A Valentines Tale

So many ways to eat and drink Jablum Blue Mountain Coffee, from making your own truffles to this extravagant prune cognac and coffee cake to plain and simple romantic desserts to go with your dinner for two perhaps? Using a good dose of beautiful Jablum expresso poured over the top of your favourite vanilla ice-cream ! But as promised we have our 4th and finale recipe to add to your collection from Blue Mountain Emporium, for all you coffee lovers out there!!!

 

If you wondering why the sad expression on the face of the lovely girl , the whole Valentines Tale is lovingly told in my very first blog video! At the very end of this blog page! Just above the gorgeous image of Emily Blunt do scroll down and check it out, it's soo sweet!!!!

 Blue Mocha

Ingredients

4 tbspn of double cream

2 oz of plain chocolate

½ tspn ground cinnamon

2 heaped teaspoon of Jablum Instant Coffee

550 ml/ 20 fl oz milk

Vanilla sugar

Method

1. Place cream and chocolate into a microwaveable bowl. Add ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon and stir.

2. Warm in Microwave on reheat setting for 15-20 seconds, stir until combined.

3. Stir in the Jablum Instant Coffee.

4. Heat milk in microwave for 2 ½ minutes. Whisk milk to create a thick froth.

5. Add a little hot milk to chocolate mixture and stir to combine.

6. Pour into cup and top up with hot milk. Pile on the froth and dust with vanilla sugar.

Enjoy!

Happy Valentines Day to all of you lovely Fabulous Followers and subscribers, thank-you for all your comments, I cherish each and every one, wishing you much joy whether you spend the day with friends family or your partner. P.S let me know what you thought of the valentines video at the end of the blog page!

Love,
Sharon x

Date Cake! - See If It Lives Up To Its Name!

This Valentines, submerge yourself in the lush scent of a pink flower, play dress up in your favourite frock, practice sashaying up and down your bedroom floor, as if you own the red carpet, bake a special treat for someone you love and enjoy being a domestic goddess! 

From the fantastic people at Blue Mountain Coffee Emporium, as promised, I bring the 3rd in a series of the companies closely guarded, delicous receipes, using Jablum Blue Mountain Coffee for Valentines week!I'm calling it Date Cake, (tecnically speaking it's  ginger and lemon, with dates in it) bake one and who knows.... I make no promises on the outcome, but hey, it's pretty much a win win situation! You get a great date either way! hee hee, sorry I just couldn't resist! I hope you enjoy making this yummy cake! Let me know what you think it eats like. 

 Sharon x

Squidgy Lemon And Ginger Cake-Perfect With A Cup Of Jablum Blue Mountain Coffee!

Ingredients

200grms dates, stoned

200grms butter, cut in pieces

300grms dark muscovado sugar

2 eggs

50grms fresh root ginger grated

1 lemon, zest grated

200grms self raising flour

1 bramley apple peeled and diced

50grms white chocolate to decorate

1tbsp chopped candied lemon peel

to decorate

How To Make

1.Heat oven to 160/fan 140/gas 3.Butter and line 20cm round cake tin (about 8cm deep) with parchment.Put date in a bowl and cover with boiling water.Heat butter in a small pan until melted, and stir in sugar.Allow to cool slightly.

2.Beat in the eggs, ginger and lemon zest.Drain the dates and chop them finely. Scrape them into the pan too, and mix well.Stir in the flour, then apple. Spoon into the cake tin, then bake for 1.15 hrs, until well risen.

3.Break the white chocolate up, heat in a microwave, until melted, remove cooled cake from the tin, drizzle melted chocolate over and  scatter the candied lemon peel over the top of the cake.Serve a generous slice with a steaming cup of Jablum Coffee or your favourite coffee and enjoy! 

I never realised how beautiful date trees were till now!Hope your having a good week and this post makes it a little sweeter. Pop over and visit the people at Blue Mountain, they are a genuine ethical coffee company, that import Jablum Blue Mountain Coffee from Jamacia. 

