In 2013 I decided that I was going to take the orange by the rind, (as opposed to the bull by the horns) and enter my marmalade into that year’s Marmalade Awards, or to give it the correct title, The World’s Original Marmalade Awards. I was bold and brave, not worrying about the awards I…
Dessert
Scheherazade and Tea Time Treats: Cardamom Rose Cake with Orange Drizzle Recipe
Scheherazade and Tea Time Treats: Cardamom Rose Cake with Orange Drizzle Recipe There is something of Scheherazade and her tales from a Thousand and One Arabian Nights in my latest cake recipe, Cardamom Rose Cake with Orange Drizzle Recipe. Cardamom is a spice with an aroma that immediately transports me to the Middle East, probably on a magic…
5:2 Diet Fast Day: Pancakes for Breakfast – Blueberry & Oat Pancakes with Cinnamon Recipe
5:2 Diet Fast Day: Pancakes for Breakfast – Blueberry & Oat Pancakes with Cinnamon Recipe – The second weekend in a brand New Year and the first week of resuming my 5:2 diet plan – you can read all about the plan here: The Fast Diet, as well as on my blog here: 5:2 Diet, Fast…
Twelfth Night, Epiphany and Delicious Bread! King Cake: Rosca de Reyes (Recipe)
Twelfth Night, Epiphany and Delicious Bread! King Cake: Rosca de Reyes (Recipe) Regular Lavender and Lovage readers may remember that I entered a baking contest recently here: La Rosca de Reyes (King Cake) ~ For a Spanish Inspired Christmas & New Year, sadly I didn’t win, you can’t win them all, but I did come in as…
Old Fashioned Sweet Delights: Spiced Mincemeat Meringue Pies (Recipe)
Old Fashioned Sweet Delights: Spiced Mincemeat Meringue Pies (Recipe) The humble mince pie needs little embellishments in my humble opinion – a crisp, crumbly and buttery shortcrust pastry base filled with fruity home-made mincemeat, with a dash of brandy, and a simple lid of more buttery pastry – a sprinkling of caster sugar maybe, or even a little…
Tea Time Treats, Chocolate and Little Spiced Chocolate Christmas Tree Cakes Recipe
Tea Time Treats, Chocolate and Little Spiced Chocolate Christmas Tree Cakes Recipe I have been playing in the kitchen, now and then the urge to make childlike cakes and bakes takes over, and I need to be immersed in piping bags, edible glitter and lovely little cake decorations. There needs to be rich chocolate in the air…
A Cup of Tea and a Biscuit: Jumbles (Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Biscuits/Cookies) Recipe
A Cup of Tea and a Biscuit: Jumbles (Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Biscuits/Cookies) Recipe I love these biscuits (cookies), they are a real blast from the past and I have fond memories of them from my childhood – making these oaty morsels with my grandmother and my mum. These are not to be confused with Leicestershire Bosworth…
Brilliant British Bakeware: Chicken & Leek Patchwork Pie, Mince Pies and Mincemeat Recipes
Brilliant British Bakeware: Chicken & Leek Patchwork Pie, Mince Pies and Mincemeat Recipes I know I am always banging on about British ingredients and products on my blog, but, it’s important to me that I try to fly the flag for all things British, especially in these austere times when buying British may help keep companies afloat…
A Tea Time Treat Review: St Kew Teacup Basket Hamper from Lakeland and a Cake Recipe!
A Tea Time Treat Review: St Kew Teacup Basket Hamper from Lakeland and a Cake Recipe! What a wonderful surprise I had a few weeks ago, a package arrived from Lakeland for me – a bog box, and when I opened it, there inside was my dream hamper, a tea time hamper in the shape of a…
Kenwood Christmas Menu: Sweet Endings with Pomegranates, Pudding and Pavlova
Kenwood Christmas Menu: Sweet Endings with Pomegranates, Pudding and Pavlova As you know from my post last week, I am one of five lucky food writers/bloggers that are participating in the Kenwood Christmas Menu challenge in the run up to Christmas; we were all sent a Kenwood Titanium Chef to help with our preparation for a fabulous…
Stir Up Sunday, Traditions and my Traditional Victorian Christmas Pudding Recipe
Stir Up Sunday, Traditions and my Traditional Victorian Christmas Pudding Recipe Tomorrow is Stir-Up Sunday, as well as St Catherine’s Day, a double celebration; I usually make cattern cakes on St Catherine’s day as is it my Saint’s Day, being a Karen, which is a derivative of Catherine…….however, tomorrow it is all about Christmas puddings, and although…
Kenwood Christmas Menu: Christmas Pudding Chocolate Spread and Spiced Quince & Cranberry Chutney
Kenwood Christmas Menu: Christmas Pudding Chocolate Spread and Spiced Quince & Cranberry Chutney Christmas arrived early last week, a VERY large and VERY heavy parcel was delivered to me, all wrapped in Christmas paper and with a card, just for me, from Kenwood. To say that I was ecstatic would be an understatement, I was very, very…
Remembrance Sunday Wartime Kitchen: Bacon Cakes, Baked Bean Tin Puddings & Sunday Tea
Remembrance Sunday Wartime Kitchen: Bacon Cakes, Baked Bean Tin Puddings & Sunday Tea High Flight (John Gillespie Magee, Jr.) Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth, And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds, –and done a hundred things You have not dreamed…
A Bonfire Treat! Sticky Yorkshire Ginger Parkin with Quince and Pomegranate Compote
A Bonfire Treat! Sticky Yorkshire Ginger Parkin with Quince and Pomegranate Compote I LOVE sticky ginger parkin, it’s one of my favourite treats at this time of the year, and is JUST perfect for Bonfire night along with treacle toffee aka Tom Trot toffee, tomato soup in cups, chilli, stews, soups and toffee apples…..my recipe…
November is Happy Birthday for Tea Time Treats: Salted Caramel and Chocolate Fudge Birthday Cake Recipe
November is Happy Birthday for Tea Time Treats: Salted Caramel and Chocolate Fudge Birthday Cake Recipe Can you believe it, ONE whole year has flown by in a flurry of cakes, pies, tarts, fairy cakes, jam, bread, brioche, pastries, buttercream, parkin, chocolate, custard, biscuits, cookies, fruit, cherries, icing, marzipan, scones, pancakes, berries and booze! Yes, it…