Miss Sue Flay's Virtual Advent Calender!!!.......

Yes....December is here....and seeing as I LOVE my photos and taking random snaps everywhere I go, I thought that I would share them with my guests and followers, by posting a photo each day throughout December!

I have started this idea through Twitter, and have been posting a new one each day...and surprised myself in actually keeping to the idea...albeit only 6 days so far haha.....I forget to open my own advent calender every day so far this month!!!...DOH!

The advent Pictures that I am posting are a mix of Xmassy pictures and pictures that I have taken throughout the year...Including tea party-related scenes as well as cupcakes, and recipe experimentation!
Everything that has basically put a smile on my face this year so far : )

But here are the first 6 days to catch you up.......and more to follow of course!

Happy Count Down!!!!.........

1st December 2010:

    My Cookie Monster Creation for a bit of fun at Cupcake Club (Cambridge)- Nom Nom!

2nd December 2010: 

The Garlic Jam that makes sense in a sandwich! - Promise!

3rd December 2010:

Dreaming of Jam-Serving robots to make life simpler!.....So Cute too!

4th December 2010: 

Dusty enjoying a well deserved cuppa!

5th December 2010:

GIGANTO Xmas Tree at Clarice House Spa! - Overwhelmingly HUGE! 

6th December 2010:

The Puppy getting into the festive spirit! Treats galore for him - Promise!!

7th December 2010:   

A sneak preview of the accompaniment to the Xmas Tea Party's Scones....

8th December 2010:

 Xmas Gift Inspiration...

9th December 2010:      

A Sneak preview of The Secluded Tea Party! ... 


10th December 2010:

An ode to MsMarmiteLover hehe! - Ick!?!


11th December 2010

Secret Santa visited the Pup....HAPPY boy haha!


12th December 2010:

My Xmas Log at The Secluded (Xmas!) tea Party! YUMmy!


13th December 2010:

TASTY Chocolate Ganache - Recipe learnt at Cambridge Cookery School! 

14th December 2010: 

A surprisingly tasty Beetroot & Pecan cake from Abantu in Bourn! Yummy : )

15th December 2010:   

 Miss Sue Flay's Yummy Oreo Cupcake....Everybody should try one! : ) 


16th December 2010:

A really great gift from a fellow Twitterer! - Munich Beer you ARE a star! 


17th December 2010: 

The goodies I made at Cambridge Cookery School : ) So much fun!!!! Highly rated : ) 


18th December 2010: 

...My little snowman hehe....LOVE HIM so much!!


19th December 2010: 

...my second attempt at chocolate macaroons! MUCH BETTER YUM!


20th December 2010:

 Have a virtual hot choc with all trimmings for me!

21st December 2010: 

.I am LOVING my first Xmas gift!..antique tea for one set!...Thanks to my lovely fiancé!! X

22nd December 2010: 

Check out the Icicles at the Gog Magog Farmshop in Cambridgeshire! 

23rd December 2010: 

I Found these pretty little advent pockets on a line at Rosie & Dolly in Ely!


24th December 2010: 

Xmas Eve!!! Have some Brussels for me : ) hehe xx


25th December 2010: 

HAPPY XMAS 2010!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 - Thank you for following my Advent countdown!!!
Hope you got spoilt by your loved ones and have a FAB 2011!!!

MISS SUE FLAY 

xxxx

The Secluded (Xmas!) Tea Party Event - It's Close!!!!

I have a few places left for The (Xmas) Secluded Tea Party on Sunday 12th December 2010 at 2pm until 4pm!

