Tiramisu

Actually... that's a bit of a big fat fib - there is no tiramisu on the menu today. But there could be! I'm counting down to departure for Rome. The weather here is gloomy and grey. Sadly, from what I've heard, that's more or less the same report for Rome too. Pants! I've packed shorts and sunglasses and everything! Still. It's not here and that's all that counts.

I plan to eat much pasta. I plan to eat much cake. I plan to drink much coffee. Heck, I basically plan to drink much!!

I may squeeze in some shopping. And I'm definitely going to be doing a lot of sitting down and gawping at people as they pass by - a personal passion, especialy if they're attractive.

So far today I've had a bag of Cheese 'n' Onion crisps which has left a bit of a taste... It's not pleasing me, this taste, I must mention. I did want Salt 'n' Vinegar but the bloody vending machine is on the blink and I was lucky to get any crisps at all. Shame really as I don't do crisps that often. As we all know, I love cake, so a savoury attack this morning was quite unexpected but not unwelcome. I'll wait until I get on the plane now. I quite like plane food. Does that make me a little wierd? Obviously I like Business/First Class food best but I'm happy with my little plastic squares filled with coloured blobs in economy too. I'm usually fairly easy to please when it comes to food.

Wow! Times drags when you've got cool plans just on the horizon doesn't it!?! I'm almost certain this last 5 minutes or so has taken at least a half an hour to lurch by.

sigh

Ciao 'til next time!

Coffee & Walnut Sponge with Coffee Sauce

Now I like coffee as much as the next man/woman but this is a bit ridiculous! I'm not a fan of coffee flavoured stuff - apart from coffee of course. There's nothing better than a mid morning cappuccino whilst you watch the world go by - preferably seated in a bustling square somewhere glamourous like Rome, or Madrid.

I'm also not a fan of strawberry or mint flavoured things. Strawberries are great but once you start to fake it up it just gets a bit sickly. I really can't stand soft centred chocolates either so strawberry or orange creams always go wasted. And as for coffee creams.... eww! When I lived at home with my folks, our dog thought that chocolate only tasted of strawberry goop as the poor mutt never got to taste any other kind! Mind you... he was always very close by or arrived at your ankles soon after the first rustles of an opening box could be heard, so he must have been partial...

Speaking of Rome - I'd casually dropped it in, of course - I'm off to the Eternal City on Friday. I can't wait. I love it so much. It'll be warm, it'll be stylish, the people will be attractive and I can eat fabulous food 24 hours a day and top it all off with gelato and maybe an amaretto or twenty! Europe is so handy to us Brits and it's stuffed choc full of cool food potentials! My current faves - if anyone has dropped by before may have read - are Rome (sigh!), Seville (sigh plus!), Madrid (lengthy sigh!) and Mallorca (island-breeze-laden sigh!). Of course there are more global faves too, but I'm focusing on Europe right now.

I'm off to Cape Cod in June so if anyone has any tips please drop me a line to tell me of your fave places/food tips/booze locations. I'm already planning a lobster extravaganza.....

Chocolate & Almond Pithivier

What the..?

Completely clueless me! Had a quick look at it too and I'm still baffled. Hmph!

Anyhoo. I've had a pretty slim (excuse pun) week on the cake front. I spent last week in Delhi and enjoyed it so much I decided to bring back a memento. Unfortunately my souvenir of India made itself known on the flight on the way home. I've never been so scared of a seat-belt sign. I had a sick-bag ready and my eye constantly on the loo. Phew! Nine hours of plane toilet trauma! Hence a slight easing off of mass consumption. Then again...

All better now tho and eyeing up a box of lemon and lime Jaffa cakes on my boss' desk....
I tried a raspberry Jaffa cake the other week and was most impressed. Although the original Jaffa is still a firm fave.

The other half and I discovered the joys of Gu last night. Everyone should try it. Really. Before you die.
Chocolate and raspberry dessert. Heaven! The other half was also impressed at the washable (and then obvisouly re-usable) glass ramakin style dishes. What a geek! After much eye rolling from me at such a suggestion, I still wasn't able to prevent them from going into the dishwasher. What next? Saving lolly sticks?