Vocabulary Lesson(s)

In England, if you want to say... 

bandaid, you have to say plaster.

soap (as in, dish soap), you have to say washing-up liquid.
bus (as in greyhound), you have to say coach.
rent (as in car), you have to say hire.
diaper, you have to say nappy.
crib (as in, baby), you have to say cot.
stroller, you have to say pram.
squash, you have to say courgette.
pickle, you have to say gherkin.
popsicle, you have to say ice lolly.
jell-o, you have to say jelly.
jelly, you have to say jam.
Side note: It's no wonder no one over here eats peanut butter & jelly sandwiches!

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Before & After: The Bathroom

  

    

Our pre-renovation bathroom was not only moderately unusable, but also poorly designed. Though small (4.5' x 6.5'-ish), size wasn't the problem.

The tub took up the entire back wall; the shower was electric; the floor was an interesting sparkly blue linoleum with the texture of soft-grit sandpaper; and the teeny tiny corner sink wasn't even in the bathroom—it was in the utility room.

Our number one goal was to get the sink, tub, and toilet in the same room. The key was getting a smaller tub and rotating it so that it fit in under the window. Next, we replaced our boiler so that we could do away with the electric shower, and replaced the radiator with a ladder-style towel warmer to save space while drying our towels properly. Finally, we opted for easy-to-clean tile in traditional black & white (in-keeping with the age of our house), and added a huge mirror for form and function.

Our bathroom has gone from icky, difficult and ugly, to clean, usable and pretty.

And I absolutely love how it turned out.

PS: In case you're wondering about storage, we installed a three shelf chrome corner unit in the shower, and a three drawer kitchen cabinet unit just outside the bathroom, next to the washer (where the sink used to be), with the same counter top as we put in the kitchen over top (photos in an upcoming post).

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Read's in Faversham

Read's "restaurant with rooms is set in an elegant Georgian manor house, surrounded by tranquil grounds..." The décor is a gorgeous, cozy mix of vintage and traditional; the food and wine are exceptional; and the chef will accommodate gluten allergies without compromising the cuisine—no consolation prize dinners, here. 

A year ago, we had our wedding reception at Read's. The food was perfect, the wine was perfect, our day was perfect. 

This year was no different. We spent an evening at Read's to celebrate our first anniversary, and it couldn't have been more lovely.

Happy anniversary, sweet Huw. Here's to many many more.

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Easy Sweet Potato Soup

 
It's that time of year when I crave a cozy cup of soup at the end of the day; an easy, filling,
cozy cup of soup.

The other night, I happened to have a bunch of onions and sweet potatoes in the pantry.
Et voilà! Sweet potato soup.

Method: 1) peel (if you like; I did) and roughly chop 5 or 6 sweet potatoes, and 2 yellow/white onions; 2) toss them in your soup pot with a bit of olive oil, on high heat; 3) cover; 4) stir occasionally, until the potatoes and onions get soft and start to brown; 5) turn the heat down to medium/low and stir in 1 chopped red chili pepper (include the seeds if you want it a bit hotter) and 1 chopped clove of garlic; 6) let it cook for a few minutes, then add 4 cups of chicken broth and bring it back to a boil; 7) cover it and let it boil for about 5 more minutes; 8) turn the heat off and use a hand blender/food processor to blend it up; 9) add more chicken broth if you'd like it a bit thinner; 10) salt to taste; 11) serve.

PS: Up until now, I have been taking all these photos with my iPhone. But, my wonderful husband just got me a brand new—and seriously awesome—proper camera to use. Yay for real cameras!

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Fall in the Orchards

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Repurposed Hooks

Before we started renovating The Cottage, we went through and removed everything we wanted to keep—it wasn't much. We found these vintage hooks screwed into random places all over the house. Some were holding up window shades, others were painted over and served some long-forgotten purpose.

We thought they were interesting enough to keep. As it turns out, they were useful, too.

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Pickled Egg & Crisps

As strange as it may sound, pickled egg & crisps is the sort of British delicacy you should
try at least once.

Method:
1) Ask the bartender to give you a pickled egg (these had been pickled in distilled vinegar with chilies so they had a bit of a kick) and a bag of crisps (potato chips). 2) Decide whether you want to crush your crisps or leave them whole. If so, give them a smush (I didn't). 3) Open the bag & drop the egg in. 4) Give the bag a shake to coat the egg in crisp-ness.
5) Tear the bag open and dig in.

My personal taste experience? Weird but enjoyable. Definitely worth a try.

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Remember, remember...

Every 5th of November, Brits observe Guy Fawkes Night.

Guy Fawkes participated in a failed attempt to assassinate King James I by blowing up the House of Lords, on the 5th of November, 1605. That night, citizens lit bonfires all over London to celebrate the King's survival.

Fawkes' failure continues to be celebrated each year by lighting bonfires, setting off fireworks, and generally having a good time.

We joined the festivities at The Rose Inn, in Wickhambreaux. It was fantastic.

PS: In case you're curious how it went down...
Fawkes was in charge of the gunpowder part of the plan. So, when the House of Lords was searched that night—they'd got an anonymous warning letter—he was found guarding 36 barrels of it, and arrested. He was later convicted and sentenced to be hanged, drawn, and quartered. Ouch.

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My Favourite Cookies

I call them "Jen's Cookies", and they're amazing. I have posted about them before, but these cookies are worth repeating.

They're moist, light, double chocolate chip, and gluten free. How could I not love them?

Here's the recipe. Definitely try it the next time you want delicious cookies.

I bet you'll love them as much as I do.

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Cow Crossing

The other day, Indy and I headed out for a long walk. But, every path we attempted to take was blocked by cows; mommies and babies, to be exact.

Not a good idea to make mommy cows nervous. So, we turned around. It happens.

The bright side? How cute is this little guy?!

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Roasted Chicken & Veg

This recipe has become one of my favourites lately; it's so easy.

All you need is boneless, skinless chicken thighs, and a bunch of vegetables that will hold up well to roasting. For example: potatoes, onions, carrots, brussels sprouts, and—my favourite—cherry tomatoes. Basically, whatever you find in your fridge/pantry.

Put everything in your roasting pan, sprinkle it with olive oil, sea salt, pepper, and a splash of white wine vinegar, and toss. Then put it in your oven at 220°C/425°F for 40-45 minutes.

The key: 1) arrange the chicken pieces on top of the veg to start; 2) after 15 minutes, flip the chicken over to cook the other side; 3) after 15 more minutes, put the chicken down below the vegetables, so that the chicken is totally covered and the veg will get a chance to cook; and 4) cook for the remaining time.

It's delicious. I make it all the time. Try it.

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