The Ivy Now — I get sent a lot of cookery books. My shelves are groaning. One day i'll shlepp a few out to charity or donate them to our synagogue bazaar, for now they're piling up in our lounge, kitchen and my office.
Many I barely look at. Some make me sigh with expectation. The Ivy cookbook is the latter. From it's gorgeous cover that opens on both sides to the beautifully shot food and interior shots and wonderful graphics, it's a work of art. Recipes like heritage beetroot salad with goat's cheese and walnut granola and lemon pannacotta with raspberry granita are stunningly shot. I'll fess up to not actually having cooked from it yet.
Nakd lemon drizzle bars - i've publicly declared my lemon drizzle love in the JC, but am not ashamed to do it here too. I bought so many last week in Sainsbury's, the man at the checkout coudln't help but comment. They are so full of flavour but don't leave me with the guilt other less saintly bars would.English cherries - coming to the end of their season and still my favourite summer fruit. I refuse to buy them any other time, which makes them even more of a treat. Close behind them are raspberries and doughnut peaches.
Jim Jams - what a discovery! A chocolate spread that has 82% less sugar than the other popular chocolate spreads. My children adore Nutella but when it is in the house I end up lurking, jar and spoon in hand, when they are not in bed - or cannot see me. They also beg for Jim Jams and I still fress on it freely, but I feel marginally less bad about it. (Pip and Nut's choc hazelnut spread attempts the same and is sweetened with agave. The mini Fressers hated it. It has grown on me and has the benefit of tasting like it's doing me some good. A health food...almost.)
Sable grapes - up there with Candy Floss grapes as the BEST grapes in town. Best eaten crunchy and cold.
puwDA5i86fEoSf46OnbNGfGKjq7eaQ2WH7Dp5KwF2mY=.html