Chocolates for the Postman

I love making chocolates.  It's one of my favourite things to do - even though I can't eat them.  Good job, then, that there are people in my life willing to take on the onerous task.

This box was for our postman, David.  He's great - goes the extra mile.  Sticky mitts belong to Emma, my apprentice in the chocolate factory.

And here's a top-secret recipe from the Dixon Hill kitchen just for you:

Coffee Cups

(The Postman's Favourites)

Melt 125g (4oz) of white chocolate.  Using the back of a teaspoon, evenly coat the insides of 12 sweet cases (or however many the chocolate will stretch to).  Chill until set.

Now melt 50g (2oz) of best quality dark chocolate (the higher the percentage of cocoa solids the better).  Once melted, stir in 4 tbsp double cream (heavy whipping cream), 2 tsp Tia Maria, 1 tsp instant coffee granules and 1 tsp water.  Keep stirring like mad until mixed and shiny and rather gorgeous.

Now pour the ganache (that's what you just made) into the cases, stopping just short of the top so that you can still see the pretty white rim.  Easiest to do this with a spoon.  Now chill the chocolates until the filling firms up a little but is still soft.  Gently press a chocolate-covered coffee bean into the top of each one, then return to the fridge to firm completely.

Once properly set, I like to peel away the paper casing (VERY carefully) and pop the chocolates into fresh cases.

And now you can serve, give away or eat yourself (always supposing you've held out this long).

Note: Coffee Cups are pictured bottom right above.

Season of Berries

There's an abundance of berries in the hedgerows at present.  Laced among the last of the bindweed and the rosebay willowherb, the fruit positively glows.

I've become a blackberry connoisseur over the last few days.  Out walking with Joss, I've paused to forage frequently.  But I never before realised just how varied the black berries can taste.  In one small stretch of lane, I've found blackberries that taste of honey, of figs, of vanilla.  I even found one bush that yielded berries with strong overtones of sasparilla.  The snack trolley on the Hogwarts Express could serve Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Berries - no magic required.

Pick blackberries when they slide into your fingers willingly.  If they show the slightest reluctance to be parted from their stem, then chances are they'll taste slightly tart.  But if they allow you to take them without a hint of complaint......well, then you're in for a treat.

Setting Out

Where to begin?

Just start.

Start from where you are.

Take the step right in front of you.

Do the obvious thing.

See where the path leads.