Red Castle Walk and Octopus Pasta

There are times when I am so thankful that we are living here in Malta, 

and that I begin to realise that I have fallen under her spell, 

 officially charmed

 (I speak of Malta as she, I don't know why but it must be so). 

Her gentle magic 

has seeped into us 

more than I would have predicted 

or  known it could have. 

The first year living here, I found difficult, 

the many built up parts of the island and heavy traffic jams closed me in and I felt trapped. 

I longed for the calm quiet streets of England (where we had been living), 

for the small cosy cafes and familiar faces of dear friends. 

There is nothing quiet or calm about Malta 

but a friendly spirit there is and be they loud and seemingly sometimes harsh I have found the Maltese people to be very genuine and sincere. Once they know you, they are trusting and will go out of their way to help you. I have been tracked down at the butchers to be told that a towel has blown down from my clothes line on the roof. The old man who lives beside us spent an entire morning once helping my husband clean up a clogged up sewage drain (not a pretty sight) 

and insisted on nothing in return for his help. 

Everyone up the alley knows and greets each morning my littlest son, as we set off on our errands,

old men, ladies washing their front door stoop and young kids will shout from windows and doorways- 'BONGU GIUSEPPE' !!! 

You would never find that in England.

Then there is the Nature,  

you can find stunning nature to every side of the island and such a vibrant air here. 

It may sometimes be hidden (tucked away like the gardens in villages, hidden behind tall stone walls), but its there- you smell it and at times catch brief bright glimpses through opened doors. 

It takes some patience to get to know her but Malta is ever so beautiful and rich, 

rich with history, traditions and culture. Rich in Language, poetry and music.  

If you let it, it can draw you in and capture your heart. I am realising that it has mine. 

Something about our simple weekend picnic near the sea, walking along a high ridge, looking out to cliffs and sparkling water to either side, wildflowers and almond blossoms in front of us and the faint smell of fennel in the air, made me really appreciate this island we are living on.

 The children explored and collected wild flowers. 

Ate fresh bread and drew pictures. 

We returned home, windswept and satisfied.

Part 2

Once home 

 I set about making a Maltese traditional dish- Octopus pasta, 

(having observed my mother in law making it and taking careful notes) 

I tried it out myself. 

Here is her recipe. 

Simple Octopus Pasta 

1 Kilo Octopus (wash and remove the beak) 

1 onion chopped

2 Tbs tomato conserva (tomato paste)

8 Olives, chopped

2 Tbs capers

1/4 cup peas (optional) added at the very end

1 medium potato chopped into 1-2 cm pieces

1/2 cup red wine 

salt and pepper to taste

Step 1. After you rinse the Octopus remove the small beak underneath and chop it  into 1 inch pieces (best to do this while partly frozen). So if you get it fresh from a fish market freeze it overnight first. 

Step 2. Saute the octopus pieces in olive oil till they turn red - around 8 min.

Step 3. Remove the octopus and leave the juices, add the chopped onion to this and let cook till translucent.

Step 4. Add the olives, capers, conserva, and potato and a half cup to one cup of water, let simmer for 8 min or so and then add in the octopus pieces and the red wine, add in the peas if you choose to use them and walllaaaa your sauce is done! Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mostly the flavour comes from the octopus. (it is one of my favourite Maltese dishes)

Step 5. Serve on pasta with a grated hard cheese and fresh parsley.

Some new music in the house

Hoorahhhh a new album from a much loved Seattle artist and it's not just a pleasure to listen to for the sake of my little(est) one but enjoyable for all in the house. 

Here have a listen (one of the children themed songs) 

but mixed into the album are also plenty that are not so aimed at children.

***

Sunday morning pancakes and our little Giuseppe

What does the photo have to do with the above mentioned cd? Not a thing, only that it's mellow morning sounds were filling the kitchen as I flipped pancakes and sipped coffee with the Mr. on a slow Sunday morning not long ago. 

