It's a King Thing: December 2016

Wednesday, 21 December 2016

Sorrel - A Traditional Jamaican Christmas Drink

As some of you know, I grew up in England until I was about ten years old before moving to my mother's native Jamaica. My first Christmas in JA was a bit of an adjustment due to the heat, but one thing that helped to ease the transition was this splendid Christmas drink called "Sorrel". The beverage is made from the sepals of the sorrel plant and the earliest references to the plant in Jamaica can be traced to the late 1600s and the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.

The vibrant, rich red of the sorrel petals, along with a generous helping of sugar and rum combine to make a flavourful and refreshing Christmas treat. This year, my mum is coming to visit me in Boston and no Jamaican Christmas is complete without a glass or two ~~(or twenty)~~ of sorrel. So, I figured I'd better get a move on! The recipe I'm using is one that was passed down from my grandma to my mum and now to me; and it's absolutely delicious!

What's for Dinner? ~ Quick & Easy Weeknight Pasta Dish

Recently, I shared a recipe for homemade meatballs in marinara sauce. I know some people don't enjoy spending a lot of time in the kitchen, but for me chopping up parsley, rolling the meatballs in the palm of my hand and making the sauce from scratch is great fun. However, I will admit that all that jazz can be far more time-intensive than I can always manage on a weeknight. So, if I end up with a weeknight craving for pasta I often turn to this meal. It's an updated version of a cheesy pasta dish my mum used to whip up after I got home from school. Now, I will admit that this isn't one of my healthier options, but it reminds me of home. It's delicious and comforting and at the end of the day life is all about balance.

Winter Staple | Caheez Satin Lined Hats

Hello everyone! As December steps in and it's only getting colder I felt it was time for another chat about some of my wintertime staples. If you missed my last Winter Staple post about one of my favourite hoodie brands: Jobedu, you can check it out here. As for today, I'm talking about hats; specifically the brand, Caheez.

I stumbled upon Caheez hats quite by accident while scrolling through Instagram about a year ago. The stylish woollen beanies claim to "enhance and protect the hairfrom elements within and beyond our natural control." Having lived through a couple of truly dreadful New England winters, I was desperate for something that could keep me warm while also not damaging my hair. I love the look of woollen beanies, but often the wool can strip curly hair of moisture; which coupled with the dryness of Boston winter, only creates more issues. I've always know that satin and silk products counter this problem by locking in moisture but I'd never heard of woollen hats that were lined with satin before, so I was eager to find out more about this product.

I'm always sceptical about companies that I hear about on the Internet but after learning about the founder Carla Helené 's commitment to the quality of the materials and overall product, it became clear that this was a respectable brand run by passion, hard work and determination. I decided to give it a go. My first purchase was The Purled Newsboy Cap in Cranberry** with a 10" diameter.