Spotting romantic gestures from my husband requires the expert eye that comes after almost 14 years of being together. I knew to expect this from our first Valentine’s night out together. Trudging around Shepherd’s Bush, totally unprepared, from restaurant to restaurant hunting for a table, we ended up in the usual curry house. I’d […]
Postcard from… Vannes Brittany
Today’s post is one of my regular series of non-recipe mini posts, “Postcard from…” Since it will be Shrove Tuesday this week I thought it appropriate to show somewhere that I associate with crepes for this week’s “Postcard from”. I cannot bring you Mardi Gras in Nice but I can bring you a carnival in […]
Scotch Pancakes Stack with Ice Cream and Whisky Marmalade
This Scotch Pancakes Stack with ice cream and whisky marmalade sauce is a winter dessert that works well for pancake day or even Burns Night, if you celebrate that. Doing so seems increasingly popular even if you’re not Scottish, anything to get us through January eh? This recipe was originally commissioned by Morrison’s Supermarket as […]
Postcard from… Mont Ventoux
Today’s post is from my regular series of weekend non-recipe mini blog posts, “Postcard from…” Mont Ventoux is the highest point in Provence and quite possibly the highest place, bar a skiing trip to Meribel, that I have been. Situated 20km north east of Carpentras in the Vaucluse département, it was a little way off […]
Venison Sausage Toad in the Hole for Two
A smaller version of the British classic Toad in the Hole made with venison sausages serving two people – in this case for Valentine’s Day dinner but suitable all year round. A warning this post involves cruelty to amphibians. I know better now. Kissing frogs has been in the news this week. Apparently, children, inspired […]
White Chocolate Cherry Muffins
Apparently some of you enjoy it when I share my failures here. Normally these are culinary disasters involving chocolate macarons and lurid pink icing for hungry caterpillar cake but today I thought I’d give you a laugh at my first tragic attempt to send a valentines card back in 1989. More dog’s breakfast than valentines […]
Pancakes with Fudge Sauce – Revamp Your Classic Crepes!
Classic crepes get added pizzazz as pancakes with fudge sauce and chopped hazelnuts. This post was originally commissioned by Morrison’s Supermarket as part of a series of pancake recipes. Serving Pancakes with Fudge Sauce for Mardi Gras It’s the beginning of Lent and you’ll want to make pancakes. But instead of boring lemon and sugar […]
Postcard from… Walthamstow Village
The eagle-eyed amongst you may have spotted that I omitted my Saturday Postcard last weekend. Since I was up until 3am working on the Arsenal birthday cake and baby shower cupcakes, I am posting this retrospectively at the same time as the Saturday Postcard for February 6th. The above shot was taken in Orford Road, […]
Charity Cupcake Sale for Bliss Premature Babies
I’m taking part in this year’s Kiss for Bliss campaign, “Cake A Difference” which will be raising money for premature and special care babies between 8-14 February. This is a cause close to my heart as you may have read in my HELLP syndrome story. After chatting to organisers of Ted’s toddler groups I have […]
Nanaimo Bars – Bitesize Version for UK Readers
The end of January marks my first outing with the Daring Bakers. I am proud to have added the Daring Kitchen badge to my side bar today and hope it this month’s challenge will be the first of very many. The January 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Lauren of Celiac Teen. Lauren chose […]
Blueberry Cinnamon Tarts
In the novel “Blackberry Wine”, Joanne Harris’ follow up to Chocolat, the protagonist inherits some bottles of fruit in alcohol that have been steeping for around forty years. Each time he drinks one of them, he has hallucinations and then needs to drink another bottle to see what happens next. Or at least that’s Joanne […]
Postcard from Walthamstow Marshes
Postcard from… is my series of Saturday mini-posts. Today’s postcard is from a bird hide in Tottenham Marshes, part of the Lee Valley Park which borders the 2012 London Olympics site. Selfridges food hall, the Designer’s Guild Warehouse Sale, St Tropez; there are many places I’d rather be than sat in a bird hide and […]
