Blueberry Lavender Birthday Cake

London and surrounding cities are experiencing something of a heat wave at the moment. So what does that make me want to do? Right, turn on the oven. In a house with no fans or air conditioning, nonetheless. But it had to be done so I answered the calling from above, strapped on my apron and got to work.

The very original idea for this cake came from Nashville when I ate a piece of Blueberry Lavender cake with my friend Leah at Fido Coffee shop. It was fragrant and sweet and tasted much like a spring dessert should taste. I've since kept the idea in the back of my mind hoping that one day I would make my own version.

Skip to a few months later where I'm sitting out in the sun with Ben (remember Marmite guru?) and we are intensely discussing our birthday cake options. Since we share a birthday (June 25th) and are both obsessed with all things confectionary we had to come up with the perfect cake to make for ourselves. Fresh lavender is abundant at the moment and can be smelled all over the place. I am noticing more and more lavender everyday and am always the nerd who stops to smell it while nearly snorting bumble bees up my nose. It's always worth the risk, trust me. At the very least snag some and make a tiny arrangement with it in your house: I have been putting little stalks in clear glasses here and there which have significantly improved the decor (and smell) of my mismatched, 'on the go' student house.

Chocolate lavender cake was on topic for a while- it's one of my favorite flavor combinations- but then the light bulb went off in my head when I remembered the cake shared with Leah. From there the important bit was how to go about it- how to make it original. Maybe white chocolate pieces in the batter? Icing or no? Pistachio's were insisted upon and to make the cake layered was a must. Then there were the discussions of exactly how to infuse the lavender flavor so it would not overpower, yet still have a presence. Whew. In the end we added some chopped pistachio's which gave a nice subtle crunch to every bite, and by mistake only put dried blueberries in the mix. I had the idea of putting in fresh berries for color but clearly that has to wait until next time. That was all my fault actually. Drinking wine while dancing around the kitchen sometimes leads to losing a train of thought.....but! it turned out to be a great mistake as we had blueberries for garnish and the dried ones stood up nicely in the batter and still added pretty flecks of blue in the cake. The infusion of lavender in the jam center layer was perfect and as was later discussed, maybe a hint of citrus zest was all it was missing.





The basic cake recipe came from this great little bake book I have called '200 cakes and bakes' by Sara Lewis. It's the perfect little book full of wonderful recipes and photos to match. The measurements are metric, but easily converted thanks to google calculators. The recipe I used was for a victoria sandwich cake which is just a plain vanilla cake with jam filling. I have made the recipe for you here in American measurements, but they stay true to the original recipe.



And guys, this is no vegan, sugar free cake. In my defense, vegan baking is much harder in London as health food shops require special trips all around town, the items are quite expensive and I am lacking a lot of the equipment necessary to pull it off. That being said, I'm not upset about eating this full fat, full sugar confection with conviction. It was the perfect dual birthday cake and I suspect it's one that will become a tradition.





And even if this is not for a birthday celebration, I know this cake would be welcome at any summer party. They would make nice cup cakes too. Decorated with tiny flowers? Yeah, that's just over the top adorable. Don't do it!

This cake will take you about 30 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook. Serves 8.

You will need:

2 8 inch cake tins, greased
one large mixing bowl

For the cake:

3/4 C butter, at room temperature
3/4 C caster sugar (white or brown sugar is fine)
3/4 C unbleached white flour (the original recipe calls for brown rice flour, but I used white and it turned out fine)
3 large eggs
1 T baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 T milk

also:

1/4 C finely chopped pistachios
1/3 C dried blueberries
1 T fresh lavender chopped into the smallest possible pieces

for the jam layer:

3/4 C good quality blueberry jam
1 large sprig of lavender

fresh blueberries for garnish, approximately 1 C
powdered sugar for dusting

To make:

-Heat the jam in a sauce pan on lowest possible temperature. Place the lavender sprig in and coat with jam. Gently press the top of a spoon on the lavender to release the flavor. When throughly heated (about ten minutes) turn heat off but keep it on the eye, and keep pressing the lavender when you get a chance.

- Cream the butter, sugar and milk together. set aside

-Whisk the flour and baking powder together

-Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir a couple of times. Add the rest of the ingredients until just mixed. Please don't over mix!

