Tahini Brownie

06-03-2018 Local Black Bookbrownie, cake, chocolate, recipe, tahini, vegetarianLeave a comment

I’m not sure what it is, but it seems more and more of my internet friends are falling victims of strange and spectacular baking nightmares.

Things burn, don’t raise, turn out to be weird colours… and it’s happened so much in the past few weeks I’m starting to worry it’s not just a coincidence!

No way that’ll stop be from baking though – I absolutely need both the process and the resulting cake to face the very stressful period of change I’m currently into! – so I more than ever rely on tried-and-tested, fool- (and catastrophy-) proof recipe.

On top of that list comes brownies.

SO easy to make (no fuss whatsoever), SO delicious (moist and dense and chocolatey and everything a good brownie should be).

I’ve been using the base recipe for years (about 10 of them!) and it’s simply perfect.

And, as it turns out, even better with added tahini to create those dreamy squares of tahini brownie goodness!

Because it tastes best the day after it’s baked, this tahini brownie is the ultimate make-ahead treat…

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:57]

And, if you don’t look too closely, you might even say it’s a fantastic square meal!

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More foolproof cake recipes:

Banana bread (V, Vg & DF options)

Simple lemon cake (V)

Cranberry oatmeal cake (V)

The best carrot cake (V)

9 fun things to do in London in March

03-03-2018 Local Black BookLondon, March 20181 Comment

You wouldn’t guess it if you look through the window (SO MUCH SNOW out there, not quite what I was hoping for in March Storm Emma!) but Spring is on its way…

And with it a lot of fun things to do are blooming up in London this month.

You know the drill – Calendars at the ready. Set. Goooooooooo!

Cool things to do in London in March

Holi in the City at Cinnamon Kitchen

Holi, the Indian festival announcing the arrival of spring and the passing of winter, is a time where families traditionally gather together and cover each other in coloured paint.

But Londoners needn’t miss out because #HouseofHoli is back at Cinnamon City- bigger, better and brighter than ever!

So step out of the grey City and step into the coloured powder madness of the House of Holi, followed by an Indian feast at Vivek Singh’s City outpost.

2-10 March, more info and tickets

St Patrick’s day

There’s no party like an Irish party! So put your best green outfit on and join the Trafalgar Square-centric celebrations.

Expect three days of fun, cultimating with the St Patrick’s Parade taking place in central London on 18th March.

16-18 March, more info

Kew Garden’s Orchid Festival

Now in its 23rd edition, Kew Garden’s annual Orchid Festival, brings a tropical paradise to London’s far-from-balmy environment.

In 2018, the festival is a celebration of Thailand’s vibrant colours, culture, and magnificent plant life and a unique opportunity to look into the significance of orchids in Thai cuisine, medicine and culture.

Until 11 March, more info and tickets

Garden of Light at Paternoster Square

To mark the launch of the 2018 Great Daffodil Appeal, Marie Curie has ‘planted’ a garden of 4,000 illuminated daffodils in Paternoster Square.

Representing all the people Marie Curie will support this March, the Garden of Light has been conceived as a place to reflect, as well as a place to showcase the organsation’s tremendous work. Whilst they walk among the flowers, visitors will be able to listen to letters from patient’s families, describing the vital care and support their relatives received from Marie Curie Nurses.

1-11 March, more info

Oxford & Cambridge Boat Race

A highly-disputed competition since 1829, the Boat Race is an annual contest between two rowing teams from Oxford and Cambridge universities.

The Boat Race is 4 miles, 374 yards or 6.8 Km long and stretches between Putney and Mortlake on the River Thames, giving observers plenty of room to follow the race from, as well as many opportunity to help fundraise money for Cancer Research UK, the event’s nominated charity.

24 March, more info

Delicious things to do in London in March

Mother’s Day Tipsy Tea at Mr Fogg’s

Show Mother Dearest how out of this world she is this Mother’s Day. The ultimate way to do so? Treating her to something equaly extraordinary: a spiffing Tipsy Tea at Phileas Fogg’s -not so- humble Mayfair abode.

There’ll be a teapot of luxurious libations, alongside a delicious selection of sweet and savory treats, to be enjoyed with the soft sound of a harpist and Phileas extraordinary collection in the background. For that added spoiling touch, Mothers will receive a box of chocolate truffles and complimentary ‘caricature’ sketch service.

