Tomato & Curry Soup

I have an obsessive/compulsive behaviour towards a few things. One is coffee, as you may have noticed in a couple of previous posts. Another one is "The Little Prince" books... I have 7, in different languages, and every time I walk into a book shop it takes all my strength and self control not to buy another one. But just recently I discovered another one... Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese. 

I found out about this just 2 days ago. It was lunch time and I got home from language school, completely frozen because there were -8. C outside. Turned on my computer and started browsing Pinterest as per usual. Then I noticed that for the 3rd time I was pinning a picture of tomato soup, and that was at least the 100th time I was drooling over a picture of it. 

As I normally do with my little obsessions I decided to completely surrender and for the first time in my life...oh yes...I made my own Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese. Can´t really say I have a recipe for it because it was like I was being possessed by the spirit of all the recipes I read so far, and kept throwing things in the pot. But at the last minute I decided to add a pinch of curry and I definitely don´t regret it! 

(for 2 bowls)

Olive oil

3 cloves of garlic

cherry tomatoes (a small pack, cut them in half and smash them into the pot)

1/3 green pepper chopped

1 1/2 cup (300 ml) of chicken broth

1 table spoon of ketchup

1 table spoon of sweet chilli

1 table spoon of sugar

a pinch of curry (quantity depends on how brave you feel)

All cooked for 15 min and passed through a strainer in the end. Fresh basil leaves to finish.

all photos by me

Invisible Shelf

all photos by me

I just discovered this wonderful solution, for the tiny space between my bed and the wall, from Umbra.
For months I´ve been suffering with the lack of a bedside table, not having a place to put the little "stuff" I need during the night and thus ending up with the floor serving that function. Now my world has found balance once again. It´s practical and beautiful and it´s made of books! Can´t really ask for more.

I ordered mine from this Danish webshop AREAstore.

Nespresso

all photos by me

My new, gorgeous, sexy coffee machine.  I don´t like doing advertising for free but the Nespresso coffee just makes my life...better. It´s the perfect gift for both me as a coffee addict and my home as an element of decoration.

For someone that doesn´t wake up before having coffee it can be a real problem having to actually make the coffee in the most traditional ways. So it´s no wonder I love this machine where the only thing required is to chose a capsule and click 2 buttons. Plus the machines are beautifully designed and the coffee is just wonderful...and it comes in pretty, little, colourful containers. 

This cold, snowy February days will be much more cosy with the company of a nice and warm cup  between my hands and the delightful smell of coffee. 

Snow

I came back from a short vacation on Madeira island and this is what I find...

all photos by me

Gorgeous but bloody cold!

Need to work on a strategy to take pictures without freezing my fingers up to a point of excruciating pain though.

Art at the Door

all photos by me

As I was walking through the Rua de Santa Maria, an old street of Funchal that has been the focus of recent re-qualification by the recovery of old buildings and the opening of a few good restaurants and bars, I found out that the big majority of the old buildings doors has served as a canvas for some unexpected artistic expressions. These were my favourite ones.