by Helen | Feb 10, 2023 | Lifestyle
I had to share this recipe as it’s the easiest – and easily most delicious – curry, we’ve made in a long time. And, we are trying to extend our curry repertoire as we currently don’t have Indian or Nepalese or Thai restaurants on our doorstep. So this has been a find of a recipe…
what you’ll need
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 onion : finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves : crushed
- 2 tsp fresh ginger
- 2 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 can (400g/14oz) coconut milk
- 100/150 ml stock
- 500 g (1lb) salmon fillets
- olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste
what you’ll need to do
1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/430°F. Slice the salmon fillets into chunks and pat dry with paper towel. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Drizzle over the oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Place in the hot oven and roast for 5-7 minutes until the salmon is firm but not fully cooked. Remove from the oven and set aside.
2. In a large, deep pan melt the coconut oil & add the onion, cooking until soft, then add the garlic and ginger and cook for a couple of minutes.
3. Add all the spices and cook until the pan looks dry and smells aromatic, then stir the tomato paste, cooking for a couple of minutes, before pouring in the coconut milk and stock.
4. Season the sauce with salt and pepper then reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce is slightly reduced.
5. Once the sauce has reduced, add the salmon to the sauce and allow to simmer for another 5 minutes or until the salmon is just cooked but still juicy.
6. Adjust seasoning and add lemon or lime juice then garnish with fresh coriander. We served with coconut rice and naan breads – thank you British Corner Shop for my M&S order!
Pour a lovely glass of wine and enjoy! It’s delicious!
by Helen | Feb 9, 2023 | Interiors
With Spring knocking on the door and a house to get back on the market, we’ve been beavering away at the interior of our home since New Year. Now that we are also seriously looking at other properties to buy, we’re seeing things slightly differently and have realised that if we are to sell, we need to present a house which looks like something new owners could see themselves in. Not our home. So, we’ve been de-cluttering, stripping back, changing colours so that we have a much more neutral and palette. We haven’t stripped away our personality, because we obviously still live here and I certainly don’t want to live in a sterile space. We’ve just focused on making it a little less us. And in The Well Room, this is where we’ve started making the biggest changes.
Our concrete table – which was a beautiful grey colour – had a resin coat applied a few years back, and this changed it completely. Close up, it still looked lovely. The resin highlighted the different tones and it had a beautiful finish – but the colour overall had changed too, and it’s taken us until now to admit that we’ve never really liked it. We also thought that it might be difficult to paint over resin, but we just decided to go for it, by sanding it down and then applying a very good quality soft sheen gloss in white. What a transformation.
The navy floor has had its first undercoat in white. The floor is original stone and therefore a bit uneven in places – as stone flags tend to be – so our original thinking (when we realised that having a wooden floor laid was more problematic than we were prepared to deal with at the time) was to paint it in a dark navy and cover it with rugs. This has been fine for the last four years, but as soon as the table was painted, it was just too dark and uncompromising. So, like with the table, we just went for it and went white. The plan is to top coat it in a very pale grey, the same colour that we have in the living room, so that the two rooms flow, but at the moment we’re just basking in the whiteness. The blue rugs have gone too, now having found a new home in The Snug, and replaced with jute rugs. Again, a huge difference – and with very little effort and expense.
The Well Room should always have been a lovely dining/living room but in reality, when we’ve been doing renovations and DIY, it’s become a glorified storage room for all of the decorating paraphenalia. And so it was never really used, Or loved. Well, that’s all changed. We’ve purchased two children’s wardrobes from IKEA – I know! – but they were just the right size and colour, and a very funky design, so pretty perfect for hiding away coats and bags and trainers and boots. In the other, we’ve stored away all of the excess kitchen “stuff” – blenders, food mixers, casserole dishes, carafes etc – that sat on top of cupboards and shelves just adding to the feeling of clutter. Meaning that in addition to a much better looking Well Room, we also have a much less busy kitchen. Lots of our bits and pieces have also been boxed away – again, a good exercise in de-cluttering but also, subliminally, a start to the packing up – and so what we have in the Well Room now is much more considered and contributes to an overall feeling of calmness.
