Le truc de truffes

One of the best things about living in France is the wonderful produce you can buy at a French market.  Being Christmas and the time for being a bit of a piggy what could be more appropriate than seeking out the most luxurious of ingredients, the truffle.

A basket heaving with one of the most precious harvests in France

The truffle business is so serious in France that a man was recently killed by a Trufficulteur who suspected him of raiding his truffle harvest so it was not without trepidation that I agreed set off with a friend early on Christmas Eve to buy one at a market in the pretty town of St. Jean d'Angely.  

Last year I visited an annual truffle fair in the nearby town of Jarnac with my husband, Spike, and it is fair to say that we were a little out of our depth as it felt like we had stumbled into a den of drug dealers. We stood and watched for a while as slightly shady characters carefully weighed out the black diamonds and whispered secret deals to obviously experienced buyers.  I am glad to say that we did eventually pluck up the courage to approach one of the stands and procure the goods before hurriedly scuttling away.
  

Thankfully this year, as we found the small oilcloth clad table laden with les truffes I had been tipped off about by a fellow market trader, the man selling these petits morceaux of heaven was very warm and helpful and I went away with one of his smaller offerings for the princely sum of 28€ without any obvious discomfort at all!

That evening when Spike came home from work we enjoyed a simple truffle omelette in order to gauge it's strength in preparation for the all important Christmas lunch (well that's our excuse anyway for snuffling some of it up early!)

Our Christmas lunch of roasted monkfish and truffles

On Christmas Day we prepared together (with me as sous chef) a mushroom duxelle that Spike used as stuffing for the monkfish we had decided to try this year.  The fish was then rolled into a joint (no not that kind!!!) and roasted along with some traditional roast potatoes. 

This was accompanied by a fennel bake with cream and parmesan, a carrot and courgette tartlet and a rich red wine jus (get me!).

We also had a few brussel sprouts on the side which I thought that was a bit weird but Spike actually refused to eat Christmas lunch without them!

I have to say that we both agreed that it was the best Christmas lunch we'de ever had and the truffle shavings on the top of the fish left us both eating in blissful silence (only to be occasionally broken by a few 'mmmms', 'yummy yummy' noises and deep sighs). 

Truffled quails eggs

On Boxing Day we invited our friends, Karin (who had come with me for moral support to buy the truffle) and her husband, David, over for supper.  

For the starter Spike poached quails eggs and served them on brioche toast with a truffle cream sauce and truffle shavings on the top.  

He had cleverly thought the night before to keep the quails eggs in a jar with the truffle to see if they would take on some of the flavour but it's hard to say if it worked (having been slathered in the aforementioned yummy truffle cream sauce!) 

Sadly there is not much our petit truffe left now so we have decided to finish it off tomorrow morning for breakfast by having truffled scrambled eggs on muffins - of the English variety!  

The dwindling truffle that had infused the quails eggs

We had a truly lovely Christmas this year and hope that you did too.  Soon things will be back to normal and I will be back to posting blogs on my usual trucs in the New Year but in the meantime I send you my very best wishes for 2014.

A Merry Little Christmas in Rural France

It's that lovely time of year when I clamber up into the loft and fetch down my Christmas decorations.  They are stored in a shabby old Fortnum & Mason's wicker hamper which keeps all my precious Christmas trucs safe.

Every year Spike and myself exchange lots of little silly gifts in the hand-made Christmas sacks I made a few years back (you can safely assume that I'm a bit of a Christmas freak... the stockings we had before were far too small to fit anything in!!!)  

We also have a lovely tradition of picking out for each other a special bauble each year for the Christmas tree which gives it a wonderfully eclectic look and although our tree is smaller than usual I think it's beautiful all the same and because it has roots it can be planted out in the garden in the new year.

Our tree - small but perfectly formed

The drinks cabinet stocked & ready for friends who drop by 

This year we are having a quiet Christmas day to ourselves that will hopefully consist of sitting around in pyjamas for the first part of the day while we open our presents, moving on to necking the booze out of little bottle shaped liqueur chocolates (not the healthiest breakfast but you may say but you might as well start as you mean to go on!!) before eventually being persuaded by the dogs to get dressed and take them out for a long winters walk. 

