ANNOUNCING: The Chocolate Quarter

If I was set with the task of writing the happiest story on the entire planet, it would probably start with a new shop filled with chocolate opening near my home. So hopefully that puts into perspective how happy I am to announce that The Chocolate Quarter is open for business in Birmingham’s own Jewellery Quarter. YES.

In the name of public interest I had to investigate and do some sampling, you know. For research.

This lovely home grown family business will boom in the JQ which is slowly but surely becoming a new hot spot. Just in time for Valentine’s day, the luxury chocolatiers have loads of offers, heart shaped velvet chocolate boxes, liqueurs, bespoke romantic hampers and insanely good deals for your loved ones. OR, if you’re single (hey), then you’re in for an even bigger treat because you don’t have to pretend to want to share.

The space has a comfy seating area for you to sit and drink your mega rich hot chocolate that they make from their house bars in front of you. There’s a corner dedicated just to nostalgic sweets, and they have a wide array of biscuits, fudges and “inclusion bars” (they even let you vote for new flavours).

I bought – and demolished – a mini box of chocolate covered coffee beans and a little box of handmade chocolates. Choosing was freaking hard, but my favourite flavours were “The Londoner caramel & stout” which was Guinness in a truffle, “Genoa basil Chocolate ganache” and the “Boston peanut butter & raspberry jelly”. But there are simpler more classic flavours too: praline, champagne, and caramel.

Head over to the Jewellery Quarter this Valentine’s day for a bespoke gift, and I seriously advice you follow them on Twitter and Facebook for regular competitions and updates.

Peace out, I’m slowly slipping into my cocoma. 

TREND EDIT: Spring 2016

You don’t have to work where I do to be up to date on upcoming fashion trends, and even though post-Christmas our thick winter coats are only just emerging, shops are now in a Spring 2016 soft launch, with the on-sale sequin playsuits and bodycons put on the “last chance to buy” rail.

Trend forecasting has always been one of my favourite interests as an aspiring buyer; that camel ribbed turtle neck you think is an impulse buy, has actually been put there after a series of premeditated decisions up to three or four years prior to your purchase. The colour could’ve been influenced by the economy, the material by climate, the length by sheer natural cycle. But for this post, instead of looking too far in to the future’s trends, I’m going to highlight my favourites of Spring 2016, the fashion house trail blazers and the high street implementers that bring those trends to our wardrobes.

WHITE OUT

Think Olivia Pope and well... Kim K, with the clean colour palette that’s followed on from the summer. 

(Calvin Klein SS16//Whistles SS16)

NAUTICAL

Every 2 years or so, stripes in red blue and white come back on to the rails, but this year I am really enjoying the Ralph Lauren-esque vibes.

(Max Mara SS16//Karen Millen SS16)

ATHLEISURE

I remember 2013. Sportsluxe came around yet again and as with every other time I was so disinterested, but everything I have seen this year has been absolutely amazing. Stripes, mesh inserts and unstructured silhouettes.

(Alexander Wang SS16//Jaeger SS16)

VINTAGE REDUX

This is one of my favourites purely for couture theatre’s sake, and not so much for functionality, but everything is embellished, pussy bows and Lamé. It’s so OTT, you just know Topshop is going to slay it.

(Gucci SS16//Miss Selfridge SS16)

SLIPS

The full length version of a silk nightie-come-dress is categorically not for a woman with boobs or bum, but there is an abundance of cami tops so everyone can enjoy this sultry trend.

(Celine SS16//Topshop SS16)

Happy December: 5 new things and an afterthought

Pinch punch, third of the month (it could be a thing).

I bought a couple of cool things this week, and even more pleasingly have had some lovely things bought for Christmas.

HP

I am unconditionally bound to Harry Potter and evidently don’t care who knows it.  My friend bought me these amazing note cards, so that when I send people letters or thank you notes or birthday cards, I can entirely cement into your heads the fact I am a 24 year old Bellatrix wannabe. You know, in case there were any doubts.

