Plum, Cinnamon & Buttermilk Muffins

More plums and more muffins!

On Wednesday, I mentioned my unstoppable appetite for plums. I turned the sweet and sour fruit into a caramelized topping for a rich cheese omelette and made a heavenly ciabatta sandwich. Today I turned them into muffins, fluffy muffins, refined with lots of cinnamon and pretty plums on top. I need my sweet dose of homemade cake at least once a week and there's no better day to indulge in this treat than on a Sunday. And if I don't have much time, I go for muffins. A batch of 12 is just enough for the two of us for breakfast and tea time, and the last nibbles are reserved for dessert.

I like to use German plums for baking, also known as Damson plums, but feel free to use Italian plums or any variety you can find. Apples, pears, or blueberry work just as well, I'd even give some late summer peaches or figs a go.More muffin inspiration:

• Carrot and Pineapple Muffins with Hazelnuts

• Bittersweet Chocolate Muffins filled with Peanut Butter

• Chocolate and Orange Muffins

• Fig, Ricotta and Olive Oil Muffins

• Banana Muffins with White and Dark Chocolate

• Cherry and Chocolate Muffins

Plum, Cinnamon & Buttermilk Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

• plain flour 200g / 1 1/2 cups

• granulated sugar 70g / 1/3 cup, plus 2 tablespoons for the topping

• baking powder 2 1/2 teaspoons

• baking soda 1/2 teaspoon

• a pinch of salt

• ground cinnamon 1 1/2 teaspoons, plus 1/2 teaspoon for the topping

• buttermilk 190ml / 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon

• butter, melted and cooled, 90g / 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon

• organic egg 1

• large plums 8, cut into thin wedges

• paper baking cups 12

Set the oven to 200°C / 400°F (preferably convection setting) and line the 12 molds of a muffin tray with paper baking cups.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

For the topping, combine the sugar and cinnamon.

In a large bowl, whisk the buttermilk, melted butter, buttermilk, and egg, then pour into the flour mixture. Using a wooden spoon, stir until you have a lumpy dough, with a bit of flour left here and there. Keep in mind, the more you mix it, the more it will lose its light texture. Divide the dough between the muffin cups and arrange the plum wedges on top. For the topping, sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar and bake for about 15 minutes (slightly longer if using a conventional oven) or until the muffins are golden and firm on top. Let them cool for 1-2 minutes before you take them out of the tray.

Spiced Plum and Cheese Omelette Ciabatta Sandwich

The changing of the seasons, the short gap before the next season takes over, is a great gift. It's a time that tends to fill me with great excitement. Autumn's waiting in the wings, yet summer isn't ready to say goodbye. There's no need to rush, I can indulge in Vorfreude - the German word for the happiness and excitement that we feel before a special event. The idea of coziness and comfort food, long walks in the forest and snuggly sofa time is already more than appealing. I replace my flowery dresses with a pair of jeans and a cardigan and spend just as much time outside as I did in the past few months. The sun is lower and wraps the world around me in a gorgeous golden glow, everything looks softer and warmer. My appetite shifts from lighter treats to the richer pleasures of the kitchen, and my mood is full of joy and curiosity for everything that the next couple months will bring into my life.

Cooking plums with spices is a celebration of late summer, but with a subtle nod towards the festive season. I had this aromatic duo in mind when Leerdammer asked me to create a new sandwich, a sandwich that fits my current mood. The fruit caramelized in sugar, cinnamon, and coriander seeds, sits on top of a rich cheese omelette. This whole juicy joy is layered in a soft ciabatta bread, sprinkled with a bit of fresh thyme. Just one bite and I'm ready to celebrate the season. I love to indulge in the produce that every month of the year offers, especially when there's fresh bread on the table: Be it in my Cheese, Bacon, and Egg Sandwich with Garden Vegetables, a summery light creation in June, or the pleasures of zucchini cheese fritters and strawberries piled between two slices of bread. Maybe I should come up with a sandwich calendar one day.

I usually spend late September and October experimenting with roots and winter squash, with grapes, plums, and apples. I try out new meat dishes and enjoy my trusted classics. But this year, I'll 'lose' a month in the kitchen. I'll be traveling through Europe and the US pretty much all of October to launch my book and to finally present my recipes, printed on paper, physically and not just in the digital spheres of the world. As much as I know that I'll miss my kitchen, I can't say that this circumstance fills me with sadness. I'm nervous, excited, even a bit hysterical at times, but I can't wait to finally open the pages of the Eat In My kitchen book and show it to all the people who I'm going to meet soon.

To make up for the kitchen break ahead of me, I spent the past few weeks cooking and baking with all the ingredients that I'll miss out on. Plums are at the top of my list - for sweet and savoury dishes. If I had to choose one flavour to describe this time of the year, it would be plums. I love their sour fruitiness, especially cooked, in combination with aromatic spices. Add them to a bowl of vanilla ice cream and whipped cream and you can still taste summer, turn them into a fragrant chutney and stir them into the thick sauce of a venison stew in a couple months and you're ready for winter. Dumplings, jam, cakes, or sandwiches, there's no recipe that this fruit can't deal with.

This post has been sponsored by Leerdammer.

Spiced Plum and Cheese Omelette Ciabatta Sandwich

Makes 2 Sandwiches

For the caramelized plums

• granulated sugar 2 tablespoons

• unsalted butter 2 tablespoons

• coriander seeds, crushed in a mortar, 1 teaspoon

• ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon

• large plums, cut into quarters, 4

For the omelette

• organic eggs 3

• heavy cream 60ml / 1/4 cup

• freshly grated nutmeg

• fine sea salt

• ground pepper

• butter 1 teaspoon

For the sandwich

• lettuce leaves 2-4

• small ciabatta bread, cut into 2 buns, each cut in half, 1

• Leerdammer cheese, thinly sliced, about 60g / 2 ounces

• a few fresh thyme leaves

• black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar

For the caramelized plums, in a medium, heavy pan, heat the sugar, butter, and spices over medium high heat, stir, and add the plums as soon as the butter is golden and sizzling. Cook the plums for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden and soft. Turn them gently one by one, and mind that they keep their shape. Take the pan off the heat.

For the omelette, whisk the eggs and heavy cream and season with nutmeg, salt, and ground pepper. In a small, heavy or non-stick pan, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Pour the egg mixture into the pan, scramble very lightly and fold onto itself. When the bottom side starts to become golden flip the omelette around. Cook it shortly from the other side for about a minute or until the omelette is just set. Take the pan off the heat and cut the omelette into large chunks.

Arrange the lettuce on top of the two bottoms of the buns. Divide the warm omelette between the buns, spread the cheese on top, then finish it off with the warm caramelized plums. Pour the buttery juices from the pan used for the plums over the fruit and sprinkle with thyme and a little crushed black pepper. Close the bun, squeeze a little - gently! - and enjoy!

meet in your kitchen | Emiko Davies' Grape Focaccia & her life in Tuscany

Our long wooden dining table has seen many luscious lunches and dinners. It has its scars and scratches and I'm sure that a few of them came from an unexpected meal with friends a few months ago. It must have been spring, I was still busy proof reading my book and I was rather stressed. What was supposed to be a one hour snack with a friend from Malta turned into a little Friday feast, with three friends, salads, cheese, and salami, and with a few more bottles of white wine than one should open (and empty) on a Friday afternoon - but who cares, we had a wonderful time. We laughed so much that I managed to relax and forget my duties for a few hours - and it was the start of this meet in your kitchen feature.

One of the friends who sat at my table that day was my dear Heilala. Whenever we meet, we get lost in long conversations. Between nibbles of cheese and sips of wine, she told me about a friend from her school days who just published her first cookbook and had also gone through all the excitement that comes with the adventure of being a book author. Her friend lives in the heart of Tuscany, in Florence, once the breeding ground of breathtaking Renaissance art and architecture. If you've seen it once, you'll never forget its magical beauty. So Heilala told me that her friend lives right there, in this Italian paradise with her Italian husband and their little daughter, she writes a food blog and as I found out later, she's already at work on her second cookbook - she's called Emiko Davies.

