Mango and Lime Cake

Sainsburys sells tinned mango for 41p.  Who could resist?  I made a cake with:

• A tin of mango (250g drained)
• 2 eggs
• 125g butter
• 125g sugar
• 125g self-raising flour, with an added teaspoon of baking powder
• dash of vanilla essence
• zest of 1 lime

1. Cream the butter and sugar.  Add the lime zest. Add the vanilla essence.

2. Drain the mango well. Puree half of it in a blender.  Add to the mix.

3. Add the eggs and the flour little by little, beating well at each addition.

4. Cut the remaining mango into small chunks.  Fold into the mix.

5. Pour into a lined 20cm tin and bake at 325 farenheit / 170 celsius for 35 minutes.

When the cake was turned out onto a plate, but still warm, I added a lime syrup.  It required:

• the juice of 1 lime
• 4 teaspoons of demera sugar

6. Dissolve the sugar in the lime juice.  Prick small holes in the top of the cake with a toothpick.  Spoon the syrup over the cake.  Give it time to soak before serving.

Here’s my result:

It is quite squishy.  Next time I will cook it for longer on a lower heat and be sure to drain the mango more thoroughly…

3km swum yesterday, 2km today.

PS – the toe is not broken.  In all probability. And in the ongoing quest for London’s best baklava, I revisisted Sophocles Bakery in Camberwell Green.  It was top-notch.  Again.  Further testing to follow.

Have I Broken My Toe?

…is a question I have been asking myself for the past two days, ever since, while crossing the kitchen to peel a carrot over the bin, I kicked a chair hard.  The fourth toe of my left foot took the brunt.

On balance, I’m guessing it’s not broken, because a) the toe still seems to be straight b) there’s no clicking sound when I wiggle it and c) I haven’t run a temperature or thrown up.  It is, however, as shiny as a raven’s wing.

I must be adjusting my posture because when I swam this evening various tendons and muscles were tighter than usual.

Last night I made a sponge to cheer myself up.  24hrs in the fridge have made it dense and tight:

The jam is a) raspberry and b) posh and c) expensive.  It is a good investment.

I grow more convinced that the start of making a cake is the most important moment.   Soften the butter well.   Cream it with the sugar until they are one, without a hint of grittiness.  Beat the mixture until it is as light as the froth on the crest of a wave.  This is the baker’s mirror, signal, manoeuvre.

2kms swum on Tuesday, 1.5kms this evening.

A 3-Course Meal in 50 Minutes

This was the 3-course meal I made for friends this evening.  Simple and light.

The starter was smoked salmon on bread, served with lemon and a dressed rocket salad.  The dressing was one part fresh lemon juice to three parts olive oil, a little parsley, salt and black pepper.

The main was Spanish omelette:

• 1 large potato
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 slug of olive oil
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• pinch of mixed herbs
• worcestershire sauce
• 1 large tomato, cut into rings

1. Peel the potato and cut it into rough cubes.  Put in a pan and just cover with cold water.  Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.  Drain well.

2. Fry the onion in the oil on a gentle flame until translucent.  Add the potato.  Add a dash of worcestershire sauce.  Stir until potato is coated, and fry for a further 2 minutes.

3. Pour over the eggs, lightly beaten with the mixed herbs (NB by lightly beaten I mean just enough to break the yolks and start to mix them.  Much more than that and you get scrambled eggs.)  Cook for 5 minutes or until base is firm enough that it holds its shape when you lift up the edge.  The top should still be runny.

4. Place under a pre-heated grill for 2 mins until the top starts to get firm.  Put the tomato rings on top. Keep grilling until the omelette is golden brown all over.

Dessert was mango fool.  Of the three courses this was the best return on effort:

• 400g tin of mango
• 1 fresh lime
• 400g natural Greek yoghurt

1. Drain the mango.  Pulverise it in a blender.  Stir in the juice of half the lime.

2. Add the mango puree to individual teacups, alternating with Greek yoghurt, splodge by splodge.   Refrigerate for at least an hour.  Serve.

Voila!  It won’t win you Come Dine With Me.  But it’s fun to do for people you feel relaxed with.

That’s my fifth challenge for 2009 completed.

North London’s Best Ice Cream

Suprisingly few aches and pains after yesterday.  I even felt like swimming: 2.25 kms in Swiss Cottage.