11 May, more info & bookings

Honi Poké Fenchurch Street launch

To celebrate the launch of their second site in the City near Fenchurch Street, Honi Poké will be offering 50% off poké bowls on Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th March, all day long.

Dishing up Hawaiian poké, their signature bowls come served with flame-torched octopus, tuna, salmon, chicken teriyaki or tofu, on a base of sushi rice, brown rice or veg slaw, with yummy extra thrown in for added deliciousness.

So look out for the Honi Poké surf boards and ride the wave to a quick and healthy flavour-packed meal!

12-13 March, 4-6 New London Street, EC3R 7NA

Cultural things to do in London in March

International Women’s Day

Following last year’s highly successful International Women’s Day celebrations, a lots of events are popping up again in 2018.

Care International is organising a #March4Women on 4 March (more info). Seven Dials’ will be celebrating the inspirational women behind a number of the area leading brands (1-8 March, more info & events calendar). South Bank plays host to another edition of its Women Of the World festival, celebrating women and girls around the world, and looking at the obstacles stopping them from achieving their potential (7-11 March, more info & tickets). You can learn about the history of underwear whilst helping stop period poverty with Crimson Tea Parties (6 March, more info & tickets)….

So many great ways to celebrate the wonderful women in your life!

Hope to Nope: Graphics and Politics 2008-2018 opening at the Design Museum

With public engagement in politics having changed dramatically since 2008, the Design Museum’s latest exhibition looks into how graphic design and technology have played a pivotal role in dictating and reacting to the major political moments of the last 10 years.

From 28 March, more info & tickets

Know about more fantastic things to do in London in March? Get in touch!

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Banana Bread

19-02-2018 Local Black Bookbanana bread, cake, recipeLeave a comment

You know what I like more than the smell of a cake baking in my oven?

Very few things, to be honest.

Unless said cake is not only delicious, but also the ultimate way to turn a bunch of over-ripe bananas into the sweetest treat.

Which is why banana bread is the most genius cake recipe there is.

Yesterday, after having spent the vast majority of the afternoon laying on the sofa in a desperate attempt to try and digest the feast of a lunch we had at St John’s, I spotted said bunch of sad-looking, brown, not very appeeling bananas in the fruit basket, begging to be made into banana bread.

How could I say no?

Banana loaf is seriously one of the easiest things to bake.

It’s very adaptable -as long as you have bananas, you’re good, quite healthy as far as cake go, packs in a lot of fruit and good-for-you things, yet it make for such an indulgent breakfast/snack/pudding.

I’m not sure why it is, but it seems like bananas are somewhat magic when it comes to baking and allow for quite a lot of substitutions/omissions, which is great if you have food allergies or preferences.

Or very bare cupboards.

No eggs? No problem (maybe add a bit more mashed banana if your batter’s too dense).

No dairy – it works perfectly fine with margarine too.

Want to reduce the sugar? Go ahead.

Switch the baking flour for a gluten-free one? Since banana bread is quite dense, it doesn’t really matter.

Want to make it extra indulgent? Nothing’s easier! Simply add chocolate chips or crushed nuts to the batter, swirl some Nutella through, serve with a nutty or caramely ice cream… There are so many options!

So few ingredients, so many possibilities… Just bananas!

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:56]

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More easy pudding recipe

Simple lemon cake (V)

The best (frosting-free) carrot cake (V)

Easy bread & butter pudding (V)

Vegan chocolate mousse (VE)

My Low Key Valentine’s

14-02-2018 Local Black BookValentines1 Comment

When it comes to Valentine’s Day, there are two kinds of people.

The ones that loooooove it – they start thinking about it the minute Christmas has come and gone, count the days, make elaborate plans, buy presents… And the ones that hate it – it’s too commercial they say, why celebrate love only one day of the year, they ask.

And then there’s the rest of us, stuck in the middle and sort of lost about it all.

The Valentine’s Day haters are probably right – there’s no reason why any and everyone should go above and beyond to showcase their love on February the 14th. But at the same time, why not take the opportunity and make the day a touch more special than your average Wednesday?

Enters the low key Valentine’s day.

