Category Archives: HOME & LIFESTYLE

Easter, to us, feels like the start of brighter days after the long months of wintering. Gardens are filled with colourful spring flowers, mornings and evenings are lighter and gentle birdsong fills the air. It’s a time where we pack away the thick layers and blankets and switch to lighter, breezier fabrics. Easter is one of our favourite seasonal celebrations.

A white linen tablecloth is the only base you need for this spring-like colour combination. Our elegant tablecloth has a subtle white fringing around the edges for added texture and we also have matching white linen napkins. There’s something so refined about crisp linens layered together. Add our European glasses and lay each place with beautiful cutlery like our new set, inspired by Spanish flatware with a matt finish and timeless shape.

The long weekend also lends itself to a fresh tablescape. We like to weave in the shades of spring with crisp linens and pretty pastel ceramics, and this year we’re serving Easter feasts on our Barton Croft tableware. New to Sorbet Living for Spring ’23, Barton Croft is a family-run brand designed in Hampshire and crafted in Portugal. The handmade ceramics have a delicate sheen and tactile, lightly hammered finish and we have two spring shades, soft pink Sunrise and creamy Dijon, across plates, bowls, serving dishes and mugs. The standalone colours looks lovely and two shades mixed together create the prettiest Easter palette.

We love serving up Easter lunch family style, with dishes in the centre for everyone to help themselves.

Bring the outside in with your table styling, placing small vases of spring flowers on the table, or add bowls of lemons and basil plants for a Mediterranean nod. Our twisted candles in sunset shades will add height to your table, and if Easter lunch rolls into the evening you can set the scene with flickering candlelight.

Our handmade wreaths made in collaboration with Dove & Myrtle make a thoughtful gift for your Easter lunch host, or a striking decoration to hang near your dining table.

Embrace the long weekend and its moments of joy! Happy Easter from Sorbet Living.

Tea and cake is a long-standing Mother’s Day tradition in our home, and this year we’ll be serving something sweet on our new Cake Stand in pale rose. Weighty to hold with a minimalist design softened by its pastel colour, the cake stand is made in Cornwall from local white clay and destined to become a regular centrepiece. We also have pale rose cake plates from the same maker.

TEXTILES

These candy stripe cushions are a joyful gift for Mother’s Day. Made from the softest cotton in Cornwall by an atelier exclusively for Sorbet Living, they are so pretty on beds and chairs with the frilled edges adding a playful touch. Look closely and you’ll see a contrast stripe piping – a considered, unique present for her home.

Or choose our exclusive Linen Bag in rose, an elegant alternative to the everyday shopping tote to carry fresh foods, baby essentials, workout kit or like here, beautiful blooms from the flower market.

CANDLES

Not all candles are created equal – our Beeswax candles are painstakingly crafted by hand with a traditional technique of dipping and layering to build the beautiful shape. When lit, they effuse the gentle scent of honey. Choose from a traditional pillar candle or the twisted shape, in a spring colour palette of orange blossom, pink blossom, sage and milk. Our ceramic candle holders make a thoughtful accompaniment.

Bring some hygge to mum’s mornings with this stoneware mug in Dijon by Barton Croft Ceramics. New to Sorbet Living for spring ’23, these ceramics have a lightly hammered texture feeling sturdy in the hands and catching the light beautifully. She’ll think of you every time the coffee is poured.

FLOWERS

The traditional gift of flowers, with a Sorbet Living twist. We are so excited to be collaborating with floral artist Dove & Myrtle for these whimsical spring ‘forever wreaths’. Created from dried flowers including hydrangeas, amaranthus, gypsophila and iona, they are a beauty to behold on a kitchen wall, propped on a shelf or hanging on a door (if hanging outside, choose a sheltered spot to protect the delicate blooms). We have two sizes to choose from, a 20cm or 40cm wreath, each with a slightly different combination of flower types.

SELF CARE

Mothers can create a spa-like sanctuary in the bathroom with our new bath salts. Coming in traditional apothecary bottles, these are made from sea salts on the Isles of Scilly and a sprinkling in a hot tub gives the most therapeutic, relaxing bath. We have two blends – Sol, with sweet orange and rose geranium oils for an invigorating soak, and Luna, with black spruce and fir balsam for rejuvenation. A lovely treat for new mothers.

With our love for considered living, we take a natural approach to cleaning at Sorbet Living. An interior filled with beautiful things should be treated with care, and we favour cleaning products and methods without toxins to protect our health, and the health of our planet.

