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A revolutionary bouillon and a collapsing ancien regime croquembouche

July 16, 2010 26 Comments Filed Under: Food, Recipes, Uncategorized

Tom Baker the accordeon player

Home made baguettes, pain d’epi, walnut bread rising

I bought red and white check tablecloths for the occasion

Fleur de lys perfumed the air, radishes served with Maldon salt and Normandy salted butter

Alissia with a basket of home-made bread.

I was helped by Hattie Mauleverer from Top Hat Catering. She’s cooked for all kinds of people including David Cameron. On the left is Ali who used to work for Hattie, she’s soon going off to Uganda for a month. 

So proud I’m putting tons of pictures of my bread. I was amazed that some of it wasn’t eaten, until I realised some of the front of house were going out, saying ‘Anybody want some more?’ then bringing it back in the kitchen before anybody could say yes!

I always cook in pearls don’t you know?

The table outside on the balcony.

Suzanne from Mons delivered an amazing selection of French cheeses:
Langres; Cosme goat (made in the shape of the farmer’s wife’s breast, apparently he was going through a mid-life crisis at the time); Beaufort; an ash covered goat’s cheese, bicaillloux from Limousin (made by two transplanted Parigos); Camembert, made with raw milk, ‘moulé à la louche’ (ladled by hand which does make a difference); a goat’s cheese ‘mistralou’, with a hint of herbes de provence, wrapped in sweet chestnut leaves (originally chosen because cheaper to transport to market than cheese cloth/paper); a breakaway Roquefort, just outside the AOC, but just as good. 
These were accompanied by St.Johns sourdough, oat cakes and my home made fig compote (3 days in red wine in the Aga).

Affinage, Kilburn stylee!

Making 120 choux buns (ignore the slightly burnt ones at the back)
Constructing that mother…

Filled with creme patissiere with orange blossom flower essence and almond essence.

A simple clear bouillon. The original word ‘restaurant’ means a restorative soup. Restaurants as we know them today started after the French revolution. This meal was a mix of ancien regime (the piece montée, the croquembouche) and working class French menu fixe.

I also served crudités: carrottes rapées, celeriac remoulade with a home made mustard mayonnaise, radishes with butter, salt and home made baguettes.

Main course: roasted trout with almonds with a generous amount of butter sauce; a gratin dauphinois with lots of double cream

Alissia, Ali and Hattie in their vintage French aprons.

Ooh la la! Lenny from Coney & Barrow…

The cheese was matched with superb French wines from Ten Green Bottles, a small wine importers in Brighton. Simon went around the tables pouring wine, giving tastings, to an appreciative audience.

Here it is, covered in caramel and crystallised rose petals and glitter. 

The leaning tower of Kilburn: the back started to collapse!

Alissia starts on the absinthe after vintage coffee

Middle class crack: burning a sugar cube over the absinthe, la fée verte. One guest said to me “Be careful, the guests might smash up your furniture!”

Things I learnt on Bastille Day:
1. Don’t attempt to make a croquembouche when it’s raining. It will collapse.
2. Wear protective gloves when dipping profiteroles in liquid caramel. I’m sure there were some fingertips glued to the construction.
3. A mix of Pastis and red wine and absinthe renders you inactive for at least 24 hours.

4. Never do front of house. I don’t have the temperament, especially towards the end of the evening.
Sample dialogue:

 “Would you like some coffee?”

“What sort of coffee?”

“Coffee coffee” (barked with impatience)

“Can I have an espresso?”

“It’s a home restaurant. I don’t have a 20 grand espresso machine.”

“Can you make one on the stove top?”

“I can’t be arsed. Especially after making you gluten-free bread.”

I must say, I do feel sorry for coeliacs. I had to pipe the bread onto the tray as you can’t knead it. It ‘s more like cake than bread.
Here is my recipe:
500g Dove’s gluten free flour
350g water
10g yeast
tspn of sugar
10g salt
15g Xanthan gum
Some corn meal.