We’re very used to the glass well cover, but we do realise that some people might be a bit spooked by looking down into – or standing over – a 10 metre drop. So a white furry rug has been bought to sit on top of the glass, leaving enough around the edges, so that the uplighting can still be seen. And, so that the rug does not get stood on, a coconut palm tree in a basket sits in top, creating a green focal point for the room.
We still have work to do in this room. The floor needs to be finished and the walls repainted, but then it’s over to the professionals, as we are finally tackling the bathroom door and the front door. A sliding wooden door will replace the cheap, not very pretty door into our renovated bathroom, and in even more exciting developments, we’ve decided that a new front door is an absolute necessity. These, along with two wooden dining benches in the same wood, will be hopefully made to our specifications, rather than off-the-peg. Spring is definitely shaping up to be a very exciting time and we hope it will springboard us into a very different kind of life…
by Helen | Feb 6, 2023 | Lifestyle
I’ve dabbled in the past with making homemade hummus, but it’s never become a habit. Hummus is so widely available that it just seemed a bit of a faff, and I could ever get a consistent recipe that I was happy with. When we lived in West Didsbury this was fine, as we had loads of lovely independent delis nearby, as well as plenty of supermarkets which stocked tasty hummus. However, out here in Istria – and I know it’s a bit of a first world problem in the grand scheme of things currently – good hummus just isn’t as easy too come by. We can get it, but it’s either too whipped up and creamy (no texture at all), too bland or strangely, too vinegary. Even we shop in Trieste, we’ve not found the one. So, at the weekend, the food processor was brought out of storage and a very simple recipe from the BBC Good Food website, was adapted to suit our tastes. Absolutely simple as anything to knock together, and the base recipe has now been found. Which is great, because we are big fans of this Middle Eastern dip – and as long as we keep stocked up on the ingredients, we can have it whenever we want it now.
what you’ll need
- 1 can chickpeas, drained
- Approx 60ml cold water, plus a 30ml for a looser consistency
- 1 small garlic clove peeled and crushed
- 1 lemon, juiced then ½ zested or a a big splash of lemon juice
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp olive oil, to garnish (optional)
what you’ll need to do
- Thoroughly rinse the chickpeas in a colander under cold running water.
- Tip into the large bowl of a food processor along with 60ml of water and blitz until almost smooth.
- Add the garlic, lemon and tahini, and blitz again. If the consistency is too thick, gradually pour in up to 30ml more water.
- Blitz again for about 5 mins, or until the hummus is smooth and silky. Or less, if you prefer more texture.
- Season with a good pinch of sea salt and transfer to a bowl.
- Swirl the top of the hummus with the back of a dessert spoon and drizzle over a little (chilli flavoured for a kick) olive oil and sprinkle with chilli flakes.
This was made in about 10 minutes – the longest part of the process was the initial blitzing of the chickpeas. I think because it was made with fresh ingredients (apart from the chickpeas) it was super tasty and could easily be elevated with additional flavours – olives, pumpkin, red pepper, avocado, beetroot, jalapenos. The list is seemingly endless. The recipe above makes enough for four good sized portions for two people, so you can adjust the quantities accordingly so none goes to waste or if you need more. And apart from the chick pea tin, there’s little packaging – no plastic lids, cartons, outer wrappers etc. A result all round.
by Helen | Feb 3, 2023 | Interiors
Although we are lucky enough to have a few options regarding where we can eat, sometimes we just want to eat in the living room, where the big woodburner is and where we can watch TV. When we’ve done this in the past, it’s had to be on the sofa, eating dinner on our laps – or if I want something less slouchy, I’ll eat at my desk, which is in the living room. Sofa/desk dining just does my head in. Not only is it pretty uncomfortable, it bugs me that we are not using what we we have. We went to the trouble of having a big concrete table made in the Well Room, but this has been so under-used. If the truth be told, I’ve never really liked it since we had resin applied, which changed its look and colour – but that’s another renovation story, as we’re currently tackling it and giving it a big make-over. We also have a breakfast bar in the kitchen which comfortably sits two, and we do use this at meal times, but again, it’s not as ideal as a table, especially if there are a few dishes and you want to spend a leisurely hour or so, eating and drinking and chatting. And then, suddenly, right in front of me, I saw the answer. My desk.
