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A package arrived the other day, the accompanying note read - Dear Amy, with the colder weather settling, we are now firmly in Gluhwein season. Gluhwein season I thought, how interesting. I had never heard of this term before and so was intrigued. Inside the small cardboard box, a small drawstring bag held treasures in the form of vanilla bean sugar, delicate infuser bags and a packet of Gluhwein Gewurz. I opened it up and inhaled what can only be described as festive joy - cloves, cinnamon, orange, lemon all danced under my nose. I continued reading the note... To brew add 2 tsp of Gluhwein Gewurz to the infuser bag, pour a bottle of red wine into a large pot, add 60g vanilla bean sugar and gently heat for 20-30 minutes, Serve with sliced oranges or a cinnamon quill. Not one to enjoy a glass of mulled wine I immediately began to dream of all the ways I could incorporate these soul-warming elements into a baked treat. Is it any wonder chocolate was a front runner, paired effortlessly with red wine? Lush. Decadent. Rich. Warming. A sprinkle of fragrant vanilla bean sugar on top results in a crisp outer shell which pairs perfectly with the fudgy, stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth insides. It can, of course, be enjoyed still warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or, if like me you prefer a truffle-like texture in small bite-sized pieces it can be eaten straight from the fridge, just don't go eating too many pieces all in the one go...I speak from experience! Makes a 20cm x 20cm slab *Recipe inspired by Broma Bakery 115g unsalted butter 115g dark chocolate, chopped 220g brown sugar 100g caster sugar zest of an orange 2 free-range eggs, at room temperature 125g cocoa powder (try and use the best you can afford, I love using Callebaut) 60g plain flour 2 tsp Gluhwein Gewurz (you can find this at Gewurzhaus) If you don't want to purchase it, however, you can use 1tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4tsp ground cloves, 1/4tsp ground fennel, the zest of an orange and the zest of a lemon along with a few cracks of black pepper a pinch of salt 1tsp vanilla bean extract 1/4 cup red wine 1tsp vanilla bean sugar, for sprinkling on top Preheat your oven to 170 degrees Celsius, fan-forced. Grease and line a 20cm x 20xm square cake tin, overlapping the baking paper in a criss-cross pattern to make it easier to remove the brownie once baked. In a large saucepan over medium heat melt butter, then add in the chocolate and whisk until it's smooth and glossy. Remove from the heat and whisk in the spice/s. Whisk in the sugars followed by the eggs and the orange zest and then combine well. Sift the cocoa and flour over the top and then add the salt, vanilla and red wine stirring until everything is lusciously combined. Spoon into the prepared cake tin and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon or an offset palette knife. Scatter over the vanilla bean sugar and pop into the oven for 30-40 minutes. Remove and allow to cool in the tin for at least 15 minutes before taking out of the tin and placing on a cooling rack. You can now enjoy it warm or wait until it's completely cooled before placing it in the fridge to enjoy its rich, decadent truffle-like texture. It will keep for at least a week, maybe longer, in an airtight container in the fridge.

Lately, my mind has been abuzz with all things encased in that flaky, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth combination that makes up one of the greatest loves of my life - pastry. Perhaps the blast of fresh icy winter winds is to blame for the constant dreaming of what to pair with earthy, semi-sweet buckwheat infused doughs, or the fact that my freezer has been full of frozen polenta studded pastry rounds, destined to become the vessel in which creamy goats cheese mingles with the sweetness of caramelised onions and irregular chunks of roasted pumpkin which resemble mountain peaks elevated above clouds. It has been the former, however, which has been fighting for my attention. I adore the earthy, grassy flavours of buckwheat - whether it be in cookies, muffins or pancakes (Olia Hercules Buckwheat sourdough pancakes from her book, Summer Kitchens are a firm favourite) Combining it with another type of flour - be it plain, wholemeal, spelt or the like will ensure it is not too overpowering, especially if you are not familiar with its flavour profile. I was originally going to pair it with persimmon, but then I was gifted two armfuls of freshly picked quince. And So the testing began. A soggy bottom was the result of the first test, but the flavour was beautiful. So it was back to the drawing board, or should I say, the kitchen bench, armed with a few recommendations from the Bakeclub Facebook community, I rolled up my sleeves and rolled out my pastry base. Sprinkled over a mixture of almond meal, ground ginger and a touch of sugar. Arranged the glistening, ruby-hued wedges of quince on top before folding over the edges, scattering the remaining pastry, which had been grated over the top. I can't tell you how pleased I was with the final result. It is equally as good served alone, with a dollop of creme fraiche or, if you are like my husband, a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. The resulting texture of the crumble-like pastry topping is heavenly. It adds a little interest as well as a few small "windows" in which to spy those rose-scented fruits through. A fine sifting of icing sugar is all that is needed and you have yourself a fine, rustic looking tart to enjoy any time of the day. Quince crumble tart Makes a 23cm tart For the pastry 200g plain flour 50g buckwheat a pinch of salt 2 tbsp caster sugar 150g unsalted butter, cold, cut into small chunks 1/4 - 1/2 cup cold water In a medium-sized bowl, sift flour, add salt and sugar and then using the tips of your fingers rub the butter into the flour until it resembles somewhat of a coarse crumb. small chunks of butter are actually ok here. Add in enough water to bring the dough together, gently. Shape into a round disc and wrap in baking paper. Allow to rest in the fridge for at least an hour, or even better, overnight if you can. After this time, cut off a little over half of the pastry and then rewrap the smaller piece once again and pop it back into the fridge. You can also freeze your pastry round, I like to store mine in a container if I do this and then defrost in the fridge overnight. If it feels too hard to roll out, allow to sit on the bench until it is pliable enough to work with. For the poached quinces, you can refer to this recipe here. For the filling 3-4 poached quince, cut into wedges 1/2 cup almond meal 1 tbsp caster sugar 1 tsp ground ginger Mix the almond meal, sugar and ginger together. Now to bring it all together... Preheat your oven to 180 degrees fan-forced. Have ready your loose-bottomed tart tin and then on a lightly floured surface roll out the larger piece of pastry into a large round, about 2mm thick. Roll the pastry back onto your rolling pin and then carefully drape it into your tart tin. Lifting the edges up and using your fingers to gently push it into the sides. Scatter over the almond and ginger mixture evenly. Place the quinces on top, quite close together creating circles within circles. now take the smaller piece of dough from the fridge and using the large holes of a box grater, grate the dough until you have a pile of what could almost be mistaken for grated cheese on your board. Fold over the edges of the pastry and then scatter over the grated pastry dough. Brushing with a little milk before placing into the oven for about 45 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly, before ever so carefully removing from the tin. Dust with a little icing sugar if you so desire. Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche, a scoop of ice cream or simply on its own. It will keep for a couple of days in the fridge but is best enjoyed on the day it is made, however, I can say that it was very much enjoyed on about the 4th day, wrapped in foil and heated in the oven for a few minutes, the pastry was a little soft but it still tasted wonderful.