- Bake in greased baking tins for twenty minutes or until golden brown

-Let cool in cake pans for about ten minutes, then turn onto cooling racks and let them finish cooling- about 30-40 minutes

- Decide what your bottom layer is and place on desired serving plate. Gently and evenly spoon the jam in the center, being careful to discard the sprig of lavender.

- Add top layer and decorate as you wish. A nice dusting of powdered sugar and blueberries worked for me- but I'm sure there are tons of great spring and summer options. Happy eating:)

Marmite Strategies 101

"Next time you spread Marmite your toast, I'm going to need to see a little bit more conviction"

The above quote was said to me during a lesson in Marmite strategies of consumption 101 by a certain Marmite guru named Ben. Several mornings had passed by of me opting to put everything but Marmite on my toast. "Would you like some Marmite?" No, I would not. "Do you even like Marmite?" Um, no, I don't. Usually, when it comes to food, I can get by without the British rolling their eyes at me and thinking "Stupid American", but claiming to not like Marmite is a situation you don't want to be in when there are a bunch of Brit's around who love love love their Marmite. "Try it with meat!" Some stickers say.....yeah, probably not.

I was peer pressured into trying it and I had no valid reason not to eat it. It's vegan, high in B vitamins and is sort-of unassuming in it's brown bottle with yellow stickers. Why not eat it? Well, smell it, that's why. Put your nose to a jar of Marmite and instantly something in your spine will tingle and there may or may not be a certain lurch in your stomach. It's dark and sticky and smells of old yeast and musk. Not impressive.

I've been avoiding Marmite since I moved here. My roommates don't eat it too much and my British friends thus far have not pressured me into eating it. Not liking Marmite is one of those secrets you can hide pretty easily. But when all eyes are on you and you must speak truthfully, it can be a sticky situation for sure. Especially when you are trying to impress people!

So, there happened to be someone at the table who took pity on me (Marmite guru Ben) and was pretty proud to show me his Marmite Strategy. Eager to please, I complied. What's the worst that could happen? And here's how it went down...

1. If opening the jar for the first time, make a wish before opening it. Very important.

2. Lightly butter your toast which should be warm, but not too hot. Either white or brown (yeah, they say 'brown' for wheat. strange) toast is okay.




3. Dip your butter knife into the jar and lift out enough Marmite to cover about a centimeter or two of the end of the knife. It was pointed out to me from another table member, "Remember, you can always add more, but you can't really take it away". No pressure or anything.



*Note- it's ok to not clear all the butter off your knife before inserting it into the Marmite jar. Often remnants of butter are found in the jars and this is not at all considered a taboo. I imagine that toast crumbles are not okay though. Just don't lick the knife or anything.

4. Evenly spread the Marmite on the toast creating a nice marbled effect with the butter. It will be a nice brown and yellow (sort of like the bottle???)



5. Enjoy your by-product of beer brewing on toast just like a true Brit!

I did all of the above with a lot of concentration knowing that I was being closely watched by the other natives at the table. "Don't fuck it up" I kept telling myself. "But be honest, that's all you can do at this point".

My first bite was ambitious and big. A large portion of white toast, butter and Marmite went down the gullet....chew chew chew....hmmm, not bad! Honestly, it just reminded me of soy sauce. (Which is quite similar, actually)

My liking the Marmite took reign in excitement over the table for a few seconds. Whew. Yes! I like Marmite! Watch me take another giant bite! But then, as quoted earlier, to really be convincing of my love for Marmite, I need to learn to spread and smear with more conviction- more authority. It's one thing to say it, it's a completely different thing to show your love. Life lessons in a jar of yeast extract. Who knew?

And of course, it's not just enjoyed on toast with butter (or on meat???) but another favorite way of eating it is with cucumbers. I tried this in the comfort of my own home, alone, and found it really delicious. The salty flavors of the Marmite combined with the cool cucumber was reminiscent of how the flavors of feta and cucumber pair so nicely. Salty, cool, crunchy-a nice combination indeed. Which reminds me, I've also heard it's good with cheese. And of course, Marmite advertises snacks of cheese, cashews and rice cakes flavored with it. I imagine they are pretty amazing.



