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Sometimes the most delicious things are also the simplest and quickest things to create. And when they're very versatile as well, that's even better! At An Extra Slice we are big fruit compote fans. We've heard it said that if you have eggs in your fridge then you always have a meal. We agree (unless you're a vegan!) but we also believe that if you've got a fruit compote in the fridge then you've always got a dessert! So when we got hold of some rather tasty-looking rhubarb lately, we decided that a compote was the only way to go - especially as it was our first time cooking with rhubarb and we wanted something very simple that would truly allow the flavour of the rhubarb to shine through. When it comes to rhubarb, we are complete and utter novices. Growing it, cooking it, eating it... We have no real knowledge of rhubarb. We don't even know what it tastes like - and no rhubarb-flavoured yogurt mist definitely does not count! But we've always yearned to give it a try, especially when stumbling upon a delicious looking recipe in which rhubarb is the star of the show. So when we came across some rhubarb at our local store, we knew a bunch of it was coming home with us... Even though we had no clue what we were going to do with it! We decided to keep it simple as we were absolute beginners when it came to cooking with rhubarb, so creating a compote seemed like the ideal choice. When you're a rhubarb rookie, you have to get guidance wherever you can - and in our case guidance came via Google and YouTube! From the information we got, we were able to come up with a super simple and easy to prepare rhubarb compote which only really needs two ingredients (we know, right - how easy can it get!) One of the reasons why we're fruit compote-mad here at An Extra Slice is because it's so easy to prepare and can be ready within twenty minutes of cooking, it's also a great way to use up a large amount of fruit and it's so versatile. As well as serving it with custard or yogurt, as compote is so often consumed, it can also be used as a layer in a trifle or on a cheesecake; a topping for a sponge pudding; as a filling for a tart or pie; a topping for ice-cream, pancakes or waffles; eaten for breakfast with muesli... this list can go on and on (a bit like Angel!) FREEZING RHUBARB If you get a bumper crop of rhubarb then chances are that you might want to freeze some of it to use later on in the year. This is handy as rhubarb is only available during the spring and early summer. Instructions: Wash the rhubarb and make sure they are thoroughly dry before you begin preparing them for the freezer. When dry, chop the rhubarb into pieces of the required size. For us that will be between one to two inch pieces. Line the pieces on to a baking sheet and then flash freeze. When frozen, portion them out into individual freezer bags. Rhubarb should last around six months. WHAT EXACTLY IS COMPOTE? The best way to describe compote is as a thick fruit sauce that can be made with various types of fresh or frozen fruits such as berries or stone fruit. When combined with sugar and stewed briefly on the stove (or even in the oven), you end up with a thick, chunky fruit sauce that is absolutely delicious. CONSISTENCY AND COOK TIME Compote has a consistency that's thicker than a regular sauce or coulis but not as not as thick as jam, and it shouldn't be gelatinous like jelly. But that said everyone has their preferences as to how thick/saucy/jammy/runny a compote should be.   Also remember that the longer you cook the compote for, the fruit pieces will break down a lot more and there's less chance of them holding their shape. STORAGE AND SHELFLIFE Once your compote has cooled completely, it can be kept in the fridge for up to two weeks. We can't say for sure because no batch of compote has ever lasted for more than a week in our house! If you're storing it in the fridge, spoon the compote into a dry, sterilized glass jar or airtight container, and keep covered. And always be sure to use clean, dry utensils when helping yourself to some compote in order to prevent any contamination. This compote can also be stored in the freezer. Place in freezer bags once the compote has thoroughly cooled, and then freeze for up to six months. It can then be thawed in the refrigerator overnight when you want to use it, or you can heat up in a saucepan over a gentle heat if you're serving it warm.. SUGAR, SUGAR! White granulated or caster sugar, works well in this recipe. You could very well use brown sugar, maple syrup or honey if you prefer but remember the flavour will be altered depending on what kind of sweetener you use. It won't be bad of course - just different! After you take the compote off the stove and you feel it's not sweet enough - or alternatively not tart enough - you can always add more sugar (or lemon juice!) to suit your taste. RHUBARB COMPOTE You Will Need A medium-sized saucepan A wooden spoon Freezer bags or sterilized jam jars A suitable spoon for spooning into jars or bags A funnel (optional) Ingredients 1 lb. rhubarb, sliced into one inch pieces 1 cup white sugar 1/8 cup sago (optional) Method Place the rhubarb and sugar into a pan and leave to sit for ten to thirty minutes. This is to minimize the risk of the rhubarb burning when it's cooking. Place pan over a medium heat and cover. If necessary, add a splash of water to aid the sugar. You shouldn't need more than that. After ten minutes reduce to a low heat and cover. Cook for ten minutes. At this stage the compote should still have chunky pieces of rhubarb. Otherwise leave on heat until it reaches the desired consistency. Take off the heat and leave to cool. If necessary strain the compote but don't discard the liquid. If you wish for the compote to keep its shape, don't strain the liquid but instead add sago to it. Stir until sago has turned completely translucent. Add a little water if necessary. When compote is ready, cool a little, and then pop into sterilized jars. Or portion them out into freezer bags and place in the freezer for when you want to use it. NOTE: We added the sago to absorb all that liquid that we didn't want to get rid of as there's a lot of flavour in there! We also wanted the rhubarb compote to hold it's shape as it was going to be a layer in a dessert. However the sago step is optional so if you don't want to use it - skip it! The amount of sago you use depends on how much liquid (liquor) the compote produces. We used an eighth of a cup but you may need more or less. If you accidentally add too much sago, you can add water as required. Apple or cranberry juice also works very well and is more flavourful. If there's too much liquor in your compote that you don't want to use, strain the compote but reserve the liquor. It can be used in drinks, pour over ice cream etc. We kept the compote very basic as we only wanted to get the taste of the rhubarb but you can add other flavours such as ginger, orange or rose. Rhubarb pairs really well with apple or strawberry.

