Wordless Wednesday

This week i have been participating in a "pop-up shop" at the Literary Festival here in Dundee. That's me nestled amongst the cakes, (see, not as daft i look). Along with other visitors i have been enjoying the books, music, lectures, readings, cakes, products and general ambiance of the festival. The sun is shining, and it is wonderful to see so many people enjoying themselves, although it seems to me to be a rule of thumb that at any public lecture there is always someone who feels the need to ask a dumb question in the most obnoxious manner they can think of? 

Still the festival runs until Saturday so pop along if you are anywhere near.

i had a punnet of Blueberries just as ripe as could be and needing to be eaten, Tempted though i was to sit down and scoff the entire lot i decided to make muffins instead, (so i could sit down and scoff them instead, see the method in my madness ; ) I simply followed one of Nigella Lawson's recipes and hey presto before you could say "domestic Godess" a dozen breakfast muffin were sitting in my kitchen!

This is a really i san easy to follow recipe and even some one like me who is

 "challenged" in the kitchen dept can manage it! Give it a go,

INGREDIENTS

2 cups (approx 280 grams) Self Raising flour

3/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup (approx. 67 grams) sugar

2 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

4 tbsp butter, melted

3/4 cup (175 ml) milk

2 cups (approx. 300 grams?!?) blueberries, well-dried

Optional: 1 tsp grated orange or lemon rind

muffin pan lined with muffin papers (I use one 12 cup and one 6 cup pan)

Serving Size : Makes 18 muffins

METHOD

1.	Wash the blueberries and drain. Sprinkle a tea towel with flour and roll the blueberries in it. Wrap the now lightly floured berries and leave for a good 30 minutes or so to dry completely.
2.	Preheat oven to 425F/210C/Gas Mark 7.
3.	Sift the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder into a large mixing bowl.
4.	In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Add the melted butter and then the milk.
5.	Quickly stir the liquid ingredients into the dry, confining yourself to only 10-15 strokes. Leave the lumps as too much handling will result in tough muffins.
6.	Add the floured blueberries and the optional rind if you are using. Briefly fold in the berries.
7.	Spoon into the prepared muffin pans, allowing the mixture to fill about 2/3 of the cup.
8.	Bake in the hot oven for 15-20 minutes. Muffins will be a light golden colour when fully cooked. Remove at once from their tins.
9.	Serve with plenty of butter. To really make this a meal, scramble some eggs to eat with the muffins!

oh and by the way i did not eat them all at once, but spread them out over the week for breakfasts!

Okay i have been off line for a wee while now but i am back with a vengeance, so here goes...

Last Friday i attended my very first Etsy party, here in Dundee, Scotland.  i had seen many of these parties discussed on Etsy and on fellow Etsian's (?) blogs but to be able to attend one in person was great! There were lots of tables with many busy wee makers chatting, trading  secrets and generally having a great evening.  Each table had a different activity including, felting, embroidery, pin cushion making and i think i even spotted some cake stand making, though i can't be sure and i did not manage to get to that table, (though i desperately wanted

 to). I indulged in a spot of book making and also managed to squeeze in some bunting making, 

(Sandra please note the top of my blog : ) 

in between my gossiping. Just some of the other local makers i met include: 

Plastic Bat 

who makes this wonderful  "Las Vegas" necklace priced @ £20

And also Sandra, who makes many beautiful things, amongst them this gorgeous mouse @ £17.

Sandra also runs Ruby loves Red,

 an online shop based here in the UK selling a treasure trove full of goodies for most any occasion. Do check it out.

i won't have internet access for the next couple of weeks : (

but i'll be back soon.

wordless Wednesday