Blackberry Crumble Cake

The second blackberry recipe I tried is adapted from a really nice cherry cake. A few years ago there were about four Rachel Allen 'Bake' books floating around on Christmas morning, that type of thing always happens when you have five sisters! I ended up with one book anyway and have made the Cherry Crumble Cake a few times, really easy and nice with a touch of cinnamon. I knew it would work well with blackberries too!

Rachel actually has the original Cherry recipe here, Perfect! Just substitute the cherries for blackberries.

Blackberry Recipes!

This time of year the hedgerows are beginning to drip with blackberries. This year we seem to have a bumper crop! But I don't seem to be able to find any gorgeous blackberry recipes! When I was small we used to be 'sent out blackberry picking' and I used to dread it because I really didn't like blackberries and don't like blackberry jam. Yet all winter every tea time the jam would be lurking on the table. But this year I made it my mission to use our native blackberries as if they were raspberries, A berry to be loved and celebrated! I've been eating them all week! Here is the first recipe I tried: Blackberry Sponge.

The Winner takes it all!

So we have a winner! I ended up just pulling a name out of a hat (well actually a cake tin) and the winner is none other than the Stained Glass world's Darling Jaboopee! Hurrah! I'm busy picking loads and loads of blackberries and I hope to be back tomorrow to show you what I made this week! HINT: I had blackberry crumble cake for breakfast this morning!

Lilly x

P.S These photos are from when I made a Cherry Tart. Alas, I can't find the damn recipe.

A Vintage Homemaker Giveaway!

That's right buddies. I know how much you all love that 1950's publication; Homemaker Magazine. For the past week I have been the proud owner of Issues 1-5 and I want to give them to you! I fought tooth and nail to win these babies on E-bay and then when I did get them I didn't really know what to do with them! It's all about the hunt.

Things to do in Bordeaux!

So we went to Bordeaux in South West France for a weeks holiday. It was one of those last minute 'Where will we go?' holidays. Only a two hour direct flight from Cork, Bordeaux was perfect! The cute animal in the photo above is from a travelling Circus that passed through the city whilst we were there.

The photo above is the 15 euro sea food platter or 'Assiete de Petit Commerce' that I got in the incredible seafood restaurant Le Petit Commerce. It was incredible value, two large prawns, two oysters, periwinkles, whelk things, and a load of shrimp, and garlic butter. It really was gorgeous and some lovely crisp white wine. It was chardonnay and it actually tasted buttery. We went to Le Petit Commerce three times. When you find a good thing, stick with it! We also had a huge bowl of razor clams and they were gorgeous! And grilled mussells, a huge platter of grilled langoustine. And the fish platter for main course is unbelievable, Tuna, Swordfish, Salmon, Langoustine and a few prawns for 21 euro??!! Cest tres cheap, no? The atmosphere is bustling but relaxed, the staff are so nice and friendly but also very relaxed so don't expect to be in and out in half an hour!

I'm home!

I was on holidays! That's where I was. I know you were probably wondering. I was supposed to have a post ready to lock and load and pop up when I was away but then my poor old Grandaddy gone and left us. After 92 brilliant years on earth he decided that July would be a good time to drift off to Valhalla. So blogging took a backseat. I did do a massive wild flower display for him and was tempted for a second to take a photo and show you but then I thought, No.That'd be bad taste. Damn. I also made him a wreath out of toffees. This was all preplanned with him beforehand of course. He had been instructing me how to do the sweet wreath since he was in his 80's. There was alot of debate involved in what sweets would work best, we settled on his favorite Scots Clan toffees. We had planned how best to construct it. If ever you find yourself in this situation just get an oasis wreath and use toothpicks to 'pin' the sweets in their wrappers to the wreath. And hey presto! It was a real celebration of his life though, a whirlwind of baking, tea, snuff and whisky; as all Irish funerals are!

Rose Petal Jam: Romance is in the air!

Any recipe that has sugar and rose petals in the ingredients list has to be sweet. Rose Petal Jam has it all. A delicate rose scent, a sweet floral taste, and a romantic glowing pink colour. Capturing summer in a jar has never been so easy!

My mother used to make this when we were small and I remember seeing her pulling the bitter yellow ends off the rose petals before covering the pink petals in sugar. If ever there is a relaxing job then preparing the velvety petals for the jam is it! And as your jam bubbles away on the cooker the whole house becomes drenched in the heady smells of roses and lemons. Beautiful!