This is Great Britain: January 2012

31/1/12- Perfection?

I tend to read a lot of blogs. The majority of them are similar to mine- daily musings, baking, cooking, travel, fashion. (Though I don't really talk about fashion, I do enjoy reading about it).

At one time I was following so many blogs, that it got to the point that I wasn't even reading the posts, but scanning quickly to get onto the next one. Seems wrong. So I've cut back, and only follow a small handful. I've gone back to the days of enjoying blogs, taking time to comment, and trying suggested recipes or DIY.

One thing that I've always noticed with the blogs I've read is the perfection of bloggers and what they do. No one seems to blog about a bad day... Would the reader be interested in a ruined outfit, a loaf of bread thats not risen properly, or a rainy day in paradise? Do we read blogs to divulge into the perfect-well organized-good looking-quaint-twee-always baked to perfection- lives of others?

This past week I tried and failed a number of new recipes. New dinner recipe- failed. Lemon curd- failed. Onion marmalade- failed. Macaron filling part 1- failed. But did I blog about these failed attempts? Nope. I will try them again, and share my successes with you.

Funny isn't it?

Rose macarons with a lemon buttercream filling

25/1/12- The Everyday

I don't know if I will ever get used to the fact that I now live in a town, that has a castle.

A-mazing!

Is there anything you see on a regular 'ol day that you take for granted? (I'd say at home in Alberta is was those beautiful Rocky Mountains. Don't realize how amazing they are till you can't see them everyday.)

Castle tower shown peeping over a local pub.

24/1/12- Taste of Canada Tuesdays- Perogies

Well, it's back. Taste of Brit- I mean, Canada Tuesdays!

Just for this one week, lets take our taste buds to Canada. (Ultimately we are taking our taste buds to Poland and the Ukraine, but that's just details).

Though I am back in the UK now, a couple weeks ago I got to try the Perogy Boyz- a food truck in Calgary thats been getting some serious buzz around town.

As a perogy lover and maker (see Christmas traditions), I had to give these Boyz and their 'rogues a try before flying back to England.

My cousin and I (my compadre perogy maker) took a trip downtown one chilly (-30) day to find the roaming truck, and to have some lunch. Thankfully due to the cold temps there was not a huge queue for lunch.

We both got the traditional perogy (though they did have some other interesting mixes), and I have to say they were fantastic. (Better than ours? That's debatable). I love the idea of these food trucks, and how the Perogy Boyz are making 'rogues the hit meal for lunch. Check em out next time you are in YYC.

Now that I am back in the UK- the land where perogies are not common- I am keen to whip up a few batches to freeze for those perogy-kinda-days.

23/1/12- What are you reading?

Christmas put a bit of a hold on my reading, I couldn't even get through one book!

Now that the holidays have passed, and life is a bit more regular here are my two reads for this week. First this Lonely Planet book... It's interesting so far. Nice to read about people moving to a new country- I can relate.

The second is not a book, but a magazine. A friend suggested I have a flip through her 'Oh Comely' mag over Christmas and I loved it. It's a British mag (So, you can get it in Canada but its a bit pricy), 4 quid at your local WH Smith. It's an interesting mix of artsy/domestic/unique/warm your cockles sorta stuff inside.

What are you reading?

21/1/12- Raspberry delight

Oh hello 'This is Great Britain'! I've not forgot about you.

After a fantastic time at home I've now made the transition back to the UK. This week has been a bit of getting over the jet lag, and getting back into life here. As promised a few posts ago, I will be back into making this a regular hobby- starting now.

This evening I had the pleasure of enjoying some raspberry beer, which came delightfully wrapped in brown paper.

I also gave this blueberry beer a try.

All the whilst making these fabric covered candle holders. For some tea lights. The plastic kind. (You know the fake kind of tea lights? I think they have great potential). I found the idea on Pinterest - original source here.

15/1/12- Cycle Sunday...on ice.

Cycle Sunday is back!

This week I've chosen to share a photo from our lake skating adventure on New Years Day. This is lake Invermere in BC which was completely frozen over.

Perfect for skating... or riding ones bike?

See the wee cyclist out there amongst the ice fishing huts?

8/1/12- The Perfect Mix DIY

A couple of weeks before Christmas a friend and I got together to create some holiday gifts.

I didn't post photos at the time as I know some people that read this blog, were getting one of these. Now that Christmas has passed, and gifts were given and received I thought I'd share what we created.

My friend found this idea on another blog (where many DIY ideas are found these days!). We created "The Perfect Mix", all the important items needed for a good cup of hot chocolate.

Simple and cute... See the steps below.