As soon as there is the slightest hint of a chill in the air I instantly crave meals that require long, slow cooking. It is comforting knowing that with a little forethought and prep in the morning one is rewarded with a rich and luscious meal that will satisfy the hungriest of appetites hours later. In fact, I believe that it is one of the greatest gifts that the cooler weather gives us. sending out a message into the air as the aromas fill every room in the house (our home is quite small so this is very easily achieved) notifying everyone in residence that something special awaits. Be it a large pot lazily bubbling away on the stovetop, or a slow cooker working its magic on the kitchen bench. Or, in this case, a casserole pot sitting proudly in the oven. They all provide that wonderful fuzzy feeling of home-cooked comfort. The type of meal that makes me feel as if I've been wrapped up in a thick, hand-knitted woollen blanket. These are the meals I love and the ones I so look forward to as the days become increasingly shorter. This flavourful lamb shank curry requires minimal effort - a quick curry paste. Browning of the lamb. A tin of chickpeas. A potato. Passata. Stock and coconut cream. The oven does the rest. 2 and 1/2 hours later the meat is so delicate it falls from the bone. The pot can be taken straight to the table along with some rice and perhaps even some homemade flatbread too, or store-bought, I will leave that up to. Lamb Shank Curry Makes enough for 4-6 hungry humans 4 lamb shanks, preferably organic or the best you can afford 1 tbsp of ghee tin of chickpeas 1 small potato or a small sweet potato (the sweet potato will make the curry a little bit sweeter) cut into largish chunks 700g passata 700ml either vegetable or chicken stock 1 tin of coconut cream A good couple of handfuls of spinach greek yoghurt, to serve For the curry paste a small onion, chopped 1 spring onion, white and green sliced 3cm piece of ginger, peeled and sliced 3cm piece of turmeric, peeled and sliced 2 tsp garam masala a pinch of chilli flakes salt and pepper zest of a lemon In a small food processor, blitz all of the curry paste ingredients together until a smooth-ish paste forms. Rub this all over the shanks and set it aside in a bowl to rest in the fridge for at least one hour, even better if it can sit overnight to really allow the flavours to get to know one another. Set the oven to 150 degrees Celsius (fan-forced). Heat the ghee (or light olive oil and a knob of butter) in a large pot with a lid and add the lamb. You may need to do this in batches like I do as my pot is not big enough to fit them all into to brown at the same time. Once they have a beautiful brown tinge to them add all 4 back to the pot along with the chickpeas, potato (or sweet potato) passata, stock and coconut cream and bring to the boil. Pop the lid on and place it into the oven for 2 hours. Once the two hours are up and you have done a load of washing, hung it out, sat down with a good book or whatever takes your fancy, remove the lid and continue to cook for another 1/2 hour. At this stage, you can either stir the spinach through or you can place a bed of it in the bottom of the bowl along with a good spoonful of steaming rice and a generous portion of lamb on top. A good dollop of Greek yoghurt doesn't go astray here either. Then rip off a piece of flatbread, scoop that luscious warming curry up and savour every mouthful.

Beau and I had to grit our teeth as we pulled the rather robust spring onions from the earth in which they were grasped tightly into. So much so that Beau, at one stage, fell right back onto his bottom. We laughed so hard. He was eager to get them all out, without any help mind you. Some were long and slender - your typical spring onion, while others had grown quite the girth. They are by far one of the easiest vegetables to grow from seed and I always seem to have great success with them. They tend to just look after themselves, which is an added bonus. Their mild, onion-y flavour is a rather lovely addition to a simple salad - gently folded into a dressing of extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. They take on an entirely different flavour when slowly braised so that they are as delicate as their soft, creamy slender stems and snow-white bulbs. It was upon caramelising them that they really sang to me though - sweet, soft, buttery notes. I had made the almond and spelt pastry the day before. I love doing this. Allowing the buttery disc to rest in the fridge overnight. It makes me feel somewhat organised as all that is needed to do the following day is to make the filling, which in this case is so very simple and I am all for simple these days - what with having two little scallywags - one at my feet, the other standing right next to me at the kitchen bench. The latter little person more often than not "stealing" my ingredients for his own creations! And I don't think it will be too long before the little lady will be fighting for her position up at the bench either! Oh goodness. This tart is rustic beauty at its finest, just the way I like it. A whisk, a rolling pin and your own two hands are pretty much all that is needed, along with a few simple ingredients to have this ready for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Any leftovers make for a wonderful easy lunch the following day too, cold, straight from the fridge. Spring onion cheese tart makes a 35cm tart For the pastry 180g spelt flour 45g almond meal pinch of salt 125g cold, unsalted butter, cut into small chunks 1 egg yolk approx 1/4 cup cold water Whisk the flour, almond meal and salt together in a medium sized bowl. Rub the butter in with your fingertips until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs (its ok to have some larger pieces of butter throughout) add the yolk and mix in with your fingertips followed by the water bit by bit until it comes together. Try to do this as gently as possible as you don't want to overwork it which will develop gluten resulting in a dough that is hard to roll out and will quite often be tough when cooked. Bring into a flattish disc and wrap in baking paper. Set aside in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight if you are feeling organised. The following day, remove the pastry from the fridge to bring back to a roll-able temperature while you make the filling. For the filling A big bunch of spring onions, about 2 bunches if buying from the market (about 400g) 40g butter 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 1/2 cup cream 1 egg 1 tsp dijon mustard 1 cup grated raw milk Yarrawa (I love using Pecora Dairy) 1/2 cup grated cheddar Eggwash (optional) 1 egg 1 tbsp cream or milk Preheat your oven to 190 degrees celsius (fan-forced) In a large pan over a medium-low heat add in the butter and oil. Slice off the ends and any straggly bits of the spring onions and then slice both the white and the green. Add these to the pan once the butter has melted, stirring to coat. Continue to cook slowly until they have collapsed and smell sweet and buttery. This can take about 15-20 minutes. Add in the vinegar and cook for another minute until it has evaporated. Now you can remove it from the heat. In a seperate bowl whisk the egg, cream, dijon and both cheeses together until combined. Season with salt and a good grinding of pepper. Stir through the spring onions. Roll out the pastry on to the baking paper in which it was wrapped with until you get as close to a 35cm round. Have ready a baking tray or round pizza tray and place your round in the center. Spoon the spring onion mixture into the center and then spread it out to a 20cm round. Fold the edges of the pastry up and over and pleat. Brush with egg wash if you so desire - 1 egg mixed with a dash of cream or milk and then cook for about 35 minutes or until just set and the pastry is lusciously golden. Allow to sit for 10 minutes and then serve.