I knew Emiko, not personally, but I've been a huge fan of her work for quite a while. Her recipes, her writing, and her photography have depth, every single aspect of her work shows that she's knows what she's talking about. Every picture she shares speaks of the beauty that surrounds her. If you live in a place that's so full of history, culture, and evolving traditions, where the fine arts have flourished for centuries, you can only grow. The former art and history student dug deep into Florence's culinary traditions. Like a scientist, she observed, read, and learned about the original cooking and baking of this part of Tuscany, a region that's so versatile and rich. Florentine, The True Cuisine of Florenceis a declaration of love, of someone who has experienced the city from the outside and has now become a part of it.

The curiosity and persistency of this food loving woman fascinated me - even more so after I found out that we share a beloved friend. We only got in touch last week, but I immediately knew that I wanted to meet Emiko in her kitchen. For know it's just a virtual meeting, but I'm planning to visit her next year, in real life - to be continued.

All pictures in this post are taken by Emiko Davies.

Schiacciata all'uva | Grape focaccia

from 'Florentine: The True Cuisine of Florence' by Emiko Davies, published by Hardie Grant Books

For one or two fleeting months of the year from September to October, the appearance of schiacciata all'uva in Florence's bakery shop windows is a sign that summer is over and the days will begin to get noticeably shorter. This sticky, sweet focaccia-like bread, full of bright, bursting grapes, is a hint that winemakers are working hard at that moment harvesting their grapes and pressing them. 

These days, it is usually made with fragrant, berry-like concord grapes (uva fragola) or the more traditional sangiovese or canaiolo wine grapes. These grapes stain the bread purple and lend it its juicy texture and sweet but slightly tart flavour. They are also what give the bread a bit of crunch, as traditionally the seeds are left in and eaten along with the bread. Avoid using red or white seedless table grapes or white grapes for this – they just don’t do it justice in terms of flavour or appearance. If you can’t get concord grapes or it’s the wrong season, try replacing them with blueberries. It’s completely unorthodox, of course, but it’s a very good substitute, giving you a much closer result than using regular table grapes.

Makes 1 large schiacciata, serves 6–8

• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting

• 20 g (3/4 oz) fresh yeast, or 7 g (1/4 oz/2 1/2 level teaspoons) active dry yeast

• 400 ml (131/2 fl oz) lukewarm water

• 75 ml (21/2 fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing

• 600 g (1 lb 5 oz) concord grapes (or other black grape)

• 80 g (23/4 oz) caster (superfine) sugar

• 1 teaspoon aniseed (optional)

• icing (confectioners’) sugar (optional)

Preparing the dough

This can be done the night before you need to bake it, or a couple of hours ahead of time.

Sift the flour into a large bowl and create a well in the centre.

Dissolve the yeast in some (about 1/2 cup or 125 ml) of the lukewarm water.

Add the yeast mixture to the centre of the flour and mix with your hand or a wooden spoon. Add the rest of the water little by little, working the dough well after each addition to allow the flour to absorb all the water.

Add 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil to the dough and combine.

This is quite a wet, sticky dough. Rather than knead, you may need to work it with a wooden spoon or with well-oiled hands for a few minutes until it is smooth. Cover the bowl of dough well with some plastic wrap and set it in a warm place away from draughts until it doubles in size, about 1 hour. If doing this the night before, leave the dough in the bowl to rise in the fridge overnight.

Assembling the schiacciata

Separate the grapes from the stem, then rinse and pat dry. There’s no need to deseed them if making this the traditional way.

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).

Grease a 20 cm (8 in) x 30 cm (12 in) baking tin or a round pizza tray with olive oil. With well-oiled (or wet) hands, divide the dough into two halves, one slightly larger than the other. Place the larger half onto the greased pan and with your fingers, spread out the dough evenly to cover the pan or so that it is no more than 1.5 cm (1/2 in) thick.

Place about two-thirds of the grapes onto the first dough layer and sprinkle over half of the sugar, followed by about 30 ml (1 fl oz) of olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of aniseed.

Stretch out the rest of the dough to roughly the size of the pan and cover the grapes with this second layer of dough, stretching to cover the surface. Roll up the edges of the bottom layer of dough from underneath to the top, to seal the edges of the schiacciata. Gently push down on the surface of the dough to create little dimples all over. Cover the top with the rest of the grapes and evenly sprinkle over the remaining aniseed, sugar and olive oil.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until the dough becomes golden and crunchy on top and the grapes are oozing and cooked.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. Cut into squares and enjoy eaten with your hands. If you like, dust with icing (confectioners’) sugar just before serving – although this isn't exactly traditional, it is rather nice.

This is best served and eaten the day of baking, or at the most the next day.

You've lived in many countries and experienced a variety of cultures in your life, your mother is Japanese, your father is Australian, your husband is Italian and you grew up in Beijing. How has your diverse cultural identity influenced your life and cooking?

Moving around a lot and identifying with different cultures, I grew up not feeling like I was particularly attached to just one place. I think this made it very easy (perhaps even necessary – at least that's how I felt about it when I was 20!) for me to pick up a suitcase, buy a plane ticket and move to a new country to learn a new language and discover the new culture. I am also pretty sure this travel and experience partly contributed to me being an adventurous eater – always willing to try anything once. From the beginning, I understood that food is a way to connect with and understand a new culture – if, for Florentines, their number one beloved comfort dish is a warm panino made with the fourth stomach of the cow (it's known as a panino al lampredotto), then you can be sure it's one of the first things I tried – and fell in love with too!

What do you love the most about Florence? Do you find anything difficult to connect with?

There are many sides to Florence and the longer I live here, the more I discover another aspect! When I first moved here, it was so easy to fall head of heels for Florence – especially for someone who studied art and art history as I did! Everywhere you look, the place is touched with the Renaissance and the most important artists in history, it's like one giant museum. That's what drew me in. And it's what drew a lot of expats to Florence, so there is a large expat community with many similar-minded people, who are all here for similar reasons (love, food or art, usually!). I made friends easily here and felt really at home, ironically (as I always feel more at home amongst expats). But having said that, I find it's really difficult to make friends, really good friends, with Florentines. That's been a struggle. I ended up meeting and marrying one, but I have to say, he's quite different from the typical Florentine man!

Was it easy to become a part of the Florentine way of life?

I think yes and no. Living it the historical centre of Florence, visiting the local butcher or fruit vendor or bakery for your shopping, the same bar for coffee every morning, you begin to get to know your neighbourhood and they begin to know you, it becomes your little world. I've met some wonderful people this way, and this feeling of a neighbourhood or quarter is something I love about Florence – something that I hope everyone who still lives in the centre continues to cling on to, as tourism tends to take over in a city like Florence. On another aspect, since having a child, I can see the cultural differences coming out more than ever! My parenting ideals are much more anglo-saxon and more often than not they seem to clash with the 'norm' here!

Your husband is head sommelier at the Four Season's Michelin-starred Il Palagio, do you find it inspiring that both of you work in the fields of the culinary pleasures of life?

Always. We work in two quite different worlds – I write about and cook homely, traditional food, while he has, for the past five years or more, worked solely in fine dining and wine. But at home we always cook together and we have a similar appreciation for good food and good ingredients, cooked properly. He inspires me and helps me in ways he probably doesn't know.

You say that "Italian cuisine doesn't exist, there are many cuisines". Why do you think regional cuisine is so diverse in Italy?

There are many theories, but the simplest answer is history. Italy is actually a very young nation – it was unified in 1861, that's little more than 150 years ago! But the traditions, dialects, dishes and ways of life of each region are ancient. In many cases, even the differences you'll find from town to town are huge. This is what makes Italy such a fascinating place – it's not really one country to discover but so many different places, which means it's almost a new cuisine in every town you visit.

