December in Pictures (Bangkok)

My favourite time of year has arrived again and flown by! December in Bangkok is not quite as snuggly, snowy and Christmassy as in the UK but it definitely has its advantages. 

I was a very lucky girl and had a wonderful birthday celebration, organised by Rach, Pip and Lucy. A Strictly Come Dancing murder mystery dinner. AMAZING! I was Dee Cup, glamour model extraordinaire, and we had to find out who had killed Craig Level Crossing, the judge. Not only was it loads of fun, but the girls had even contacted mummy Harwood to cook me the ideal birthday meal of baked camembert, chicken dinner with bread sauce and rocky road! I felt very special. Thanks ladies and those who came to celebrate with me! 

Our long standing tradition of Christmas Dinner Thai Style was in its second year and had a new participant in Lucy, who joined Pippa, Rach, Paul, Gillian and I for a Sunday of festive fun. It all started with Christmas music while Lucy and I prepared a lunch of chicken, bread sauce, fresh sprouts, carrots, roasties, peas and swede and stuffing (courtesy of Rachel). Then we had presents, charades, the Queen's speech from Gillian, who parachuted in in a peach dress a la Olympics, carol singing and It's a Wonderful Life. Such a lovely day. 

Christmas Dinner

With out access to my sewing machine or a decent kitchen, my Christmas present making plans were a bit scuppered. So, I got out the knitting needles and started...I was really impressed with my efforts. Some bobble hats, snoods, hand warmers and some cute little baby hats too. Some were a little wonky, but that only goes to show they were homemade!

Isla's hat

Then came the Christmas party which had a 1920s theme. Prohibition, a speakeasy, a jazz band and some Charleston! It was a fab night and lovely to get dressed up and spend time with my beautiful friends! We scrub up well!

A sneaky picture of my Christmas present to myself, created by my very clever cousins from Tete a Tete. It's copied from a vintage Tiffany design but has a blue topaz instead of a diamond. So pretty! Love it! 

Finally, my plans for reading on the flight. Hel, over at http://sittinginthekitchensink.blogspot.com suggested this was her favourite wintery read and so I thought I should give it a go.  

November in Pictures

Rainy season not quite finished

Nice wine with nice people

Hua Hin, with more nice people

Hua Hin beach

Simple jammy biscuits

Simple jammy biscuits

Simple jammy biscuits

A trip to Chinatown

Making kumquat marmalade

Ready to go

Finished

Shortbread

Pippa's Birthday Picnic

Blood Wedding Set

Fun painting the set

Some blue skies, at least!

Duck Confit with Honey Brussel
Sprouts at Eat Me

Red Onion and Brie Tart at Eat Me

My first Krathong

Krathongs made for Loy Krathong

Chocolate Buffet - Sukothai

A chocolate buffet? I suppose I should really! A group of about 12 of us went to celebrate a friend's birthday. I'd heard about the Sukothai's Chocolate Buffet but just hadn't got around to going so thanks to Gillian, I had my first taste! 

We ordered our choice of tea (French Breakfast) and then started on the savouries which were laid out beautifully like a little tea party. After some amazing smoked salmon sandwiches and some canapes, I was all ready to start on the chocolate. 

There were so many different chocolate desserts that I didn't really know where to start! The macaroons were fab, the truffles were delicious and the plum crumble with custard and chocolate sauce was heaven. 

However, all of this paled into insignificance against the hot chocolate degestation table. Over 15 different types of chocolate from around the world, extras like hazelnut ganache and pralines, and cream. Oh good lord! You could try the different chocolates before picking which flavours you wanted to mix your own hot chocolate, made for you there in a tiny little silver pot over an open flame. The result was a small, delicate tea cup, filled with a thick, rich chocolate, topped with a fluffy cloud of cream. The smell was irresistible and the taste was dark, deep and sensuous - a bit too Nigella for you?! Tough! It was, possibly, one of the best taste experiences I have ever had! I can't wait to go back, just for the hot chocolate! 

I've been inspired to try making a hot chocolate as good! On the look out for some posh Peruvian or Ecuadorian chocolate now! 

Sampeng Lane

This has to be one of my favourite places in Bangkok. Sampeng Lane stretches through Chinatown and is a narrow, hodge podge of stalls and shops all crammed in to a tiny space. People squeeze each other, food sellers pull their carts through and shop owners maneuver boxes of stock around the buyers. It's a shopping haven and you can buy anything there, even things you didn't know existed. Or would never in a million years imagine you could need or want. It's bright, colourful and busy and for magpies like me, there's so many things to lust after!

Fabric shops

Baked goods

Freshly squeezed juice

More fabric shops

And yet more fabric shops!

Tat, stuff and things

Pretty colours

Knock offs! Makes me want an iPhone

I treated myself to some fabric. I haven't got a sewing machine here, and have a box of pretty fabric at home too, but it was so lovely and cheap and I couldn't resist. I will now have to make something with it - I was thinking a nice big warm quilt or throw for my bed. Then I'd be able to say 'I bought that fabric in Thailand' when I'm eventually snuggled up on the sofa/in bed under it.

Pinks, greens and greys

Before I eventually leave Thailand I'm going to go there and spend hundreds of pounds on beautiful fabric. I'm not sure what I'll do with it all, it'll be an investment!