By this time a bit splodgy but still yummy

Once all these things have been done the preparations for Christmas lunch can start. This year, as it's just the two of us, we are not being traditional at all so we are going to roast some monkfish stuffed with a mushroom duxelle (hopefully with some truffle shavings too if I can get my mitts on one... another story for another day!).  

I know this Christmas lunch sounds a bit unorthodox but I don't eat meat (that makes me a pescetarian apparently). Luckily for Spike we have meat-eating friends over for supper on Boxing Day so he will not miss out. 

Something I always make this time of year are Christmas cupcakes which are a variation on the traditional Christmas cake but much lighter, oozing with cognac with a yummy cream cheese frosting on the top.  

They keep really well and can be offered all through the holiday season to anyone who drops by (our French neighbours absolutely gobbled them up last year when they popped in for an apero or two).

Here is the recipe for my Christmas Cupcakes if you would like to try them (sorry it's all metric but there are, as I'm sure you know, conversion tables available online):-

Ingredients

90g butter – softened

100g brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tbsp of orange marmalade

500g finely chopped mixed dried fruit

100g plain flour

½ teaspoon of baking powder 

1 tsp of mixed spice

2 tbsp of cognac

Ingredients for frosting

45g soft butter

100g icing sugar

100g cream cheese

Method

• Preheat your oven to 160°C
• Line a 12 cupcake pan with cupcake cases
• Using an electric whisk, beat the butter, sugar and eggs until just combined
• Stir in the mixed fruit and marmalade.  Mix until well combined
• Sift the flour,baking powder and spice.  Add to the mixture
• Add the cognac and mix well
• Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases – dividing evenly
• Bake for about 30 minutes
• Remove from the oven and pour a little cognac over the top of each cake
• Immediately after this cover all the cakes with foil
• Allow to cook before removing the foil and removing them from the pan

 Method for the frosting

Beat together the soft butter with the icing sugar, then beat in the cream cheese. Pipe on the top with a swirl!

I think that if you try them you will enjoy them as much as we do and I really hope that you 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' too.

From 'Trucs' to Treasures

During the summer I visited a brocante in Cognac and bought an elegant French silver plated ladle.  The vendor informed me that it was a louche à sauce (a sauce ladle) and I happily took it home with me along with some other finds and set about cleaning it up.  

I love cleaning and researching the trucs I buy and find it incredibly satisfying when an object begins to show itself in all it's glory. This particular find not only did that but the famous French maker's mark of Gombault soon became clear.  

The clear maker's mark Gombault

Gombault was a renowned silversmith during the Belle Epoque period in France where he earned himself the nickname 'Monsieur Absinthe' because he specialised in making drinking paraphernalia for the rituals associated with the notorious drink, Absinthe. 

Beautifully crafted and in super condition

Art Nouveau (Belle Epoque) advertising poster

Absinthe, coined 'The Green Fairy' was later banned in its original form because it was considered not only to be dangerous to the health because of it's sheer alcoholic strength but also to possess hallucinogenic properties.

This stunning poster on the left belies the darker side of the drink but is undeniably a fabulous example of the creative style of the time conjuring up images of the famous Moulin Rouge and bringing to mind the decadence and bohemian artistry of the era.

Being a bit of a history buff I always like to thoroughly research my trucs and I enjoy passing on as much knowledge as I can to my customers in the hope of transforming an often simple inanimate object into something of a treasure.

Researching my trucs can be not only  frustrating but also very time consuming and in this case I was getting very tired of trawling endlessly on the internet and was just about to pack it in when I got incredibly lucky and stumbled across two very interesting things.

The first find was a copy of a couple of pages from Gombault's catalogue showing the very same ladle which as it turned out was not a sauce ladle at all but (to my slightly absurd overexcited delight... shrill squeal!) a punch ladle (cuiller à punch) along with its accompanying original price list (I wonder if they made punch from Absinthe at the time or would that have been considered to be sacrilegious?!!)

There it is at the top of the page the second from the left

Listed by the number 505 and priced at 7 francs

The other interesting thing I came across was an article by the British newspaper 'The Express' that claimed that experts have uncovered the forgotten secrets of the original absinthe recipe and that they were bringing it back.

Well I don't know about you but if it's true and the original Absinthe is back I will have to give it a try otherwise I will feel I have not satisfactorily completed my research and that would never do!!

