The weekend...and a Saturday Giveaway!

Welcome to Saturday! I'm a little late posting today, as Paul & I have just come back from a fantastic lunch...of which more tomorrow. As the only day I don't deliver is Sunday, I've designated that to be my review day - or sometimes a rest one!

But this morning, which was dull and grey...although it cleared and now is beautiful with the tiniest of silver 'fingernail' moons just showing...I baked for The Coffee Tree as usual. Saturdays are a little different in that usually they are my only order of the day....so I drop the goodies off, grab a coffee, and head home - all done by 9am, and the weekend is mine!

First I made a tray of Pistachio Sour Cherry Bars.The middle of toasted pistachios,dried sour cherries & milk chocolate chips with caramel sauce is sandwiched between two crunchy oaty & quite plain layers....

I think you can just see the contrast in colour and texture in these pictures...it's quite hard to capture! I made them last night as they need a few hours to settle and set properly.
Then came a batch of Double Cheese & Fresh Chive Scones...

I made these as late as possible so that they were still warm when I delivered...the smell when the lid came off the box was amazing! I must confess that with the little bit of mixture that was left, I made a few miniatures to have at home....I don't have a really sweet tooth any more, but cheese is a different matter...!

especially with the slight onion flavour imparted by the snipped chives...mmm.

So that's a week of deliveries! And now to my first foodie giveaway...
It was quite hard to choose something that would appeal to those who maybe don't cook so much, but still enjoy reading about it. In the end I came up with the following - I hope I got it right!

This lovely memoir with recipes tells of Colette Rossant's life as a Frenchwoman in 1955, newly married to an American and just arrived in Manhattan to start their life together. Bemused by US customs, language and food...it's a sweet, funny and interesting book. I especially loved her discovery of the authentic ethnic delis and foodmarkets that were still so independent and individual then...it's fascinating. So there's that...
and also:

these two dear little blue & white 'yin & yang' dishes....with fish decorations. I've long used them on the dinner table when we're entertaining as they're great for putting seasalt flakes in one half & cracked pepper in the other....but maybe oil & balsamic vinegar? Or salted pistachios & peanuts? Anyway, the choice will lie with the winner!

This little bundle will wing it's way to someone who leaves me a comment after this post between now & next Friday,14th. I'll draw the winning name when I return from my Coffee Tree delivery on Friday morning and announce the winner in that day's post!

Good luck , thanks so much for reading - and I hope you have a wonderful weekend xx