Mix all the ingredients together. Make foil moulds for the baguettes, dull side out. Spray it with oil and dust with cornmeal. Place the ‘dough’ in a mixing bag and pipe onto oiled foil. Leave to rise for 45 minutes, then ‘slash’ some cuts into the baguettes. Bake in a hot oven for 20 minutes approximately. Spray the oven with water to make steam which will give the bread a crust.

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Comments

  1. Josordoni

    July 16, 2010 at 3:49 pm

    That's interesting that you burnt the sugar, I've only seen the fleches used to hold a sugar cube that then has iced water dripped through to sweeten and cloud the absinthe below.

    There are some lovely designs of fleches and also brilliant fountains that were used to drip the water – they have little taps that can adjust the flow to a little drip drip..

    Reply
  2. Pappa Cod

    July 16, 2010 at 3:54 pm

    I agree Coeliacs are a pain but the best wheat/gluten free breads I have ever tasted were at the feal food festival earlier this year check them out here http://www.artisanbread-abo.co.uk/ Ingrid Greenfield is the owner…

    Reply
  3. Pappa Cod

    July 16, 2010 at 3:56 pm

    The best ever wheat/gluten free breads I have ever taster were at the real food festival made by Ingrid Greenfield – check them out here http://www.artisanbread-abo.co.uk/
    Not worth making your own when she does such an amazing range.
    Sounded like a fun night though!

    Reply
  4. Josordoni

    July 16, 2010 at 4:11 pm

    oh look – I found you a picture..
    http://www.absinthespoon.com/images/CPA-Coq-Fountain-Close-II-32KB.jpg

    Reply
  5. chumbles

    July 16, 2010 at 7:01 pm

    Can I say how much I admire you; unbelievable, wonderful cooking (by the looks of it) and organisation. Such hard work and you earn every penny you make – seriously. You may save money, but the work involved in turning your home into a restaurant is colossal; even before you've cooked a darn thing.

    So cool that the accordion player is timelord in disguise! And pearls so suit you (you're safe – I, oddly for a cockney, hate goimg amywhere near London – the Great When, Richard Adams called it. Sigh.

    Reply
  6. Plum Kitchen

    July 16, 2010 at 10:14 pm

    Wow. I dont want to gush, but did everyone of those lovely guests know QUITE how lucky they were??That bread looked fabulous, the tables, the cheese, so much care and attention, and so much style, just lovely. The Croquembouche still looked amazing, and I bet it tasted great (I attempted one in about 95% humidity, it melted at about the same rate as my makeup, maybe you need a special temp controlled room to make the damn things?!)

    Reply
  7. Anonymous

    July 17, 2010 at 6:20 am

    Your coffee is great! Demanding an espresso is really too much.

    Reply
  8. theundergroundrestaurant

    July 17, 2010 at 8:42 am

    Josordoni: I've seen absinthe glasses, they are beautiful. By 'fleches' what do you mean? And what do the fountains do ?
    Pappacod: I'm sure lots of people do gluten free bread far better than I do, but the point is I made the effort!
    Chumbles: thanks so much for your kind comments. Very heartening.
    Plum kitchen: I made several mistakes with the croquembouche: made the profiteroles too big, not even enough in size, overfilled them with the creme patisserie so that they were too heavy and made it in hot damp weather so that the caramel kept melting.
    I think some people appreciated the evening, some on the other hand, acted like it was a normal restaurant (the coffee lady).
    Fingers and toes: Yes I provide Douwe Egberts cafetiere coffee and many guests have said how much they like it. Douwe Egberts provide several different kinds and while it doesn't have the snob value of Square Mile, I really like it.

    Reply
  9. Josordoni

    July 17, 2010 at 8:51 am

    The "fleche" is the perforated absinthe spoon – they are traditionally pointed and shaped like an arrow.

    The fountain is for dripping water slowly over your sugar cube, held in your pointy perforated spoon which is balanced over your glass. Did you see the picture of the fountain I found? It would be on the cafe table with little spigot taps on each side (some of them with 4 taps, one for each person on a 4 seater table). In the picture you can see one chap has sugar on his spoon under the fountain, the other just has his absinthe with a drop of water, no sugar lump.