An Afternoon Antiquing in Rural France

The Courtyard and Charming Rustic Farmhouse

Things have been a bit uneventful lately so I didn't have to be asked twice when a good friend of mine suggested we go antiquing in a rural antique/interiors shop in a little village not far from us.  

On arriving we were overwhelmed by the vast array of architectural salvage and rustic objects that vied for our attention in the courtyard. But seeing that it was a cold and overcast day and knowing that there was a good chance that some vin chaud and a selection of gateaux were waiting for us we wisely decided to head inside first.
  

Being rural the owner of the brocante doesn't keep normal opening hours but my friend had cleverly gleaned that this particular day she was holding a special open afternoon to welcome the approaching Christmas holiday season.

Table Set with Seasonal Trucs

Lot of Lovely Shiny Trucs

Inside the charmingly rustic farmhouse an array of candles, baubles and sparkling decorations greeted our eyes.   The stock was a mixture of the antique, vintage and new so there was something for everyone.   The log burner in the old fireplace was throwing out oodles of heat and it wasn't long before we were pulling off hats and coats and milling around with the numerous other customers in the search for seasonal gifts.

Unsurprisingly being something of a purist when it comes to antique shops and brocantes it wasn't long before I was itching to finish my drink and get outside for a good rummage through the proper old stuff in the courtyard and adjoining barn.

Unfortunately my coffers were a little on the low side that day so it was to be a browsing expedition rather than a buying one but I wasn't about to let a small detail like that spoil my enjoyment.   I do love to chiner though, as the French say, and the glass of mulled wine was sorely testing my resolve not to buy.

Inside the Barn

Having had a good look outside we headed into the barn and found ourselves in a veritable Aladdin's cave of trucs.  

I am always on the lookout for ideas and inspiration for the vintage/coffee shop I would someday like to own and this place didn't disappoint.  For as long as I can remember I have yearned for my own shop, a fact that my long suffering Mum would attest to having been subjected to many a tedious hour visiting my makeshift shop under a myriad of different guises!

Some might venture that she must have had the patience of a saint but I say it doesn't do anyone any harm to hone their acting skills once in a while (and who was it that bought me the little cash till that started it all???)

I am happy to report though that I do now at least have an Etsy shop (yes, it's true, I finally did it, ta ta da da... so please take a look!) so for the time being I shall have to be content with just dreaming of my shop in Cognac... picture this... a little old fashioned bell on a spring tinkling when you enter, the smell of freshly ground coffee assaulting your nostrils, 1930s jazz and blues music playing softly in the background and a room filled to bursting with wonderful, eclectic trucs (sorry about that!  I seem to have meandered off into a lovely daydream).

Antique Terracotta Plaques

Anyway, back to our afternoon out! We decided to quickly nip back in to the shop to say goodbye and pay for our purchases...I bought a solitary bauble (so sad!). I must admit to hoping that having been outside for some time the owner might have failed to recognise us from earlier and offer us more complementary mulled wine and cake!

It was then that I noticed, flanking the lovely rustic blue front door, a couple of terracotta plaques that I sold at a brocante fair earlier on in the year.

It seemed a bit funny seeing some trucs that used to belong to me somewhere else but they did look splendid either side of the door so I imagine it wont be long before someone falls for them and snaps them up.

I must confess that I didn't recall the proprietor as the buyer but I see so many people at these fairs it's really hard to remember them all (I am truly rubbish at recalling faces.. and names... unless they happen to be dogs which isn't very helpful in my profession..."Well hello there Snuggles - what can I interest you in today?")

All things considered I can't think of anything better to beat the winter blues than to wrap up warm and go out with a good friend antiquing!

Adieu Big Blue Van

Big Blue Van doing what it did best at a brocante in Cognac

It is the end of an era... we have sold our big blue ex-EDF van after nearly 10 years of service.  It has had its moments (like the time it broke down immediately after rolling off the ferry in Newhaven (England) at some ungodly hour of the night) but it has also been a steady workhorse throughout three house renovations and numerous trips back to England.

You may wonder why, after such long and loyal service we have decided to let it go?  Well, I'm afraid that's down to me.  You see I never quite mastered it's quirks (if I did actually manage to turn the ignition key to get the damned thing started I then spent the next ten minutes failing dismally to find a gear!)

