Salted Caramel Sauce...and perhaps...just add a little butter!

Oh girls, I've discovered PINTEREST!!! haven't heard of it?? click here ... Inspiration station! Recipes..craft...event styling...divine fashion...recycling fashion...wedding ideas...you name it I think you'll find something there for everyone! ... so imagine coming across a delicious pic of Salted Caramel Sauce!!! It came from the lovely Julie Marie's blog, Always with Butter... here

The intense richness of caramel sauce balanced with nutty saltiness...m,mmm!! So I HAD to make some...easy peasy...BUT ...I warn you...do NOT step away from the stove! lol...burned the first lot in the blink of an eye!!

so ...if you want to make some you will need...

1 cup water, 2 cups white sugar, 1 cup cream, 1 tsp salt (or more to taste - I used near 2 cos I love the salty edge of a rich sweet dish ) , 40g butter (optional..I like the 'mouth appeal' that only butter can give...sorry...it's true...I'm a butter addict!) There..it's out there!! lol...anyways...here we go...

Okay..so i didn't remember to take a pic of the measured sugar and water...oops..already in the pot...

Over medium heat place one cup of water. Pour 2 cups of sugar into the centre of the water so that it does not touch the edges of the pot...DO NOT STIR - AT ANY TIME...seriously....just watching only...

See it just beginning to colour on one side...the whole process will only take about 10 minutes from start to finish...this is about 5 min after coming to the boil...KEEP YOUR EYE ON IT... While it's cooking, heat the cream for about 45 seconds in the microwave - this will warm it and help it not make lumps or spit up in the pot when you add it..

Cook over high heat till a lovely golden brown BUT not too dark..as soon as its golden all over...

Pour the cream into the centre of the pot and whisk in immediately...if it rises up like a volcano, remove from heat while you whisk..it will settle back down into the pot...

Here it is after adding the cream...all 'gloopy' and bubbling - like the mudpools in Rotorua..only smells waaaay better!!! lol...

Take off the heat and add the salt and butter...whisk in. Pour some onto a plate to cool and test saltiness preference...

I poured a little onto a plate to set to see if it was thick enough and salty enough...pretty much once you add the cream, cook for say 1-2 min more..and it's done. It thickens considerably on cooling.

Here it is (sorry bit messy into the jar)...isn't it glorious?? Oh yes..that's the test plate on the right..as you can see...it was good!!! and m hmm, definitely set enough ;) Practically licked the plate clean ;)

So there you have it...Salted Caramel Sauce. We had it over Rustic Apple Pie (a ha, also from Pinterest!)...with french vanilla icecream...it was heaven on a plate...

but really...it's so good you will want to just eat it out of the jar...as some of my lovely dinner guests did a bit later on...you know...just cos!!

Buon Appetito mi amici!!

ciao for now, bellas

luv jessie xx

OK..just a few more ;)

And not just the delicious sweet fruit...look at these divine eggplant and peppers...the colour!! seriously, have you seen anything so vibrant and beautiful lately? Bet you haven't...unless you are in the beautiful Italy!!!

Looking up at the delightful balconies covered in potted flowers...a bit bright on my point and click camera...but you get the idea.. :)

And off we all go heading for that castle in the background...

Thanks for stopping by :) off to bed now..no, really I am! ;)

ciao bellas

jessie xx

A little more from Guardagrele...

Ok...I'm still up...so here are some more! lol...they're a bit small...not sure why? hmm...anyway...look at the COLOUR of the fruit and veges...they were SO beautiful! And the flavour of the local produce was really really amazing...far more delicious than we get at our local markets and supermarkets. My favourite of all were wee tomatoes from Sicily...sweet and strong flavoured...de-licious!!! Just look at these cherries...I loved how they were displayed with branches and leaves still attached...I didn't sample them myself as I am mildly allergic...but they were soo beautiful I had to take pics...

And the strawberries were HUGE...and lusciously sweet!!

And then there were the A-M-A-ZING doors EVERYWHERE!! Intricate...beautifully detailed. I don't know what it is about doors but I love 'em! I have a whole folder of DOOR pics! lol...will share those when they are restored ;) (restored doors! hehe)

More delightful Italian elderly men just chillin...

And even their rubbish bins were exceptionally styley...

Beauty in the unexpected...Love it!

ciao bellas :)

xx

I'm Back!