    By dripping the water slowly, it would melt the sugar lump which then dripped into the absinthe. I think the pleasure in it all was as much the ritual as the drink itself, much like hookah smoking in Middle Eastern cafes.

    Reply
  10. taraw

    July 17, 2010 at 8:51 am

    our first supperclub experience, and soooo fun! been telling anyone who will listen to get to one of your evenings.

    all – including the croquembouche & coffee was great. hopefully means something, as i am an antipodean coffee fiend.

    thanks ms marmite lover!

    Reply
  11. theundergroundrestaurant

    July 17, 2010 at 8:56 am

    Jo: thanks for the explanation. yes I saw the photo but it's quite hard to distinguish exactly what's going on, now I understand.
    So burning the sugar is not the usual way?

    Taraw: Thanks so much for coming and I'm so glad you loved it!

    Reply
  12. Josordoni

    July 17, 2010 at 9:07 am

    Burning the sugar is a modern way with absinthe, the old Art Nouveau way was with water as in the picture. Some absinthe aficionados get quite up in arms about burning the sugar cubes, but really, if it tastes nice, who cares?

    Here's one who is VERY unhappy about burning sugar.. LOL

    Reply
  13. gastrogeek

    July 17, 2010 at 11:32 am

    I just love the fact that you always wear pearls when you cook.Brilliant. And those profiteroles look magnificent!

    Reply
  14. green drawers

    July 17, 2010 at 11:57 am

    mmmm…. absinthe. I once lost an entire afternoon on this most ethereal of spirits, during which I scythed a lawn, cleaned a house and had my tarot read. Allegedly. Although there was proof in that the lawn was most definately shorter when I arose from my fug later that evening. And the house was most certainly cleaner, if a little shambolic. Wouldn't have a clue what the tarot said, but I'm sure it must have mentioned a bad head and immovable limbs!!

    I'm old skool and prefer it the water way; burnt sugar just makes it more 'sour' imho. We have a couple of lovely fleches here at home. M once did a series on drinking for cable TV and did an entire episode on absinthe. We prefer the Spanish (read; I prefer…!!).
    C x

    Reply
  15. theundergroundrestaurant

    July 17, 2010 at 12:22 pm

    Gastrogeek: and heels! 😉

    Green drawers: hmm so is it a bit like tequila: half drug/half drink?

    Must try the water technique!

    Reply
  16. Josordoni

    July 17, 2010 at 12:31 pm

    you said.. "hmm so is it a bit like tequila: half drug/half drink?"

    so true.. it was known to make you go blind and/or mad. Which explains a lot about Belle Epoque art and literature, don't you think?

    Reply
  17. Sarah

    July 17, 2010 at 12:41 pm

    Oh how I laughed at your impatience! I'm excellent as front of house, I just fantasise these replies whilst smiling sweetly. I have a mixture of intolerance (no pun intended) and sympathy for gluten free brigade. It's just there is a certain militant/minority attitude that can make a caterer scream (back of house)!

    look forward to my visit in August.

    Reply
  18. Jessica

    July 18, 2010 at 8:36 pm

    I am amazed at your energy! I feel sorry for celiacs as well. I love my bread and I don't think I would enjoy gluten free bread.

    Love the pictures. It looks like everyone had a great time. Congratulations on a job well done!

    jessyburke88@gmail.com

    Reply
  19. angie

    July 19, 2010 at 8:15 am

    soo adorable ms marmite…makes me miss london and cooking and prepping in the kitchen with you bella. The bread looks beautiful!! love it xx

    Reply
  20. 365 Tage

    July 19, 2010 at 12:20 pm

    You, Madam, are a genius, and what you say about front of house goes for me, too. And the pearls.

    Reply
  21. 365 Tage

    July 19, 2010 at 12:20 pm

    You, Madam, are a genius, and what you say about front of house goes for me, too. And the pearls.