NOBEL

My mother and I brought some of this tea home, the last time that we went to Cyprus. I have a large but well managed obsession with tea, and if I see chai tea in a shop I tend to buy it. No two chai tea brands are ever the same, as chai is a blend of different spices. Each manufacturer makes it to their own taste. Although this isn’t called Chai, it is the same type of flavour and my all time favourite tea. Soz, but you can only buy it on an obscure Cypriot website.

MAC

Speaking of obsessions, lipstick and I have a consistently OTT relationship. Mainly dark berries and burgundies, but why even lie? Any colour. A wonderful friend of mine bought me an early Christmas present: Dark Side Amplified. It is a dark chocolate brown lipstick, which she added a lip pencil (Nightmoth) to. The lip pencil is considerably darker than the lipstick, and if you blend the two together at the edges, your lips will look INSANE. I might not have to get those lip fillers after all, cheers Georgia.

VOGUE

In addition to the make-up and the note cards, this annoyingly good friend of mine bought me one of these bad boys. I’ve always loved colouring in. Actually, no. When I was at the age when I should have loved colouring in, I was horrific at it. I tend to get bored quite easily and as soon as I’d screw up and colour outside of the lines I was all “Yeah great what else is new”. But ever since colouring for adults has found itself back in style, it has also found itself miraculously into my house. In all seriousness, it helps with anxiety and depression, as well as it being fucking cool. This specific Vogue book has dated annotations of each cover girl you’re colouring in.

BAUBLES

Finally, I thought I’d end it on a festive note. While in London last week I had to stop at Harrods, because the Christmas season needs THREE things to begin for me. I’ve gone to the German market, I watched Love, Actually and so... Harrods was the only thing left. I’m not living with my mother anymore so even though I’ll be there over Christmas, I have my own home to decorate now. Being a VM means I have seen a lot of Christmas Shops, decorated a lot of trees in a lot of expensive baubles. No amount of experience will ever prepare you for Harrods Christmas World 2015. I bought a couple of baubles to adorn my sad bare tree with tomorrow, when the incessant decorating begins.

AFTERTHOUGHT

If you find yourself bored and too broke for Netflix, AmazonPrime has an AMAZING one time miniseries out about one of my favourite things: ballet. Flesh & Bone is addictive and kind of verges on sickening. This show touches on every theme ever. Sex, dancing, opera, incest, love and caviar. I urge you to watch it, you will be buying me colouring books and lipstick in no time.

x

Recipe: Sticky banana & salted caramel muffins

Good evening! 
As if I don't bake enough as it is, I evolve into an incessant dough-on-her-face monster around Christmas. Possibly because it's too cold to be outside, possibly because I love winter and when I'm happy I cook. 
So, I'm going to show you my latest creation: Sticky banana & salted caramel muffins, with a coconut and peanut glaze. 

Ingredients
90g melted butter (cooled)
270g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
130g demerara sugar
2 tsp salted caramel flavouring/vanilla extract
2 large ripe bananas
2 large eggs
135ml milk

For Glaze and icing
2 tablespoons course coconut oil
1 table spoon peanut butter
Desiccated coconut sprinkle for garnish/decoration
Icing Sugar
Salted caramel flavouring

To prepare
So, preheat your oven to 200C and when it's time to put the dough in, lower it to 190C.
Sift the flour, baking powder, the spices and bicarbonate of soda in a big bowl and add the sugar. Stir it all well.
With a fork, beat the eggs with the flavouring, the melted butter and the milk. Mash the bananas really well and add those into the wet ingredients. 
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the egg mixture. Stir it but don't overdo it or play with the mixture too thoroughly. 

Fill your muffin cases and put them in your baking tray.
Bake for 18-20 minutes at 190C, or until you can tell they are coming away from the sides.
Pull them out and rub the glaze over the tops, and return them into the oven for another 5 minutes.