So when confronted with a jar of Marmite and a bunch of pushy Brits sitting around the table egging you on- don't be scared. Kick ass, smear that shit with confidence and wipe the bread crumbs from the corners of your smile. It's good, dammit, and you don't have to have a silly accent to enjoy it.

Also, I'm sure there are millions of strategies for enjoying Marmite. I've seen it smeared on thick (barf), without butter and on various foods. Everyone will have their way of consuming it (just google it- everyone has their own firm opinions on this matter) but I agree with Ben that this is the best way; for beginners and novices alike. Do you love it or hate it? Let me know!

Spitalfields Market

After having a long night of fun and debauchery with my roommates I woke in the late morning in search of the perfect hangover cure. The sun was out, I had nothing to do with my day and Spitalfields Market was calling my name. I stumbled to the train station and soon found myself at Liverpool Street where my cure awaited. How comforting it was to be surrounded by other hungover folks having a bit of the hair of the dog and eating good street vendor food. Only the biggest and loudest sunglasses would do and the warm weather seemed to really inspire everyone to look their best. There are vendors selling everything from vintage clothes to handmade cards to beautiful screen printed lampshades. I can't even begin to describe all the amazing food that is sold there. Hot curries, homemade crepes and doughnuts, authentic Thai and gorgeous Greek food just to name a few things. The vibe is young and trendy- four out of five hipsters agree, Spitalfields Market is THE place to be seen on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.






After taking a walk around I decided first and foremost I needed to drink a pint at a bar called "The Gun". It was delicious and cold and what made it even better was that I got to take it outside and people watch. My mind kept wondering back this vegetarian Ethiopian vendor I had seen so I tore myself away from my standing post (a second pint was extremely appealing...oh man....it still is appealing....) and go get some food. Five pounds got me an injera bread roll filled with lovely spicy pulses and a side salad of cabbage, greens, potatoes and beautiful shiny olives. I perched myself amongst the crowd and fell in love with the food on my plate. The heat of the pluses perfectly complimented the cool salad and while at first I thought it seemed strange to have olives on my plate, they turned out to be just what it needed. The texture, the flavors...everything worked. As I threw my plate in the trash can I noted my hangover was gone. Mission accomplished. I then wandered around, blatentley took pictures of unsuspecting hipsters and called it a day.



I have never been much of a market/festival type gal. Just ask anyone who's been to the Tomato Festival with me in Nashville. I always ruin the fun by whining about the crowd, making fun of the seemingly pointless crafts and getting irritated with people trying to sell me dumb shit. I am done after about ten minutes and make my friends leave their fun early to take me home. (Sorry Chris) But something about the markets here really do it for me and I think it's mainly to do with the food. I'm currently having a small affair with market food and am loving it. I now stop and ponder the crafts, enjoy the crowd (most of the time) and don't mind when people walk way too slow in front of me. It goes hand in hand with summer in London and I now look forward to the weekends when all the markets are in full swing. So don't be surprised if you see a lot more market food on here. One day I'll stay home and cook but right now, knowing there's a market full of cute hipsters and yummy food out there, I'm out the door in a flash with no regrets.

Borough Market

I have a new Saturday tradition of spending the afternoon at Borough Market, and it's a good tradition indeed. It's a market unlike anything I've ever seen! It's right near London Bridge and boasts some of the most amazing food vendors ever. There are surrounding pubs and cafes with lots of outdoor seating and people just hang out and laugh, drink, eat and look pretty. However, the vibe is not super hipster-y or upity as everyone is welcome at Borough Market. There are locals, tourists taking pictures right and left, cute families, lovers, friends coming together after a long weeks work or people like me, there on their own to soak in the wonderful atmosphere and perhaps catch a few rays of sunshine.