The idea is to seize the chance to celebrate the ‘Day of Love’ with the one(s) you, ahem, love, but without making a big deal of it.

A loosely-planned evening at home (over-crowded, over-priced restaurant meals are a hard-no for me) with simple treats to celebrate love in its simplicity. Something intimate, and all about making the most of your Valentine(s).

Depending on what feels ‘specials’ to you, you might decide to get food to take away or delivered.

Or you might want to try your hand at cooking a simple but delicious meal.

This year, my BF’s actually in charge of V-Day cooking. He’ll be making my absolute favourite dish –pasta carbonara. I’ll put together a walnut salad. Then we’ll have ice cream (I’ve gotten my hands on the limited edition Haagen Dazs Cherry Blossom*, which I tried in paris last summer and can’t wait to have again!) and watch a movie (possibly Moulin Rouge because it’s been too long).

And that’s it. Not too different from our usual weekday evening routine, but still something a bit different to be excited about.

And truth be told, I can’t wait!

Are you team No-Valentine’s, All-Out Valentine’s or Low Key Valentine’s? I’d love to know how you plan your ‘day of love’!

Great low-key Valentine’s (or any other date!) recipes

Lazy fish tacos

Tray roast salad (V+GF options)

Tomato + coconut pasta (VE)

Simple lemon cake (V)

Pin for later

*This product was sent to me by the brand or their PR agency to review. All flower-flavour ice cream loving my own.

6 best things to do in Trinidad, Cuba

10-02-2018 Local Black Bookcaribbean, cuba, travel, trinidad1 Comment

The last leg of our November Cuba trip took us to Trinidad, a little town in the middle of the island, famous for its multi-coloured colonial old houses and cobblestone streets.

And now that I look back at this trip, it’s the Cuban place I most wish to return to (mainly because I was so sick by then I feel like I missed out on so many things).

A Unesco site since 1988, Trinidad is easily accessible from Havana (it’s a 4h, 30CUC pp affair and the views on the way are incredible). And it’s the sort of pastel-coloured, fairy tale place that needs to be seen to be believed.

But that’s not all! Architecture, nature, beach… There’s so many great things to do in Trinidad that fully justify adding the city to your Cuba itinerary.

1. Wander around the beautiful pastel-coloured streets

There’s a reason why the whole of Trinidad is a Unesco site and it’s because every corner is absolutely gorgeous!

From the technicolour colonial houses, to the intricate forged iron window frames and the ever-green mountain background, the entire city is an Instagram dream come true – absolutely no filter needed!

So put on your walking shoes (those cobblestones are no joke!) and make the most of it.

6 best things to do in Trinidad, Cuba ● Cake + Whisky

2. Trek the Parque el Cubano and swim in the Javira Waterfall

With the gigantic Parque Natural Topes de Collantes to the west, trekking opportunities abound in Trinidad.

The easiest (and shortest) one will take you through Parque el Cubano up to the Javira waterfall, where you can swim into the natural pool below it, which is really quite a fantastic way to spend the day!

6 best things to do in Trinidad, Cuba ● Cake + Whisky

3. Climb San Francisco de Asis bell tower

Located by the very pretty Playa Mayor, San Francisco de Asis is the best spot to get a bird’s eye view of the city.

Vertigo-averse folks will want to stop at the first level, where the wide terrace offers fantastic views of the city, the mountains and even the sea.

And if ~~the weather’s all sorts of crazy~~ you’re lucky, you might even catch a quadruple rainbow!

6 best things to do in Trinidad, Cuba ● Cake + Whisky

4. Have a few of the Trinidad’s signature Cachanchara cocktails

Created in Trinidad in the late 1800s, the Cachanchara is considered to be Cuba’s oldest known cocktail.

The no-fuss recipe, originally used as medecine, calls for simple ingredients -rum, lime and honey- and is traditionally served in clay cups.

Strong but perfectly balanced, it’s well worth switching your default mojito over for.

5. Bask in the sun on Playa Ancon

Blue water. Golden sun. Does this really need explaining?

6 best things to do in Trinidad, Cuba ● Cake + Whisky

6. Try La Botija’s Cuban-style fried rice

I’m not going to lie and pretend like the food in Trinidad (or in Cuba, really) changed my life. To be honest, I ate mostly rice and plain bread anyway (such glamour!).

