♥ The art of table setting

I LOVE invite friends, host them and have supper together, it's so nice chatting around a table, eating, drinking and moving on the couch. Of course I like cooking as well and prepare everything carelly and set the table so to get a cozy living room. The laying of a table can make a whole lot of difference, your guests could be more confortebly and easy with the right, welcoming and warm atmosphere. Everyboby has much more fun when they don't feel they have to stand on cerimony. I'd like when everyone helps themselves to wine!!
Each meal can have also a cool and special look with a little touch of thought. I LOVE DIY!!

This was during my last dinner with some friends. We had a really good laugh night, do you want me to show you more pics? Which your feedbacks?

I'm looking for some ecologic and biologic paper plates, do you know where I can find them?

♥ Cooking School: just aperitivo

Yestarday I invited some colleagues @ home for a easy dinner. We had really good time and I prepared lots of starters and more. I set the table with an old grey tablecloth from my granmother, used my special dinner set and some nice table napkins by Ikea! I used also a really lovely white Richerd Ginori plats.

Anyway, I LOVE laying the table with some special things and this time I make some really cute flag to put on the top of my mini sandwiches and of course I made by myself these flags! I LOVE DIY!!

I found this such so cute file to downoload and print on this nice blog: morning by foley and imediatly I printed it and handmade these small and cute flags. Actually it was really easy to make and they seemed really great!

Finally we have a great night!

♥ my last must have

Ok I have to admit I spent lots of money last month for my vices!

The first purchase was a divine coat by Paul Smith, grace and simplicity characterise my last must have, I couldn't leave it in the shop! As usual Paul Smith Black combines luxurious tailoring with directional and modern separates, Black label lies in confident, youthful attitude and contemporary style. It was definitely mine!

The last purchase was this wonderful and mini laptop by Asus. It's total white, 262 mm x 178 mm x 25,7 mm, just 1 kg! I'll take with me it every day putting it in my bag. Of course I'll make a special Vigcase to put back my new laptop.

♥ Cooking School: apple muffin and cinnamon cocoa

Here the LAST post regarding the APPLE♥WEEK.

Preparation time: 20 min
Cooking time: 20 min

Ingredients for 4 servings:
3 Pink Lady apples
375 g flour
11 g baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
5 tablespoons caster sugar
150 g butter
3 tablespoons honey
2 eggs
70 ml milk

Let’s go !
1- Peel the apples, slice them into quarters, remove the cores and set aside. Slice the butter into small pieces and add the honey in a small saucepan and melt over low heat. Mix until smooth and set aside.
2- Pour the milk and the eggs into a small mixing bowl and whisk. Add the butter/honey mixture and the grated apples and beat the mixture again. Pour the flour, the baking powder and the sugar into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour the previous mixture in.
3- Work the mixture gently; it should stay lumpy. Pour the mixture into the greased muffin moulds, filling them about three-fourths of the way to the top. Bake in an oven preheated to 200°C for 20 minutes and then check the consistency with the tip of a knife.

♥ The special touch
Wait 10 minutes before removing the muffins from the moulds. Serve along with hot cocoa, sprinkled with cinnamon.

♥ apple stuff

Here the third post regarding the APPLE♥WEEK. I'm going to Seville tomorrow so I leave to you some link to spend time and find some cute inspiration for xmas presents

I just browsed on Etsy and I found these cute stuffs with apple subject:

- apple hat

- bib

- napkins

- pinback

- plexi pin

- baby burp cloths

- soap caramel apples

Enjoy the weekend and let me remind you ... an appleAday!!

♥ Cooking School: apple strudel

Here the second tip regarding the APPLE♥WEEK.

A strudel is a type of sweet layered pastry with a filling inside, its origine is from Trentino Alto Adige (Italy):

♥ Ingredients
1 pound sweet apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced
2/4 cup dried golden raisins
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 slices brown bread, crumbled
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
1/4 cup butter, melted

♥ Direction
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. In a bowl, combine apples, raisins, pine nuts, cinnamon, sugar and bread crumbs. Stir well. Put a bit of butter in a pot on fire, add the above mixture and let they become tender and cooked (5 minutes)
3. Spread several sheets of pastry generously with melted butter and lay them on atop the other on a baking sheet. Spread the cooked fruit mixture evenly over the top sheet, then roll the sheets up to form a log shape. Brush with melted butter again.
4.Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes, until pastry is golden brown and fruit is tender.

♥ Serve it with a cup of tea maybe using some wonderful cups by GREENGATE

♥ Cooking School: apple cake

Here my first post about APPLE♥WEEK!

I got this recipe by an old farmer, friend of mine, she is a really amazing chef, she knows a lot of secrets!! This cake is yummy and very light as well, perferct for breakfast but you can eat it with custard cream at the end of the dinner such a delicious dessert.

Serves cold

♥ Ingredients
200 grams flour
100 grams sugar
2 yolk eggs
1 egg
1 pinch lemon peel
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 pinch salt
100 grams melted butter
1 packet dust sugar
1 cup milk
2 pieces golden apples

♥ Direction
1.Put together in a bowl the sugar and the yolk eggs and beat them. Add bit by bit the flour and then add the melted butter and the powder. Now add the milk. Grate just a bit of lemon peel. The mixture should be quite creamy. A part cut the apples, remove the peel and get some slices. Butter and flour in the pan and put into the mixture. Add the slice of apples pushing them into the batter.
2.Bake it for 30 minutes - 140° Let cold and dust the cake with sugar.

Enjoy your cake!

apple ♥ week

In honor of colder days, earlier evenings, my new warm kitchen and of course apples season I'm here to present the first ever "Apple Week" on this blog. Hoping this was the most adorable creative projects, getting your appleAday with a cute photo, yummy recipes and some tips about this fruit. I find the inspiration of this cute project on a really beautiful blog!

♥ I’ll be back to you soon

♥ my London's bags:

Hey all of you, sorry for my long absence but my trip in London was really adventure and quite long and after that I was sick too. At least I've not got the wi fi yet in my new and sugary flat (to be honest it's quite strange not having the net but also, at the same time, really "old style"!!, I knitted and read a lot, well done!). Here on the left some of my Londoner purchases: some cds, sugary stickers from Paperchase (I use to buy stikers every time I come to London), scarfs, some Muji's stuff, a fantastic and extra cool plume hairband and ... others. I also bought 2 really divine dresses @ Portobello's Market. I definitely LOVE them. As a very good friend I got some gifts for some special friends too.

My shops' list:

Muji

Cath kidston

Primark

Paperchase

Rough Trade

♥ sounds

I'll be off on in next days so I leave you with some of my favorite tunes. Hope they are nice and welcome to you.

Enjoy while I'll be in London!!!! Hope to update my blog from there with some pictures. Have a lovely week guys!