WELCOME TO Val's Alentejo -I write about my region of Alentejo. My art ,painting, my cottages, Family life, my animals -Travels And my love for Roses- and rural country life.

Sunday 30 September 2012

Sunday morning flowers

Experimenting some different techniques .. Took these photos at about 9am this morning.
Autumn is with us, but I am still really happy that my flowers are blooming. 
Sharing a few with you this lovely sunny sunday.
                                       Let brightness fill your day.. Its our 1st Autumn Sunday


Wishing all my blogging friends a very happy day
Stay postative , leave all your worries behind.
Tomorrow is another day.

xxxxVal



Friday 28 September 2012

Green Friday 15 @ val's Alentejo

Hello dear blogging friends.  Yes, Its me, a casual day on the farm.     
Wishing you a happy Green day 15


                                                                lots of green with blue.  "A little Van Gough" touch.
                                                             Lots of green leaves on the pepper trees ..showing off their bright red pepper berries.
                                                           My olives are getting bigger.. The latest showers have been very welcome.

Wishing you all a happy weekend.    
Linking with Fiona @  Raindrops and daisies.. Green day 15.



Thursday 27 September 2012

"An Autumn Classic"

   I chose this recipe from my "Avoca" cookbook.   I thought that I would just whet your appetite for your afternoon tea.!


       BEST EVER APPLE PIE with blackberries.
Ideal for our afternoon tea on this our first week in Autumn.
Here is the finished apple pie with blackberries and some added seasonal plums.

For the past few days, I have been reading my beautiful "Avoca" cook book giveaway I won from
Christa @ Emilie's daughter.

I really didnt  know where to start, its such an amazing cook book.
I own about 4 cook books and now this one.  I was brought up watching my mother and then learning with her how to bake.  She was in incredible cook and pastry maker.  Everything she did, was from her own ideas.Sunday's were the best.  When I had my family , I carried on that tradition  throughout the years, I just followed in her footsteps, Sunday being family day.   Not having a large family now, baking is every once in a while, when the family comes or a friend. 
It took me a few years to stop cooking my meals for 6 or more. I always made too much.

So :- On Monday, I went down to the bottom of the land and picked the very last of the summer blackberries.

 I had seen the recipe for apple pie and blackberries in the Avoca  book when i first received it. I picked it up at every opportunity to read the book.  

I thought This an ideal recipe to start with, as I had the blackberries to hand, the apples and plums and the rest of the ingredients. 
 I love apple pie, and this one is lookes  just divine.

Without wasting anymore time.  I decided to bake.
This morning all the ingredients ready..
to bake
"Best Ever Apple Pie"
with blackberries.

I hope that you will enjoy this post.

I added a little of my own touch..you can see in the photos, some lovely fresh damson plums..

simmering till soft.. i added a little too much water.. plums have their own juices.. just add a little
the apples chopped and diced
Apples



The blackberries after simmering for half an hour.
All ready and taken out of the oven.  This photo was supposed to be at the bottom of the page- a little blogger hitch..
Here is inviting you all to afternoon tea..

The blackberries just picked

Fresh butter, normal plain flower with baking powder added.


Stewed plums . sieved to take out the pips and the skin

preparing the dough

The base is greased and ingredients are in the dish.
You can see the fresh blackberries and a little of the stewed plums.
sugar then added.

 whisked egg  and sprinkled sugar on top before going  into the oven
Now for the recipe. :-

pre heat oven.170c or gas mark 5.


I used all the apples I had in my fruit bowl ..but between 6 or 8 ..
300g. blackberries.    I dont know how many grams i had.. I dont use a scale..
150 grams sugar or caster sugar..
400grams ..butter
660grams plain flour
2 medium eggs.  (at this point. I would like to add..( I do not use eggs in my soft short crust pastry)
this is an option.

