Brilliant News & The Best Chocolate Cake

So some brilliant news to kick off the week! We have a publishing date for the Make,Bake,Love book: 21st October and to top off all the excitement of that we're having a baby in December! Yay! We're so delighted and can't wait for both brilliant new arrivals; book and baby! So I'm taking 'maternity leave' from the Supper Club for a few months, August is our last and is fully booked. We are having a Tea Party in aid of Down Syndrome Ireland in the supper club on 27th August and there's still places left, Read about it here! To celebrate here's the most amazing chocolate cake recipe, it's flourless, a dream to make and tastes even better when kept in the fridge overnight. Hurray!

The May Loaves&Fishes Menu

Last Saturday night I went to a lovely pop up supper club in Ballymaloe Cookery School held by Gill Hegarty. It was brilliant to go to someone elses supper and Gill really pulled out all the stops! Her homemade ravioli was amazing and  I actually can't stop thinking about the beef carpaccio with beetroot and horseradish sauce! There were 4 courses and for dessert she made an almond, prune and brandy tart which was absolutely gorgeous! I must get that recipe. Gill is hoping to do the supper club once a month and you can find out more on her facebook page.

Meanwhile I have the menu for next weekends supper all planned out. One thing I definitely learned from going to Gill's supper is that I was so full by the end of the night! I give people massive portions so I actually need to tone it down a bit! I'll be emailing everyone who's booked in with the finer details on Sunday. Hopefully the weather will be nice and summery and will set the tone for this middle eastern delight of a night!

Mezze Plate (Hummus, Dukkah, Olives from The English Market, Beetroot dip & pittas)

Green Salad

Ottolenghis' Open Kibbeh, Carrot Salad, Tzatziki & Green Couscous

Strawberries with hibiscus tea, vanilla cream and Pistachio shortbread

Almond and Orangeflower Moroccan Snake

Tea & Coffee

I've put a link to the kibbeh above, it's unbelievably tasty. I've made it a few times now, it works really well as a packed lunch/picnic and is lovely warm in a pitta bread with salad too.

The Moroccan snake (in the photos above) is a gorgeous theatrical pastry that I learned to make in Ballymaloe. It's really lovely with strong coffee or Mint tea. I love the idea of having one of these on each table when we serve the coffees!

Lilly x



Organising my magazine stash!

I seem to never be able to throw out a magazine. Probably because on Page 85 there is a small photo of curtains that I like, or a recipe, or an interview with an inspiring woman who has perfected the work/life balance and has two rosy cheeked children called Freddie and Delilah and a brilliantly behaved springer spaniel. I never throw out the magazines because I'm afraid I might forget all this 'stuff'. What if one day I wake up and can't remember if that beautiful bedroom was painted with Farrow and Ball's  'Elephant's breath' or 'Mouses back'? Well I have come up with a solution. Thank God.