How do you like your eggs is a pretty common question, but how do you like your Pavlova is an equally interesting question. Some people like them crunchy on the outside and chewy in the middle. Other people like them brittle and crisp all the way through. I like mine with a marshmallow soft centre and a delicate crispy crust. I think your answer will strongly depend on the type of Pavlova you ate when growing up. Continue Reading…
This is the second time I made this particular cake, and I am always surprised how decadent and chocolaty it is. The ground almonds and Cointreau make this a very rich cake. One thin slice with a cup of coffee is perfect, which means this cake goes a long way. It is a great cake for entertaining or for birthday parties. It has such an intense flavour and you definitely don’t miss the flour at all. Continue Reading…
Last week, I started to make these éclairs as I have a book at home called ‘Last dinner on the Titanic’. I used the éclair recipe from the book, as April 14th is the 100th year anniversary of the Titanic hitting an iceberg. I thought it would make an interesting blog post that would reflect a bit on the last meal eaten by those poor souls that were lost that night. I was just about to pipe the éclairs, when I realised I couldn’t find my cloth piping bag. The best piping bag I have is this old cloth piping bag. I was delighted when I finally found it. This isn’t just any piping bag. This is my Mum’s piping bag. It’s the one she used to use when she made éclairs when we were kids. My Mum passed away last year, so now everything belonging to her is so full of history. I don’t think I’ve ever used this piping bag without smiling or crying and remembering and reflecting on her life. I love the way these types of benign artefacts take you away from the banal to a moment in time. I guess history is always around us, we just need to take a step back and tune into it.Other than the Titanic, there is another reason why April 14th is an historical day of sorts. Yesterday, the OH and I finally got married and had a beautiful marraige at my home. There was alot of cheese, and even the bride and groom wore aprons. It was so much fun 🙂 I promise to post some photos soon. Continue Reading…
You may not know it, but, the 6th of April is in fact Tartan Day. It’s a day to celebrate Scottish heritage and a day for the Scottish diaspora all over the world to celebrate tartan and Scottish culture. April 6th marks the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath which confirmed Scotland’s status as an independent sovereign state. During the 18th century there was an attempt to ban tartan in an effort to bring warrior clans under control. Thankfully it never happened and tartan remains as popular as ever today. As a McDonald, I feel I should pay some attention to my roots and wanted to celebrate this quirky feast day with some food. I think Tartan Day is a great way to wear some beautiful colours, cook up some Scottish food and celebrate our ancestors. So what better way to celebrate tartan day, than with a tart. A wee tartan tart *to be said in a Scottish accent*.
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These apple tarts are a treat to eat. The slightly crisp apple slices, the tart blueberries, creamy custard and buttery pastry make for one delicious mouthful. They also look totally divine and are sure to impress. In truth, they were a little tricky to make and there was a lot of apple slicing involved! I did harbor some doubts as I surveyed the enormous mound of apple slices in front of me. However it all worked out in the end and my work paid off. These tarts are definitely worth the effort if you fancy something a little bit special. Continue Reading…
There’s something about Mary Berry. She’s the kind of cook that stands the test of time and produces recipes that can always be relied on. My mother’s favourite cookbook at home was the old Hamlyn cookbook and Mary Berry was one of the books contributing authors. Mary’s recipes were the ones we always used, her tarts, cakes and pies were always the crispest, the lightest and the tastiest. On the inside cover of the old Hamlyn cookbook there is a black and white photo of Mary as a young cook, she was quite a stunner in her day and still looks great. Mary’s career continues to thrive and her talent and charisma have wowed a whole new generation of bakers on the Great British Bake off. Mary Berry is somewhat of a baking icon and the kind of person you’d love to share a cup of tea and a slice of cake with. Continue Reading…
You can find some of my favorite gluten-free recipes in my eBook available from Amazon.
I'm Vicky and Stasty is my simple and tasty food recipe blog. I love to cook and I love to talk about food, so this blog is really my ramblings and thoughts about cooking and eating. Some of the recipes are my own and some are ones that I found on the net or picked up from my favorite cookbooks. I cook everything in our little kitchen in beautiful Washington. I am aided and abetted by my I.T guru/tantrum-trouble-shooter/editor and chief-taster otherwise known as the OH or Nelius.