Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts

Friday, 14 August 2015

August Interior Inspiration

Maximalism


We've scoured our past interiors features and discovered some Kings and Queens of maximalism. Surrounding themselves with fascinating objects, they create their home as a reflection of their creative minds, utilising the interesting and unusual to enhance the decor and expression of their individualism. Here are a few of our favourites...

House Of Dreams

Laura Oakes, an artists and designer who is based in Rye, surrounds herself with vintage clothing. She has a love for Victorian style in particular and manages to successfully combine many varying textures, colours and prints in a vibrant and exciting space. Together with her partner, they rent the space, so fundamental changes to the decor aren't always possible, but it's a beautiful reflection of a creative mind all the same...








Welcome Aboard

After years of collecting antique china, Eileen and Tony developed a new love for Indian textiles. This is clearly reflected in the cosy cabin they have made for themselves. The boat is moored in the River Medway, in view of a Napoleonic fort, and the open sea beyond. Eileen admits to being a complete hoarder, but buys and sells fabrics and textiles, to support the local women they visited on their trip to India, and ensure their skills of artistry and embroidery are kept alive...








Natural History

This place is truly enchanting. After lots of work Claudine and Robin have transformed what was a bit of a mess, into a stunningly intriguing home. The building is around 300 years old, and the kitchen was once a scullery and shed. This history can be seen all over the house; from the oil lamps and iron game hangers suspended from the ceiling, to the unique prints and organic colour palette, this house has an absolute calm in amongst the chaos...









Colour is key here, with an explosion of red, white and blue, with union jack cushions scattered all over the place. This late Victorian semi-detached villa reflects Mandy, Queen of kitsch, and her family through and through. The interior has evolved over time as she can create anything they need from scratch, adding real charm and character...









For more interiors inspiration and features visit our website!

Photos: David Merewether
Words: Helen Barton

Friday, 17 July 2015

July's Take Five

Tea Party Treats

We pick some of our favourite recipes from over the years that we think will make the perfect selection of tea party nibbles!

Butternut squash and chilli chestnut rolls




What you'll need...

● 1 small butternut squash ● 500g Saxby's puff pastry ● 1/2 red chilli ● 1/2 tsp five spice ● 1 tsp ground ginger ● 50g soft brown sugar ● 150g roasted chestnuts ● 1 egg whisked for egg wash ●

What to do...

1. Peel and cut butternut squash into cubes, then roast in a little oil together with the sugar and five spice mix, allow to cool.

2. Finely chop the chilli and chestnuts, and mash together with the butternut squash and ginger.

3. Roll out the puff pastry into long thin strips and place a little of the mixture in the centre of the puff pastry, brush the edges of the pastry with egg wash and fold over to form a roll.

4. Brush lightly with egg wash before placing tin the oven to cook, until golden brown.

Recipe: Tony Boyle
Photos: David Merewether

Marshmallows




What you'll need...

● 1tbsp icing sugar ● 125ml hot water  1 tbsp cornflour ● 25g sachet gelatine ● red food colouring ● 2 free range egg whites ● 500g granulated sugar 


What to do...


1. Sift together the icing sugar and cornflour in a bowl. Grease a 20cm (8in) square shallow cake tin with a little vegetable oil, then shake some of the icing sugar and cornflour mixture to coat the tin. Set aside.

2. Pour the hot water into a bowl, sprinkle the gelatine on top and stir gently until the crystals dissolve. Add 2-3 drops of food colouring to the gelatine and mix thoroughly. (Pink is traditionally used but you can use whichever colour you like)

3. Put the egg whites into a food processor and set aside. Put the granulated sugar into a medium saucepan and add 250 ml of water. Stir over a low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. In the meantime, turn on the food processor and mix the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Boil the sugar mixture until it reaches 121C, the hard ball stage- when a small amount of mixture is dropped into water it will form a ball that holds its shape. Take the pan off the heat.

4. Pour the gelatine into the pan of syrup, stirring continuously until the gelatine is thoroughly mixed with the syrup. Turn the food processor back on and carefully pour the syrup onto the beaten egg whites. Continue mixing until the mixture turns thick and bulky but is still pourable. If you lift up the beater, a ribbon of marshmallow should remain on the surface for a few seconds before sinking back down into the mix.

5. Pour the marshmallow into the prepared tin and leave to set in a cool place for approximately 1 or 2 hours (do not refrigerate)

6. Dust a chopping board or work surface with the remaining cornflour and icing sugar mixture. Butter a sharp knife and carefully ease the marshmallow mixture out of the tin and onto the board. Sift any extra icing sugar and cornflour over the marshmallow if necessary. Cute the marshmallow into cubes. 

7. Store in an airtight tin lined with baking parchment or grease proof paper for up to one week. You can freeze marshmallows- they will only take a minute or two to defrost.