  

It was for this reason, and after much discussion, that we made the momentous decision to trade it in for a younger and smaller model so that I don't always have to rely on Spike to drive me to brocantes or buying missions in the future.

So (rather cunningly I thought) I sneakily popped an 'à vendre' sign in the driver's side window of the van at the last brocante without any real expectation of anything coming of it.  However, it wasn't long before a fellow brocanteur began to show a keen interest. 

A week of so later we found ourselves sitting gloomily at the kitchen table having just watched Big Blue Van (our only vehicle that I never properly named... guilt, guilt!!) pootle down the drive for the very last time.  I was surprised how emotional I felt saying goodbye to the old lump so we reminisced for a while over a nice cup of tea (that always makes everything better doesn't it?... if only that were true!) about the many exploits we had shared with it over the years.

Not only did I have a desolate husband to contend with but the dogs were also staring at me accusingly - they loved nothing more than a ride in BBV to the rubbish dump or a leisurely nap in the cab (well that's not strictly true... Oscar, the beagle, loves nothing more than FOOD but poor Jakie was genuinely bereft).    

Oscar - not at all impressed but very bribable

Jake - (unbribable)  I had better come up with the goods

Spike and Oscar and BBV in happier days!

I am now a woman with a mission - I have been charged with flying back to England in the Spring and not to come back until I find a replacement (a bit mad I know crossing La Manche to buy a van for France but the prices of second had vehicles over here are truly astronomical!)

It will be a huge responsibility but I will do my best not to let the boys down and take the opportunity to fill New Van (I may even get around to naming this one) with fresh trucs for the Summer brocante season and lots of treats for Spike and the dogs in the hope of worming my way back into their good books!

Eclectic 'Trucs'

Well there's not much going on in the brocante calender in France right now and to be honest even if there was it's been so cold lately that I honestly don't think I could manage to keep a smile on my face all day (a scary grimace would probably be all I could muster) .

I decided therefore to visit a local flea market last weekend as a punter (well to be honest I had originally intended to have a stall at but with one thing and another I left it too late to book and didn't get a pitch). Fortunately this regrettable oversight on my part did make snuggling up in bed under a lovely warm duvet all the more pleasurable, especially coupled with the delicious thought that at that very moment we could be outside bickering with each other in the dark in the struggle to scrape ice off the windscreen of the van.

Having finally persuaded ourselves to tumble out of bed and enjoy a leisurely (and somewhat smug) breakfast we moseyed down to the brocante to do a bit of buying, determined to make the best out of what proved to be a bit of a lost opportunity (the market turned out to be a really good one... note to myself for next year... lazy lazy lazy... but so warm and snugly!).  

I have to say that I genuinely felt for the dealers (the ones who had managed to get their crap together and reserve a place!) as I watched them stamp their feet to keep out the cold and cup their frozen hands over mugs of steaming hot coffee.  It was then that I realised that I obviously don't have that degree of dedication and would have to wait to emerge, like a butterfly from a chrysalis (or a sleepy old tortoise from hibernation... take your pick!) sometime in the spring.

With all this in mind I have taken the uncharacteristic decision to be proactive, in a warm and comfortable kind of way of course, and to fill the long winter months grappling with my new 'Etsy' shop on the Internet (soon to be opened when I manage to get around to it... probably sometime after the Christmas rush!)   

Anyway with this new venture in mind here are some of the 'trucs' of a more eclectic/quirky nature that I picked up last week:-

 'Amuse Gueules' aperitif tray from the Belle Epoque period

Charming shabby chic biscuit tin from Montpellier 

French vintage bellows camera from the 1940s

Delightful antique biscuit/butter mould depicting Saint Basil

If my super little 'trucs' fail to charm others as much as they have charmed me and remain unsold over the winter do not fear!  They will still be loved and have already found their respective places in the ever decreasing nooks and crannies of my home while they wait (a bit like myself) to be unleashed back into the real (and considerably warmer) world of antique dealing next year.

     

A Daytrip to Cognac and 'La Belle Époque'

I have always loved Cognac (the town that is... well I'm also quite partial to the spirit!) so on awaking Saturday morning to what promised to be a crisp autumnal day and being lucky enough to live only a 20 minutes drive away we decided to treat ourselves and go there for lunch.  