It's no secret that I have a book addiction. Always have done. My husband and friends are always having to steer me away from book shops or distract me whenever we're approaching one because they know anytime I enter any establishment that sells the kind of object that has a cover, pages and a spine, then I may never come out of there. And when I do, chances are they'll have to help carry weight of my latest purchases! When I was a kid it was story books: fairy tales; Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl before I branched out young adult fiction series such as Nancy Drew; The Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley High. I was the easiest person to buy gifts for - and I still am! But these days, there's another genre of reading material I don't believe I can ever have enough of - cook books. And if they're vintage cook books then that's even better! I grew up in a house where we were constantly surrounded by books, and from an early age I was taught how precious they were. In the living room of our very first house in East London, we had book cases which took up almost half the wall of our flock-wallpapered through-lounge. And you could easily tell which books belonged to whom just by looking at the subject matter: Dad - economics, accounting, literature, religion, language learning books, classic novels, romantic fiction, thrillers, adventure, horror, history, historical fiction, short stories, detective fiction, user manuals and reference guides. Kids - fairy tales, children's novels, children's Bible, early learning books Mum - Cookery books. OK prayer and hymn books too! My mum was and still is very much a foodie. She loves to cook, watch television cooking shows, and if ever she goes out and hears a recipe book calling out her name - then it just has to come home with her! But don't worry - she always pays for it first! Oh and in her work bag, you can bet your life she'll have a cook book in there which she will read through on her breaks (funnily enough my mother-in-law also carries a cook book with her everywhere she goes. I haven't reached that stage... yet!) So I get my love of books from my parents, and both of them have influenced the kind of genres I'm interested in. If you come over to my house, you'll find books on a wide array of topics just like my dad had... and also a million and one cook books just like my mum still has! I's a myth that I don't like modern-day cook books (my bestie's mum tried to dissuade him from giving me a Rachel Ray cook book because "it's not old enough." Well, I guess she does have a point!) I have a real interest in cooking and baking so of course I do like the more current cookery books. But I can't lie - I love, love LOVE vintage recipe books, and even though I'm running very low on shelf space, I just can't say no to buying another to add to my collection. I pick one up and I'm instantly reminded of the cook books Mum had and I'm transported back to my childhood. I love the simplicity of the recipes; the unfussiness of the ingredients, and the homeliness of the accompanying food photos and sketches. It goes without saying that for a nostalgia nut like me, I am completely in my element! In fact I find it very relaxing after a long day to just flick through one when I want to chill (I swear I do have a life!) It's unfortunate that most of my collection is back home in the UK including my ones by Queen Delia, but I have brought a few back with me - not as many as I would have preferred but let's just say more than my husband would have liked! And after moving State-side, I've also been fortunate to have stumbled across some awesome finds here over here, including a couple of Good Housekeeping  cookbooks, one by Better Homes and Gardens , and surprisingly two Sainsbury's cookbooks from the 1980s. I'm guessing there's another ex-pat around here who's been in the States a lot longer than I have! And of course you can't really call yourself a collector of vintage cookbooks unless you have at least one by Julia Childs - and I do! I have some cookbooks that are absolute favourites. One of them is Good Housekeeping's Hot and Cold Puddings  which seems to be very obscure and there doesn't seem to be much in the way of information about it. It used to belong to my mum but now it has pride of place in my own home, and I remember this being on our bookshelves back in the eighties. Right now it is the oldest cook book I have as it was published in the 1950s. Actually I tell a lie, it's the joint oldest cook book I have as I have another one, Quick Snacks , from the same series that was published by Good Housekeeping. I'm also delighted to have a copy of Jenny Bristow's Highdays and Holidays as I used to watch her cooking show in the early nineties. Oh, and let's not forget Farmhouse Kitchen ! Any cookery book collector worth her salt (and sugar) who grew up watching the Yorkshire Television's Farmhouse Kitchen would know that a Farmhouse Kitchen cookbook is essential! Before arriving in America, I already owned one which I brought out here with me. But I was lucky enough to have found The Complete Farmhouse Kitchen Cook Book right here in America! The very nice gentleman who sold it to me explained that it was purchased by his wife during their brief time in Britain. The personal stories behind a lot of the vintage items I purchase is just one of the reasons why I like to purchase vintage! I also have two revisions of Reader's Digest's The Cookery Year, published in the 1970s, which has been hailed as the cook's bible and you'll get no argument from me there! It's full of pretty illustrations, gorgeous photos and if you're someone who likes to use seasonal produce or wants to learn how to make classic dishes, this is the book for you. My Mum has her own copy of The Cookery Year that was given to her by my grandparents on her twenty-first birthday. Yeah, yeah, I hear you - who on earth gives a twenty one year old a cook book, I hear you cry. Well didn't I just explain about my mum and her cook book addiction - which is clearly where I get it from (that's right, I'm blaming Mum!) Plus she was a newlywed with her own home and my grandparents probably thought The Cookery Year was right up her street. They were right. And it was right up mine too! I have very happy memories of poring over the pages of The Cookery Year as a child, learning all about the different types of food and imagining all the dishes I would cook for my fancy dinner parties when I was all grown up! People are probably wondering if I actually put these cook books to good use by actually trying out the recipes. The truth is I probably haven't put the recipes to use as much as I should but I've definitely tried some of them out. Any recipe that involves making something that is sweet and totally bad for your teeth and waistline are definitely winners with me! My absolute fave recipe was for an orange foam sauce that you served with puddings. My dad loves hot puddings with loads of custard but that night, I found we'd run out of milk so I needed to find a sauce that didn't need milk. And I found it in The Cookery Year . Told you it's fantastic! One of the advantages of living in America is that I'm finding lots of cool vintage cookbooks to add to my collection that I may not have found if I'd still been living in England. It's interesting to pore over the pages and see what was en vogue food-wise back in the day Stateside, and of course I'm learning about all kinds of old-school American classics that we don't have in the UK. And for those of you who think that a 'casserole' in America is the same as a stew in the UK or Europe, think again! Out here it's a carb-laden baked dish which can be sweet like a bread and butter pudding, or savoury and topped with breadcrumbs or cheese. Thanks for clearing that up, American cookbooks! It goes without saying that I will definitely be adding to my ever expanding collection of cook books - vintage or otherwise. Much to Mr. D's annoyance! Photos: Angel Noire Blog graphics: Angel Noire

I think it goes without saying that I love thrifting! One of my most favourite things to do is to visit thrift stores/charity shops/second-hand stores - whatever you refer to them as. I also like to browse around yard/garage/car boot sales. And when I'm on my laptop you can bet your life I'm checking out eBay or Etsy! What can I say - I'm a 'preloved items' kind of girl! Fellow thrifters who talk about the 'thrill of the hunt' are so right - you never know what fabulous bargains you're going to find. You may enter the store with something specific in mind, but what you leave with - and how much - is anyone's guess! But I find that whenever I go online or visit a store or sale, I always tend to gravitate towards the same category of items. When I go to my favourite thrift stores, I know exactly which aisles and which sections of the store I need to go to. If you're keen on thrifting and buying preloved goods, you might have your favourite things to purchase. Here's a list of mine! 1. BOOKS I won’t lie - I’m a complete and utter bookaholic! And when it comes to vintage books, there’s no stopping me. My husband knows he has to steer me away from second-hand books shops, which are one of my happy places, or else I’ll never get out of there! I get my love of books from my dad and from growing up in a house where we were surrounded by books. Digital books might be the in-thing now but just looking at an actual book makes me happy. And actually reading it is a fantastic form of escapism. I think it might be easier to say which books I’m not into (sci-fi and fantasy) but my absolute faves are vintage cook books (I now have a collection that rivals my mum’s) craft books; language guides (I am a language teacher after all!) novels by certain authors and if there’s anything that I used to read during my childhood and teen years, it’s absolutely coming home with me (providing I pay for it first of course!) 