Crafty in the Med

I am here to enjoy meeting other bloggers and to share my love of craft ,mostly crochet, my thoughts and my daily happenings here in Alicante,Spain, my adopted country. I belong to a local choir because singing and music makes me happy. Flea markets and book shops are two of my favourite places to be. I read lots......sci´fi/fantasy,buried treasure, and off world adventures. I have a passion for history! I walk and walk and walk for about 10 months per year during the hot months I swim.

Wednesday 14 July 2021

Ice-creams that taste like ice-cream

 

I don't like ice-cream!

 This doesn't mean I didn't rush out my front door like a bat out of hell as soon as I heard the Ice-cream man jingle when I was a child...of course I did but I would usually buy a lolly more than ice-cream. Having said that and giving it a thought maybe I always bought a lolly because I didn't have enough money to buy an ice-cream!  

 

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We were given a few pennies to buy ice-cream from the ice-cream man only on Sundays. I just didn't understand it at the time because my friend would get ice-cream on Fridays and Saturdays too but we were only allowed on Sundays. As I got older I understood why and it is a pretty simple reason! In those days when you had 6 children you couldn't treat them to ice-cream, more than once week! 

Nevertheless ice-cream doesn't thrill me much!  The majority of the time when we go out for a meal here the dessert is a selection of ice-creams or ice-cream accompanied by something so I rarely have dessert.  This is ice-cream country and the local ice-cream made in the mountain town of Jijona is very popular.

 

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 Jijona is famous worldwide for its Turron/almond nougat but locally it is also extremely well know for its ice-cream too. There are no end of ice-cream parlours that sell Jijona ice-cream throughout the city and I sometimes go and buy for Sr P who certainly loves it. This type of ice-cream always reminds me of the Italian type of ice-cream which I remember trying in London but I was not impressed with it at all. There are endless amount of flavours some quite strange.   Unfortunately I am just not keen at all.  Far too sweet for me!



 

There is an exception though to this dislike of ice-cream and I would go out of my way to get one of these. It is in fact the only ice-cream I would eat with relish. 

 

 


This is a 99!   

I believe you may not of heard of this particular ice-cream over there in the States, in case you haven't allow me to describe it.   The best is local soft Cornish ice-cream made with Cornish Clotted Cream with a Cadbury's chocolate flake inserted into it. Everyone has their own particular way of eating their 99. I like to push the flake right down into the bottom of the cone (carefully done as the cone could crack) eat the ice cream until there is only what is left in the bottom of the cone and then crunch on the chocolate,ice-cream and cone together!             What else can I say except  mmmm...yummy!

 

 

 

Crochet for Arabella.

 

I had a request from my niece in Nelson,New Zealand who asked me if I could crochet this sweater for her 18 month old daughter, Arabella (just love her name).

I have actually never crocheted a jumper before! There is no particular reason why except I think perhaps it is because I have never been asked to make one. I wasn't worried about that at all! I just needed a pattern.  However easier said than done! We couldn't find the pattern for this jumper and there were three of us hunting for it online, me, my sister and my niece. Finally I sent my niece a few baby sweater patterns and asked her to choose one of those and although it wouldn't be the same I promised I would make it as colourful as the jumper she wanted. 

 

 

THE FRONT

 

 

 
 

THE BACK


 

I managed to use yarn from my stash. I felt very good about this and quite proud of myself that I was able to resist the temptation of buying a new batch of yarn just for the jumper. I used DK yarn and hooks 3,5 and 3,00. The pattern is a free pattern from Yarnspirations.

 

 


I did tweak this pattern a little bit :-) 

A nice cuddly warm jumper to keep a pretty babe lovely and snug. As I am sure you know it is winter in New Zealand at present. 

 

 

 

 A new book


 

I have just started this book and time will tell but it looks as if it is going to be a good read as from the very beginning it has piqued my curiosity. A good start. 

This was a recommendation given on one of the blogs that I follow unfortunately I cannot remember exactly whose blog. I took a screenshot of the book at the time and put it on my desktop thinking to check out it out later on and purchase it. That was last month or the end of May.  I think it was either Radka on My Stitching or other journeys or Marlene on Poppy Patchwork where I saw it!  Anyhow, many thanks for sharing.