MENU

 
Seasonal Mocktail on Arrival 

***

Nigella's Mincemeat Parcels with Bourbon Butter

***

Selection of Sandwiches:

Sliced Turkey & Cranberry Sauce
Miss Sue Flay's Yummy Ham & Garlic Jam
Free Range Egg with Mayonnaise & Cress

***

Fresh home-made Scones (Courtesy of the Hairy Bikers)
Served with clotted cream
Seasonal Preserve

***

Rich Chocolate Bouche De Noel (Chocolate Log for us common folk ; ) 

***

Brandy Snaps filled with cream
***

Selection of Teas served, including a Spicy Winter Mix

The venue will be in the Cambridgeshire countryside, so please note you will most likely need to drive to get there, or at least prepare to get there by taxi from a bus or train station : ) (most supper clubs are in city's, so I don't want my guests to be shocked when they find out it is in the countryside and tell me they weren't warned hehe!) 
It will make for a GREAT city escape for an afternoon- I promise! : ) 

The suggested donation for The Secluded Tea Party is just  £12 per person ...
Just email me at: thesecludedteaparty@live.co.uk for more info and to book your place!

Should you have any special dietary requirements, allergies, vegetarian requests etc, then please do let me know on booking and i will be happy to accommodate. 

I will send you the address of the Tea Party upon receipt of your donation.

I hope to see you at the table very soon : ) 

Miss Sue Flay 

xxx

The VERY FIRST Secluded Tea Party - Full Write up!

The Secluded Tea Party was hosted by myself, Miss Sue Flay... for the VERY first time this Sunday 21st November, and it went ahead amazingly well without.....well...........Very FEW..... glitches....!

The only major glitch being the packing up of the car the morning of the tea party... my lovely (And BRAND NEW!) carry case (from Lakeland I might add!) with clips on the sides to hold the food snugly into the box decided to UNclip on route to the car from my front door...and of course, some of my sandwiches fell out onto the muddy grass......DOH!!!!

....Now, this was not myself that dropped them....It was the mister....and he went as white as a ghost realising that Miss Sue Flays Anger was imminent.(!!)... But surprisingly....to him as well as myself...Hehe....I stayed calm......it had happened......I was running late......there was NOTHING I could do about it! - Much to his relief!...Bless him!

- And I must mention .....he has been an absolute STAR throughout...supporting me with the prep and running to the supermarket on a Sunday morning when I realised that the key ingredient to my scones (The Natural Yoghurt that I use to make these light and airy!)....was missing!....Argh haha!!........So THANK YOU to my Mister for helping me out massively throughout!
 I Couldn't have done this prep without you!!! x

So back to the Tea Party itself......

... The table was set.... purple checked table cloths with a country feel to brighten up the dark autumn day!
Luckily it didn't rain, but it was chilly....so I wanted an ambient feel to the room....small tea lights, bright...yellow flowers in vases and jugs.... and my own cake plates (Also made by myself : ) dotted around the table holding my home-made scones, sandwiches and chocolate-dipped strawberries.

My guests got on like a house on fire, the sound of fun and excited conversation held loudly over the background music (which I could hardly hear from the kitchen over the discussions being held : )
It was great to hear the room getting on so well and enjoying the food that was laid out for them.
And they were not scared to get stuck in....the type of guests I LOVE!

They got on so well in fact, that what I hadn't anticipated was that they were prepared to share around their own individual pots of tea and sample each others teas (Which was supplied by the lovely Alex at teapigs.co.uk!)....which was just FANTASTIC to see happening!!
This meant that my guests got to try and enjoy other teas that they would not have selected themselves.
I hope to see future guests doing the same, as this was a GREAT way for everybody to find new teas that they didn't think they would like....and finding out that they LOVED! : )
As well as chatting to people that they hadn't previously met or spoken to before!

Even my experimental Ham and Garlic Jam sandwiches went down well hehe....I was unsure if it was just my taste buds being odd and it just being myself that loved this filling....and I was worried that I may well turn some faces sour...BUT...my guests loved the concoction and they went down better than any of the other fillings.....so rest assured.....HAM & GARLIC JAM SANDWICHES WILL APPEAR AT ALL FUTURE SECLUDED TEA PARTIES! - They will be legendary! (Hehe!)