It has been a relatively cool start to the summer season down here in this part of the world. The earth has been soaking up the heavy raindrops, much to the delight of my veggie garden which has tripled in size this past week. It seems that the surrounding stonefruit trees that are dotted about our neighbours' yards have also been relishing in the liquid gifts from above too. From our kitchen window the long "claw-like" leaves of a nectarine tree sway in the breeze, revealing the ruby cheeks of the juicy gems that hang from their branches. At the forefront is an apricot tree, to the right is a peach and from over the top of the chooks yard there sits a tree that looks as though it could topple over any moment with the weight of the small rounds that are the colour of midnight. It is around this time that we receive a precious bounty from our neighbours on the high side. A box of blushing apricots, followed days later by another haul accompanied with a bundle of plums cradled into a makeshift newspaper pouch. My eyes were delighted as were all of our tummies - I think we may have eaten our weight in them already. They are by far my favourite fruit. What has not been eaten fresh has been bottled up and now sits on my preserving shelf (which is nothing more than a space carved out in amongst the folders and files in the study) It is these jars of spreadable sweetness that make me happy and that I so enjoy gifting. Wrapping each one up with a piece of twine, a little label and a sprig of something fragrant. I love knowing that it will inevitably be spread on to hot buttered toast, providing comfort with each luscious mouthful, washed down, of course, with a cup of something hot. Because no matter what the days bring, there is always time for tea and toast. Apricot & Rosemary Jam Makes 4-5 medium-sized jars 1kg Apricots 375ml water 850g sugar a large sprig of rosemary Cut each apricot in half and remove the stone. Place the apricots into a large pot along with the water and bring to the boil. Allow them to bubble away happily for 20 minutes or so until they have softened making sure to stir every now and then. Strip the leaves from the rosemary and chop them finely, add these to the apricots along with the sugar and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Return to a boil and let it once again happily bubble away, adjusting the heat if necessary. Stir frequently as you do not want to end up with a pot that has burnt bits stuck to the bottom, it doesn't make for a fun clean up! While this is all happening, select your jars and matching lids and place them into a sink full of hot water. Pop them onto a baking tray and place into the oven at about 150 degrees to dry out, this is the way I sterilise my jars and also allows for the jars to be super hot so that they are ready to pour the hot jam into them. After about 20 - 30 minutes your jam should be quite thick and should fall off the spoon a bit like lava. If you want to you can place a small plate into the freezer and then once its cold take it out and drop a little of the jam in the centre and then return it back to the freezer for a moment before running your finger down through the middle of it, if it leaves a mark down the middle your jam is ready to be poured into the jars, if not just continue to cook, but do keep an eye on it as it is at this stage that it can very easily go from being perfect to burnt within the click of a finger! Once you are happy that it is ready, pour into the jars, tightly seal each one and turn upside down for a couple of minutes before turning the right way up once again. Leave them on the bench to cool and then store in a cool place. Once opened, store in the fridge. Plum, ginger and orange jam makes 3-4 medium jars 850g plums 200ml water a thumb-size piece of ginger one long strand of orange peel 400g sugar 300g raw caster sugar Cut the plums in half and remove their stones, place them into a large pot along with the water and allow them to come to the boil. Let them bubble away happily for about 20 minutes or until they have softened. Stir through the grated ginger and the peel of the orange followed by the sugars and stir until dissolved. Bring it back to the boil and allow to cook, while stirring frequently for at least 40 minutes until thickened. You can always use the freezer plate test as mentioned above to make sure. Pour into hot sterilised jars and follow the method above. Always be extra careful when handling jam, it can spit and splutter when you stir it, especially towards the end when it is almost ready and a hot jam splatter on your hands or arms really does hurt! And clean your pots and pans and spoons as soon as you can, dried jam takes a fair bit of elbow grease to remove. I always fill my pots with water and allow the jug and spoon to have a bit of a swim around in there as well to make for an easier cleanup.

It was a little after 11 am, I had just set the table. I took a step back as I counted the chairs - 6 in total. A smile spread across my face, it had been far too long since we last had guests over and my excitement at having those 2 extra place settings was palpable. Cooking for others is my way of showing and giving love. Taking the time to decide on a menu; writing down my plan of what has to go into the oven when and navigating the time it will take to have everything ready and laid out on the table at the same time is something that brings joy to my whole being. It is the whole process though, from the initial invitation to our home, right through to the buying of the produce, (or picking from our very own garden) to the prepping, the stirring, the cooking, the setting of the table, the freshly pressed napkins, the foraged florals, the choosing of the plates and platters and then watching as it all comes together - sometimes with ease and others...well, let's just say it can get a little interesting with two small children to worry about as well! It was my Mum and Dad who were the first to sit at our small but mighty kitchen table after lockdown. The table groaned with a piping hot pan of glistening pork chops perfumed with fresh sage and fennel seeds, the crackling so crisp it was as if we were stood upon a carpet of Autumn leaves. Slow-cooked cabbage mingled with crispy bacon and the subtle smokiness of caraway. Burnished florets of cauliflower were dotted with vibrant pickled red cabbage and the potatoes - golden and crunchy, had been showered with a smoky almond dukkah from Gewurzhaus It was a celebration of togetherness, one that was well overdue and one that made it even more obvious just how important it is to cherish these moments of sitting at the table sharing food and laughing. Where the conversation is allowed to flow in between mouthfuls; where cutlery scrapes against china plates and where, as always, some of the best memories are made. So, here it is, a menu for celebrating being together once again. I recommend reading through the whole recipe steps here before starting so that you can get all of your cooking times organised and what needs to go into the oven when. I would generally get my potatoes and cabbage ready and cooking, along with the cauliflower and then concentrate on the pork. The apple pie can be made the day before right up to when you need to bake it so that it is ready to go in the oven once everything else has been taken out. For the Pork *Recipe from Jamie Oliver's cookbook, 30 Minute Meals. Slightly adapted. 