Linhs Birthday.

I wanted to try Nigella's Cherry and Almond cake and I had found the perfect time. It was Linh's birthday so I needed to make her a cake AND I had ground and flaked almonds left over from a Chicken Mughlai so it wouldn't be too pricey. The cake was great and was gobbled up by the guests within minutes.

Here is the recipe. Thanks Nigella!

Ingredients. 140g butter 170g caster sugar 170g self raising flour 60g ground almonds 110g glacé cherries 2 eggs a little milk Method. Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy, then beat in eggs, one at a time. Fold in flour, almonds and cherries (halved or quartered, as you prefer). Stir in a little milk if mixture seems dry. Bake in a loaf tin for 75 - 90 minutes at Gas 2 / 150ºC I sprinkled flaked almonds on top of mine. Happy Birthday Linh....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4SLSlSmW74

I heart Ottolenghi.

I treat myself to a cake from Ottolenghi, Islington almost every Sunday. I always get it to go and eat it at about 4pm, out of the white box, on the couch, normally in front of an episode of Life. I try to have a different cake each time. Last week was a lovely Rhubarb Treat today it is a Macadamia nut and Toffee Cheesecake (we got the last slice and it was a big one!)


Listen to this: The soundtrack to David Attenborough's 'Life on Earth'

T dogs.

My boyfriend, Tarek, is a master snack maker. Our weekends tend to include a bit/lot of boozing and LOTS of eating. Here are a couple of the best snacks he makes...

T dogs.

Frankfurter

Lompe (potato pancakes) can use a small tortilla instead

Sennep (sweet mustard)

Ketchup

Slice of Norwegian Jarlsberg cheese

Simmer the Frankfurters in water until cooked through, whilst they are cooking layer up the Lompe with a couple of slices of cheese and a generous helping of Sennep and a dash of ketchup. Then pop the frankfurter in the middle and roll it up in the Lompe. Done!

Pizza Bagels.

Bagels

Butter

Ketchup

Meltable Cheese

Dried Oregano

German Salami

Cut bagels in half and toast. Butter the toasted bagels, a thin layer of ketchup, slice of salami, layer with cheese, season and grill till the cheese has melted. Sprinkle with oregano and serve.

He also has a good hangover drink. Copella Apple Juice and Sparkling Water with lots of ice.

This morning he made T dogs to Pharcyde, Passing me by.

P A S T A

My first attempt at homemade pasta was so much fun.

In the morning I walked to Borough Market with my boyfriend Tarek. We were off in search of a tasty snack and Tipo '00' flour the softest finest Italian flour, perfect for making pasta. My flatmate ,Chris, gave me a fiver to buy him something tasty.

It was a freezing cold day, and even me a die hard Borough Market fan found it all a bit too cold. Having to take off my mittens to pick at all the tasters was proving too much of a stress so all we came home with was; a fivers worth of 19 month mature Gruyere for Chris, a Chorizo burger for Tarek and 2 bunches of French Lavender for me.

We got home late and Cecilia and Linh were already at my flat. I said goodbye to Tarek, put Linh to sleep in my bed as she had got back from Texas that morning and was terribly jet lagged and Cecilia and I got down to business. We used plain flour instead of Tipo '00' and it turned out fine. Since that day I have been using Tipo '00' but plain flour works fine too. So here are some photos and a basic recipe.

Cecilia

Recipe

• 600g/1lb 6oz Tipo ‘00’ flour

• 6 large free-range or organic eggs or 12 yolks

Place the flour on a board or in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and crack the eggs into it. Beat the eggs with a fork until smooth. Using the tips of your fingers (remember to take off your rings, it gets sticky!), mix the eggs with the flour, incorporating a little at a time, until everything is combined. Knead the pieces of dough together – with a bit of work and some love and attention (or help from your flatmstes) they’ll all bind together to give you one big, smooth lump of dough.

Me

Cecilia

Really simple tomato sauce.

Me, Cecilia, pasta

We Listened to Cat Power: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lycri9k66Og

Triple Ginger Loaf

This is a cake is a winner. It keeps well and still tastes lovely a few days after its been made with a spread of butter and a cup of Earl Grey.

Pre heat the oven to 175C

Melt the butter in a small pan, add the golden syrup and syrup from the stem ginger stirring as you go. Then add the muscadova sugar and sultanas and keep on a medium heat until the sugar dissolves.

In a big mixing bowl sieve the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon and bicarbonate of soda, make a well in the middle and add the beaten eggs and milk gradually beating it all together with a wooden spoon until you have a smooth mixture.

Then add the warm syrup mix and fold together.

Transfer the mixture into a lined and greased loaf tin.

Cook for about 45 minutes - 1 hour.

Listened to Belle and Sebastian: Lazy Line Painter Jane