Lucky to live in Norfolk – Holt and Byfords

During our weekend in the beautiful Georgian town of Holt in North Norfolk, we indulged in a spot of Christmas shopping before the rush really begins in November.  Once the Holt Christmas lights are switched on, which happens this year on Wednesday 23rd November at 6.45pm, the small town becomes a bustling place full of eager shoppers.

Bakers and Larners are perhaps the most well-known local department store and they offer a fabulous array of festive foods, edible gifts and sweet treats, as well as wine, clothes, books and homewares.  We stocked up on some items for seasonal hampers, which are ideal gifts for the difficult to please!

For younger family members, The Pied Piper shop is the perfect treasure trove of gift ideas (and one of our wonderful stockists too!).  Not only do they specialise in Jellycat toys, which are the cutest, most snuggly soft toys in existence, but they have a vast array of small gadgets, gizmos and puzzles which are just begging to be popped into a stocking or two on Christmas Eve.  We just couldn’t resist the Bashful Lamb, so velvety and sweet that we may not be able to part with her when the time comes!

Other gorgeous gift shops include Quest, on Shirehall Plain, with its lovely range of decorations, stationery and cards, and the House and Garden Shop on the Market Place.  And of course, we couldn't resist a quick peek into the famous Christmas Shop, with  it's beautiful Christmas tree decorations from around the world.

After all that shopping and then our walk around Spout Hills with the hounds, we had worked up quite an appetite!  Daniel kindly offered to take us out to dinner at Byfords, Holt’s largest café, restaurant and delicatessen.  What a treat!  With its warm welcome, tempting table of complimentary nibbles and menu of locally sourced produce, Byfords rightly deserves its reputation for quality and service.

We finished off a lovely day by building our own ice cream sundae (one of Byfords specialities) using Sue's famous fudge brownies as the basis for a scrumptious end to a delicious meal!  LouLou and Will x 

Lucky to live in Norfolk – Spout Hills

Having both grown up in Norfolk, we often forget how lucky we are to have such beautiful countryside and coastline on our doorstep.  We are doubly spoilt to have a cottage in the gorgeous Georgian town of Holt, in North Norfolk, which we let out all year round.  Holt is a very popular holiday destination, with good reason, which means we very rarely have the opportunity to stay at Nutmeg Cottage ourselves.

This weekend was a welcome exception and with mild weather forecast, we set off for a couple of days of relaxation.  For some reason, time seems to pass more slowly and the pace of life is more leisurely the further North you travel in Norfolk and we managed to fit in plenty of Christmas shopping and fresh country air as well as some much needed rest!

After a tour of the shops in Holt, we headed off to Spout Hills, which is just two or three minutes walk from the town centre, with our two less than well-behaved lurchers, Twiglet (right) and Jacob.  The Autumn colours were so vibrant, with a mixture of still verdant trees and burnt ochre bracken, that the bleakness of winter seems a distant prospect.  The textures of soft moss and the crunch of acorn caps underfoot, together with the smell of damp leaves and distant wood smoke, meant our afternoon adventure was a multi-sensory delight, much enjoyed by us as well as the dogs!

Here are Will and Twigs, sporting the must-have country walk outfits of the season.  Will is wearing a tweed jacket from Joe Browns, hat, jeans and top from Primark, necklace handmade by Catherine Downes and earrings from Top Shop.  Twiglet is sporting a harness from EasyDog, a handmade leather hound collar and an eager expression!

Hope you had a lovely weekend too!  LouLou and Will x

Chocolate brownie cupcakes

When someone in the family is feeling under the weather we like to cheer them up with some home baking.  Daniel’s father has just returned from a spell in hospital, where he was missing a good strong cup of tea and the comfort of homemade cake.  He is well-known for his sweet tooth, so these luxurious, chocolatey cupcakes are the ideal treat to welcome him home!

Ingredients:

75g dark chocolate, chopped

75g butter

1 egg

75g caster sugar

25g self-raising flour

50g macadamia nuts, pecan nuts or walnut, coarsely chopped

Topping:

100g dark chocolate

100ml double cream

1 tablespoon of a liqueur or syrup

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180⁰C (350⁰F) Gas 4, then line the muffin tins with cupcake cases.

Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water, stirring until melted. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.

When the mixture has cooled, beat in the egg, then stir in the sugar. Sift the flour into the mixture and fold in, then stir in the nuts. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases and bake for about 17 minutes until the top is firm to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

To decorate, put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a saucepan until almost boiling, then pour over the chocolate and leave to stand for five minutes. Stir until smooth and creamy, then stir in the syrup or liqueur and leave to cool for about an hour, until thick and glossy. Spread the frosting over the cakes and top with a strawberry, raspberry or yet more chocolate!

Source: Cupcakes by Susannah Blake - Buy here

Breckland Artists Autumn Show

We were fortunate enough to be invited to the private viewing of the Breckland Artists Autumn Show last week, where our cousin Marcus Scott is exhibiting his striking monochrome photography.  On display were some stunning pieces from his Aequoreus and Arboria ranges such as this evocative print entitled “Float No More”.