    Reply
  22. theundergroundrestaurant

    July 19, 2010 at 1:48 pm

    Thanks Jessie, Angie, and 365 tage: much appreciated.
    Angie! when are you coming back. So nice to get a comment from you!

    Reply
  23. theundergroundrestaurant

    July 19, 2010 at 1:53 pm

    Sarah: glad it made you laugh!
    I get so tired by the end of the evening I just can't preserve that 'front of house' diplomacy facade any more!

    Reply
  24. The Curious Cat

    July 22, 2010 at 1:41 pm

    What is it with french stuff? I come to france and suddenly notice lots of french themed stuff everywhere – even here! Looks good though – good effort on the profiterole mountain!xxx

    Reply
  25. Anonymous

    July 24, 2010 at 4:25 am

    divine. I wish I could be here to take part in this. Perhaps when back in London I will see if you are still inviting guests to experience this!
    Curious, what is the beta-carotene looking dish that is sitting next to the watering can in one of your outdoor photos? It looks like a carrot colored spaghetti squash of some sort.

    Reply
  26. MsMarmitelover

    July 24, 2010 at 7:32 am

    Hello Bella,
    It is carotene indeed… carrottes rapées, grated carrot salad. Very simple but one of my favourites with a lemony dressing.

    Reply

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MsMarmiteLover aka Kerstin Rodgers.

Chef, photographer, author, journalist, blogger. Pioneer of the supperclub movement.

This is my food and travel blog, with recipes, reviews and travel stories. I also stray into politics, feminism, gardening.

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msmarmitelover

Kerstin Rodgers/MsMarmiteLover
Got the sewing machine out last night and hemmed t Got the sewing machine out last night and hemmed the top of these toile de jouey curtains in my summer house shed. The days are lengthening a little which brightens up my mood. Self care= trying to get up and washed. Trying to leave the house once a day. Keeping my hands busy. Finding small ways to be creative. #coronaloner #sewingmachine #curtains #shedsofinstagram #sheshed #springiscoming #supperclub #stayingsane #selfcare #lockdown3
Pasta aglio olio. I’m turning into a vampire. I Pasta aglio olio. I’m turning into a vampire. I get up later and later every day. I’m living in a twilight world- dim skies, getting nothing done. Next week it’s my birthday and every year I’m at my lowest ebb just before my birthday. Lockdown on your own is tough. My motivation, my mojo has disappeared. #lockdown3 #coronaloner #pastadinner #nofilter #january2021 #januarychallenge #selfemployedwomen #single #aquarius #0degrees
On the heath on Sunday. Must. Walk. More. #coronal On the heath on Sunday. Must. Walk. More. #coronaloner
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Galette des Rois, made yesterday in 12th night. Mi Galette des Rois, made yesterday in 12th night. Minus Crown and king as I cannot find either. This one is made with Tonka bean. Plus homemade puff pastry (well worth the effort). According to ike delorenzo at The Atlantic:  The tonka bean, a flat, wrinkled legume from South America with an outsize flavor that the US government has declared illegal. Nonetheless, it proliferates on elite American menus. The tiniest shavings erupt in a Broceliande of transporting, mystical aromas.
The taste of the tonka bean is linked strongly to its scent. "Scents," I should say, as the tonka bean has many at once. I register the aromas of vanilla, cherry, almond, and something spicy—a bit like cinnamon. When served cold—say, in tonka bean ice cream—the taste is like a vanilla caramel with dark honey. When warm, perhaps shaved over scallops, it moves toward spiced vanilla. Additionally, the aroma of the tonka bean shavings (it's almost always shaved) is so affecting that it seems like an actual taste in the way that opium, which has no taste in the traditional sense, "tastes" like its rich, flowery smoke.  Here is the recipe: 

Tonka bean galette des rois

Serves 8
Ingredients
* 140 g caster sugar
* 125 g salted butter, softened
* 100 g ground almonds
* 2 eggs, medium
* 1 tonka bean, grated
* 2 packs ready made butter puff pastry on a roll
* 1 yolk for brushing the pastry
Instructions
* Preheat your oven to 200c.

