Sorry I’ve been offline this week – we’re all had the lurgy!
We’ve been drinking ginger tea and eating squishy carbs (rice congee, pasta soup, arroz caldoso) and hunkering down indoors. Feeling quite a bit better now, so today I was up early putting together a 50th birthday present for our old friend and neighbour Pete V.
. . . . .
Here’s what’s going onto the board…
…a birthday card of feuilletine chocolate (50/50 dark/milk)…
…two cane toads from the same blend…
…two dark origin chocolate dragons (mix of Callebaut 811 54% and Tanzanie origin 75% dark)…
…nine chocolate “50” lollipops, six in the feuilletine blend and the remainder in dark…
…ten dipped candied orange segments and eleven squares of dark praline chocolate…
…five large pieces of Pete’s unbelievably good roasted hazelnut praline…
…and ten World Peace Cookies, made with the last of the fabulous Amedei chocolate callets that Tania gave me…
All up, fifty pieces for fifty years!
The large cake boards that I bought a couple of years ago have proven very handy for these gifts – I used a huge round gold one this time to match the praline and orange segments…
It took four sheets of cellophane to wrap!
Have a great weekend, folks! Hope all is well at your place! ♥
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Lucky PeteV. What do you do for 100 year olds? That really would be a platter and a half.
Glad you’re better.
Wonderful that you are feeling better… of course, let me remind you that in a few months I turn 56, but I am easy, you can give me one chocolate for every 2 years of life. See? with friends are understanding as me, you have absolutely nothing to complain about! ;-)
I hope you continue to feel better, and best wishes to the birthday boy!
What a splendid idea for a present. I hope you continue to feel better. Best wishes!
Beautiful and thoughtful! Couldn’t ask for anything better!
Glad to hear you are feeling better.
Wow, what a gift!!! I’m glad you’re feeling better xx
There is no better way to celebrate half a century than a chocolate coma Ms Celia :)
Another sort of festival of 50, a chocolate festival on an golden platter. It looks amazing.
I have the lurgy too. Dammit. Drinking tea, lots of tea.
No need to say sorry. Glad you’re feeling better! What an amazing gift you’re giving Celia! What a treat!
Another fabulous drool worthy 50th platter! Glad to hear you are feeling better.
It was magnificent! Surprisingly, there are still quite a few pieces left though we are leaving the 2 junior burgers at home when we head out for lunch today – I am thinking of securing the remains. Most parents of teenagers lock away the liquor – we need to lock up the chocolate! 50 times thank you again Celia
P
What a gorgeous selection – I’m quite jealous.
Wow! And to think you made that after having “the lurgy”. I’m not sure what the lurgy is but spellcheck wants to make it “larger”… however I can take a guess at what it is & have been dealing w/it for a few weeks now myself. Good that you’re bouncing back.
wow looks great
I’m almost ready to celebrate 50 for the second time. I’ll remember this gift. :)
Pete must have been over the moon with this gift – 50 pieces of chocolate is an amazing gift. He must be a very special man for you to get up off your death bed and make chocolates. I’m glad you’re feeling better.
Oh sheesh! Typical Gemini I: same day as the Duke of Edinburgh and Judy Garland and almost Marilyn Monroe and the Dalai Lama – don’t quite know what to make of that tho’ would so love to receive what one of your dear friends did!! Still mulling over dentist’s visit a couple of days back: ‘Eha – you can’t, you simply can’t be reaching that age on the 10th!!/ Huh !!!?
Happy Birthday Pete! What a great pressie that am sure he smiled from ear to ear with! Please continue to get better and your chocolate making skills continue to inspire me Celia!
How absolutely wonderful. You could make a song to go with that – along the lines of the 12 days of Christmas, thus “for my 50th birthday present my true friend gave to me….1 chocolate birthday card, 2 chocolate cane toads …..and a glorious batch of World Peace Cookies” – that last bit could be the chorus which everyone could sing lustily:) – chocolate coated fun! So glad to know you are getting better and I hope your 3 boys are too.
I recognised the cake board immediately! I love your blue plate. How good of you to make this variety of chocolates while suffering a lurgy. This is a very special gift and very generous of you. I would like the orange segments and Pete’s praline xx
Glad you’re feeling better, Celia! What a marvellous gift! :-)
I’m not a big chocolate fan (I know, hang head in shame) but I could do some serious damage to the praline! Sorry to hear you’ve had the lurgy, glad you are on the mend.
Ain’t nothing like a good chocolate feast! Drooling over those Hazelnut Pralines!
Looks fabulous Celia! xo
Glad you are getting better. Oh to be one of your neighbours! Happy Birthday Pete V.
Do hope you’re properly on the mend now – what a shame for you all to be down with the lurgy :( That is one pretty amazing gift – so much work and even though I’m not a chocolate person myself, I could easily be tempted to a few little samples as it’s all so very beautiful!
Oh so sorry to hear you have had the lurgy. Hope thats all for the winter!. Great gift. Wish I was 50!
Oh Celia, sorry to hear you’ve all been unwell… same here… Peter and I have both had a tummy bug and mine has turned into a virus/cold thingey. Love all the chokkies, you are such a clever lady. Still wondering how come I’m not getting your updates via email any more : (
What a fantastic present, can I put in an order for my 50th :) I’m glad your feeling better! Liz xx
Hello Celia! I wanted to find out how I can participate in your monthly In My Kitchen! I’ve been away for too long!
Hi Cassandra! Just write an IMK post on your blog before the 10th of the month, link back to Fig Jam and Lime Cordial, and let me know! :)