After lunch I sauntered to Marine Ices by Chalk Farm Tube.  I’ve never tried the sit down cafe.  But the ice cream is phenomenal.

The range is as good as a real European gelateria’s.  They have lime sorbet, giandula, and italian toffee, to name just three of the flavours you won’t find in your standard ice cream van.

With today’s sunny weather there were queues.  It’s worth the wait.

Swumathon

Up at 7.00 this morning.  A carbohydrate-heavy breakfast of tea, weetabix, banana, clementines, and, um, a gingerbread man.  Sugar is a carbohydrate.

Arrived at Ironmonger Row Baths at 9.30.  The view from the spectatators’ gallery reminded me how great the pool is.  High ceilings, clear water, and light in abundance.

I met a few other apprehensive types like me in the lobby.  They included Simone, who, it turns out, had read this blog.  If you’re reading this, hi Simone!  I hope you enjoyed the day.  I enjoyed being your lane buddy.

Down by the poolside at ten to ten.  Here’s me before.  Note the stylish hat:

And then it began.  I don’t remember much of it, to be honest.  My goggles leaked, so I could’t see clearly.  The swim hat means you can’t hear much.  And I soon lost count of the laps.  These points I do remember:

• when the official lap counter told me I had done 104 lengths, with 60 to go.  This filled me with renewed purpose
• when I stopped at 10 lengths later to drink Ribena and immediately felt my foot start to cramp.  This filled me with despair.  Fortunately, both cramp and despair passed

Here’s an action shot:

In just under 1 hour 36 – official time to be confirmed – it was done.  They gave me a medal.  We went for a restorative burrito.  Here’s me a bit later:

Finally, because it’s the first medal I’ve got in many years and probably the last for many more, and you have to make the most of these moments, here’s a close-up:

So there we go.  Nearly £300 raised for swimathon; 5kms swum at a pace I’m happy with; and my fourth challenge of 9 completed.

Two Days to Go Until Swimathon…

..and I’ve done my last bits of preparation in the pool: 1.25kms on Tuesday, 1.5kms tonight.

When I explained to someone at work that I was easing off in preparation they said to me “ah, you’re tapering.”

I smiled, nodded and thought they were crazy.

However, when someone else said exactly the same thing mere minutes later, I realised it must be a proper thing.   And indeed it is, endorsed by the BBC.

The swimathon instructions came through.  They warn that once you are in the pool, you cannot get out until the bitter end.  Ominous.

Next time I post I will be, fingers crossed, on the other side…

Less Than a Week to Go

I had a great Easter visiting family.

While I was there, I swam 1.5kms at Tommy Taylors in Cheltenham, and 0.75 km at Cascades in Tewkesbury.

It’s odd swimming outside London.  The capital has a far higher concentration of a) students and b) health fanatics.  I’m usually the slowest person in the fast lane the fastest in the medium.  But on Saturday and Sunday I was consistenly the fastest of all.

The swimathon is this Saturday.  I’m a mix of apprehension and anticipation.  It should be fun, if I make it to the end in one piece.  If.

Until then I’ll only swim a little, if at all, so as to be raring to go.

Edinburgh

I got back this morning from 40 wonderful hours in Edinburgh.

We were real tourists. We climbed Arthur’s Seat, Calton Hill, and the Scott Monument.  We admired the Stone of Destiny, the Lewis chesspieces, and Greyfriars Bobby. We visited the Museum of Scotland, the Royal Academy and the National Gallery.  We went along the Royal Mile from the very top of the castle to the fields by Holyroodhouse Palace.  You can see some of the photos here.

We ate lots of good things:

• blueberry cheesecake from the Manna House Bakery
• passionfruit cheesecake from the Sicilian Bakery
• pork and chive dumplings from Chop Chop
• soor plums and saltire rock from Toddle In
• millionaire shortbread and lavender infusion from Tea Tree Tea
• baklava and hot chocolate from the Truva cafe
• curry from Zest
• and a good old pot of tea from Jenners

For many of these recommendations, I am grateful to Miss Edinburgh – spot on every time.

We tried two cinemas.  The Filmhouse was a characterful venue.  Unfortunately the film – the Oxford Murders – was so trite that we walked out after 40 minutes.  The Damned United at the Omni Vue was much more watchable.