Beat the butter,eggs and sugar together.
add the flour
add the eggs and continue to mix until the dough is smooth. (this mix is sticky) place extra flour on the work surface.
mix the ingredients until they form a nice round ball.
wrap in cling film and put in fridge for 1 hour.  ( as i do not add eggs.. I roll out my pastry straight away)
roll out the bottom part of the dough to fit your chosen dish..
then add all your fruit ingredients ..add sugar and a little water.. (cinnemon if you want)
roll out the rest of the dough for the top of the pie.
brush with egg and sprinkle with sugar.
crinckle the edges together with your fingers..

I am sure all you ladies out there have made hundreds of apple pies..
With the added blackberries and plums.. it was delicious.

I had a friend over for tea.. made some fresh whipped cream.. and we spoilt ourselves to two slices each..

I would have liked to have taken a photo of the recipe itself, from the book.  But my camera focus is not good enough.

You can always make this with rice flower..only using egg whites.. for coeliac pastry.

My first recipe from my "Avoca cookbook"..


Sunday 23 September 2012

"Adeus" to summer

Adeus, Adieu, farewell , goodby, Ciao  to Summer.


Today is the 23rd of September.


Yesterday morning at 9.49am GMT.. and CDT 14.49 Universal time ..  September Equinox arrived.




Our long hazy lazy days of Summer are over for 2012.  Autumn is truly here.  
I will miss summer.

       When the grandchildren pop over on their bikes  for a swim or a chat, or I take them for an ice cream in the village.   Those late balmy nights when the sun goes down at nearly 10pm and we can sit outside in the candlelight..and talk about happy days and happenings with friends.
Early mornings when the sun rises at 6 or so, and I walk around the garden with my coffee,  and the scents of early morning summer 's day is in the air and I listen to the twittering of the sparrows that nest in my olive trees, and the cooing of my dove family.
Lunch on the patio in the shade and drinking a long glass of iced home made lemonade.
A day at the beach to let some of that wonderful summer sun soak into my bones.
"Good by" summer... and Welcome Autumn.


Equinox and remembering. Here in the northern Hemisphere
the sun rises later now, and the nightfall earlier. The days
and nights are approximately equal in length.

Just a few of the things that I will miss.

6.57am this morning...The sky overcast with dark purple and lilac  clouds
I was jolted out of bed this morning at around 6am.  My dogs were going crazy.  I got out of bed to see what was making them so agitated.
And , there it was, lightning flashing  accross the sky.  The sound of thunder rattling in the heavens above.
My mother used to say" dont worry, its God moving his furniture"! ..Boy, he sure was moving it this morning!.
We have not had rain here in Alentejo since May. It is so welcoming. It just about never fails to rain on this day.

Autumn arrives and I always have these mixed feelings for a few weeks.  The heavy rainy days.. and then the warm summery days,after a while i settle and enjoy the cool of the morning.

September is one of our kindest months here .. In a few days the sun will be out again.
A sort of sad feeling comes over me,when summer ends and Autumn begins.    I tell myself once again
   "It's the arrival of a new season.  A few days more and you will be getting the Autumn feel. !

I have changed to my Autumn duvet..and my lamps will be on earlier to light the early dark evenings.

Time to start a new book perhaps !.
An extra hour in bed!
Different light for blogging photos.!
A walk on a cooler day!

My fields are now parched and dry..we are ready for this rain.

7.24am  First rains of the season.. Yippee I don't have to water for some time.

The dark clouds gatthering at 6.50am and the thunder is clapping .

& Its here to stay with us a while.  For us to watch and see the trees and the flowers change.
Harvest time for the fruit and Olives, and other produce. Thoughts of different things ahead. 
And so the seasons move on.


Wishing all my dear blogging friends a wonderful Autumn Sunday the 23rd 


Friday 21 September 2012

Val's Green Day 14

Wishing you all a very happy Friday from me and Freddie, and Clan at Val's Alentejo.
Linking with Fiona at Raindrops and Daisies Greenday 14

Friday 14 September 2012

Green day 13 @ Val's Alentejo

My shadow and the tree



                                                          as green as they get
                                                          Oleander ever green- with a touch of pink for early morning



 linking with Green day 13      on  "Raindrops and Daisies"

Thursday 13 September 2012

Emilie's daughter's giveaway

My giveaway "Avoca cookbook" arrived  from dear Christa,  over at "Emilie's daughter"

I was so so excited. I couldn't wait to open it this morning. I was like a child in a sweet shop! It was a little too late last night to open it, so i decided to keep it for this morning. 
 I think that I mentioned to you all, that I have never won anything in my life before.
Here goes,sharing and taking you through my morning , and opening the parcel.

