As a decadent Ramadaan snack, i packaged an assortment of Medinah dates that were filled with home-made toffee studded with an almond, cream enveloped with fresh grated coconut and chopped almonds, a Nikki-bar filling and chocolate coated kajoor. Each of the 90 hand crafted boxes contained a card with a recipe inserted.

This year I was given a rather special sweet treat from the lovely Sadiyah from Vanilla Bakery.

Sadiyah treated me to a dozen cupcakes for my Mothers Day treat to my mummy friends.

I packaged them in her cupcake showcase boxes and ribboned it up with a pretty picture on the top. I finished them off with a little label and some shiny gemstones. Each mummy received a little bouquet of flowers, a cupcake and a mug.

Sadiyah may be contacted on {0747306952}

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The kids had their own little assortment of mini bits to enjoy at our son's Peter Rabbit First Birthday party. On their menu was sausage rolls, mini burgers, mini vienna rolls and mini chicken pitas. A very special thank you to my mum for putting it all together, the help was much appreciated.

The kids and adults enjoyed the chocolate fondue, which may be hired from Elsa at Crazy Chameleon. 

These little chocolate cakes were topped with Peter Rabbit figurines. The cake was ordered from Salehs Bakery.

Mini fruit sticks, mini cheesecakes and mini milk tarts for our mini's ...

- END -

Photo's courtesy of Louise Diesel Photography.

niQi {living luxe}

As with any kids party, the kids have to be kept well entertained, so as to ensure that the mummys and daddys can sit down to a nice meal and have a bit of adult-time as well. That, and to make certain that there aren't any whining kids that insist on leaving too early. We hired a jumping castle, but also kept the littlelies in mind by hiring one with a ball pond in the middle. This may be hired through Elsa at Crazy Chameleon.

The jungle gym is our own, which the kids enjoyed.

We also hired kiddies rides. Im sure many of you are familiar with these, the ones that operate with tokens.

They were ideal for the really little kids.

I hired a fantastic and very talented face painter who painted all the kids faces based on

the Peter Rabbit theme. The children lined up for this and were very pleased with their new 'looks!'

The kids adored the balloon sculpturor who did an amazing job at keeping them entertained for over 45 minutes.

He may be contacted via Elsa at Crazy Chameleon.

I had to also bear in mind the older kids that were attending the party.

I gave them their own little space inside with the Wii and a Fun station for the little ones who wanted to join.

Outside, we had the Teletubbies on for any other kids who wanted to watch.

Photo's courtesy of Louise Diesel Photography.

The mums and dads who were invited to the party also had a little place of their own. The adults were served lunch and tea while the kids enjoyed their party treats and entertainment.

I used the same paper as the the one's on the bunting for these paper-fold centre pieces. The base was

filled with white marshmallows and made for beautiful centre pieces for the adults tables.

I personalise them to suit your colour scheme and may be hired from Elsa at Crazy Chameleon.

Elsa supplied the baloon arrangements.

With a chance of rain predicted for the day, we made an almost last minute decision to erect a tent.

It worked out beautifully as Elsa helped put up the chinese lantern style balls which added some dimension

to the decor. I bought them in pale blue, yellow and white and they matched perfectly!

The Menu:

  Entrée

Gagar ka Halwa {Carrot Halwa} with a swirl of fresh cream

and a sprinkling of coloured almonds

Combination Entrée

Tickled pink Bombay Crush

Main Course

Chicken Biryani, Dhai, Carrot Atchar and Papar with a side salad

Fancy a piece of cake?

Delicately flavoured vanilla sponge with a creamy butter icing

 Something sweet perhaps?

Butter pastry Palmiers, Fresh cream apricot turnovers

A sprinkling of some salt

Chicken cocktail pies and Chicken samoosas and Chicken croissants

All served with a fiery hot dipping sauce

Tea or coffee at your request

Photographs courtesy of Lousie Diesel Photography

Hiring of chairs, chair covers, tables and table cloths from Elsa @ Crazy Chameleon.

Catering courtesy of Fatima Bhai

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I had a clear idea of what i wanted the kiddies table to look like when i began planning our son's Peter Rabbit themed party. It is very difficult to find anything Peter Rabbit related in South Africa, as party planners feel it is very expensive to import. I had to think creatively and try to incorporate the idea in the little details.

With the help of Elsa Mansour from Crazy Chameleon Parties, the tented area was transformed into a whimsical mix of pastel shades and all things Peter Rabbit. Thank You Elsa for helping bring my vision to life.