7 good-quality pork chops, skin on 8 cloves of garlic 4 eschalots or 1 red onion, skin removed and sliced 1 leek, sliced 1 teaspoon fennel seeds a small bunch of fresh sage leaves honey for drizzling olive oil Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius. Trim the skin off the chops, leaving a bit of fat behind on each chop. Cut the skin into 3cm slices and put them into a frying pan fat side down, over high heat and cook until it starts to crisp up and turn golden. Leave them to work their magic while you score across the fat side of the chops all the way along. Season with salt and pepper. Squash the unpeeled cloves of garlic with the heel of your hand and add these to the pan along with the onion and leek and stir to combine. Push the crackling to the side of pan and then stand all of the chops up in the pan with the fat side down. Use tongs to transfer the crackling and garlic to a large roasting tray. Scatter over the fennel seeds and place into the oven while you pick the sage leaves. When the fat side of the chops are golden, lay them flat side down and cook for another 4 minutes until golden on both sides. Take the tray from the oven and place the chops and sage leaves into it. Arranging the crackling and garlic in and around the chops. Drizzle with a little honey and olive oil and return the tray to the oven for about 10 minutes until it all looks golden and luscious. For the Crispy potatoes... *This recipe was inspired by the lovely Kathy Tsaples from her book My shared table. 1 kg potatoes (I used sebago) sea salt 1/2 cup olive oil 1/2 cup water 1 tbsp Smoky almond dukkah (from Gewurzhaus) Wash the potatoes and then cut them into largish wedges or quarters. Pat them dry with a tea towel or paper towel and place them into a non-stick baking tray. Scatter over the salt and then pour in the olive oil and water. Bake for at least an hour to an hour and a half until they are so gloriously crisped they shatter in between your teeth. Sprinkle over the dukkah. For the Cauliflower... Half a large cauliflower, broken into small florets and the stems sliced olive oil 1 tsp cumin seeds enough pickled cabbage (homemade or store-bought) to scatter over the top Place the cauliflower into a baking tray lined with baking paper and drizzle with a good glug of olive oil, a scattering of salt and a good crack of black pepper, add the cumin seeds and give everything a good mix. Pop into the oven for about 30 minutes until the cauliflower is golden and slightly charred. You can do this step before anything else, as it can be served either hot or at room temperature. When ready to serve place on to a serving dish and scatter the pickled cabbage over the top. For the slow-cooked cabbage with bacon... *recipe inspired by Jul's Kitchen 6 rashers of bacon, thinly sliced 1 medium white cabbage, finely shredded salt 4 tbsp apple cider vinegar 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tsp caraway seeds 2 tbsp honey 1 tbsp dijon mustard Fill a large pot with water and add a good pinch of salt and the apple cider vinegar, bring to the boil and drop the cabbage in, blanching for 5 minutes. Drain the cabbage and place it under cold running water, using tongs to lift it up to make sure the water gets it all. This will halt the cooking process. Squeeze as much of the liquid out of the cabbage as you can and then place it into a colander. Heat a large frying pan over high heat and add the bacon, cooking until it starts to release its fat and turns golden, add in a little olive oil followed by the cabbage, stirring to coat everything together. Now reduce the heat to low-medium and continue to cook, stirring every now and then for at least half an hour. Add in the caraway seeds and cook for another 3 minutes and then add the honey and dijon and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. And now for dessert... Apple and Rhubarb pie with a fennel seed crust *Recipe inspired by one from Gourmet Traveller by Emma Knowles 100g unsalted butter, chopped 1.2kg granny smith apples, thickly sliced 1kg rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 3cm pieces 450g raw caster sugar 4 cinnamon quills 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped juice and zest of an orange and lemon 60g fresh breadcrumbs 1 egg, beaten lightly, for brushing 20g demerara sugar for sprinkling on top 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 egg, lightly beaten for egg wash For the pastry 450g plain flour 120g pure icing sugar 225g cold unsalted butter, chopped seeds of a vanilla bean or 1 tsp of vanilla bean paste 1 tbsp ground fennel seeds 1 egg 1-2 tbsp cold water Starting with the pastry, sift the flour and icing sugar into a large bowl along with a pinch of salt. Add the butter and the fennel seeds and using the tips of your fingers rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs, a few chunks of butter are ok here. Add in the egg and use your fingertips to break it apart in with the flour, next add in the water bit by bit until it comes together, try not to handle it too much, it's ok if it looks shaggy. Wrap it up in baking paper and place in the fridge to rest for at least an hour or overnight. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat and then add the apple, stirring to combine for about 5 minutes. Add the rhubarb, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla seeds and bean and stir to combine. continue to cook, while stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes or until it is beginning to soften. Stir in the citrus juices and rinds and then pour this mixture through a sieve which is sitting over the top of a large bowl. You may need to push down on the mixture slightly. Reserve the syrup and remove the vanilla bean and cinnamon. Spread the apple mixture onto a large tray and allow to cool and then stir through the breadcrumbs. (you can always make this the day before too) Simmer the reserved syrup until reduced to a thin syrup, about 10-15 minutes. When you are ready to make your pie, preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius. If you have rested your pastry overnight in the fridge make sure to take it out at least an hour or so before so it is easier to roll out. Roll two-thirds of the pastry out onto a lightly floured bench to about 3mm thick. Give a 23cm pie tin, with 4cm high sides a quick once over with some softened butter and then lay your pastry very carefully into the base, picking up the edges and pressing them down into the dish, trim off the excess pastry and then tip in the fruit, levelling it all out so that it sits evenly. Roll out the remaining pastry on a lightly floured bench into a round until 3mm thick. Brush the edges of the base with egg wash and place the lid on top, crimping the edges in whatever fashion you so desire. Cut out a small round in the centre and either discard, give to your chooks or pop it into your mouth, as I do! I am a great lover of raw pastry... Brush the top of the pastry with eggwash once again and then scatter over the combined demerara sugar and cinnamon, bake until dark golden for about 45 minutes - 1 hour. If you notice it is colouring too quickly simply just cover the top with a piece of foil. Make sure if you have little ones that they haven't accidentally hit the oven setting over to grill as my little man did!! Luckily I caught it just in time! Allow to rest for at least 1/2 an hour before serving and then serve with a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and a drizzle of the reserved syrup. If you find you have leftover syrup it is particularly good drizzled over your morning bowl of granola or porridge...

