Aesthetics & Gastronomy

Banana Bread with Dark Chocolate, Pecans & Apricots

2013-05-09T15:28:04+01:00

When I was a student at Hull University, one of the snack bars at the students' union sold the most delicious slices of banana bread. Although I came close to recreating the recipe several years after leaving uni, the notebook it was written in has mysteriously disappeared.

This isn't *that* recipe but it is equally delicious. And, it has the accolade of being the cake that proved to me that it really was possible to successfully create recipes for gluten, dairy and egg free cakes. Ones that actually looked and tasted like proper cakes.

Here's the recipe.

Sowing Seeds ...

2013-04-25T14:47:44+01:00

Finally spring has arrived. Sort of. So, this month is seed sowing month. My propagator* is full to bursting and every other available space in the greenhouse is filled with seed trays. I love this part of the veg growing process. It's still such a thrill to go into the greenhouse every morning to see what has germinated over night.

Here's what's gone in so far ...

pumpkins & squashes - red kuri :: festival :: crown prince :: invincible :: potimarron

courgettes - parthenon :: tuscany :: soleil :: romanesco :: all green bush :: one ball

french beans - aiguillon :: slenderette :: amethyst :: cobra

runner beans - moonlight

borlotti beans - lingua fi fuoco

asparagus peas

peas - misty

beetroot - boltardy :: chioggia :: golden detroit :: albina vereduna

sweetcorn - sundance

tomatoes - rio grande :: marglobe :: sungold :: tigerella

brussel sprouts - brest :: red rubine

spring greens & cabbages - greensleeves :: marner storing red

kale - nero di toscana :: scarlet

chard - white silver :: bright lights

purple sprouting broccoli - late white :: claret

leeks - pandora :: musselburgh

globe artichokes - violetta di chioggia :: green globe :: gros vert de laon :: violetto precoce

herbs - coriander :: basil :: dill :: summer savory :: chervil

lettuce - freckles :: can can

*My propagator is a simple construction using a large wooden box with two perspex lids. Inside there's a warming cable which is laid on top of a layer of sand, then a sheet of plastic to cover the cable and finally some capillary matting. The cable is connected to a thermostat so I can adjust the internal temperature as and when necessary.

Season to Taste

2013-04-16T15:44:08+01:00

Salt and pepper, two ingredients that most cooks wouldn't be without. I like to use Cornish sea salt and a blend of black, green, white and pink peppercorns.

Hot Cross Buns for Good Friday

2013-03-28T17:08:17+00:00

It's Good Friday tomorrow and that means freshly baked hot cross buns for breakfast. So this evening I'll be preparing some hot cross bun dough which I'll shape into buns and leave in the fridge to rise overnight. Then bright and early tomorrow morning, I just need to pipe the crosses on the buns before baking them. Finally I'll brush the buns with their lovely sticky glaze and then they'll be ready to enjoy for breakfast.