Cognac is a place we never seem to tire of and although we visit the town often there always seems to be something to do or something going on.  There are numerous Cognac houses to visit with guided tours, the centre of town is full of independant boutiques and restaurants and over the summer months there is a busy calender of  festivals and events including, of course, the famous Cognac Blues Passions festival.   

Being foodies we like to try different restaurants so after a little discussion we settled on a place that we hadn't been to for a few years - the iconic Brasserie du Coq d'Or in the Place François 1er.  

I particularly wanted to go there because of the stunning Art Nouveau interior that is so reminiscent of restaurants in another of my all time favourite destinations, Paris.

  

Spike took a little persuading at first due to the fact that our last visit there was not particularly enjoyable - the food was average at best, the staff were not very friendly and the murky looking seafood tank near the entrance was enough to make you want to turn on your heels and walk straight out. 

People often comment on how lucky I am to be married to a chef and it does of course come with its obvious advantages but finding a restaurant to meet his exacting standards or for that matter friends brave enough to invite him for dinner without getting themselves into a pickle can be quite a challenge.

However, regarding the fortunes of the Coq d'Or I was aware that it had recently changed hands and been given a much needed face-lift so being a sucker for an authentic French brasserie I was keen to give it a second chance. 

As we arrived at the entrance we paused for a moment before gingerly stepping through the door and found that our fears were unfounded as a member of staff greeted us warmly and showed us to a romantic little table for two in an intimate corner.  

The interior, as promised, had been tidied up without losing any of its wonderful belle époque authenticity and the seafood bar had been relocated and was now clean and modern (the dirty old tank with the embarrassed looking lobster hiding under a bit of weed was thankfully no more!)  

As I contentedly sipped my aperatif I also quietly drank in the atmosphere of the place and imagined that I had somehow been magically transported to Paris for the day (oh, heaven... sigh!).

The traditional lighting was soft and intimate and reflected beautifully in the smoked glass Art Nouveau mirrors that encircled the room (the flattering kind that don't give you a shock when you catch your own reflection in them!)  

The restaurant was furnished with traditional style bistro tables and chairs and the banquettes had been re-upholstered with deep prune velvet (trés trés chic). 

Even a little trip to poudre le nez reminded me of Paris with brick effect metro tiles covering the walls and a traditional lit sign above the stairs conveniently pointing the way. 

In my enthusiasm for Art Nouveau interiors I did actually take some photos of les toilettes but decided to spare you!  

All that was left to do now was to wait in trepidation for the all important food to arrive. 

We had both chosen fish dishes (Spike the sea bream and myself the sturgeon) which were brought to our table with a smile. 

The fish dishes were not only beautifully presented but were also cooked to perfection (phew... so far so good!).  

After a brief pause the desserts that followed were also little works of art and I must confess that my pain perdu was indeed lost... in a matter of seconds!    

I feel very lucky to live so close to such a famous and elegant town and for anyone who visits Cognac and is a lover of vintage interiors and classic French food I can now heartily recommend the dear old Coq d'Or as it has truly, like a phoenix, risen from the ashes.

  

Les Petits Trucs

It's only been over the last year that I can honestly say that my love affair with vintage costume jewellery truly began (sorry mes petites saucissons from across the pond but that's the way I spell 'jewelry' and I'm sticking to it!)

I have never been a big wearer of jewellery myself as I'm not at all convinced that I carry it off that well but I have always admired it and the women who can.  One thing I wouldn't be without though is my little Art Deco cocktail watch.

It's only made of silver, not white gold or platinum nor studded with real diamonds, but it is an original Swiss watch from the period and a genuine piece of iconic 1930's design.  I love the simplicity of the plain black watch strap that sets off the wonderful dial.  I had the watch cleaned and serviced after I bought it from an auction and it keeps time fabulously.

The face is rectangular and very small so setting the correct time is sometimes challenging but I love the glamour of peeling back my glove to see it peep out decadently at me as I stand freezing my butt off in the middle of a muddy field trying to sell my wares.

