In the middle of the night, there is nothing Mark likes more than to lie in the dark with the windows open and listen to the rain hammering at the door. But I hate it. It seems to compromise my security, mostly because my hearing isn’t so good (I don’t hear at a certain pitch) and the rain seems to drown out all other noises which makes me feel unsafe (and also suggests I am never truly relaxed, doesn’t it?), in the dark.
But rain in the day is a different matter. The house is divinely gloomy and is this morning a haven for Finley and I. Because it isn’t exactly freezing, just dark and wet, I have opened all the windows and in a move that would probably get me shot by Mark, have put the heating on, on a very low light. But I have an excuse (Don’t I always??). My babba has told me that he has got dindins in his nose, and when I woke this morning with a stuffy nose, I knew exactly what he meant. So, it’s Operation Brocante Cold!!
Every lamp in the house is on, so we can move about the house in a rose tinted glow.
There is chicken and (glutton free!) noodle soup bubbling on the hob and this afternoon I will make this delicious spiced bread, and have it with afternoon
Spice Bread.
250g of plain brown flour.
10g baking powder.
2 eggs.
100ml of full milk.
1 pinch ground cinnamon.
1 pinch ground nutmeg.
1 pinch ground ginger.
1 (teeny) pinch all spice.
1 (teeny) pinch of black pepper.
225g of honey.
Mix the flour and the baking powder together and then add the eggs, milk, spices and honey and mix until you have a smooth paste. Put into a well greased loaf tin and cook on a moderate heat for one hour…
Delicious today, but even better tomorrow when it will melt in your mouth if wrapped in clingfilm overnight.
Snuffly bliss.
The Brocante Round-Up! 
The Brocante Round-Up! 
The Autumn House 
Notes From Isolation 
when my son was little and had a cold, I would make a teeny little bag and put a block of camphor in it and pin it to his singlet.
'they' in their wisdom, decided to take camphor blocks of the market as camphor was poisonous..(can't see why as it was used for many years)…so when my daughters were born I had to find something else…so I would put a few drops of peppermint oil on a hankie and pin it to their singlet…the body heat would diffuse? the oil and help clear the sinuses. *hope you can understand what I just typed 🙂
I know exactly what you mean about that cozy, rainy day feeling. I love it when it rains! I am thouroughly exhausted of Summer heat and I can't wait for a few cold and rainy days! Snuggling up in sweaters and socks!
And don't get me started on snow! I might have a joy attack!
Oh poor Alison and Finley! Hope that your colds are better soon. How much more sensible to snuggle down to ride them out rather than fight them. (You know I feel that way about the dark too- I Cant hear certain pitchs too!). I cant wait to try out this spice bread recipe tonight!
This has to be one of the coziest posts I've read in awhile. I can almost imagine that it's "not" in the nineties and sunny outside here!
Only Brocante Home could make even a late summer bout with a cold sound positively irresistible!!! i love the scent of camphor, or eucalyptus, and oh, my goodness… please bury me with an open jar of Vicks Vaporub. I even put it on my feet… (it really softens them as nothing else can!) The bread sounds yummy, and how my heart aches for the days when my little boy was all comfy in his jammies at night with me instead of bashing his brains out at a metalworking factory…. Thanks for the pretty picture, Alison.
I want to bake the Spice Bread but it doesnt state how many eggs…??? Also is there no butter in the recipe either ? Thanks