My last course was also VERY fun to carry in....as everybody had such full tummies towards the end of the afternoon, they had forgotten that I was serving my famous Black Forest (Boozy!) Cupcakes....and once they arrived, everybody had forgotten how full they were and all forced one down...Much to my delight!

So all in all....a  WONDERFUL first tea party....a LOVELY warm and inviting Secret Venue in a Secluded Cambridgeshire location, surrounded by autumnal colours from the trees and leaves everywhere....Garlic Jam Sandwiches that went down a treat....Clotted Cream had been licked clean from the bowls....and teapots left empty!....A hostess could not ask for better than that!

And I am now very much looking forward to the next Secluded Tea Party........The (Xmas!) Secluded Tea Party on Sunday 12th December at 2pm.....a few spaces left, so contact me now for more information and to secure your place!

Until next time!

Miss Sue Flay

xxx

Vote now for Vivien of Holloway!

Some of you may well have heard of this lovely shop on Holloway Road, London, "Vivien of Holloway", where you can find a treasure trove of 50's vintage-style clothes and shoes, as well as accesories!

I have been chatting via email to the LOVELY Emma at Vivien of Holloway about their dresses, as I have indeed been eyeing them up for some time now.... partly due to the fact that I am getting married next year, and I have had my eye on a dress or two for something fun and fitting with the style of the day..... but also.... Of course......to find myself something suitable and above all else, FUN to wear whilst hosting my tea parties!


So....to find a dress that I will want to wear again and again.....this will not be a difficult task....as I have my eye on ALL of them! It will just be a matter of getting myself down to London between xmas and new year and spending my pennies on a pretty dress or two....and I can't wait to do this!!!!

And whilst doing some research on their lovely website today (Go to: http://www.vivienofholloway.com to view their amazing outfits and ideas for inspiration if nothing else!)

They have their own blog, that you can follow through their website...and they are looking for votes through The Telegraph Magazine for people to vote for "The Best Small Shops in Britain"!
I have cast my vote for Vivien of Holloway...and perhaps you could all take a few minutes to do the same and help them to get this fun award : )

Vivien of Holloway will be making an appearance at tea parties in the future in the form of a beautiful 1950s vintage-style dress....worn by myself, Miss Sue flay!

So please do take a look at their website and blog....they are truly amazing!!

MSF
xxx

My Boozy Black Forest Cupcakes..Making their first appearance this weekend!

So...Trying to decide on which type of cake or cupcake was going to appear at my very first tea party seemed like a tricky choice to begin with.....Firstly settling on my newly created version of an Oreo Cupcake. Which is just delicious.....

This seemed like a great choice, as I want to show off my fun version of a new British-American favourite....and tasty it certainly is!

However.

This didn't seem like the right *Typically British* cupcake that I wanted to appear at the table for the very first afternoon.

I wanted to choose something that would make my guests ooooooh and aaaaaaaah and dribble slightly at the thought of having to eat yet more yummy treats.....and even if they are full by this point...I want them to still want to eat them because they look so good : )

So... naturally, the decision ended very quickly, settling on my DELICIOUS Boozy black forest cupcakes with Cherry compote and Vanilla buttercream to complete this decadent recipe.

I am so proud of this recipe (It has helped me to win a Cupcake competition this year, and also helped me to raise £50 in charity money for a local organisation!) that I want to share it with my fellow bloggers......so here it is : )


And should you wish to try the real thing....There are 2 seats left at The Secluded Tea Party this coming Sunday 21st November 2010.....so contact me should you wish to put your name down to join myself and 9 other strangers across the table : ) 


Miss Sue Flays' Boozy Black Forest Cupcakes:

Makes 12

I did kind of make this up, but it seemed to work : )
I did double this recipe to make more.