Elsa is able to supply the 'Happy Birthday' banner. She hires them out to clients based on their theme and colour scheme.

I made the triangular bunting out of the paper that i used on the place-cards.

The colours worked beautofully together and blended into the pastel shades that i had chosen.

Elsa had also arranged for the centre piece name sign to be made according to the theme

and design i had supplied her with. These are hand made and painted according to the colours that you choose.

They can also be made with glitter for a more glitzy feel.

To add to the garden and nature feel, I used little grass palcemats for the kids.

I opted for a baby blue and pale yellow serviette which fitted in perfectly with the colour scheme.

I designed the juice wrappers and water bottle wrappers for the kids table and party packs.

The wrappers were printed on a slight glitter paper with details of the date and event.

I also worded the wrapper creatively with nutrition facts. These can be made to order, so please

contact me should you wish to have these at your next event.

niQi {living luxe}

Kindly contact Elsa in helping you plan your next event.

Images courtesy of Louise Diesel Photography. Please call them on {011 869 7759} and speak to Riani.

A whole year has passed since our darling son had entered our lives. He has filled it with nothing short of a lifetime of memories and coloured it with the exciting shades that only a mother can understand. I feel priveledged to have had the opportunity to create for him the most beautiful first birthday party, which I hope when he's older, can look back and appreciate the effort and love that went into planning it.

Over the next few posts, you will be able to share a little piece of our world, a magical garden where the 'McGregors' lived for a day. The cake encapsulated everything Peter Rabbit and a very SPECIAL Thank You to Sadiyah from Vanilla Bakery and Dot from Cupcake's by Design for this beautiful creation.

Sadiyah had Peter and Jeremy flown in from Dot who resides in Cape Town.

Little Jeremy is just as the character he portrays in the book.

The detailing was superb. Sadiyah used all the colours i had specified and added the

most beautiful little accents to make it a truly Peter Rabbit cake.

We spent many telephone calls and emails discussing the overall look and feel of the cake,

and i had no doubts that Sadiyah was going to deliver spectacular, as she always has!

The cake, a beautiful vanilla sponge with the most creamy butter icing.

Contact Details: Sadiyah {074 730 6952} and Dot may be contacted her Flickr account

niQi {living luxe}

How to Cook Papar on a Heater

{ Please click on the link }

I have finally seen the 'funny' in this.

I'm not a funny person.

Neither do I make my papar on a heater.

Now you know. Full Stop.

These are unashamedly easy!

For the base:

A pack of 6 garlic pita's from Hanover Bakery in Mayfair {0118393355}

A tsp of good quality rich mayonnaise smothered on each

To top it all off:

2 Large potatoes cut into small cubes boiled in salted water. They sould be soft, yet firm to the touch.

Drain and stir in: 1 blob of butter + 1 tblspn of Woolworths Garlic Mayonnaise + 2 tblspns of green chutney + 1 tblspn of finely chopped fresh coriander + half a tsp of ground cumin powder

Top the garlic bases with the green potato mix.

Spoon another tsp full of green chutney over.

Sprinkle over finely grated gouda cheese.

Top with a sprinkling of black pepper and whole cumin seeds.

Bake in a pre-heated oven for a few minutes until the cheese begins to get goo'ey.

Switch the oven to grill and allow to brown gently.

Serve immediately ...

Very easy and serves 2 adults who like to reminiscence.

 The contrast of flavours attibutes to Morocco's rich and diverse culinary history which is home to the most tantalizing food imaginable!

The produce is so fresh and their fruit, particularly sweet and delicate is always displayed decoratively on platters. Moroccans also believe that figs aid digestion, and are often served fresh at the end of the meal. They also rely heavily on dates as a source of food and many traditional dishes include them. The exquisite scent of almond paste fills the quaint little patisseries which are common throughout Morocco.

 The inspiration for this breakfast mezze was drawn from holidaying in Morocco last year. I seemed to be the only one enjoying and looking forward to breakfast, because i WAS the only one who had found the bread pudding! I scented mine with the sweet smell of cinnamon, the aroma - truly intoxicating!

I also enjoy mixing my sweet with my savoury and i simply adored the selection of cheeses and crackers at the breakfast buffet. I particularly enjoy the Woolworths English Wensleydale filled with cranberries and served crumbled next to a few Wheatsworth crackers.

I quarted 2 figs which i baked in a pre-heated oven for a few minutes. I drizzled over some lavender scented honey and served with a sprinkling of crushed pistachio's.

