Sunday, 3 August 2014

Cuckoo Clocks

I'm Going Cuckoo . . .

About Clocks!

A clock is an instrument to indicate, keep, and co-ordinate time.

I recall visiting my parent's friends
in my childhood who had Cuckoo Clocks & being intrigued by them.

A cuckoo clock is a typically pendulum-regulated
clock traditionally manufactured in the Black Forest in Germany that strikes the hours with a sound like a common cuckoo's call and often has a mechanical cuckoo that emerges with each note. The mechanism to produce the cuckoo call was installed in almost every kind of cuckoo clock since the middle of the 18th century and has remained almost without variation, until the present.

Derided by many as pure kitsch not too long ago, the cuckoo clock is experiencing something of a renaissance. Artists, designers and clock manufacturers are now reinterpreting this so-very-German product. (The Local, 10 April, 2010)

Many of these clocks belong to a friend of ours who is an avid collector & restorer

The love & craftsmanship

that has gone into the detail of these clocks is amazing

These beautiful vintage clocks

add an interesting feature to a blank wall

Tick-Tock!

Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

Here is a link to the beautiful sound of a cuckoo clock also displaying it's mechanics

Internal Mechanics of a clock

Once relegated to the walls of grandma's house or a box in the cellar, the dusty image of the cuckoo clock is getting a polish as the traditional timekeepers get very modern makeovers. Their popularity is growing and their price tags are skyrocketing. (The Local, 10 April, 2010)

Make Time To Smell The Roses!

Saturday, 2 August 2014

Homespun Garden

The Vintage Homespun
Garden

Gardening is very therapeutic as it soothes the soul!

Stand tall and proud

Go out on a limb

Remember your roots

Drink plenty of water

Be content with your natural beauty

Enjoy the view!

One can unleash their inner creative ability!

Heirloom Tomato Tart with Ricotta and Basil

When made with tomatoes in a variety of colors and sizes, this elegant tomato tart becomes a showstopper on your summertime table.

Ingredients:

For the dough:

2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 oz./390 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
20 Tbs. (2 1/2 sticks) (10 oz./315 g) chilled unsalted butter, cut
into 1/2-inch (12-mm) pieces
1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) ice water, plus more as needed

For the filling:

2 cups (16 oz./500 g) ricotta cheese
2 cups (8 oz./250 g) grated Parmesan
2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 1/2 lb. (750 g) heirloom tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick
Maldon sea salt for finishing
Small basil leaves for finishing

Directions:

To make the tart dough, in the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour and salt and pulse 2 or 3 times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) ice water and pulse 3 or 4 times. The dough should hold together when squeezed with your fingers but should not be sticky. If it is crumbly, add more water, 1 tsp. at a time, pulsing twice after each addition. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and shape into a 5-inch (18-cm) disk. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 400°F (200°C).
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick to fit a 10 1/4-inch (26-cm) round tart pan. Press the dough into the pan and trim, leaving a 1/2-inch (12-mm) overhang around the rim. Fold in the excess dough and press it into the sides so they are thicker than the bottom. Refrigerate at least 10 minutes.

Place the tart pan on a baking sheet. Place a sheet of parchment on top of the dough and fill the pan with pie weights. Bake for 12 minutes, then remove the parchment and weights and continue baking until the crust is baked through and light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely in the tart pan.

In a bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan and basil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Using a small offset spatula, spread the mixture into the cooled tart shell. Top with the tomato slices and sprinkle with Maldon salt and basil leaves. Drizzle top of tomatoes with a good olive oil or garlic infused oil for extra richness. Serve immediately. Serve 8.
Williams-Sonoma Test Kitchen

Roasted Rhubarb

A Bunch of Rhubarb washed, green leaves chopped off & discarded
Raw Sugar
Pure Vanilla extract
Juice of an Orange
Zest of an Orange

Cut Rhubarb stalks to approx, 4-5cm lengths & place in medium roasting dish
Sprinkle 4-5 Tbs of Raw Sugar over diced Rhubarb
Add Juice of one Orange
Add Orange zest
Drizzle with Vanilla Extract

Cover loosely with baking paper
Place in hot over
Turn down to 180 C
(fan forced oven)

Roast for approx. 15-20 min checking after 10min

Serve with Porridge & Yogurt for breakfast or as dessert with a scoop of Ice-cream