That being said, the arroz fritto at La Botija was one of the best things we had and comes in very generous portions.

Also on the plus side, the restaurant is open quite late, there’s live music being played throughout the day and a weird-but-intriguing drink selection (the Ciego Montero pineapple soft drink is goooooood!)…

PS. If you’re looking for a great place to stay in Trinidad, this is the Casa we stayed in. Robe & Nina are the sweetest hosts and the breakfast was beyond fantastic!

Pin for later:

More about Cuba

Best of Havana – Save & Splurge itineraries

13 things to expect on your first trip to Cuba

Simple Lemon Cake

08-02-2018 Local Black Bookbaking, cake, lemon, lemon cake, recipe1 Comment

When I was in high school, I was a serial baker.

I was the kind of student who put a lot of pressure onto herself and that required a lot of exausting mental work. So I needed to find a way to give myself a break and relax, and baking was just that.

Ensued as many as 6 types of cakes a week being baked, which was really quite a lot for a family of 5 to go through. Thankfully, my siblings’ classmates and mine were always willing to land a hand on the eating front.

From that baking frenzy, I kept the unshakable feeling that cake makes many bad things better, as well as a handful of ‘best in show’ recipes, amongst which this simple lemon cake one.

A simple lemon cake is a baking classic- and this recipe is perfect on all fronts.

Pressed for time? It literally takes minutes to whip up and can happily be made the day before. Plus there’s no need for syrups or any fussing about.

Don’t have any fancy equipment or ingredients / not in the mood for a lot of washing up? All it takes is basic ingredients, one bowl and one baking tin.

Not very comfortable with baking projects? It’s basically impossible to ruin (you could even put all the ingredients in a blender).

Scared it’ll be dry and/or boring? Do you really think I’d still be making this recipe after all those years if it wasn’t the most incredible simple lemon cake ever?

I’m talking big on zesty flavours, moist and absolutely perfect both with a cuppa for afternoon tea or a spoonful of Greek yoghurt for breakfast and brunch!

So, if life gives you lemon… make lemon cake!

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:55]

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More easy (and delicious!) baking projects

The best carrot cake

Cranberry oatmeal cake

The best bread & butter pudding

Dinner at Kricket

03-02-2018 Local Black BookIndian, Kricket, London, recommendation, Restaurant, review, small plates, Soho1 Comment

I hate restaurants that don’t take reservations for less than 4 people.

I hate restaurants where the host, when I pop in and ask if they have a table for 2 at 7:15pm, answers they do… at 10:30pm.

And I HATE restaurants that insist on running separate lunch and dinner services so that I can’t have a meal at strange mid-afternoon hours on the weekend.

All of the above are the reasons why I hate loving Kricket so much.

It’s going to make my life so very difficult every time I crave Indian food.

But well, I’ll just have to deal with it all (and take friends down with me so we can book at table!) because the food, the drinks and the atmosphere are all fantastic.

The cocktail list is short but perfect formed, making the on-duty bartender a very busy man (or woman) indeed.

Which you could feel bad about or just embrace with a couple of the truly excellent whisky + orange marmalade cocktails…

Also excellent were the Jerusalem artichokes and pea samosas.

Light, crispy pastry triangles, filled with the most delicious, subtly spiced vegetable filling.

Needless to say, those didn’t last long.

My favourite dish – Pumpkin, makhani sauce, fresh paneer, hazelnut crumble, puffed wild rice.

Served with masala kulcha bread straight from the tandoor.

Charred pumpkin, the best (really, even my Indian boyfriend says so, and he’s had A LOT of butter chicken) butter-tomato sauce, begin to be scooped over some bread…

It was the sort of dish I wish I knew how to make so I could have it every day.

One that hangs around the top of my list of London’s best dishes, too.

Kricket’s signature Keralan fried chicken, served with curry leaf mayonnaise and pickled mouli.

Venison keema.

Warming and gently spiced, and the perfect reminder of why I must add keema to my winter meal rota.

Beautifully cooked duck breast, served with fiery vindaloo sauce and refreshing Brussel sprout and coconut thoran.

