One a penny, two a penny...

hot cross buns, a photo by heliospheric on Flickr.

Hot Cross Buns!

Obviously, my cross piping skills need some work, but I can attest to their utter deliciousness.

It also pleases my inner pagan that they taste just as delicious sans croix. I had to eat one of each, you know, for science.

I used this recipe, with some modifications:

• 4 teaspoons of mixed spice
  
• 1 cup currants & 1 cup of sultanas
• cooked in fan forced oven at 180 deg. C for 20 min.
  
• glazed the buns with heated golden syrup instead of water/sugar combination suggested in the recipe. I love golden syrup.
  
• made 16 smaller buns instead of 12.
  

I made my own mixed spice combo:

• 1.5 teasp. ground cinnamon
• 1.25 teasp. Lebkuchen gewürz
  
• 0.75 teasp. allspice
• 0.5 teasp. ground ginger
  
• pinch of ground black pepper
  

There will be more of these in my future.

Almonds and modern medicine

I have my lovely husband to thank for my latest malady – Tonsillitis. He generously shared it with me before racking off to Vienna for a week, leaving me at home and unable to swallow without tears.

I knew he was sick when he willingly went to the doctors and camped out in the waiting room until they could fit him in. The doctor determined that his infection was bacterial in nature and he was sent on his merry way with a prescription for antibiotics and a list of ineffective homeopathic tonics that can only be procured at great cost from the chemist.

When my symptoms showed up, I took myself off to the doctor, armed with the appropriate vocabulary - Mandelentzündung. Yes, I was suffering from inflamed almonds - quite appropriate for this time of year, if the blossoms are to be believed. I can assure you that my blossoming almonds aren’t anywhere near as pretty. The doctor looked down my throat and “hmmmed” while I “ahhhed”. “I think it is viral”, she said. “No antibiotics for you”. She sent me on my way with a sympathetic smile and a list of ineffective homeopathic tonics that can only be procured at great cost from the chemist.

blossoms, a photo by heliospheric on Flickr.

Feeling somewhat embittered by being let down by modern medicine, I turned to another doctor for help - Dr Oetker. Dr Oetker’s consulting rooms can be found in the “gelatinous aisle” of the supermarket. I have been self medicating with a combination of raspberry jelly and vanilla ice cream for the better part of a week. Recovery is slow, but steady.


Via Flickr:
Almond blossoms