On your blog, you mention an author called Pellegrino Artusi and his cookbook, known in English as Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well, published in Italy in 1891. Can you tell us a bit about this book and why it fascinates you?

Italy had only been unified for 30 years when this book – documenting 790 “Italian” recipes – was published. It became the sort of cookbook every household acquired and had sitting on the shelf. Artusi himself was from Emilia-Romagna but he spent much of his life in Florence, so many of the dishes are Tuscan, or familiar to Tuscans. But it wasn't meant to be a regional cookbook, it was more like an encyclopaedia of recipes for the “modern” housewife. I love it because it's not only a snapshot into what Italian food was when the country was newly unified, but also because many of the recipes are still made the same way, so it's a fantastic reference for traditional recipes. It's a good read, too, Artusi is witty and at times hilarious in his anecdotes that accompany recipes.

Why do you think that there are many Florentine dishes that didn't change much since medieval times?

Traditions change very slowly in Florence! They have this saying here, la squadra che vince non si cambia, or the don't change a winning team. It's a bit like the phrase, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Partly there's that at play, it's the proud nature of Florentines to continue to prepare and eat their all-time favourite dishes more or less the way they've been prepared for centuries. There's also the philosophy to cook the local ingredients that have always been available for Florentines, and to use the long-time staples of the cuisine – bread and olive oil being two of the most important! These have been around for a long time and are still what humble, earthy Florentine cuisine is based on.

Can you imagine living in Tuscany for the rest of your life?

For the same reason that I've always found it easy to pick up and move, I can't really imagine being in one place forever! But I've lived in Florence longer than any other single place on the planet, so that's already quite an achievement! Italy is not an easy place to live in, despite the romanticism and beauty. I think that we are lucky to have the option to be able to live in two wonderful countries – Australia and Italy – whenever we want. For now, it's Italy's time.

Florentine, your first cookbook, came out in March this year. At the moment you're working on your next book, Acquacotta, which will be about the cuisine of the southern Maremma area of Tuscany. It will be published exactly a year after the first one. Why did you decide to start working on the new book immediately and what feels different now, after the experience of the first book?

It came about quite quickly because we were living in Porto Ercole, in southern Tuscany for six months last year, well before Florentine came out, and it was just such a beautiful place I knew it had to be shared in the form of a cookbook! So I contacted my publisher and we talked about the pitch for a couple of months and came up with Acquacotta. She was aware that starting to work on it while I was living there would be the best way to bring it to life, so essentially I started working on Acquacotta while I was still finishing Florentine. It's been difficult to juggle between the two and 'switch' from one to the other when Florentine finally came out, but the experience of the first book has helped me feel much more confident about the second one – from the recipe testing to the writing to the photographs, even how the recipes were made and shot. It really helped that I have the exact same wonderful team from Florentine working on this book too, it felt really good and seemed to just make itself, almost!

Your photography is stunning, do you prefer taking the pictures of your dishes yourself?

Thank you! I still feel like I have a long way to go – my background is in analog film photography, and I still feel like I struggle with digital photography, especially the editing part. I'm self-taught for the most part. For my blog, I take all my own photographs, but for the cookbook I took the location photographs, leaving the recipe shots to a wonderful photographer Lauren Bamford. In Australia, a cookbook is really a team effort, with one professional looking after each and every aspect of the book. For the recipe shots, I wanted to make sure the dishes looked completely authentic and real – just like how you'd find them in Florence. So I cooked them myself (with some help from my husband Marco and a home economist) and while I was busy in the kitchen, Deb Kaloper, an absolute magician in food styling, styled the dishes and Lauren Bamford took the photographs. It was a dream to work with them.

How do you develop new recipes for your book and your blog? What inspires you?

What inspires me most is travel and seeing how a place – its landscape, its history – is so strongly connected to the food that is made there and vice versa. It's why I am so interested in regional Italian food. In Florentine I wanted to share how the food in this city belongs entirely to Florence – not just Tuscany. It's not Tuscan food. It's Florentine food. And for Acquacotta, which is still about Tuscany, I wanted to show people how different Tuscan food is when you come to a place like the Maremma – more isolated, less touristy, hidden, and full of beautiful, rugged landscapes, mountains and the sea, which inspire the food. For the blog, I talk about not only dishes that I've found in old cookbooks or tasted in a new place, but also create some travel pieces for people who might be coming to Italy on holiday and want to avoid touristy food and know where to taste the real deal.Who is your biggest inspiration in the kitchen?In every day cooking, it's probably my husband. Everyone who likes to cook for other people knows that the best thing about cooking is making something that you know someone else will love! In developing recipes for the blog and my books, it's usually some old cookbooks that inspire me to try new dishes – aside from Artusi, I also love Ada Boni's 1921 cookbook, Il Talismano della Felicita' (known as The Talisman in English) and Elizabeth David's Italian Food. I've discovered some other older cookbooks recently that I have at my bedside table too, like Patience Gray's Honey from a Weed and Jane Grigson's Vegetable Book.

What was the first dish you cooked on your own, what is your first cooking memory?

I can remember a few mud pies when I was very little, but from memory the first real food I made was scrambled eggs. My grandmother in Sydney taught me how to make them, using real butter and showing me how to take them off the heat when they're still soft and wobbly, just before they look ready so you don't risk overcooking them. I still make it the exact same way.

What are your favourite places to buy and enjoy food in Florence?

My favourite food market is Sant'Ambrogio. It's a local market on the eastern edge of town. It's not huge but it's got everything you'd ever need and more. Plus there's always a nice neighbourhood vibe there, and we have a little ritual of stopping off at the news stand, then going to a pastry shop for coffee and a mid-morning treat. It's the little things. Many of my favourite restaurants are in the same square as the market – Caffe Cibreo is a really pretty spot for coffee or lunch, and the buffet lunch at Teatro del Sale is one of my favourite food experiences in Florence. Pasticceria Nencioni a little down the street is a wonderful, tiny pastry shop and right next to the market, Semel, a little hole in the wall panino shop, makes a fantastic quick lunch – a crunchy roll with maybe some anchovies, fennel and orange (my favourite one) and a small glass of wine.

If you could choose one person to cook a meal for you, who and what would it be?

It'd probably be my mum, I'd ask her to make me my favourite Japanese dishes – cold somen noodle salad and chargrilled baby eggplants if it's summer, miso soup with clams, her sushi and sashimi platters. Whenever I'm home I always request sukiyaki or shabu-shabu (a hot pot dish where each diner cooks their own food in the bubbling pot in the middle of the table) at least once.

You're going to have ten friends over for a spontaneous dinner, what will be on the table?

Food that is unfussy to make (i.e. easy for the cook) and easy to share (i.e. fun and informal for the guests) – a creamy chickpea soup or a steaming pan of freshly tossed vongole and spaghetti, a roast of some sort (a whole roast fish or chicken are my favourites), stuffed with lots of herbs on a bed of roast potatoes and cherry tomatoes so you have the main and side dish in one. Dessert, either an after-dinner stroll to the gelateria or some whipped, coffee-laced ricotta with homemade lady finger biscuits to dip.

What was your childhood's culinary favourite and what is it now?

I loved everything as a child, but in particular I loved Japanese food and Japanese sweets – anything with sweet red bean paste is my weakness! They're still my favourite, most comforting foods, but it's very hard to get good Japanese food in Italy so I wait until I'm visiting my mother to indulge in it.

Do you prefer to cook on your own or together with others?

I like the social aspect of cooking together, when you've got something special planned and there's a lot to do, it's nice to have someone to chat to while you're chopping, or kneading or stirring all day. But when I get the chance to have some time to myself (rare these days, with a three and a half year old around!), I like to be alone in the kitchen, cooking is very therapeutic and relaxing, almost meditative, for me. That's one of the reasons I'm looking forward to the cooler weather, so I have a good excuse for long, slow cooking and baking, my favourite ways to cook.