2. UNUPHOLSTERED FURNITURE First off, this English teacher isn't even sure if 'unupholstered' is even a word, but as I always tell my students that language is continuously evolving - it is now! There’s very much a theme in our house when it comes to the furniture. It’s mostly wooden and mostly vintage as many of the pieces that we have once took pride of place in my husband’s grandparents’ home so we feel very honoured to have them in our own home now. I’m sure at times like this, my husband is delighted to have a vintage-enthusiast for a wife (just not when we’re going past a thrift store!) So if we find any pieces while we’re browsing the thrift store which we think would look very at home in our home, then it’s a good chance we’re purchasing it. A couple of the cabinets and the corner desk that my husband uses as part of his at-home work station are among some of our best finds - and an absolute steal! By the way according to spellcheck, 'unupholstered' really isn't a word. Oh well! 3. POTTERY AND CHINA I love tea and tea parties so this one’s pretty obvious! I go between pretty, dainty vintage china and more funky, retro designs with a sixties/seventies vibe. And for this Brit girl living in America, nothing makes me happier than to see items that have the ‘Made in England’ stamp on them. And I’m a huge fan of brands such as Hornsea, Johnson Brothers, Royal Albert etc. so when I find them, I go running up to the counter as fast as my little legs with carry me! 4. GLASSWARE I think my love of glassware comes from the huge collection of wine glasses, glass dishes etc. that my mum used to own, and would always be on show in our living room cabinets. Unfortunately much of this collection has got lost over the years between moves to different houses or that my mum simply got rid off because she didn’t want them anymore which is a pity. But all this crystal and glassware reminds me of the dinner parties and gatherings we used to have when I was a child (which is clearly where I get my love of entertaining from) so aside from it looking pretty, I also collect them for sentimental reasons which is why, given the choice, I would much rather buy vintage glassware for it’s nostalgic charm  rather than something more modern. But whereas my mum didn't really collect coloured glass items, I do because they look absolutely stunning! 5. VINTAGE TOYS AND GAMES I don’t play with kids’ toys any more - I’m on the wrong side of ten for that! But I do like collecting the kind of toys and games that I used to play with as a child and also toys I badly wanted as a kid but never had. What can I say - it’s a nostalgia thing! Children’s toys aren’t necessarily something I actively go looking for but if I do stumble across something that brings out the nostalgiac in me, then I just have to buy it. My husband still has a lot of the Lego he played with as a child (not to mention the vast amounts he’s bought as a non-child!) and he has quite a few of his Ninja Turtles and Power Rangers collectibles at his parents' house. 6. HOUSEHOLD ACCESSORIES/KITCHENWARE/BAKEWARE I'm always on the lookout for cool accessories, decor and other bits and pieces for our home especially the kitchen. The kitchen is one of my fave rooms in the house. Actually I think it might be my most favourite room in the house! And I work from my kitchen table as well so it’s probably the room I spend the most time in. Oh and it’s also the room everyone congregates in when we have a gathering. So I’m always looking for kitchen accessories, bakeware, cool new tools… anything that I think will complete my kitchen or benefit me as a dedicated home baker/cook. It doesn’t necessarily have to be vintage (although it’s a massive plus if it is!) but I’ve found that thrift shops are great places to find unique kitchenware and household bits and bobs that are still in great condition and in some cases, never been used. 7. TABLECLOTHS I grew up in my parents’ soft furnishings business and I realized from a young age that things like doilies and chair-backs really weren’t for me - even though many people loved them! But I do like tablecloths for my kitchen or dining tables. I feel it makes the house feel more homely and of course it does a good job of protecting the table from everyday wear and tear. And for special occasions a well-dressed table is a must. You can find some gorgeous vintage tablecloths that are still in good condition at bargain prices. 8. VINTAGE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS Whenever it’s the festive season, my parents decorate their shop probably more than they decorate their house! Each year there's always a huge number of customers who walk in through the door hoping to purchase our Christmas decorations not realizing that it's part of our seasonal décor and not stock! They’re always disappointed and complain about the fact that Christmas decorations - especially of the cheap, non-tacky variety - aren’t so easy to come by. I’ve also noticed that these days, the variety and quality of decorations that are sold in regular stores aren't the same as it once was. But my best finds definitely come from thrift shops during the festive season. But then is it any surprise that this vintage-loving girl is a huge fan of vintage Christmas decorations? They always take me back to my childhood Christmases so I really wouldn’t want anything else. 9. CRAFT SUPPLIES I’m craft-mad and love trying out new crafts. But there’s no denying that craft supplies can be quite expensive. While I understand why this is the case, buying a whole lot of supplies and then realizing that a certain craft is not for you can be quite costly. Not to mention you end up with a bunch of clutter in your home that you know isn't going to be used any time soon unless you can find someone to whom you can give them away! Buying craft supplies from a thrift store is a less expensive way to test the waters to see if you enjoy your new craft medium or not. And if you decide you do like it, you can always look out for more supplies at the thrift store and save a bundle! 10. ANYTHING MY FRIENDS ARE AFTER! I don’t just look out for things for myself. There are many people I know - especially friends I've made in the vintage community as well as my mother-in-law - who have an interest in all things vintage so when I’m out and about thrifting and I see something I know they’ll absolutely love, I make sure I grab it for them. Do you enjoy thrifting? What are your favourite kinds of purchases? Photos: Wix; Unsplash, and Angel Noire Blog graphics: Angel Noire

Step into the golden era of cinema with a British twist on classic movie quotes from the 1920s to 1950s! If you follow our sister site, Nostalgia Pie, you'll have noticed our latest post which features a quiz based on retro movie quotes... but with a modern, British twist. And we thought, well why should Nostalgia Pie have all the fun - perhaps An Extra Slice should as well! So we've created a similar quiz based on well-known quotes from classic movies of the 1920s-1950s, and we've modified them so that they not only had that British sense of over-politeness or the cheeky humour we're known for but a modern twist as well. See if you can guess what the original quotes were and which classic movie they came from. ANSWERS BELOW (NO PEEKING!) But don't worry if you didn't get them all correct because this quiz is just for fun. Sadly there are no cash prizes or the chance for you to win a family car. But on the plus side, you don't have to send in your answers on a postcard either Which one is your favorite? Share in the comments below! Photo: Wix GIF: Wix Blog graphics: Angel Noire

If you enjoyed the first part of our interview with our favourite YouTubers, the lovely Kyle and Andrea Moonbeam from Moonbeam Cottage on Martini Cove, then read on for the second part of our very first An Extra Slice of Pie feature. NAME: Andrea & Kyle AGE: We remember rotary dial telephones (So do I! - Angel!) FROM: Pennsylvania, US LIVES: Moonbeam Cottage on Martini Cove, NY state, US OCCUPATION: Andrea – Storyteller, Pie Wrangler, Personal Pup Assistant Kyle – Storyteller, CCO (Chief Cocktail Officer), Personal Pup Assistant FAVE PASTIME: Watching old movies, enjoying cocktails, and eating pie (Me too - and all at the same time! - Angel!) That really is very inspiring and hopefully it'll inspire others who want to start a channel (me included!) to get started! One of my most favourite events of the year is Bonfire Night; a British tradition that isn’t as popular as it once was back in old England but it’s one that my American friends in New England have grown to love. I’ve noticed you also have a fondness for another tradition that hails from the British Isles - Burns Night. Tell us more! Andrea has a bit of Scottish ancestry in her family tree and we both would love to visit Scotland one day. We also feel that there are not enough celebrations in life, so we seek out and enjoy all the holidays that catch our fancy. In fact, we’ve even been known to create our own holidays to celebrate. And let’s face it, a holiday involving Scotch whisky, haggis, and Burns’ poetry… what’s not to love! I really love your reason for celebrating all the holidays that take your fancy. That's such a great way of looking at things. Especially as now I want to celebrate Burns Night - you've really sold it to me! Haha! And I hope you do get to visit Scotland - it's an amazing place. I recently bought a fabulous vintage cookbook from your Etsy store to add to my ever-growing collection. I know about your love of creating delicious looking treats in the kitchen with that gorgeous chocolate and cherry cake that you baked for Andrea’s birthday being the most recent. Are there any vintage cookbooks that are firm favourites? Andrea – I have two favorites that I often use. One is a 1930s Household Searchlight