I often wonder to myself what the original owner was like... apart from obviously having impeccable taste!  I imagine her to have been a woman of style and substance like Coco Chanel (with less of a budget to play with of course!).  How many glamorous cocktail parties did my little watch attend?  Who held the hand of it's owner as they danced cheek to cheek or snuggled up in the cinema to watch Fred Astaire?  Did they fall in love or was it just a fleeting love affair... Oh, I'm lost in the romance of it all (too many old black and white films at an impressionable age I suspect but who cares!)

Dreamy thoughts like these flit across my mind as I sift through the job lot of jewellery I have just bought. Most of the items are charming of course but now and then I have come across something special that is so evocative of its time that it catches my breath.  In the case of other pieces that I don't know anything about I have the pleasure of unravelling their secrets by doing a little research.  I find it incredibly interesting to learn about these petits trucs and enjoy passing whatever knowledge I have managed to glean on to their new owners.

My husband quite recently (and I think rather unkindly) likened me to Gollam from 'Lord of the Rings' (to be fair he did catch me me sitting wide-eyed pouring over a big pile of vintage costume jewellery in wonder) so on that note here is a small selection of some of  "my precious" trucs in stock at the moment:-

A silver Art Nouveau brooch

An elegant vintage double strand synthetic pearl necklace

A pair of vintage diamante earrings

A 50s Norwegian silver/enamel brooch by Bernard Meldahl

An Art Deco belt buckle

A vintage Scottish amber glass brooch

A particularly wonderful thing about selling des petits bijoux is that there is always something for everyone. The prices span over a wide range to suit every budget and appeal to young and old alike. One of my favourite and most memorable sales was for the princely sum of 4€, a little vintage neck scarf ring with an embroidered kingfisher under glass from the 1950's.

Two lovely mature ladies came to my stall and were scanning my stock when the younger of the two found it and showed it to her friend.  Having haggled the price down from 6€ to the aforementioned 4€ the older lady swiftly tore off a rubber band that had been holding her scarf in place and having slightly shaky hands stood obediently like a little girl as her friend fixed the much improved replacement into place.

I have to be completely honest and admit that when I first saw the neck ring hiding among a pile of other bits and bobs I didn't really think it had much potential.  At the time I couldn't imagine who would buy such a thing but from the obvious pleasure it gave her to fix her little wardrobe malfunction and continue proudly through the fair I knew it had found its rightful home.

On the other side of the coin I do sometimes get rather enthusiastic people who snatch strings of pearls off my stall and start rubbing them on their teeth or whip out a jeweller's loupe to study anything slightly shiny in the hope that I have inadvertently priced up a Carl Fabergé piece at 5€.

To those people I have only one thing to say  "DO I REALLY LOOK THAT STUPID?"

I am not unreasonable and am more than happy to inform potential customers whether the pearls in question are real or synthetic or if something is made from precious metal or not but the price tag is generally a good guide (unless I've seriously messed up... quel cauchemar!)

Something I have noticed since dealing in vintage costume jewellery is that each piece has a unique personality of its own, very much like people. Like jewellery we're all very different.   Some of us are maybe slightly oddball (I speak for myself by the way!) or perhaps not as obviously beautiful or exotic as others (me again!) but ultimately we all hope that we will appeal to someone's taste and that they will pick us out from the crowd and treasure us forever.

'Trucs' for the Kitchen

Our kitchen is still a joy to me every time I enter it having made-do with a makeshift kitchen in the living room for well over a year while we were renovating the house.  The day that we that we lugged in all the furniture that had been languishing in the barn was a real red-letter day.

The challenge then was to decide where all my lovely trucs were going to go.  Being a professional chef's kitchen it needed to be practical but I saw no reason not to mix in a smattering of vintage finds.

I love entertaining and when we have friends over to eat I relish the opportunity to use some of the vintage tableware that we have managed to chiner over the years. Of course it goes without saying that head chef in this scenario is my husband Spike (although our friends would probably deny it I'm sure they would be gutted if I cooked!)












I find that nothing gives more of a sense of occasion than bringing a meal to the table in an ancient terrine or by serving a tranche of cake using a vintage silver plated cake slice.

One of our favourite Autumn starters is the classic French dish Soupe à l'oignon and I will invariably dig out some of our rustic earthenware soup dishes to serve it in.