Which meals do you prefer, improvised or planned?

I do like both, but I think I might be rather good with improvising a meal! One of my best food moments was pulling together a totally improvised meal for my very new boyfriend (so new I probably couldn't even call him that!) from a practically empty fridge. I made him pasta with broccoli and garlic. He took one bite and said “I'm going to marry you.” And he did.

Which meal would you never cook again?

I don't know if there's something I'd never do, but probably things I'd change the next time I tried it. For me, right now, being a mother and writing cookbooks, I have to be a bit picky with what I cook when I have the time to do it, so I tend to lean towards low maintenance, unfussy, simple dishes. Things that are fiddly and require every minute of my attention are things I avoid lately – caramel, for example, is something I may not try for a while!

Thank you Emiko!

Sautéed Belgian Endive wrapped in Prosciutto di Parma

The lack of time can be as fruitful as frugality. My mind tends to work quicker - and come up with surprisingly good ideas - when I don't have time and ingredients in abundance. It makes me creative. My boyfriend often asks me what we should cook for dinner in the early afternoon. In the past, I would have just gone to the grocery store if I hadn't made up my mind yet, I would have looked at the fresh produce and gone back to my kitchen to start cooking. But that's not possible at the moment, I'm lucky if I manage to do my beloved grocery shopping once or twice a week. Time is a gift that I never treasured as highly as I do right now.

But I don't want to complain, it's a different kind of cooking, but nonetheless inspiring and still very satisfying. Like these little golden bites of Belgian endive (chicory), sautéed for just a couple minutes until golden and then wrapped in a thin layer of prosciutto di Parma. It was delicious! In my pre-cookbook life I would have made a side out of it and not given it my full attention, or at least bought a fresh loaf of ciabatta to dip into the juices in the pan. But no, a few slices of my leftover spelt bread where just as good and the simplicity of this meal caressed my taste buds.

Sautéed Belgian Endive wrapped in Prosciutto di Parma

Serves 2

• olive oilmedium

• Belgian endive, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise, 2

• fine sea salt

• prosciutto di Parma 4 thin slices

• black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar

In a small, heavy pan, heat a splash of olive oil over high heat and sauté the endives for 1-1 1/2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and still al dente. Season lightly with salt and take the pan off the heat.

On a large plate, spread the prosciutto di Parma and wrap each half of Belgian endive tightly in one slice of prosciutto. Put the pan back on the heat and cook the wrapped endives for 1 minute on each side or until the prosciutto is golden but still soft. Divide between plates and sprinkle with crushed pepper.

Cheesecake Swiss Roll with Mascarpone and Blackberries

Some days call for lavish teatime treats, especially when it's Sunday and I'm in the mood to spoil myself with some tasty calories. The 7th day of the week should be dedicated to rest and calm, but in my life it's also dedicated to baking. I take advantage of the fact that there are no duties and tasks waiting to be taken care of, so I can give my full attention to a quiet kitchen instead. I'm willing to share my baked treats with my loved ones, it's my kitchen credo after all, which led to my blog and my book's subtitle: To cook, to bake, to eat, and to treat. Cake always tastes better when you share it, but the process of baking it gives me some time just for myself.

So this week I got hooked on the idea of combining a swiss roll with New York cheesecake - without the cookie base obviously. I was after a spongy roll, fluffy but structured, and I know that my beloved swiss roll recipe manages to satisfy this demand with ease. It's been with me for two decades, I trust this roll. My usual filling would be whipped cream, as in my Blueberry Lemon Swiss Roll recipe. But it seemed too light for my current mood, I wanted creamy richness, a denser filling, with cream cheese and mascarpone - and a few plump blackberries - for my cheesecake swiss roll. My body's ready for the next season and it doesn't care that I'll be in Malta again in a few weeks, sitting on the beach in a bikini under the burning sun. I'm set for autumn and my Maltese boyfriend deeply disapproves of my decision - I think every Mediterranean man or woman suffers when summer comes to an end. But for a northern girl, the next season promises coziness and hearty treats, lonely walks in golden forests, and a chilled breeze whistling through the streets.

Cheesecake Swiss Roll with Mascarpone and Blackberries

Makes a 15cm / 6″ swiss roll 

For the swiss roll

• organic eggs, separated, 2

• a pinch of salt

• granulated sugar 40g/ 1/4 cup, plus 3 tablespoons for sprinkling

• plain flour 35g / 1/4 cup

• cornstarch 15g / 2 tablespoons

For the filling

• mascarpone 110g / 4 ounces

• cream cheese 110g / 4 ounces

• granulated sugar 2 tablespoons

• lemon zest 1 teaspoon, plus 1 teaspoon for sprinkling

• freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tablespoon

• blackberries 125g / 4 1/2 ounces

Set the oven to 220°C / 425°F (conventional setting) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt for a few seconds before adding half the sugar, continue beating until stiff.

In a second large bowl, mix the egg yolks and the remaining sugar with an electric mixer until thick and creamy. Using a wooden spoon, fold the egg white into the egg yolks. Sieve and combine the flour and cornstarch and fold gently into the egg mixture. Spread the dough on the lined baking sheet, covering a rectangle of roughly 15 x 30cm / 6 x 12″ and bake on the middle rack of the oven for about 6 minutes or until golden and spongy.

Sprinkle a kitchen towel with 2 tablespoons of sugar and flip the warm sponge onto the towel. Peel off the parchment paper and carefully roll the sponge with the towel, the roll should be 15cm / 6" long. Leave it rolled up until cool.

For the filling, in a medium bowl, whip the mascarpone, cream cheese, sugar, lemon zest and juice until creamy.

When the sponge is cool, unwind the sponge roll and spread the filling on top, leave a small rim (see picture below). Cover with the blackberries and roll it up tightly. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and a little lemon zest. Serve immediately or keep in the fridge before serving.

Roasted Cauliflower with Capers and Preserved Lemon - and about letting go

Eat In My Kitchen will be out worldwide in 34 days (in English, on October 4th) and my German book will see the book stores even earlier, in less than a month, on September 26th. It's becoming real. It's the transition from a project that existed as an idea in the heads of a handful of people to a finished, physical book, which will lean against other books in book shelves and hopefully come to use in many kitchens. Soon, this transition will be complete and then it won't just be my 'baby' anymore. Then it will be out in the world, it will live its own life, create lots of stories around food, and I won't be a part of it anymore. Soon, it won't be in my hands anymore.

You could say that it's not really a huge difference to the blog, which is true to a certain extent. For almost 3 years I've been sharing my recipes (more than 600) here, in the digital world. Whoever felt inspired cooked or baked them, many sent me pictures or emails, and enjoyed it. This interaction still made me feel like I'm a part of it, a part of my Eat In My Kitchen blog that changes constantly, it grows and evolves. But the book is different, it's done, it's printed, it reached the warehouses already, there's nothing I could change, even if I wanted to. Now, I have to learn to let go.

Although there's no work left to be done on the physical book, there's tons of organization left. My book launch events in London, Berlin, Malta, New York, and Washington seem to need my attention 24/7, there are interviews and photo shoots on my schedule, and so many things that come along with a book, things that I never thought about. It felt like a lot of work writing this book, but to send it out into the world seems even more crazy.

I have a habit, whenever my life resembles a rollercoaster, I try to be a little more disciplined and create a rhythm that I stick to. I have my rituals, I take Saturdays off, I go jogging more regularly, I set up more tea time breaks than usual, and I don't skip dinner. It's often quite simple, due to a lack of time and inspiration, but that doesn't matter. I chop my vegetables, nibble on my cheese, and sip at my wine glass (not every night though). I try to create normality within the chaos, a routine, and that helps me.