* Blend the butter with the sugar then add the almonds. Make sure it’s well mixed. Add in the 2 eggs one at a time, then add the tonka bean.

* If using a block: divide the puff pastry into two and roll out to 5mm thick. 
* Make two circles about 15 cm’s each in diameter. Lay one circle on a silicone mat/parchment paper on a baking tray and fill with the almond cream leaving a 3 cm border around the edge. 
* Paint the border with the egg yolk. Then lay the other circle on top, sealing the edges with a fork. 
* You could then carve designs into the top. Make a little slit in the middle to let steam escape then brush the top with the egg yolk
Mapo tofu is probably my favourite Sichuan dish. T Mapo tofu is probably my favourite Sichuan dish. This is a vegan version. ***

Ingredients:
- 400 g box of soft tofu not silken
- 5 soaked dried shiitake mushrooms, diced, keep water
- 1 red bell pepper, finely sliced
- 400 g fresh shiitake mushroom, sliced thinly
- 400 ml vegetable stock
- 1 thumb fresh ginger, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 4 tbsps groundnut or vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp fermented bean paste
- 1 or 2 small red chillies, minced or a spoonful of Chinese chilli paste
- 1 tsp heaped sichuan peppercorns, finely ground
- 2 tbsps soy or tamari sauce
- 2 tbsp cornflour in 3 tbsps water, mixed into a slurry
- 4 spring onions, finely sliced
- large pinch fresh coriander leaves

Prepare the tofu by cutting it into one inch cubes and soaking it in hot but not boiling salted water. Drain after 15 minutes.
Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms, covering them in boiling water. Leave until soft, then dice the mushrooms. Retain the mushroom soaking water and add to the vegetable stock water.
Prepare the other ingredients so they are ready to stir-fry: red bell pepper, fresh mushrooms, ginger, garlic.