The latch of our front gate can quite often be heard from inside our little weatherboard home heralding the arrival of guests. Beau more often than not will jump up from whatever it is that he has been doing and race to the door, or to our bedroom window to see who it is! Lately, it has been delivery drivers dropping off our groceries and fruit and vegetables from the local farm. But every so often it is our next-door neighbour, Paul, who so generously gifts us a large container of his mouth-watering bolognese sauce... I have lost count as to how many times we have received this now-famous (in our home) meat sauce and those times have often been on "one of those days" where nothing has quite gone to plan and I feel as if I have been chasing my tail all day long! So it is a welcome relief, to say the least when that container is passed over...Spaghetti bolognese for dinner it is, much to everyone's delight! I don't know why it took me so long to realise that I could in fact use the sauce between layers of lasagne sheets...perhaps it's because, much to Ben's disappointment, lasagne - the meat variety anyway, just isn't something I generally make. until now! For lasagne to be truly memorable it absolutely must have the addition of that creamy white bechamel sauce and at least three types of cheese...now let's be honest here, I am a firm believer in enjoying everything in moderation and this particular dish is something that one would not indulge in every second night but, if you are to enjoy a good lasagne then you may as well do it with all the bells and whistles. All that is needed to accompany it is the torn leaves of a crisp iceberg or cos lettuce; refreshing slices of cucumber dressed in nothing more than a good glug of extra virgin olive oil, pepper and a generous scattering of sea salt flakes to balance the richness of all those comforting flavours. Ben has even gone so far as to say that is the best lasagne he has eaten, and he is my harshest critic. But this story is not just about lasagne and the many cheesy, meaty layers it involves, it's about more than that. It is about connecting with your neighbours, letting them know that you are there for them. It doesn't require lengthy conversations or even an invitation to sit around your kitchen table, it can be as simple as a quick hello, how are you? or a container of bolognese sauce left at the front door, it doesn't matter what it is, what does matter is the feeling that comes with these acts of kindness, and you really can't put a price on that. Oh, and the empty containers...they are of course filled with freshly baked treats and then left at Paul's front door...and so the cycle continues. We recently had this as part of our Sunday lunch and so I wanted to share it here with you in the hope that it may just make it on to your "to Cook" list. Now the sauce does make rather a lot, Paul likes to cook for a crowd! You could halve this recipe (which is the amount that you will need for the lasagne) but why not cook the whole lot and then divide it up and freeze for a quick midweek meal tossed with some pasta. You could, however, pop it into a container and leave it at the front door of a loved one or even your next-door neighbour, you never know you may just get something back in return... And what better way to end such an indulgent meal than with the refreshingly tingly tang of a scoop of lemon gelato. This recipe comes from the always lovely, always kind and extremely generous Belinda Jeffery. It is from her book, The Country Cookbook, which is one of my favourites, not only for the recipes but for the words that are weaved onto the pages as well. We served ours in vintage glass footed bowls topped with a single strawberry, but we have also enjoyed a scoop or two in waffle cones, which is also equally as lovely. You will ideally need an ice-cream churner, however, Belinda does say that it can be done by hand as well, it just won't be as smooth and it will most definitely require a fair bit of elbow grease, but if you are up for the challenge then the results will be well and truly worth it! The meat sauce Recipe kindly shared by Paul, our next-door neighbour This makes quite a lot of sauce, so feel free to halve it, or cook the whole lot and portion it up to freeze. You will only need 1kg of sauce for the lasagne. 1kg pork mince 1kg veal mince 200g bacon, diced large punnet of mushrooms, finely diced 2 large brown onions, chopped large bunch of parsley, remove stalks and chop very finely (Paul states that this is very important to use the stalks) bunch of fresh basil chopped the same as the parsley 1 head of garlic, cloves peeled and finely diced 1 carrot, finely chopped 4 cans of diced tomatoes (Mutti brand if you can find them) Ariosto Italian herb mix (or something similar such as Gewhurzhaus Maria's pizza pasta blend) salt and pepper olive oil In a large pot, heat 4 tbsp olive oil and add the mushrooms, onions, parsley stalks and basil stalks, garlic and carrot and cook over a low heat with the lid on until soft and slightly caramelised, about 40minutes to an hour. Stirring every now and then. Add the pork, veal and bacon and once again place the lid back on. Once the meat has begun to cook, mix it all in with the vegetables. Add 1 tbsp herb mix along with a pinch of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Add the tomatoes and mix it all together. Paul uses a potato masher to break up the meat at this stage. Cook with the lid on for an hour or so over low heat. season to taste. You can at this point cool to room temperature and store in the fridge. Paul says that the second cook works really well to break the meat down even further. The flavours will also develop if left for a day or two too. You can also use pancetta instead of bacon, as Paul's son does. Assembling the Lasagne 1kg meat sauce 250g packet lasagne sheets, I like to use Barilla 200g mozzarella, grated 200g parmesan, grated 200g buffalo mozzarella, torn For the Bechamel 100g flour 100g butter 1 1/2 cups buttermilk or cream 1 1/2 cups milk 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg salt and pepper Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and then add the flour, stirring together until it starts to smell slightly nutty. Add the warmed cream and milk mixture bit by bit, whisking constantly until thick and luscious. Continue to cook for another minute and then grate in the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius. Oil a lasagne dish, mine measures 30cm x 19cm. Mis together the grated mozzarella and parmesan. I also should mention that you can add in whatever cheese you have handy, I have also made this with some leftover fets and grated halloumi too. Cover the base with a layer of meat sauce followed by lasagne sheets. Meat sauce, half of the bechamel, half of the cheese, half of the torn mozzarella, lasagne, rest of the meat sauce, rest of the grated cheese, lasagne, bechamel and finally the rest of the torn mozzarella. Cover with a sheet of baking paper followed by a sheet of foil and pop into the oven for 40 minutes or until bubbling around the edges. Uncover and continue to cook for a further 15 minutes, until golden. Crisp Green Salad Meanwhile, you can prepare your salad... Tear off as many leaves from a midi cos lettuce (or iceberg, something with a crisp green leaf is good here) place them into a pretty serving bowl along with sliced cucumber and perhaps even some sliced radishes. Drizzle over a good glug of extra virgin olive oil followed by a few grinds of black pepper, salt and a swoosh of white wine vinegar if you so desire. And now for dessert... Tingly Lemon Gelato A recipe by Belinda Jeffery You can start this recipe a few days in advance as you need time to churn it and rest in the freezer before serving. Or as Belinda puts it "to ripen the flavours" finely grated zest of 3-4 lemons 2 cups (500ml) of lemon juice, strained 330-440g caster sugar, you can vary the quantity of sugar depending on how sweet you would like it, the sweeter version will result in a slightly softer texture. 1/2 cup (125ml) cold water 1 cup (250ml) thickened cream Put the lemon zest, lemon juice, caster sugar and water into a large bowl and whisk them together until the sugar has dissolved. Add the cream and whisk it all until it is very well combined. Make sure you have placed your ice cream churner bowl into the freezer before you start this recipe too. If you have one, pour the mixture in and then churn until frozen. Spoon the mixture into a container, I have an insulated ice cream tub that I use but you can use a loaf tin or recycled ice cream container, cover it tightly and place into the freezer for at least 6 hours or overnight, or even a few days before. If you don't have an ice-cream churner you can do this by hand...pour the mixture into a large stainless steel bowl and pop into the freezer for 4-5 hours, or until its frozen 5cm in from the edge, remove the bowl from the freezer and give it a really good whisk either by hand or with a handheld electric beater to break up the ice crystals and to smooth it out. Place the bowl back into the freezer, freeze again and follow the same steps as before, repeating the whisking/beating. For an even smoother texture, you can repeat this a few more times. Your muscles will indeed be stronger for it! The gelato keeps well for up to a fortnight.