Ohhh and a little new food discovery to share! 

a new pancake topping- lemon ricotta and sliced kiwi !

I know it sounds odd but it is very good, especially rolled into a crepe.

simple instructions

(blend 200 grams (around 1 cup) of ricotta with a tablespoon or so of powdered sugar and the juice of half a lemon, blend till creamy and serve up with tart kiwi slices or thinly sliced blood oranges- 

it is very light fresh and tasty- really. 

Simple (American style) Pancake Recipe 

As I am on the pancake side of things- here is a simple recipe for pancakes that we use- 

3 eggs

3 cups milk 

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

3 cups flour(blend how you like- half whole meal etc.) 

if you are not using self rising flour then add one and half tsp baking soda and one and a half tsp baking powder 

half tsp cinnamon

(optional) 1 Tbs of brown sugar

 separately mix the wet ingredients in one bowl and the and the dry ingredients in another-

 lastly add the wet to the dry and briefly whisk, important not to over mix

serves 4-5 people 

small note: if you like a lighter pancake you can add 2 Tbs lemon juice to 2 cups of the milk- let stand for 15 min (making butter milk) and use it in place of part of the milk. 

July Flame  by Laura Veirs

(A family favourite from a few summers ago)

Maltese 'Karnival' Part 2

I couldn't resist sharing some photographs taken by my talented friend, Xavier Cornhil Wambergue. 

These photos are of the Carnival procession in Nadur, on the island of Gozo, Nadur is a small  hilltop village which has a particular reputation throughout Malta for its Carnival spirit. 

Viva viva Karnival!

It is that time of year again, 

time for bright colours (bit heavy on the neon here), 

wings, cleavage, high heels, booming music, confetti, pralini 

and prinjolata (very sweet Carnival cake) ! 

Sadly the four day holiday weekend was largely overtaken by terrible weather- 

hail, pouring rain, huge dark clouds and lots of wind- 

was freeeezing! Apart from some hours on Monday- so out we went!! 

Sadly though I think many of the floats were damaged and the grand finale parade was cancelled. 

(photo from Nadur, Gozo) 

by Mario George Vella

care of 

Malta Inside Out

where you can find out much more about the Carnival weekend and other events 

going on, on the island!

Film Spotting

As the windy days of rain skip through its usual winter path here on the island,
one of my recent  pleasures is slipping out in the evenings and going to the cinema. 

Life of Pi 

I thought this was a beautiful film, and is a rare example of a film being on par with the book it is based on. It truly does justice to the pages of the book. Spectacular to see on the big screen, many a stunning scene to savour in the drawers of your  memory afterwards. Highly recommended. 

Argo

Not one I was very enthusiastic about beforehand,  and it must be said also that I am not a fan of Ben Affleck so it says a lot that I think both the film and his acting (and directing) were quite good.
 I liked the fact that although it is rather far fetched storyline it is based on a true story. A good film but not necessarily one you need to see on the big screen nor one that stays with you for very long afterwards, at least that was my experience. 

Les Miserable

GO go see this film...it is so worth watching on the big screen. I thought it was very well acted, well cast and the music was fantastic (yes even Russel Crow did a fair job in his role!) ...marvellous. I thought it was a very very good production.
It moved me to tears and I found myself humming the songs days after. 

Amour

I went to see this film last night and it is still sitting with me now, 

I thought it was beautiful and touching, traumatic and very sad but most of all it seems a very real depiction of the last days of a persons life (a person who dies of 'old age' ).  The very last days of life are often  not easy or pretty and you really see this but you also get to see this kind of beauty and depth of love between the couple.  It is a very good film that manages to say a great deal with out using many words. See it but be prepared, it does leave you contemplating the death of our partner, of yourself, of your parents and those near to you. At least that it how I felt afterwards. 

It also made me very appreciative of being so alive and relatively young. 

Next to see is Lincoln which I am so looking forward to!