Marcus is a Norfolk-based artist and his love of the local area shines through in his haunting and almost sinister landscapes and architectural portraits.  We particularly like the way he captures the beauty and isolation of some of Norfolk’s church ruins.  Prints can be purchased here and further information about his diverse range of work can be found here. 

Among the other talented artists showing their work was Kerry Buck, whose whimsical and charming paintings caught our eye.  The fine detail is incredible and the longer you look at a picture, the more delightful little touches you find!  From the tiny chickens in the garden to the hare running across the field, there is always something new to see in her images.

If you would like to see the Brecklands Artists Autumn Show for yourself, and we strongly recommend that you do, it is being held in the Wymondham Art Centre from 18th to 30th October - it is well worth a visit.  Opening times are 10am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday and 12 noon to 5pm on Sundays.

Applejax Craft Club

For the last few weeks we have been attending a local social get together dedicated to crafts, run by LouLou’s parents Terry and Linda O’Farrell.  Applejax Crafts hold a club in Norwich where anyone is welcome to turn up with a project they are working on or to acquire a new skill.  Recently, we have been learning a crochet technique called Entrelac which produces a beautifully soft finish, ideal for blanket making, using Tunisian stitch.

Some of the group prefer to bring their own projects to work on while we chat, such as patchwork, knitting and painting.  The two hours always seem to fly by, aided by the tea and biscuits at half time!  Linda and Terry are on hand to help out with any difficulties that the crafters may encounter with their newly acquired talents.  From kumihimo, a form of Japanese braiding, to knitting, embroidery, crochet and sewing, their knowledge is remarkable and they are so generous with their time and teaching.

If you are interested in joining the Applejax Crafters, please come along on the first and third Friday of the month at the Wensum Community Centre in Norwich between 2pm and 4pm.  Everyone is welcome and the cost is a very reasonable £3.50, including refreshments.  They often offer workshops to learn a new craft and the tuition is included in the admission fee. 

Linda is also planning a six week Learn to Crochet class, starting in the new year.  The course will cover the basics and each lesson will show you how to make and finish an entire product using the skills you have learned in that session.  For more information, contact Linda or visit their Facebook page.

Gabriel the one-eyed bear

One of our favourite places in Norfolk is the beautiful Georgian town of Holt, where we have a sweet little holiday cottage which we let out all year round.  Nutmeg Cottage is set in the heart of Holt, tucked away in a small quiet mews just off the High Street.  Next to us is the Antiques Emporium, an Aladdin’s Cave of labyrinthine rooms full of vintage treasures.  Of course, we just had to pop in for a browse when we went to check on the cottage earlier this week and look what, or rather who, we discovered waiting patiently for us to find and rescue him!

He is a Merrythought bear, still in excellent condition despite the tragic loss of one eye.  We have decided to call him Gabriel, and will be making him an eye-patch in due course to give him a bit of dignity and sartorial flair.  The choice is between a floral fabric or a more piratical red with white spots, which I think will suit him perfectly!  We will let you know what he decides and, once he has endured the quarantine procedure (one month in the freezer to make sure no moths survive to eat him, poor chap!), we will show you the result.

Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult

As usual Jodi Picoult has gone straight to the heart of a modern day dilemma. Her thought provoking tale explores the ethical pitfalls of fertility treatment and its consequences when the pressures become too much. After hitting rock bottom you follow the main characters rebuilding their lives in very different ways. Though harrowing at times it is ultimately a tale of hope and overcoming adversity. Although we do love a happy ending, sometimes it’s the journey that is worth the read.

Buy this book on Amazon here.

The Great British Bake Off

As two keen bakers we have been following the Great British Bake Off religiously! Hosted by Sue Perkins and Mel Giedrovc and judged by Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood the twelve amateur bakers have made everything from cupcakes to quiche.

One of the refreshing things about this series is the modest and down to earth attitude of the contestants and their laid back approach to competition.  Having said that, we bicker every week about our favourite bakers – Will wants Holly to win and LouLou is backing Jo!  We both felt for Janet last week though, she was so dignified about leaving the show and was just pleased to have had the opportunity to take part.

If, like us, you have been inspired to try a recipe at home, let us know how you get on?  We are giving macaroons a try for the first (and maybe last!) time soon, so keep an eye on our blog to see how they turn out!

See the first episode here and the latest here! 

LouLou & Will x

Folksy Finds – Woollydoodles

We met Tracey Mills of Woollydoodle last month when she was exhibiting at a local Art and Design Fair.  She was selling a range of delightful handmade wands and knitted bags, together with some charming little felted pumpkins in anticipation of Hallowe’en. 

Tracey mentioned that she was planning to make some felted strawberries in the future and, because we couldn’t wait to see them, we encouraged her to start straight away by ordering some.  We have a friend with a birthday next week and some gorgeous felted strawberries would be the perfect addition to her bag of gifts!

Tracey got to work in record time and the strawberries arrived yesterday.  They were beautifully packaged in straw and looked good enough to eat!

If you would like to see Tracey’s work for yourself, Woollydoodle can be found on Folksy.  She is also selling her wares at the The Real Halloween event run by the Fairyland Trust, which is being held at Holt Hall in North Norfolk on 29th and 30th October 2011.

LouLou & Will x