For a warm colourful southern French dish like Soupe au pistou our rather flamboyant Italian soup terrine comes into its own and, although it's sounds a bit mad, a simple dessert such as strawberries and cream tastes so much better in my wonderful blue pressed-glass sundae dishes.

If we fancy a snifter of the local Charentaise aperitif, Pineau, or a glass of red wine we use these finely etched antique glasses that were bought from an auction in Poitiers a few years back. Friends often comment on their superb quality but do remember that antique crystal mustn't be washed in a dishwasher (no matter how sozzled you are!)

Another of my favourite trucs are these elegant demi-porcelaine green rimmed plates made by Badonviller around the 1930's/40's. The service was given to us by a dealer as a sweetener for spending an obscene amount of money on the vitrine you can see above (no I won't tell you, just think BIG!) Even though the dinner plates are considerably smaller than modern plates they are great for starters (or for anyone on a diet!).

But what I love most of all is that intangible feeling I get when using these trucs that somehow enables me to connect with the past and if you are lucky enough to inherit something from a loved one, even if it's as humble as this worn out old table spoon from my Nana's kitchen, it's lovely to think of them whenever you use it.  

To Paint or Not to Paint?

It's a horrible dreary day so I thought it would be perfect to dig-in and share with you some of the furniture I have painted over the last year or so. 

Now before anyone throws their hands in the air with despair I must stress that I would not dream of painting an 18th century commode or a wonderful Art Deco burr walnut cocktail cabinet (I do wish I had one though!) so don't worry.  I'm talking about the factory produced reproduction furniture of the mid 20th century or early 20th century furniture that has been damaged in some way (or tampered with by a previous, very naughty owner!).

When you come across an uninspiring corner cabinet with ply-board on the back in a dark mahogany veneer it can be hard to see it's potential but these things are practically being given away at every auction in the Western world so it's worth giving them a second chance and to breath new life into them.  I must warn you though that it's an enormous pain in the butt masking all the little panes of glass so you'll need to have some patience!

This particular cabinet I have in my kitchen and even on a dull day like today it cheers up a dark corner and displays my Royal Albert Old Lavender Rose tea service beautifully.   On a practical note it also keeps it free from dust.

One of my all time favourite pieces of furniture in the house is a French chest of drawers (repro. again!) that I have painted a colour described as 'Duck Blue'.  I was a little worried about painting it such a bold colour at first but I am really pleased with the result (although my Mum thinks it looks a bit 'Disney!'.. well, you can't please everyone!)  

It can be so easy to play it safe and to stick to neutral colours all the time but there is a risk of having a rather dull house that looks like it's come from a showroom of an interior design store like Maisons du Monde.  

Of course there is nothing fundamentally wrong with modern interior showrooms but the prices can be quite astronomical for what are essentially cheaply made copies of the real thing.  

The irony is that you can often buy the genuine pieces cheaper and they will have been made with a degree of craftsmanship.  Another plus point to buying old furniture is that it won't devalue the minute you get it home.  If you were to mad enough to enter a modern reproduction chandelier into an auction you'd be in for a terrible shock!  

At this point and having had a good old moan I must confess that there are a few bits and bobs from the aforementioned store and others like it knocking around the house, I am not a complete purist providing they are mixed in with individual eclectic items.  These stores can be a great source of inspiration and are, like home magazines, a useful resource to understanding the currents trends. When I'm buying for the stall, for example, I can keep what's in demand in the forefront of my mind as well as searching for unusual individual trucs .

The next piece of furniture I have updated is a Victorian chest of drawers that originally belonged to my lovely Nana and was designed to be painted being made out of cheap wood so 'ne paniquez pas!!'

When it was given to me there must have been about five layers of paint on it so I grabbed my trusty blowtorch and took off the lot in one go.  I have experimented a bit by applying some wallpaper to the drawer fronts and changing the knobs.  The wonderful thing with painting any piece of furniture this way is that it can be changed if you mess it up or decide that the colour or style no longer fits in with your interior.

The final illustration is of an early flat-pack French break-front wardrobe that I bought at an auction in England a few years back for the princely sum of £20 (well £23.53 if you include the commission).  It was in a bit of a state and needed repairing in places along with a complete repaint but I think it was well worth the work. 

I hope that this has been of some inspiration to you on what is a truly a miserable, dull, rainy day.