My current life leads to recipes that neither require much work or time, nor many ingredients. Unfortunately, the time that's left for my beloved grocery shopping decreased considerably in the past few months. But there's no need to complain, those dishes created out of spontaneity taste just as good. On one of those late nights, I opened the door of my fridge, I spotted a head of cauliflower, a jar of my homemade preserved lemons, and capers from Malta. I cut the cabbage into pieces, tossed it in olive oil and my tasty preserves, and ended up with the most delicious comfort food. It was a happy night.

If you're curious about my Eat In My Kitchen book, you can pre-order it here:

• Amazon US – Amazon UK – Amazon Germany

• Barnes & Noble

• IndieBound

• Books A Million

Roasted Cauliflower with Capers and Preserved Lemon

Serves 2

• cored cauliflower, cut into medium pieces, 600g / 1 1/3 pounds

• olive oil 60ml / 1/4 cup

• preserved lemon, thinly sliced, 1/2

• capers, preferably preserved in salt, rinsed, 3 tablespoons

• flaky sea salt

• black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar

Preheat the oven to 220°C / 425°F.

Spread the cauliflower in a medium baking dish. Add the olive oil, preserved lemon, and capers and toss to combine. Season with a little flaky sea salt (mind that the capers are salty) and crushed pepper. Roast for about 18 minutes or until the cauliflower turns golden. Flip the cauliflower and roast for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown, turn on the grill (broiler) for the last few minutes, if you prefer it a bit more crispy. Serve warm or cold.

French Yogurt Cake with Greengage Plums for a late summer Sunday

Piles of plums, peaches, and apricots fill my kitchen's countertops. Plates with tiny yellow mirabelles and slightly larger greengage plums make it look and smell like a farmers' market - the fruit flies are having a feast. Every season has its culinary highlights, but late summer is the most lavish time of the year. Figs and berries are at their peak, packed with sweet juices. The whole variety of stone fruits is ready to be picked from the trees, and early apples tease me with their sour quality, which is so perfect for baked treats. Sponge cakes, muffins, tarts, and pies are just waiting to be paired with one of these summer fruits - who needs whipped cream or butter cream frosting? Now is the time to stir some fruit into the dough and enjoy one of the best sweet combinations ever: cake and fruit.

Sunday is my favourite day to bake cake. I start the oven right after breakfast, which tends to end rather late. Not so much because I sleep in, it's more because I enjoy the luxury of not having to rush after a busy week. I take my time, lots of time.

Looking at the long tradition of baking in my life, there are two recipes that I use far more often than others, not only on Sundays. The first one is my fluffy German waffle recipe, it's a family weekend ritual, and the other one is a simple fruit cake. It may sound quite simple but there are a million possible variations of this treat: you can add white chocolate, cornstarch for a lighter texture, or put some crumble on top. Olive oil creates a warm flavour and a juicy texture, great for a cake but also for my fig and ricotta muffins.

Today I went for a classic French yogurt cake, which is usually enjoyed plain. However, my enthusiasm for fruit led to a juicy filling of greengage plums. They were supposed to become a topping, but gravity, in combination with a light sponge dough, had different plans and the fruit sunk. The dairy product is mixed with mild olive oil, no butter, and adds a subtle sour hint. The yellow-green plums make it sweet and fruity (red plums would work here as well), it's just right for my late summer Sunday.

French Yogurt Cake with Greengage Plums

Makes a 20cm / 8" cake

• plain flour 230g / 1 3/4 cups

• baking powder 2 1/2 teaspoons

• fine sea salt 1/4 teaspoon

• plain yogurt 155g / 2/3 cup

• mild olive oil 155ml / 2/3 cup

• organic eggs 3, lightly beaten

• granulated sugar 200g / 1 cup, plus 2 teaspoons for the topping

• zest of 1 medium lemon

• greengage (or red plums), cut on 1 side and pitted, 500g / 18 ounces

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F (preferably convection setting). Butter a 20cm / 8" springform pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add the yogurt, olive oil, eggs, sugar, and lemon zest and mix with an electric mixer on low speed for about 1 minute, just until there's no trace of flour left and the dough is combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and arrange the greengage on top of the batter (vertically, see picture above). Sprinkle with the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar and bake for about 60 minutes (slightly longer if using a conventional oven) or until golden brown on top. If you insert a skewer in the center of the cake, it should come out almost clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for a few minutes before serving.

Bean and Caper Dip with Golden Sautéed Zucchini

Besides all the excitement that our Mediterranean summer offered last month, we also got the chance to spend a more than relaxing, but nonetheless very inspiring evening at one of our friends' house. Alex and Benjamin live a life that's just as busy as ours, which makes it a bit difficult to meet. They love to travel, they celebrate their weekly gatherings and dinner parties with their loved ones, and they also split their life between Malta and London. And this I'll never understand and I'm sure you'd agree if you could see their gorgeous palazzo in the silent heart of Żebbuġ - if I lived there, I'd never leave the house! However, we managed to find a free evening, or rather a few free hours, and visited them for drinks and nibbles.

When you meet Alex, a man who seems to either work or spend his time in his beautiful kitchen (click here for pictures), you're treated to the most scrumptious culinary pleasures. Even his 'nibbles' are heavenly. He's a true connoisseur, a man who loves the fine arts, exquisite food and wine, and who's always up for a good conversation. Alex is a critical mind and and you'll never feel bored in his presence. Benjamin is the most beautiful person who's helped me deal with the struggles of my current crazy life more than once. Whenever my mind and body can't keep up with the challenges anymore that come with writing a book and organizing book launch events, I call Benjamin. He's the best reflexologist I know and whatever problem my body comes up with, Benjamin will fix me!

But back to the nibbles: I've always been a huge fan of Alex's dips. Be it hummus or smoky grilled eggplant, they are all addictive. And there's one of his creations that struck me with its subtle salty note. I couldn't make out what it was at first, but I loved it since I enjoyed the first bite last summer, spread lusciously on a thick slice of crusty Maltese bread. Alex purées boiled yellow split peas, mixes in chopped onion, olive oil, lots of lemon juice, and - here's the secret - capers. The salty fruits add a special flavour, it doesn't really taste like caper, it could also be canned tuna. I totally fell for it and couldn't stop eating the thick spread. Now I made it at home, it was my first try, but in my version I use canned cannellini beans. They are sweet and smooth, velvety, and fit just as well to this Mediterranean composition. A few thick slices of golden sautéed zucchini, some ciabatta, and lunch - or dinner - is served.

Bean and Caper Dip with Golden Sautéed Zucchini

Serves 2

For the bean caper dip

• rinsed and drained canned cannellini beans 360g / 13 ounces (you could also use boiled yellow split peas as in Alex's original recipe)

• capers, preserved in salt, rinsed, 20g / 1 ounce

• small shallot, roughly chopped, 1/2 -1

• olive oil 60-75ml / 1/4-1/3 cup

• freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 tablespoons

For serving

• olive oil

• small zucchini, cut into thick slices, 2

• fine sea salt

• black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar

• fresh ciabatta 1 small loaf

For the dip, purée the beans, capers, 1/2 of the shallot, 60ml / 1/4 cup of the olive oil, and lemon juice in a blender. Add more of the shallot to taste and purée until smooth. If the texture is too thick, add more olive oil, and, if necessary, season with additional lemon juice and salt to taste.

In a heavy pan, heat a splash of olive oil over high heat, turn the heat down to medium-high, and sauté the zucchinis for 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until golden with brown sprinkles. The zucchini should only start to soften outside and still have some bite on the inside. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Divide the zucchini between plates and add a dollop of the bean caper dip. Drizzle the dip with a splash of olive oil and sprinkle with a little pepper. Serve with fresh ciabatta, enjoy warm or cold.

