Ginger, Walnut, Date cake... with a twist...

Hubby is learning to bake.  

He's an amazing cook but baking is his next Everest.

Over the weekend he treated me to a Walnut, Ginger and Date cake that was so delicious I asked him if I was allowed to share the recipe with blogland. You see even though he used (and improved) a basic Date Loaf recipe from bestrecipes.com he added a little magic.....

Lemon Thyme ... in the icing!

And oh boy does it work. 

Melted couverture/ quality organic white chocolate and fresh lemon thyme buds.

Crushed and sprinkled on top before the chocolate hardens.

Genius.

Here's the recipe if you'd like to try it....

Ingredients

1 cup chopped dates

1/4 Cup chopped 'Naked' Buderim Ginger - (Glace Ginger will work, though)

1/4 Cup Chopped walnuts - Chunky is great!
1- 1 1/2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda 1 cup boiling water

1 x tsp cinnamon

1 x tsp ground ginger
2 tablespoons soft butter
3⁄4 cup sugar (I like to use brown sugar)
1 beaten egg
1 cup self-raising flour
1⁄2 cup plain flour

Method 

1. Grease a loaf tin. or use baking paper
2. Place dates, cinnamon, ground Ginger, Naked Ginger, walnuts, soda and hot water in a bowl and stir - allow to thicken and cool  slightly.
3. In another bowl,mix butter & sugar,  add egg and mix until creamy.
4. Add date mix to butter mix, then add flours and mix well.
5.  Bake at 180°C for about 45 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.
6. Melt some good quality white chocolate to spread in a thin layer on top
7. Sprinkle with fresh thyme buds before chocolate hardens

Cake on a Cold Morning and Thrifted Treasures

Am I really that crazy?

Is it wrong for me to sacralize the coldest months of the year?

I know so many people who think I'm nuts and even though most of them agree that a cozy fire or a heartwarming soup remain delights to be treasured - they usually draw a line at grey and wet.

Me? 

Well to be honest - Sunshine coupled with near zero degree temps.

Now that's Nirvana for me.

Yesterday was one of those days.

Waking up to a mere .8 of a degree outside - I skipped the outdoor shower for the first time ever.

For those of you who are wondering what the big deal is... believe you me Perth is not about COLD it's all about HOT. So for us "this be a bloomin big deal" The sun was out in absolute resplendent grandeur and the lack of clouds only added to the stark brightness of this icy day. Looking outside you'd have been forgiven for thinking it was just another summer morning in the hills.

Indeed the view from my kitchen windows had me wondering if the weather application on my phone was faulty? Then I poked my nose outside.

Very quickly I slammed the door shut and turned the heater on.

After rugging up and taking my lad to school, I returned home to enjoy a leisurely breakfast....

Of tea...

... and cake.

Hubby's Whole Orange cake - with a spread of marmalade. Goes BRILLIANTLY with Earl Grey. 

Must be the Bergamot?

(Here's the original recipe)

Tweaked using Cumquat's from our garden.

This hedonistic breakfast had me savouring the morning in all it's glory.

Here I was sitting at my kitchen table (adorned with a pretty vintage linen tablecloth I thrifted this week for only $6!) 

 .... listening to the birds outside and admiring another lovely thrift find just outside my front door.

Isn't she stunning? 

She guards my front patio like a Sphinx.

I also filled a few bottles with some bits from the garden and hung them from the meter box.

The bottles are Santa Vittoria Fruit Nectar bottles with the label peeled off, a bit of decorative paper and some (you guessed it) twine to hang it with.

And for that little something extra -  a small paper fan made from the page of a vintage novel.

So simple - just fold the paper concertina style, add a feather and tie up one end with a bit of string or twine - I make these as decorations all the time - for presents, for table settings etc.

I might add that these drinks are pretty yummy too - and no nasties!

(My favourite is PEAR)

And my last thrifted treasure for the week - this silver scoop (looks kind of like a gravy boat)

found for only $8 at the local Salvos) which I gifted to Hubby as a salt pot.

So after taking my time to just "be" I was charged and ready for a day of... um... cleaning.

And you know what? It was great.

So come on peoples. Let's start a new club.

The "Eat Cake & Drink Tea For Breakfast Club"

Membership is free.

All in favour ....

... Wag a tail