THE Chocolate Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

8oz butter

8oz sugar

6oz self-raising flour

2oz chocolate powder

3 eggs

Milk to loosen

Black cherry jam

For decoration:

250ml double cream

150g chocolate

Pre-heat the oven to 180c.

Cream the butter and sugar

Beat in the eggs

Fold in the chocolate powder and flour

Add milk to loosen the mixture and to creature a soft but thick batter

Divide equally between two 18 or 20cm sandwich tins

Bake in the oven for about 30 mins. Leave to cool in the tins

Once cool, spread the jam between the slices

For the gnash, heat the cream until piping hot, but not boiling

Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate until melted

Cool until spreadable and coat the cake

Leave to set

Cake is then ready to eat. 

Enforced Vegetarianism

For Lent I've given up meat. I've already failed. Failed to the best burger known to the British Isles - a burger from Hawksmoor.

I went there last night for dinner. I went under no false illusions. There would not be a vegetarian option. It was AMAZING!!!!!!!! So moist, tender and bursting with flavour. The king of burgers! Despite the scorn thrown at me by my housemates, I have never been more contented in my life. If you're not a vegetarian, please visit Hawksmoor. You won't regret it.

Anyway, I have failed in my act of penitence. I have failed to strive for perfection, unlike St David (who's saint's day is today) who was an ardent vegetarian and teetotaller. I failed after a week. Why? Because vegetarian food is boring.

Are vegetarians boring? Some are. But the ones I know are interesting* and certainly not boring. But the food definitely is.

Go into a restaurant and the vegetarian option is invariably a salad of sorts or involves a lot of carbohydrates. Dull and starchy. Great combination!

Sandwiches from supermarkets are either egg and cress or cheese and onion but with fancier names. When shopping in Sainsbury's yesterday for luncheon I could not find a vegetarian option for their meal deal. So I opted for the £1 sandwiches. Not to be knocked but not exactly thrilling! Then again, at that price I'm not expecting a taste explosion.

Meat substitutes, like Quorn, are tasteless. Meat free sausages, burgers, chicken, fish free fish fingers etc are foul. Why go for imitation meat when you could either go for real meat of vegetables mashed together in the shape of the thing you missed (like vegetable sausages (which are pretty good)).

Vegetarians, I offer you a challenge. Find me some tantalising meals which do not require meat substitutes, salads or a lot carbohydrates and which are quick to prepare and cook.

*odd

Cornish Pancakes

This recipe was passed down to me by my mother and, presumably, from the many generations before her.

For 8 pancakes

• 2 eggs
• 280ml Milk
• 110g plain flour

Sift the flour into a bowl. Make a well in the middle. Separate the egg whites. Add the yolks, a pinch of salt and a dash of the milk. Begin by slowly mixing the flour into the centre, adding milk at the same time. Whisk to smooth. 

Stiff peak your egg whites and fold them into the batter mix.

Fry on a high heat until cooked. Serve with clotted cream.

Floella loves you!

On Saturday, I graduated from the University of Exeter with Master of Arts in History, at merit. The Chancellor of the University is Baroness Floella Benjamin, a woman who has appeared on TV for years, especially in my youth, as a presenter of nursery level education programmes.

This wonderful, inspiring woman captured my heart when I went up to receive my award. I knew from friends who had graduated in previous years that Floella's stock message was "change the world". I went up, had a hug and kisses on both cheeks. She then holds my cheek and says "Handsome. So handsome. You'll do well." She then takes my hand, gives me the stock message: "Change the world, you'll do that, won't you?" I was tongue-tied and I believe I said something like "My pleasure!" before rushing off the stage blushing.