Every Sunday night once the house has been blanketed in silence and both Beau and Viviana have drifted off to the land of dreams I slice two thick slices of sourdough and place them into the toaster. The kettle has been boiled and my mug awaits. Chamomile has been my choice of late. As soon as the toast pops up, I smear a good dose of butter over each and watch as it melts into the light golden crumb. A lick of vegemite on one and the other, marmalade. At the moment its a luscious almost creamy apricot and lavender. This is something that I so look forward to and after our Sunday lunch feast that has now become quite an enjoyable tradition, this simple pleasure is indeed all that is needed. And I know many of you out there are also lovers of toast for tea as I had so many messages a couple of weeks ago when I posted my toast up on my stories on Instagram. Some of you were even having it right then too. Now it is normally only the plain sourdough variety that is dressed in all the vegemite and marmalade glory, however on the rare occasion when I have made a fruit loaf complete with plump apricots or figs and the crunch of walnuts, or pinenuts, together with a concoction of warming spices it takes this Sunday night toast session to a whole other level, oh yes, it is really quite lovely. So I thought I would share this recipe with you on the off chance that you may like to switch things up or have a go at making your own fruit loaf. It is particularly good with a smear of crunchy peanut butter...or smooth if that is more your thing. Some ricotta and honey don't go amiss here either if you get a little fancy... Spiced Fig & Walnut bread You will need 50g of sourdough starter for this recipe. I usually make a plain sourdough loaf at the same time too, just dividing each into their own bowl. So all up you will need 100g of the starter if doing this. If you don't have a starter then your best bet is to find someone who does and ask very politely if you could have some, bakers having the big hearts that they possess will almost always say yes. I got mine years ago from my mother in law and I have now passed some of that one on to a couple of people as well. Such is the joy in sharing! This recipe is based on the method for the overnight sourdough on the Fig jam and lime cordial website which I can highly recommend having a look at as it is full to the brim with information. Over the years I have tried many methods and I find this one to be the best for me, both for the timing and for the results. Sometimes it can all seem a bit too complicated this whole sourdough bread making but when its stripped back it really isn't hard at all and when you are not too concerned about all the sourdough jargon, like hydration levels and how open your crumb is, then it becomes a part of your day or week, and really is the gift that keeps on giving. 50g ripe sourdough starter 450g bread flour 50g spelt (or another flour of your choice) 7g salt 375ml water 1tsp ground cinnamon 1tsp ground ginger 1/4-1/2 tsp cloves (depending on how strong you want this flavour to be) 150g dried apricots or figs 100g raisins 100g walnuts (or pecans, pine nuts, almonds, whatever you have on hand) The same goes for the dried fruits, play around with different ones. I have used a combination of dried pears, apricots, figs and golden raisins which was really lovely too) Singing Magpie Produce has the most wonderful selection of dried fruits if you fancy purchasing from a 100-year-old family orchard in the Riverland, South Australia. You can also add in a scattering of poppy seeds or sesame seeds if you feel like it too. Mix together the starter, flours, salt and water with your hand until almost combined and then add the rest of the ingredients into a large bowl. You don't need to worry about chopping any of the fruits or nuts. Cover with a tea towel and let it rest for 30 minutes. Now you need to perform your stretch and folds. Wet your hand and taking the dough in your cupped hand, stretch it up and then fold it back into itself while turning the bowl and then picking up the next fold until you have completed one whole turn of your bowl, this should take about 8 folds. Cover again and let rest for another 30 minutes. Repeat this step three more times before leaving your dough to rest, covered, at room temperature overnight. In the morning you should wake to find that your dough has grown and resembles a soft pillow. Preheat your oven to the highest setting, mine goes to 250 degrees celsius. Place a dutch oven or large pot with a lid into the oven to heat up too. Making sure that it is quite high so that the bread has room to rise. Mine measures 12cm x 20cm and I got it from Aldi and its the best! With a wet hand, scrape the dough out onto a lightly semolina dusted workbench being careful to not knock it around too much. Taking one side up and over into the middle and then repeating this on the other so that it is like a neat little parcel. Cover with a tea towel and allow to rest once again for 20 minutes on the bench. This dough will feel quite dense and maybe a little tricky to get the folds done properly, but as long as you have something that resembles some sort of round then you will be fine. During this time you can prepare your breadbasket if you don't have a "proper" one the baskets from the ricotta tubs make an excellent alternative. Place a tea towel into the basket and dust with semolina. Take your dough onto a semolina dusted bench and bring the sides up and over into the middle to create a ball. Turn this over so that the seam is now on the bottom and give it a few turns then place it into the basket with the seam side up. Cover and allow to sit for another 20 minutes while you clean the dishes/put a load of washing on/get the kids dressed/make yourself another cup of tea. Now rip off a piece of baking paper and then holding the basket in one hand place the paper on top, tip the bread onto the paper and take the tea towel off the top, brush the semolina over the top so that it is nicely covered and then with a sharp knife make a cross on top. (that's a lot of tops) Remove the pot from the oven and place your bread on the baking paper into the pot, pop the lid back on and place into the oven for 20 minutes. When the time is up, reduce the oven to 200 degrees celsius and remove the lid before placing back into the oven for another 20 minutes. When she's done, take her out and turn out onto a cooling rack, removing the paper if it's stuck on the bottom. Allow to cool and then slice and generously spread with butter and give yourself a little clap.

The opening sentence in the hefty cookbook that is "The Australian cookbook" reads...The revolution in Australian cooking over the last few years has led to a new sophistication in the way we prepare and present food. More and more publications have a gourmet image which looks, and often is, very difficult to attain. Perhaps we have lost sight of the real values in food preparation and this is the reason for this book. First published in 1986, a year after I was born, Anne Thorpe compiled hundreds of recipes supplied from experts in their chosen fields as well as other contributors who were involved in Australian food at the time. It is one of those books, just like the "vintage" editions of The Australian Women's Weekly, where at first the photos catch your eye...paper doilies, a garnish of parsley tucked into the side of a rice dish, a Hawaiian chicken salad served in a pineapple. Then there are titles for the recipes...Chicken licken rice, Jumbuck stew, Farmland treat, Chicken mountains and 14 pages full of rice desserts! Who new one could have so many variations! The peach ginger rice cream complete with whole peaches topped with extra whipped cream and perfectly placed toasted almond slivers looks...interesting. However, it is amongst these pages where so many learnt how to prepare and present food and I have to be honest, it does bring a certain sense of nostalgia looking at (and smelling) the pages. I do not know who this book belonged to before it found itself on my bookshelf. Ben gave it to me for my Birthday a couple of years ago, he had found it in a second-hand bookshop and the lady behind the counter said he could have it for free...It was in perfect condition, not a splatter or an oil mark to be found. I am pleased to say that that has changed. A book has a life when it shows the marks of a cooks hand, be that a sauce-stained fingerprint or a scribbled note here and there and I have made sure that this book has been given that opportunity. So it was with great gusto that I heaved it off my bookshelf, carried it outside with me into the spring sunshine, matcha in one hand, pen in the other as I set about plotting and planning for our Sunday lunch from the pages of this classic recipe laden book. By the end of the day, in between the day-to-day chores and running around after Beau and Viviana, I had a plan...it was a combination of two recipes, chutneyed chops banana and farmhouse casserole which resulted in the curried