Party...!

I'm sorry I didn't post for a few days, I had to prepare myself..and recover from a party weekend.

As you know I was working on our 'FlowerPower' outfits for the big party on saturday night, which I only finished a few ours before it started. It felt a bit like the deadlines for the fashion shows I used to face when I was still studying..I always finished at least one day before. I suppose I was afraid not to make it in time and then worked like crazy and actually have time to have dinner, dye my hair and buy an outfit for the show.

I dyed the tips of my hair hot pink with lipstick and did my make-up in real seventies style with lots of eyeshadow in a copper shade, high red cheeks and faded red lips. I rolled my hair up on the sides and wore a braided headband with it. I must say it looked quite convincing. Preparing for the party was half the fun.

Everyone dressed up surprisingly well, there were lots of afro wigs, disco suits, high block heels and short glittery dresses. Men dressed like women... Our friend Ale put his green Volkwagen van up at the event, which became a popular hang out spot to take groovy pictures.

We danced until the lights went on, always a very nice hint that you are actually supposed to leave the place, and until my feet hurt despite the gel pads I wore in my shoes...

For the culinary part of this post I will tell you about the crème de marron I made. I picked these chestnuts on a bike ride last week and thought I could use them perfectly for the crème. But as someone told me they were probably wild and would taste like nothing, I bought some at the supermarket just to be sure.

I got the recipe for the cream from the River Cottage Cookbook by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and it turned out to be surprisingly simple.

I cut the skin of the chestnuts from top to bottom and cooked them for about 15 minutes, then I peeled them, outer and inner skin. Then I made a brown sugar caramel in which I cooked the peeled nuts until very soft. Then ground them in a processor with some of the syrup to get a creamy substance. You can use it in tarts, with cream or as a filling for meringues, Mmmm!

Mmm, I got hungry from writing about food, I'm gonna fix me some lunch.

Buon appetito!

wild chestnuts

party outfits

it seems we have another 'chef' in the house...

seventies make-up!