14 December 2010

festive fare

London at the holidays may be manic, but at least there's Fernandez & Wells for a quiet break from the madding crowd. And even better, their sandwiches have gone festive! Here's the turkey and rocket with an extra big dollop of homemade cranberry sauce:

We've had festive food at home, too, with Rachel Allen's Cardamom Sour Cream Cake. The recipe gives the option to use crème fraîche, but don't be tempted (and you will be tempted, because it comes in just the right size pot for the recipe). Definitely use sour cream for the tastiest cake:

Cardamom is my very favorite winter spice, followed by ginger. Which reminds me, I have yet to start our annual gingerbread cookie production. Where does the time go? Better go look for the cutters!

12 comments:

  1. I'm on a diet at the moment so I am unable to look at food without trying to calculate the calories and what percentage of my daily intake would be consumed in one go. It is beyond dull!!! However, I think that sandwich and that cake may well have a zero value......

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  2. That sandwhich looks gorgeous, didn't realize how hungry I was. How funny, My 7 year old and I just tried that same cake last week, it is good isn't it. Probably a very good thing that with six of us cakes don't last long around here.

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  3. LOVE cardamom - I bet that cake is yummy indeed!

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  4. That sandwich does look delicious ! But I think I'd have to go to Fernandez & Wells anyway . The name alone is perfect !

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  5. I LOVE cardamom, too. It's tedious having to mash it up, but the smell is so heavenly. I make a cardamom cookies with a cognac glaze that is one of my very favorite Xmas cookies. I did them for a cocktail party last week and they were a big hit. This cake looks delicious, btw. (Have you tried it with creme fraiche? I have some in the frig that needs to be used up.)

    I was making gingerbread men on Sunday night while we were watching the X Factor final. We like to eat them for breakfast . . . a Xmas season indulgence.

    Have you been ice skating yet?
    We are going to Somerset House on Monday.

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  6. Yum! Thanks to your gorgeous photos I'm now feeling like it's time for an early elevensies!

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  7. LOVE that cake, I've made it as little individual cakes, too. And they get eaten even more quickly!
    D x

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  8. That cake photo is seriously drool-worthy. And given that it's only 9am, I really shouldn't be drooling over cake.

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  9. Cardamom & ginger are some of the great spices that herald Christmas - what divine aromas!

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  10. Delicious stuff, lately I have been running round Soho and having my favorite lunches like a woman on a death row but missed this amazing looking sandwich!!

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  11. The cardamom cake sounds good - it's my favourite winter spice too and I've just made orange marmalade with cardamom and ginger for Christmas gifts.

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  12. Cheeky I know-but am now obsessed with the idea of cardamom sour cream cake-but I don't have that Rachel book-would I be able to scrounge the recipe? I have tried googling it but no joy...I promise to mention you in dispatches! I have never heard of a cake with cardamom in (pah! and she calls herslef an expert?!)x

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