Because it’s not really like a desk. It’s a very simple table, quite mid-century in style, with beautiful tapered legs and a bevelled edge, with a dinky little drawer. from IKEA. Made of ash, it has a beautiful grain pattern, and as it ages the color deepens moderately towards a deep straw color, with the tapered legs in solid birch giving a warm, natural feeling. And the perfect size for two. It was moved to where we thought it might work as a dining table and tried for size – and the decision was made there and then, that this was an ideal solution. Although we now have hot foot it back off to IKEA to buy the same again, so that I still have a desk.
We didn’t want to have to bring chairs in from the Well Room whenever we wanted to eat, but had to have something that would enable us to use the desk as a dining table. Something that would be unobtrusive and able to be packed away. Something just like these little rattan beauties we found in Jysk.
Of course, one change always leads to many more, so as well as having to get an additional Lisabo table to use as my desk, we’ve decided that the navy curtains are going. They’ll be used in The Snug, to hide away the freezer and the condenser dryer and storage shelving under the stairs, so will have a new home. In their place, as we’re going to IKEA anyway, we’ll be buying up a few pairs of the sheer curtains, so that we can still have a bit of a backdrop in the living room, but not as blocky. The curtains are long and light and will be perfect for those spring days when we can have windows open and they billow in the breeze.
Our home is gradually becoming a beautiful neutral palette of whites and sandy colours. The kind of home that might just appeal to someone wanting to buy a property in the sun, to spend their summers in…
by Helen | Jan 22, 2023 | Lifestyle
Many years ago, when we had a website called Didsbury Life, promoting independent businesses in Didsbury and West Didsbury, we had a beautiful office, right on Burton Road. We designed the logo for this business and commissioned our very talented friend, Amanda, to create a mosaic sign for the front of the premises.
This mosaic came back to our West Didsbury home when we gave up the office premises and sat in our garden for a good few years. When we had the house and garden renovated, it was properly installed on a wall and was only taken down to be safely bubble wrapped and packed for the journey out to Istria with us, where it still sits in our garden. She’s a bit weather worn now and the effect of hot sunshine and rain and frost has meant that some of the tile pieces have fallen off, but she’s still as beautiful as the first day she was handed to us, and she is a reminder of our West Didsbury life.
However, she’s not the only mosaic we have by Amanda, because when we renovated our home in West Didsbury, we asked her to create a piece of art with the name of our road on it, which we displayed in our bathroom. The black and white mosaic, set against white metro tiles, looked lovely.
And, six years later, we’ve finally found a home for Arley Avenue. She’s never been on the wall here, as we’ve never found the perfect place – until now. The house is being spruced up to go back on the market and as well as lots and lots of painting, we’ve also been de-cluttering. Or “packing up” in preparation for a potential move, and so wall space has revealed itself a whole lot more, and our M20 mosaic has found a new home. For now.
Amanda has a huge repertoire of mosaics and is widely commissioned to create individual and bespoke pieces. If you are interested in acquiring a very unique piece of art – for yourself, as a gift (we had one created to celebrate a family wedding) or as signage, for example – check out Amanda’s work. As an artist, I’m sure she’d be delighted to receive enquiries – and possibly commissions. And, she’s blooming lovely, too!
Amanda also offers workshops, where you can get to learn some of the skills required, and come away with a mosaic of your own. Very popular are the “Make a Manchester Bee” workshops at Manchester Art Gallery. Full information on Amanda’s website.
by Helen | Jan 5, 2023 | Croatia, Travel
When we moved to Istria in 2017, we knew that at some point in the future, the country would be allowed to join the Schengen Zone and there would be no more border checks. We kept checking online to check developments and we had some time in 2024-2025 in our heads as the point when things would happen.
