Ginger And Chocolate Valentine’s Day Cookies

Sweets for my sweet, sugar for my honey

 Your perfect kiss thrills me so

 Sweets for my sweet, sugar for my honey

 I'll never ever let you go

  

This recipe is from Rachel Allen’s book ‘Bake’. It makes approximately 35 cookies. Once I had the dough made, I only used half. I popped the other half in the fridge where it will keep for up to 2 weeks.

You will need: A heart shaped cutter, a food mixer (or muscular arms!), a rolling pin and a baking tray or two.

Ingredients: 225g (8oz) butter, 110g (4oz) caster sugar, 275g (10oz) plain flour, 25g (1oz) crystallised ginger, 50g (2oz) milk or dark chocolate.

1.       Take the butter out of the fridge in advance, it must be slightly softened. Preheat the oven to 170°C or Gas Mark 3.

2.       Beat the butter in a large bowl or food mixer until soft. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is soft and fluffy.

3.       Finely chop the crystallised ginger. Add to the mixture along with the sieved flour.

4.       Bring the mixture together to form a dough. Place on a lightly floured work surface and knead slightly.

5.       Roll out the dough and using the cutter, cut out the cookies. Place on a baking tray (no need to grease or line) slightly apart.

6.       Bake in the oven for 10-13 minutes or until they are medium brown. If the cookies are too dark, they'll taste bitter.

7.       Remove the cookies from the baking tray while they’re still warm and allow to cool on a wire rack.

8.       When the cookies are cooled, dip the tops (or the bottoms!) in melted chocolate, then allow to set on greaseproof paper.



The Return Of The Retro Suitcase!

After a long absence, The Retro Suitcase is back! 2014 is well under way but I’ve big plans for the blog this year. I hope to post more often, join Twitter and Instagram, have my first giveaway and really just give The Retro Suitcase my all. I love writing and my mind is constantly overflowing with ideas for the blog and now I’ve finally the time to put all these ideas into action.

The Retro Suitcase has had a makeover thanks to Lauren Marie and I think the improved layout will help you navigate the site more easily. Please bear with me while I put the finishing touches to it.

I’m introducing three new series to the blog and I’m really excited about them (see below).

Finally, I’d like to thank you all for reading and commenting on my sporadic posts and for liking The Retro Suitcase on Facebook.

 

New Series!

Retro Rates:

Every fortnight I’ll feature a celebrity, an acquaintance or a fellow blogger who I think has a unique, classic or offbeat sense of style. As I’m hugely inspired by street style, I also hope to take my camera to the highways and byways of this country and snap a few rakish randomers!

If you think you’re a fashionable lady or gent and would like to feature on Retro Rates please get in touch: theretrosuitcase@gmail.com

 

Thrifty Treat Of The Week:        

This is basically a bargain of the week series but with a snazzier title! From letting you know when there’s a 3 for 2 offer in Boots to revealing the latest discount code on Asos (not to worry, it’s all above board!), I want to help you save money with my thrifty tip-offs.

Throwback Thursday:

I’m sure you’re all familiar with Throwback Thursday, the popular weekly theme on social media where people post photos of themselves from the past. I won’t be posting old photos of myself but I will be posting about the past as Thursdays on The Retro Suitcase will be dedicated to all things vintage.

To make up for my lack of posts this year, here’s the most popular from last year.

Top 5 Most Read Posts in 2013

1.       Suddenly Diamonds Perfume Is A Lidl Gem (read here)

2.       Fair Maidens Rejoice: Rimmel's New Match Perfection Foundation In 010 Light Porcelain Is Super Pale! (read here)

3.       Beauty Review: Catrice Long Lasting Lip Pencils (read here)

4.       Autumn Style: Modern Beatnik (read here)

5.       Ladies Day At The Dublin Horse Show (read here)

 

 

Suddenly Diamonds Perfume Is A Lidl Gem

Suddenly Diamonds Eau de Parfum (€3.99 for 50ml): Correct me if I'm wrong but I think this is Lidl’s latest perfume. It’s certainly new to me and there’s very little information about it online so I'm guessing it’s just hit Irish shelves. Word on the web is that it’s a dupe for a well-known luxury fragrance. Lidl’s first perfume, Suddenly Madame Glamour, is a celebrated dupe for Chanel Coco Mademoiselle and was an instant hit when it was first released here. Suddenly Diamonds is reportedly a dupe for Boss Orange by Hugo Boss. I have no idea if this is true as I have yet to smell Boss Orange but I definitely plan to and will report back here when I do. The packaging is quite similar, both boxes are white with an orange and silver design, and when I researched Boss Orange’s description it certainly sounds like Suddenly Diamonds is an imitation.

I've been really enjoying wearing this the past few days; it’s a beautiful and unusual scent. At first I thought it was too sweet for me, it's distinctly fruity; however intriguingly, it’s also intense with a vanilla and woodsy base. It lasts about 4 to 5 hours and while the bottle is nothing to write home about, it fits snugly into a handbag. I've a feeling Suddenly Diamonds is going to be another sell-out fragrance for Lidl. It’s undoubtedly a winner in my eyes. I recommend checking out this perfume before it flies off the shelves. And if it’s indeed a dupe for Boss Orange you’ll be saving yourself approximately €60, Boss Orange 50ml is currently €64 in Boots.

