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February Recipe:

Brandy Snap Biscuits

In a saucepan gently heat 8 TBSP / 4oz butter, and 1/2 cup/ 4oz demerra sugar and 6 TBSP / 4 oz golden syrup until melted, then stir until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and mix in 1 tsp lemon juice and 1 tsp brandy. Stir in 3/4 cup/4oz all purpose flour sifted with 1 tsp ground ginger until smooth. Place teaspoons of the mixture, well spaced, on greased nonstick baking sheets. Bake in an oven heated to 325F for 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and straight away gently wrap each biscuit around the handle of a wooden spoon. If neces sary, the biscuits can be softened by placing the tray back in the oven for 12 minutes. When the biscuits are cool, slide them free of the handles. Serve the biscuits plain or filled with whipped cream. Makes 30 brandy snaps.

Mother's Day Project:

Victorian Pin Cushion

Ahh, Mom. Whether or not she sews, any Mom appreciates a small item of beauty. The Victorians loved home decoration, and the beaded pin cushion described below is a typical example of the Victorian aesthetic.

Materials

6 X 12 inch taffeta

matching sewing thread

bran or sawdust, to fill rocaille embroidery beads in gold, pink and green

4 X 3/8 inch pink crystal beads

3 mm glass beads

velvet in 2 contrasting colors

brass pins

assortment of glass beads different colors and sizes

sequins

5 rose shaped buttons

1. Cut two 5 in squares of taffeta and sew together with a 1 cm seam allowance, leaving a 1 1/2 in opening at one side. Trim the corners, turn inside out and stuff, packing the filling in ~ tightly. Slip stitch the gap to a close. Thread a fine needle with a double length thread.

2. Secure the thread to one corner of the cushion. Thread 15 gold rocaille beads on to the needle, then 2 pink, 1 green, 2 more pink, then 15 more gold. Insert the needle 3/8 inch further along the outside edge, to make the first loop. Secure the two tiny overstitches, then make a second loop, passing the beads through the first loop before securing. Continue all around the cushion, adding a pink crystal bead to each of the corner loops.

3. cover the edge of the cushion with a row of tiny clear green beads, threaded five at a time.

4. Cut out four hearts from velvet and put one, point outwards, on to the cushion as shown. Hold in place with pins, threaded with a small and a large bead. Outline each heart with different colored beads.

5. Cut out a diamond shape in a velvet and place between the hearts in the center of the cushion. Pin down each corner, threading a small bead and a sequin on first, then pin sequins along each of the four sides.

6. Attach a rose shaped button to each corner and to the center of the cushion. Ribbon roses could be used as an alternative.