Fig, Chèvre and Honey Focaccia with Rosemary

My kitchen in Berlin faces a quiet backyard. In summer, I love to leave the windows wide open, hear the birds sing, and then it's often just me, alone with my thoughts and ideas, imagining ingredients, remembering old classics or coming up with new recipes. I get the cooker or oven started and my meditation begins: I just cook in silence.

Seeing that the weather hasn't shown the slightest hint of summer, I concentrated on rather hearty pleasures. I made cheese spaetzle (Southern German egg noodles with lots of melted cheese and golden onions), pasta with sautéed radicchio, chicken liver, and mustard butter, and enjoyed my obligatory Sunday pizza night. I also tried out a new cake recipe with the sweetest greengage plums, which was great, and I experimented with some dip variations. It was all very relaxing, calming, and put my mind at ease.

I also pulled one glorious - and much appreciated - dish out of my oven that combines all the fun of summer: a spongy, oily focaccia topped with ripe figs, soft chèvre, honey, and rosemary. It's perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner or for a picnic - I could even have it at teatime with a cup of Darjeeling.

Fig, Chèvre and Honey Focaccia with Rosemary

Makes a 25 x 32cm / 10 x 12 1/2″ focaccia

For the dough

• plain flour 500g / 3 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons

• fast-acting yeast 1 (7g / 1/4 ounce) envelope

• fine sea salt 1 teaspoon

• granulated sugar 1 heaping teaspoon

• water, lukewarm, 260ml / 1 cup and 2 tablespoons

• olive oil 120ml / 1/2 cup, plus 1-2 tablespoons to oil the baking sheet

For the topping

• honey 2 tablespoons

• ripe figs, cut in half, 6

• soft chèvre, torn into pieces, 150g / 5 ounces

• fresh rosemary needles, a small handful

• flaky sea salt

• black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar (optional)

For the dough, combine the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add the lukewarm water and half the olive oil (60ml / 1/4 cup) and knead on medium-high speed for a few minutes until well combined. I mix it on '4' on my KitchenAid. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour. Transfer the dough to a table or countertop and continue kneading and punching it down with your hands for about 4 minutes or until you have a smooth and elastic ball of dough. Place the dough back in the mixer bowl, cover with a tea towel, and let rise in a warm place, or preferably in a 35°C / 100°F warm oven (conventional setting), for about 60 minutes or until doubled in size.

Oil a 25 x 32cm / 10 x 12 1/2″ baking sheet.

When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down, take it out of the bowl, and knead for 1 minute. Using your hands, stretch and spread the dough on the oiled baking sheet. Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place for about 20 minutes or until puffy.

Preheat the oven to 220°C / 425°F (convection setting). Heat the honey in a saucepan over low heat for about 1 minute or until liquid.

Using the round bottom of a wooden spoon or your finger, punch around 6 x 7 holes into the surface of the dough. Pour the remaining olive oil over the dough and into the holes. Spread the figs (cut side up) over the focaccia and push them gently into the dough. Sprinkle with the chèvre, rosemary, and a little flaky sea salt, and drizzle with the warm honey. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and light brown. Sprinkle with crushed pepper and enjoy warm or cold.

meet in your kitchen | Stephanie Le's Japanese Inspired Avocado Toast

When I started my blog back in November 2013, I didn't really have much of an idea of what was going on in the food blog scene. It was all new to me and I was curious to see what it would be like to write about my food and share a recipe every day - my chosen task for the first 12 months of blogging. So in the beginning, I focussed a lot on my own work, but then, in the cold early days of 2014, I began to discover more and more bloggers, their approach to food, their recipes, and their style of writing. It was a whole new world to me. And when I saw the food photography on some of these pages, I knew I had to improve considerably behind the camera!

One of those blogs caught my attention at first sight. I Am A Food Blog is written by Stephanie Le from Canada. Her dishes sound and look delicious and the photography is just stunning. It didn't surprise me in the least bit that she published her first cookbook, Easy Gourmet, in the same year I 'found' her. There are three things that strike me in Stephanie's work: Her easy way of cooking - it's not fussy at all - her unique, clean style of presenting her creations, and the fact that the world meets in Stephanie's kitchen. You can find Canadian classics next to Chinese, Japanese, British, French, or Mediterranean dishes. It's all comfort food, it's all yummy, and, most of the time, it's relatively quick and easy to prepare. The young cosmopolitan woman likes to travel the world, literally, but also in her cooking.

Camping is one of Stephanie's latest, re-discovered travel adventures and her Camp One Pot Beef Stroganoff leaves no doubt that she's a pro in the wilderness. The recipe she shared with me would also be a great snack for this lonely life, out in a tent, unplugged and cut off from civilization: A Japanese inspired Avocado Toast. For those days when even a camper needs a special treat.

Japanese Inspired Avocado Toast 

This toast is perfect when I have a sushi craving but also want avocado toast. I love a crunchy toast base and the roast-y saltiness of laver pairs perfectly with creamy avocado. The salty ikura are tiny pops of brightness and the sesame seeds add a bit of nuttiness. Seriously good!

Makes 10-12 toasts

• avocado 1

• toast or baguette 10-12 thin slices

• baby arugula 1 handful

• laver (roasted seaweed) 6 pieces

• ikura (salmon roe) 1-2 tablespoons (leave out the roe for a vegetarian version)

• toasted white and black sesame seeds

• salt

• ground pepper

Place the avocado on a cutting board and cut lengthwise, in the middle carefully, rotating around the seed. Twist half of the avocado off and remove. Place the remaining half (with the pit) on a dish towel and carefully tap your knife into the pit so that it wedges itself in. Twist the knife and remove the pit. Place the avocado, cut side down on to your cutting board and peel off the skin. Cut into 10-12 thin slices.

Top slices of toast with arugula, half a piece of laver, 2 avocado slices, a bit of the ikura, sesame seeds and salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

When did you start your food blog I Am A Food Blog? What got you hooked on writing about food and recipes?

My husband and I started I am a Food Blog in 2012 – it was after our other food blog, where I cooked through the entire Momofuku cookbook. Cooking through Momofuku is where I learned to love blogging – taking the photos, working through recipes, and sharing stories.

You just started a camping series on your blog. What do you love about camping? What are your favourite camping spots?

Camping is just fun – it’s always hard for me to unplug and stay away from the internet. I’m pretty much addicted. So camping is a fun (and enforced) way to take a break from the internet. My husband and I hike, sit around the fire, have heart-to-hearts and generally appreciate nature. We love camping along the West Coast – all of the National and State Parks in the US have really nice sites, but they book up fast.

Can you give us some catering tips for life in a tent?

Cooking while camping isn’t really a wing it sort of thing, so make sure you’re prepared. Make a list and check it twice! I like to measure out ingredients before hand and I also like to collect tiny condiments (like tiny ketchup packets) so I can bring them along. It’s best to also consider cooking fuel – recipes that don’t take a long time to cook are best.

Which city in the world inspires you the most when it comes to food culture and why?

I love Japan and Japanese food, so I’d have to say Tokyo. And the beauty of Tokyo is that they have myriad of other types of cuisines too, so it’s very inspiring. I love their attention to detail.

You live in Vancouver, Canada, what do you like about Canadian food?

I love that Canada is multicultural. We have so many different people from different cultures here that there is a very diverse food scene, especially in Vancouver. I think everyone thinks of poutine (crispy fries topped with squeaky cheese curds and gravy) when they think of Canadian food and I have to say, I do love it. When I don’t have poutine for a while I definitely crave it. It’s a guilty pleasure.

You call your husband your chief taste-tester, do you also cook together with him?

Yes! We actually work on the blog together – he designed the site and takes photos as well. He’s actually the one who taught me to take photos. He doesn’t cook for the blog, mostly just for us, family and friends. He’s really good at things that take a long time, like soups and stews.

Did cooking and food play an important role in your family when you grew up? When did your love for the kitchen and its creations start?

