Mango Magic

 

Mango's, fat, orange, juicy and messy! That is what I think about when I see the first mango's in our local grocery store..... Hooray, it is mango season! To be perfectly honest with you I LOVE all orange fruit! Peaches, oranges and mango... but really mango's are my favourite and best ( to quote Lola - you know Charlie and Lola.... yes, from CeeBeBe's)

 

And so I set about eating as MANY mango's as I can... sitting outside on our patio, dripping mango juice all over the floor and then savouring the mango remaining on the pip by slurping it off, mango juice running down my chin, bringing back memories of a little girl doing the exact same thing... then washing off the hairy pip and turning it into a mango baby!!! Ah childhood memories.....

 

I love them so much that when LSO asked what fruit tree's we should plant on our little urban farm, there was no question really - a  MANGO tree. There was so much excitement last year when fruit began to appear but it would seem that birds like mango- BABY mango's to be precise- as much as I do! Very soon  only one tiny small but very resilient mango remained! Little madame came in after a particularly bad storm with the little mango in her hand..... she had found it on the ground, cruelly ripped off by the wind! (a bit dramatic, I know - but I was sad!) 

 

So when mango's went on special at the local grocery recently I bought loads, in the back of my mind was a mango chutney recipe in my favourite book - If there was a way I could make mango season last longer I was going to find it! Making this chutney was quiet an exotic experience- the spices and smells were intoxicating and reminded me of my trip to Indian many years back, were I ate green Mango and Marsala from street vendors

  

Mango and Red Onion Chopped

Cardamon, Cinnamon and Mustard Seeds
 

Gifts From The Kitchen - Anne Riggs

 

 

So the recipe is Mango Chutney with Chili and Ginger.   All the exotic tastes that I like, the list of ingredients is LOONNGGG but the making is not so long..... here its is.....

 

2 Onions - peeled and chopped

3 Fat cloves of Garlic - peeled and finely chopped

1 Red Chili - seeded and finely chopped

4cm Piece of Ginger - peeled and grated

1 Apple  - (I used a Granny Smith) peeled,cored and chopped

4 Large Ripe Mango's - peeled and stoned

4 Cardamom Seeds

1 tsp Fenugreek

1 tsp Cumin

1/2 tsp Coriander Seeds

2 tsp Mustard Seeds 

1 Cinnamon Stick

1/2 tsp Turmeric

350ml White Wine Vinegar

200g Light Brown Sugar

200g Granulated Sugar

1 tsp salt

Juice of 1 lime

(the recipe also called for Kalonji seeds - what???? if any one knows what they are please let me know!)

 

Place the onion, garlic, chili, ginger, mango and apple into a pot!

Crack the Cardamon  pods and extract the seeds, then, toast all the seeds(except the mustard) and add to the  in a dry pan - you will smell the gorgeous exotic aroma, then grind in a pestle and mortar. Then do the mustard seeds and add to the pot with the cinnamon and turmeric!

Add the vinegar and salt and bring to the boil, cook on medium till the fruit is pulpy - add the sugars and cook for about 30 minutes, I found about 40 min was good because it needs to thicken up!

Add the lime juice as it give it a bit of a kick - I like kick so I added more than 1 lime!

Spoon into sterilised jars and you have you own little bit of Indian yummyness!!!!

 

See not too difficult !  

 

 

Jars Waiting

 

I simply love having my own chutneys, jams and pickles at the ready in my cupboard. Not only do they taste MUCH better than  bottled chutneys and pickles bought in a shop  but you know exactly what is going into them... no added preservatives or colouring, and to be honest in today's world, with genetically modified and added everything, it makes me happy to know I am trying, and I do say trying to feed my family the best that I can...... OK! I will get off my soup box now! Also as a gift..... nothing beats getting  a homemade something yummy!  Don't you think? xxx

MMMMMM Yummy!


 

Fairy Wings and Pretty Things

It was announced recently by Little Madame that she would really like a GIRLS ONLY PARTY for her next birthday - I had to keep very calm and be very casual as I asked her if she was certain about that... I had been waiting for this for ages... to plan a pretty pink girly party..... HOORRAAYY!!! And as we have already done many unisex parties ranging from Noddy, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, a Circus theme and Mermaids and Pirates..... I was very happy to be doing a GIRLY party!  Now I need to say that Little Madame starts to plan her next party, the day after the last one! Books are pawed over and picture are saved and anything she sees that she vaguely likes is immediately incorporated into the  "for my next party" file - Yes she has a little book of things she likes!! Her idea a few months back was a Barbie/Winks Club Pool Party with a Pinata and 'things' for boys to do! WHAT!!! 

 

Her idea was a spa party...... mmmmm a bit to grown up, me thinks but I started to browse the net and try and come up with ideas... I found loads but all for girl of 10 years and up - luckily for me, she changed her mind when she saw the cupcakes that I had recently made and a FAIRY TEA PARTY is now the prefered party. JUST UP MY LITTLE PINK ALLEY! 

Decanting Glitter Into Tiny Bottles - Fairy Dust Of Course!

So party planning when into full swing a few days ago, I like to have everything done and dusted really early! Everything packed into large boxes and good to just be picked up and taken to the party venue, which this year is a gorgeous little coffee shop down the road! 

 

Since it was a FAIRY party I thought that fairy dust, and fairy wings were an ABSOLUTE must.... now I know that I probably could have saved myself a whole lot of time and bought wings BUT an idea was brewing.... and when I got down to trying it! It was GORGEOUS so GORGEOUS that I wanted some for myself....... So here before the party has even taken place are the NO SEW Fairy Wings I made and WOW are they simple and easy to make!!!

 

Cut a piece of Tulle about 40cm wide, fold it in half  and then fold it again!

Cut an oval out, I just rounded the corner of the rectangle. Cut out two wings, one slightly smaller!

 

Lay the two oval on top of one another

 

 

Cut two lengths of Ribbon - just over a meter each - be generous

 

 

Gather the two pieces up in roughly the middle of the fabric, then take both pieces of ribbon and tie it very tightly around the gather! this will give you 4 pieces of ribbon which will tie around you little fairy, one over the shoulder and one under the shoulder

   

 

I tied the ribbons together in a bow on Little Madames chest and it works perfectly!

 

I bought some Beautiful pink roses just to make them look ever so pretty....

 

 

I then wound the wire around the ribbon until there was no more wire -do this very tightly!

 

 

Then pull the smaller of the wings out and almost shape them.... pull outward toward you..... and Ta Dah! Instant No Sew Fairy Wings - SO PRETTY!

 

 

 

 

 Twenty Five pairs of pretty wings done in about three hours!!

 

 

 

 Left over tulle has become gorgeous pom pom,made the old fashion way - no short cuts there I am afraid!

 

 

 

There really are so many gorgeous idea's that I have thought of, and honestly I really love organising Little Madame's parties for her, I always want her to remember them as being the best days ever..... Her birthday is soon and I promise to update you as I go...... On all the Fairy Wings and Pretty Things....   xxx