Thailand [2: A Spoonful of Sugar]

[Edit: it has taken me almost two weeks to get this post up. Still having photo-upload issues, so this post was completed through the magic of folder-sharing using Jay’s shiny new Air. I love Macs!]

Hello! I am back with more photos from Thailand…

After our disappointment of A Spoonful of Sugar being closed, Mum and I went back a few days later. And then again the next day… and the next.
It did not let us down.
Suzie, I so wish you had been able to come with us, you would LOVE it.  Anyone would!

Using their Wi-Fi to Skype Dad back home.

I truly loved this little place.
Anyone going to Phuket, you should stop here! It’s between Rawai and Nai Harn, south Phuket. The owner (Ploy, I believe her name is) makes all the cakes herself by hand, which is kind of hard to believe when you see them all lined up in the little fridge; they look so professional.  There is no official website for A Spoonful of Sugar, but its TripAdvisor reviews tell you all you need to know.

A Spoonful Of Sugar

I was so excited to go to A Spoonful Of Sugar for brunch this morning before Suzie flew back home; it had been our plan since we saw it, and then read about it on TripAdvisor, to go on Suzie’s last morning.
Unfortunately, we got there only to discover that it is closed on Mondays.
I will go back and eat cake take photos for her, ’cause I am just that nice of a sister ;)
Their sign outside is just one of the sweet things about it.

Lemon and Poppy Seed Loaf (Recipe DIY)

Lemon and poppy seeds in any combination or production shape will make me happy.  They are one of the best combinations ever, I am convinced of it.
The loaf I made here was a combination of a few recipes I found online, with a bit of my own mind thrown in too.

1. Sift 225g of self-raising flour with 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder and a pinch of salt.  Then mix in 3 tablespoons of poppy seeds. I think I put in too many; I got a bit overexcited that I’d finally found poppy seeds (they are mysteriously hard to get hold of here).

3. Blend 250g of butter (room temperature) with 250g caster sugar. I do not have a mixer, (but I would love one like this) so I just used a spoon, then a fork, then anything I could find to beat it into a frenzy.

4. I switched to using a hand whisk to mix in four eggs, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, the zest of two lemons, two tablespoons of lemon juice and two tablespoons of ground almonds.  I must say, though, that these measurements are very sketchy, I just kind of wing it…

5. Add half the flour mixture, and a tablespoon of natural yoghurt.  Mix well, then add the rest of the flour, and another tablespoon(ish) of yoghurt.

6. Pour the batter into a loaf tin (I used my silicone one for the first time… it came out an interesting shape) and bake at Gas mark 2 (150 Celsius) for about an hour and a half.

7. Use a toothpick to make tiny holes all over the top of the cake, then brush over a lemon glaze (I really winged this – water, lemon juice and sugar in a saucepan until it reduced).  Let it sit for about half an hour, then turn the loaf out, and do the same to the bottom side.

8. Let the cake cool completely, then cover with a lemony yoghurt glaze (combine natural yoghurt, icing sugar and lemon zest).

Look at all the happy little poppy seeds!

It might not look amazing, but it tastes beaut!

A whole lot of nothing, again.

I made this for dinner last night, and took no photos of it, but rest assured it was YUM.

My hair is growing very slowly, but it has definitely grown since my post about it, so I’ll do an update soon.

These snack wraps are so cool, I really want to buy/make some but I never take a pack lunch because I live so close to my uni campus that I just come home for lunch.  Maybe for summer picnics….

I also really want to make these.  Again, another possible summer project.

And lastly (because I have a ton of work to do and I’m still in my pyjamas…), this cake is amazing…