Bake a Cake

 Lemon Drizzle Cake

Did you know that last Sunday was World Baking Day?   Had I been home last weekend, I certainly would have baked a cake!  I love this campaign which is all baking someone a cake to show them how much you care.  How sweet is that?  

Delia Smith's Cakes

After traveling across the pond for many years now, I've discovered just how much the British love their yummy cakes.  I now enjoy replicating British scones and cakes at home.  

My favorite British cake book is the revised and updated, Delia Smith's Cakes.  Delia is the UK's best selling cookery author.  She also has a wonderful online cookery school.  I just love watching her videos to learn baking tips and techniques.  And she has the most lovely British accent!  

 Delia's Double Lemon Drizzle Cake

The first cake I've made from Delia's Cakes book is her Double Lemon Drizzle Cake.  The recipe has poppy seeds which I've omitted when I've made it.

According to Delia:

 "This is the definitive Lemon Drizzle cake, and we have used four lemons.  There's almost as much drizzle as cake, so after you bite though the crunchy crust it is very lemony and syrupy inside."

More Cake, Please

Baking someone a cake is a brilliant way to show them how much you care.  If you're looking for a delicious and easy cake to make, I say, "make them a Double Lemon Drizzle Cake!"

If you're an American baker like me, to convert Delia's UK recipe, you'll need:
 a scale to measure ingredients and an 8" round cake tin (pan) which you'll grease and line with parchment paper.  I use a Wilton aluminum 8" x 2" round cake pan.  I bake the cake at 325F in the center of my oven for about 40 minutes or until the cake feels springy.

So, when was the last time you had a piece of homemade cake?   Well, here you go...
here's the link for Delia's recipe:
  Double Lemon Drizzle Cake with Poppy Seeds

(In the photos:  Royal Winton Richmond chintz plate and vintage National Silverplate fork.)

Singapore Noodles

Singapore Noodle Bowl

I made another wonderful stir-fry tonight...Singapore Noodles.  The recipe is from Grace Young's Stir Frying To The Sky's Edge.  This tasty Asian fusion dish consists of thin rice stick noodles, shrimp, Chinese barbecued pork, green bell pepper and scallions.  It's flavored with curry and a broth you blend which tenderizes the ingredients.  And, a little dash of red pepper flakes gives it just enough heat.  

We had never had Singapore Noodles before.  When I saw the recipe in the book, I knew I wanted to make it.  So a few weeks ago, we ordered Singapore Noodles at our local Chinese restaurant so I could get an authentic taste for them.  After making them tonight, I can say, this is another stir-fry dish that tastes even better cooked at home!  

Page 274 

I was running a bit short on time tonight so to makes things faster and simpler, I substituted (fresh) thin chow mein noodles and Chinese barbecue pork from my local Asian market for the dish.

And by the way, despite it's name, theses noodles supposedly have nothing to do with Singapore.  From what I've read, you are more apt to find them on restaurant menu in Hong Kong, England, Australia, Canada and the United States.  I think I will have to do a fact-check on these noodles with my high school friend Matt Chin who lives in Singapore!  

The next time I make this dish, I will definitely use the thin rice stick noodles and Madras curry powder instead of just curry powder.  Grace says in the recipe "For the best flavor be sure to use a high-quality Madras curry powder."  I love that Grace Young and her recipes....

however I don't think my husband will take me out for Chinese food anymore now that I cook it so well at home!  

Making Fried Rice

 Peppery Vegetarian Rice 

with Asian Shrimp

Dinner is ready, in fact, it's early tonight.  And, no we're not at a fancy Asian bistro.  I just stir-fried this incredible fried rice dish at home...thanks to Grace Young and her fantastic cookbook Stir Frying To The Sky's Edge.   

I recently discovered Grace Young and her cookbooks.  Upon her advice, I went to The Wok Shop and bought my wok.  Then I started stir-frying and joined the group Wok Wednesdays on Facebook.  It's comprised of fellow wokkers and fans of Grace Young's books.

  Every two weeks (on a Wednesday) we are encouraged to cook a designated recipe from Stir Frying To The Sky's Edge and share our experience.  Today is Wok Wednesday and the dish  to prepare is from page 256, Peppery Vegetarian Fried Rice. 

 Mise en place

I made a few minor changes to the recipe with what ingredients I had on hand.  And that's okay.  Grace tells us in her book that "the beauty of this recipe is it's total flexibility."  She also encourages us to get creative and even repurpose leftovers.  According to Grace, day old rice is like a blank canvas.  I approached the recipe with that regard and and served it plated with Asian grilled shrimp.  

Stir-Frying at Home

No more Chinese take-out for us!  Making fried rice at home is far superior to what we get from our local Chinese restaurant.  Tonight's Peppery Vegetarian Rice was packed with so much more fresh flavor, crunch and a little heat!

Stir Frying To The Sky's Edge

I have just started cooking my way through Grace's book Stir Frying To The Sky's Edge and have loved every recipe I have prepared.  

If you want to learn how to cook authentic Chinese food at home...this is the book to get.  If you want to have fun with fellow stir-fry enthusiasts, get the book and join us in Wok Wednesdays on Facebook.

We are asked not to share the recipes from the book but Grace's friend and fellow chef, Sara Moulton has featured this recipe on her show Sara's Weeknight Meals.  Here is the link to Sara's website so you can make it at home and see just how easy and wonderful this recipe is!

