Dundee Delights: Lily and Stone

Dundee Delights is a series I've been wanting to get on the go for a while now. Dundee is not the most glamours or metropolitain of places (though admittedly Scotland as an entirity doesn't have that image either) but inbetween the Cash-Converters and Tesco Metros lie a few golden gems. 

The first one I'm going to talk about today is the cafe Lily & Stone just opposite the Overgate shopping centre.

My main course, dessert and my own bought wine!

I eat here just last night for a private meal for everyone in my university dance team. It's a small place so it was just one long table set up for the evening. The place has a very casual atmopshere and a book shelf with magazines in the corner. The meal was already set out with chilli for most and Tuscan Bean Stew for the veggies, like myself. For dessert it was a brownie which tasted like chocolate orange and was one of the best foods I have put in my mouth for a while, along with some cream. Before dinner there was bread on the table and throughout garlic bread was served. All this was £6 which was amazing value! They also allowed us to bring our own booze but had to be drinks that were already mixed which I imagine had a lot to do with licensing laws.

I did look across at the menu on the wall and it was very 'cafe'-esque food with paninis, baguettes and salads. I spotted some vegetarian options on the menu that were just as interesting as their meat companions. Admittedly not loads of options but at least enough that you would find something. Though on inspection on their site if you're vegan you're limited to not much above a side bowl of olives.

Lily & Stone is a quiet albeit small cafe in the middle of Dundee. It has a old fashioned charm about it with its decor whilst serving food of the Mediterranean style.

Website
Facebook

Morag x 

How I Looked: Swirls and Hues

A few things about this:
1. I still haven't got used to my DLSR when it comes to self-portraits and believe I need a different lens for these shots.
2. Ignore my grubby carpet
3. Also, ignore the way my shoelaces are tied.

All in all though this is one of my favourite pieces in my wardrobe right now. I bought it a month ago for the speed dating adventure I went on. Whilst I didn't secure any romance in this dress I still get compliments whilst wearing it. I've been wearing it today and got called "cute". I bought it from H&M on a quick whim as I really needed to buy a dress for that event within the next hour but I am really happy with this. Admittedly the belt is really fiddly to get through the provided straps so I've been doing without it since that night. I also sometimes where a jumper over the top half for day wear.

Morag x

In which you'd think I was a novice baker

We all screw up at something we're supposedly good at occasionally. Don't we?

Well I certainly did. Thankfully my attempts at Cadbury Creme Egg Cupcakes (via With Sprinkles On Top) were not for a bake sale or anyone else's mouth. Just my own but I don't even think I want to go that far. 

First there was the cake mixture itself. Standing there with my electric mixer for ten minutes I was creaming in my head WHY AREN'T YOU CREAMING? Before realising it was because I was trying to cream together flour and butter, rather than sugar and butter (as it is in every.single.recipe.in.the.world.ever). 

And the icing? Well before starting I didn't even check to see if the icing sugar to butter ratio in my cupboards was up to par. And it wasn't. I had more butter than sugar in the mix which led to it becoming stiff as tar and then a few splashes or milk later turned it mushy. And on top of it? I didn't sieve the sugar which led to it becoming lumpy. Hahaha - ha! 

Look at all those pumps - and chocolate that got into it! Mmmm, nommy! Or not!

Though I will give my recently purchased Cupcake Maker from Elegento top marks for perfectly formed and well-bakes cakes! 

Ever messed up something which is usually your area of expertise?