Let Them Eat Cake! x

Serenade your soul this Valentines day, with all things pretty and tasty! To get you in the mood, for spoiling yourself or the one you love, here is another great receipe for- Blue Mountain Emporium, brownies, using their famous Jablum coffee! Do pop in and visit them and let them know what you thought of their receipe!

Love,Sharon x

Mocha Brownies

Ingredients


4 tbsp butter


15g/4oz plain chocolate


6oz Demerara sugar


2 eggs


1 tsp Jablum Instant Coffee dissolved in 1 tbsp of hot water and cool


3oz plain flour


½ tsp baking flour


6oz melted plain chocolate for topping


Method


• Preheat oven to 180C, 350F, Gas Mark 4.


• Grease and line a 20cm (8 inch square cake tin).


• Melt butter and 4oz of chocolate together in a saucepan over a low heat.


• Cream the sugar and eggs until light and fluffy.


• Fold in the coffee and chocolate mixture.


• Stir in the sieved flour and baking powder.


• Pour into the cake tin and bake for 25-30 mins.


• Cool in the tin and then cover with 6oz of melted chocolate.


• Divide into squares and enjoy with a delicious cup of coffee, Jamaica Blue Mountain of course!

Love is........

To celebrate the run up to Valentines day I have teamed up with the lovely people over at Blue Mountain Emporium who carry the most divine, prestiges coffee on earth! Grown on the blue mountain in Jamaica, with a portion of the profits going towards the setting up of a scholarship fund, to allow disadvantaged children to access an education!  They have kindly decided to let you into some of their most jealously guarded, delicous coffee receipes!!They felt that valentines day should be as much about loving yourself as perhaps a person you love!So which ever way you feel, if you adore your coffee, you have the perfect excuse to bake yourself a beautiful coffee treat! Each day in the lead up to valentines day, there will be a brand new recipe to try, unique to Blue Mountain Emporium!!!  

  

Love is remembering what first brought you together, never wanting to hang up, loosing yourself in a kiss, each moment spent together feels as sweet as the last. S xx

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Ingredients:

For the pudding;

125g / 4 ½ oz Ready to eat Dates, chopped.

125ml / 4 ½ fl oz water, just off the boil.

1tsp Jamaica Blue Mountain Instant Coffee.

¼ tsp vanilla extract.

½ heaped tsp bicarbonate of soda.

37g / 1 ½ oz butter, at room temperature.

75g / 2 ½ oz Demerara raw cane sugar.

1 large fresh egg, beaten.

87g / 3oz self-raising flour, sifted.

For the sauce;

87g / 3oz Demerara raw cane sugar.

55g / 2oz butter.

60ml / 2floz double cream

Method

• Pre-heat oven to Gas Mark 4, 350 F, 180 C.

• Grease and flour a 2lb loaf tin.

• Place chopped dates, Blue Mountain Instant Coffee, vanilla extract and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Add the nearly boiling water, stir and leave on one side. This will turn into an almost pureed mass.

• In a large bowl mix the butter and sugar, beating well. Add small quantities of egg, beating well after each addition.

• Fold in the sifted flour with a metal spoon. Add all of the date mixture and fold in.

• Pour into prepared tins and bake in the middle of the oven for 30-35 mins, depending on size of container, or until done when tested with a skewer. [NB This mixture will also make 6 individual muffin sized puddings, bake for 20 mins.]

• Make the sauce by melting all the ingredients in a pan over a gentle heat, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved.

• Place pudding on a serving dish and pour over the hot sauce. Serve with a good quality vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

 

Wear It Well! Wear It Now! x

If  like me the latest trend for wearing your inner wear out i.e wearing your pajamas and underwear as part of your staple wardrobe look, for this spring/summer 2010, has taken you utterly by surprise or for that matter has not yet not caught up with you!!  Fear not, as today I am going to provide you with some great inspiration  and hot style tips for how to wear this very comfy trend well! Hoorah for elastic waist bands!

