A ONE WAY TICKET

Where to? Paris, of course. Yes, you have read that correctly, I have finally gone and done it. September 17th 2013 I am making the move and I do not have a clue what I am going to do when I get there. Possibly sleep in the doorway of Laduree or Piere-Herme until they offer to feed me or why the hell not, give me a job!

I thought that with this impending doom, it is about time I jumped back on the blogging band-waggon as I figure out and account how and what I am going to do when I make the move. I have many ideas, from emailing bakeries/patisseries/restaurants asking if they need a kitchen assistant who speaks little French but is very passionate and who doesn't mind being shouted at by stressed chefs. Maybe I'll become an au pair or go to language school. From following many many blogs over the past couple of years about people's accounts of their move to Paris, I have come to the conclusion these are nearly ALL American blogs, there are very few well know English blogs about a 20-something moving to Paris on a whim... Donc, this is what this is going to be.

Now, I have a Sunday of writing emails to get back to and reading Joanne Harris, dreaming of my soon-to-be home.

Lydia

I did it again...

...I fell off the face of the earth. I apologise profusely to anyone who actually reads this sporadic blog. 

My head has been elsewhere, not even in the books and essays I've been doing, I don't really know where it's been. As I explained to someone earlier this week, I am feeling rather puppet like at the moment in the sense of knowing what I'm doing, why I'm doing it and how long I've got to do it but it suspiciously feels as though it's not me doing it. Maybe that's because I never thought I'd be at this point in my degree, after many ups and downs and hundreds of boxes of tissues, I thought I would have quit many months back. But here I am with three weeks to go, my dissertation has been handed in and I have just a handful of things to get done now. 

So what's going to happen after then, I hear you ask... I don't really know, that is probably the best answer to give you. If I have the funds I'll make the move over to France next year and carry on at Chatsworth for the remaining year. But then there's something seriously niggling away at me that I need to get a job, but due to my very silly head I don't really know what I feel passionate about anymore, nor do I know what drives me. I have gotten through this degree by the bare thought of, at least I'll have a degree at the end of this. 

There are too many interests running about my head at the moment; photography, art (both the doing and the business side), baking, social media, public relations, writing, singing... It's obscene. If you know anyone looking for a jack of all trades then I'm your girl. Just thought it would be good to put that out there. 

Next, the blog... after many months of researching and studying Arts Council England, I have a renewed love for everything art related. This means expect some real arty farty bits and bobs in coming posts as well as some more reflective writing, loads of cake. Basically I want this blog to become a visual feast and it to come with a "WARNING: YOU MAY DROOL" tagline... Yes, I'm talking about THAT much cake.. 

Anyway, I have an essay to write on Corporate Social Responsibility and feel as though I may get on my high horse and quite opinionated about the environment... 

Lydia x

DOTS DOTS AND DOTS

I forever think about what uniforms my staff will wear when I own my own bakery. They will all wear aprons, designed by moi, but putting on this dress I decided that polka dots would have to be uniform (okay, guys don't have to wear them but they can if they want). There's something so childlike about polka dots, they're wonderful and it sounds bizarre to talk about such a simple pattern but I feel as though as soon as I put on polka dots, I can go outside swirling and twirling around simple because I'm wearing polka dots, and no one would bat an eyelid. 

So, if I ever employ you in the future, make sure you like polka dots. 

L x

DOUGH (DOH!)

I have been dabbing my hand in bread making again. However there is no dabbing in this dough, there should be a warning in Paul Hollywood's book "How To Bake" saying DO NOT ATTEMPT TO KNEAD BY HAND! Why, you may ask.. Well, it's messy and very very gooey and wet. Mixing Ciabatta dough should only be done in a mixer. 

Saying that, and after A LOT of cleaning up I realised how wonderful and easy this dough is. After it has been mixed you place it into a well oiled (olive oil!) rectangular container. Then leave it to double, even triple, in size, once it has grown significantly you tip it out onto a floured surface and cut the dough into four strips, stretch out a little, pop onto the baking tray, leave to rest, in the over for twenty minutes and DONE. Easy? Very!! 

This recipe makes four ciabatta sticks and my batch was gone by the next morning. Most of it was enjoyed warms with spicy sausage casserole and a glass of red, it could not have been more perfect. This is definitely one to make again. 

If you're a baking fan, I have only recently bought this book and have also purchased the Leon Baking and Puddings book and cannot recommend them highly enough. Both are filled with tons of hints and tips to get the best results and I can see that both of them will spend most of their time on the worktop and not on the bookshelf!

L x

LEEK

No, not the vegetable sadly (but how about leeks with cheese sauce and a crackle of black pepper..yes please), I am talking about the beautiful old market town in Staffordshire. Somewhere I have only visited on a couple of occasions yet fall more in love with every single time.

If you are a lover of antiques then Leek is definitely your place if you're up this way of the country. I recommend exploring the maze that is Odeon Antiques for uniquely elegant lanterns and extravagant chandeliers hung above restored farmhouse style furniture. This is not the only style though, there's Edwardian, Elizabethan and Industrial styling thrown together in this little gem.