Recipe: Nicki Trench
Photos: David Merewether


Lunch Frittata




What you'll need...

● 8 large eggs ● small bunch of spring onions or 2 medium onions ● some cooked, cubed potatoes (quantities depend on the other vegetables used) ● a red pepper ● a courgette or two ● mushrooms ● green beans (precooked) ● peas ● a handful of chopped parsley ● oregano ● olive oil ● salt ● optional cubed pancetta 

What to do...

1. Use a heavy based, or non-stick, medium sized frying pan for this recipe. If you're splashing out and using pancetta, fry it gently until it starts to crisp and then soften the onions and uncooked vegetables in the bacon fat for 5 minutes or so. Or use a little olive oil and add the cooked potato.

2. Meanwhile crack the eggs into a bowl and beat together, then pour over the vegetable mixture and cook gently until the egg starts to set- no mixing, or you'll scramble the eggs- and keep the heat low or the bottom will burn.

3. When the mixture's been cooking for around 15 minutes, place the pan under the grill and cook to the top, to make sure the frittata cooks all the way through.

4. Serve warm or cold!

Recipe: Jo Arnell


Goat Cheese Tartlet with Thyme and Roasted Red Onion





What you'll need...

● packet of filo pastry ● 60g butter, melted ● 6 sprigs of thyme, stripped ● 1 red onion, chopped ● 200g goat cheese ● 250ml double cream ● 2 eggs ● 2 egg yolks ● salt and pepper ● 2 mini muffin tins ● 

What to do...

1. Preheat the oven to 170C

2. First roast the chopped red onion in a little olive oil and black pepper till soft.

3. Make the filo tartlets by painting one sheet of filo pastry at a time with melted butter, then cut the sheets into 5cm squares. Next sprinkle half of them with thyme, salt and pepper and place the unseasoned squares on top at an angle, and mould them into the muffin tins. Cover the tins with clingfilm to stop the pastry drying out while you make the remaining tartlets. 

4. For the filling, blend the goat cheese, double cream, eggs and seasoning. Put some roasted red onion in the base of each tartlet and spoon the goat cheese mixture on top with a sprig of thyme.

5. Bake for 10 minutes, check and return if they need to cook for longer, then serve warm. 


Recipe: Juliet Bidwell
Photos: David Merewether


Eton Mess Cake






What you'll need...

● 150g self raising flour ● 150g softened butter ● 150g caster sugar ● 1/2 tsp vanilla essence ● 2 eggs ● 1 tbsp milk ● 75ml double cream ● small punnet of strawberries ● 

For the meringue...

● 2 large egg whites ● 100g caster sugar 1/2 tsp vinegar ● 

What to do...

1. Pre-heat oven to gas 4/180C. Fill a cupcake tin with 12 cases.

2. Cream the butter and sugar together, gradually add the eggs and flour, then milk (a little at a time) until it reaches dropping consistency.

3. Divide the mixture into the 12 paper cases and bake for approximately 15 minutes. Check towards the end of this time- they should be a light golden brown.

4. While the cakes are cooling, wash, hull and roughly slice the strawberries, whip the cream and break up the meringue into pieces about the same size as the strawberries.

5. Once the cakes are cooled, scoop out the centre of each (you can use the cake 'scoops' and add them to the topping or save them to make a trifle base). Pile cream into the middle and top with meringue pieces and strawberries.

For the meringue...

1. Line a flat baking tray with baking parchment and preheat oven to gas 1/ 140C

2. Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks, then gradually add the sugar, a little at a time. beating in between until it's incorporated and the mixture looks glossy and holds stiffly on a spoon (don't over beat)

3. Add the vinegar if using (it's supposed to help the meringue's texture). Spread the mixture thickly over the baking sheet and bake for approximately 40 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave them to dry out in the oven over night. 

Photos: David Merewether


For more recipe inspiration, pop to our website...

Friday, 10 July 2015

July's Interior Inspiration

How to create a magical space for your little ones




Add Adventure...





Adding a map, modern or vintage, will inspire your young travelers. One of these matched with an enchanting story of worldly explorers will create endless curiosity and enjoyment.



Use Vibrant Colour...




By introducing some bright colours to the bedroom, it gives it real personality, and this can easily be done on a small budget. The simple Ikea bed on the right was transformed with a lick of Annie Sloan paint, and when paired with a colourful duvet cover it will be guaranteed to bring a smile!


Create Interest...






 Whether you're trying to store toys, stack books or tidy clothes, why not make it into a feature? This book shelf doubles up as a stair case to a cabin bed, and the green wigwam makes toy tidying a simpler task. Failing this, just have some fun and create another universe entrance in the wall!


Spell It Out...