Ok firstly, if your wearing this look in the evening avoid the above set like the plague! Even real silk or satin pjs in a bright garish colour run the risk of looking like cheap, polyester and tapered legs are a no! If you want to wear silk or satin for the evening go for wrap styles, buy the best you can afford, or vintage.Opt for luxe colours like maroon, chocolates and black and wear with pumps to keep the look really elegant, team with chunky acrylic bangles,( for a quirkey twist) a long stand of small pearls and a razor sharp bob.

 

For evening look out for shoes like these sling backs by (truffle), classic styling, mid heel and ruching all compliment this luxe look.Accessorise with a little black clutch, simple detailing, textured fabric, rather than a leather finish, keep the look clean but elegant.

Want to go pretty for evening? Take inspiration from soft grey, jelly pumps in subtle hues and kimono style cardigans, worn open.

 

Feeling confident and free, opt for this very stylish androgenous look, charcoal, striped, straight leg pjs  teamed with a stack of black, ivory acrylic or red bangles and a funky pair of vans!

 

Remember with this look fabric is everything! Want a really chic day look?Opt for a natural palette in good quality linen.Top tip- can't find pj styles that don't taper to flatter your figure? Cheat! Buy wide leg linen trousers and team with a linen nero collar shirt, in the same colourway and roll up the sleeves a little. Avoid high heels, pointy toes, shiney shoes and earrings! Bobbed hair or a clean pony look best. 

For a luxe evening look, try wearing a vintage mans belted dessing gown, worn with matching full length slip to protect your modesty as a dress with bare legs and gold pumps, add a bit of leopard and your good to go! 

Stripes beware! Top tip! If you like the set of mans pj above with BOLD charcoal stripes, either opt for wearing open, with a linen waistcoat in cream underneath! Or just do a striped pant with a plain shirt or pj top in a shade of grey.Otherwise however elongating, the stripes will be wearing you! Hope you enjoyed joining me for todays masterclass, on how to translate this very comfy trend into a wearable look for your wardrobe. S xx

The quickest route to falling out of love with your wardrobe!

Hi there, lovely blogging community, todays Style Advice is simple but critical to your wardrobe well being!

There is no point, spending time and energy shopping for beautiful clothes if you don't A) Try them on while you're doing so or B) Try them on once you get home in front of a full length mirror. Sounds so obvious but I have lost count of the times that my client's will spend money on a nice closet, great shoe boxes, scented draw liners, the clothes themselves and me, yet forget to invest in a good mirror! If you are one of these women who spends your time stood perched precariously on a stool or the bed, trying to get some idea of how your top and bottom half of clothing are working together, only to despair because you feel that you look terrible! Please take a tip from me, a well lit full length mirror is the best investment you will ever make! Half a mirror can, depending on where it's hung, which is usually high up in your room , only reflect half of you! Invaribly it usually ends up being the widest part of your body the tops of your thighs and your stomache! Not the most flattering reflection, hence your friend's being pleasantly surprised at receiving all your newest cast offs!  Sxx

A shy girls obsession x

The other day, I was lying in the bath pondering, why I have such a passion for large rings and I don't mean the kind you leave round the bath tub, when you get out after a long soak!Well can I let you into a little secret, it's because they are simply a shy girls best friend! A large chunky sleek amber ring, was a turning point in my social confidence long before I became a Stylist, advising and aiding other in the quest for there own personal style! You see I was stood minding my own buisness, waiting for a bus, pretty bored and slightly uncomfortable with the que of strangers rapidly forming, when this woman in a stripey mac, said 'OOh I like your ring!' Before I knew it, enthusasium about my chunky ring, quickly turned into a chat about music, favourite places to eat, eyebrows and lots of other pleasant and random chit chat! The ring rescued me from my discomfort about being with stangers and presented me with an opportunity to be more gregarious!!I do happen to also adore statement rings, they give me inner confidence and can add just enough bling to bring a sense polish to my latest outfit!Why not try the big ring theory yourself, let me know what you think!

