{ a-black-pepper }

of home comforts

I made a little something that is of comfort at home, perfect for this cooler season.

Perfect for cold feet at night when lounging on my favourite spot

Perfectly fitting with the style of our home [really, our home is mix match of african decor and everything else]

Just for fun, here are the details:

[1] chocolate and browns are very prodominant in our home

[2] Hand carved wooden stool above, is one of the treasures I brought back in my suitcase (duffel bag to be exact, trotted around the streets of London for a week before returning home) from Ghana. The Adinkra symbol is of "hope". I picked it up at on a visit at this palace.

[3] The knitted cable blanket, you may remember it from last year. It took me an entire year to knit up, piece by piece. You cannot imagine how much comfort it brings whenever it's being used.

[4] Curtains in the back are also of an african print sewn a long while ago. I love to sew curtains. 

[5] Finally, the herringbone throw - I just unravelled the edges {the piece itself was an off cut with uneven edges}, tied the fringes, coordinating each fringe with each row of pattern and trimmed; then finally, the side edges hemmed. Quick and simple. 

What are some of your home comforts?

Also blogged at under baobab. Please do take a visit at the photography blog if you like.

Also, I was interviewed by a wonderful mommy and crafter A journey to a simple life  over here. How so exciting to share little bits of myself. Do go there and check it out, will you?

soup de moules au fenouil

A typical Provence Mussel and fennel soup

2 lb (900g mussels)

2 cups dry white wine

4 ripe tomatoes

3 TBS olive oil

1 leek

2 sprigs each of parsley and thyme

1 bay leaf

1/4 small fennel bulb ( I used about one small)

2 inch (5 cm) dries orange peel ( i just used a fresh one and tied the fresh herbs inside it)

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 large floury  potato such as russet

pinch of saffron strands

Method

Rinse and debeard mussels. Steam them in a large sauce pan or dutch oven. Add the wine, and cook them for 5 -6 minutes or until mussels open (throw out the ones that don't open). note - i just steamed them in water and used the wine in the soup. Remove and discard the shells. Reserve both the mussels and the cooking liquid.

Blanch tomatoes and chop. Heat oil in a large saute pan (or dutch oven) over medium heat. Add tomatoes, leeks, parsley, thyme, bay leaf (tied in the orange peel as you will remove this out later) and fennel. season with salt and pepper. cook, stirring frequently until softened.

Add mussel 2 cups of cooking liquid (the water in my case) and the the wine to the pan. Bring to a simmer. Add potatoes and cook until soft.

Remove from the heat. Let cool a little, then remove the herbs and the orange peel. mash the potato pieces to thicken the soup (i mashed in the blender).

Soften saffron strands in a spoonful of the soup and then stir into the rest of the soup. Adjust seasoning and stir in the mussels. Reheat gently until the mussels are heated through. Serve soon. 

Serves 4.

Variation. Add 2 tablespoons dry spaghetti broken into pieces or short grain rice to the soup after you've mashed the potatoes. Cook for 10 -12 minutes until tender, then add saffron mixture and the mussels.

My variation: I added 1 turnip and 1 radishes together with the potatoes and it tasted delicious!

This soup was our sunday dinner served with some sourdough bread and some wine. It was so delicious  I had to share it, because Autumn happens to be my favourite season to cook and enjoy some warm soups that warm your belly and soul. This one came from a recent French cookbook Cooking School Provence, one of several cookbooks that I intend to crack open and make some seasonal delights. 

Come monday, I enjoyed the same soup for lunch in quietude (did you hear that? that means the little chatterbox is at school for 2 hours!). I sat down quietly with no distracting sounds and enjoyed every bit of the meal, while letting my mind appreciate all the good things in life right now. After a good 30 minutes, I then wrapped myself with the blanket, picked up my knitting and watched some of Mamma Mia before it was time to pick up the little one. It was a good Monday. 

on light colours

I may have given up too soon about light colours on me in the last post. The camera doesn't lie too much and am now convinced (and relieved), that i can now wear light grey/silver against my skin without feeling uncomfortable about it. However, with white, it still stands that i won't wear it as a hat . Only as a white shirt. Period.

Here is a mini drawing for Coline pattern that am giving away. Just leave a comment here about what you like in a hat (colour, texture, shape style or whatever). I will draw three names by end of sunday, Nov 1st, my time.

Happy halloween and weekend!

p.s. thank you all for commenting on the last post. it was nice to read all your warm thoughts on the subject.

ET: The winners for Coline pattern are #33 - Naomi; #15 - Max; #27 - Andrea; two bonus winners are #25 - Jane and #8 - Anne Marie. Thank you all for your wonderful input!