*adapted from Nigel Slater’s Tender volume 2- A Cake for Midsummer

This cake is so good. It is resilient and easy and tastes like heaven. I made it at the cottage where I was missing a few of the key ingredients and didn’t have a proper pan but it still ended up devine. This time I made it at home with the proper pan and swapped out the apricots for peaches and threw in a few blackberries to mix it up a bit. The bones of this cake are perfect to add on to. You can have fun with it. Next time I think I’ll try plums. I love this cake and so has everyone I have served it to. It will continue to be a regular at my table for years to come.

• 3/4 cup butter, softened to room temp
• 1 cup light brown sugar, no need to pack it when measuring
• 2 medium sized ripe peaches, peeled and chopped into bite size pieces
• 1 cup raspberries
• 1/2 cup blackberries
• 2 large eggs, room temp, slightly beaten
• 1 1/3 cup self-rising flour – you can make it or buy it
• 1 cup ground almonds
• 2 tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8 inch round baking pan ( springform if you have one ).

Cream together the butter and sugar using your stand mixer on med speed. You will know it is properly creamed when it has almost doubled in size and has turned a nice yellowish-white colour and little peaks start to form, 5-6 min. Add the lightly beaten eggs to the creamed butter and sugar a little at a time making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the mixer.

Mix together the flour and almonds, fold into the batter in three seperate batchs on low speed. Add the milk. Now fold in the fruit until evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Scrape mixture into prepared pan and bake at 350 for one hour and ten minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out for the most part clean. Let the cake sit for 10 minutes in the pan and then turn out onto a rack to finish cooling.

Sprinkle with icing sugar or serve as is. This cake is great as dessert or served with a cup of tea. Enjoy.

I have been dreaming of a cherry salad for the past few weeks. I LOVE cherries and the endless amount of delicious recipes to use them in. So often the recipes are for tarts and pies and crumbles and ice creams and popsicles etc etc. This time I thought I would try something different and I’m sooo happy I did. This salad is wonderful. Make it, I promise if you like cherries and you like asparagus, your mouth and tummy will love you for it. Oh and did I mention…it’s super good for you! You’re welcome.

• 1 bunch asparagus, grilled and cut into one inch pieces
• 2 cups cherries. pitted and sliced
• 2 cups quinoa, cooked
• mixed salad greens- as much as you like
• goats cheese
• Roasted almonds or walnuts, optional
• 1/2 lemon
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard, more or less depending on how much you like mustard
• salt and pepper to taste

For the salad:

Cook the quinoa according to package directions. Once it has cooked set aside to cool. Wash and pit the cherries. Cut into quarters. Wash the asparagus. Toss with a little olive oil to coat then grill it. I used my square skillet grill from Le Creuset. I love the way asparagus tastes cooked on it. Once the asparagus has cooled, cut into one inch pieces. Toss together the quinoa, cherries and asparagus. Mix with most of the dressing. Mix the remaining dressing with your mixed greens. To serve: place a handful of lettuce on each plate top with quinoa mixture and sprinkle with goats cheese. You can also throw in some roasted almonds or walnuts. Enjoy!

For the dijon vinaigrette:

In a small bowl add the oil. Sprinkle in the salt and whisk together. Add the vinegar, lemon and Dijon, Whisk together. Pepper to taste.