Cookbook with terrific recipes including one for Waldorf Salad that we featured in our About That Waldorf Salad video on Youtube. The other is a 1950s Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook that I inherited from my Grandma Elverna. Our most oft-used recipe from that book is “Oh Boy” Waffles (on page 87 of my copy) and we highly recommend it! Kyle - I love any old cocktail manual. I think that counts as cookbooks, lol. (It does in my, er, book! - Angel!) There is an aura of joy in those old books… the recipes, the wonderful illustrations, and the generally playful editorial tone. I think this joyful conviviality is not just about the drinks, but also the social nature of drinking in those times. People actually looked forward to the company of others back then. Nowadays, with the level of social disintegration we experience and the world as it is, who even wants to spend time with other people? Another fascinating aspect of old cocktail manuals is how, at one point, they served to teach an entire country how to relearn their own culture, after legislated morality (prohibition) wiped out generations worth of our cultural customs. At the end of the day, for me, these books encourage people to create a playful outlet in their adult lives, which is one of the most important lessons that present-day society tries to hide from us. I totally agree with you, Kyle, especially with regards to vintage cookbooks having a particular charm - hence why I collect so many! What has been the vintage find that has had you both jumping up and down with joy? That would have to be our 1959 Faema Faemina espresso machine! In fact, it has us both jumping for joy nearly every morning! Haha! I can imagine. And it does sound like a fabulous find. One of my biggest regrets is not holding on to certain items from my younger years. I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’m now spending a fortune buying back lost reminders of my childhood! Are there things you regret not hanging on to? It seems to us that everyone goes through a period of nostalgia for one’s own childhood. Since our tastes have evolved over the years, we tend to let go of things as often as we acquire new things. There came a point in our lives when we both realized it was time to “be the person you are, in the moment, without regret.” I am trying to practice the art of letting things go as I acquire new things. Maybe one day, I'll get the hang of it! My husband certainly hopes so! It’ll soon be National Retro Day here in America (February 27th.) Are you familiar with this day and do you plan on marking it in some way? Oddly, we’re not familiar with this, but now may have to add it to our calendar. It is a relatively new day. It was four years before I knew it existed! Where National Retro Day is concerned, those wishing to participate have to be - oh dear lord - offline for the entire day! That means no laptop; no scrolling on your phone; no checking for likes or follows - no use of any devices that require Wi-Fi connection. (Though I’m guessing an exception will be made for work-related reasons!) The idea is to live as simply as we did back in the day. How difficult will this be for you? How easy do you think it’ll be for you to steer clear of modern day gadgets and gizmos that require WiFi now that you’ve become so used to it all, and revert back to old-school technology for this one day? We live in an area that has somewhat frequent power outages, so it seems we’ve already been observing National Retro Day on a semi-regular basis. Lol. (Haha! - Angel) We’re accustomed to using our 1900s oil lamps and 1920s cookstove… and, pulling out our ukuleles for a delightful fifteen minutes of entertainment (we only know three songs). Add to that, we don’t need Wi-Fi to make a fine cocktail! It probably also helps that we both grew up in a time without much of the technology that people are dependent upon today. You make having power outages sound like so much fun! There are many things I love about being a nostalgia blogger. People might think I’m being my usual dramatic self when I say it’s been life-changing for me but it has. What has been the best part of your vintage journey so far? Making the conscious decision to improve our lives in a way that is meaningful to us is very empowering. The result is that we enjoy being able to live in an old house surrounded by wonderful treasures of the past. Angel: That does sound good! This or That (Individual answers from both Mr. and Mrs. Moonbeam!) ⦁ 1950s or 1960s? Andrea – College me would say 1960s, but today I prefer earlier decades. At the time, I was much enamored of hippie culture and folk singers, like Arlo Guthrie. Kyle - I’d have to say the 1950s were a more energetic era of industrial design, and I’m speaking of a more global view than just here in the US. There seemed to be a surge of creative energy in response to the emerging needs after the war, that was truly innovative at its core. The sixties style, to me, seemed to be an attempt to cover over or escape from the mounting social anxieties of the time. ⦁ Margarita or Martini? Andrea – Martini, of course, with a twist of lime. And that would be the traditional martini made with gin. Kyle - The Martini is the only cocktail when you get right down to it. Perfect for every occasion, including what you take to the proverbial deserted island. Tequila, on the other hand, tends to make me fight inanimate objects, sans apparel. If only there were martinis as large as margaritas with mardi gras bead garnishes. A Gauche-tini, if you will. ⦁ Nancy Drew or Miss Marple? Andrea – Nancy Drew (with me portraying Miss Marple and helping solve the mysteries – lol) Kyle - Miss Marple, Nancy Drew is underaged. (LOL! - Angel) ⦁ Spring or Fall? Andrea – Fall – I love autumn leaves, pumpkins, apples, chilly nights, crisp impossibly blue skies, finally being able to wear wool and flannel clothing again. (Same here! - Angel) Kyle - I like how alive the air feels in the fall. In most of the places I have lived, Spring was known as mud season. ⦁ Film Noir or gothic romance? Andrea – Yes. Lol. Film noir to watch and gothic romance to read. Kyle - Film Noir! Or better yet, BOTH! When you get right down to it, the only difference is peignoirs vs. fedoras, right? ⦁ Pancakes or waffles? Andrea – Waffles! And pancakes! And more waffles! But only with real maple syrup, you savages! Kyle - Are you asking which one first? ⦁ Glam rock or heavy metal? Andrea – Hmm… I’ll choose glam rock here. But I’d much prefer sea shanties or electro swing. Kyle - Glam Rock! Heavy Metal tends to take itself too seriously. ⦁ Theatre or movie theatre Andrea – If I must choose to go out amongst the people… movie theatre. Otherwise, my living room. Kyle - I live in a cultural desert, so I could see a movie if I really wanted to travel a ways. ⦁ City break or country getaway? Andrea – Between these two, country getaway. However, Kyle and I have tried to create a life here at the Cottage that we don’t need a vacation from. (Bliss! - Angel) Kyle - I don’t like to leave the house, lol. Maybe “window shades open or closed” would be more appropriate. (Hahaha! - Angel) ⦁ Dallas or Knots Landing? Andrea – Neither… in that late 1970s timeframe, Little House on the Prairie… or Happy Days. Kyle - Fantomas (1964) or Danger Diabolik (1968)?! And Finally… The four of you are being transported back to another decade in which you’ll live there for the entire duration of the decade! Which one would you choose and why? And yes, you’ve both got to decide on only one! We’d choose the 1930s. Prohibition ended early in that decade, it was between world wars (in the US), there was amazing machine age design (Raymond Loewy!), fabulous clothing design (Orry Kelly!), madcap mystery movies (Nick & Nora!), and terrific pulp novels. Kyle and Andrea, you've been your usual witty, entertaining selves. It's too bad we've come to the end. Thank you so much - it's been an absolute pleasure! If you'd like to follow the fabulous Kyle and Andrea; check out their YouTube channel (you'll be hooked!) or visit their store, here's how to do it: COMPANY/STORE NAME: Moonbeam Cottage on Martini Cove STORE ADDRESS: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MoonbeamCottage WEBSITE: https://www.youtube.com/@moonbeamcottageonmartinicove EMAIL: moonbeammartini@gmail.com SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS: IG - https://www.instagram.com/moonbeamcottagemartini/ FB - https://www.facebook.com/moonbeamcottageonmc Photos: Kyle and Andrea Moonbeam; Angel Noire; Wix and Unsplash Blog graphics: Angel Noire

