I followed Dawn’s excellent advice and tried this recipe last night – she is right, the balance of cinnamon is perfect!!  Also, did you know that Dawn sells some of her amazing drawings? See her Etsy store here. Golly she is clever! – Jenny x

First off, any chai latte lovers out there?  Not to offend you in any way, but hey, I find the drink weird.  I don’t usually enjoy cinnamon in my food.  I’ve never really had much affinity with cinnamon, especially when my boyfriend shocked me one day with a dish even till today I fear – Bittergourd with cinnamon!  Oh gosh!  Yes, that’s yuck. You see, using cinnamon in food is like an art.  You need the right balance and flavour for it to actually work. So far, in my kitchen, no such luck yet.  Until the other day, when I tried this recipe for the first time!  Ah, finally a strange cinnamon dish I might actually learn to like!  It’s unusual but in a comforting way.  Unfamiliar, yet delicious. A few bites into it and I feel like I’m in Wes Anderson’s Darjeeling Limited or something.  Carrying one of those god-awesome suitcases, travelling in a ratty tatty train.  Ah.  No more to be said.  You got to try it yourself then you’ll know what I mean.  Good luck!

Roast Apricot And Cinnamon Almond Chicken
Serves 6

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 cinnamon quill
20g butter
1 teaspoon grated ginger
5 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1 red onion (cut into thin wedges)
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
5 sprigs coriander
1 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon honey
60ml or ¼ cup olive oil
1/3 cup blanched almonds, roasted and roughly pounded
75g or ½ cup dried apricot halves
5 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
6 chicken marylands

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
2. Combine ground cinnamon, ginger, turmeric and olive oil. Mix well, add salt and pepper to season.
3. Add chicken and turn to coat both sides.
4. Melt butter and olive oil in a large saucepan, over high heat.
5. Brown chicken by placing skin-side down for 3 minutes, then turning over and brown for another 3 minutes.
6. Transfer chicken to a baking dish, skin side up, leaving the sauce in the pan.
7. Reduce heat to low-medium. Add onion, garlic and cook till soft.
8. Add apricots, stock, parsley and honey. When cooked, pour over chicken and bake till chicken is cooked.
9. Sprinkle with ground almonds, coriander and enjoy!

- Dawn x

Today Dawn brings us a comforting soup recipe and a beautiful story about her Grandpa.  Having also lost my Papa when I was little, Dawn’s post today made me feel all nostalgic and warm inside – much like eating some of this soup would. – Jenny x

I’ve never gotten to know my grandpa, since he passed when I was 4?  From vague memories, I somehow always imagine my grandpa to be someone eccentric, with magic tricks up his sleeves.  I imagine him smoking his pipe, crushing mint leaves into an ice cold cup of water, then passing it to me and asking me to drink it all down.  “The weather’s hot, it’ll be good for you!” Anyway, if he was the sort of person I imagine him to be, I’d think he’ll cook this hearty vegetable soup for me whenever I’m sick. I imagine him going “ Ah.  Beef.  Beef’s good.  Lots of iron, it’ll make you strong!”.  So yes, I cook this whenever I feel like I’m in need of some iron, or whenever I’m seeking a little nostalgia.  Perhaps it might bring you some good memories too, of your own grandpa?

Grandpa Joe’s Vegetable Soup
Serves 6

1 leek (white part, thinly sliced)
200g beef chunks
1 onion (roughly chopped)
Good bunch of coriander (chopped)
2 stalks celery (thickly sliced)
2.5l or 10 cups chicken stock
3 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
1 turnip (cut into 1cm cubes)
1 carrot (cut into 1cm cubes)
65g or 1/3 cup pearl barley (pre-soaked in cold water for 3 hours)

1. Place beef and stock in a saucepan over low-medium heat and bring to boil.
2. Add pearl barley and simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Add celery, carrot, leek, turnip, onion, thyme and bay leaves, season with salt and pepper.
4. Partially cover with a lid and simmer, skimming occasionally, for 1 hour, until beef is very tender.
5. Stir in parsley and coriander, season further.
6. Ladle into bowls and serve with warm crusty bread!

- Dawn x