Then the Pandemic happened and travel was severely curtailed, for some weeks not being permitted at all, and certainly not cross border. Then in 2021, the UK was out of Europe, and being UK citizens, we were suddenly classified as “third country nationals”, and our Croatian residency had to be renewed again, under the new terms of the Withdrawal Agreement. A knock on effect of this, was that once travel was permitted again, we had to not only show our passports, but we had to have them stamped when we entered Schengen – so when we crossed into Slovenia – and stamped again, when we re-entered Croatia. In the early days, when everything was new, we found ourselves having to ask for our passports to be stamped, as sometimes the border police didn’t seem too clear on the new systems. We had to ask, because if we’d been stamped one way but not the other, the new 90 day rule could have been applied to us, even though we have Croatian residency. It has got a lot easier and we – and the border police on both sides – have become familiar with the stamping process, but it’s still been a bit of a hassle, and has always made us feel a tiny bit worried that maybe we weren’t doing the right thing.
Another issue has been that since January 2021, we’ve not been able to us our nearest border, which is only 10 minutes away, because this is deemed to be for local use only. And because we are “third country nationals” we don’t fall into the category of locals. So, we’ve had to use the main border crossings with Slovenia, which in the winter are OK, as traffic is light, but in the summer have been a nightmare, as thousands of tourists head into Istria, and northern Croatia. We avoided crossing as much as we possibly could for the last two summers, but when Italy is only half an hour away, sometimes we couldn’t resist. Our worst crossing was in July of this year, when we were returning from IKEA – it was blisteringly hot, there was no shade and it took over two hours to travel what would normally take us about five minutes. Schengen membership couldn’t come soon enough, so I was ecstatic when I read that Croatia had finally passed all of the tests set and that it would probably on a matter of a rubber stamping procedure when the EU council in mid-December.
Finally, much sooner than we thought, the decision was made that Croatia would be accepted into the Schengen area, and we spent the last two weeks counting down the days until we knew that we had got over very last stamp in our passports. It all happened at the stroke of midnight 31 December/1 January, and I knew it was real when I saw an Instagram post by our local mayor, shaking hands with his Slovenian counterpart from Koper and a raised barrier.
And, on 4th January 2023, we made our first crossing into Slovenia, without having to show passports or receive exit and entry stamps. The booths, normally with a number of border police, were empty and closed. And signs had been erected, in a number of languages, declaring “Free Passage”. It was an absolute joy to once again be able to drive into Slovenia where the local border crossing point had been in operation until January 1st…
And, on the way back, we drove via one of the larger crossings we’ve had to use for the last couple of years. Open border and free flowing traffic – which will be amazing in the summer!
by Helen | Jan 5, 2023 | Spain, Travel
On a drive, high up in the Andalucian hills, above the white washed town of Frigiliana and the coastal town of Torox, we spotted some very unusual shapes ahead of us. White domes, almost hobbit-like, overlooking the sea. From the roadside, they looked a bit forlorn, and we thought that they were possibly abandoned, so of course, we just had to find out what they were…
Turns out, they’re not abandoned buildings after all. They’re a complex of hobbit-like, cave dwellings which combine to form Los Caracoles (The Snails…), an amazing and unique hotel, with panoramic views over the Axarquia area of Andalucía, which we just had to investigate. Although we were staying in Nerja, we made a booking to explore – and each time we have been back in the area we’ve ensured that we’ve incorporated a stay at Los Caracoles, as we were so enchanted by it and its surroundings. The complex is made up of five Snails (bungalows), each consisting of a master bedroom, a living room, bathroom and balcony, plus six double rooms with en suite bathroom and terrace. We’ve stayed a number of times and so have experienced both the Snails and the double rooms, and all have been pretty magical. The restaurant is located in a snail shaped dining room, with a spacious outdoor terrace. All tables have spectacular vantage points with views across the Andalucian hills, sprinkled with many pueblos blancos, and down to the sparkling Mediterranean sea. Landscaped gardens roll away. almost as if they fall off the hillside, and a beautiful pool, with sun loungers and accessorised with Moroccan lanterns, is a much needed addition – even in the winter we were warm, so can only imagine how much this pool would be required in the height of summer.
Because the buildings are made of stone – they are cave-like dwellings – they are not pristine. Each room/bungalow does have heating, in the form of wood-burners and electric heaters, and when we’ve stayed, these have been most welcome. We’ve only ever visited out of high season, and so we’ve experienced chilly weather, foggy weather and torrential rain, as well as blue sky and very warm sunshine, for the time of year. But, because the temperatures haven’t hit the highs they reach in the summer, the accommodation can feel cold, and at times, almost damp. However, once the burners are going, the rooms do heat up quickly, but if the initial feel of cold bedding leaves you cold, Los Caracoles might not be the place for you. If it is though, and if you can appreciate the unusual qualities on offer, then like us, we’re sure you will absolutely appreciate this very unique accommodation.
