Charity Vintage: Tala flour sifter

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(ends 19 Feb, 2014 20:03:04 GMT)

I really should invest in a flour sifter! When I’m weighing out flour, I sit a handled sieve precariously on a mixing bowl which itself sits on a set of scales. As I spoon a mound of flour into the sieve it invariably tips up and flour ends up all over the table.

This vintage Tala flour sifter being sold on eBay for Charity by & in support of British Heart Foundation* would really simplify & improve proceedings. Lovely aerated flour = lovely aerated cakes!

*British Heart Foundation is the nation’s heart charity. They help save lives with information, patient care and pioneering research. With your support, they’re beating heart disease for good.

Wednesday Wish: Tala Cook’s Curry Measure

Have you been watching Rick Stein’s India that’s currently on BBC2? He’s touring India tasting & making the most fantastic looking curries.

We cook & eat a fair few curries and the programme has got me wanting a few curry-making kitchen implements.I’m going to start with this Tala Cook’s Curry Measure (in orange of course!) Each of the curries I’ve seen made on the show starts with a pungent mix of spices – cardamom, peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin, curry leaves, turmeric and one that I’d never even heard of before – asafoetida.

The measure gives you the right proportions for making the different spice mixes for chapatis, biryani, rice, pakora, butter chicken, raita, dahl, aloo gobi, jalfrezi and murgh methi.

Also on the wish list is a karahi (or kadai) – one of those vast, circular cast iron pots with handles; a vaghar vadki or tadka (tarka) pan which is used to gently fry the spices in before they’re added to the the curry; and a tava (or tawa) – a flat, circular griddle for making all manner of flatbreads. One item at a time I think!

Jubilee Gems!

For the past month or so everywhere you look there’s been bucket-loads of special commemorative things being produced for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. There’s a lot of tat out there, but there are some future classics too!

Here’s a run-down of our top ten…

_{Alison Gardiner tableware: £12.95-£69.95 | Emma Bridgewater comport: £75}

Think jubilee… think garden and street parties – this fabulous crockery will do any gingham cloth-covered trestle table proud!

_{Liberty of London English breakfast tea tin: £7.50 |}_{Prestat truffles: £29.99}

If you’re going to be watching the festivities on television from the comfort of your sofa, the combination of this English breakfast tea & truffle chocs will help keep your energy levels up!

_{FieldCandy tent: £395 |}_{Fulton funbrella umbrella: £12}

You may be planning on spending the Diamond Jubilee weekend in the great outdoors. How better to nail your colours to the mast than with this fabulous two-person tent? Just don’t forget your brolly – you can never rely on the Great British weather!

_{Barbour Beacon backpack: £205 |}_{Radley tote bag: £99}

And to carry your stuff on your travels during this extended bank holiday, a couple of patriotic bags – for him & her.

_{Tala cook’s measure £8 |}_{Great British Street Party Cookbook: from £3.62}

And if you’ll be having a Great British Bake Off of your own this cook’s measure will make calculating your ingredients that more enjoyable! And how about impressing the neighbours with your culinary prowess with the help of this cookbook?

Forthcoming Attractions: Early June 2011

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collection of recently acquired H is for Home shop stock including a Suzie Cooper coffee set, Cathrineholm Lotus frying pan, Tala cake tin, orange goose necked desk lamp and checked picnic blanket

We’ve got lots of green & orange this week!

collection of recently acquired H is for Home shop stock including a Suzie Cooper coffee set, Cathrineholm Lotus frying pan, Tala cake tin, orange goose necked desk lamp and checked picnic blanket

Star of the show has to be this 1950s Susie Cooper coffee set. We love the simple swirl pattern.

collection of recently acquired H is for Home shop stock including a Suzie Cooper coffee set, Cathrineholm Lotus frying pan, Tala cake tin, orange goose necked desk lamp and checked picnic blanket

Also a Cathrineholm frying pan in tip-top condition.. .a lovely woollen blanket, perfect for picnics or for extra cosiness when the sun goes down… and a very useful adjustable lamp for bedside or office. We also bought a job lot of nice vintage kitchenware including the 1950s enamel jug & funnel made in Sweden.

We’ve divided the items up – some we put on the website yesterday – others have been packed away for the vintage fair we’re doing at Saltaire in early July – perhaps see you there!

H is for Home Harbinger

Tag: Tala

Charity Vintage: Tala flour sifter

Wednesday Wish: Tala Cook’s Curry Measure

Jubilee Gems!

Forthcoming Attractions: Early June 2011