BEST IN SHOW AT RHS CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW

The Daily Telegraph Garden got the award "Best in Show" at Chelsea Flower Show yesterday. Designed by Andy Sturgeon it is inspired by travels around the world and through life! The mix of rusty metal, dry stone walls, formal garden design and mixed up traditional planting, it really gives you a new dimension to gardening while walking round in it!
I will be back tomorrow with more and next week I will be on our island in the Stockholm Archipelago (Sweden). From there I will blog you nature, recipes etc...see you then...

BIRCHES AND WHITE FLOWERS AT CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW

Welcome to my second small report from Chelsea Flower Show. Birches were everywhere, most often in companionship with white flowers as foxgloves and cow parsley just to mention two...
A them that makes me think of Swedish and Finish forests and especially the natural fauna that you can find in the Stockholm Archipelago....mixed with blueberries, fern and pine trees....
This picture is from the Cancer Research Garden, Chelsea Flower Show 2010.

RECYCLING AND JAMIE OLIVER AT CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW

Yesterday I went to Chelsea Flower Show, fantastic gardens and very, very hot. I was sorry for some of the gardeners since their flower already was looking a bit sad.

One of the most interesting gardens was "The Eden " project which has involved prisoners, homeless people etc in planning and growing some of the garden. Below see one little bit of the (for Chelsea Flower Show) big garden. Here with recycling border and "organic" ground cover!
I will be back with more from this garden.
Jamie Oliver was making Pizza in the outdoor oven in "Save the Children" stand. Designed to entertain a whole family with outdoor "lounging area", pizza oven and swimming pool!
More from Chelsea tomorrow!

FLOWER POWER

Flowers are very in again this season. Not only on dresses and fabric but on china as well. And the china is best when it is retro and vintage! This display I found on Portobello Road in London yesterday but any antique shop or boot sale will do! There is also several website that specialises in old china!

More Flower Power in this shop window in Notting Hill (London). The famous singer Carmen Miranda (she performed with a big fruit arrangement on her head like a hat!) had inspired this display with so very in and chic flowery dresses!

PINK, POSH CHARITY ETC IN NOTTING HILL

Yesterday I was in London and I took a walk in Notting Hill. I wanted to have a look at the new charity shop "Mary´s Living and Giving Shop" on 177 Westbourne Grove. "Queen of Retail" Mary Portas opened a charity boutique in Westfield London last June and the success gave her the inspiration for this new one where the fashion industry make donations and the money goes to Save the Children. Opens on Saturday 22 May! (www.savethechildren.org.uk)
I just bought myself a t-shirt dress (black of course) with pink roses on (H&M) , and some leggings with roses in pink, grey and light blue (Top shop) and went searching for a pasmina in pale pink. Then realized that the colour popped up here and there. In Brisis window with an outdoor chair and Peonies...Perfumery Diptyque (with new "70th-ish Vetiver perfume) had the front in a darker shade of Pink and Toast had lantern in this girlie and romantic colour.


If in the area a must is to visit Daylesford Organic (www.daylesfordorganic.com) who has a shop and restaurant here. This Cotswold based company (The Bamford family) opened its fantastic organic concept in Kingham nearly 10 years ago and have been a great success! If you can take the time, travel to the original shop , takes about 2 hours to drive from London or 1.40 by train from Paddington! The ambiance is hard to transfer from the Cotswolds with the houses in the famous yellowy Cotswold Stone and the charming farm environment!

Finally, before Westbourne Grove crosses Portobello Road, you will find the inspiring and colourful (Pink again) flower shop Wild at Heart. Just stop and admire....
I will bring you more London news tomorrow. See you then!

NEW JERSEY ROYALS WARM POTATO SALAD

THE NEW JERSEY ROYALS ARE HERE....
Fantastic in a warm salad. Boil the potatoes. Meanwhile make a vinaigrette with virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper and a drop of honey. If you want to make more "Italian" add a bit of pesto. Toss the warm potatoes with the dressing and top with spicy green leaves as rocket, spinach and watercress. Another option is to grate or slice some Parmesan on top. Serve with barbecued meats or fish....

SPRING SIGNS IN CHIPPING CAMPDEN

Spring has really arrived in Chipping Campden (UK) my hometown in lovely "The Cotswold's".
On my way to the High Street I passed these lovely pale, nearly white Visteria and small pink flowered Clematis. Also saw in my garden that my house mirrored itself in my beautiful garden decoration of blue glass. A birthday present from my very good friend the photographer PeO Eriksson. The decoration is hand blown and designed by Anders Wingård (Skåne, Sweden, www.baske.se). Look at the website or visit the shop next time you are in Skåne!
Enjoy!

DELICIOUS SALMON FISH CAKES PERFECT FOR SPRING SUNDAY LUNCH

Not long ago I cooked a whole salmon and had a lot of very nice fish left over. I took it off the bone and froze it. It came in very handy last Sunday when I was thinking of what to cook for lunch....
Fish cakes is a very English dish so for you (Swedish etc) who are not familiar with them please give this recipe a try...

You can use any fish and add spices to your liking...Turn it into Thai Fish Cakes by adding chili and coriander.


