Flocking to Hummingbird

Yesterday was a seminal moment in my foodie life - my first ever visit to the famous Hummingbird Bakery. I am now a proud member of the exclusive club of gourmands who has visited both this London bakehouse and the Magnolia Bakery, the even more renowned American version of cake paradise.

A proper "pukka" pie

When it comes to food, we all have our own preferences and peculiarities. After all, eating is the very definition of a matter of taste - indeed, one person’s manna from heaven may well be another’s vision of hellish torture. 

This subjectivity extends not only to the flavour combinations we enjoy, but also to the quality of ingredients and standards of production that we will accept. The sticking point for me is sausages - I refuse to consume a banger containing less than 75% meat. But my boyfriend’s crusade of choice is the quest for the perfect pie. In his eyes, a proper pie is a meaty filling encased entirely in pastry, and a pie “without sides” is nothing more than a stew with a pastry lid.

Destiny in the form of a date (and ginger naan)...

As a recent convert to the benefits of healthy eating and regular exercise, I’ve mainly succeeded in ending my long-standing relationship with doughy goods. Painful memories of speeding treadmills and heavy dumbbells can be an effective deterrent against the temptations of even the crunchiest French baton or softest herb-studded foccaccia.

But Indian naan bread is still my weakness. 

Saturday night spaghetti

Discovered some rather tasty looking chorizo whilst perusing my parents’ fridge. My first opinion of paella was rejected due to laziness - spending Saturday night home alone may be one thing, but spending the majority of the evening standing over a stove stirring rice would just be a step too far.

"It is impossible not to love someone who makes toast for you" - Nigel Slater

I don't make much toast, but I do make a pretty decent bacon sandwich, with lashing of tomato ketchup. It might even have a fried egg in it too, if you're particularly special...