Spain

The family and I got back from our holiday in Spain, and if I'm honest it was a mixed bag for me. When one thinks of Spain, images of the sun, sand and sangria come to mind. However, the reality was that my 2 year old got off the plane with a tummy bug and fever and that just equalled disaster from the word go.

My 4 year old on the other hand was fine with her routine being stretched, i.e late bed times, eating at obscure times and not napping was part of the holiday excitement. I can honestly say that it gets easier the older they get. But my son, found his system very affected. He was tired most of the time, even though he would catch up with naps through the day and didn't take to the local food either which made for a very cranky child! He had lost his appetite due to the tummy bug and all he could keep down was milk and strawberry yoghurt. Luckily by the end of the trip his appetite increased but his moodiness didn't.

It made me reassess whether next time we should stick to our usual plan of renting a serviced apartment that way I could cook and the children eat better and at their times. The last time we went to Miami, my son was still nursing and my daughter was over 2, and having a kitchen really helped. Eating restaurant food for a week just didn't work. By the end of the holiday I have to admit we were all craving home cooking. The minute we plonked our suitcases in the living room, I ran to the kitchen and cooked us dinner. My son breathed a sigh of relief as he scoffed down simple yet familiar yellow lentils with rice!

On a positive note, Spain had many wonderful foods on offer and the wedding was truely a gastronomical affair. I was able to capture some beautiful photos below that I'd like to share...

Quail Eggs

Cheese, Cheese and More Cheese...

Fried Egg and Asparagus on a Bed of Crispy Chips

Salami and Olives

'Gula' or Sautéed Eels on Quail Eggs

Food for the Soul

Last week was a culinary adventure for me. I was contacted by Nadine, a Jewish mommy to teach an Indian cooking class for strictly Kosher moms at her home. The aim was to teach some easy recipes and raise awareness and funds for a cause close to her heart - The Duchenne Foundation, also known as muscular dystrophy. This was a an exciting opportunity for me, and for the first time I was teaching and cooking outside my kitchen for 10 ladies and for a charity event and to top it off, in a strictly Kosher home!

Now let me explain what a strictly Kosher home entails. First of all, all food had to be ordered and brought into the home. Though I have cupboards full of spices which I was happy to bring to the class, none of them could be used. All the Indian spices were had to be new and opened in her  home. I couldn't bring any of my spices, not even the dry red Kashmiri chillies which I had to source at the last minute as she couldn't find it in her local grocery store. Naturally all the chicken and lamb were bought from a Kosher butcher adhering to their strict guidelines. Meat and diary are not mixed either, so marinading meat in yoghurt which is typically done or having a cucumber raita on the side was a definite no-no.

After all that was bought, I was introduced to her large kitchen which had two sinks, one for meat and one vegetables. Then the utensils, pots and food were to be kept in another area and not mixed. It was a true education for me! Not to mention slightly stressful!

In the end, I cooked a simple chicken curry, spicy minced lamb with peas, french beans stir fried with mustard seeds, curry leaves and garlic and cumin rice.


The ladies enjoyed themselves and were pleased to learn something different, I hope to run more classes like this in the future!

Then on Friday, I took part in the Kensington Mums motherhood exhibition, where moms met to discuss their views on what motherhood means. 45 moms were involved in this project, and it will be showcased at Beaufort House in Chelsea in June. We had to write on a blackboard a word to complete the sentence ' I am a mother and...' I was torn with what word would encompass exactly how I felt. Motherhood has effected me more profoundly than I ever thought it would. In the end I decided to complete my sentence with 'fulfilled'. We were videod for a minute about this and I really got in touch with how crucial it is to find that balance. Since I was a little girl, I have desired to be a mother. But motherhood isn't just about bringing up children, which I only learnt after having my two. I had this fixed view that you finish university and use your degree to find a job. However, then you have children and this isn't always possible. How do you bring up children and do something productive and find that sense of self again? Is it even possible? It is through my kids that Spices for my Sweets began, it is these little people who have given me that sense of equilibrium and have restored me again and I am grateful for this.

After a wonderful morning with the other moms, I strolled down to Books for Cooks which is a cosy bookshop in Portobello solely selling cookbooks and at the back they have an experimental kitchen. I had the most wonderful lunch by myself and I relished every single minute. On the way back, I went into Jamie Oliver's Recipease which is a kitchen concept where chefs were demonstrating to students. It was a feast for the eyes! I finished the day picking up delicious pastries for my kids
and husband as a big thanks, as really, I owe it to them. I got on the tube back to my children and was looking forward to seeing them again, what a day it had been! My heart was full of joy!

BBQ babies

With the weather being this gorgeous, the kids and I have stopped many of our usual afternoon activities such as soft play, indoor swimming and even doing play dates at friends homes. Whats the point I say? We hardly get the sun in London, so why not go outside and play? And this weekend, we had our first BBQ of the year and it was fantastic. The paddle pool was spent with the children submerged in it all day and taking their breaks of corn on the cob and ice cream while drying off on the grass. For me, it was the perfect day! (of course the tidying up afterwards was a definite downer, but then when is tidying up ever fun?)

Food wise, I came up with some different ideas for the children and this was super fun for them to eat. Now I know with all the fun in the garden, it is hard for any toddler to sit still and eat. So the trick is to make several things for them to munch through the day. We had mini hamburgers with beef, garlic and rosemary, potato salad using full fat greek yoghurt, corn on the cob boiled and then roasted for that charred flavour and fruit kebabs with melon, strawberry and grapes. The grazing went on all afternoon and by dinner time they were famished! 5 hours of the sun and paddle pool really worked up an appetite.

Today the weather has promised us another sun filled day and I will be yet again in the garden with my kids. I wait all year for days like this, and life just couldn't get better! Have a wonderful day!