From Woolworths, a little carton of the Howru drinking yoghurt, neatly decanted into little glasses. Served alongside an assortment of fruit and nuts.

 To finish it all off, a pot of traditional Moroccan tea flavoured with the most intense mint leaves and sweetened with spoons of sugar.

See related:

Atay

Date, Pistachio and Coconut truffles 

Roasted peppers with goats cheese

Sweet couscous with cinnamon and pistachio

 'Matisha Mhassela', 'Bissara' and 'Chorba bil hout'

{niQi] living luxe

Very Easy and serves two adults who eat with their fingers.

The robust, dark flavours that come through from the meat fill your kitchen with a truly heavenly scent. I loved pulling the meat gently off the bone and mopping up the thick, textured gravy.

2 thick cuts of lamb (preferably the leg part. This part has one main bone and very little fat)

A quarter of a cup of Nandos Hot Peri-Peri sauce

1 - 2 green and red chillies

2 cloves of garlic

1 tsp of Robertsons Steak and Chops spice

The juice of half a medium sized lemon

A handful of fresh coriander

Salt to taste

Finely chop or grind the garlic and chillies.

Mix in with the remainder of the ingredients and allow to rest overnight.

Pop the marinated chops with it’s juices into a pre-heated oven marked 200 degrees Celsius for an hour. Continue turning the meat and pouring the sauce over. The sauce should begin to thicken and the meat should be very tender. It will have a sharp lemony taste with slight hints of heat from the chilli.

Turn your oven to grill and brown slightly.

Remove from the oven and allow the meat to rest for a few minutes so the flavours settle down a bit.

For the Sweet potato and carrot mash

This is a great way to disguise veggies so kiddies would eat it!

Add 1 tablespoon of butter to a pot. Toss in a few sprigs of thyme and sauté gently. Add 1 chopped potato, 1 small chopped sweet potato and half a finely grated carrot. Top with water, and turn your stove to a low heat. Allow to cook gently until the potato and sweet potato softened and almost melt into the mixture. Taste for salt and season with black pepper.

Serve with crispy, crusty olive bread and a few wedges of lemon to squeeze over.

{niQi} living luxe

* Very Easy and serves 2 not so hungry adults *

The richness of the sauce makes this a feast for the soul! You can almost taste the vine-ripened wholesome goodness of the Italian tomatoes that come through from this store-bought pasta sauce!

The langoustines may easily be replaced with prawns that have been shelled and de-veined.

Marinate your langoustine meat (350g - 500g) with a blend of: 

1 large clove of garlic, ground

2 - 3 green and red chillies, depending on your level of heat (i've added lots more!)

1 tsp of Robertsons Fish Spice

Half a teaspoon of salt

The juice of quarter of a lemon

Half a teaspoon of chilli powder, essentially for a bit of extra colour and heat

Allow the flavours to infuse for 20 minutes and fry off gently in a mix of butter and olive oil. Remove the langoustine meat from the saucepan, yet retain the juices for the sauce. Add to the pan 1 bottle of Woolworths Tomato and Mascarpone Pasta Sauce and allow to simmer gently. Add in a dash of salt and taste. Do not be fooled with it’s apparent ‘blandness!’ The flavour of the chilli on the marinated prawns will seep through once combined with the sauce. Toss in the langoustine meat and bring to a gentle boil. Thin down the sauce with a drizzle of fresh cream. And add a wee grate of another clove of garlic for a subtle pungency. Turn off the stove, and allow to rest.

Boil a quarter packet of Woolies tagliatelle in salted water until it just passes the al dente stage (that would mean it’s soft, yet firm to the touch). You may use penne as an alternative.

Allow to drain and swirl in a stick or two of good quality butter.

Stir in about a teaspoon full of freshly chopped thyme and a grind of fresh black pepper.

Plate the prepared tagliatelle by using a fork in one hand and swirling the pasta onto a tablespoon with the other. This ensures that you get a neat pile of pasta on your plate. Top the pasta with the langoustines and pour more sauce over.

Garnish simply with a spring of dill or thyme.

Best enjoyed with a crusty roll to mop up the sauces long after the pasta has been finished.

Note: I purchase my langoustine meat from Solly’s Seafood on Church Street, Mayfair (0118376174). It comes pre-packed and cleaned and retails for between R60-R80 for a 500g portion.

{niQi} living luxe

Welcome to my new home.

Please welcome my new mascot.

She is an Alice stuck in Wonderland who tinkles with paper patisserie, needle & thread and shiny pretty things.