Peppery Vegetarian Fried Rice Recipe

And for more information on Wok Wednesdays,
just click here.


(In the photos:  Spode Gothic Castle plate and Chinese pottery mixed patterns from The Wok Shop, San Francisco, CA.)

Just Add Tea and Cold Water

Cold Brewing

I recently discovered that I really like the simplicity of making cold water brewed iced tea.  It's so easy and the iced tea never taste bitter.  So this week, I picked up several Bodum Biasca ice tea jugs one (with a pink lid) for making floral green teas and one (with a green lid) for green teas.  I really like the sleek and slender Danish designed glass jug that fits nicely in our fridge.

It's so simple to make iced tea with the cold brew method.  And, according to Bodum, this method works well with black, green, white and herbal teas.  I plan on using my Biasca jugs exclusively for green iced teas. 

 Bodum gives easy instructions on their Biasca box on how to cold brew.  Here you go:

1) Add your favorite loose leaf tea

(I used 20 grams of tea for 1 liter of water)

2) Fill with cold spring water

3) Allow to brew for 5-6 hours in the fridge

(or less to your taste preference)

4) Serve and Enjoy!

Today I'm enjoying a pitcher of Fleur De Geisha green tea which was drinkable in, as fast as, 20 minutes.  Tonight I plan on starting a cold brew of my favorite Japanese green sencha to enjoy tomorrow.   And since I'm learning a lot about Chinese teas lately,  I can't wait to explore cold brewing with Chinese green teas.

Sadly I think the the Biasca tea jug may be discontinued now here in America because it is not listed on the Bodum USA site.  So if you stumble upon one while out shopping, you'd better grab it!  

Anzac Biscuits

Yep, I made Anzac Biscuits

It's Anzac day!

Today,  April 25th commemorates the 100 anniversary of the ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) Gallipoli landings in 1915.

During the First World War, sweethearts, wives and mothers baked these biscuits to send to "the boys" overseas.  So I made a batch for my sweetheart with a recipe from Australia's  Donna Hay.  

 Lyle's Golden Syrup

You'll need Lyle's Golden Syrup to make these cookies.  Lyle's Golden Syrup is thicker and sweeter than corn syrup.  Lyle's cane syrup gives the biscuits a chewy and sticky texture along with a wonderful richness.  Here in America, you can find it at World Market or a local British import shop if you have one. 

 Anzac Biscuits with Coconut

I just learned yesterday from my Australian friend Sally, that early recipes for these biscuits did not contain coconut.  We love coconut so I have always used recipes which contain coconut.  In previous years, I have baked Anzac biscuits with a recipe from Cooking Light.  

Anzac Biscuits

Here is the link for Donna Hay's Anzac biscuits recipe:

Anzac Biscuits.  Enjoy!

Long Live the Queen!

Her Majesty The Queen Tea Party

Happy 89th Birthday to Queen Elizabeth II. I think it's a perfect day to enjoy the great British tradition of afternoon tea!

I've read that Earl Grey is the tea of preference of Buckingham Palace.  And her Royal Highness does shop at Fortnum & Mason.  So you could break out the good china today and pop over to your local Williams-Sonoma and pick up some Fortnum & Mason Earl Grey Classic tea to celebrate.  After all, they've been suppliers of tea to the royal houses for over 300 years!

(In the photos:  Emma Bridgewater Union Jack and discontinued Diamond Jubilee pattern.)

Celebrating Hanami

Fleur de Geisha tea

Celebrating the blooming of the cherry blossoms...

This is the final weekend of the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival in Japantown, San Francisco, California.   Since I'm not able to attend the festival, I'm celebrating spring and Hanami at home with Fleur de Geisha tea and sakuramochi.  

I've written about Fleur de Geisha tea before.  It's made by Le Palais des The`s, a French tea company that I discovered years ago in Paris.  The last time I was in Paris, I purchased the tea in this beautiful Washi paper caddy used in my photos.  It features a sakura (cherry blossom) motif that is traditionally found on geishas kimonos.  This washi tin is now discontinued and has been replaced with a more modern pink metal tin.   

 Cherry Blossom Tea Break

Fleur de Geisha tea is perfect to enjoy in spring and was actually inspired by the Japanese Hanami tradition of cherry blossom viewing.  This signature tea blend is a Japanese green tea with a very subtle cherry blossom flavor and aroma.  I've made it a tradition, to enjoy it every spring during cherry blossom season.   

 Sakuramochi 

For a Hanami tea break, I find sakuramochi are a perfect accompaniment to Fleur de Geisha tea.  

Sakuramochi are a Japanese sweet made of a sweet pink-colored mochi (rice cake) with a red bean paste center and and wrapped with a pickled cherry blossom leaf.  They are traditionally enjoyed during the spring season.  I find them every spring at Oto's Marketplace in Sacramento, California. 

La recette du the` glace

(Iced tea recipe)

This year, for the first time, I'm enjoying Fleur de Geisha iced.  Here's the recipe I used that is printed on the Fleur de Geisha box:

Fleur de Geisha Iced Tea Recipe

Infuse 20 grams of tea in 1 Liter of cold water for half an hour.  

Then keep refrigerated.  

Enjoy and be sure to take time for Hanami and the beauty of flowers. 

(In the photos:  Japanese blossom plate by Mino and washi tea tin caddy.)