forequarter chops with onions and potatoes. An abundance of silverbeet going to seed inspired the rice pilaf and it was a competition between the Blitz torte, lemon tart and the apple banana shortcake for dessert. I heeded the advice at the start of the Dessert chapter...Dessert is the ultimate indulgence, usually eaten when satisfied. Whether it be a smooth chocolate mousse or a simple cheese and fruit platter, it always forms a mellow end to a fine meal. Never serve a rich dessert after a heavy main course and if serving a saucy dessert then it is best to avoid sauces in other courses. Three courses are very filling so sometimes it is best to serve what is, strictly speaking, a first course followed by a delectable dessert. This is becoming a new trend overseas. Whatever the choice, make the end of your meal memorable and leave your guest craving for another invitation. Our tummies were full, we were indeed satisfied. And we enjoyed our delectable dessert of apple banana shortcake outside on the deck, in our camping chairs along with the dog and three chooks. There was a dollop of brown sugar whipped cream on each pretty china plate and not a crumb to be seen. I think these guests of mine are craving for another invitation...well, I do hope so, they make fine dining companions, even if it does get a little messy! The following Sunday lunch menu will serve 4, or 2 hungry adults and 2 little ones with leftovers the following day. Curried lamb forequarter chops with onions and potatoes 5 lamb forequarter chops 1/3 cup plain flour a good knob of butter or two 2 brown onions, peeled and sliced 4 potatoes, peeled, rinsed and sliced 1 tablespoon curry powder 1/2 cup of water 2 tablespoons fruit chutney (I used fig chutney) Preheat the oven to 160 degrees celsius. Coat the chops in the flour, shaking off any excess. Heat a large roasting pan over medium heat. add in a good knob of butter and allow to melt before adding in the chops. You want the chops to take on a golden colour, once this is done on one side, turn over and continue to cook until golden on each side. Move the chops to the side of the pan and add the sliced onions and potatoes and a little more butter and swirl to coat them in the butter and the meat juices until they are slightly softened. Arrange the chops and onions and potatoes in the dish, as best as you can, making sure that there are onions and potatoes in between each chop and some on top. Mix the curry powder, fruit chutney into the water until combined and then pour over the chops, spreading it all over with the back of a spoon. Cover with a sheet of foil or two and place into the oven for 1 hour. Once the hour is up, remove the foil and pop it all back in for another 15 minutes uncovered. Rice Pilaf with Silverbeet Meanwhile, you can start to prepare the pilaf... 1/2 cup olive oil 1 brown onion, finely diced about 1kg of spinach or silverbeet, or a mixture of both, washed well, excess water squeezed out and sliced 2 cups of water 1 cup of rice, washed and rinsed 1 cup of frozen peas In a large frypan pour in the oil and warm over medium heat, add the onion and then lower the heat and pop a lid on to soften the onion without colouring. This will only take a few minutes, having the lid on creates steam which will soften the onion without colouring. Remove the lid and add the spinach or silverbeet and stir until starting to wilt, pour in the water, season with a good amount of cracked black pepper and a generous pinch of salt (add more than what you think as the rice will absorb a lot of it) bring to a simmer and cook until the greens have collapsed, add the rice and give everything a good stir. Pop the lid back on, lower the heat and cook for 20 minutes, until the water has been absorbed. Ten minutes before the rice is ready to be served, take the lid off, pour in the peas and give them a quick stir, place a tea towel over the top of the rice and then pop the lid back on and bring the sides of the tea towel up and over the lid. Then finish cooking for another 10 minutes. This will make the rice extra fluffy. When ready to serve, give everything a good stir and check for seasoning, you may need more salt... Take the pilaf and the lamb to the table. I serve the lamb straight from the roasting dish, but I do spoon the pilaf into a serving bowl and then everyone can help themselves. And now for dessert... This can be made in advance or it can also be made up to the point of putting into the oven and then when you take the lamb out, all you have to do is to increase the oven temperature and then pop the shortcake in and it will be ready to serve after the lunch (or dinner) plates have been washed and dried and the sound of the kettle can be heard from the kitchen... Apple banana shortcake 125g butter, at room temperature 1/2 cup caster sugar 1 egg 1 1/4 cups self-raising flour 1 cup plain flour 2 apples, either granny smith or pink lady, grated 1 banana, sliced zest and juice of a small lemon 1 tsp apple cake spice (this can be purchased from Gewurzhaus) otherwise you can just add ground cinnamon Demerara sugar, for sprinkling on top Preheat your oven (or adjust to) 180 degrees celsius. Grease and line a 20cm springform cake tin. Cream the butter and sugar until pale and then add in the egg and beat until combined, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Sift in the flours and then mix until it forms a soft dough-like consistency. If it is too sticky when you touch it then add a little more flour until it can be handled without leaving any stickiness on your hands. It should feel lovely and soft. Place it onto a lightly floured bench and divide into two portions. Roll each one out into a circle big enough to fit into the cake tin. Place one round on the bottom. Stir the apples, banana and the spice together with the lemon zest and juice, then spoon this on top of the pastry, smoothing it all out evenly. Place the second round on top and press down lightly. Brush the top with a little water, make three or four incisions on top and then scatter over the demerara sugar. Pop into the oven for 30 minutes, or until golden. It can be served warm or at room temperature and is particularly lovely with a dollop of whipped cream with the added sweetness of brown sugar whisked in. Sit back and relax with your cup of tea in hand and enjoy the silence as everyone fills the last remaining space in their bellies with good, honest food that you have prepared, cooked and baked with love.

"Pop." That satisfying sound as the tight seal is broken, inside in all of its sweetened glory is the most wonderfully irrediscent jammy mess of tart rhubarb and fragrant rose ready and waiting to be generously slathered on to hot buttered toast, little pools of butter escape from the random holes throughout, a marbled concoction of jam and butter "paint" themselves onto the plate underneath where they wait for that last mouthful of toast to swiftly wipe it clean. Whenever I make jam I always feel like I am gifting myself a moment in a particular season, a preserved moment that is. My shelf is full of jarred treasures and I love that we can treat ourselves to cumquats in summer; berries in winter and figs in spring. It makes all the sticky splatters and sterilisation of jars even more worth it. I dont know about you, but i have had more than my fair share of near misses when it comes to burning a pot of jam, on a couple of occasions those near misses have in fact been unsalvagable and said pot was indeed never the same again! So here is a warning, never stray too far away from your stove! This rhubarb and rose jam is so simple to make and will give you just over two cups of rosy red sweetness so you can decant it into jars and keep some for yourself and gift the others, because lets be honest, it really is quite wonderful to be on the receiving end of a glistening jar of seasonal homemade jammy goodness. Rhubarb & Rose Jam Makes just over 2 cups 500g rhubarb, cut into 5cm pieces 400g caster sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract rosewater to taste, I used 1 tsp Place rhubarb, sugar and vanilla in a medium sized pot, set over a medium -low heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Once it has dissolved bring heat to a medium until the rhubarb is slightly simmering away and continue to cook until the rhubarb has collapsed and has become stringy. Bring back to a higher heat so that it is at a quick spluttering bubble, stirring every now and then until its thick and falls from the spoon in luscious blobs. Remove from the heat, stir in the rosewater and pour into your chosen jars. Wipe them clean, place the lid on tightly, turn them up side down for at least 10 minutes before standing the right way up once again. This helps to seal the jars properly. Store on your shelf, where it will sit happily for a year (or more) once open store in the fridge. It would also be lovely in this Ricotta crumb cake or served alongside a smooth, creamy cheese like Pecora Dairy's "Bloomy" for which I have quite enjoyed over the last couple of nights.