Polishing it all off on a sweet note in the form of carrot halwa with chestnut ice cream (delicious but veeeeeeery rich) and gorgeous, posset-like misti doi.

All in all, not a dal plate in sight at Kricket… So, no matter how difficult/irritating getting a table is, it’s worth the patience and hard work.

You know what they they… Keep calm and curry on!

Kricket Soho (the original venue’s in Brixton), 12 Denman St, Soho, London W1D 7HH

More things to eat in Soho

EVERYTHING at Temper

Cake for dinner at Cutter & Squidge

Ramen at Kanada Ya

Chinatown’s best hot pot

‘Once in a lifetime’ moments in Burkina Faso

01-02-2018 Local Black Book#travellinkup, Africa, burkina faso, travel7 Comments

I never thought I would ever get to sleep on a military bed under the stars in the middle of rural Africa. I never dreamt of being invited to attend a film festival in the presidential tribute no less. I didn’t expect to get cold in 25+°C temperatures. I didn’t think I’d ever have a discussion about how many animals would be a suitable offering from any suitor wanting to marry me. Or that I would have to explain in great details that living in a developed country didn’t automatically make me rich.

And yet…

In the winter of 2007, I took the plane for the very first time together with a team of students from my high school. We were on our way to the capital of Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou, and from there to a rural area an hour’s drive away, where we would stay for two weeks on a rural development mission.

Unlike what many would expect from a ‘once in a lifetime’ story, it wasn’t a glamourous experience. It was boiling hot (45+°C when the sun was at its highest), there was no running water, no electricty, no phone connection.

Every task was more complicated than it should have been.

No running water means we had to arrange from water from the nearby lake to be delivered every two days, and then treat it with many filters and chemicals to ensure it was drinkable. For two weeks, water tasted like bleach. There were also no showers, and the toilets were of the dry (and smelly, because 45°C temperatures tend to have that effect on things) kind (and home to a family of scorpio).

No electricty meant waking up early to make the most of daylight as there was only very limited lighting after sunset (our generator would only provide for about 4h of it). We cooked over an open fire and had to get groceries every day since we had no ways to stock them. We all got sick from the heat, dehydration, poor sanitation or a combination of all of the above.

'Once in a lifetime' moments in Burkina Faso ● #travellinkup — *Yours truly, building (or rather, failing to build) a sun dehydrator…*

Cultural gaps made for many a fascinating discussion.

We fought with the local welders, who wouldn’t explain why there were getting so behind on fulfilling orders. We later found out it was because if they had made enough money to sustain themselves for the week by say Thursday, they would simply stop working until the next week.

We talked with local students, who asked us how it was to live in France and ‘be rich’. Followed a 3 hour passionate debate on why we weren’t actually rich and how standards and costs of living somewhere affects disposable income.

A few of us were proposed to against various amounts of chickens, goats and even cows. The prospective husbands fully expected us to be thrilled. And to be able to pay for a plane ticket to France and a few electronic gadgets for them.

We sang and drew with school kids. We helped our guard to carry a used mattress he was very excited about having bought (and pretended not to hear him and his lady friends making good use of it the following nights). We lost every football game we played again the village’s teenagers.

We ate strawberries in February and the sweetest mango I’ve ever had. We slept outdoors, staring at the upside-down moon and counting the stars late into the night.

We took bet on how many of us it’d take to go around the village’s biggest baobab (12!!).

We fought over who’d get the limited strawberry flavour Fanta at the local bar. It was horrific and nobody liked it but still, every day, we fought for it.

My bag almost got stollen but my then-boyfriend jumped off our running car and catch up with the thief. My parents’ camera, who was never meant to have to face 40+°C temperatures, died after a week.

We were invited to the African Film Festival opening ceremony, where we fully humilited ourselves by wearing terrible clothes amongst the crème-de-la-crème of the continent cultural icons.

We came back from our African adventures tired but wiser, covered in orange dust but with new perspectives on life and the world. And with a brand new appreciation for the little every day thing we wouldn’t even have noticed otherwise (oh, the life-changing magic of a light switch after 2 wekks without electricity!).

Coming back was hard, finding the words to explain what it was like was even harder. 11 years after, I still struggle with it.

