Perhaps you have not read the archives, or my other blog.

Well, ever since first noticing it, I’ve been obsessed (to say it lightly) with the event that takes place amongst some bloggers. Put together by Stephanie at Dispensing Happiness. “Blogging By Mail” matches bloggers from around the globe to send a little something, in this case our most favourite things.

Away on vacation, I couldn’t help but badger our house sitter with my postal inquiries. When suddenly, it was announced. A box from… Wisconsin! I wasn’t sure if it would be it, but I was told it was a brown paper package and we all know what those contain…

Favourite things!!!

Inside there was amazing, gingered dark chocolate, genmai-cha tea, (YUM & gone), spiced cider, gummy bears, beautiful glass coasters, mini-sock monkeys, googly eyes, for all purpose use, a groovy pen and the coolest/weirdest Asian candies that made me very popular!

As I drank my most amazing, favourite tea and savoured my chocolate, I found the little note, so nicely written by Laima on fantasticly, fushia, Nepali rice paper. Using my *new* silver pen, she wrote out, all of her favourites and how they found themselves into the thoughtful box which was found on my doorstep and so carefully placed to wait for my return on my kitchen counter.

I realized then, one of my own favourite things and it’s getting packages in the mail. These packages. Knowing that they were so thoughtfully put together just for me. That a complete stranger shared with me the intimacies of their favourite things and that someone took the effort and had the patients to make it happen. Wow.

You see, there’s this lovely event that takes place amongst some bloggers, so nicely organized by Stephanie at Dispensing Happiness. “Blogging By Mail” matches bloggers from around the globe to send a little something about where they’re from, their common culinary ingredients and their most favourite things. As my package was en route to Amrita in Singapore, Michelle was busy travelling from home to home town to jam pack the parcel she was preparing for lucky, little ol’ me.

Inside there were stuffed olives, beautiful fabric for me use in pictures, gouda, fruit snacks, ginger chews, note cards, Jordan Almonds and the cutest Heinz ketchup bottle, that I’ve always wanted but never had the courage to steal while on vacation in the States.:)

…And the chocolate, chocolate chocolate! As I pulled the items from what seemed to be my bottomless box of complete generosity, I found bars, sauce, biscotti, chocolate pretzels and it perfect breakfast match, coffee!!

As I drank my freshly ground Joe, I flipped through The Chocolate Deck, which Michelle also included!
It’s a deck of chocolate recipes so fantastically photographed by William Meppem and written by a former editor of Gourmet, Lori Longbotham. I was truly inspired by some of the recipes. Some for their beauty, others for their simplicity. Like this one; Bicerin.

Bicerin is described to have been a cafe favourite in Turin, Italy during the nineteenth century. Still enjoyed, it looked good and sounded better, plus with the help of Michelle, I had pretty much all the best ingredients to give my inspiration a go.

BICERIN
(as Adapted From Lori Longbotham)

2 Cups Plain Soy Milk
2 Cups Strongly Brewed, Hot Coffee
3 Ounces Bittersweet or Semisweet Chocolate, finely chopped
3 Tablespoons Sugar, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon Orange Flower Water, optional
or
2 Tablespoons Grand Marnier, optional

Over a medium heat, warm the soy milk to a low simmer and remove just before it begins to boil.
Meanwhile, in a heatproof pitcher, pour the hot coffee over the chopped chocolate and sugar, whisking until smooth.
Whisk the milk and Grand Marnier or orange blossom water, if using.
Taste and adjust sweetness, adding more if necessary.

Serves 4 – 6

It’s a little more last minute than I wanted to post but after a Christmas Eve car crash delay (we’re ok), I’m back to wish all of you a wonderful Holiday and a very Merry Christmas.

Taking some of my two favourite Holiday ingredients I had on hand, I simmered up a pot of marmalade. For so long I always perceived jam and jelly making as being a day long mess but I’ve quickly come to realize that it’s really not that tough.

Sugar, temperature and flavour are just about the only things you need to remember.
Adding enough sugar to fruit and juice then boiling it to the 220ºF setting point is pretty much all you need to ensure a delicious gift.

If you couldn’t tell already, I absolutely love pomegranates. Come December, I typically buy out my local grocers stock and snack on half at a time instead of popcorn.
Combined with a zesty, sweet red grapefruit, I made a marmalade I’m sure any Scottish Gran would love.

Wishing you all a very merry and safe Holiday, I hope you enjoy your families… and your feasts.

GRAPEFRUIT POMEGRANATE MARMALADE

2 Ruby Red Grapefruits, zested and juiced
3 Cups Pomegranate Juice
7 1/2 Cups Sugar
8 Cups water
1 Box Certo Pectin Crystals

Zest the grapefruit and reserve.
Halve and juice the grapefruits.
Quarter the grapefruit rinds and add to a large stockpot along with the grapefruit juice and water.
Boil over a medium high heat for 45 minutes or until reduced by 1/3.
Squeeze and remove the rinds.
Add the sugar, pectin, pomegranate juice and reserved zest.
Raise the heat and using a candy thermometer boil the marmalade without stirring until the setting point of 220ºF has been reached; gently skimming any froth.
Meanwhile sterilize jelly jars and lids in boiling water. Drain on a clean dishtowel.
Fill the jars, clean the rims and fit with the lids. Allow them to cool to set and seal.

Yields 7 cups.