Being so high up in the hills, the views are just spectacular. And, so is the weather. On one visit, thick, impenetrable fog enveloped all of the site and it was so atmospheric, seeing white domes emerging in front of you in the mist. You do feel as if you are up in the clouds when the weather rolls in…
But the beauty of being so high up, is that as soon as the weather clears, you can see the beauty that lies in front of you…
As I said previously, if you want accommodation that is high end boutique and utterly pristine, maybe on this occasion, Los Caracoles is not for you. It is a little bit on the rustic side, perhaps even rough-ish around the edges in places, but it is totally unique. It’s a bit of a thrill to be so high up in the mountains, in very quirky accommodation and take your morning coffee, on a balcony overlooking the spread of Axarquia below you. The restaurant is definitely one of the highlights – and factor in eating here, because Los Caracoles is quite isolated. Although not too far from Frigilana, it’s a bit of a drive across the winding roads, so this restaurant is an excellent option. The menu is very inventive and when we’ve stayed in the past, the chef has been superb. Food is of a very high standard and quite different to your normal Andalucian fare. Fish and meat feature highly on the menu, but there is also a range of vegetarian options. Everything is fresh and cooked to order – we had, on one occasion, John Dory and Skate. The smell of the sea was still on them and they were the most delicious fish I have ever eaten. Breakfasts are substantial – and in the cooler months, just a lovely morning experience, as the wood burner is lit in the dining room, and soft lighting enhances the Moorish-inspired decor.
We are so looking forward to revisiting Los Caracoles on our next trip to Andalucia – and hoping that Blass, who was the largest puppy in the world – is still part of the fixture and fittings.
by Helen | Jan 3, 2023 | Interiors
Although we’ve largely finished the renovations of our stone house, I can always find something else that needs to be done. So, effectively, it always “unfinished”. But not on the scale of these properties, which have been designed to be deliberately “unfinished”.
Peeling wallpaper, floors that have been left untreated and hanging cables give character to these interior design projects, which look as though they’ve been abandoned halfway through decorating.
All photographers credited in Dezeen article : https://www.dezeen.com/2022/10/02/unfinished-interiors-residential-homes-lookbooks/
There’s something very appealing about rough-around-the-edges, industrial rawness – combined with softness, through colour palettes and accessories and lighting. We’re lucky that our home lends itself to a certain unfinished look in places. Parts of the internal walls are still original Istrian stone, as opposed to smooth plaster, and so even when painted white, they still look, well, not quite finished. But they are! OK, we could have them plastered, but the stone is a nod to the heritage and history of the house. Renovated mostly in a contemporary style, we made the deliberate decision to keep parts of the house in its original state, and so we have a bit of an interesting mix going on.
However, not as interesting – or as bold – as some of the houses featured in the Dezeen article, or the apartment we found in the heart of Citta Alta, Bergamo.
Stripped back and very minimalist, this upper floor apartment in a very old townhouse, was absolutely beautiful, in its deliberately unfinished state. Exposed beams, highly polished floorboards and the remains of stunning frescoes in the rooms. I think this is a really bold design choice in a tourist apartment – I’d be so worried about damage to the historical features – but I guess people do show respect. The apartment does have modern amenities and facilities – in particular, a very contemporary kitchen is housed behind a sleek, high gloss white partition wall – and so the stay is very comfortable. I have tried to locate this apartment again online, as we would recommend it, but it would seem it’s no longer taking guests, which is a shame. However, we’re going to tale some inspiration from this apartment, and going forward, we’ll definitely be going for the “unfinished” – but absolutely finished – look in certain places of our home, to create a house which has a very different feel and vibe to the usual Istrian stone house…
by Helen | Dec 30, 2022 | Interiors
Our bedrooms are not overlooked and so we don’t necessarily need curtains at the windows. But sometimes, curtains – or a simple roller blind – can just finish off a window. We have installed white roller blinds in all of the window recesses, because even though we feel OK about having “naked windows”, visitors may well prefer the feeling of privacy. In our bedroom, we’ve always had sheer muslin drapes, because the double window wall, although painted white, is still natural stone and so the curtains soften the wall. We’ve now added floor length duck egg blue velvet blackout curtains, to each window, as even in the winter, early morning sunlight was wakening us up. Not a problem any longer!