What do you do when you have an abundance of juicy fresh cherries but you need to use them up quickly? Well when you adore cherries as much as we do, the answer is - anything! You can bake them in a pie or tart; make a steamed pudding; make a sauce to accompany duck; create a huge batch of cherry jam; put them in pancake batter; whip up a clafoutis... the possibilities are endless. And another possibility that we've recently tried is a lovely boozy cherry compote. We don't mind admitting that at An Extra Slice, we're fruit compote-mad! Any kind of compote, in our opinion, is one of the greatest culinary inventions ever. Aside from the fact that it's super simple and can be ready within twenty minutes of cooking, it's also a great way to use up a large amount of fruit and it's so versatile. Compote is often served with custard or yogurt, but it can be used as a layer in a trifle or on a cheesecake; a topping for a baked or steamed sponge pudding; as a filling for a tart or pie; a topping for ice-cream, pancakes or waffles; eaten for breakfast with muesli... this list can go on and on (a bit like Angel!) The way we see it, if you've got eggs in your fridge then you've always got a meal; but if you've got compote in your fridge, then you've always got a dessert! WHAT EXACTLY IS COMPOTE? The best way to describe compote is as a thick fruit sauce that can be made with various types of fresh or frozen fruits such as berries or stone fruit. When combined with sugar and stewed briefly on the stove (or even in the oven), you end up with a thick, chunky fruit sauce that is absolutely delicious. CONSISTENCY AND COOK TIME Compote has a consistency that's thicker than a regular sauce or coulis but not as thick as jam, and it shouldn't be gelatinous like jelly. But that said everyone has their preferences as to how thick/saucy/jammy/runny a compote should be. Also remember that the longer you cook it for, the less chance there is of the fruit pieces holding their shape and more chance of them breaking down. STORAGE AND SHELF-LIFE Once your compote has cooled completely, it can be kept in the fridge for up to two weeks. The alcohol content in our recipe means that it should last a bit longer. We can't say for sure because no batch of compote has ever lasted for more than a week in our house! If you're storing it in the fridge, spoon the compote into a dry, sterilized glass jar or airtight container, and keep covered. And always be sure to use clean, dry utensils when helping yourself to some compote in order to prevent any contamination. This compote can also be stored in the freezer, although the alcohol content means that it won't freeze solid. Place in freezer bags once the compote has thoroughly cooled, and then freeze for up to six months. Keep in the freezer for up to six months. It can then be thawed in the refrigerator overnight or you can heat up in a saucepan over a gentle heat when you want to use it especially if you plan on serving it warm. SUGAR, SUGAR! White granulated or caster sugar, works well in this recipe. You could very well use brown sugar, maple syrup or honey if you prefer but remember it might alter the flavour slightly. After you take the compote off the stove and you feel it's not sweet enough - or alternatively not tart enough - you can always add more sugar (or lemon juice!) to suit your taste. Try our recipe for a boozy cherry compote. We recently used it as the fruit layer in a trifle and it was gorgeous - if we may say so ourselves! RUBY CHERRY COMPOTE You Will Need A medium-sized saucepan A wooden spoon Freezer bags or sterilized jam jars A suitable spoon for spooning into jars or bags A funnel (optional) Ingredients 1 pound cherries, washed, halved and pitted 1 cup ruby port (or any favourite red wine!) 1/4 sugar Juice of 1/2 lemon 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional) Method Place all ingredients into a pan over a medium heat and cover. After ten minutes reduce to a low heat and cover. Take off the heat when cherry mixture is at the desired consistency. Leave to cool. When completely cooled, pop into sterilized jars. Or pop into freezer bag and pop in the freezer for when you want to use it. NOTES: If you don't want to use alcohol, you can substitute it with a non-alcoholic wine; cherry or cranberry juice. You can also add a cinnamon stick while you're simmering the compote mixture. Just remember to remove it when you're ready to put the compote in jars or bags. Jars of cherry compote make great gifts! Photos: Wix and Angel Noire Blog graphics: Angel Noire

How many of you remember cherry cake as a teatime treat? How many of you still whip up a mean cherry cake for teatime? At some point in our lives, most of us will have encountered this fine example of classic, old-school baking. Different versions of cherry cake exist around the world. In America, cherry cake is generally a frosting-covered, layered, pink sponge, made with maraschino cherries, with the maraschino juice from the jar giving the cake it's candy-floss pink colour. But the British version is a much simpler affair. A traditional British cherry cake is generally a madeira sponge cake that contains halved or quartered glacè - or candied - cherries, which is then topped with icing or a glaze, flaked almonds and more glacè cherries. Or just left plain! We said it was simple! It is a very traditional English cake and so versatile that it fits the bill for just about everything: picnics; afternoon tea; lunch boxes; bake sales, and it is the staple of many traditional tearooms. At one time, cherry cakes were one of the most popular cakes to be baked among the members of the Women's Institute. It may sound simple to make, but quite often it's a mission to prevent the cherries from sinking to the bottom of the cake. However people have their own methods for preventing this from happening. One of them being to rinse off the sticky syrup from the cherries before dusting them with flour. Delia Smith believes in mixing two-thirds of the cherries into the cake mixture before poking the remaining third through the top of the cake just before it goes into the oven. Sounds like a great idea! For those of us who aren't into glacè cherries (hands up all those who knew that they were actually real cherries?) and are wondering if they can use fresh or frozen cherries instead, well you can - but there's a good chance they might sink to the bottom of the cake. That's why glacè cherries are used instead of the juicy, fresh stuff because the lack of moisture in the glacè cherries means that they won't sink as much as the other variety. You might have better luck with dried cherries though. For those of you who would like to have a go at making this classic bake, here's a recipe for you to try. Usually cherry cake is made with ground almonds but with this one, we've used desiccated coconut - and included the addition of dates! You know - just to mix it up a little! For those of you who wish to use a glaze, there's also an additional super-simple recipe for creating the glaze. Ingredients 6oz glacé cherries, extra if using to decorate 3oz dates, chopped 4oz self-raising flour 3oz. plain flour 6oz softened butter, plus extra for greasing 6oz caster sugar 3oz desiccated coconut 1tsp Vanilla essence 3 eggs You Will Need 7" square OR 8" round cake tin Greaseproof paper Skewer (to test cake) Wire cooling rack Method Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease cake tin and line base with greased greaseproof paper. Rinse and dry cherries well. Cut the cherries into halves or quarters. Then toss in a little of the plain flour. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla essence in a bowl until fluffy. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and add a little at a time. Stir in desiccated coconut. Combine the remaining flours and add to mixture a little at a time. Stir in cherries and dates - do not beat. Spoon mixture into tin. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or bake until skewer inserted into centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for ten minutes, then turn out and cool on a wire rack. If you wish, add glaze and decorate with remaining cherries. Top Tips: If using almonds, add 2-3 drops of almond extract to intensify the flavour. You can use the grated zest of a lemon instead of vanilla essence if you wish. Glaze for cherry cake Ingredients 150g icing sugar 2 tbsp lemon juice 2 water Method Mix the icing sugar together with the lemon juice and water to a thick paste. If too runny, add a little extra icing sugar. Drizzle over the cooled cake using the back of a spoon. Sprinkle over the toasted almonds and reserved cherries (optional.) Photos: Blog graphics: Angel Noire

Before Halloween took over the world as the most highly anticipated autumnal event, there was another event, celebrated annually in Britain that was once the highlight of the season and also had origins of the macabre and sinister variety - Guy Fawkes Night. Also known as Bonfire Night and informally known as Fireworks Night, this great event takes place on November 5th just a few days after Halloween. Unfortunately though, Guy Fawkes Night has fallen out of favour a fair bit ever since most of the world - British folk included - decided that they'd rather don costumes, go trick or treating and partake in other traditions made famous by our American cousins. But while Guy Fawkes Night isn't the biggest event on the British social calendar that it once was, there are still a lot of people who do celebrate the anniversary of the foiled terrorist attack on Parliament back in the seventeenth century. And for those who do choose to celebrate in style, they will partake in traditions such as setting off a plethora of fireworks in their back garden; attending fireworks displays; gathering around the bonfire with their nearest and dearest, as well as indulging in traditional Bonfire Night fare which includes... parkin! WHAT IS PARKIN? Parkin is an ever so delicious baked goody that's as synonymous with Guy Fawkes Night as bonfires, Catherine wheels, and toffee apples. This spiced, sweet treat is traditionally served up on Guy Fawkes Night and is the perfect thing to tuck into while gathered around the glowing flames of a bonfire on a cold, dark night. It's very similar to gingerbread in appearance and taste but it has a different texture as one of the key ingredients is oatmeal. Parkin also contains spices, lots of molasses, treacle or golden syrup which gives parkin its sticky texture. There are two types of parkin - one that hails from Lancashire and the other from Yorkshire. One of the things that's quite unusual about parkin is that you're not supposed to consume it the day it's baked. Instead you leave it in an airtight container for the parkin to 'mature;' so that the flavour develops and the sticky texture intensifies. HOW LONG DO YOU LEAVE IT TO MATURE FOR? Hmm, this depends. Some recipes claim that three to five days is sufficient. Others say seven, some say ten, and there's a couple who tell you to leave it in an airtight container for as long as is humanly possible! The first time we made parkin we began to consume it after five days and it lasted for three weeks. The