Sugar and Spice

When I think of Christmas food, I am haunted by the smells of cinnamon and spice, of oranges. I think of Christmas cake soaked with boozy dried fruits and crisp pastry shell mince pies. In Georgian times, the import of fruits, fresh and dried were a popular commodity and elaborate confections adorned the supper tables of the aristocracy and landed gentry. In 1757 an Italian pastry cook named Domenico Negri opened a confectionery shop at 7-8 Berkeley Square under the sign of “The Pot and Pineapple”. At that time, the pineapple was a symbol of luxury and used extensively as a logo for confectioners. Only the rich could afford the delicacies produced in this type of shop, but the eating of ices and sweetmeats became extremely fashionable. No image remains of the premises, but here is one of Negri’s business cards.

Frederic Nutt’s Spiced Biscuits

(NB not suitable for people with nut allergies)

The Ang Lee adaptation of Sense and Sensibility (1995) has Fanny Dashwood declare at the ball, that her brother and husband “have been eating ices”. Negri’s shop employed apprentices, one of whom included Frederic Nutt, who went on to produce his own recipe book. The recipe following, (converted into modern measurements) is taken from Nutt’s publication, The Complete Confectioner: Or, The Whole Art of Confectionary Made Easy : Also Receipts for Home-made Wines, Cordials, French and Italian Liqueurs, &c, first published in 1789.

These biscuits are rather like biscotti, designed to be dunked in sweet, dessert wine (or these days, coffee or tea). They are hard and crunchy so best to be softened by liquid before consuming.

Ingredients:

125g plain white flour

125g blanched almonds

40g icing sugar

Teaspoon mace (or mixed spice)

Teaspoon cinnamon

Sugar syrup – 100ml water, boiling with 125g caster sugar, swirl in pan, boil for 1 min.

Method:

Add syrup to dry ingredients. Pull together by hand. Roll into a sausage, flatten a little. Put on baking paper, bake at 160 degrees for 40 mins.

Wet the back of the paper and the sausage will lift off easily. Cut very thin slices at an angle. Put the slices back on the tray and into the oven (switched off) to dry out for 40 minutes. Dunk in dessert wine and enjoy!

Winter At Studio Arkell

Now that the trees are bare, and Christmas preparations are in full swing, its time to look ahead to the arrival another New Year! For us, 2022 has past in a flash, with January marking the first year in our Christchurch offices and seeing us already planning ahead for 2023.

Now is a great time to set your plans into motion too, adding those extra spaces to make your home New Year ready, whether you need that vital quiet corner for work, or want to bring the outside in ready for the Spring – Studio Arkell can solve all your design and build questions.

Studio Arkell is a friendly and approachable RIBA Chartered Architect’s practice, with a talented and growing team led by Hannah Arkell, in her home town of Christchurch, Dorset.

To take advantage of a limited offer of a complimentary 1-hour Design Consultation – please get in touch with Hannah or her Team at Studio Arkell today.

You can find us just off the top of Christchurch High Street. A: 5, Castle Street, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 1DP

T: 01202 232423

Enquire for a free consultation.

E: info@studioarkell.com

W: www.studioarkell.com

Due to our continued growth and success, we are seeking a motivated:

- Part 2

- Architect

- Senior Technician

If you think you’d like to work with us, please send your abridged CV and portfolio to info@studioarkell.com

What are your 2023 plans?

Are your New Year’s Resolutions to help yourself as well as your pet?

• To save money and spread the cost of essentials?

• To prevent a flea infestation; keeping your pet well, your house clean and your costs down?

• To give your cat a wormer without getting bitten? How about a once monthly spot on?

• To protect your pets against infectious diseases, and your pocket against unwanted treatment costs?

If so, the Priory Pet Cub can help you! You can get all of your pets’ regular routine preventative treatments on a 12 month direct debit that works out cheaper over the year - and we can even deliver to your door so you don’t have to remember to come and pick them up!

This is the vaccines, flea, tick and worm treatments you’d be giving anyway, plus additional health checks with our nurses, and a discount if you need us out of hours. All included in a convenient package.

See our website www.prioryvetgroup.com for all the details, prices and an online sign up.

Email: office@prioryvetgroup.com

Website: www.prioryvetgroup.com