Last Friday I was on a quest. It had all started over a year ago, when I set my sights upon learning to make the perfect french macaroon. If you have ever attempted creating these delicate fancies you will know the dedication that is required of the amateur baker seeking perfection. Over a period of several months I developed a love-hate relationship with the whole pursuit. I loved the satisfaction of making the perfect batch but hated the disappointment of the failed attempts. The only encouragement was that by doing a quick google search I found that I was not alone. There are whole blogs dedicated to the art of the french macaroon. As I write now it has been several months since my last attempt.

With this in mind you can imagine my excitement when I heard on Twitter that a local artisan bakery was to start selling freshly baked french macaroons. A year on and my quest took me out of my kitchen and to the wonderful Grainger Market in the heart of Newcastle Upon Tyne. If you're a local you will probably know it well. For those from further afield,  if you ever find yourself in the city centre then do take the opportunity to have a stroll there and soak up the atmosphere. At the time of its opening in 1835 it was the largest covered market in Europe and it is now preserved as a Grade 1 listed building with elegant architecture and a vibrant and eclectic mix of stores. 

Happy New Year!

I thought I'd start by sharing one of my favourite creations from Christmas 2011. I love to do a glazed fruit and nut topping on my christmas cake and I was particularly pleased with this year's version. It tasted pretty good too! 

For me the start of Advent coincided with an un-planned blog break. Its good to be back and I thought I would update you on some of our creative preparations for Christmas. I'm really looking forward to sharing lots of children's beautiful artwork I've been working with but as many of the notecards ordered are destined to be gifts I will have to be patient and tell you more after Christmas. 

This beautifully worked train has heralded the start of my Advent since I was a little girl. My Mum originally made it for my sister and when I came along 2 sets of little parcels were hung on every day's loop. Now we are both grown and have children of our own we take turns to share the fun of this heirloom with our families. This year it is Master M's turn to enjoy the anticipation of opening a parcel each day and, as he discovered on the 1st, this year I have also added a fun innovation to the usual sweetie treat.