Monthly Archives: February 2011

Multi-way muffins and tricksy technology

All hail the mighty muffin! They’re a cinch to bake, go well with a cuppa and there’s no fussing about with icing or sprinkles. What more could a gal ask for?

Credit must go to himself for unearthing this recipe – he’s not half bad in the baking department. It’s proven extremely versatile; I chose to add lemon in place of the orange and a handful of poppyseeds this time round simply because I had both in the flat and it was spilling rain out. Any combination of frozen berries and chocolate works well too (raspberries and white chocolate being my particular favourite), as do trashier fillings like – oh yes – chopped up chunks of Mars bar.

As for the tricksy technology, well, let’s just say that timers on mobile phones are not to be trusted, and I will be purchasing one of these forthwith.

Rescued from the oven in the nick of time

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A cup of tea and a bun – Wall & Keogh, South Richmond Street

Ah, go on, go on, go on, go on

I’m sure Messrs. Wall and Keogh would be only too delighted to see their premises back in action for the first time since the seventies, and still bearing their names. It’s been open in its new guise since the start of the year – a lovely airy space upstairs with a well-stocked bookshelf, and cosier seating downstairs. The main attractions, though, are the rows and rows of glass jars filled with every kind of tea imaginable.

After much debate (and advice from the lovely and helpful staff), I plumped for a potent dried mango and gunpowder concoction, and a wholewheat muffin with walnuts and raisins. Both were excellent, and the tiny tea bowls were a quirky and welcome touch.

I couldn’t resist taking away another sample of their wares – a minty calming tea – plus a one-cup ball filter for the perfect office brew.

Wall & Keogh is a unique and welcome addition to the Portobello area – I’ll definitely be returning soon to work my way through their teas and sandwich menu, and, whenever the weather improves, bask on their outdoor terrace.


Turkey curry, no buffet

Two of my uncles reared turkeys for “the season” last year. They proved a hit all round – lovely big free-range birds that they were – but I managed to bagsie a crown to stash away in my mam’s freezer (ours being the approximate size of a shoebox). I picked it up at the weekend, and last night we had Sunday roast on a Monday, with sage and lemon butter stuffed under the skin of the bird. And what better to use up all of the leftovers than a turkey curry?

Nary a festive jumper in sight

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