Saturday brekker

Herb has raised the weekend breakfast to an institution. Not for her a mindless re-fuel before getting the papers, and she makes sure to spread the word. I think of her as the breakfast evangelist.  She often texts or emails a report of her weekend morning fodder, always with a question about what I am eating.

By contrast I can be found having left over curry, pork pie or kaya toast to tide me over while I decide what to eat on my leisurely mornings. The luxury of rising later and eating without time constraint definitely changes the menu options! Last weekend I had my first asparagus of the season,  with fennel lemon salad and sobrasada on toast. I sat in the sun, listening to bird song in the May-blooming garden.

This weekend there is a half-term break from yoga, so I headed to the market (more sweet, lithe English asparagus), then on to late breakfast and coffee at Arloe and Moe's. My favourite dish there is the savoury avocado and feta 'sexy toast' but today I was swayed by a nostalgia for the very Australian dish of French toast with berries, yoghurt and maple syrup. 

I wasn't wrong, it was perfect!

Today is Bert's birthday so I raised my flattie to toast her health, wealth and coming year.

simples

And then there are those soothing moments when, with the minimal effort that comes with habit, I knocked up a cauliflower yogurt soup and a couple of loaves of soda bread without even thinking.

Inspired by the gigantic, cream cauli's in the market, I bought one every week and made this. The coriander seeds give a fresh, lemon taste and the soup is somehow simultaneously hearty and light.  Bread, still slightly warm, is the only way I want to eat this.

17 April

spring

I just love the month of May. The garden is burdened with lilac scent and bridal May tree, and saturated with birdsong.  And then there are the Bank holiday weekends which creep up, unexpected. After a hectic year this long weekend has been such an oasis that I re-learnt the art of relaxing, thanks too to Jimmy.

Friday night saw a tired, hungry girl supper of bacon and cabbage stir fry with noodles. Speedy, filling and very Friday-night-slob this kind of dish is the very reason that sesame oil and soy sauce are in my essential staples.

After Saturday yoga - a welcome return to un-cranking my back and neck - I had an undeserved treat, of a trip to Arloe & Moe for coffee and avocado toast. My favourite dish at my favourite place. There followed two superb breakfasts involving eggs, spinach, toast, and occasional bacon; and two afternoons at a steamy, sauna-ey, swimey place, courtesy of Jimmy, which melted my brain and re-set it to factory settings.  Well, maybe not quite that slow, but very nearly. 

After steams, swims, coffees, lie-ins and lovely food, my limbs feel like liquid and not a headache on the horizon!

Tonight you can see that spring has permeated my pantry.  Roast lemon chicken wtih salad and rice, and a Campari and soda. Welcome, Spring! You are a tasty sight.