                                          Well wrapped and taped  so as not to get ripped in the post. It arrived safe and perfect.
                                                    A lovely little heart on the back from dear Christa,so thoughtful
                   Opened , revealed the inside wrapping  - with green ribbon, and a wool swatch from the Avoca mill. And a lovely card for Val.      

                                     
                                     I can tell you dear friends.  That my photos, do not do the book justice.
Its simply the most beautiful cook book that I have ever held.  The pages feel like silk as one turns over to the next. There is nothing like a holding a new book in your hand and the smell of its brand new pages.      Its so beautifully written and presented , and the photos of the recipies are simply divine.
                                 A few quick photos from inside.  Its full of delicious recipies. This might be today. Chicken and veggi soup.


 At the back of the book.  Is information on Avoca and what happens around the village.
It will take me a few day's to go through it.  But it will take pride of place amongst my few cook books I posses ..  I will look forward to cooking something to share with you all.
                               Dear Christa.. Thank you so much for this lovely giveaway.  How great, that I had the lucky number 16.   I will enjoy the book and when cooking will be thinking of you.
                                                            A Rose for  you Christa

I have been following Emilie's daughter for a long time now, In fact, Emilie's daughter was one of my first followers.     Christa is a wonderful person.  She always has something great to show us on her posts and is always positive.   She is a good blogging friend and  I like that.  
You might like to pay her a visit.. Over at "EMILIE'S  DAUGHTER".. You can also read her post about the beautiful village of "Avoca".

Wishing you all a wonderful week.   Happy cooking .

val


Tuesday 11 September 2012

A little touch of fashion

Luis Onofre.

Luis is a portuguese shoe and handbag designer. A few months ago, I watched a documentary about him. He designs and custom makes shoes of such elegance. 
   He has won awards in Italy , and is recognized around the globe, as one of the leading designers of shoes and handbags. 
His shoes are stunning. He mainly concentrates on high heels, although he makes sandals and Sabrinas and boots.

The future Queen of Spain, Leitizia Ortiz , wears his shoes , having worn them at three celebration events ..hand made and designed by Luis.

 Some time ago, at the beginning of my blogging .. I wrote about shoes handbags and fashion. Today I thought it would be a change to show some of the great designs of Luis.  Add a little fashion to our dreams !

I have always worn what I like, and what I feel good in.  I have never been one to follow fashion, the same goes for my clothes.  If I feel good in it and like it I wear it.  Weather made by a designer or not
I have always enjoyed playing around with mixing and matching my clothes and shoes.

Of course dear friends.   Some of the shoes you see here.. might have been on my feet some 35  years ago.. Although I must confess.. I wore a most elegant new pair to an opening last year.
My "fetish" for shoes started as a young girl.  I love shoes. I used to adore buying them . Handbags too. I still love to indulge in a new shoe once in a while. 


                                      Here Luis is exhibiting his shoes on antique furniture pieces.
His shoes are worn by very elegant sexy models on the runways.
 Ballarinas.


 chic handbag.

 I like these boots for winter very adaptable for country living.  
 For  many years now, I only use a court shoe or flat, when i go to the city.  I mainly wear a short boot on a rainy day.  Or a good strong flat for  around and  about during the winter months.  Summer time, I am always in sandals.  

                                                          These are ideal to wear with slacks

His elegant models
These I love. A touch of Sworofski crystals .

                                                          Very ultra modern (in my dreams)


                                                     I once could wear them.!
 Some nice combinations.
I think there is nothing nicer than to see a woman in an elegant shoe .!

                                Custom made shoe boxes to go with your shoes. Really chic idea.
Do you like shoes and bags!

All images are taken from the Internet.