Twice I have visited the Market and twice I have eaten amazing food. There is food of ALL kinds there. The first time I went I got a homemade veggie burger made with quinoa, fresh vegetables and spices all tucked in a homemade wheat bun. It was all grown and made locally and cost me four pounds. The next time I ate a falafel which was equally as amazing and cheap. I've also tried the world famous brownies (there's a reason for that reputation. my god. those brownies....) and a fresh blackberry and apple juice. Again, all local and organic. There are stands that have giant pots of homemade curry. I mean, I could easily lay down and take a nap in them they are so giant. Other than hot meal stands there are lovely cheeses, vinegars, salts, granola, bread, tons of fresh vegetables and specialty liquors, wines and beers. That only begins to cover it. Oh, and since you can have an open container just about anywhere in London, people walk around with pints of beer, flutes of champagne and glasses of wine while shopping and talking. A grassy area hosts tons of people having a nice picnic or you can go sit by the River Thames and watch the cruise boats pass by. There are windy back roads that lead to other areas of the market and along the way are many ice cream trucks. I am interested in going to the Clink Prison Bar, where I'm pretty sure you can sit in an old prison cell and drink with friends. I don't know, something about that sounds pretty awesome. This paragraph only skims the surface of what Borough Market has to offer. Perhaps I'll continue to tell you my tales of Saturday afternoons spent there. That is only if you can control your envy.

I hopped into tourist mode and took some pictures along the way. Check it out!

Thames and Falafel and Bridge



A beautiful day indeed



I just doesn't stop being awesome...



The most amazing brownies in the world



The grassy area mentioned earlier. Oh, don't mind that church for stealing the spotlight



The clink prison bar/museum



More grassy area....



Giant pots of homemade curry



And finally, 'Beer is proof that god loves us and wants us to be happy'-Benjamin Franklin

The Costcutter

Costcutter markets are all over London. They are just little corner markets that sell booze, cigarettes, lentils, coconut milk, hummus, stuffed grape leaves, soy milk, organic coffee and many other tasty things you would never ever find in American corner markets. First off, it's still so nice to be able to walk into a corner market and buy food, a beer and a bottle of wine at the same time. Imagine that! And on Sunday! Before noon! Ahhhhh! You can also top up your Oyster card (public transit card) and buy porn. But the porn is not stashed in the back behind the counter. No. It's up front peering out the windows next to the Sunday Times and the Daily Mail. Awesome.

Anyway, the particular Costcutter in discussion is on the corner of Lewisham Way and Florence Rd, right down the road from my house. I always swear I will never step foot in that market again after leaving because interactions with the Counter dude usually go like this:

Me: (Piling my grocerys and booze on the counter) "Um, Hi"

Counter dude: (long stare. nothing is said)

Me: "Yeah, I think I'm done. Can I pay?"

Counter dude: (another long stare. finally he starts scanning my items...) "Yeah, I guess you can pay"

-Did I mention he has large tufts of dark chest hair poking out his shirt and has styled his sort-of bowl hair cut with too much L.A. Looks hair gel?-

after he is finished scanning....

Me: "Cool, how much do I owe?"

Counter dude: (talks to co-worker in a middle eastern language that i'm not going to try and identify. for a long time he talks. something about obama is said. i have been handing my cash to him for 20 seconds at least. he eventually takes the money, usually after not telling me how much i owe. i've learned not to ask because i can never understand what he says and if i ask twice, he tells me again in a mocking voice that makes my blood boil)

Me: (taking my change) "Thank you"

Counter dude: (said in like he is talking to a five year old. and he usually adds a wink and mocking hand wave.) "Thank you, see you later"

I usually storm out with my bottles clanking loudly in my blue plastic bag thinking to myself how rude and inconsiderate his customer service is and that I don't deserve to be treated so rudely and I will never ever go back again. Then I think that maybe I'm overreacting and by the time I get home (and drink a beer) all is forgotten.

I'm sure I annoy him as much as he annoys me with all my proper etiquette and my environmentally conscience bags and my wide eyed American demeanor. And I probably talk too slow and loud like he can't understand English. So it's mutual.

But no matter what I have to go through, getting whole grain pita bread, organic crackers and a can of chick peas at a local chain, seemingly ghetto, market store is completely worth the hassle. The grocery store I like so much is a little out of the way and when I can't be bothered to hop on a bus and go to Sainsburys, well, I'll just have to deal.