Revived 

After some days of ominous dark clouds, howling winds and downpours of rain interspersed with hail, came some sun. So off to the countryside we went, packing a backpack with a blanket, the Sunday paper, a thermos of hot chocolate, metal mugs and some snacks. 

The children were all given the ok to 'bringsomething small with you if you really must' 

The Things they carried

Tano - eldest - age 8 : a book, a small self made diary complete with a pencil strapped to the cover and two paper air planes, also a small toy for the baby.

Magpie - second child- age 7 : toy bunny, seven small moshi monsters, a brush, a small wooden box containing a collection of over thirty glass marbles.

Desructo- third in line- age 5: a pencil case, one piece of paper (she is learning to write letters) and two metallic candy wrappers (it is unclear whether these came to the countryside with candy in them or not).

a small insight into their characters no?

smile

Even if I was down with a cold it felt so good to sit in the sunshine amid the olive and pine trees. 

(The park next to my parents house in Madison, Wisconsin)

And there were Christmas Markets and then Christmas travels across the big pond and new years and new jobs, new haircuts and new adventures that lay ahead. A certain small turned one....and... and... now it is time to get back to Capers and Olives, sorry to have been away for so long!

(The quiet back gardens of the president's palace, while we were at the orange festival last weekend)

A world away from the frozen midwest. As nice as it is to have all the green lushness and the flowering almond trees scenting the air, I do miss the snow.

heart breaking

EPA Photo

My thoughts are on the families and children of Gaza..... 

Art in the back streets of Valletta.

Bloom Cobalt

Cobalt Bloom found here 

Fabric gazing time again, the weeks running up to the Christmas Arts markets are ticking by quickly! Some new designs and fabrics all set to go! Hope your November days are dotted with bursts of inspiration (a mid the cups of hot tea and strong coffee!) 

newly arrived 

 Cocoon fabric- care of this fine shop.

As autumn settles in, I find myself in the mood to watch films. 

The shot above is from the film Jane Eyre which I saw last week... I confess I enjoyed it thoroughly. 

As a side note the Mr and I have also gotten hooked on the Homeland series...Madmen still holds the bar but this series is not too shabby, very fine acting. 

Hello Autumn

The palette in the Mediterranean is shifting, here everything is returning to green and there is the hint of rain carried on the back of the wind at last. We greet the billowy cloudskapes with relief and welcome the changing of light and the freshness of breath. Revival from the slow days of heat and sun. 

Returning - 

~ had to take some time offline ~

 family, summer, visitors and most of all heat (here it pulls you into this sort of spell).

Happy to be back and beginning our fifth year in Malta... 

with that, some tiny snippets of some recent sewing, 

also am happy to say I took part in my first market post baby! 

Now to restart that etsy shop! 

GIUSEPPE AND THE GIRAFFE

After two weeks of joyous memory- making days with the four kiddos 

(think days upon days of sun and upper 90 degree heat) getting all the smalls dressed, sun-blocked and off to the beach or park or friends house on my own has been .. adventure-full. There are the reoccurring discussions on who gets to sit next to the baby, who gets to choose the first song in the car, and who gets to bring which favourite toy, lego, or random rock along with them. Someone always realises (only once we are up the long alley and all buckled up and cooking in the car that they have forgotten the most IMPORTANT (fill in the blank) bit of paper, special broken clock, random plastic container, moshi monster,football card or dead bug...yes many a golden moment there (Que crying teething baby). But seriously there have been laughs, tears, kitty emergencies and many many many bits of bickering  

But now blessed summer camp has begun and ohh to have a few glorious mornings alone - or rather with the little napper! 

Bliss. 

...

At long last I am beginning to sew again, hoping to reopen the etsy shop soon (end of August). 

So without further ado- a few pictures of the latest little Caper Collection toy- 

this is one for Giuseppe

 (there is a matching twin brother giraffe just like it a the newly opened 

lovely Prickly Pear shop in Rabat in Gozo). 

* Amid the forays to beaches and games of memory there has been a good deal of ice cream making and cold soup consuming. 

