Irish Soda Bread with Dried Cranberries and Candied Orange Peel

12/01/201409/10/2016 Moya10 Comments

Baking home-made bread provides immense satisfaction and even though I have made bread on many occasions I feel a great sense of pride when taking a freshly baked loaf from the oven… every single time. When entertaining I might spend hours preparing for a dinner party and carefully laying the table, but once the home-made bread appears before the guests… all other efforts fade in comparison. With the heavenly baking aromas I would bake fresh bread everyday, but I know I (and the rest of the family) would be the size of a house if I did.

“Bread is the warmest, kindest of words. Write it always with a capital letter, like your own name.” – Russian Cafe Sign. Continue reading “Irish Soda Bread with Dried Cranberries and Candied Orange Peel” →

Vegetable Soup and a Review of 2013

05/01/201410/10/2016 Moya9 Comments

The festivities have come to an end, many rich foods were enjoyed and now the fridge and freezer are almost empty… simple food is craved once again. With the last remaining vegetables I decided to make a pot of soup. Nothing fancy, no special ingredients just a tasty wholesome bowl of soup, served with thick slices of home-made brown bread on the side. You might say I am kicking off the new year with a healthy start but it more comes down to what’s left on the vegetable rack. The soups flavor is determined by the combination of vegetables used and sometimes I like to throw in a granny smith apple for its sweet-tart flavor. I would have used fresh turkey stock but as my good friend Sarah had taken charge of Christmas Day and did an amazing job (I did boxing day), I had no turkey to cook. Continue reading “Vegetable Soup and a Review of 2013” →

baking · food + drink

Italian Christmas Fruitcake – Panforte

15/12/201324/12/2013 Moya9 Comments

I wanted to make a different type of fruitcake for Christmas this year after finding an old piece of paper with a recipe for a fruitcake. Mum had given me the recipe after clearing out her cookbook cupboard, she never made the fruitcake herself but thought I might like to try it… mum hoards recipes too! Called a Palestrina (an area in Italy) Christmas Cake, this fruitcake is packed with nuts, some dried fruit, dark chocolate and candied orange peel, all bound together with a honey and sugar syrup. I guess you could call this a panforte, a renowned speciality fruitcake in Siena, Tuscany. It is best to buy a good quality candied orange peel for this recipe and if you have difficulty finding some, try making your own homemade candied orange peel… it’s not difficult. Continue reading “Italian Christmas Fruitcake – Panforte” →