second time was also left to mature around ten days but unfortunately it didn't keep for more than two weeks after that. It would appear that the more treacle or molasses you add to the recipe, the longer the parkin keeps. But we think five to seven days is a good amount of time to allow the parkin to mature. It all depends on whether it has reached the right, sticky texture. SO WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE PARKIN? Lancashire parkin is lighter, more golden brown in colour as it contains more golden syrup. Yorkshire parkin is darker in colour with a much deeper flavour as it's made with black molasses. If you're a newcomer to parkin it might be an idea to try the Lancashire version first, as some find the Yorkshire version a bit bitter due to the high black molasses content. That might explain why Yorkshire parkin is generally served in wedges topped with stewed apple. Lancashire parkin, on the other hand, is sweeter and tastes a lot more like regular gingerbread. And while not necessarily customary, there's no reason why you can't serve Lancashire parkin with a portion of apple compote because who can say no to apple desserts... though people in Lancashire might beg to differ! THE ORIGINS OF PARKIN While the origins of this deliciously, sticky cake with a spicy kick are not totally clear, we do know that parkin is peculiar to the north of England. Some believe that parkin is older than Guy Fawkes himself and could be linked to Paganism or All Saints Day. But it became more popular in eighteenth century England, and the first mention of parkin by name could be found in court records from 1728, where one Anne Whittaker was accused of stealing oatmeal to make it! Guy Fawkes Night staples such as Parkin and Bonfire Toffee were popular many centuries ago because they were easy to make and kept for a long time. This was the late eighteenth century in England when refined white sugar was very expensive and not easily affordable by those who lived in the poorer northern regions of the country. So instead of the refined, white sugar, they opted for its cheaper counterpart - treacle! Another thing that was consumed in large quantities was oatmeal, a less costly cereal. Treacle and oatmeal - the two chief ingredients of parkin! IS PARKIN ONLY EATEN ON NOVEMBER FIFTH? While parkin is traditionally eaten on Guy Fawkes Night, in the north of England it's it's been enjoyed at the beginning of November and all throughout the month for centuries, especially on Parkin Sunday. WHAT'S PARKIN SUNDAY? The first Sunday of November. Well at least it is certain regions in the north of England where parkin is eaten during the winter months and has close ties to the month of November. In these northern regions, parkin is traditionally eaten during November events such as All Saints Day and All Souls Day, as well as Guy Fawkes Night, hence it's close association with the month. So the first Sunday of November is known as Parkin Sunday and no doubt a lot of parkin is eaten on this day! SO WHAT DO WE THINK OF PARKIN? Parkin isn't something that's traditionally eaten in the south of England. In fact there are some who have never even heard of it let alone know what it is! But now that we've baked it and tried it, we are now wondering where it's been all our lives and why we've been through all those Guy Fawkes Nights without it! It's delicious! We love everything about it from the rich brown appearance, to the delicious aroma, to the slightly chewy texture to that spicy kick. It's definitely on the menu at our annual Bonfire Night party. However... it has to be said that parkin is not necessarily the easiest thing to bake, especially if you're a novice baker or just someone who's never baked parkin before. It's taken us a whopping three attempts (so therefore three years!) to create what we're hoping is the perfect parkin recipe. The first time we tried, most of it exploded all over the oven due to too much bicarb having been added! However we did love the rich brown colour and the texture was deliciously sticky, and it kept for quite a long time. Unfortunately we weren't too keen on the bitter taste due to the high content of black molasses even when accompanied with the stewed apple (and no, that's not the reason why it kept for a long time!) The second (and worst!) attempt was a lot lighter in colour which we weren't so keen on but the shade of brown was the least of our troubles! The texture was dry, so dry in fact that we had no choice but to serve it with cream which we doubt the good people of Yorkshire and Lancashire will be thrilled about! It didn't keep anywhere as near as the previous try, and we unfortunately ended up having to throw it out. Not good! But the third attempt - now that was the winning formula! We didn't get it as dark as we'd liked but the flavour was definitely all there and it had that decadent sticky texture that is characteristic of parkin. We added nutmeg and cinnamon which parkin doesn't normally have (we only found one recipe that used cinnamon as well as the traditional ginger) but we really wanted to amp up the spice levels. Plus we also used fresh root ginger which definitely gave it an edge. Feel free to omit them if you wish, but go ahead and give our recipe a go - we hope you won't be disappointed. DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE AN EXTRA SLICE PARKIN RECIPE CARD! If you enjoyed our feature about parkin, you can have a go at making your own in time for Guy Fawkes Night! Download An Extra Slice of Nostalgia Pie's recipe card which contains a vintage-inspired recipe for a deliciously spiced parkin. The recipe cards are only available to An Extra Slice of Nostalgia Pie members. But if you're not a member, why not sign up to join our community? That's free too! NOTES A lot of the vintage recipes we looked at when trying to make parkin don't necessarily specify a particular type of oats. But we can tell you that Instant oats are definitely out and are not recommended for Parkin. The kind of oats traditionally used when baking parkin are steel-cut oats. We have however used rolled oats and it has been fine. A medium-coarse oatmeal is needed for parkin, so if necessary the oatmeal can be briefly pulsed in a food processor until they are broken down to the required sized pieces. But be careful about overdoing it and pulsing the oatmeal into a fine flour which is not what you want, as you need it to be more on the coarse side in the name of texture! As you know Yorkshire parkin generally uses black treacle/molasses while Lancashire parkin uses golden syrup.  However while it may not necessarily be traditional, there's nothing to stop you mixing the two until you get the desired flavour. The ratio of black treacle parts to golden syrup is a matter of personal taste. Yes it's trial and error but a helpful hint is that if you prefer fuller, stronger flavour then head down the Yorkshire route and add more black molasses. But if you would prefer a more milder but still delicious flavour, then go for more of the golden syrup. Photos: Pixabay and Angel's own. Word cloud: Angel Noire

That's right. You read that correctly - accidental! Crisps; brownies; Eton Mess, tart tartin... sometimes the best things in life started out as a complete accident. Dare we add our no-bake cookie bites to that list too???Though it'll be quite a while - a long while - before it's up there with the best of the best! Never mind - we still look forward to sharing this accidental recipe with our An Extra Slice followers. Why accidental, you ask? That's because these were supposed to be fudge s'mores! We wanted to make fudge for our dessert table for our annual Bonfire Night bash. But the lack of a candy thermometer and misjudging the temperature of the fudge mixture meant that the graham crackers we used broke down into the mixture and the marshmallows melted into the warm fudge which left us with a strange kind of cookie dough. Fearing we'd have to throw out the whole mixture which we'd put so much effort in, we decided to give it one last chance by pressing the mixture into a baking tin and waiting to see what would happen. What happened was that we ended up with a curious cross between fudge and cookies. So our no-bake fudge cookie bites were created. They may not have turned out exactly as we'd planned but they were still delicious. And while we admitted to our guests that our cookie bites hadn't gone exactly to plan, we didn't tell them that they were supposed to have been tucking into pieces of fudge! Not that it mattered at all because somehow... it just worked! So here's our recipe for those of you who'd like to give our it-wasn't-supposed-to-be-like-that cookies a try. Our original recipe used a cup of butterscotch flavour chips along with the chocolate chips but if you'd rather, you can leave them out and just use an extra cup of chocolate chips. We used milk chocolate chips by Ghiradelli but the type you use is totally up to you. NO-BAKE FUDGE COOKIE BITES Ingredients 2 cups chocolate chips 1 cup butterschotch chips (optional) or substitute for more chocolate chips 14 oz. can condensed milk 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 cup mini marshmallows (or cut up regular-sized ones) 1 cup graham crackers, broken into small pieces (or digestive/rich tea biscuits) 3 tbsp. crushed honeycomb candy (optional) Equipment 9"x9" square baking tin Parchment paper (plus scissors to cut to size!) Large, heavy saucepan Wooden spoon Measuring cups Method Line a 9×9 inch pan with parchment paper and set aside. Place chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk into a large heavy saucepan over a low to medium heat. Allow the heat to do most of the melting but every now and again stir gently to combine. Once chocolate chips have melted and mixture well combined, add vanilla extract and mix well. Keep stirring until mixture thickens a lot and comes away from the sides of the pan. Take off the heat and allow to cool a little. While the chocolate mixture is still warm, add the biscuit pieces and marshmallows. Combine well. At this point the marshmallows will start to melt; the biscuit pieces will break down into the chocolate mixture and the whole mixture will stiffen into a dough-like texture. Place dough into the prepared pan and press down evenly. Leave the fudge to cool and harden at room temperature (about 3 hours.) Once firm, cut into bite sized squares, similar to pieces of fudge. Refrigeration is not necessary but if you wish to put the uncut cookie mixture into the fridge, remember to allow it to stand at room temperature for a few minutes to make it easier to cut into bite-sized squares. Photos: Angel Noire and Wix Blog graphics: Angel Noire