With water icing, I just mix a certain amount of spoonfuls of icing sugar with cold water until I get the consistency I want. If you have salted caramel add that into the icing mix too, and when the muffins have cooled, brush the icing on the tops. Sprinkle your coconut, put them in the fridge or wait an hour for the icing to set, and you're ready to go!

I got a lot of people trying out the florentines, so please go ahead and try these out too, let me know how you get on and show me your photos!

E x

Festive Recipe: Cherry & Almond Florentines

It is a day in the week, which means it's time to bake food and eat it excessively!
I thought I'd show you a really easy recipe for florentines since we are nearing Christmas, and it's half of this blog's namesake.
The good thing about florentines is that they makeshift easily into what you want them to taste like. I've gone slightly traditional, but you can add pistachios, walnuts, cranberries or any other grown up sounding ingredient that twelve-year-old-you would've scowled at.

Ingredients:
60g butter
60g demerara sugar
60g golden syrup
50g plain flour
200g chocolate

For the flavour:
60g glace cherries
60g almonds

Yeah, I am not joking. The ingredients and measurements are that straightforward. As long as the flavour ingredients equate to 120g, you can include most anything. Flaked almonds are necessary, but you can chop any nuts or currants to go with them. It is also worth noting that dark chocolate tastes best on florentines. They are covered in caramel and unless your sweet tooth is colossal, white and milk chocolate will only cause a seizure. 

Method:
Preheat your oven to 180C and get three baking trays ready. DO NOT do a single thing without having baking paper in your house. 
Measure your sugar, syrup and butter and gently heat them in a pan til melted.
Remove pan from the heat, and add the flour, cherries and almonds. 
Stir until there is barely any caramel at the bottom of the bowl. 
Spoon sixteen teaspoons of the mixture onto your trays and bake them for 10 minutes. 
Once they're out let them harden and cool before putting them on a wire rack.
Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie and spread it on the flat side of the florentines. If you're feeling particularly insane, mark out a pattern with a fork. 
Put them in the fridge for an hour to cool.

Try the recipe and let me know how it goes, or better yet, I'm happy to test them for you.

E x

Rainy Days on Instagram: 6 Fashion accounts to follow

Happy November! It is scarf, hat and runny nose weather, FINALLY. Winter is my absolute favourite time of year. On the occasion where I spend a rainy night at home with a cup of something deeply and dangerously caffeinated, one of my favourite new world vices is scouring through Instagram.  I’ve put a list of 6 accounts together for you to look through; there’s a mix of high end and high street international businesses, as well as good old inspiration accounts. Enjoy!

Third_form

A new start up, Third Form was founded by Merryn Kelly in 2014, who previously worked with Australian brands Zimmerman, Lee jeans and Shakuhachi. Third Form clothing is minimal with a distinct urban influence and pointedly high end. Running through the pictures will find you spending insane portions of your income on svelte monochrome dresses and unstructured midi skirts.

Runway96

Arguably, this account/brand is the most “on trend” of the group I have featured. Founded in England, they have curated a collection of designers and fashion houses just for their clientele to be inspired by. From big names Calvin Klein and Bjorn Borg to British born Finders Keepers and Lavish Alice, Runway96 have a wonderfully balanced combination between well established and fresh blooded brands for you to choose from, at fair prices.

DruzyDreams

This company is so cool. Also established in 2014, DruzyDreams specialise in bohemian alternative jewellery, beautiful stones and silver. Based in the UK but shipping worldwide, they are still grounded enough to be massively interested in their customer. Their Hunter’s Moon collection for this season is insanely beautiful. They name each and every piece of jewellery and you feel like a hippy witch wearing one. I have a rainbow moonstone ring on my wish list, check them out.