 


Happy blogging to you all

Stay safe



Amanda :-)

 

Santa Pola cove and Tabarca Island

 

 

 

 


40 comments:

  1. I'm with you on the 99 ice cream - delicious! I used to eat the flake first, then the ice cream, pushing it down into the cone so that at the end of the cone, there was still some ice cream left. As you say, everyone has their own way of eating one.
    Your crocheted jumper looks fantastic - I am sure it will be greatly appreciated.
    Best wishes
    Ellie

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    1. Thank you Ellie. :-) I do like making baby's clothes...they are so dinky. A 99 ice-cream is at the top of my list for when I finally get to go home. A x

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  2. I enjoyed your post this morning. Ice cream has grown on me. My father Loved Loved ice cream. There was a creamery nearby and they made their own ice cream-you could drive through on the side of the building to a window to purchase all things ice cream I was called Bonnie Doon in my hometown Mishawaka Indiana. I may need to post about them they have allot of history-just checked they are still there.
    Now having to watch sugars for my husband I make my own keto churned vanilla ice cream and we love it.
    The jumper you made is so adorable and I really loved the bottom photo Happy mid week Kathy

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    1. Bonnie Doon creamery sounds very Scottish. It would indeed make an interesting post especially as they are still in business. It is so annoying that I cannot get to the beach as I used to so I have to make do with photos only at present :-) A x

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  3. I love ice cream! We used to have Tillamook Ice Creamery very close to us and it was delicious. Dennis's favorite is Huckleberry Cheesecake. I have never heard of 99. Maybe when we're in London in a couple of weeks we can try to find it.
    The sweater turned out beautifully and I'm sure will be very appreciated by Mom and baby Arabella. I love that name too! The flowers on the back are so precious. :-)
    We JUST got our internet and power back after the storm last Friday. What a relief. I've been reading blogs on my phone but couldn't comment.
    Blessings and love,
    Betsy

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    1. when I was visiting Yellowstone back in 2017 I bought huckleberry Tillamook ice cream-sooo good

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    2. Hello Betsy. Thank you for a first jumper it didnt turn out too bad although I had to frog it several times. I must admit baby clothes are so enjoyable to make. Please do try a 99 ice-cream when you are in London. I think you will like it :-) Mind you Huckleberry Cheesecake sounds delicious! A x

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  4. I like ice cream, but sadly, being lactose intolerant, wasn't able to eat it for years - until I discovered Swedish Glace ice cream. Dairy-free and delicious. So that's our treat, but even with that I can't have a 99. I need someone to come up with a dairy-free flake! Your jumper is so cute, and will be very much appreciated. xx

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    1. What a shame HH! Swedish Glace sounds nice though. The jumper is on its way to NZ as I write I do hope it gets there before their winter finishes. I am thinking I may make a couple of bonnets too. A x

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  5. 99 is the best ice cream, but only with the creamy ice cream, not Mr Whippy. Love your knitting.

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    1. It definitely is and definitely not Mr Whippy 😊. If I can’t get Cornish ice-cream I settle for Devonshire clotted cream ice-cream; second choice 😎. A x

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  6. I'm not a great fan of ice cream either but I will eat a 99 if I go to the beach on a very hot day I usually take the flake out and scoop up bits of ice cream with it so I have a bite of ice cream and chocolate at the same time. The best ice cream I've ever has was in York I was sitting by the river and there was an ice cream van selling homemade Yorkshire ice cream it was so creamy and delicious with bit's of butterscotch in it yum!
    I love that little jumper it's so colourful the flowers at the back are a lovely touch Arabella will look so cute wearing it I hope your niece sends you a photo. Have a great week. xx

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    1. Thank you Linda. Baby clothes are a delight to make. I am hoping for a photo too😊 I have never tried Yorkshire homemade ice-cream but with butterscotch sounds very tempting. I do like butterscotch. A x

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  7. I love ice cream but can't keep it in the house (here we buy it in tubs and keep it in the freezer). It would be gone in days! I have read the "Crawdads" book, we discussed it at book club. Some people didn't like the ending although I did - let me know what you think when you are finished.

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    1. Thanks for popping in Chris. I have finished the book which I enjoyed. Quite a change of genre for me but it was a good read. I thought the end was very fitting; very “marsh” style. It leaves the reader pondering that bit more to extract ones own conclusions. A x

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  8. An ice cream lover here Amanda - goody gum drops is my favourite at the moment. The crochet jumper is beautiful!! You must be so chuffed with it & I love the flowers down the back. I have read that book & I did not want it to end - it is an amazing story & I'm sure you will enjoy it.