NAME: Andrea & Kyle AGE: We remember rotary dial telephones (So do I! - Angel!) FROM: Pennsylvania, US LIVES: Moonbeam Cottage on Martini Cove, NY state, US OCCUPATION: Andrea – Storyteller, Pie Wrangler, Personal Pup Assistant Kyle – Storyteller, CCO (Chief Cocktail Officer), Personal Pup Assistant FAVE PASTIME: Watching old movies, enjoying cocktails, and eating pie (Me too - and all at the same time! - Angel!) If you follow our sister site, Nostalgia Pie, then you might be familiar with our A Slice of Pie With... feature in which we interview someone who shares their happy nostalgic memories with us. We thought it was about time we did something similar for An Extra Slice. So we did! Welcome to the first-ever An Extra Slice of Pie With feature. And what better time to do so then just before National Retro Day - which we affectionately like to deem as Christmas for nostalgia addicts! And who better to kick off this feature than two of the biggest retro fans we know - Two of our favourite YouTubers, Andrea and Kyle Moonbeam of Moonbeam Cottage on Martini Cove! If there's one thing we enjoy about blogging on all things vintage and retro, it's coming across others who also love blogging/vlogging/posting about all things vintage and retro. It was on our travels around the blogosphere, that we bumped into the legendary Andrea and Kyle. Their YouTube channel, the delightfully-named Moonbeam Cottage on Martini Cove is one of the coolest, quirkiest, funniest channels we've seen in a long time. Their love of vintage shines through in an informative though humorous and entertaining way. And every time Andrea and Kyle whip up something delicious in the kitchen or mix up a fabulous cocktail, it makes you just want to climb into your laptop and sample it for yourself! If you haven't checked out their awesome channel yet, then what are you waiting for - check it out now! Oh and be warned, the furry members of their family Wags and Cappy are just the cutest! But it's not just their talent for producing brilliant content, Andrea and Kyle are just all-round awesome people. Well they're into retro, so of course they are! They show a real interest in their fans and people who follow their content, and we, in turn, at An Extra Slice and Nostalgia Pie are very grateful for the support they've shown us since we've got to know them. And furthermore, if you ever decide to buy from their Moonbeam Cottage Shop on Etsy, which is a real treasure trove of fabulous vintage goodies, you'll find an eclectic selection of cozy, quirky, and curious vintage items, many of which are from Andrea and Kyle's personal collections acquired over the past 30 years or so. Occasionally, a vintage item will be combined with a handmade companion piece created by Andrea, and they also offer unique “Moonbeam Bundles,” which are curated groups of vintage items selected by Kyle and Andrea on a particular theme. Sounds good, doesn't it! And you'll be totally blown away by the unbeatable level of customer service they provide. Andrea and Kyle - you rock! Let's hope at some point we can get together and share a round of cocktails.... if not a box of Walnut Whips! We are deeply honoured to have the Moonbeams kick off our first-ever An Extra Slice of Pie With... feature. So let's crack on because we've got some serious pie-eating and conversation to get through! Andrea, Kyle - Hi!!! It is soooo good to have you here. Come on in and have a slice of pie and a drink! What can I get you? Andrea: I’ll have pumpkin pie with whipped cream and a cappuccino, please. Kyle: Shoofly pie and black coffee for me. Great choices, guys! We’d love to know more about Mr. and Mrs. Moonbeam, not to mention the adorable Wags and Cappy. Tell us a bit about yourselves. We live a simple but interesting life with our two rescue pups in our 1870s cottage home, located in a little hamlet on the edge of Lake Champlain. Our interests are varied and include old movies, cocktails, mysteries, David Lynch, coffee, vintage fashion, and industrial design. Cocktails and old movies - you can't go wrong! The both of you are known for your love of all things vintage. What would you define as ‘your era’ and why? We don’t define ourselves by any one era since we are both eclectic in our tastes. But if we were to choose the timeframe that appeals to us the most, it would be the Victorian era to the 1930s. We’re drawn to this range of aesthetics for the design styles and craftsmanship. I hear that. I'm drawn to different eras myself (though I have to admit a big part of my heart belongs to the eighties for many reasons!) Moonbeam Cottage on Martini Cove sounds absolutely idyllic. How did you find yourselves at such a place? A little over 10 years ago, we had an opportunity to choose a location to live that was not dictated by a job. On something of a whim, we came to this area to look at a different property, and ended up discovering our now beloved cottage home. And the rest is history, so to speak. How awesome is that - it was fate! How and when did your retro journey begin? Andrea – My fascination with all things vintage resulted from several experiences in my childhood. As a wee tot, my box of clothing for “playing dress-up” included cast off dresses and accessories from at least 20 years earlier. The books I was drawn to at the little library in the town where I grew up were earlier editions of both the Laura Ingalls Wilder Little House series and the Nancy Drew mystery stories. I also was fortunate to have grandparents who introduced me to auctions and thrift shops where, at the time, one would find all sorts of interesting old things that fit a young kid’s budget. The clincher, though, was around age 14, when I bought my first pair of vintage shoes (1950s black velvet and satin pumps) at a rummage sale for $2 (US)! Angel: It all sounds amazing. I'm a huge Nancy Drew fan myself but unfortunately I had no one to introduce me to the joys of thrifting. That was something I discovered much later on. I wonder if you still have those gorgeous-sounding black velvet pumps??? Kyle - When I was a kid I would see these wild old movies from the 20s and 30s, and I would see this view to another world… full of skyscraper radios, art deco cocktail shakers, streamlined cars, women in outlandish precode outfits… it was like discovering that a much cooler planet existed besides the avocado green and harvest gold homogenized prison I was serving a life sentence in. Then somewhere along the line I saw something I recognized from a film, an Automatic Electric Model 50 telephone, and the bell went off in my head - all these amazing things existed, out there somewhere in the wild, right now. You could get them if you looked hard enough, and very few people (at that time) were looking for them besides you! Angel: Haha! I'm not sure if you noticed but harvest gold and avocado green are Nostalgia Pie colours! Haha! I've made no secret of the fact that I would have loved to have experienced that time. I love the way you both make past eras sound so magical and fantastical (if that's even a word!) Obviously we think so because we're all drawn to the magic of times gone by. The beautiful communities we are so lucky to be a part of are filled with people who strive to live a more simpler, vintage lifestyle. However each of us will have different ideas as to how to go about it and to varying degrees. What does living a ‘vintage lifestyle’ mean to you? Our “vintage lifestyle” means surrounding ourselves with objects from past eras that give us pleasure to use, wear, and look at. We try not to bring modern mass-produced items into our house as much as possible. Instead, we choose to find older, cooler, and better made things. While it is true that in past eras, as in the present day, some beliefs and values were less than admirable, we at Moonbeam Cottage neither endorse, condone, nor romanticize those beliefs and values. I'm glad you've mentioned that as to a lot of people, when you say you have a love or affinity for more simpler times, some have a tendency to jump to the wrong conclusions. We are of course embracing the positives and rejecting the negatives. You love buying vintage as much as I do. And I love buying vintage! The thrift store is one of my happy places - much to my husband’s dismay! What tips do you have for those who are new to thrifting and buying vintage but want to source more vintage items? There are two things that have helped us over the years in this regard. One is to let your older relatives know of your interest in vintage, antique, and retro items. They may have treasures they’re willing to pass along that you never expected. The other is to know what you want before heading to a thrift store or estate sale, because you will find what you look for AND you won’t buy every old-timey thing you come across. That's great advice - especially the latter! Your YouTube channel is one of the coolest and quirkiest I’ve ever seen! I always get excited when there’s a new video. When did you decide to go for it with regards to starting a YouTube channel? We’ve always been interested in making movies but until somewhat recently, it seemed an out of reach dream. When we disconnected from subscription streaming services and started watching more YouTube, we realized that here was a way for us to make our dream a reality… and on a practically zero budget. At the same time, video equipment pricing had become affordable for us. So, we decided to give it a try! Enjoyed our interview with the Moonbeams so far? Then check out the second part of our An Extra Slice of Pie With... feature to discover why the Moonbeams love Burns Night; what their vintage pride and joy is, and the super cool way they deal with a power outage! If you'd like to follow the fabulous Kyle and Andrea; check out their YouTube channel (you'll be hooked!) or visit their online store, here's how to do it: COMPANY/STORE NAME: Moonbeam Cottage on Martini Cove STORE ADDRESS: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MoonbeamCottage WEBSITE: https://www.youtube.com/@moonbeamcottageonmartinicove EMAIL: moonbeammartini@gmail.com SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS: IG - https://www.instagram.com/moonbeamcottagemartini/ FB - https://www.facebook.com/moonbeamcottageonmc Photos: Kyle and Andrea; Angel Noire and Wix Blog graphics: Angel Noire