Would you wear perfume from Lidl?

UPDATE:

I finally went into Boots to give Hugo Boss Boss Orange a good sniff. Not a thorough scientific analysis I must admit but my fully functioning nose confirmed that Lidl's Suddenly Diamonds is without a doubt a dupe for Boss Orange!

Three Budget Hair Products I Can't Live Without

 

'Helene Curtis Spray Net' Ad 1956

 

1. Hask Argan Oil (€2.50 from Penneys/Primark): Moroccanoil revolutionised the hair care industry. Following on from its success; brands such as L’Oréal, Schwarzkopf, Shu Uemura, John Frieda and even Aldi launched hair oils claiming to contain the same miraculous argan oil. As far as I can tell, these oils are all the same. They can all be used on wet or dry hair, smell divine and will leave your hair incredibly shiny and soft. The only thing that varies is the price. Hask Argan oil, which is available in Penneys, is the most purse-friendly. The bottle is a tiny 18mls which makes it perfect for travelling and a little goes a long way.

 

2. Wella Silvikrin Hairspray (approx. €3 for 250ml): My hair doesn’t need a complicated updo to get a blast of hairspray. No, my flyaway mane gets its hairspray fix every day! I've been using Silvikrin for years. It's by no means the cheapest on the market but when I’ve tried more affordable brands, I’ve been left bitterly disappointed. What I love about this hairspray, apart from its long-lasting hold, is that it brushes out effortlessly. My hair is back to normal after a quick brush, soft and clean with no residue. Silvikrin also has a pleasant fragrance unlike its overpowering and overpriced rival L'Oreal Elnett.

 
3. Batiste Cherry (approx. €3.99): Since discovering Batiste dry shampoo a few years ago I’ve gone through countless cans of the stuff. It’s one of my must-have beauty products. It's an excellent multitasker (and lifesaver!), creating volume as well as refreshing hair. Batiste Cherry was launched last year and its sweet and fruity scent is my favourite from the range. The retro print can also looks great on my dressing table.

Autumn Style: Modern Beatnik

Watching Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face recently made me realise how much I adore a simple polo neck (or turtleneck). In the bohemian nightclub scene, Audrey is achingly cool in her beatnik uniform of black polo neck jumper and cigarette pants. A stereotypical outfit from that time but elegant nonetheless.

Polo necks are everywhere this autumn/winter. Even crop tops and bodycon dresses are sporting the classic high neck. I put a modern spin on the beatnik look by taking a teal polo neck jumper and pairing it with navy and green check trousers with gold detailing. To me, this outfit conjures up images of autumnal walks (without the pointed courts of course!) and evenings by the fire discussing poetry and literature in true beatnik fashion. The mix of cosy knits and check also encapsulates the heritage trend.

Polo neck – Penneys/Primark (in store now)

Trousers – H&M (in store now)

Shoes – Barratts

Earrings – Penneys/Primark

A polo neck jumper would also look wonderful either tucked into this season’s key piece, the full skirt, or into a ladylike pencil skirt.  

 

 

The Retro Suitcase Is On Facebook!

The Retro Suitcase is on a new adventure, exploring the big bad land that is Facebook. It’s high time the little blue case discovered new terrain; its last holiday was probably to Butlins circa 1965!  

I now post daily on Facebook so if budget buys, photos from the red carpet, quirky events and retro ramblings are your thing, give The Retro Suitcase a like. Who knows, Twitter and Instagram might be our next destinations!

 

Beauty Review: Catrice Long Lasting Lip Pencils

 

I’m rarely seen without lipstick. Reds, corals, plums and pinks - I love them all. If I’m not wearing lipstick, you’ll find me sporting a slick of gloss or tinted lip balm. Before applying lipstick, I use a lip liner to define my lips. I’ve always been a bit envious of people who can apply their lipstick perfectly without liner (or the aid of a mirror!). I, on the other hand, need all the help I can get in the shaping department. Once I’ve outlined my lips, I fill them in with the liner. This acts as a primer and helps to prolong the wear of my lipstick.

 

From top to bottom: 050 Red Lip District, 090 Reach The Peach, 030 Berryson Ford

 

Catrice recently launched their Long Lasting Lip Liners as part of their Autumn/Winter 2013 collection. There are 12 shades available and they're €1.99 each. During my last visit to Penneys/Primark I picked up these three.

 

Catrice is a German beauty brand known for its inexpensive, good quality products. Their products also have wonderful quirky names. I wasn’t let down on the quirky name front with these lip liners, I particularly loved the novel Berryson Ford. However, I was let down by the product itself. Catrice claim their Long Lasting Lip Liners are waterproof and last 4 hours but I got less than 2 hours wear before fading occurred. Application was also tricky with the pencils dragging a little. Even sharpening the pencils proved difficult, the nibs constantly broke and Berryson Ford is now half the man (err…pencil!) he used to be.

 Despite being highly pigmented, apart from Reach The Peach which is oddly sheer and shimmery, these liners have very little staying power and aren’t waterproof either. Quite disappointing from an otherwise excellent beauty brand.

Left to right: 050 Red Lip District, 090 Reach The Peach, 030 Berryson Ford