The two items I got from the Costcutter today are stuffed grape leaves (dolmades) and a mixed olive salad thing with black and green olives, cubes of feta cheese and tons of herbs and spices which was recommended to be eaten on a fresh green salad. Oh, and there is nothing strange in the ingredients. The brand name is Delphi and it is good to the last bite. Both containers combined cost me three and half pounds which is quite a deal for tasty olives and cheese and grape leaves. Pair it with one of the many specialty beers sold at the market and you have yourself a wonderful Friday afternoon snack which could easily (like in my case) be considered dinner. I have not found a Greek place to eat at in my neighborhood, but so far it looks like the Costcutter is it! Can you imagine the local corner gas station/market in America selling stuffed grape leaves and hummus? Ha.

Please....

While I'm on holiday I bet I will eat some delicious food, but I regret to say that I probably won't be telling you about it. Instead, I will be opening the second bottle of wine and then sleeping until noon. When I get back to London, it will be business as usual- near the end of April and just in time for lovely spring weather and the first glimpses of home grown food. So please mind the gap and check back toward the end of the month. Cheers!

xoxo,

Sweet-tempered

Spicy Semi-Homemade Tomato Soup

Sandra Lee is really upset right now because she did not think of this recipe. It's 70% store bought, 30% homemade and 100% delicious, cheap and impressive. And came to me in a haze of sickness......


I'm positive I'm sick because I caught something on the London Transit. You can try all you like to avoid The Crud by washing your hands, trying unsuccessfully to balance as the train or tube or bus comes to a screeching halt without touching the rails (I always try and always end up looking the fool) or loading up on vitamins and supplements as to not get sick. Face it Londoners, whatever you do the crud will get you. Just succomb to getting sick at some point, save up your sicks days at school or work and go with the flow. Literally, the flow from your nose. It's not pretty because in London, your snot is black. Good times indeed.

Perhaps my body is adjusting to foreign germs, perhaps I am finally getting allergies for the first time in my life, or maybe I touch every gross thing there is to touch in London. (Keep those snide comments to yourself, please) Whatever it is that's plaguing my body I don't like it and I've been on the mend for several days now. The other day I was nearly out of food and could not possibly be bothered to go to the grocery, and here in London I do not have a sweet little Sailor to take care of me, so I did what any normal person would do and make tomato soup with a can of whole tomatoes. Ummm, maybe normal people don't do that.....they probably are smart and call for take-away.

But they totally should, because this soup is super easy and super tasty. I sauteed some onion, red chili and garlic, dumped the can of tomatoes in, threw in a cup of soy milk, lightly smashed the tomatoes to make for a chunky type soup, added a little pepper, powdered veggie stock and some dill ( both are optional) and ten minutes later I was eating the most delicious soup of the century! I would not have been mad at all had I paid someone five pounds for a bowl of it. But in reality, adding everything up, my large bowl of soup probably cost me less than 50 pence. The can of whole tomatoes here is important because you want some substance to stand up to the diced onion (remember, this recipe was spawned out sickness and lazyness....so no fine chopped onion here). Unless you ares suffering from a sore throat- then just stick it all in the blender.

This recipe is basically an outline for any kind of tomato soup you would like. Add some water, chick peas and curry powder for a wonderful Indian inspired dish (Chana Masala- ish), some more herbs and cheese would be nice, sauteed mushrooms leeks, boiled potatoes, add olives and capers for a pasta sauce (shout out to Julie B and her whore's sauce).....the list goes on and on. My point here is is not to underestimate that little innocent looking tin of tomatoes in your cabinet when contemplating dinner options. And don't underestimate that tin when grocery shopping and trying to fit into a tight budget. Most things that come in cans suck and you should usually avoid them at all costs- but tomatoes in tins rocks!

To make you will need:

One can of whole, peeled tomatoes
One cup of soy or regular milk (water can be used as well....you might want to up the seasoning though)
two cloves garlic, chopped
one small onion, chopped (any color is fine)
one or two spice red chilies, minced
a couple teaspoons of powered veggie stock (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
fresh or dried herbs as needed

-Saute the onion, garlic and chili on medium heat until the onion is translucent (about 5-7 minutes)

-add the can of tomatoes and crush them lightly with a spoon

-add milk, veggies stock and seasonings continuing to stir and press tomatoes

-bring to a light boil and simmer for another 2 minutes or so

-pour into favorite bowl and sip away!

and hey, don't forget to bring the tissues with you- this will get the nose flowing big time- but in a good way, of course:)



look closely at the bus above. that's for all you Twilight fans out there...