Caring for your linens

 Linen fabrics are at the heart of our brand; we have always been drawn to linen because it’s an elegant, natural material that drapes perfectly. And it’s surprisingly easy to care for, if you use the right products and cleaning method.

Made from the flax crop – a plant that’s available in abundance around the world – linen cleaned using products which are as close to nature as possible. Our Eco Household Soap Flakes by Farm Co. are made from vegan, plant-based, cold process soap, grated by hand and stored in a plastic-free refillable glass jar. To wash your linen towels or bedding, use ¼ of the jar in your washing machine and select the gentle wash at a temperature of no more than 30 degrees (no need for fabric softener). Choose a dry sunny day and hang your linens outside to dry, where they can absorb the fresh spring air. Once dry, no need to iron. The linen will naturally shape and drape as it dries, and this is a fabric that somehow gets even softer and better-looking with age.

Our Eco Household Soap Flakes can also be used to wipe down surfaces, mop floors and hand wash delicate items. Visit the Kitchen and Laundry section of our website to find out more about Sorbet Living’s natural cleaning ethos.

Washing up without chemicals

We all spend many hours a week washing dishes, and you could be draining more than soap suds down the plughole. Washing up liquids can contain harmful chemicals which impact the environment as well as irritating your skin. Not only that, many mainstream washing up liquids come in virgin plastic containers with elements that can’t be recycled. We use Farm Co’s Dishwashing and Hand Soap, a traditional farmhouse soap that still tackles grease and crockery stains while being gentle on hands and environmentally friendly. The 400g slab is made from natural ingredients including olive oil, coconut oil, bicarbonate of soda and lemon essential oil and comes in a lovely plastic-free cardboard box. If you buy this now we promise it will last right through to summer.

Another incredible creation from Verity Walcott For The Flavour at our Winter photoshoot, is this stunning festive Pavlova. Light and refreshing and drizzled with candy-coloured fruits and nuts, the Pavlova is a pleasing palate-cleanser and pudding in one after the Christmas main course. The beauty of this recipe is it can be made the evening before and left in the cooling oven until almost serving time, at which point you can dress it with whipped cream, pomegranate seeds and pistachio nibs and sprigs of mint. Slice and place on our porcelain dessert plates for a simple yet striking festive dessert.

If some of your guests prefer a sweet treat rather than the evening cheeseboard, you could make simple chocolate dipped figs to serve alongside the camembert and stilton. Simple melt dark chocolate in a glass bowl over a pan of hot water and dip each fig halfway into the chocolate. Lay on a sheet of baking paper to cool and sprinkle lightly with sea salt.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 135°C. Trace a plate on parchment paper, set it upside down and to the side for later. 

Grind your caster sugar in a blender to light powder form. 

Whip the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt together in a stand mixer with whisk attachment, until medium-stiff peaks.

Drizzle in the sugar, 1 table spoon at a time then turn up the speed and whip until stiff peaks.

Fold in the vanilla, vinegar and corn-starch.

Mound the meringue evenly onto the traced circle on the parchment. Use a spatula to creates waves in the meringue. Dust the pavlova with cinnamon. Bake at 135°C for the first 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 100°C and continue to bake for 45 minutes. Turn off the oven (don’t open the door), turn on the light in the oven and let the meringue sit in the cooling oven for a couple hours, or even overnight.

Dress the pavlova with whipped cream, Pomegranate seeds and pistachio nibs. Finish with a dust of cinnamon. 

Ingredients 

• 150g egg whites, at room temperature approximately 5 egg whites
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar. 
• 250g superfine sugar 
• 1 tsp vinegar white wine, cider or distilled
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• Tbsp plus 1 tsp corn starch
• Ground Cinnamon 

For Pavlova Topping 

• Cream for whipping 
• Pistachios 
• Pomegranate seeds 

Traditionally a sumptuous bake served on the Jewish Sabbath, Challah bread has risen (pun intended!) in popularity in recent times. With its beautiful textured braiding and sweet rich flavour, this pillowy-soft bread can be adapted to celebrate any occasion – it’s perfect for Christmas.

For our winter ’22 shoot we worked with Verity Walcott For The Flavour in Bath; she created a spectacular Challah bread star packed with festive ingredients and elegantly styled with pistachios and rose petals. Verity has kindly shared the recipe with us, and we suggest you embrace the Sorbet Living way of life and take a morning to slow down, light the candles and play your favourite music while baking this magnificent centrepiece.

A lovely one to serve with coffee on a crisp winter morning over the holidays. The Challah Bread Star can be gently pulled into portions and placed on our Fluted Handmade Plates.

