G is for Goodness (it's almost Christmas)

and G is for gifts

and greetings...

and more gifts

Happy Christmas everybody.

Studio Bistro

It is always exciting to come across a new place unexpectedly and that is exactly what we did last weekend when we were avoiding the Perth heat down south.

The place is called Studio Bistro and is a small, upmarket gallery with a lovely airy restaurant housed in the same building.

It is a very modern construction but makes wonderful use of mixed textures. I especially liked the dry stone walls and the amazing old doors in the outdoor area.

It has a great deep shady terrace as well as a landscaped garden area. We didn't get to sample the menu as it was late afternoon so we just had a cup of tea, but I can tell we will be back to sample it.

Poached Peaches

As I was driving to work one day last week I happened to hear Russell Blaikie of Must Wine Bar describing his recipe for poached peaches on ABC 7.20 radio and the thought occurred to me that it might be a nice Christmas gift to give, especially as peaches are now in season and easy to get hold of.

First you get your peaches which must be firm to the touch as they will disintegrate if they are already ripe.

Then halve the peaches and remove the stones.

For each four peaches you will need 500 mls of water and one cup of sugar. If you want you can substitute 150 mls of the water with white wine. Add the sugar to the liquid, pop in a cinnamon stick, and dissolve the sugar over gentle heat. Let this bubble for a little while so that it reduces a bit. Then add the peaches.

Test the consistency of the peaches after two to three minutes and as soon as they feel soft to touch turn off the heat and remove the peaches from the syrup. Put them on a plate and allow them to cool.

Once both the peaches and the syrup have cooled put the peaches gently into glass jars (I used a spatula to do this) and then pour in sufficient syrup to cover the fruit. The syrup is a lovely pinky colour so the jars looks quite inviting.

I finished mine off with brown paper covering and string.

I used medium glass jars and each jar held 4 peaches.

F is for Festive

And F is also for:

Frames,

Fruit,

and Fan.

More of the alphabet series soon...........

Happy Colours

Red and orange are the best cheerful colours, which is why I have them on the corner of my desk at work.

Have a happy, colourful day today.

Fremantle Bazaar 2010

This is a the story of a day in the life of Fremantle Bazaar, which is the biggest Christmas market held in Perth.

Before the market even starts there is the task of fitting everything into the car. Because there will always be things which are awkward shapes and which you don't want to get damaged it is much more tricky than simply packing the car to go on holidays.

Then you get to the market venue and you have to make a million trips to and from the car with all your bits and pieces to set up your stall.

My vintage typewriter was a great conversation starter, especially with small boys who wanted to know how it worked.

One of the things I love about the Fremantle Bazaar is the convivial atmosphere as everyone sets up their stalls. You always meet someone that you know and total strangers offer to help carry your things. The grass is always freshly cut and the grounds of the Arts Centre are beautifully manicured in preparation for the once a year event.

And finally the people arrive and you don't have time to think for the next three days.

The Bazaar, which was a wonderful success, ended yesterday so things can now get back to normal.