Author Archive: My Kitchen Wand

Many gluten free cakes benefit from being chocolate as the extra flavouring helps to cover the taste of the substitute flours. This cake does not even pretend. It goes the alternate ingredient route with beans that add moisture, substance and disappear into the batter just like the zucchini does. I added a cube of my frozen blackberry […]

I could tell lovely stories of dark chocolate cake uses for symbolizing lightless Winter Solstice nights but really, if you like chocolate cake, you are good to go any time of the year and since this one has half a dozen eggs in it, it would be more than a bit of a stretch to suggest this harkens […]

I can feel the cooler temperatures in the breeze today and for me, it is such a relief to experience the drop of air pressure that says fall is on its way here. The last of the seasonal fruits are getting ready for harvest, grapes, plums, pears and of course, apples. Mabon is coming and […]

So easy, so quick, so flexible and so much healthier. You will need: 1/2 cup fresh fruit (or frozen) I used blackberries but other berries or a mixture will work as well 1 cup yoghurt, I used honey flavoured Greek but you can choose something different 1 Tbsp. rose flavoured honey (I made some earlier this […]

When I started this mini theme in the spring the title was more from the reader’s perspective, an “I got them now what do I do with them” kind of thing. I have realized over the months that it can also mean how do I use my herbs and so I am going to focus on […]

I was out at my favourite tea shoppe the other day (www://myaromatica.com/) and Karen suggested using tea to flavour custard. In England, desserts of all varieties are often called pudding (or just pud) and a custard sauce is a happy addition to the plate. I have used tea to flavour honey and truffles, so I […]

The legend of the Four Thieves is said to have begun with The Black Plaque, an outbreak of bubonic bacteria in 14th century Europe that is estimated to have killed 25 million people. The story goes that a group of men would walk amongst the dead, stealing from the bodies and not getting sick themselves. […]

Food has fashion. Popular flavours and food ingredients come and go. Some like bacon, hang around for a little longer….but eventually change comes. The hot “new” thing these days are naked cakes. I see them at weddings and on display in bakeries. For me, the really nice thing about the current fashion is the ability […]

Blackberry season is upon us and although they are thought of, in some parts of the world, as food for fairies and should therefore be left alone, there seem to be many first harvest recipes that include blackberries as they are the naturally available fruit of the season. “Thank you fairies for your willingness to […]

Things do not always go as planned and my kitchen is no different. For a number of reasons, including the fact that my camera blew up, my Lughnasa cake did not get as much heat as it needed for as long as it needed, so I thought I would fess up and show you my […]