Children are rightly very proud of their names, so by making this into a focus of their bedroom, it can be showcased! Transfer it on the wall, embroider it on cushions or make letter bunting. The opportunities are endless...



Keep It Simple...




Cover a wall completely with chalkboard paint. This way, they can go totally mad, without ruining any beautiful wallpaper throughout the rest of the house! Chalks are cheap and come in loads of different colours; so a great means of self expression for toddlers and teens alike!


Photos: David Merewether
Styling: Lucy Fleming & Helen Barton

For more interiors inspiration pop to our website www.wealdentimes.co.uk

Friday, 19 June 2015

June's Interior Inspiration

  Champion Bathing  


We love a good bathroom here at WT. They're a place to relax, unwind, or prepare for the day ahead, and we have come across some real beauties in our time. Here are a few of our top picks...



Monochrome Home...






This stunning bath is set in the corner of a master bedroom, in a double aspect alcove, overlooking the garden. Subtle intimacy has been created by a delicate muslin curtain covering one wall. Read the full feature here...


Always in Style...






This bathroom sports a great black steel-riveted bateau bath, found on eBay and black and white mosaic tile flooring from Tile Design in St Leonards. The delicate driftwood table by the bath came from French Connection Home.  Read the full feature here...


All in Place...






The design philosophy in this house as far as bathrooms are concerned, is to go for a high quality centrepiece. All the baths, showers and taps are form C.P. Hart. The accessories and furnishings are bargain buys. The shower tiles are form Walls & Floors and the graphite marble floor tiles are from eBay.


The Christmas House...






Moving away from the contemporary, there is a totally different feel in this house. With a reinforced floor to support it, this original bath tub has a lead lining and is gently illuminated by candle light, tucked away in amongst the wood paneling around the room. 



An Elegant Escape...






We love this pair of Moorish mirrors hanging above the sinks. This bathroom also feature a beautiful deep bath and glass walled wet room shower. The French doors lead into a pretty patio area with stunning views of the gardens. 





Friday, 24 April 2015

WT's Take Five

  WT's Top Five Eat Green Recipes  



As part of the weekly countdown to the Midsummer Fair and Priceless People Wellbeing Festival this year, we're focusing on all things nutritious and delicious. So here are 5 of our favourite recipes so far and a cheeky ticket discount code for our lucky foodie readers, so you can come along for just £6.50!



1. WT's Helen recently purchased a Nutri Ninja and is having endless fun inventing new recipes for smoothies, soups, dips and dressings. Here's one of them...



The Blossom Blend...






What you'll need:


● spinach ● half an avocado ● 1 lime ● fresh ginger ● mint leaves ● 1 small pear ● cucumber ● chia seeds 


● Slice up the avocado, cucumber and pear into smaller pieces and place in the blender along with the spinach

● Using a tea spoon, scrape off the peel of the ginger root and cut into chunks

● Squeeze in the lime juice and pop in the mint leaves and finally add a tablespoon of chia seeds

● Add the desired amount of water and wizz away until smooth and creamy



2. Over the last few years ethnobotanist James Wong's scientific and labour saving approach to edible gardening has garnered critical acclaim, landing him his own BBC series Grow Your Own Drugs and publishing contracts for numerous books. WT is delighted to announce that James Will be appearing at Wealden Times Midsummer Fair this June where he will be talking about his brand new book Grow For Flavour, sharing tips and tricks to supercharge the flavour of homegrown harvests. Here is one of our favourites, also featured in the April issue...



Roasted Beetroot and Lentil Salad...





What you'll need:


● 1kg small 'Detroit Dark Red' and 'Burpees Golden' beetroots, peeled ● 1 red onion ● 1 tbsp honey ● 2 tbsp unfiltered olive oil ● 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar ● salt and pepper ● 250g precooked beluga lentils ● 1 handful of beet leaves ● juice and rind of 1 orange ● a few sprigs of mint and dill ● 100ml creme fraiche ● 


Cut the beetroot and onion into quarters. Arrange in a roasting tin and drizzle over the honey, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Do not toss them together as the red beets will stain the yellow ones. Season with salt and pepper. 

● Roast the beetroot in a preheated 200 ˚C / gas mark 6 oven for 45 minutes until tender


 Spoon the lentils onto a plate and arrange the beet leaves around them. Top with the roasted beetroot, drizzle with the orange juice and scatter over the herbs and orange rind



● Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche and extra oil and vinegar. This salad is a match made in heaven with goats cheese or grilled mackerel. 




3. Yoga and nutrition teacher Julie Montagu is on a mission to prove that absolutely anyone can revolutionise their diet to take a giant leap towards long-lasting health. Known as the Flexi Floodie, Julie’s workable approach to incorporating nutrient-rich superfoods into manageable meals has led her to produce her first cookery book Superfoods which showcases nourishing dishes made with unrefined, wholesome ingredients to boost energy levels, lower cholesterol and balance blood sugar levels. Julie will be explaining how
to super-charge your lifestyle to eradicate the bad and introduce the good at this June’s Wealden Times Midsummer Fair’s Priceless People Wellbeing Festival on Friday 5 June.