It was surreal and a true, once in a lifetime experience. It wasn’t one bit glamourous, and I hardly have any photo of it, but it was the sort of things money can’t buy, which makes it even more precious.

This blog post has been written as part of this month’s #travellinkup, which theme was ‘once in a lifetime travel experiences’. If you’re a travel-addict, make sure you join the monthly #travellinkup, hosted by Adventures of a London Kiwi, SilverSpoon London and Follow Your Sunshine. Every month, there’s a new fun travel brief to share stories of your adventures!

More #travellinkup travel stories

How to find the perfect travel companion

10 things I learnt from traveling

Highlights from our first US trip

Home(s)

My 2018 travel plans

Vegan Moroccan Tagine

31-01-2018 Local Black Bookhealthy, moroccan, recipe, stew, tagine, vegan, vegetablesLeave a comment

As January comes to an end, so do all the bullshit diets.

So long Dry-nuary, vegan-uary and the rest of them, and all they accompanying hashtags.

You won’t be missed.

You know what doesn’t come to an end though?

The possibility to cook a fantastic meal that just happen to be vegan.

Because accidental vegan food is actually the best, and that all year round.

Packed full of veggies and vitamins, budget, time and freezer friendly, light, tasty… the list of benefits never ends!

This colourful vegan moroccan tagine is all that and then some.

Warming, filling and just so cosy, it’s the ideal dish to meal-prep on a rainy Sunday to cheer you up for the whole week ahead!

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:54]

More accidentally vegan recipes

Indian-spiced lentil soup

Spicy Xi’an-style noodles

Winter pistou soup

Tomato & coconut pasta

PB & J porridge

Maki’ng me hungry – Sushi Shop x Anne-Sophie Pic

30-01-2018 Local Black BookLondon, Restaurant, sushi, Sushi ShopLeave a comment

Growing up in France’s middle of nowhere, the only sushi I came across as a child were the poorly executed teeny-tiny ones on the buffet tables at the local Chinese (!!) restaurants. Needledd to say, I was not a fan.

But then I moved to Paris, discovered Sushi Shop and everything changed.

I still remember the day I first treated myself to a selection of the brand’s made-to-order, playful creations.

It was a real treat – Sushi Shop isn’t the cheapest on the high street when it comes to take-away sushi. But what you get is also not your run-of-the-mill selection.

Think maki roll topped with Dorito’s (aptly named the ‘Rock n Roll’), spring roll-sushi hybrids (a whole delightful selection of them!) or even foie gras rolls (yes, you read that right and yes, it works)!

For a few years now, the brand has been pushing the boundary of sushi-making even further through partnerships with creative brands (remember this beauty?) and eminent chefs, such as Cyril Lignac (the French Jamie Oliver), Joël Robuchon or Thierry Marx.

But in 2018, they’ve truly outdone themselves and asked Anne Sophie Pic, the only French woman to hold three Michelin stars, to create a collection.

And what a collection!

Blending classic Japanese techniques and unexpected ingredients, the Sushi Shop x Anne Sophie Pic creations are full of delicacy and poetry.

Each of the four exclusive recipes is a nod to Chef Pic’s culinary identity.

The California roll (goat cheese, matcha, bergamot and genmaicha) is the translation of Pic’s own signature dish, the famous ‘Berlingot’.

The yellowtail and sage pesto sushi is a triumph of freshness.

The woodland maki might seem confusing if you take a look at the ingredients.

Mushroom 3 ways, rose, geranium, yuzu… There’s a lot going on but it all results in a beautiful work of art. And having had more than my fare share, I can confirm it’s another winner.

Vegetarians, rejoice (and get your hands on it stat)!

But my favourite was the Signature tuna roll.

Featuring tuna coated with green cardamom honey, celeriac remoulade, green apple, sobach, chicory and dill, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever tried before. A beautiful example of what ‘fusion’ can truly achieve.

Sooooooooy good!

The Sushi Shop x Anne Sophie Pic creations are available in all Sushi Shop stores from January 6th 2018.

More London restaurants to try

Dim sum at Mayfair Garden

Pizza at Pizza Union

Sunday roast at The Quality Chop House

Hot pot in Chinatown

Tasting menu at Anglo

I tried the Sushi Shop x Anne Sophie Pic as a guest of the brand and their PR agency.