And another one!

OK - this one's fun. It falls into the category of, "Things I Like From England."

There are a few different parts here so follow me closely. Since they aren't really related to each other in any way other than the fact that I happen to like them all, it could get a bit confusing.

1. A box of Maldon Salt. This is one of my very favorite English ingredients. I've gotten badly addicted as a matter of fact. It's really just the best salt in the world and that's all there is to it. In England I keep a dish of it right next to the stove and it's all I use when I cook. But in the States it's a bit harder to come by, more expensive, and generally more of a luxury - so I hoard it, and add it only when I want a gorgeous salty crunch on the top of my veggies (or what have you.)

But not only is it the best salt in the world, it also has the best story of any salt in the world. It comes from Maldon - site of the legendary Viking / Saxon battle. How many salts can that be said of?! And I happen to know all about the legendary Viking / Saxon battle of Maldon . . . because my Oxford-stud husband is an Anglo Saxon groupie. Not only does he know the language, he's currently writing a book (a bit frantically because it's due in December) about the great Saxon King Alfred. What this means is that I know all about people named things like Guthrum and Ragnar Lothbrok (which translates, I believe, to Ragnar Hairy-Britches.) And when we take the kids to the British Museum in London we make a beeline to the Sutton Hoo display. And when the statue of Alfred the Great in the market square in Wantage had it's arm with the battle axe broken off, we noticed. We noticed because we drive by a lot. But I digress. The point is, you could be the proud owner of a box of Maldon salt . . . and feel just a little wild when you top your pasta with salt that hails from a place where Vikings and Saxons duked it out over 1,000 years ago.

2. And because you need a dish to put your salt in . . .


Here's a fun little antique silver urn that I picked up in England. It's Sheffield silver, and I love the lion heads on the sides. It's quite small . . . small enough to be a dish of salt, or a bud vase, or a candle holder, or to keep your toothpicks in. All in all a festive little unit that I like a lot.

3. And because no purse would be complete without it . . .


A Skirty! In the winner's choice of size.

Now - a word about entering. Leave a comment on this post and you'll be entered. Link to this post, and you'll be entered twice! But here's the hitch. Not all the links necessarily show up for me to see easily . . . so if you link to it, make a note of that in the comment you leave. A few people wondered if they have to write a post or add this site to their blog roll. Either one will work - but if you already added this to the blog roll last time, then link from a post!

So there you go! Another fortnight!