This week I have been feeling a bit crummy. This is something I am not really used to.

And I must confess I cannot stand it. Feeling sick, looking sick, not being able to do what you want to do or even what you need to do is something that overwhelms me. 

I try to use all sort of strategies to let my body know that it must get well as fast as it can. I try to carry on trying not to be bothered by the faintness. I try to convince myself: you are not ill. You are definitely not ill. Like a mantra.

Baked Cannelloni Cake

It is amazing how powerful words can be. How meaningless ideas floating in the depths of our mind suddenly seem to fit together and make sense.

This is something that doesn't happens too often, and maybe just because of this, when it happens, it’s like a breath of fresh air that makes us feel a bit wiser and slightly older too.

In my case, the trigger is usually something I hear or see. Whether it's a song, someone else’s conversation (yes, it’s something I cannot help, especially if it seems interesting!), a suggestive image or a mundane scene.

Chocolate Chip Cookie In a Cup

This week I have been unable to think about anything else but cakes. And muffins. And macarons. And icings, frostings, sprinkles, chocolate, fillings. And my sugar levels had gone through the roof.

A couple of weeks ago I received an amazing email. I was invited to join one of the sweetest and most extravagant cake events that has been ever held: The Big Cake Show. It was only a week before and I had lots and lots to prepare. I started working like mad, and I involved almost anyone who was around in cutting, peeling, labeling, sticking and packing. Family and friends worked really hard to make The Tiny Marmalade stall look amazing (special thanks to Fran, Isa, Ana, Cecile, Juanma and of course my unconditional other half!). And I must admit it was exhausting… More than 700 tiny jars canned in just 4 days. A burn on my arm. A lot less hair. An average of 3 hours sleep per day. Tons of chocolate. Litres of tea. A bit of sobbing and weeping. A lot of fun and hysterics.

Roasted Pears with Cottage Cheese, Raspberries and Dark Chocolate

I’m sure most of you would have already realized I’m an oven cooking fanatic. Magic things happen in an oven. Food can changes its colour, taste, appearance, texture. Food can raises, melts, gets soft or crunchy.  

When I cook I feel like a scientist. Because cooking is all about chemistry. Quantities, temperatures, times. I love to try out new things and watch what’s going on inside the oven sat in the kitchen floor. Enjoying with the roasted aroma getting stronger while the oven heat keeps me warm and cosy.

We normally do our weekly shopping over the weekend. That means me running through the aisles chasing 2 toddlers while pushing a really heavy trolley in a busy supermarket. But even so, I must admit I love to do my grocery shopping. I have an awkward obsession when I’m in a supermarket.

King Prawns, Emmental and Avocado Pasties

Can you believe it’s 21^st March already?!?

The weather has been so amazingly warm lately, so we had an incredibly busy weekend last week: playing in the park, riding our bikes, walking across the river side, enjoying the sunshine and the summer-like days. Making dinner wasn't so much of a priority.

Have I mentioned before that I love pastries? Yes? Well, I'll say it again. I love pastries! So quick and easy to make, can be filled with almost anything, you can prepare them in advance and then eat them any time. Or you can fill them, put them in the freezer and cook straight from frozen!

And they don’t need to be unhealthy. Everything depends on what you put inside.

Goat Cheese Balls with Tomato Jam and Poppy Seeds

Since I moved to the UK I have been thinking about all the people that have been part of my life. People that used to play a really important role in a particular moment, but whose presence gets blurred with time. Or the most unexpected encounters that stay with you through the test of time.

Apricot and Ginger Trifle

I have been asked several times why are we so keen in supporting Faritrade.

Fairtrade is a simple yet incredibly important idea – it’s all about giving the people who produce the things you buy a fair price for their work. This may seem obvious, but lots of people in have to sell their goods at prices so low that they can’t make a decent living. Often, only a tiny bit of the money you pay for something goes to the person who actually made it.  This happens a lot when we import things from poorer countries. But is also happening more and more to our own farmers and producers, as markets are getting extremely competitive.