The simple broad bean

I love broad beans, especially when drizzled in butter with salt and pepper. There is another great recipe using broad beans from the Moro Cook books which I will try and find a link to sometime.
In the meantime, here are some of my broad beans which I grew last year. Such beautiful things. All snug and cosy inside their pouches!


The Pod


Unzipped


Snug


Perfect Beans


Empty Pod

I really do like Broad Beans. Let's hope this years crop is as good as the last.

Crochet in the pub

After yesterday's workshop, I have got slightly carried away with the crocheting. I have been practicing the granny squares to the point where i feel comfortable to start experimenting with the patterns etc.
I like that you can sit without a pattern and be quite free with it, play around with colour and shapes.
I found some nice red and white cotton yarn which i have been playing with, maybe the start of a blanket, who knows?

Tiered Cake Stands

I have been trying to find a nice tiered cake stand for a good while, but there has never been anything which has taken my fancy. I can't be doing with all this sudden 'vintage chic' business, selling faux old things as vintage. Anyhow, what is it all of a sudden everyone has gone vintage daft? When exactly did this happen?
After failing to find a good cake stand, I decided it'd be much better to craft my own. This way I could select the plates myself, without being told by someone or other that it is 'vintage'.
I get all my plates from car-boot sales or junk shops. I just keep my eyes peeled for unusual designs and glazes. Mostly they sell from as little as 10p upwards, although I wouldn't pay more than a few pounds myself. I like the miss-match quality of the home-made versions much better than the shop bought stands.




Tunnocks Teacakes