My Coach Legacy Handbag

I do love a good handbag.

My beautiful Coach handbag

 I first discovered Coach bags when they had an outlet in Harrods, this was pre Millennium.  I bought a couple of lovely bags and purses (still in use) during the sales.  I was very disappointed when they closed their concession, and for several years Coach bags were no longer available in England.

Coach bags became a real treat for me, to be bought by my husband  on business trips to the States.  About 12 years ago I went on one such trip to California with him and he bought me a very beautiful, simple tan bag from the Legacy range.  I was delighted with it, the gorgeous Legacy bag quickly became my favourite handbag, so you can imagine my horror when, just two years later,  I brushed against some (unlabelled) wet paint, and the front of the bag was ruined.

I looked up the instructions that had come with the bag and they seemed to say not to use anything on the very traditional leather.  So I sadly put the bag away.

It was such a joy to me when Coach returned to London, the flagship store being in Bond Street.   I love to go shopping in Piccadilly and Bond Street,  when I had to go to do some important shopping (Rose Pouching tea from Fortnum and Mason) I thought I would dig out my poor old bag and take it along to Coach.  They might just be able to recommend something.

The staff in the shop were so helpful and kind.  They whisked the bag away and said they would see what they could do about it.  I left them contact details.

A few weeks passed and I received a phone call.  The bag was back and ..... the paint had gone!

I went up to London to collect it, and as you can see from the before and after photographs it's was as good as new.

I was completely delighted with the bag, and with the service from this shop.  I had no receipt from the original purchase, but all Coach bags have indentifying features and numbers, so the company knew it was one of their bags.   The problem was not in the manufacturing of the bag, but they still dealt with the paint, and there was no charge.

Sometimes it is worth spending a little more money on a handbag,  in this case I think I was also paying for superb after care.

Thank you Coach for such wonderful service.

Coach bags are now so popular, and over the years I have added to my collection, but I love getting this bag out every summer and using it.

My poor bag, with dreadful white paint on it

And it couldn't have been in a worse place on the bag

The bag when I collected it from Coach

It is perfect, I am really delighted 

Just in case anyone wonders, this is my own experience and I have not received anything (apart from First Class Service) from Coach.

Bruschetta

Why do I always wait to eat Bruschetta in a restaurant?  It is such a deliciously light meal to have on a summer's day, sitting in the garden.

During  the heat we've had in the last few days, I've eaten plenty of salads.  Throughout the summer I I try to eat plenty of  fresh tomatoes and often make this family favourite, bruschetta.

Tomato Bruschetta

4 slices of a good artisanal white loaf
1 clove garlic
olive oil
3 or 4 good sized tomatoes
1 shallot
Fresh Coriander or Basil

Lightly toast the slices of bread.

Whilst still warm rub with the peeled clove of garlic and drizzle with olive oil.

Meanwhile cut the tomatoes into 16ths (horizontal and vertical- so you have wedge shaped pieces)

Finely slice the shallot, add to the tomatoes with some roughly chopped coriander .

Place the tomato mixture on the prepared toast and enjoy.

We often have a little tomato mixture left over and it makes a perfect salad with pitta bread, houmous and olives.  The perfect garden picnic.

Do you have a favourite tomato meal?  Here in Richmond this is a firm favourite.  I am looking forward to a summer of heritage tomatoes, as well as tomato and fennel salads in Brittany.

elderflower harvest

By this time last year, I had made bottles and bottles of cordial, but the reluctance of the sun to shine, means that the elderflower harvest is running slightly late this year.

Elderflowers and Lemons

As a result of the weather, there is  at least a month of elderflowers left on the trees, and time to  plan some recipes which I can use them for.  Last year I made Elderflower Gin and Elderflower Vinegar!

My favourite elderflower treat is a truly scrumptious Lemon and Elderflower Marmalade, using a delicious recipe from Urvashi at The Botanical Kitchen. (My husband has specially requested it again this year, and I am planning a batch  as soon as we have a day or two of sunshine.)

There is such a plethora of Elderflowers in Richmond, sometimes I  pick too many,   I retain the extra flowers to decorate a simple dish.

If you have some Elderflower Cordial then I cannot recommend this simple dish too highly, it's tasty and (I'm sure) very healthy.  It takes moments to make and provides a scrumptious breakfast or an ideal pudding, in other words it is a truly versatile dish.

Elderflower Fruit Salad with Goat Yoghurt

Make a simple fresh fruit salad with a variety of summery berries such as:

Raspberries
Blueberries
Strawberries
or pre-prepared Tropical Fruits

You will also need:
Elderflower Cordial
Elderflowers (foraged)
Mint leaves
Goat Yogurt

When you have made the fruit salad, drizzle with a teaspoonful of Elderflower Cordial
Scatter the Mint leaves and the Elderflower Petals over the fruit salad
Serve the fruit salad with a delicious helping of Goat Yoghurt

Sometimes I sneak some onto my breakfast muesli too!

There  are many other  delicious Elderflower posts to be found on the web, I particularly recommend  a tasty selection of elderflower recipes from  Helen at Fuss Free Flavours and some scrumptious elderflower madeleines from Laura at How to Cook Good Food.