Blueberry & Lime Drizzle Cake

So yes, my parents came to visit.

They brought me a little red friend. I took me about a month to decide which cake was to have the honour of christening such a thing of beauty. It had to be something to remember. It had to be something that would need maximum kitchenaid usage. It had to be something that didn't disappoint. So when my Mam mentioned this cake that a friend brought into work and was proclaimed by her colleagues to be 'the best cake they'd ever eaten', I decided I'd found 'the one'.

I'm not sure how I managed to just sit there and drink so much tea with my very own kitchenaid staring at me looking all offended because I hadn't used it yet. I tried to be polite as my parents had just arrived after an overnight ferry trip and all but I could barely sit still. My leg was twitching with excitement and my nails were all but gone. The only two words going through my mind were cake, baking, cake baking, baking, and cake. So after a couple of hours enough was enough. I left my Dad with John and my Mam and I got the baking underway.

A Dutch Tradition...the Uitsmijter

There's nothing better than your parents coming to visit you when you haven't seen them since Christmas and spending a week eating, drinking good wine, good beer and just chilling out. We spent the week in the province of Friesland which is in the North of the Netherlands. If you ever get a chance to visit, you definitely should. It's one of the most peaceful places I've ever been to and was the most beautiful area that we've been to in the Netherlands so far. Think windmills, boats (or rather yachts), tiny houses, bikes and fresh seafood by the sea. Bliss.

A New Arrival...this should mix things up

I don't lust after shoes. I don't lust after bags. I don't lust after coats.

So this little purchase isn't naughty at all...

Welcome to the family my new red friend. I expect we'll be seeing a lot of each other...

Rhubarb Custard Pie with a Crumble Topping

Rhubarb, how I love thee.

I'm very happy right now. Nothing says comfort to me more than rhubarb crumble and custard. However, when it's not below 10 degrees outside, even a die hard fan like me doesn't really crave a steaming hot pudding. So please welcome my all time favourite dessert reincarnated in tart form. 

Rhubarb? Crumble? Custard? Inside a sweet, buttery pastry case you say? Yes please! I'm in! This has got to be one of the best things that's ever happened to me. Now I can indulge my cravings 12 months of the year. The crumble topping reminds me of a flapjack but is very tasty. Needless to say I'm a fan.

Unfortunately, my photography brain wasn't really firing on all cylinders today but don't let my shoddy pictures put you off. It tastes so much better than I've made it look. So if you, like me, spend most of the summer willing the cold weather to return just so you can eat rhubarb crumble, then make this!

Grow Your Own Radishes

Four weeks ago I planted some seeds. Today, I ate radishes. My very own radishes grown by me on my teeny little balcony.

We've been wanting to start growing some veg but having never grown anything bar a few herbs and only having a fairly uninspiring balcony at our disposal, we've been keeping our green fingers pretty clean. So after James Martin mentioned on Saturday Kitchen how easy radishes are to grow, I decided it was time to get my fingers dirty. And yes, the man was right, these were so easy, almost as easy as cress. Within a couple of days of sowing the seeds, little green shoots were showing their heads and there was no stopping them. They're ready to eat when they start to show themselves just above the surface of the soil. And there's really nothing better than eating something that you've watched grow from a seed. So much more satisfying than buying them from a shop. And way cheaper too! I really can't stop raving about them.

If you're wanting to have a go at growing some fruit and veg but don't really know where to start, I can definitely recommend radishes as a great starting point. It'll make you feel like you're the best gardener in the world even if all you've got is a little grey window box and a pair of novice hands to work with.