Recipes to come.  

Plum Cordial

On our merry way back from the sea side we stopped along the dusty road side to buy some fruit from an old farmer dangling his long gangly legs out the back of a truck.  Taking a break in the shade, he leaned out and gave us a large nearly toothless smile, then proceeded to convinced my husband to buy not two but three baskets of small plums. Seeing his large hardened hands, extremely gnarled with age, tilted the scales.  He looked somewhere between 70 and 200.

 So with plums on the mind I came up with this summer drink. 

Plum Cordial

500 grams ripe plums 

1 cup sugar

juice from half a lemon and half a orange

Wash and  place the plums in a cooking pot, fill with water just an inch above the plums and let boil for a good 15 min. Pour through a sieve and set aside the boiled plums, place the remaining liquid back in the pot, add the sugar and boil for 10 min, turn off the burner and add the juice of half a lemon and half a orange. Let cool and decant into a glass bottle. 

Once cool, serve over a glass of ice (an inch is what I use but pour to taste) fill the rest of the glass with sparkling water and add a slice of lime. 

* With the left over plums press through a fine strainer and use this slightly compote a top some good quality vanilla yogurt or heated over ice cream. If you like it sweeter add in a few tablespoons of the cordial. 

* I have not tried yet but I can imagine this to be equally refreshing with Gin or Vodka added. 

On my journey back from here 

(yes that other home away from home by the sea)

I was given two gorgeous cutting boards by a dear friend 

who must have guessed that spreads of feta, stuffed olives, peppered goats cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, bigilla and marinated octopus salad are all local nibbles that we bring out in time for the cocktail hour on an almost daily basis - especially in the summertime. 

These beautiful boards are handcrafted  

over at olive designs - www.olive-design.co.uk

if by chance you fancy one or two yourself go have a peek! 

Thank you  E and P for the lovely gifts!

Recently I have noticed bookended by brothers, my two daughters have quietly been growing in their closeness to each other as well as in their abilities. The little one in her focused attention to the 'homework' her older sister has 'asigned' and the elder in slipping off through the pages of a book. 

 Summer time reading is luscious, I am so happy to see her discovering this too!  

At the moment my Magpie is in the last chapter of 

and for myself...

I am slipping off to nurse happily with this book in my hand

 What about you? Any recommendations? 

Resurfacing

from weeks of fluttering about, sleepy eyed, with visitors and off visiting and generally happy 

but falling a bit behind (in everything). 

BUT 

 some little tiny creature is finally resting for more than two hours at a time now and I have plans! 

So many plans! One of them is to step back into the rhythm of blogging. 

Wish me luck!   

Sorry to have been away so long!

Gifts

We have been blessed with visitors from afar, my parents arrived in Malta a little over a week ago. They came just in time for Easter and for a spring trip to the smaller Maltese island of Gozo.

  Pepito and grandma                                                                                    Little D and her grandpa

It is a gift to see the bonds with grandparents forming and growing , memories in the making.... 

making grass angels

My parents left this morning, we were sad to see them go.

One of the hard parts of living 'overseas' is the distance of family.

my father and I

Snaps

Little D and Tano at Mistra Bay

On the sunny days round here you will find us dashing out to the countryside for a picnic , some flower picking, water colour painting and ball throwing keep the children busy as the absent minded professor and I get to lounge with the paper, fresh bread, Italian cheeses and fruit. 

Making sure that our wee dragon child gets some sun. 

 And if its raining, hailing blustery and cold (which it has been for a good deal of the last month)-

 Then you will find me trying to heat up the house (this Midwesterner sooooo misses central heating). 

Yesterday's treat was my first go at Ginger snaps- a personal favourite. Goes well with a steaming cup of chai which I have also been indulging in on a nearly daily basis (more on that later).

The cookies were a hit, the recipe I used can be found here.

My latest find has been the foodgawker app - great for inspiration and new recipes! 

lastly a captured shot of the resident small dragon- who has learned to smile!