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    1. Hi Julie. Thank you . I must admit baby clothes are one of my favourite makes although this jumper in particular I had to tweak quite a bit to make it bigger. Let’s hope it fits 😊 I thoroughly enjoyed the book. A x

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  9. There used to be an ice cream van in my grandmother's neighborhood. It passed by her house once a week and if you visited on the right day... oh, how could I have forgotten that?
    Amalia
    xo

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    1. Hello Amalia, Thank you for your comments. Great childhood memories. I wish certain things would not change! A x

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  10. That icecream looks yum. Gorgeous crochet jumper and those flowers. Here cold and staying home lol

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    1. Thank you :-) It is yum Wendy if you ever get the chance, try it! Did you try Devonshire cream teas when you were visiting Devon? I wouldn't say no to a cold breeze at this moment :-) A x

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  11. I dearly love those little embellishments - so cute.

    My mum always used to tell my little brother that when you could hear the ice-cream jingle it meant the ice-cream man was telling everyone he was sold out! She never had that problem with me and my other brother because the van never came.
    xx

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    1. Your poor brother missing such an event. We used to peek out behind the front room curtains egarly waiting for the van to arrive. All for a lollipop! LOL! A x

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  12. That took me back, I like you am a great fan of a 99 and eat it in the same way, yummy! Love the crochet jumper, so bright and cheerful.

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    1. Hello Lorraine. Thank you, I must say making baby clothes is delightful. They are small and dinky and don't take too long to do. I'm afraid I get bored with my makes very easily that is what I rarely repeat what I have made. Best way to eat a 99! A x

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  13. Thank you for such a jolly colourful post. Lots of smashing pictures, and well done for using yarn from your stash to make the tiny jumper. I'm sure your niece is thrilled with it. Jean

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    1. Thanks for popping by Jean. The jumper is on its way to NZ as I write so very much hope it is going to fit or at least be too big. A x

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  14. My favourite ice cream too, and your way of eating it sounds delish. What a lovely little jumper for Arabella. x x

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    1. Thank you Joy and thanks for calling in :-) A 99 will be one of the first things I'll eat when I go home to see the family. It is on my list! A x

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  15. I like Ice cream but it's not something I would have over another dessert. I only like to eat ice cream if I'm in the car moving or walking around. I can't just sit and eat ice cream and it has to be in a cone.
    I love the little crochet sweater. I crocheted a pair of overall one time for a little baby. Little pants are pretty easy to make too but I just can't get back into the creative mood lately. I enjoy crocheting simple things without having to count.
    Lisa

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    1. Thanks for calling in Lisa. I must admit I do enjoy making baby clothes. Small in size and usually quick to make. I had to tweak this sweater a bit to make it bigger so it take a bit longer to make. A x

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  16. Love the ice cream memories. I don't think it would be as exciting if you were allowed to get it three days a week in the summer. Love the sweater, you did an amazing job. It will be cherished. I think you will like the book, it is long and a slower pace but it is meant to be that way and it works. Stay safe.

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    1. Hi Mere, thank you :-) That sweater was hard work as I had to frog it twice and tweak it to make it larger. I must say though I am pleased with it. Just love dinky baby makes! I have just finished the book and well worth the read. A x

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  17. Well honestly Amanda, I had a hard time carrying on after your clodded cream ice cream . I love that cream!!!! Your gifts are lovingly made and will be worn with love

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    1. Hi Kathy, I dream about that cream! Hold on to this one then; steamed chocolate pudding with a dollop of Devonshire clotted cream melting on top. My mother used to make that...sigh! A x

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  18. I enjoy a visit to an Italian ice cream parlour. I can just imagine the musical sound of the ice cream van coming around the streets of my childhood. Your crafted gifts are always lovely and I know they give you a lot of satisfaction to make and send them. Best wishes to you and your family Amanda.

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    1. Hello Linda,Thank you for calling in :-) You are so right I would be lost without my crochet or embroidery: pure therapy! A x

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  19. That jumper is lovely! Do you think you could make one for a growed-up? I love it! I am not a great fan of ice cream, but I do enjoy one on a hot day, but I will tend to go for fruity flavours (or coconut)

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    1. hanks for popping by 😊. Baby clothes are a treat to make! I expect I could make an adult size if I put my mind to it. I had a home-made raspberry ice-cream once which was delicious and not too sweet. Most of the time I just find it far too sweet . A x

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Thank you for your comments. I do read them and try to reply to all as well.Please keep them coming. Amanda :-)