"It reminds me of something similar mum used to make..." If there is a sentence to conjure up feelings of joy, then this is it. As a baker, I think it is quite possibly the pinnacle of all compliments to receive when you eagerly anticipate the verdict of a new recipe. I always hold my breath and hope for the best! To transport someone back to a time in the past through a flavour is something that can be quite emotional and magical. It also allows for a dialogue to open up, a story to be shared and I for one, am always willing to listen. It is made even more special when I am able to create these moments for the ones I love, in this case, it was my dad. It was the warming spices of this pumpkin cake that took him back to his Mum's baking. My Grandma. She was a wonderful baker of good, honest, home-baked treats that comforted and soothed. She made use of whatever it was that she had to hand at the time. The soothing spices of this cake have been weaved in with the wholesome goodness of ground hazelnuts and wholemeal flour. Grated pumpkin, burnt butter and black tea steeped in warm milk add another layer of interest. A crown of whipped ricotta cream was a last-minute addition. All of these ingredients were what I had to hand at the time...I think Grandma would approve, well, I can only hope she would have. We all certainly did, almost...Ben was not too keen. But, if there is one thing I have learnt when it comes to pleasing people...you can't please them all and in this case, it was majority rules. Still, it didn't stop him from making quite the dent in it over the days that followed as he stood over the kitchen sink when those late afternoon sweet cravings swept in, dropping crumbs. This is a moment that continues to be etched into my mind on the daily. cake crumbs that have been left behind on the bench will always make me smile (they will also make me roll my eyes) as it is a memory of knowing that someone has just filled a space in their grumbling tummy with a cake, a biscuit, a slice, whatever it may be - with something that I have baked out of love, something I have baked for the ones I love, just as Grandma did. Pumpkin & Hazelnut Cake with Ricotta Cream Makes a 22cm square cake 200g unsalted butter 200g caster sugar 3 free-range eggs, at room temperature 150g hazelnuts 1 tbsp caster sugar 1 teaspoon cassia (of ground cinnamon) 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom a few grinds of black pepper a pinch of salt 150g wholemeal self-raising flour 100g spelt 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 cup of milk 2 English breakfast tea bags 1 1/2 cups of grated pumpkin For the ricotta cream 300g ricotta 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 cup icing sugar, sifted Ground cinnamon for dusting Place the butter in a small saucepan and melt over low heat, increase the heat a little and continue to cook the butter until it has reached a nut-brown state. It will smell heavenly at this point and foam up. Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl, along with all of those burnt bits on the bottom. Set aside to cool until it solidifies once again. You can do this step the day before if you like and just keep the butter, covered, on the bench. Preheat your oven to 160 degrees fan-forced. Grease with butter and line with baking paper a 22cm square cake tin. Warm the milk in a small saucepan until heated through. Add the tea bags and let steep for a good 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags. Place the nuts in a food processor along with the tablespoon of extra caster sugar and the spices and blitz until a fine crumb. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl with hand beaters, beat the sugar and butter until creamy, add the eggs in one at a time and continue to beat until everything is combined. Sift the flours and baking powder into the bowl and add this to the creamed mixture, beating slowly until just combined, pour in the tea stained milk and add in the nuts and a pinch of salt and mix slowly once again. Finally, fold through the grated pumpkin and then spoon into your prepared cake tin. Smooth the top and place into the oven for about 45 minutes or until it feels just firm to the touch or a cake tester or skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes and then carefully turn out onto a cooling tray to cool completely before icing. To make the ricotta cream you will need to blend the ricotta in a food processor or blender until creamy and smooth, add in the vanilla and icing sugar and blend once again until its all combined and velvety smooth. When your cake is cool enough, spread the cream over the top and then finally sprinkle with ground cinnamon.

A tussie mussie of foraged spring beauties sits on the windowsill above our kitchen sink - the light mauve, deep burnt orange and faded yellow petals of wild freesias sit below pink-stained star-shaped petals of whimsical jasmine stems. Their fragrance the epitome of spring. There is a change in the air. The mornings become lighter. The birds begin their chorus earlier. The days become more alive - its as if nature is singing, shes opening up once again after the dark, damp, cold days and weeks of winter. Her song is very much welcomed. I thought what better way to celebrate than by baking a batch of scones, studded with ruby-red rhubarb and the tangy zest of lemon for freshness. I was mesmerised as the jasmine-scented icing slowly fell from my antique spoon, forming thin whirls over the golden, buttery, still-warm treats. I was in bliss as I sat out under the warm rays of the sun to enjoy one after capturing them on my camera. However, there was no dilly-dallying around to savour every mouthful...oh no, there was a certain little boy with a nose for anything sweet who was creeping about and would have, if I took my eye off him, gobbled up every last crumb! Why he even managed to drink the last half of my warm beverage...but that's Beau bear! The recipe for these has been adapted from The Kitchenista Diaries, Strawberry buttermilk scones with lemon glaze. Angela also has some really great tips included in her blog post. These are American scones and are very different from British scones but are delicious and well worth baking all the same. Rhubarb & Lemon scones with a jasmine scented drizzle Makes 8 1 cup diced rhubarb, about two large stems, halved down the middle and diced 1 cup of plain flour 1 cup of wholemeal flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon bi-carb soda 1 teaspoon salt a few grinds of black pepper 3 tablesppons raw sugar zest of a lemon 90g frozen butter 1 free range egg 3/4 cup buttermilk (or full cream milk with 1 tsp of vinegar or lemon juice added and stirred) 1/4 cup thickened cream For the Jasmine sugar syrup 1/4 cup caster sugar 1/2 cup water 1/4 cup of picked pink jasmine flowers (jasminum polyanthum) For the drizzle 1/2 cup of icing sugar, sifted 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon of jasmine syrup (or more if needed) Place the flours, baking powder, bi-carb soda, salt, pepper, sugar and lemon zest in a medium mixing bowl and whisk together to combine. Add the egg, milk and cream into a seperate bowl and whisk together until smooth. set asisde while you grate the butter using the large holes of a box grater into the flour mixture. Gently toss the butter and flour together and then pour in the milk mixture, followed by 3/4 of the rhubarb and using your hands, gently bring it together to a sticky dough. Turn out the dough onto a floured bench and dust with flour. using your hands or a dough scraper fold the dough over itself three times, a side over to the other side, and then that side over to the other side and then take it up from the bottom and you have your three folds. Press the dough into a circle, roughly 2.5cm thick. Then cut the dough into 8 wedges. Place each wedge onto a lined baking tray keeping each one at least 5cm apart. Press the remaining rhubarb into the tops of the scones and then place into the fridge for 20 minutes or so while you preheat your oven to 200 degrees celsius. Meanwhile you can make your sugar syrup. Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil , stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Boil for a minute and then remove from the heat and pop the flowers in to steep for at least an hour. This will make slightly more than what you will need for the drizzle but you can pour it into a jar and keep it in the fridge. It can be used to drizzle over your next lemon cake or stirred into a glass of sparkling water or used where any sort of sugar syrup is required. For the icing you will need to mix everything together until its a thick, pourable consisitency. It should fall off the spoon in ribbons. Brush your scones with a little extra cream or buttermilk using a pastry brush and Place your chilled scones into the oven for about 18-20 minutes or until golden. Allow the scones to cool, only slightly before drizzling with the icing. Pop the kettle on and put your feet up in a quiet spot (or at least try to anyway if you have little kiddies) and then maybe you might need to share one with them too. They are best eaten on the day they are made, but arent too bad the next day. I have also frozen them and then reheated them in the oven by wrapping them in some foil. You could even toast them as well.