This year our 3 year old quince tree delivered a respectable 12 quinces which is a vast improvement on the 2 that I had last year. Their ripening however coincided with the great archaeological dig starting on our house so they were picked and flung into the fridge in our temporary digs. They keep very…
Of Damp Houses, Bellies and the Bake Off
It has been way too long since I wrote and baked. The summer is never a big baking season because the garden takes up more of our time. This year though, the baking gods lost their prominence to other ones playing with my fate. Late summer heralded a sudden and alarming spread of damp across…
Gooseberry Soufflé – a Risen Tangy Delight
The annual minuscule crop of Gooseberries was harvested a month ago and it is never enough to make jam with. I have 2 gooseberry bushes and this year one of them decided not to fruit at all (or the birds had them all) so I was left with about 700g of red gooseberries ripening at…
Levantine Carrot Cake
Gardening and baking are quixotic hobbies. Both involve set ingredients with multiple variables that mean things can go horribly wrong. The gardener’s refrain is “You should have seen it last week”, usually to a visitor who has just missed the best show the roses have ever given before they go over. The baker’s refrain is…
It Has Been Too Long
I find it hard to believe it was Easter when I last posted. Yet again other elements of my life conspired to get in between me, baking and the blog. We have, until the last week, had a glorious spring and summer in the UK which had the beloved and me in the garden much…
Of Easter Eggs and Easter Bunnies
Easter is upon us again and under normal circumstances I would be baking up a storm. Unfortunately 3 weeks ago my doctor gave me a very firm talking to about my weight and a diet has to be started. Result? The baking of beautiful Easter treats has had to be severely curtailed. I can’t say…
Paris Brest – Saddling up for more trials with Choux
I have been wanting to do a Paris Brest for a while. They look gorgeous in Patisseries and I am still not great with choux pastry, so a little practice was definitely on the cards. I am very glad I did. It is delicious, quite surprisingly light and well worth the effort. This little delight…
Black Forest (Cherry) Gateau – a much maligned German classic
It was back to the 1970’s this weekend with this German classic, the Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, better known in English as the Black Forest Gateau. As we had friends for dinner, the beloved decided to embrace the theme so we preceded it with Prawn Cocktail (with an Asian twist) and Duck a L’Orange – more 1970’s Berni Inn you…
A World Trip on a Pancake
Someone asked me recently when I started baking, and I answered it was when my mother roped me into the annual mince pie marathon at Christmas. It being Shrove Tuesday, better known as Pancake Day, I realised my memory has played me false. The first thing I ever cooked was a pancake inspired by my…
Chocolate Orange Genoise Cake – a venture into new territories
The plan this weekend was to do that 70’s classic, a Blackforest Gateau, though I prefer the name Schwarzwaldtorte as it is sounds much more exotic. It is a much maligned piece of deliciousness if done properly but it needs the right ingredients, particularly the special sour cherries which are not easily available in the…
Kärtner Reindling or Carinthian Reindling to you and me
Yes Carinthian – not Corinthian – and yes I had no idea a province of Austria was called Carinthia. Of course it isn’t. In German it is called Kärnten and it is a picture perfect alpine province of Austria which has just got onto our the travel list. This wonderfully swirled cake is the local…
Pesto Flower Loaf -Pretty and Delicious
Christmas is now well behind us, and our life has finally got back into its normal rhythm after a pretty gruesome start to the year. Sadly we are of the age when our parents’ generation is passing on and our contemporaries are succumbing to the scourge of cancer and other middle aged diseases. 3 funerals…
The Cottage Loaf 