It's our first post of 2024 and we hope that the new year has got off to a good start for everybody. The years go by so quickly; before I know it, I'll be writing a new post to welcome 2025! I haven't really made any resolutions as such this year as I'm one of those people whose resolutions fall to the wayside before January is even over! But like most people, I'm just working towards a happier, healthier and more fulfilling year. Pretty much like I do every year! One thing I absolutely will be doing is continuing with the Read Christie Challenge for 2024. I had an absolute blast completing the challenge last year so I just had to do it all over again. What's interesting about this year's challenge is that it focuses on Agatha Christie's works through the decades, from the 1920s when she had her first novel published to the 1970s when she had the last of her works published. This year has kicked off in spectacular style with The Mysterious Affair at Styles - Agatha Christie's first novel and the one that introduced everyone's favourite Belgian private detective, the one and only Hercule Poirot; not forgetting of course Captain Hastings and Inspector Japp. The January part of this challenge is over and we will now move on to the next novel, The Secret Adversary. I can't wait! But how did I do with last year's challenge? Surprisingly well, I have to say! My reasons for doing the Read Christie Challenge - aside from wanting to read more works by this fabulous author - was to get back into reading and become a more consistent reader, and prove to myself that I could actually start and finish something. And I think I've succeeded! Admittedly I didn't get to finish a lot of the novels on time, but that's what comes with real-life commitments that need to be fulfilled. But on the whole, I think I did quite well. It was also quite surprising that there were novels I thought I would enjoy but weren't quite for me, as good as they were, and the ones I thought would be a chore to get through but I actually ended up enjoying immensely. For instance I thought I would really enjoy They Do It With Mirrors but for some reason my interest waned after a while. And then there was Death Comes as the End which I dreaded reading as I didn't think it would be my cup of tea due to the setting in ancient Egypt and it not being a 'classic Christie,' but I actually could not put it down. The ending was also a complete surprise and one I really didn't see coming. In many ways, Death Comes as the End is a classic Christie - just not in a quintessentially English village-type setting, and it is now definitely one of my faves! Another surprise was that the novels I found interesting and enjoyable were not always met with great enthusiasm by other readers going by the comments that I came across. For instance, I'm a huge fan of short stories so I loved Partners in Crime. But there were others who said they would have preferred a full-length, in-depth novel, full of intrigue that they could really get stuck into rather than a collection of short stories that they felt didn't have enough time to build up any real suspense. I also quite liked Endless Night. It wasn't a typically Christie whodunnit. It had a more haunting, almost gothic feel, I thought. However my best friend said it was her least favourite Christie novel. I get the impression that many Christie fans prefer her classic crimes and whodunnits over her works that are a little out of the ordinary. As with anything, everyone has their favourites and not-so-favourites... and that's OK! And while I agree that Unfinished Portrait, which Christie wrote under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, was pretty heavy reading in the sense that it never seemed to end (meaning that it was quite a long novel, not that it was boring!) I actually liked the novel as there was a lot that I could relate to as much of the protagonist's thoughts and experiences deeply resonated with me. However there were others who said that they could not continue reading the book as it just wasn't for them and what they really needed was a typical Christie. It was my first time ever reading a Westmacott, and it's a completely different genre and style to a classic Christie - there's no crime to solve for a start! What? An Agatha Christie novel without toxic substances and poison-pen letters??? However can that be! And an added bonus with this challenge is that it was a great opportunity to check out the film and TV adaptations based on Christie's novels - and there are many! I like the whole compare and contrast aspect of reading the book and then watching the screen adaptation. I prefer the type of adaptations that don't stray too far from Christie's original literary works. I like to see how Christie's vision plays out on the screen so I much prefer older adaptations because I feel they don't differ too much. Though that said, the newer adaptations are still quite entertaining - I just try to ignore the fact that 'that's not how it was in the book!' So yes - I'm looking forward to this year's literary adventures. Bring it on! And I hope everyone continues to have a great new year x Photos: Angel Noire GIF: Wix Blog graphics: Angel Noire

While the rest of the world has to wait until May to celebrate Mother's Day, over in Britain, we will be celebrating Mothering Sunday tomorrow. Mother's Day or Mothering Sunday as it's also known as in Britain, always falls on the the fourth Sunday of Lent and three weeks before Easter Sunday. It's a day to be celebrating motherhood and honouring the very special women in our lives: mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, stepmothers, mothers-in-law, godmothers and even aunties. So what could be a more special way to spoil the extraordinary women in our lives then by treating them to a decadent afternoon tea – which if you ask us, is an occasion made for mums and mother figures! We really love the idea of a themed afternoon tea (come to think of it, we love the idea of a themed anything!) and when it comes to a Mother’s Day afternoon tea party, vintage is the only way to go, with mismatched, floral, china teacups, an elaborate cake stand, bird cages, and decorations in the form of pearls and lace. Mothers are obviously all different, so you’ll cater your tea party to your mum’s tastes but inspiration for our ideas have come Angel's own mother who’s pretty big on tradition. Chocolate and flowers also feature quite heavily as they tend to be gifts we traditionally give our mothers on their special day. Colours for this event could be in the traditional pink and lilac, or any pastel hue, or maybe even cream and gold for a classic vintage feel. With the weather getting warmer, there’s a good chance that you could hold your tea party outdoors. When thinking about the menu, we went for old-school English classics, real ‘like mother used to make’ stuff, with an added touch of elegance and luxury. After all you can’t get more English than afternoon tea, so English classics it is! The list below gives food ideas of what you can include as part of your afternoon tea party menu: SANDWICHES Egg and cress Cucumber and cream cheese Crab Ham and English mustard Smoked salmon and cream cheese Rare roast beef and horseradish Rose petals with honey Prawn mayonnaise SAVOURIES Smoked salmon soufflés Mini sausage rolls Blinis with smoked salmon Mini Cornish pasties Parmesan thins Roast beef-filled mini Yorkshire puddings Welsh rarebit Spinach and parmesan muffins Cheese straws Potted shrimp/trout pate on melba toast Mini chicken and asparagus pie SWEET SCONES/TOASTED BREADS Crumpets Tea loaf Tea cakes Brioche English muffins Scones with clotted cream and rose petal jam CAKES, TARTS AND OTHER SWEET TREATS Victoria sponge cake Apple pie with cinnamon cream Chocolate fudge cake Lemon drizzle cake Cherry Cake Jam tartlets Battenburg cake Rose and raspberry or chocolate macaroons Fruit cake Mini Bakewell tarts Chocolate mousse with sugared violets in shot glasses Mini English trifles Pink and lilac iced buns Lavender shortbread Chocolate éclairs Strawberry shortcake Custard slices Florentines DRINKS: Tea! Frozen strawberry daiquiris Mixed berry tea White chocolate mocha Jasmine tea Pink lemonade Chilled Chrysanthemum tea Raspberry bellini Cava with nasturtiums Pomegranate Martini Chamomile tea Champagne with hibiscus Chocolate flavoured cocktails Don’t forget the extras you need to serve such as butter, clotted cream, honey and a selection of jams to go with the toasted breads and scones. And for the savouries, you may need to provide a variety of chutneys, sauces and pickles. Photos: Pixabay Blog graphics: Angel Noire