have something in my hands.  In the past week, I have steadily worked across the chart that Kay sent with the kit she made up for me to try out Chicken Scratch Embroidery.

I also love cosying up with a book when the weather prevents me from being outside.  I started reading a novel, which Mandy had very generously passed on to me when we met up at a very sad time for me when we went up to say our final goodbyes to my friend Penny.  I'm pleased I kept it for such an occasion as a 'snowin', I just could not put it down.  No spoilers or reviews, but if you have yet to read it, I would highly recommend it.  It may well be the book of 2019 for me.  If I come across a better one this year, I shall be indeed fortunate.  I love it when friends comment on the books they have read, or indeed give me their views of any of the books I mention.

Winter garden beauties

Flowering since the middle of January, a little pack of Iris Reticulata Harmony has been drawing the eye.  Just around them are my three Phlomis purpurea Matagallo which I started from seed last March.

Standard snowdrops are emerging around the garden.  These standard single and double clumps are from some of the clumps which I divided in our previous garden to be able to bring some to Somerset.  The litter of leaves from the evergreen oak are still on the surface, but are gradually being drawn down by the worms.  My special snowdrops are close up to the conservatory, where we have been enjoying watching them as we have our breakfast each morning.

Shoots on the Sorbaria sorbifolia 'Sen' are just shooting.  The plant is a large pot brought up against the back wall of the house.  I bought this last year, and shall enjoy the coral pink and green shoots grow and leaves unfurl over the next few weeks.

In December I had been wondering what to buy my son for Christmas.  When he was young he went through a period when he had a carnivorous plant.  When I saw another form and read up that it was hardy, I decided to get him one.  Of course, having read up about them, I realised that I too would like to try one.  I had seen them on display at the RHS shows etc...and having read up about them realised they would be interesting to grow.  Despite the cold and the snow, this plant is thriving on the show shelf outside the shed.  This Sarracenia thrives on overwatering and full sunshine too.  I found a site with clear instructions which no doubt I shall dip into from time to time:https://www.carnivorousplants.co.uk/resources/how-to-grow-pitcher-plants/ 

Inside the conservatory some of my succulents are being cossetted.....