Using a wok or deep frying pan, add the oil and heat to frying temperature. Add the bell peppers,fry for a couple of minutes, then add fermented bean paste, chilli paste or chillies, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sichuan pepper.
Add the mushroom/vegetable broth and simmer on high for a couple of minutes.
Carefully add the cubes of tofu, taking care not to break them too much.
Add the cornflour slurry, stirring for a couple of minutes.
Serve with rice or noodles, garnishing with spring onions or chives and or coriander leaves.  #veganuary #mapotofu #sichuanfood #tofu  #shitakemushrooms #supperclub #londonchef #msmarmitelover #ham&highcolumn #eatplants #lockdown3 #selfisolation #coronaloner #cooking #recipe #cookingfromscratch
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Happy new year from my bubble to yours! Keep holdi Happy new year from my bubble to yours! Keep holding on...
#happynewyear #happynewyear2021 #supperclub #hootenanny
Some of my Christmas food 🥘 lots of veg includi Some of my Christmas food 🥘 lots of veg including mashed swede with cheese and butter. I put pomegranate seeds with my sprouts, and cooked my carrots in marmalade ( worked v well), the mushroom wreath fell apart as I was transferring it to a tray 😤, roast potatoes and parsnips, then a cheese spread with fruit nuts, quince cheese (homemade), Chocs @lindtuk 😍 @guylian_uk @disaronno_official @baileysofficial @taylorsportwine and Brazil nuts. Plus a pavlova wreath ready to be topped with whipped cream and persimmons. 
#christmasdinner #vegetarianchristmas #vegetarianchristmasdinner #supperclub #londonchristmas #liqueurs #christmasspread #grazing #cheeseboard #port #pavlova
Christmas has started! Home-cured smoked beetroot Christmas has started!  Home-cured smoked beetroot and aquavit salmon with homemade blinis, creme fraiche, dill, Prosecco.  The fire is lit 🔥, the tree is up, 🎄the presents 🎁 are wrapped, we have a #brexit deal- a Christmas miracle. Peace and harmony. #christmas #christmasinengland #homemade #christmaseve #blinis #smokedsalmon #prosecco🍾 #londonchristmas
Done some doorscaping, the latest trend in Christm Done some doorscaping, the latest trend in Christmas decorating. It might also cheer up passersby. #christmas #christmasdecor #doorscaping #doorsofinstagram #londonchristmas #doorwreath #doordecor #doorsoftheworld #doordecoration #exteriors #london #supperclub #covidchristmas
Look at my gorgeous Nordic pine Christmas tree 🎄 from @pinesandneedles with some family ornaments and beautiful foodie ornaments from @gisela_graham  it’s 7 foot high and no drop. My parents brought over the candle lights. I’ve also used paper ornaments (apples and pears cut from maps) from @dionne_leonard which I first commissioned for a supper club.  #christmas #christmastree #christmasdecor #foodiedecorations #glassbaubles #supperclub #christmasinlondon
More #fbmarketplacefinds I find meeting the seller More #fbmarketplacefinds I find meeting the sellers interesting. It’s often about moving on whether through death, a change of circumstances, moving country, loss of a job. Today I visited a gorgeously renovated Edwardian house where the owners, an antique dealer & a master decorator had died with 18 months of each other of cancer.  The sister was there emptying the house, an incredibly painful experience. The husband who died was an expert in putting up lincrusta wallpaper which I’ve pictured here. All that craftsmanship and knowledge lost now.  The piece I got on Sunday, the teal chinoiserie cabinet, was from a Spanish guy returning to Spain. He’d lost his job as a hotel manager, the hotel, a big one, has now closed. The marble coffee table and arepas grill was from a Spanish couple who’d had a restaurant here for 40 years. They are now returning to Spain. Other slides: green Edwardian fireplace tiles, William Morris wallpaper, 2 small scalloped coffee tables, a knife and fork cutlery hook set.  A fireplace for my bedroom if I can find someone to put it in. #lockdownstories #covidstories #movingon #decor #interiors #bargains #secondhandstyle #edwardianstyle #williammorris #tiles #wallpaper #scallopededge #teal #chinoiserie #whitemarble #vintage #kitchenalia #supperclubrefurb #london #lincrustawallpaper
Another #fbmarketplace find £30. I can’t afford Another #fbmarketplace find £30. I can’t afford proper chinoiserie so I make do with fakes. The gradual doing up of my flat proceeds apace. Need to start on main bedroom. Looking for a storage ottoman (velvet?) bench to turn into a horizontal filing cabinet.  Any ideas? Above is a map of london based on the A to Z map which a minicab office was tossing out. Remember when we all carried mini A to Z books in our handbags? Before google maps? #nocrushedvelvet #chinoiserie #supperclubrefurb #londonapartment #londonflat #norfweezy #decor #organising #storage #interiors
My new/old rise and fall light over the dining tab My new/old rise and fall light over the dining table. Found for £50 on #fbmarketplace  but originally from @thefrenchhouse.net_ one of my favourite shops. Every day, a little more progress. #supperclubrefurb #supperclub #londonflat #interiors #lighting #riseandfalllights #lightingisimportant #frenchstyle #vintagestyle #rusticstyle #turquoise #diningtabledecor
Two vegetarian meal kits, laksa and ramen, from @k Two vegetarian meal kits, laksa and ramen, from @kit.eats.uk. Took only a couple of minutes to cook(see stories) and very good. I’m trying a few meal kits of late to see how hospitality has adapted to the great reset. As a cook I’ve always thought why would I need these but now I get it: it’s like going to a restaurant- the pleasure of food prepared by someone else. Getting jolted off of your normal repertoire, so it’s teaching cooking too.  #mealkits #vegetarian #homecooked #hospitality #covid #takeawayfood #foodpackaging #laksa #ramen #supperclubchef
Still working on my glass cupboard. I’ve hung up Still working on my glass cupboard. I’ve hung up all my wine bottle openers and cork screws. My favourite is the zigzag bottom left. If you find them at a flea market in France, if you are lucky you may get it for around 35 euros.  #supperclub #londonflat #londoninteriors #corkscrews #frenchkitchenalia #zigzag #tirebouchon #oakcupboard #diy #diyprojects
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