Enjoy x

Instructions

Grind the saffron in a pestle and mortar, add a little bit of warm water to loosen and release the colour. 

In a large bowl, combine 125g AP flour the yeast, and 1 cup of warm water, add the ground saffron and mix thoroughly. Cover with kitchen wrap, and let stand for 1 hour at room temperature. 

Add the eggs, honey, oil and rose petal water (if using) to the flour/yeast mixture after it’s sat for 1 hour.  Add the remaining AP flour, bread flour, and salt to the bowl.

Mix until all ingredients are combined, and a shaggy dough ball forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead for 2-3 minutes until the surface of the dough is smooth, and you form a nice ball.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with wrap, and let rise for about 1.5 hours at room temperature, or until doubled in size.

Make the Cinnamon Butter by beating the butter until smooth and adding in the sugar and spices – set aside. 

After your dough has proved sprinkle a work surface with flour. Divide the dough into 3 equal portions. Roll each portion into approximately 27cm circle (dinner plate size)  Line your surface with some parchment paper, lightly oil it. Using a plate or a pastry case base measuring 23cm – 25cm as a guide, cut each round.

Place one disc on the parchment paper and spread with a thin layer of the cinnamon butter, sprinkle the crushed pistachio and rose petals. Follow with the second disc, spreading cinnamon butter, followed by rose petals and pistachio nibs again. Finish by placing the final disc on the top. Find the centre of the stacked disc and make a mark using a star or round cookie cutter. Then using a star or round cutter make an indentation. Leave the cookie cutter in the middle of the disc for the next stage, it will help give you a guide for slicing the star. Now you need to cut 16 even slices, as if you’re slicing or portioning a cake. Dab a little egg wash on the tip of each slice. Twist 2 slices, 3 times, pressing the ends together. Continue until they’re all twisted. Cover and prove for 30-50 minutes, depending on the room temperature. Meanwhile, set the oven shelf to the middle position and preheat to 175C.  Brush the star with egg wash, and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. You can serve warm dusted with a little icing sugar, more crushed pistachios and decorate with rose petals. This bread is best eaten on the day of baking however it can be frozen for up to 1 month and reheated in the oven before serving.

 

Ingredients

• 420g AP flour
• 180g bread flour
• 1 cup warm water 
• 10g yeast 
• 1 tbsp Saffron 
• 1 Tbsp rose petal water (optional)
• 1 Tbs salt
• 2 large organic eggs room temperature
• 125ml cup rapeseed oil 
• 85g honey
• Egg wash: 1 egg beaten for glazing 

Cinnamon Butter

• 180g unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 45g caster sugar
• 1 tsp plain flour
• 2 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg 
• 1tsp all spice 
• 1 tsp salt 
• Pistachios crushed, or pistachio nibs 
• Rose petals 
• Icing sugar for dusting  

Gathering round the table for delicious seasonal food is our favourite part of Christmas. While you’re planning the dishes and confirming your guests, you can also consider the table styling for your festive feast. A beautiful tablescape sets the scene for a memorable gathering and gives an elegant backdrop for photos from the day.

Christmas can come with many mealtimes, from croissants and coffee before present opening to the much-anticipated festive dinner and a relaxed Boxing Day buffet. It helps to have a simple table theme to start with, which you can dress up for the big occasions and scale back for smaller things like tea and cake.

Start with a simple, luxurious tablecloth, like our Striped Linen in Rose.

Candles are a must, bringing a warm cosy glow to the room. Our natural beeswax and umber candles have a subtle scent of honey when lit and the hand carved shapes bring height and texture to the table.

Stand candles in our porcelain holders for a classic touch.

When it comes to festive tableware, we like to use white ceramics and save the colour accents for accessories and foliage. Our porcelain collection has a range of plates and bowls to layer on the table for festive foods. Add linen napkins for each guest – our napkins are made by a family business from sustainable linen and can be washed and used time and again. Tie them with a ribbon of your choice to introduce colour to the table.

No festive table would be complete without celebratory crackers, but we are all becoming mindful of throwaway seasonal items. Our luxurious refillable crackers are a lovely way to keep the tradition without the plastic waste. Made from linen and tied with a velvet ribbon, they have an interior carton which you can fill with surprise gifts for each person at your table, whether it’s a small piece of jewellery from an independent maker, their favourite sweet treat or a little toy for children.

The final touch to our festive table is the winter foliage. We love foraging on our winter walks for bushels of pine and strands of eucalyptus to dress the middle of the table, and vintage jugs of dried flowers are a lovely touch too – dried hydrangeas and Icelandic poppies make a whimsical winter table theme.