This recipe will make approximately 15 fish cakes


900 g cooked salmon

900 g cooked and mashed potatoes

4-5 spring onions

100 ml chopped parsley, dill and or coriander

salt & pepper

50 g melted butter

For the frying:
flour
eggs
breadcrumbs
sunflower oil

Mix all the ingredients together and form cakes (like small hamburgers). Let them chill in the fridge for 20 min before frying them. Dip them first in flour, then in the egg (white and yolk mixed on a plate), finished by the breadcrumbs and fry in sunflower oil for 3 min on each side.
Serve with sweet chili sauce or mix the chili sauce with crème fraiche and chopped dill (see below), wilted spinach, carrots and some crisp salad.

FAIRY CAKES VINTAGE STYLE

I have been baking. Got so inspired by all cup cakes and fairy cakes that´s around recently! Not only highlighted by the new "Alice in Wonderland" film with Johnny Depp. But also by the girlie and nostalgic trend both when it comes to fashion and interior design. Like Cath Kidston among many other. And as I wrote before in London the window displays are more than often inspired by this trend and Madhatters tea party from Alice´s World.

I had my own little tea party today in my garden, and indoors, and used my English vintage tea cups and saucers with fabric from Swedish Department Store Åhléns, chandeliers from Habitat a couple of years ago, vase from Orrefors and wonderfully cup cake baking cases from www.kalasform.se.
At the moment my black and white garden is full of fabulous primulas and tulips which looks very good with my vintage tea set and black garden furniture.

Recipe for the fairy cakes below:

Fairy Cakes

Makes 12

125 g butter, softened
200 ml caster sugar
200 ml self rising flour or
200 ml plain flour and 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
Rind from one lemon
1 tsp vanilla sugar
2 large eggs
2-3 tbsp milk

Preheat the oven for 200 degrees Celsius.

Either put all the ingredients except the milk in a food processor and whizz it all together slowly adding the milk at the end.
Or, by hand, whip the butter with the sugar. Mix in one tbsp of flour and the one egg, repeat and the mix in the other ingredients, leaving the milk to the end.

Evenly distribute the mix into 12 paper baking case and bake for 12-15 minuter, until golden.
To put icing evenly on top you might have to cut of the tops!

For the icing you need

400 ml icing sugar
approx 50 ml water

Mix the icing sugar slowly with the water adding 5 ml at the time until quite firm but not too runny.
Colour by adding drops of food colouring to separate bowls and make sure you use separate spoons for each colour. Lilac you make from red and blue!

Spoon on top of the cooled cakes and let set a bit before decorating. Ready to enjoy after half an hour!
Keep in a airtight container if not eaten straight away. Will keep up to a week in the fridge.
Enjoy

SALADE NICOISE

More summer salads as I promised. This is one of my classics - and favourites. Salade Nicoise (Salad from Nice). Takes me back to when I went and stayed in a French family in Juan les Pins when I was sixteen.
As a base, green leaves, I used little Gems since I had it at home, and some chicory (Endives) for the same reason. Chopped cucumber and tomatoes and now to the main, and very important ingredients. Tinned tuna (could be fresh and seared or grilled as well), ansjovis, boiled new potatoes (I used wonderful New Jersey Royals, but any new potato will do, preferably with the skin left on). Green beans, still a bit warm is a must in this salad. ; Top with some vinaigrette and sprinkle some capers over the salad. I you like onions, add some chopped spring onions or red onions finely sliced! Enjoy for lunch or as a light spring evening meal.

SPRING SALAD

I made this fresh salad yesterday evening since me and my husband just wanted something light for supper after joining being out on different assignments earlier.
I used what I could find in the fridge. We had stocked up on new season asparagus (organic and local) and I had some spinach, avocado and cured ham tucked away. Parmeggiano Reggiano (Parmesan cheese) is a must in our house, always in stock!

You need, per person

1 small bunch of fresh asparagus, preferably cooked in the microwave for 4 minuter
2 handfuls of baby spinach, steamed
1/2 avocado, sliced
3 slices of cured ham
3 slices of Chorizo (thicker version)
Parmesan cheese

for the dressing

1 part lemon juice
2 parts olive oil
salt
pepper
a drizzle of honey
1-2 chopped garlic cloves

Put the asparagus on the cooked spinach. Arrange the avocado, ham and Chorizo as shown on the picture (or to your liking, be creative).
Drizzle with the dressing. Grate some Parmesan cheese on top, decorate with some basil or thyme and serve immediately! A nice crisp white wine like Muscadet or Pinot Grigio will go nicely with this dish. I also like the mix on Chardonnay and Viognier, I recently bought one from Sicily that was great!

MADHATTERS TEAPARTY IN LONDON!

Tea party's and cupcakes seems to be latest fashion in London window displays. Preferably in light blue and turquoise.... Just look at what John Lewis on Oxford Street have done in their window (above). Famous and upmarket fashion label Joseph had ladies disguised as characters from "Alice in Wonderland" drinking tea in giant tea cups and Brisi on Marylebone High Street laid their tea party table in turquoise (below).
So, invite your best friends for a "Alice in Wonderland"-inspired tea party, all in pastel colours!

ANTHROPOLOGIE IN LONDON

It is now a year since Anthropologie opened in London on Regent Street not far from Piccadilly Circus. This American chain of organic and environmentally friendly fashion and interior design has become famous for its quirky fashion and grungy, shabby chic and slightly eclectic mix or clothes, furniture and interior design accessories. How about the mirror above with raw planks as frames. If you are a DIY person you might even be able to make one yourself! www.anthropologie.co.uk