Sugar and Grain-Free Banana Bread Recipe

It's been eighteen months now since I gave up sugar. Yeah, you heard it right; this previously cake-obsessed afternoon tea addict gave up sugar. Actually, that's slightly misleading. I gave up eating all sugar except for a couple of small bits of fruit a day. I had realised I was just eating far too much of the sweet stuff, either in cakes, biscuits or desserts, but also, more insidiously, in the supposedly healthy things I was eating: dried fruit, maple syrup, honey and even an abundance of fruit. It's shocking how many equivalent teaspoons of sugar you're eating when you tot up a few day's worth. Many of us are busting the WHO's guidelines on daily sugar consumption by the end of breakfast time without even realising it. The time came when I didn't feel happy ignoring my spiking and crashing blood-sugar levels so I just cut my sugar-eating right down.

Review: Kensington Palace Orangery

Before heading off on my summer break to the Midwest of the US of A (where I had a wonderful time but drank very little tea worth writing about) I was lucky enough to be invited to sample the relaunched afternoon tea at Kensington Palace's Orangery. Now, the Orangery is somewhere I've always intended to visit but being located in a part of town I don't venture to very often, I have somehow never quite managed it. To make even more of a treat of it, I took my sister H along.

Review: Café am Waldsee, Zehlendorf

As I have mentioned before, I love going to museums and galleries with good cafés. Obviously I love going to museums and galleries generally but it's so much more enjoyable when there's somewhere nice to have a spot of lunch or afternoon tea while you're there.

Review: Anderson & Co, Peckham

I've written before about how one of the nicest things about having a blog is the opportunities it creates for meeting like-minded people. So when Jess of Knitting on Trains mentioned that she lived in my neck-of-the-woods and wondered whether I'd like to meet up for afternoon tea I jumped at the chance. I was really keen to re-visit a café I'd had lunch at a few months ago - especially as I'd spent much of the meal looking longingly at their rather good-looking cake selection.

Review: Sowohlalsauch, Prenzlauer Berg

I'm not quite sure why I have never written about what is probably my favourite cake place in Berlin. It isn't a reluctance to share the love for fear of never getting a table: the place is always rammed anyway. I think it might have something to do with the fact that my feelings are pretty conflicted about the place.  Sowohlalsauch occupies a large corner plot in the prettiest bit of Prenzlauer Berg and is always, day and night, really busy. During the summer the enormous terrace is full of locals, tourists, dogs, sparrows, and anyone else who is quick enough to reserve a coveted sunny spot. Even in the autumn everyone huddles under blankets beneath the huge awning that keeps off the rain and the worst of the wind.

Clementine Cupcake Recipe

Yesterday I made some pretty amazing cupcakes. Okay you're thinking, calm down with the arrogant claims; but I'm telling you, I can hardly stop myself stuffing my face with the lot of them. Lovely and moist, with a distinct but subtle - almost marmalade - flavour they are pretty much everything I like in a cake.

In Praise of Black Forest Gâteaux

I have been absent from this blog for some time. A combination of work and lack of inspiration has kept me away - apologies for that. But finally I have been driven to write by a truly awesome cake experience.

I've always been a fan of unfashionable food: fondue - one of my favourites; cheese and pineapple hedgehogs - a party nibble of choice; and now Black Forest Gâteaux. I have to admit I've always been a fan in theory. The combination of chocolate, cherry and cream - I mean, what's not to like? But more often than not they're of the light and tasteless variety and never offer enough of a chocolate or cherry hit to be really satisfying. But recently I enjoyed a Black Forest Gâteau - or Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte as they're known in German-speaking countries - so delicious I'm ready to spearhead a one-woman revival.

Review: Princess Cheesecake, Mitte

Berlin is a city that is constantly changing. From the squat bars that I so loved in the early nineties to the coffee bars of today, it's the kind of place where you can never be sure that that little restaurant/bar/café that you loved visiting on your last trip is still going to be there on your next. Although that can be sad it's also what makes the city vibrant and exciting.

An Art Deco Delight

I really love the idea of pop-up restaurants. The chance to visit someone's home and have them cook for you is exciting and definitely satisfies the nosey-parker in me. Although I'd only been to one pop-up afternoon tea before I have been keeping my eyes open for any others that looked appealing. Then, out of the blue, I got an email from my lovely friend B who told me about an Art Deco inspired tea party that her and her partner S were going to. Frankly, the words Art Deco and tea put together in a sentence are enough to make me go just about anywhere but when she told me it was in Peckham - just up the road from me - I was beyond excited.

Review: Napoljonska, Mitte

Do you sometimes get stuck in a rut afternoon tea-wise? No? Well maybe it's just me. Really good tea and cake experiences are just not that thick on the ground, so when I have the chance to indulge I find it very difficult to pass up on one of my old favourites where I know I'm going to get exactly what I want. But sometimes you have to branch out and try something new.

