Mama's Birthday

I made Ma a massive chocolate cake with silver balls on top for her ketchup birthday. The recipe is from a new book I picked up in Oxfam called 'Bake and Decorate' by Fiona Cairns. 

Ground almonds are the secret ingredient in this case and approximately 83% of all other cases. 

I like the candle smoke in this picture. Hmm, birthdays smell good!  

I got that Leuven feeling...

Thanks to my incredible friend Susie, cycling instructor par excellence, I've been riding a bike since January. So, this summer I figured the most adventurous thing for me to do would be to go off on my own somewhere and ride my bike in a foreign land, and that's exactly what I did.

First I thought I'd go to Holland since its renowned for its flatness, cycling, tulips etc. But, Ma mentioned that Dutch countryside is a bit dull and suggested getting the Eurostar to any Belgian station, specifically Leuven. When she told me its a lively Medieval student city with lots of pubs (a bit like Norwich) I was sold.  

I stopped of in Antwerp on the way to go to their new state museum. It was full of things and stuff including a Narwhal horn. The architecture of the building was more impressive than what's inside but, hey, maybe I would have got more out of it if I could read Flemish.

Curvy windows at the MAS Museum in Antwerp

 I hired a bike! Armed with a map of cycle paths around Leuven and repeating the mantra 'remember to ride on the right' I set off on a tour of the surrounding countryside. I am ludicrously proud to report that I didn't even fall off. I almost did. But I didn't!

Leuven Botanic Gardens complete with birds and bees. Animals are definitely a novelty when you are only expecting plants.


Crazy beetle on a pin sculpture outside the beautiful university library that made me very jealous.


The remains of possibly the best roast chicken I've ever eaten at Kiekekot, a tiny restaurant with two tables where the owner has been roasting chicken to perfection for 49 years. Consumed after I had left the hostel with plans to go to a vegetarian restaurant. Je ne regrette rien!

Israel: the land of milk and honey

Actually, I read in the Hebrew phrasebook I picked up in the library that the expression used to be 'land of milk and date jam' because for a long time the Rabbis were arguing about whether honey was kosher or not. They kinda decided it was at some point. Interesting, huh?

Anyway, I was super lucky to be able to tag along on Mum's business trip to Tel Aviv. We spent a few days in the city and took a bus to Jerusalem to see the sights there also. It looked a bit like this...

Silliness. We went back to this cafe when it wasn't closed for Shabbat and I ate pumpkin quiche whilst Mum fretted about needing to paint her nails for work.

Clock Tower in Old Jaffa

Tel Aviv is closer to the equator than the UK so the sunset is blink-and-you'll-miss-it fast. Although I probably learnt about this in Geography at some point, I was totally amazed to see the sun fall into the sea at such a speed every evening.

Holy Land of Toy Soldiers. Israel is no place for a pacifist. 

At the airport. There is no escaping McDo.

Joy the Baker recently made Green Israeli Couscous salad. This is my take on it. I used Palestinian couscous from Zaytoun a fantastic fairtrade co-op that aims to create a UK market for the goods of Palestinian farmers. Check them out here and support them when you can. Cook the couscous then mix with roasted red peppers and courgettes, some feta and a dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and mint.

 Cook the couscous then mix with roasted red peppers and courgettes, some feta and a dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and mint.

P.S. Guess what? In Tel Aviv we ate the most amazing hummus, the real deal. Om nom nom. 

Even artichokes have hearts...

Susie came over after Foodcycle and left an artichoke in my bed.

The next day I cooked it with olive oil and lemon then ate it... in my bed. My lips went all tingly. Delicious.

Lovely day

Sunshine. Playing with friends in the park. Hula hooping. Learning to spin poi (hold the fire!). Back at Magdalen street and a barbecue feast on the terrace. Then, carrot cake with cream cheese frosting from the Hummingbird Bakery book. Life is good. 

Also, this guy makes musical instruments out of carrots and other instruments. The internet never ceases to amaze me. 

Easter!

In my family at Easter we wear yellow. You probably don't need to see that. Mum still hides eggs in the garden for us nearly six foot tall children. There is not an age when egg hunts stop being super-fun. Am I right? 

The final prove of the hot cross buns. Ignore all Dad's booze on the floor.

Good Friday breakfast. Keep your nose tidy, eh?

Venetian Carrot Cake a la Nigella - recipe here. This cake is made with ground almonds instead of flour so its gluten-free and crazy tasty and it has pine nuts on top!

Mum's famous Victoria Sandwich. I found these tiny chickens to put on it but they kept drunkenly falling over in the icing sugar snow. Too cute. 

Cinnamon and Blackberry Cake

By special request, something cinnamon-y  for the birthday girl Heather. Fun things are rocking up at a party and proceeding to whip cream whilst wearing your favourite frock. Also, decorating said cake with symmetrically placed berries. No pictures this time but this was a good'un. Thank you Dan Lepard! Love you Dan Lepard! Recipe here.