Formal Table Setting!

This year I had a wonderful Christmas. I must say that i was overjoyed and overwhelmed with emotion when I received my gift from my in laws...does this picture give you any hints?

My mother in law has inherited kept and maintained some beautiful silver that has been in her family for many generations. One of the sets survived a terrible fire where most of the material goods in the home did not survive the terrible tragedy.

The set that was given to me comes from my mother in laws side of the family. The silver is marked with a beautiful "S" for Smith. I am honored and touched by the sentiment, history and value of the gift. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

So, this brings me to my new project at the moment. As you all know I have been away from my blog for quite some time, as I have devoted more time to the business my sister and I are growing, PFR Design.

Please see www.PFRdesign-inspiredliving.blogspot.com for more details or www.pfrdesign.com.

We have ha d a very busy couple of months but with much success. We are slowly growing the PFR name and people are starting to become more familiar with our products, our lines and our collections.

PFR Design is having a Valentine's Challenge at the moment and I am very happy to be a part of it! I never say no the opportunity to set a table. Everyone knows that my table is always set! Be it for guest or not. I have so much fun walking into my dining room and designing a beautiful table that fits my mood.

I am in the process of finding inspiration for my Valentine's table. I will be hosting 12 of my university friends to a reunion and it should be pretty fun. I will be posting inspirational pictures here and I will be posting pictures of my table as it unfolds. I am very excited!

So, yes I will be continuing with food recipes here that appeal to the busy mom such as myself...I actually just finished making Malaysian Fish Curry which is delicious. I will be sharing it with my clients tomorrow as their first delivery of the year!

Here is the recipe:

6 filets of red snapper, tilapia or halibut

flour for coating

1 onion finely diced

1 small fennel bulb finely diced

2cm fresh ginger finely chopped

1 1/2 can of coconut milk

4 tsp fennel seed

2sp coriander seed

2 tsp cumin seed

3 cloves whole

2 tsp sambal oelek

2 tsp chili powder

salt and pepper

salt and pepper your fillets.

coat with flour.

Heat vegetable oil in a non stick pan and brown fish on both sides.

Remove fish fillets until all have been browned. Be sure to add the fish slowly so as not to crowd the pan.

Add the onion, fennel and ginger. Cook until brown.

Add the brown fished all together into the pan.

Add 1 tin of coconut milk shaken before opening.

In a pan add fennel, coriander and cumin seed.

Heat until popping and fragrant. remove from pan and pulse in a blender until it reaches powder lie consistency.

Add 3 whole cloves to powder.

add 1/2 tin of coconut milk shaken.

Add sambal oelek.

Add chilli powder.

Blend again until well combined.

Add this spice mixture to the fish and simmer uncovered until thickened.

Serve with Basmati rice, raita and soft naan or pita bread.

More pictures to come on that meal...