I actually didn’t like food much when I was a little kid. I was super picky. Although I remember having a play kitchen that I was obsessed with. My mom gave it away when I was at school one day and I was devastated. My mom cooks a lot, both now and when we were little, so I think I learned my love for cooking from her, through osmosis.

What was the first dish you cooked on your own, what is your first cooking memory?

To be honest, I don’t remember what the first thing I cooked on my own was. I do remember baking cupcakes at day care, being extremely proud and bringing one for my mom to try.

You’re going to have ten friends over for a spontaneous dinner, what will be on the table?

It would definitely be a DIY type meal: maybe tacos, or Vietnamese vermicelli bowls, or build your own salad. Something like that. I like interactive meals where everyone can make things to their individual tastes.

What was your childhood culinary favourite and what is it now?

I loved cereal when I was a kid. I used to eat it exclusively. Now, it would be entirely too difficult to choose, I love so many things. I could never give up noodles, that’s for sure.

Do you prefer to cook on your own or together with others?

I would say I like cooking with others, but my husband wouldn’t agree (laughing). I do love collaborating, but maybe I’m not so good at it?

Which meals do you prefer, improvised or planned?

I like both! I like the casualness of improvised meals, but if I feel any sort of pressure at all, I will need to plan because I’m a planner. I think the best of both world would be having an extremely well stocked fridge and pantry so that I could improvise without constraints.

Thank you Stephanie!

Marina's Lemon Marmalade Ice Cream with Caramelized Pistachios

A month has passed and I have to leave my beloved archipelago in the deep blue Mediterranean Sea behind. This is the last recipe from my Maltese summer, but I'll be back soon, in October, to present my 'baby' at one of my book launch events, at the fabulous Villa Bologna in Attard.

It's been a summer full of emotions, with lots of work during the day and family gatherings or evening swims afterwards - the fun began as soon I closed my laptop and put my phone aside. I've been busy organizing the book launches in Europe and the US, I survived my first interviews and photo shoots and I met so many wonderful people who'll be helping me over the next few months. To my surprise, I've been enjoying everything that comes along with being a cookbook author. I love giving interviews (I love talking!) and I've been quite lucky, I've only met very interesting and entertaining people to talk to so far. Photo shoots are still a bit challenging for me, I prefer to stay behind the camera. Usually, I ask my man to accompany me, he manages to make me laugh in the weirdest situations - the result is that we have lots of photos with a big smile on my face. We had a fun shoot with my friend, the great photographer Luke Engerer in Malta. He put me on the roof terrace of his house, the sea in front of me, sparkling in the light of the sinking sun. It was so amazing that I didn't even mind getting naked on the roof to change (I just hope that none of the neighbours had a camera at hand).

The problem with such a busy schedule is that time flies even quicker. It feels like we just arrived, on that hot night in July and now it's already mid August and I'm sitting at our dining table, back home in Berlin. For some reason, my home city must have misunderstood the season, Berlin welcomed us with autumn weather, I had to pull out the wool pullovers from the far back of my wardrobe. To ease the pain, I keep looking at the hundreds of pictures I took during the past 4 weeks and I remember every single second that I see in the pictures. I can smell the salty air, I can feel the hot wind on my skin, and I can even taste the ice cream that Marina made for us when we met in the kitchen and gardens of Villa Bologna. It was very lemony and it tasted so good - it was also the first recipe Marina ever made for me, back in the summer of 2015. This recipe is genius, it's only made with lemon marmalade, heavy cream, milk, and the juice and zest of a Maltese lemon. We were so impatient, that she took it out of the ice cream machine as soon as the motor stopped. It was an early afternoon and so hot, that the ice cream started to melt as soon as we scooped it into the glasses. Marina topped it with caramelized pistachios and lemon zest and I can't think of a better ice cream for summer - it was divine!

Whenever I have to exchange my Malta life for my Berlin life again, I tend to get a little stressed during our last two days on the islands. There's a lot of packing to do, but this time we had to sort out the transportation of 33 pounds (!) of sea salt from Mr Cini's salt pans in Gozo - and we managed. I also had to put away numerous packages of ottijiet cookies from Busy Bee and there were many fragile shells collected from the bottom of the sea waiting to be brought to Berlin to find a place on our window sills. Although they are already covered in shells, I can't stop collecting more and more of them. When the packing is done, we have a long goodbye ceremony with the family at our granny Edith's house, accompanied by a few tears and food. And when we've waved the last goodbyes and I've finally gone through security at the airport, I usually feel exhausted. I just want to get on the plane and relax, which always works out perfectly, thanks to the country's national airline, Air Malta. I love their cute looking planes, their friendly staff, and the fact that I don't have to worry about the weight of my luggage. Everyone gets 20kg (44 pounds) for free, just like in the good old days of flying.

Thank you Malta for another amazing summer! xx

And my last tip for the islands: I found a new old bakery in Rabat, they work traditionally and their baked goods are to die for!

Lemon Marmalade Ice Cream with Caramelized Pistachios 

Makes about 1.5l / 6 cups of ice cream

• heavy cream 500ml / 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons

• milk 500ml / 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons

• lemon marmalade 200ml / 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons

• juice and zest of 1 lemon

For the topping

• granulated sugar 100g / 1/2 cup

• pistachios (or almonds), roughly chopped, 50g / 2 ounces

• freshly grated lemon zest

For the ice cream, chill all the ingredients and churn in an ice cream machine until creamy. If it's still too soft, keep it in the freezer until completely frozen.

For the topping, add the sugar and pistachios to a frying pan and stir over low heat with a wooden spoon until melted. Quickly transfer the caramelized pistachios to a baking sheet and break into pieces when cool.

Divide the ice cream between bowls and sprinkle with caramelized pistachios and freshly grated lemon zest.

A juicy Grape and Rosemary Tart

This tart combines two of my favourite Mediterranean flavours - grapes and rosemary - and the result is nothing less than heavenly. The fact that the aromatic filling lies on top of buttery crisp puff pastry only exaggerates the temptation.

After failing miserably at making my own puff pastry on a few occasions, I only use this sweet delicacy when I'm in Malta, when I can buy it frozen in exceptionally good quality. If I ever manage to come up with a recipe that's as good as the product that I can buy here from the supermarket, I'll be a very happy baker. You could also use a shortcrust base for this summery tart but I like the elegant look and flaky texture of puff pastry in combination with the syrupy, juicy grapes. The chopped fresh rosemary sprinkled on top of the warm cake as soon as it comes out of the oven adds a woody aroma and gives it an unusual touch - try it, it's fantastic. I used it for a focaccia recipe last year and got hooked on this tasty duo.

I've already baked this tart twice since we arrived in Malta and it immediately gained huge popularity within our family - everybody loves it, kids and grandmother included!

Grape and Rosemary Tart

Makes 1 (28cm / 11") tart, serves 4-6

• frozen puff pastry, defrosted, 320g / 11 ounces

• dark grapes, preferably seedless, 500g / 18 ounces

• granulated sugar 120g / 2/3 cup

• freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tablespoon

• roughly chopped fresh rosemary 1 generous tablespoon

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F and butter a 28cm / 11" tart pan.

Line the tart pan with the puff pastry, pushing the pastry into the pan, and put in the freezer for 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, using a large spoon, mix the grapes, sugar, and lemon juice and spread on top of the chilled pastry. Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and crisp at the edges. The grapes will be juicy, so the bottom of the tart won't be crisp. Sprinkle the tart with the rosemary and let it sit for about 10 minutes before serving.

Basil Ricotta and Tomato Quiche

Malta, June 2016:

Walking aimlessly through the narrow streets of Malta is one of my favourite activities when I’m on the islands. Give me comfy shoes and a bottle of water and I'm ready to brave the heat. Valletta, with its imposing architecture, will always be my first destination when I need a break of my beach life. I love strolling along the limestone facades, shining golden in the late afternoon sun. Discovering new vegetable shops, peaking into little baroque chapels, or just gazing at the stunning grand palazzi built in the past centuries, are some of the most relaxing things I can think of. To extend my circle of adventures, I often take the ferry that connects Valletta and Sliema on one side of the capital, or I catch the boat that sails across The Grand Harbour on the other side, towards The Three Cities: Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua.