A Perfect Sunday

There are few things I like better on a sunny day than poking around gardens that aren't usually open to the public: whether it's a workplace garden or an someone's own little oasis, I love seeing places that are usually reserved for private down-time. Actually I like nosing around pretty much anywhere but that's by the by. So I was pretty excited when I read about Anderl Kammermeier on one of the Berlin blogs I follow. He's an artist who opens the garden of his studio once a month in the summer. Not only does he welcome the public to peek into his private world, but he provides a space for a series of performances and a cafe in which to purchase cake. Clearly, I needed no more encouragement.

Konditor and Cook - My Saviours

 

Leisurely afternoon teas have sadly been out of the question for me lately, but that doesn't mean I haven't been making the effort to indulge in a quick cuppa and little something sweet. Thank goodness then for Konditor and Cook. From their fantastic mince pies to their tangy Black Gingerbread, their shops shops really are a sight for work-weary eyes. I could write a post on pretty much any one of their cakes (yes I have tried most of them...) but I'm here to tell you about their amazing brownies.

Review: Petitou, Peckham

One of the best things about moving house is exploring all the little shops and restaurants of your new 'hood. But obviously for me it's all about discovering previously unknown cafes and teashops. So when my friend L told me she had spotted a nice looking cafe near the place she does an upholstery course (note to self: check out the courses there ASAP) I could hardly wait to go.

Review: Fleet River Cafe, Holborn

It always makes me happy when I read about a new independent cafe. With so many chains filling every high street in the UK it's good to know that smaller enterprises can make a go of it. One such place I was particularly pleased to hear about was Fleet River Bakery. For those of you that don't know the Fleet River is one of London's old rivers that is now subterranean. It starts in Hampstead and flows down to the River Thames just near Blackfriars. Apparently there are certain spots where you can hear the river flowing beneath your feet as part of London's labyrinthine sewer system.

Maid in Japan

From reading my last post you could be forgiven for thinking that Japan is simply a country of tranquil tearooms, zen gardens and traditions stretching back hundreds, if not thousands, of years. But, as I hinted, there is a whole other side to the place, and for my money it's a side every bit as interesting. Nowhere is this other side more evident than in Tokyo. Tokyo is quite definitely my kind of town: streets as busy as Oxford Street on a Saturday; neon lights that dazzle your eyes; and noise emanating from shops, arcades and even passing trucks. It may rain a lot (witness the umbrella cover dispensers outside every shop) and it may not be the most beautiful of places but it really feels alive.

Upmarket Cupcakes

I've realised I am becoming quite fussy when it comes to cupcakes. The more baking I do myself, the more I feel it's unacceptable for so-called bakeries to make a boring old vanilla cupcake, stick a few sweets on top and charge upwards of £1.75 for it. So what a delight to stumble upon Molly Bakes yesterday. I had a lunchtime bowling date for a friends birthday and on the way home decided to pop into UpMarket at the Truman Brewery to grab a bite to eat. One delicious Ethiopian injera wrap later it was time to head home. But just as I was thinking "hmmmnnn, what I really fancy is something sweet", the Molly Bakes stall appeared before me as if a vision. My growing scepticism about cupcakes may have encouraged me to walk on by were it not for the lavender cupcakes I spotted.

Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

I really hate wasting food; it just feels wrong on every level. But there are some things that no matter how infrequently I buy them, I seem to find myself tossing, mouldy, into the bin a week or two later. One such culprit is the black banana. Truth be told I'm not the world's biggest banana fan. Oh I like them and everything, but if I'm reaching for a piece of fruit it's generally fairly low down on my list of preferences. Coffee Boy purportedly loves them though, so from time to time I buy him a bunch. But clearly he doesn't love them quite enough as I often find them hanging sadly upon the banana stand (yes, yes, I know I have far too many kitchen gadgets) looking black and pretty yucky.

Christmas Gingerbread Cupcakes

I have been going fairly cupcake crazy since my course last month but I've been struggling to find events to bake for. With my family coming for Christmas I had the perfect excuse to bake some Christmas Cupcakes. I had previously made some for Miss O's party that were like little mini Christmas cakes topped with fondant icing and florist paste Holly leaves, as well as some double chocolate ones decorated with stars, but this time I thought I'd try something different.

An Ulterior Motive

It is a fact that Coffee Boy is an excellent present buyer. He always buys me really great gifts, and I never have to drop any heavy hints. I realise I am very lucky to have such a thoughtful partner but this year I suspect there was a fairly strong ulterior motive to the birthday present he got me: a cupcake making course. I was really pleased that he had not only come up with an original pressie but that he had done his research and found a highly recommended place that offered the course. Having finished my latest project recently I finally got a chance to go along to Cakes 4 Fun in Putney this week.

Review: Yumchaa, Soho

I'm never happier than when I'm having a good cup of tea, except perhaps when I'm having a good cup of tea with a good friend. One of my favourite spots to meet for an unpretentious afternoon tea is Yumchaa in Soho.