I am not someone who finds it easy to keep quiet about her enthusiasms, so this page is pure pleasure for me. And I mean pure pleasure: nothing gets a mention unless I love it. Of course, sourcing products can be tricky geographically, and I can't promise that everything here will be available everywhere. If there is only a UK supplier mentioned, I suggest you get a-googling wherever you are! If you have any finds you want to tell me about, then please do post your suggestions to the forum!
IF YOU FEEL LIKE A BIT OF BAKING...
A brief skim through my cookbooks (not that it can be that brief, given that I have now something approaching 4,000 titles shows that Chronicle Books, the beautiful imprint from one of my favourite gastro-centres, San Francisco, is particularly well represented.  It's not surprising:  theirs is a great list.  My newest addition is the witty and pretty 'All Cakes Considered' by Melissa Gray;  the title refers to the fact that the recipes are "tested, tasted and approved by the staff of NPR's All Things Considered".  But I have to give you the second subtitle too, which is "How to keep your co-workers, happy, friendly, and fatter than you!"  Anyway, I love this book, and not just for the recipes.  True, The Naughty Senator Cake has already been tested, tasted and approved by my co-workers and greedily eaten and appreciated by me, and I have many more recipes tagged, but the writing throughout is cheering, and the photos (by Annabelle Breakey and Stephen Voss) inspirational.

Buy it online from Amazon.com for $16.47 or from Amazon.co.uk for £11.03.
   
HETTIE'S COCKTAIL OF THE WEEK
GINA
With Mother’s Day coming to the UK on March 14th, cocktail thoughts naturally turn to the spirit affectionately known as ‘mothers ruin’.  So mix one up for any Mum and spoil her ruinously.

2 (25ml) shots crème de cassis
1 (25ml) shot gin
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Chilled soda water

1.  Fill a tumbler with ice and add the crème de cassis and gin.
2.  Add the lemon juice and top up with the fizzy water.
 
COCKTAIL ARCHIVE