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Saint Valentine's Day, observed on February 14 honoring one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, confectionery, and sending greeting cards. The day first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. It was first established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD, and was later deleted from the General Roman Calendar of saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI.
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Anthuriums, lovely anthuriums.
Anthurium Lily, is a heart shaped tropical flower
and the perfect Valentine flower which can be purchased
globally in an infinite range of colours from the brightest
vermillion to muliticoloured green and white, and fuschia
pink. They are longlasting and can be used in a myriad
of floral displays.
Anthurium covered pole on our patio
Chocolate We all love chocolate, don't we? So here is an easy, melt in the mouth, chocolately and freezable recipe. cocoa pod - antique print  |
Chilli Chocolate Cake
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| Pure cocoa |
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| Chilli Chocolate Cake |
200 grams dark or cooking chocolate
200 grams unsalted butter
200 grams caster sugar
4 whole eggs
1 heaped tablespoon any flour
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
decorations optional - pink peppercorns, cocoa stick, berries and pomegranate
Break up the chocolate and cut up the butter into rough pieces, melt, stirring with a wooden spoon, in a bowl over a pan of boiling water. Remove from heat and the pan of water and add sugar and stir. Set aside to cool for about ten minutes. When cool beat in one egg at a time until well mixed. Add sieved flour and chilli powder.
Put into a non-stick, heart-shaped pan or small muffin pans or similar and bake at 180 C or 350 F for about 25 minutes. Leave in oven for about 10 minutes after cooking. Place on a cake rack to cool.
If you have leftover cake just freeze in freezer container or wrap and take out about 20 minutes before eating. Serve with icecream or whipped cream, and decorate with pink peppercorns, freshly grated cocoa stick, berries and pomegranate seeds.
I like to use BARRY Cacao. It comes in 5.5 lbs bars, what I call a happy sized bar of chocolate. Pure delight.
Chocolates from
FRÉRES LAUZEA, MARTINIQUE
Beautiful caribbean chocolates from FRÉRES LAUZEA, in Fort de France and Lamentin in Martinique, using Caribbean flavours like Rum and Raisin, Citronelle, Soursop and other local flavours. Try their jellies, also made with tropical fruits like Mango and Papaya. Deliceux as the French say.
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| Piment |
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| Menthe Tropicale |
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| Basilic |
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| Letchi |
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| Passion |
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| Ananas |
KISSES
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| Kisses by Llewellyn Xavier. Oil on Canvas |
Kisses has been reproduced under licence by the presenter, designer and producer Jacqui Joseph in an exclusive range of homeware featuring the work of Llewellyn Xavier.
The collection will soon be available globally. Check this blog or http://www.jacquijoseph.com/ for where to buy.
Pomme d'Amour
Pomme d'Amour aka Love Apple in St. Lucia - just slice and add to a salad or eat as a fruit.
PUKKA TEA
Pukka herb teas are delicious organic herbal teas to match your every mood and moment. Specially blended by master herbalist Sebastian Pole, each of the blends is full of flavour and rich in therapeutic benefit.
Valentine Songs and Poems
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Don't forget to give diamonds, true love and a hug to your neighbour and forgive your enemies.
photos and images copyright the author
chocolates copyright Freres Lauzea
Valentine Songs and Poems
I just called to say I love you - Stevie Wonder
How Do I Love Thee?
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth, and breadth, and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight. I love thee freely, as men strive for right:
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life - and if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
I love thee to the depth, and breadth, and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight. I love thee freely, as men strive for right:
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life - and if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
Un di, felice eterea from La Traviata Giuseppe Verdi
I do not know how many times I have listened to this opera, but certainly in the 100's.
Thought this aria was appropriate for sharing. Un dí, felice, eterea.
Un di, felice, eterea
Mi balenaste innante,
e da quel di tremante
vissi d'ignoto amor.
Di quell'amor ch''e'palpito
dell'universo, dell'universo intero,
misterioso, misterioso altero
croce e, croce e delizia,
croce e delizilia, delizia al cor.
translated
That happy, ethereal, day
when I first saw you,
And from that day, trembling
with a secret love.
That love which is the very pulse
of the universe, the whole universe,
mysterious, mysterious exalted,
Torture, torture and delight
Torture and delight, delight to the heart.
when I first saw you,
And from that day, trembling
with a secret love.
That love which is the very pulse
of the universe, the whole universe,
mysterious, mysterious exalted,
Torture, torture and delight
Torture and delight, delight to the heart.
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| Details of Kisses by Llewellyn Xavier |
Don't forget to give diamonds, true love and a hug to your neighbour and forgive your enemies.
photos and images copyright the author
chocolates copyright Freres Lauzea
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