Malteser Cake... on a boat!

I made Heather a malteser cake for her birthday and we all partied on her boat and it was magical. I followed this recipe from a lovely blog called poires au chocolat which you should check out. I just made one layer of sponge so it was just white inside like a malteser. Cutting maltesers in half may count as a newly acquired skill, but its probably not c.v-worthy. Heather's boat, however, is seaworthy - how cool is that?

Kneeling in front of someone with a cake looks a lot like a proposal. I propose that you continue to be totally awesome, Happy Birthday!

Pistachios and Pearls

My parents celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary on 13th February. Their love is big and real. I can't really get my head around what it must feel like to have been alive that long, let alone love somebody for that duration of time. Crazy stuff.

I mentioned to a friend the other day that I don't want to get married - its patriarchal and oppressive! But, I secretly look forward to my friends getting married. An occasion with family, friends, dresses, dancing, booze, cake and awkward conversation... Weddings are a good excuse for a party and I am all for partying. The question is, do we really need archaic institutions to celebrate our love?

Pearls are the traditional gift for a 30th anniversary. Pistachios are land pearls (metaphor alert!) so I baked a pistachio and orange cake with creme fraiche orange zest icing. 

I found a ludicrously kitsch heart shaped sparkler to decorate it with. Cake + indoor fireworks = wooo we have something to celebrate here!

Sprout Wars!

Me and my little bro having a sprout-war / morris dance on Christmas morning. This was right before we had a sprout-popping race which Bob won. Anyone would think we hailed from Diss, sprout capital of the world!?

Also, I made cranberry sauce for the first time! I didn't take a picture because it just looked like a jar of red jammy stuff but it tasted awesome. I followed this recipe with port and orange because its Christmas and that means everything should be cooked boozily!

Sweet Potato Falafel

It is October and I want to eat orange things. I stumbled across this recipe for sweet potato falafel. They are baked not fried which is good because deep frying things is a hazard!

Making falafel sounds like a faff but actually its not. Roast sweet potatoes, scoop out the flesh, mix with chickpea flour, ground coriander, cumin and garlic. Leave the mix in the fridge for a while then shape them into balls - the mix is satisfyingly sticky, tacky and cool so this bit is fun. Bake. Eat.

I ate them with some tzatziki I put way too much garlic in and some fried mushrooms and tomatoes.

Marvellous Marrows

The greengrocer was telling me how tasty marrows are stuffed with mince but then thought I was probably vegetarian, a fair assumption since this guy knows the full extent of my vegetable habit, I've got curly hair and I wear a lot of green. I'm not keen on mince so I searched for a vegetarian recipe on the bbc website and found Nigel Slater's Marvelous Marrow. Marvellous marrow, you say? A recipe that sounds like a children's story book - count me in! The marrow is roasted in a greaseproof paper parcel with feta, cherry tomatoes and chilli. Tasty stuff.

Student life is... cooking for five and then remembering you only have three pairs of knives and forks. Ooops. 

Constantly risking absurdity and death every time I ride my bicycle

Cycling in Brighton is significantly more frightening than in Norwich. Lewes road is hazard perception world of adventure. Buses stopping or pulling out, cars turning left and coming out at you from side roads, pedestrians everywhere. Luke's top tip is to be paranoid and know what is going on behind you. Great in theory, but when I look behind me the danger of swerving into the line of traffic is a bit real. I've been going round the park looking over my shoulder until I get giddy and/or spook out the dogs and the children.

I've just ordered myself a book called Cyclecraft. It sounds like a wheely form of witchcraft but its actually 'the complete guide to safe and enjoyable cycling for adult and children' I'll have you know. Driving theory but for bicycles, just what I need.

Meet Willow the Wisp and/or Sir Walter Raleigh since I am yet to ascertain the gender of this machine. Regardless, I think I'm in good company in my choice of cycle - take a look at these other cool ladies who ride Raleigh Wisps!

In this picture you can't see the sticker on the bell (that I affixed myself!) that reads 'I heart my bike.' You can, however, see my socks tucked into my trousers ready to ride!

And, for the record Mum, I AM LOOKING OUT FOR BUSES! 

How do you like them apples?

Sunday 25th September was not a day like any other. It was a special day, a day set aside aside for celebrating the apple harvest and all things apple-y. I tried to convince my house-mates to come along  - 'There will be juice and tasty food and apple-themed fun. You can take a rare apple to an expert who will identify it for you!'

They pointed out how none of us has an apple that eludes identification in the first place and I went to apple day on my tod.

For my lunch I had some spiced pumpkin and apple soup with a beetroot and cheese pasty. Pretty yummy. 

The highlight of the day was the Apple Play performed by the brilliant Brighton Mummers. Check them out! The plot involved the exploits of a cantankerous worm and a sausage king. There was suspense, silliness and some songs too. Afterwards I came over with a sudden urge to go home and put a colander on my head - what more can you want from a show?

I cycled home on the Bike Train it creates 'a fun, visible and more protected environment within a mass ride.'  Its good to cycle with other people and music, and, hey, it makes a change from being constantly undertaken on Lewes road! I'm still at the stage with my cycling that returning home alive is cause for genuine celebration. Everything tastes lovely when you are alive. Which I totally am! Wooohoo.


I'm currently reading Andrea Levy's The Long Song the book thats been chosen for the Brighton City Reads project. I'm trying to get to the end before term starts and Aristotle, Hobbes and Habermas beckon me. That and I'm doing some volunteering at the Old Market for the events they're putting on and I'll look a bit of a plonker if I've not read it!