Hello bloggerettes! I am finally settled into our little flat that we are renting until our more permanent departure to Italy next January. We're very cosy here...a completely furnished wee place so nothing much to unpack - ours all being in longterm storage...but I did have, oh, I don't know..maybe 10 boxes of kitchen 'stuff'!! lol...it certainly feels like my kitchen now! Got my espresso machine, my breadmaker, food processor, mixer, vintage cake tins, all good sharp knives, mums essence rack, maybe a quarter of my cookbooks (around 25)and my lovely kauri dining table (HAD to get that out of storage...only a wee table for two here and that's just not welcoming at all, is it??) Love my old table so feels good to have it...

Anyway....Wow..it's been over a month since I last blogged and tried uploading pics from Valdirose. Still can't...we brought home a memory stick (usb drive) with our ....3000 photos!!...and something ghastly happened to them...all files corrupt!!! Imagine our devastation!...until...we remembered Steve has them also has copies of them all on his laptop in Dubai! Praise God!! Beth and I were just gutted to see these files corrupt...well, 2000 of them! Luckily another 12 folders were on a separate usb stick...so here are a few from a gorgeous little village called Guardagrele near Chieti in the Abruzzo region...Steve B, Max, Beth, Steve(mine) and I went wandering on this day of village/castle hopping :)

starting with...the lavender shop!...seriously, all things purple, inside and out...

lavender pillows, lavender soap, lilac bath salts, moisturisers, vanilla massage bars...

it smelt good in there!

Dont' you love the old purple bike?? :)

There's Beth 'skipping' up the street...haha..just caught her as she swung around...dad and Steve B a bit further ahead past the old men...I love these old Italian men...all little and so friendly...well, I think they were friendly...lol...no english! or maybe they just liked my girls long legs!! ;)

Catherine (Max) enjoying the buildings as we wandered along...

And in here I bought a very cool wee verdigris coppery bronze bell - sheep bell I think - the shop was crammed...did I say CRAMMED?!...with all things bronze, copper and anything to do with lighting...the old man was lovely...but he started CLEANING and POLISHING my bell!! No No I say...I want it old, rusty and verdigris!! He couldn't understand it! lol...but hey, the more vintage the better for this girl. :)

Well that's it for tonight...but can I just say...have you discovered Pinterest? Oh my...I have...and what a time waster that is!! well not wasting...an inspiration station!!!!!!! but could seriously spend all day and half the night looking at the most amazing inspirational projects, food, recipes, decorating, flowers, diy projects...and the list goes on! If you haven't checked it out...DO IT...DO IT NOW!! BUT I WARN YOU...it's terribly addictive!

ciao bellas...good to be back!

much love and blessings

jessie xxx

A taste of Florence...but trouble with pics :(

Good evening fellow bloggers and followers..and visitors ;)...Well, I was going to share the beautiful B&B that is Valdirose but i'm having trouble with th0se pics...so in the meantime, I'll try to show you a bit more of our experience of the bella Italia!...loading pics...it's become the bain of my life!...sigh...anyway...here's one or two of our arrival in Florence...

A view of the Ponte Vecchio bridge from the piazza de Michel Angelo...several bridges there, it's the first one you can see..(hardly the foreground, but still)..amazing old bridge - the only one left standing after the germans bombed the place in WWII...verrry cool bridge with amazing old shops across it - all jewellery shops, side by side...right across, both sides!

Imagine my dismay to round the corner as we drove into Florence and VOILA! ...THERE WAS THE STATUE OF DAVID! RIGHT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD!!...well, of course, you may know (we didn't ;))..that it's a bronze replica...one of two copies of the 'real deal'..which we didn't get to see...felt equally amazing to be standing right there with the replica tho I must admit!! That's me on the right sitting on the steps (Not looking up!! lol)

The amazing Duomo ..Cathedral in the midst of Florence..as seen from the Piazza de Michel Angelo..we then braved the insane Italian traffic and continued into the city...

more another day when I don't spend 10 mins loading ONE photo!! sigh..

ciao bellas!

blessings to you

luv jessie x

Italia...bellissima!! Valdirose B&B...squisoto!! (?)

Three weeks in Italy now...sooo beautiful. (slowwwww internet..hence no blogging! :(... )...BUT..today we arrived in Florence and so I had to persevere to say I am now sitting on the terrace at the FABULOUSLY BEAUTIFUL VALDIROSE B&B...OH...MY...GOODNESS!!! Irene..you have made the most heavenly place on earth here...just gorgeous. (especially after some rather tired and sad hotels etc on our travels..pompeii, viterba...sigh)...but here!! And Irene sadly isn't even here! Away at a wedding...but her dad is the most welcoming, lovely host...nothing too much trouble. So fellow bloggistas!!..when in Florence, this is the place for you!!....photos will be coming when we've been here more than a millisecond!...but they take an age too so maybe when I'm home in 10 days. Just wanted to say, if you haven't seen Irene's beautiful B&B...check it out here...Valdirose ..bellissima, mi amica...bellissima!...Thankyou Irene and family for being so great with my on again, off again booking!!!!
So we love Italy...but the driving!!...went into Florence city itself then spent about an hour getting back out to get to this southern area of Florence!!NINE LANES MERGING WITH NO LINES...INSANE TRAFFIC HERE!! ( nothing like little ole New Zealand!) But Steve has practically become an Italian now when it comes to driving (on the WRONG side of the road, i might add!!)...did the Amalfi coast and now he thinks he can take on anything!! ;)
Ciao bellas..time to sleep after our long day...Buon notte...
jessie xx

