The popularity of shows like the Great British Bake Off is a double-edged sword for parents of 12 year olds. Just as a pillow case and a piece of tinsel are no longer an acceptable basis for an outfit for… Read More ›
Cakes
Blackberry Friands, Champagne and Baking Demos
I didn’t need much persuading when my friend forwarded me an invite to a baking demo and champagne tasting at a kitchen showroom in Notting Hill and said that while she couldn’t go, she thought it would be right up… Read More ›
Honey cake – with apricots, almonds and sweet potato
My blog is having an existential crisis at the moment. I write a lot of blog posts in my head, but recently they haven’t made it much further than that. When I have had the time I’ve lacked the… Read More ›
Hemsley and Healthy Banana Bread
I’m a big believer in everything in moderation, even if I don’t always live by my own principles. At the moment I’m struggling with over indulgence. Too much good eating accompanied by far too many drinks. You can’t beat good food… Read More ›
Farmhouse Fruitcake – a light fruitcake
Every now and then I make the mistake of thinking that just because my friends are super fit and sporty, I should be too. And I sign up for a challenge because unless I have something I actually have to… Read More ›
Nigella’s Banana Bread with Cardamom and Cocoa Nibs
As we all know, you can never have too many banana bread recipes. This one varies slightly from the average as it contains cardamom and cocoa nibs. It’s a good one: not as sweet as a lot of banana breads and it… Read More ›
Happy Christmas
This year I was determined that Christmas would not rush up on me, unannounced, as it seems to every year. I was going to be organised. I was going to write (or at least buy) my Christmas cards, for once less… Read More ›
Lemon Curd Sponge Cake
It might seem a strange time of year for lemon cake but a recent trip to Cornwall reminded me how good they are. I’d never been to Cornwall before but having been I’d love to go back. We stayed in Penzance… Read More ›
Blackberry and Pear Loaf
It’s been a great year for blackberries and in fact all sorts of fruit in the hedgerows. I even realised that several of the crab apple trees nearby I have had my eye on were in fact pear trees, so I… Read More ›
Blackberry, Coconut and Lime Loaf
A couple of weeks ago we did one of our regular local walks and as usual it didn’t disappoint: there is always something interesting to see. On that occasion it was teeny tiny frogs smaller than the fingernail on my little finger… Read More ›