Subject has uncanny sense for luxury, and has been known to act in a snobbish or pretentious manner. Is demanding. Is often seen with other birds of the same status group, perhaps wearing expensive crowns. Is convinced that it deserves a high standard of living. Not dangerous, although can get carried away during flight.

Naps lightly.

Bats daintily.

Subject can be easily persuaded with gourmet food and expensive toys.

Tends to chirp in a refined accent that may sound comical to other, less polished birds.

Le must: Revive this blog

This eureka-moment may be attributed to my insatiable desire to believe that there are some things that should not be taken for granted. As days replace days and things replace things, I cannot find the appropriate place to begin.

I forgot I had a foodblog.

Period. Double period.

And it made me sad.

Thank you to the kind passersby that have made me love Tongue-Tickle again.

I’ll be back here soon.

With the glamorous, the delicious, and the random. And with that, i shall bring with it all things luxe.

For the glamour in gift giving, below are invitations for our son's first birthday party.

I painted little wooden picket-fence style boxes and filled them with shredded paper. Topped with a box of handmade nougat and toffee's from Woolies, a few chocolate easter eggs and these beautiful fondant biscuits designed and baked by Sadiyah from Vanilla Bakery.

{niQi} living luxe

Of course i didn't spend hours making my own pastry ... I cheated with the store bought version, but that was perfect for my little chicken pots. These are comforting for when you're just not sure what it is you want to eat. And there really is something very therapeutic about tapping onto the shell of a very crispy pastry lid, and mooshing up the saucy filling below.

Sautee the onions in ghee (or a mix of butter and oil).
- 1 onion finely chopped
Add and continue to stir:
- 5 to 8 sprigs of fresh thyme (try not to compromise here)
- A few whole black peppercorns
- Some cloves ... Some cardamom pods and a small cinnamon stick (some = 2)
And then spoon in:
- A tspn each of ground garlic and ginger
And cook till soft and mushy:
- Half a green pepper, cubed (same for the red)
- Half a punnet mushrooms, chopped fine
... And allow to cook.
Stir in:
- 3 chicken fillets cubed very teeny
Don't overcook these, just allow to whiten up a bit.

Finally ...
- 1 Packet Knorr Cream of Chicken soup (mixed with some water to prevent lumps)
- 1 tblspn freshly ground black pepper
- Quarter tspn red masala
- A dash of Robertsons Veggie Seasoning
- Splashes of water to get the correct thickness and consistency
- Salt to taste

To finish:
- Coriander, chopped up super fine (use a mezzaluna for this)

Spoon the cooked mixture into little pots and top with a pastry lid.
Sprinkle over some mixed herbs and sesame seeds or poppyseeds. Using a fork, pattern the edges.
Bake until brown and crispy.

Doesn't mean that i've stopped being pregnant that i've stopped eating methi all together!  
In fact i've found a new way to enjoy this herb! ... The fragrance of the ginger and freshly ground pepper makes this a pungent eat, perfect for some warmth on a cold night, very therapeutic ...
Be extra liberal with your ingredients ...

In a bowl, add:
- Half a grated onion
- A piece of fresh ginger, about 10cm's long, grated
- 6 (or so) whole black peppercorns
- A tblspn of freshly ground pepper
- Half a teaspoon of lemon pepper
- A dash of vinegar
- 1 tsp of lemon juice
- 1 green chillie, cut into thick slices
- Half a teaspoon of ground red chillies
- 1 dried chillie
- 2 cardamom pods
- A small stick of cinnamon
- 2 cloves
- 1 tblspn of whole cumin
- Half a tsp each of cumin and corinader powder

Coat chicken pieces (cut for curry) well and allow to marinate if you have some time.
Add 3 - 4 tblspns of ghee to a pan and add the marinated chicken in.
Add salt to taste and allow to cook until the meat is white and well done.
Add a cup full of washed methi bhaji and allow to wilt.

Taste for salt and add if necessary.

Can be eaten with potato chips, or kurdi kitchri.

"Tell someone you love them today ... You'll be glad you did" ...

This was the inspiration for a series of gift-bag invites that i made for guests attending a lunch that my husband and I hosted in welcoming our little pudding into our lives.

I tried to steer clear of the tradional pink and blue, and thought id bring a special fun-ness out in my invites.

Each one was fully personalised and presented in crisp white boxes, accented with polka dot ribbons and 'it's a boy' stamps.

Inside, cushioned by jade and lime tissue paper, was 4 biscuits in the shape of a pram, a rattle, a onesie and bottle, custom designed by Myrtle from the Cake Studio.