PhoLondon

Ahhhhh I am so excited about Pho London existing. This brand’s pieces are timeless, minimalistic, simple yet so freaking necessary in your life. As with Runway96, Pho London is a collection of handpicked, corn fed, organic and beautiful few brands, moulded together to sell a Cos and Whistle-like lifestyle to you. Brands such as Blake LDN, Charlie May, and Marina contribute artfully basic wardrobe pieces, while there are brands like Katie Leamon and Matthew N Butler for art and accessories. Pho London’s instagram feed is to blame for my poorness.

As an aside, I thought I’d reserve my final mention for two other favourites. I’ve always had an illogical penchant for bridal wear, couture, and massively elaborate eveningwear I wouldn’t be able to afford even if I sold all of you for parts. Amazing household name Steven Khalil’s account just makes me want to marry and divorce a couple of hundred times, just so I can wear his pieces. Lastly, LovingHauteCouture is pretty self explanatory. That instagram feed is the most inspirational mood board of stunning, embellished evening dresses, wedding dresses, runway dresses... dresses and more dresses. All of that, topped with a few curiously pristine bouquets of roses thrown in for good measure.

Enjoy your rainy nights in, enjoy your wasted time and if my suggestions are successful, enjoy your early onset poverty!

Emily x 

Links:

www.thirdform.au 

www.runway96.com

www.druzydreams.com

www.pholondon.com

www.stevenkhalil.com

Autumn Recipe: Sweet Potato & Coconut Curry

Hello, there. Ever since moving out of my mamas house and living alone, I’ve begun to realise just how time consuming my favourite hobby can be and sometimes I can badly not be bothered with standing over a stove for six hours just to destroy my plate in a minute and a half.

So although I don’t claim to be the best cook on the planet, I’ve mastered the skill of throwing whatever is in my fridge together, making  something remotely tasty, all the while managing to remember NONE of what I did to tell you the next day.

But that’s what’s good with this recipe, if you can even call it that. It is a guideline, at best. Chucking your own herbs and spices in will ruin nothing.

I should also state that I use the word ‘curry’ lightly, and anyone of Asian descent should not send me complaints for doing an injustice to years of spicy food.

Ingredients

3 Sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped in chunky pieces

1 Aubergine, sliced/chopped

1 can of beans, (butter beans are my favourite, but haricot, kidney and chickpeas work too)

2 tomatoes, chopped

2 spring onions, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic finely chopped OR spoon of lazy garlic

1 yellow pepper (but seriously, what’s the difference, use whatever colour you want, I hear some people have a weird aversion to yellow peppers)

1 tin Pride coconut milk (This is important, I think this is much better to use than Dunn’s River which is 100% liquid. Pride is half solid half liquid, and helps with a creamy consistency)

2 generous teaspoons of coconut oil (100% pure and coarse, in a jar)

1 healthy squeeze of tomato puree OR half a carton of passata

Method:

Put your chopped sweet potatoes, aubergine, tomato, spring onions, pepper and garlic into your glass Pyrex dish and coat them in coconut oil. Give them a good mix and put them in the oven, preheated to 200°C for fifteen minutes just to get started. Once you take the dish back out, add the beans, the coconut milk and the puree and again, mix it well. Now is the fun bit. Open up your spices drawer and have a party. I use cumin, chilli flakes, medium curry powder and cinnamon in mine, because it’s a sweet and spicy mix to go with the sweet potatoes. I have an illogical, irrational dislike of salt, but this would be the part where normal humans season their food, so feel free! Put your improv curry in the oven for about 50 minutes, opening the door regularly to stir the dish around and make sure the juices are soaking through.

Once it’s done, I add it to coconut rice, sprinkle paprika on top and fall into it head first. If you’re as lazy and single as I am, you’ll notice the spare food left over. What I do is mix the rice with the curry and I refrigerate it. In the morning, I fill tortilla wraps with the curry and take my sexy burritos to work.

Let me know how it goes, and if you made any changes which you think make it way tastier. Show me your photos!

Emily

x