What’s Taken So Long?

It has been a very, very long time. So where have I been? Why the hiatus?

I graduated in the summer and (luckily) found myself a job! Up until then I had never fully realised just how difficult it is to cook in the little free-time left after work. Not to mention the fact that here in the UK we pretty much live in darkness during the winter months, which subsequently means decent lighting for photographing anything cooked becomes non-existent.

However the new job and lack of lighting weren’t the only reasons for a break. I’ve been working on something new. I wanted to create a new blog, one that was more me. I wanted a whole new look. With recipes old as well as new, life musings and travel snaps. But the process has been lengthy, and the effort lacklustre on my part.

An amazing friend of my brother who just happens to be a web-developer, has kindly volunteered to help make the new space look as fantastic as possible (with the promise of cake in return, of course). It’s not quite ready yet, but I desperately want to share it with all of you from now… I’m super excited about it (even though it is still massively under construction….)!

So to all of my followers, old and new: thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy lives to spend even a second browsing through my blog and being a huge part of it. I could think of nothing greater than you joining me on the new one. So here it is… introducing, Thyme & Honey.

Gabriella x

I made a wedding cake!

I had the great honour of making a wedding cake for a friend of mine recently.

Shakshouka

If you’ve been living in a cave then you might wonder, ‘what is shakshouka?’. Well buddy, I’ll let you in an the big (not so) secret. Shakshouka, or shakshuka is a North African dish believed to have originated from Tunisia. Your average shakshouka will consist of eggs poached in a tomato and pepper sauce which practically screams out for bread to be dunked into it. Countries all over the Middle East (and world) love it, and prepare it in similar yet ever so slightly different ways. For example in Cyprus it is commonly heavily flavoured with cinnamon and cumin, whereas in others, a simple dash of turmeric and cayenne pepper will suffice.

Muhallebi

Muhallebi, where do I begin?

A traditional Turkish dessert, it’s popular throughout the Middle East, as well as in Cyprus. It’s as pretty as a picture, served in individual dishes or one large shallow dish, sprinkled with pistachios, almonds or cinnamon.

It is the most delicate of desserts – milk pudding thickened with rice flour and perfumed with rose or orange blossom. Perfect for hot summer days, and even better after an over indulgent mezze session!

Mujaddara with Mint and Feta

In Arabic the word mujaddara means ‘small pox’, which in this dish refers to the speckled appearance of lentils among rice. Traditionally mujaddara is made by boiling rice, lentils and fried onions together, until the water has been absorbed. Usually I too cook mujaddara in the way of the traditionalist, but this is real life and after work the last thing I want to do is wait for lentils to boil.

A snapshot

I share everything that happens in my kitchen on this blog, yet I rarely share other aspects of my life. Here are some snapshots taken outside of the kitchen, both home and abroad. Taken through the lens of my iPhone – obvs.

Summer Minestrone

I once talked about how a simple bowl of minestrone is the ultimate comfort food. But in the summer months I crave something a little lighter. I’m a huge believer in using produce that’s in season, which is exactly why this minestrone is not only light and delicious, but completely accessible and affordable.

Scandi Rye Bread with Fennel and Pumpkin Seeds

The smell of freshly baked bread wafting through the house is one of the best smells in the world, and this bread does not fail to deliver on that front. Roasted pumpkin seeds teamed with baked bread is an absolute winner, too. So that’s a win/win situation, right?

Mixed with plain flour, this rye bread isn’t too dense yet retains a sourdough quality. Perfect with smoked salmon, beetroot and dill – or just with a bit of butter. Yum.

Summer Courgette Salad with Ricotta Stuffed Courgette Flowers

These mini marrows, also known as courgettes or zucchini, are magical little things. Summertime is their season, and you will find them everywhere. Despite all of the rain we’ve been having here,  beautifully vibrant courgettes with their delicate golden yellow flowers always manage to bring some sunshine to the table.

Pulled Pork with Homemade BBQ Sauce and Autumn Slaw

I am so incredibly excited to share this recipe with you. Not because it’s hands down and for real one of the tasiest things I have ever consumed (modesty is a virtue), but because it’s one of those meals that makes you believe you have a stomache capacity similar to that of Adam Richman. It’s You v. Food and you want it all.

Ok maybe that’s just me, and I’m thankful that I had my family to intervene and pry the succulent meat from my hands and the slaw from my grasp. 1.6kg of pork belly lasts more than a lifetime on the hips my friends. Close call.