Dreaming the Dream

In other words... what new projects can I dream up...

I confessed my purchase of cream Patonyle in an earlier post - now I have the book! Yes I visited The Artisan Bookshop at lunchtime and was very restrained only walking out with one book (oh if I could have I would have ... purchased many!).

It looks fab - but I think you only really know about either recipe books or creative books once you have road tested them.

So while both the 'watermelon' pattern using Gaywool Bush Colours of willow, cranberry and rosemary, or the fair isle pattern using Country Classic dyes in the colours of blueberry, desert rose and maize sound delicious - until I have a go I am not going to know whether this is a good book or not?

Next step - find the dyes (only doubt in my mind is that most dyes won't dye non-natural fibers - and Patonyle has 20% nylon - oh well will just have to see).

Speaking of having to 'road test' books before you know whether they are good or not - I have been using Bill Granger's new book 'Simply Bill' quite a bit - all recipes tried so far passed the 'would I make this again' test.

Last night I gave his chocolate cake a try. I put raspberry jam in the centre rather than more chocolate which I think was a good idea. The icing uses 200g of Haigh's chocolate and 250g of sour cream! Delicious.

Haigh's chocolate, if you haven't been introduced is extra fab. It comes from SA, but there are three shops in the Melbourne CBD - one at the top of Collins Street close to my office. This was the original Haigh's shop in Melbourne I think. It has been there since my childhood. I have memories of visiting the city on shopping trips and going to Haigh's with my mother and grandmother where they would buy pepermint creams and I was allowed one rose and one violet cream!