The trouble with having a holiday is it becomes an opportunity to stop and think about things, and to contemplate whether what you're doing is really what you want to be doing... You see, I started this blog at a time when things weren’t ok. It was a means of distraction. A way to keep myself preoccupied when things were getting a bit much; a source of comfort and fun. It was a window into a different realm...
Read MoreRipping on the arlette
A few months back one of my favourite little locals dropped a rather tantalising post exulting a new addition to their dessert menu. While I never made it in to try said bowl of deliciousness it certainly set the cogs ticking, and after plenty of delays and distractions this week not only did I get around to trying a recipe I'd had bookmarked for yonks, but also finally looked up what an arlette actually was...
Read MoreSwedish treats
If you do a quick search for "toscakaka" you'll find that it's a traditional Swedish cake comprising a light, buttery sponge with a crunchy almond and caramel top... Aaaaaand, that's pretty much it. While most classic...
Read MoreA thinking person's pud
I've never much cared for rice pudding. To be fair, it's not something we really ate growing up, and I'm sure that the few times I tried it it was probably that abominable out-of-the-can stuff that would rightly put anyone off. But in all honesty the idea of sweet, mushy rice just never really appealed...
Read MoreBread Basics: Porridge & Sprout
In keeping with the idiom, "everything old is new again", there's been a strong resurgence in the popularity of including sprouts and whole grains in our food, as more and more come to embrace the fad that is "clean eating". Once limited to the salad bowls of free spirits embracing an alternative lifestyle, these sprouts and grains are now a common sight on tables at some of the world's best restaurants and bakeries, and are being given a big push by those bestowing the virtues of grains and ferments towards the betterment of human health. But what (at least in the context of breadmaking) do we mean when we talk about soakers, sprouts and porridges; and are the nutritional benefits really as impressive as we're led to believe?...
Read MoreFresh beginnings
I'm not really one for New Year's resolutions, finding it far more productive to set goals and aspirations as the opportunity and needs arise. Nor do I particularly like the idea of writing a 'justification post'. We all know that, first and foremost, blogs are a self-indulgent space, so what would you care about where things are headed? The whole thing's a right wank, let's be honest, but everyone needs a hobby and if I can share that with someone who's interested then so be it...
Read MoreA plenty of plums
Summer - every year it catches you out. At first you're grateful for the longer days; marvelling at how well the (your mum's) garden is growing, as you and it both enjoy a bit of that revitalising sunshine. But then the next thing you know it's pushing 40℃, the birds have descended, and...
Read MoreChristmas nosh
...because, let's be honest, any plans of baking up a non-Christmas-related storm disappeared the instant the countdown to our annual yuletide festivities started. As my family have a tradition of making presents...
Read MoreSustaining the festivities
So it's the second week of December already, and as the workloads, Christmas preparations, break-up celebrations and last-minute catch-ups begin to pile up it becomes quickly apparent that those plans to keep up with some decent, stress-free kitchen time were quite clearly delusional...
Read MoreNovember Nosh
With the days lengthening and the garden positively a-go-go this month I turned to a couple of warm weather favourites to help make the most what's growing, and provide comfort in times of mid-week fatigue...
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