Our guesthouse – the Davenport – was excellent; comfortable, quiet, good value and with a fantastic breakfast.

A word on the sleeper train.  The berths are very cute.  You get a free mini toiletries kit and a breakfast.   And the train arrives early enough to let you get a lot done.

But sleeping is not easy.  The swaying and clanking take some getting used to.  And you have to hope your fellow passengers are considerate (ours were not.)

Of Edinburgh’s many positive attributes, I liked these best:

• the people – everyone we spoke to was extremely helpful and polite
• the contrast between the Old and New Town, between medieval maze and Enlightment order
• Princes Street Gardens and its fabulous views

There was only one thing I didn’ t like, and that was the traffic signal timings.  As a pedestrian you have to wait a long time for your turn to cross the road and then hurry across.

All in all, I’m really glad I tried both the sleeper train and Edinburgh.  While I might have to think a bit before doing the former again I would not hesitate to revisit the latter.

Finally, on my return to London I went for a swim in Swiss Cottage – 3kms.

Now I’m absolutely zonked and am crawling off for a nap…

London’s Best Baklava?

No swimming yesterday.  Instead, I played badminton for the first time in a year.

As a result, some motor functions are impaired today.

Typing is hard.  Holding a toothbrush is harder.  Spraying deodorant, for some reason, is hardest of all.

However, swimming was still doable – 3kms at Swiss Cottage.

This afternoon, I went to Broadway Bagel Bakery in Cricklewood, one of the nine places I said I would try out when I was feeling inspired by London restaurant week.

Inspiring is not a word you could use to describe Broadway Bagels.

I had a raspberry cheesecake for £1.70.  The topping was too gelatinous, the cheesey bit too dry, and the biscuit too crumbly to win any awards.

So that was that.  Which wasn’t enough.   Why settle for OK, when wonderful might be round the corner?

This is how I ended up a on a bus across North London to Archway.

You see, the other night – quite by chance – I came across these enthusiastic reviews for a place called Yildiz Bakery.

I’m growing rather fond of baklava.  The claim that Yildiz had the best in London was worth checking.

I had three small pieces.  The honey and syrup oozed.  The pastry flaked in all the right places.

It makes me a little sad that I rarely have any reason to head in that general direction.  I would happily revisit Yildiz.  Not just for the baklava, but to try the flatbreads that are baked on a giant metal mushroom in the shop window.

A Good Day

It is spring, and I am on holiday.

Lying half-awake at 5am I heard birdsong, and an early train off in the distance.

At 7.45 I set off for Swiss Cottage.  The shops were just beginning to open up on the way.  There was barely any traffic.

I was among the first in the pool.  I swam 2.25km, to add to 1.75km I swam last night.

At 10.30 we took the tube to the Cartoon Museum.  It was a pleasant enough way to spend an hour.  The exhibits cover everything from Hogarth to Viz.

We dropped in briefly at Playin’ Games, the best place for board games in London.  Lunch at hummus bros in Soho: houmous with fava beans and a hard-boiled egg, carrot sticks and pitta.

Dessert from Beard Papa – a cream puff eclair with vanilla custard.

And finally a pearl tea from Cafe de Hong Kong.  The “pearls” are little balls of tapioca.  They don’t have much flavour, but the consistency is fun.  You get extra big straws to suck them up.  And they go in all kinds of juices and smoothies.  Mine’s at the front – mango and strawberry:

Then we wandered past cybercandy and the Australian shop in Covent Garden down to the river.

By this time it was a glorious afternoon :

Hungerford Bridge and the South Bank were teeming.  So was the chocolate fair behind the South Bank.

We took the Jubilee Line from Waterloo up to Baker Street.  Regent’s Park was luxuriating in the sun.  We stopped for a while under a chestnut that was newly in leaf.

Primrose Hill was crowded with people enjoying the view:

We kept on walking past Swiss Cottage and up Finchley Road to West Hampstead.  On the way we picked up a lupa pizza.

It was Milly’s last day before she heads back off to Canada.  She chose dessert and asked me to make a chocolate marshmallow cake.

We rounded off the evening playing on the wii fit.

I am always sad to say goodbye to Milly, but happy that we could all spend such a great day together.