Coconut and Almond Quinoa with Stewed Plums...





What you'll need:


● 170g quinoi ● 600ml coconut milk (or any plant based milk) ● 2tsp ground cinnamon ● 1tsp vanilla extract ● 4tbsp almond butter (or any other nut butter) ● 6 medium plums ● 100g coconut palm sugar ● 240ml water ● 1 cinnamon stick ● raw honey for drizzling ● desiccated coconut for sprinkling ● 



Combine the quinoa and coconut milk together in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the cinnamon and vanilla extract, cover and simmer on a low heat for 15-20 minutes

● Meanwhile, make the stewed plums. Cut the plums in half, remove the pits, them cut the plum halves into chunks. Combine the coconut palm sugar, 240ml water and cinnamon stick in a saucepan over a medium to high heat and bring to the boil. Add the plums and continue to cook until the plums are tender. Once tender, use a fork to slightly mash. 

● Once the quinoa is cooked but still a bit runny, put it in 4 bowls and stir in 1 tablespoon of almond butter per bowl. Top with the stewed plums, a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of desiccated coconut. 



4. Self confessed chocoholic, Davina McCall has documented how she has banished processed sugar from her life. Her 5 weeks to sugar free book offers tips and sumptuous recipe ideas that are easy and approachable, even with a busy household! Davina has become one of Britain's most recognisable faces and has now sold over 1.5 million copies of her chart topping workout DVDs and raised over 2.6 million for sport relief! Davina will also be appearing at the Midsummer Fair and Priceless People Wellbeing festival to talk about her sugar free journey and offer advice.



Bean Salad







What you'll need:



● 400g green beans ● 400g can of borlotti or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed ● 200g cherry tomatoes, halved ● 1 small red onion, diced ● half a cucumber, diced ● juice of half lemon ● 2 tbsp olive oil ● half tsp mustard ● half tsp honey ● handful of fresh basil leaves ● parmesan cheese shavings ● 



Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add the green beans and cook them for 3 minutes. Drain and refresh them under cold water

● Put the green beans, canned beans, tomatoes, red onion and cucumber in a bowl and mix them together. Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, mustard and honey in a small jug and pour this over the salad


● Scatter over some basil leaves and shavings of Parmesan cheese just before serving




5. WT reader Stéphanie Castelain loves this salad because of the beautiful combination of green and yellow, two wonderful colours that nature can offer us. The crisp, roasted almonds mix well with the tenderness of the broccoli.  The calendula petals add the sunshine touch to the lovely flavour  of the brown basmati rice and fresh goat cheese. See more of her recipes on her blog www.lecomptoirdestephanie.com



Popcorn Salad







What you'll need:



● 1 cup of brown basmati rice ● about 200g of broccoli (only the heads) ● 30g of chopped almonds ● 60g of fresh goat cheese  1 head of a calendula flower ● 1 lemon  olive oil ● coconut oil ● mustard ● salt ● pepper 


● Prepare the rice by cooking it following the given instructions on the package (typically you have to wash it first and then cook it for about 40 min).

● Wash carefully the broccoli and steam them for a couple of minutes (10-15 min).


● Heat a pan on a medium heat and add a teaspoon of coconut oil. When the oil is melted add the almonds and roast them until golden brown. Set aside. 


● When the rice is cooked, drain it, rinse it. Once cooled, put it in a dish and add the broccoli. 


● Add in to the dish the fresh goat cheese that you have either diced or crumbled. (I served it aside as my son doesn’t like it) Top the mix with the roasted almonds and dress with the calendula petals.


● Next, prepare the seasoning by mixing 5 table spoons of lemon juice, 8 table spoons of olive oil, one teaspoon of mustard, salt and pepper. Add the seasoning to the salad.



"You will have a wonderful dish with green from Nature and some sunshine rays. Ideal to lift up your mind and spirit."



See below for an exclusive foodie discount code!







Priceless People Wellbeing Festival: Thursday 4th June, Friday 5th June and
Saturday 6th June at Hole Park, Rolvenden, Kent TN17_4JB 9am–4.30pm
Tickets: Advance booking: £7.50* On the gate: £8.50 Exclusive 3- Day Pass: £17
Online Tickets: www.wealdentimes.co.uk/events. Ticket hotline: 01580_713915**
For further information contact Georgina Toynbee and Helen Barton on 01580_714705


*Advance booking price available until 31/05/2015 **Tickets purchased via phone will incur a 50p admin fee

Exclusive Foodie Discount Code - fbloggers15
(ends 30/04/15)