Other than antiques and all things vintage, food is something which Leek should quite proudly boast about. Staffordshire being home to the wonderful breakfast staple, the oatcake, which is best with sausages, bacon, eggs and beans piled upon it, you would expect Leek (and other Staffordshire towns) to be a little foodie haven, which thankfully it is. Whilst visiting my Mum and myself took a seat in the cafe "Pronto" and indulged in a heavy slab of Chocolate Fudge cake and something which neither of us have ever tried before, an Austrian tart which is a layer of creamy light custard in between even lighter sponge, it's a wonderful melt in your mouth dessert!!

The one thing that struck me about Leek is their efforts with "Totally Locally", which in my opinion has to be the best campaign I have ever seen regarding independent businesses. It's about a town thriving with indpendent shops, run by local people, the less chains and franchises in sight the better. And as a self confessed lover of everything food related this works beautifully, cafes are busy without the competition of well know coffee shops, deli's are bustling and the stock disappears before your eyes if you sit in long enough, it's people doing what they love and being able to enjoy it. Shouldn't that be what all towns are like? I mean, my local town, Matlock, are part of "Totally Locally" however there's something about Leek which makes it seem they are going for it so much more!

Right, I am getting on my high horse, so here's a few photographs I snapped there...

Leek's indoor market

An antiques market...some very unusual finds but also some little gems..

Inside "Butter Market"

Odeon Antiques

....Couldn't resist putting that last photo, I think it was taken from a place called Winkhill just outside of Leek towards Ashbourne. I'm rubbish with place names so don't trust me on that one!

L
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THE HUMBLE ART OF BREAD MAKING

The other day, I woke up and I had to make bread. I have NEVER made bread before.

As an avid viewer of The Great British Bake Off, I have intently watched the hands of Paul Hollywood manipulating dough into all sorts of shapes with a variety of flavours, so it was about time I had a go.

I decided on baking a simple white bread cob and I cannot recommend this recipe enough!! Little tip here though: watch the videos as well as reading the recipe to see how Mr Hollywood's dough looks as how it is described in the recipe is not how it looks in the video.

The first attempt, the dough was not wet enough, I still managed to make some nice bread rolls out of them though, even if they were a little dense! However this has to be the most therapeutic thing I have ever made... I even sat and watched the bread rise whilst reading. Bliss.. I think so.

Smothering the work surface in olive oil and kneading the dough over and over, turning and rotating was wonderful, if not a little tiring. I have no idea why I was so scared about making bread, yes the first lot of dough wasn't perfect but it still worked out nicely.

The second attempt could not have worked out better, I did not shy away from proudly presenting my bread, much like how a child would celebrate a gold star in primary school. I was proud of myself.

Before the thought of taking a photo of the wonderful crumb structure inside (how poncy does that sound?!) the bread had disappeared into hungry stomachs however I cherished the lingering smell of cooking bread in the air.

It won't be long until I am coming up with all sorts of fancy concoctions and I am looking forward to documenting it.

I have most definitely found a new love in the the art of bread making.

L

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No my bum does not look good in these jeans.. who cares??!

I wrote this a few months ago in a journalism seminar and I thought it was about time I shared it because I LOVE my "Mom" jeans! And I have never in my life blogged anything fashion related so here goes...

Since the day I saw Topshop advertise a pair of "Mom" jeans I knew I needed a pair. No, they did not look flattering nor did they look recent or like an amazingly ground breaking fashion statement, more like something you would pick out of an "Only 99p" plastic box at a tatty charity shop. For some bizarre reason none of this fazed me. "Mom" jeans were the 1970's American housewife staple, high-waisted, tapered and enormously baggy around the behind with even baggier pockets to accentuate the look of "I have had three children and everything is heading South". I immediately sent my friends in the direction of the Topshop website to which there were some distasteful moans and grunts of disgust of why I would want such a thing but the only thing on my mind was ultimate comfort and the fact that I had seen these exact jeans in Beyond Retro in London, I knew they were fast becoming the vintage kids must-have item, so of course I ordered them.

My first wear of said jeans did not go well, being at 6th form college where the only thing in other girls wardrobes were leggings, long tunic t-shirts and ugg boots, meant I was once again greeted with some raised eyebrows and embarrassed glares. No one seemed to understand this key piece of clothing, my effort seemed unappreciated and my statement unrecognised. Had none of these people seen the catwalks of Chanel in the 70s and 80s?! I was wearing fashion gold. This "Mom" style was greeted by a raucous laugh when I stepped in from college; the only person who seemed to understand was my disgustingly cool Brother who is a head to toe second hand vintage kind of guy. I was disillusioned though, I thought I looked effortlessly cool and like I had just stepped out of a life drawing class at Central Saint Martins. After the second wear I was unfased by the looks and strutted my, I admit it, rather large looking behind anyway, it was liberating to not be wearing the same old thing as every other style-chasing young girl but holding my head high and walking around like I was Annie Hall.

If you don't know what is meant by "Mom" jeans than I suggest you look at the Topshop website as they have just got a new line in and I'm tempted to purchase another pair...!

L

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