Yoghurt and Cinnamon Pancakes

My favourite food is pancakes, without doubt. Big pancakes, small pancakes, sweet ones, savoury ones, flat ones, puffy ones... YUMmmmmmmmmm.

When I was younger, my mum would make a box (!!) of crepes filled with sweet curd (lithuanian cottage cheese) and vanilla, and every day I would gently pan-fry 2 of them for lunch and have them with sour cream and jam. I did this for years! It never got boring. And whenever I would go to my grandmothers' houses, the only thing i would ask for was pancakes. I remember one of the most fascinating meals from my childhood - my great grandfather used to make extremely puffy pancakes with baking soda and raisins. They were so puffy I could hardly fit them in my tiny mouth! 

Home-made butter

I shall explain the simplest recipe ever, which is very useful for almost any other meal, because it is one of the most essential ingredients everywhere. Cakes would not be as fluffy, biscuits would not be as crumbly, pancakes would not be as nice, potato mash would not be as lovely, toast would not taste as good without... butter!! And when it is home-made it just makes it even better.

A Peaceful Post. Fish Quickie

There are so many sad things going on in the world. People fight, friends break up, countries disagree, so there are tears, war and so much unnecessary sadness. What are the conflicts in the world trying to prove? Why do they want power, territory, size, wealth? Why does the world today, in 2012, try to solve problems and disagreements through blood and violence rather than through communication and collaboration?.. Why don't they learn from 2 (!!) world wars, why do they hurt others and not feel that they should stop?.. 

Kiwi Victoria Sponge for my lovely boys

I was very excited before starting my last year of university, as I was about to live with 4 lovely boys: Mike, Oscar, Steve and Coxi. And I was right about them being lovely!! They call me up late if I'm not home and ask whether I am ok, they love the food I cook, they give me endless amounts of hugs and they are just adorable big brothers. 

Vietnamese Duck Stew

I am quite fond of the European kitchen. Maybe I got discouraged by the few times when I have tried to cook Asian food and it didn't work, maybe it's my time spent in Thailand where the food was amazing but I was missing home food too much, maybe it's the fact that I really can't be bothered to store all the asian sauces and spices in my student kitchen. 

A thank you to my mum. Blueberry Buttermilk Muffins

I have realised that I have not yet mentioned someone very important in the process of creating this blog. My mum!!!! 

Salmon week challenge: Salmon Wellington

Every now and again Hugo and I decide to lead a real student's life. Sometimes it comes through baked beans on toast and sometime we buy a massive discounted Salmon and eat it for a week. As you do.

I can usually do about 3 meals for the two of us, and by the third one it does feel like you will not want to have salmon for a long while. That is why every time we get one I try to make it different and interesting.

Two weeks ago we got our salmon and I was searching for a nice mediterranean recipe with some fresh ingredients, something nice and light - I really didn't want to admit that the winter is just around the corner. This silly belief encouraged me to disagree with Hugo's suggestion - salmon wellington - a cosy warming dish. I did have to apologise a few times for this disapproval... It turned out fantastic!

Birthday breakfast: Baby Dutch Pancake with strawberries

A birthday breakfast is a must. I really wanted to impress the birthday boy and wake him up with a steaming hot...... something. When it is for a really dear person it becomes really exciting, but quite difficult to decide.

Banana pancakes with crispy bacon? He really wanted it but I was not too keen. I still can't get my head over the bacon + maple syrup idea.
Smoked salmon cream cheese snacks? Done that last year.
Croissants and fresh fruit? He's too manly for this.
Full English? naaaaah.
Fancy muffins? hmmm no.
Pancakes? We have too much of those anyway.
Baby Dutch Pancake? Score!!

Time to start. Cinnamon Crumble Cake

Today I have been procrastinating (again) by having a look at some amazing blogs about cooks and their wonderful adventures in the kitchen. I always get so happy and excited to see how other people are as in love with food as I am, how excited they are about things that smell nice, tiny ingredients that make a whole pot taste incredibly different, how some tastes and smells go so well together. It makes me very happy to know that I am not the only crazy chick getting too excited about some food.

food/fo͞od/

Noun:

Any nutritious substance that people or animals eat or drink, or that plants absorb, in order to maintain life and growth.

But it is so much more than that!! It's love, it's passion, it's a discovery, it's a trigger for each and every sense of your body, it's sharing, it's socialising, it's enjoying your quality 'self' time, it's a celebration, it's memories, it's family, it's friends... To me - it's happiness.