Yay..pics loading...Sulmona, Introdacqua and Pacentro

Ah so finally my pics are able to upload...just a few snaps from our first week in Italy...incredible to be here...just incredible!! (no crafting of any kind to be seen tho!! Tho we managed to source a glue stick to 'scrap' the cover of my journal..which Ive yet to write in!!aaghh!!)

This is amazing detail of one of the churches in Sulmona..not the greatest shot, with the sunshine, but hey ;)
Another church...this one with the bell that chimes on the hour, quarter hour, half hour, threequarter hour..and plays another whole tune for each hour change! Loud for houses around it!


Steve contemplating how he'll fit in the rental.. ;) lol...not really ...Bambinas are EVERYWHERE! SOOO cute!

Gorgeous balconies in neighbouring village, Introdacqua

Also Introdacqua

And a street in Pacentro..another smallish village nearby. All villages have their own castle it seems! This town was quite beautiful..well, most of them are! Thats Steve just past the local nona wandering down with our friend Catherine.

More tomorrow bellas...ciao for now...off to Pescara to the beach...hope the weather holds out!

love and blessings Jessie xx

CIAO BELLAS!! FROM SULMONA, ITALY!! WOOOHOO!

Ahh..Italia! Can't belive we're finally here. (sadly internet is expensive, slow and intermittent..hence lack of blogging! :( ) We have been here a week and seen the most delightful buildings, walked amongst castles, watched medieval parades, eaten lots of very chewy bread,drank quite a few luke warm coffees, and had lots of early morning walks amongst the cobbled streets of Sulmona. It's so amazing here. The history...I love it! Amazing churches everywhere...can't imagine much Hillsong/Jesus Culture/Chris Tomlin etc is played in them tho! lol. Very beautiful tho. All the churches have magnificent bell towers...and they all seem to be in working order! Clocks striking on the hour, on the quarter hour, half hours, three quarter hour!! Could be hard to get used to!

Ah what else...oh yes...there are so many old men everywhere. Really...EVERYWHERE! Sitting outside caffes, walking, chatting on corners...not so many women - Steve says they're all at home cooking and cleaning as they should be!! haha...whatever! ;) But it is really interesting. We've visited lots of outlying villages...Sulmona is a central city with many small villages around it, leading up to the Rocarosa skifield and the area of the National Park...And in all the villages...old men everywhere! They're very social these Italians. And EVERYONE smokes! No drunks, apparently no drunk teens/young people around the streets at night either (must be something in this drinking wine with meals while you grow up!)...but all the young people seem to smoke..really young ones some of them (maybe 14, 15?)..makes me realise how nice it is in NZ to have nearly all public spaces smokefree! The locals are very friendly...and the boys/men are all finding our lovely Beth..well, lovely!! Surprise, surprise! It is quite funny to watch..they all just take a l-o-n-g second look! ;) It's not yukky so that's good..just funny really.

Tomorrow we head to Pescara on the adriatic coast to lie on the beach...tho we've had four seasons in one day here..for two days in a row! The locals say it's very unusual so we're hoping it's a passing thing...SUMMER, WHERE ARE YOU?? Not quite prepared for cold and downpours...and downpours they have been...yesterday got drenched and you'd swear the rain had been poured on us in bucket loads! like drowned rats we were! ...ah well...had sunshine again this morning tho.

Went to Ginos Restaurant for lunch today...VERY nice place..but bit pricey for lunch...the 'side' of vegetables was 10euro! each! delicious array of veges...but 10 euros??!! ouch! Off out to Biffi's tapas bar for dinner tonight with our friends as they prepare to depart Sulmona tomorrow, after the beach, and head off to Bari and Napoli before heading back to Roma and home to Christchurch next week.

Can't upload pics at the moment...grrr
Back with some tomorrow I hope!
Well..better get ready for dinner...
ciao bellas! Wish you were here!! hehe
love and blessings
Jessie xx