If you need any more convincing the lovely lady over @ ballerinas closet obsession is offering this ring up for her giveaway! My Tea Dance, fundraiser for Haiti is now closed, many thanks for all your kind support and the money you helped raise from Monday when it first started, I will be posting about how the money you helped raise was used. Sxx

Get Those Dancing Shoes On, There Is Still Time To Join In The Fun! Sx

Hi Gals, for those of you who have not YET hot footed it over to the My Passport to Style VIRTUAL TEA DANCE, fundraiser for Haiti Aid, come on over now and join in THe Fun! Swing those hips, shimmy shake and grab a Large slice OF creamy cAKE, THIS Tea Dance marathon ends Friday at midnight, so let raise as much as we can simply by-

leaving a comment and posting a link on your lovely blog, to this Tea Dance Fundraiser over @ My Passport to Style,

For every blogger who does this, your tea dance ticket worth 50 English pence is on me! That's 5op then goes straight to Haiti aid! So come on gals together we can all make a difference! 

Remember! comment, follow along if you don't already and put a link up to the dance! Have fun and lets raise lots of 50ps for Haiti Aid!

See you there, my feet are tapping already! Sharon xx 

 

What a venue!

look at these two!

 What a beat, from King Pleasure and The Biscuit Boys!

I feel pretty, Oh so pretty and gay!!

Dreamy creamy scones

Shades of green, oh how elegant and charming!

Wisps of Angelica

Wow, don't hold back, throw yourself into it!

Look at these two kids, having fun!

So romantic

Don't forget a nice cup of tea to cool down, after all that dancing, whew!

You have got to try this one before you leave gals!

p.s thanks so much for coming along a supporting my fundraiser for Haiti, without you I could not have done it! Have a lovely weekend! Oh and check out Mon-Wed Tea Dance and comments, those babes had alot of fun! xxxx

Join in my fun Tea Dance!

Hi there, all you lovely bloggers and followers out there! Today I'm holding my very own Tea Dance with a difference, (inspired by my fabulous friends Rose Tea Cottage and Dollie Daydream, who makes superb cupcakes)  Come on over and join in the fun and contribute towards the Haiti appeal, its simple,

1) Just post about my fundraising Tea Dance on your blog and create a link to here.

2) Then follow me if you aren't doing so at the moment, PLEASE make sure you tell me about your post and following.

 This buys you a ticket to my Tea Dance.Heres the good bit your virtual Tea Dance ticket is on me and costs me 50 english pence! For each tea dance ticket given to you, I will contribute 50p to the Haiti aid appeal.

Once you arrive at my Tea Dance I would love to know what you enjoyed most about your visit! Lets have fun and raise money for Haiti just by commenting, look forward to seeing you at the Dance, it will be such fun! Sxxx

Come on in, welcome to the My Passport to Style, fundraising Tea Dance! What do you think of the venue?!

Whew this music is so good its whipped those records into the perfect cake Stand! Dollie would be jealous!

How about some fragrant tea, in a delicate china cup and a pretty rosebud cake to match this sweet tea dress?

Help yourself to one of these beautiful edible necklaces,they taste of wild strawberries freshly picked, or how about a slice of macaroon cake?

Or perhaps you decided to join in for the romance of the occassion, vintage glamour, French patisserie and lively music wafting through the air, sheer heaven!Lovely to see you, you look so pretty in that tea dress!

FLOAT ON A CLOUD oF SCONES with JAM & CREAM

A sea shore tea dance would work well for me, with the cutest cup cakes!

you must meet my very important tea dance guests, two sisters who have dedicated there life and soul to creating and and eating confection, one of the sisters, Pearl is partial to delicate pastel pink macaroons the other sister Ruby, to cupcakes with bright swirls of buttercream, the brighter the better!  

Pinky Pearl, she can't risk leaving her teacup behind, she might need them to go with a silky macaroon

Ruby

One lump or two in your tea?

Its been so lovely to see you here, thanks for all your support of this event!

credits go to Idyle Fasination, On Trend, Print Pattern and Just Jaimie. Have a great week. Sxx