For the Sponge:

115g butter, softened
115g caster sugar
175g self-raising flour
2 eggs
1 tablespoon milk ( I used Skimmed)
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
Espresso Powder (3 tsp mixed with 2 tbsp of bolied water)
Cherry Brandy
Cherry Sauce or Compote ( I bought Cherry Pie Filling from Sainsbury's)

For the Icing:

225g unsalted butter, softened (Room Temp is fine)
5ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
450g icing sugar, sifted
40ml (2.5 tbsp) cold water

Glaze Cherries for decoration (Optional)
Dark Chocolate for decoration (Optional)


1) Pre-heat the oven to 180*c and prepare a muffin/cupcake tin with cupcake cases.
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (Use an electric hand-held mixer to make easy work of this), then add the eggs and whisk in, one at a time until combined. Add the milk, espresso mix and the cocoa powder and mix in with a spatula until fully combined with the mixture.
Sift in the flour and fold gently until blended with the wet mixture.

2) Divide the cake mixture between your 12 cupcake cases and bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes. (Mine took nearer to 15 minutes as the cocoa moistens the mixture).
Leave them to cool on a wire rack for ten minutes, and then cut out a hole into the top of each cake, as you would a butterfly cake. (You want a deep enough hole for the filling)
When completely cool, drizzle a little cherry brandy into each hole to moisten the sponge and then with a teaspoon, spoon the cherry sauce / compote into the hole and then gently place the piece of cake on top and push firmly. (It will look funny and risen, but this will be covered up later).

3) For the butter cream, beat the butter until soft with a hand mixer. Alternatively, you can use a food processor. Gradually beat in the icing sugar and water together.
Continue beating until frosting is light and fluffy. Towards the end, add the vanilla extract.

4) Using a piping bag, pipe the butter cream over the cake in a pyramid movement (Mister Whippy style!) to cover the risen sponge.
Place a cherry on top to decorate. Grate a little Dark Chocolate over the top if you want even more decadence!

5) Enjoy....!

MISS SUE FLAY xxxx

The Secluded (Christmas!) Tea Party Event - Finer Details : )

The Secluded (Christmas!) Tea Party will be on Sunday 12th December 2010 from 2pm to 4pm.......

......And i finally have the menu sorted, and it will be as follows.....

MENU

Seasonal Mocktail on arrival

Home-made mince pies

***

Selection of Sandwiches:
Sliced Turkey & Cranberry Sauce
Cream Cheese & Cucumber
Free Range Egg with Mayonnaise & Cress

***

Fresh home-made Scones (Courtesy of the Hairy Bikers)
Served with clotted cream
Preserves

***

A large festive cake (TBC)

***

Brandy Snaps filled with cream


***

Selection of Teas served

To book, just email: thesecludedteaparty@live.co.uk ,with how many guests you would like to book places for, and I will send you further instruction.

Suggested donation will be £12 per person, and this will also include unlimited cups of  tea throughout : ) 

Location will be within the Cambridgeshire Countryside, and will make for a lovely afternoon retreat, not too far out of Cambridge itself.
So why not team this with a day out in the lovely City...I am a local girl, and would be very happy to impart my knowledge on the local area and offer suggestions, should you wish to plan a visit to Cambridge Pre/Post your visit to The Secluded Tea Party.

The location will be warm and decorated with a Xmas feel to get you all in the festive mood!

Also happy to cater for any special dietary requirements...please just contact me for a chat as soon as possible prior to booking, and i can discuss menu options with you : )

I look forward to meeting you soon!

MSF

xx

Second date now announced! ....

I have decided to start booking places for my second tea party for Sunday 12th December 2pm to 4pm....

So why not book yourself a place...bring your friends, loved ones, family members, colleagues...Anybody you feel would deserve an afternoon of yummy treats and great conversation : ) 

I'm making a list (and checking it twice!) and hoping to be joined by 10 fun guests...both naughty AND nice!

Why not come along to get yourself in the festive spirit?!

** Menu TBC **  .... It will no doubt consist of a fun spin on all food xmassy! 

 I hope to see you all accross the table very soon : ) 

MSF 
xx