Our third bedroom is the one used the least and it currently has the least pretty view, as although very high up, it does overlook the construction of a neighbour’s house. I didn’t want to hang curtains as such in here, as I rarely go into the room, so the hassle of drilling a curtain pole into a tick supporting beam above the window, didn’t seem worth the hassle, as the curtains would hardly ever be closed. But, I still wanted to “finish off” both this window and the room, and obscure the work outside at the times we were in the room. Then, bingo! The solution came to me…
The grey curtain strings (there are four at this window) are usually at the front door in the summer, to keep files out, when it’s open, but during the winter they’re just hung up downstairs, not being used. They’re on a very lightweight rail, so no drilling was needed and they were up in minutes, doing exactly what I’d wanted – transforming the window and the room. Not blocking out the light during the day, but obscuring the view.
These string curtains were purchased from Jysk in Istria. In UK Jysk stores, they’re usually priced at £7.99 per curtain but I’ve just noticed (end of Dec 22) they’re on sale at just £5 per curtain. Bargain!
by Helen | Dec 30, 2022 | Slovenia, Travel
In the heart of Ljubljana city centre, a distinctive stone archway marks the entrance to Antiq Palace, a luxury 16th century palace hotel. Designed originally as the residential palace of noble Slovenian families, it’s now part of the Historic Hotels of Europe group. We’ve been lucky enough to stay here twice. We rarely revisit hotels we’ve stayed in previously. preferring instead to explore new options. But Antiq Palace is one of those places that deserves another visit. It’s a stunningly elegant building, renovated completely in 2011 and just oozes opulence. Even without knowing the history of the former palace and its inhabitants, you can feel the history of the place.
The entrance and reception area is grand and expansive – but it doesn’t feel stuffy or the kind of place where “ordinary” people like us feel out of place. It’s welcoming, with it’s beautiful decor and artwork and attention to detail in terms of how its accessorised. It takes me quite a long time to check in, as I can spend ages just taking in everything around me.
The rooms – or rather, suites – are pretty unbelievable. We’ve visited both times in winter, so maybe prices increase over the summer months, but the rates for both of the “rooms” we occupied were pretty much on a par with what we’d pay elsewhere. Not bargain basement, but absolutely, definitely not ridiculously eye-watering. On the first stay, our “room” – because that is what I thought I had booked – consisted of a huge double bedroom and an exceptionally large en-suite. With many original features including parquet flooring, antique oriental rugs and frescoed ceilings.
Completely over the top for a one night stay for two people, but we had the opportunity, so we went for it! The second visit, the following winter, was probably even more over the top, because we were able to book a suite this time, for approximately the same amount of money – and so we decided to go for this option, and experience the suite. Believe me when I say that there will be many, many apartments which families live in, which are nowhere near as big. But, if the hotel is housed in a renovated palace, then I suppose if the integrity of the building is retained – as it is – then “rooms” will be on the very large size.
Breakfast is a pretty sumptuous affair, too – cold meats, cheeses, fresh bread, pastries, juices, eggs, cereals, coffee – all served in a very elegant dining area. It’s a large space, and tables are positioned in such a way that you never feel you are on top of other diners, so you almost feel as if it’s just you there, having breakfast. There’s also a beautiful internal courtyard, where breakfast can be taken, although in February it was definitely a little too chilly – especially on the first visit when we had a magical covering of thick snow.
We can heartily recommend Antiq Palace Hotel in central Ljubljana (just a cobbled street back from the river) if you fancy a night or two of regal opulence. And, Ljubljana in itself, is a very pretty city, but with a very small historical centre, so it’s a real doable weekend visit kind of place. Winter is gorgeous – it’s does get cold and you can be pretty much guaranteed a sprinkling of snow, which makes it even prettier.