If I need a complete change of scenery, I go to the sister islands, Comino or Gozo. And there, I spend most of the time under water. Snorkeling at Wied il-Għasri, Reqqa Point, and Qbajjar is always mesmerizing. The latest discovery, Reqqa, is one of the most spectacular diving spots I've ever been to. The water is very, very deep, the sunbeams dancing under water, cutting through the darkest blue, look like lightsabers - it's hypnotic.

I usually finish my trip with a visit to the Cini family at the Xwejni Salt Pans where I always buy enough salt for a whole year of cooking (here’s a feature I did about the family). Their passion for their craft, their love for the salt from the sea, and their dedication to nature never ceases to amaze me. Some of this salt often ends up in a ricotta pie. Today’s pie looks a bit like a quiche, refined with lots of basil and sweet and juicy tomatoes - it’s delicious.

Basil Ricotta and Tomato Quiche 

Makes 1 ( 20cm / 8″) quiche, serves 4

• short crust dough 250g / 9 ounces (you can use 1/3 of the pastry from my fruit tart recipe, but leave out the sugar, click here)

• ricotta 400g / 14 ounces

• organic eggs 3

• butter, melted and cooled, 40g / 2 heaping tablespoons

• Parmesan, freshly grated, 60g / 2 ounces

• chopped fresh basil leaves, 4 heaping tablespoons, plus a few leaves for the topping

• lemon zest 1 heaping teaspoon

• fine sea salt 1 teaspoon

• ground pepper

• cherry tomatoes, cut in half, 6

Prepare the dough, form a thick disc, wrap in cling film, and put in the freezer for about 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F (conventional setting).

Roll out the dough between cling film and line a 20cm / 8″ pie or quiche form with the pastry. Push the pastry into the pie form and prick with a fork. Bake for about 12 minutes or until golden. Take the pie form out of the oven and turn the heat down to 190°C / 375°F.

In a medium bowl, whisk the ricotta, eggs, butter, Parmesan, basil, lemon zest, salt, and pepper until well combined. Pour the ricotta on top of the pre-baked pastry, even it out, and arrange the tomatoes on top. Bake for about 45-50 minutes or until golden and the ricotta is just firm.

Let the quiche cool for a few minutes, sprinkle with fresh basil leaves, and serve warm or cold.

Italian Meringue with Honey Mascarpone and Figs

Most of the beaches and bays, restaurants and cafés, and markets and shops I visit in Malta are treasured finds of the past. Since I spent my first summer here 9 years ago, I gathered a long list of many places that I need to see at least once every time I come to the islands - I barely have enough time to discover something new. There are many traditions that I set up for myself, like my annual visit to the Sunday morning mass at Valletta's St John's Co-Cathedral, which is held in Latin and accompanied by the most ethereal choir. I went to this magnificent cathedral with my Maltese mama, the rest of the house was still asleep, and afterwards we enjoyed a strong cappuccino at Caffe Cordina. I recommend sitting inside with the locals, next to the bar and order some of their addictive treats. This time I went for spongy rum baba deeply soaked with sticky syrup followed by a buttery ricotta pastizzi - both were divine.

Fontanella Tea Garden in Mdina is another one of my favourite sweet spots. The view is breathtaking, sitting high up on a hill surrounded by ancient bastions, it allows you to see large parts of the island. Their chocolate cake is a classic, dark and juicy and a must whenever I visit Malta's old capital.

But all these sweets are still not enough of a reason to keep the oven back home in Msida switched off. The antique furniture, plates, and cutlery that fill our family's Malta home inspired me to come up with a dessert that suits all the beautiful lace doileys, fragile tea cups and silver tablets with floral patterns. An elegant meringue, lusciously topped with whipped honey mascarpone and Maltese figs was just right - visually and in taste. It's sweet and creamy, light and crunchy, with a juicy hint of fruit. Italian meringues are large and pale, crunchy on the outside and still a little soft inside. I preheated the oven to 160°C / 325°F, turned it off, and left the meringue in overnight, they came out perfect. The mascarpone whipped with a bit of heavy cream and warm honey was a nice contrast to the meringue's crunch.

Italian Meringue with Honey Mascarpone and Figs

For the meringue

• large organic egg whites 3

• a pinch of salt

• granulated sugar 200g / 1 cup

• cider vinegar 1/2 teaspoon

For the honey mascarpone

• mascarpone, drained, 250g / 9 ounces

• heavy cream 2 tablespoons

• aromatic honey, like thyme or orange blossom, 2-3 tablespoons

For the topping

• ripe figs, quartered, 6

It's best to prepare the meringues a day ahead and leave them in the oven overnight.

Preheat the oven to 160°C / 325°F (conventional setting) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

For the meringue, in a large bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites and salt for 1 minute. Continue whisking for 15 minutes, adding 1 tablespoon of the sugar at a time. The meringue should be stiff and glossy, then whisk in the vinegar. Spoon 6 large mounds onto the lined baking sheet and, using a spoon, swirl the tops a little. Place the baking sheet in the oven, switch off the oven, and bake the meringues overnight (for about 8 - 12 hours), without opening the door. If the meringues are still too soft on the outside, turn on the oven again and bake for a few minutes until crunchy on the outside.

For the honey mascarpone, in a medium bowl whisk the mascarpone and heavy cream until creamy, add more cream if necessary. Warm up the honey in a saucepan over low heat for about 1 minute until liquid and slightly warm, and stir into the mascarpone. Keep in the fridge until serving.

Cut a small top off each meringue, top with the honey mascarpone and figs, and close with the meringue tops. Serve immediately once the meringues are filled.

Black, White, and Red Currant Cookies with White Chocolate

This is my annual currant cookie recipe. It's quite a young tradition, I only started it last year, when I introduced a cakey cookie made with red currants, oats, mashed banana, and a strong hint of vanilla to the blog. It was a sweet hit. But 2016 is the year of colours - black, white, and red currants add vivid flavour and beauty to my new creation. It's still not crunchy, the fresh fruit is just too juicy, but it's less soft and spongy than last year's treat. I left out the banana and replaced it with chopped white chocolate, which brought in a different kind of sweetness, with a slightly milky touch.

The problem with cookies is that I always think I'll make a large batch and keep them in a glass jar to present them in all their prettiness and grab one to go along with my cup of tea or espresso whenever I feel like. However, reality is different. They barely last for two days. It's surprising how quick 24 cookies can vanish with only 2 people in the house - I'm impressed!

Black, White, and Red Currant Cookies with White Chocolate

Makes about 24 cookies

• plain flour 130g / 1 cup

• rolled oats 90g / 1 cup

• salt 1/2 teaspoon

• baking powder 1/2 teaspoon

• baking soda 1/4 teaspoon

• butter, at room temperature, 110g / 1/2 cup

• granulated sugar 130g / 2/3 cup

• vanilla bean, split and scraped, 1/4

• organic egg 1white chocolate, roughly chopped, 100g / 3 1/2 ounces

• mixed fresh currants (black, white, and red), preferably frozen for at least 2 hours, 140g / 5 ounces

It's easier to stir the currants into the dough when the fruits have been frozen, it looks prettier and less messy.

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F (preferably convection setting). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

Add the butter, sugar, and vanilla seeds to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat for a few minutes until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat for about 1 minute or until well combined. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour mixture and mix until you have a lumpy dough (with a bit of flour left here and there). Fold in the white chocolate, then quickly, but gently the black, white, and red currants. Try not to damage the berries too much, you want their juices to stay inside their skins.

For each cookie, drop a generous tablespoon of dough onto the lined baking sheets, don't push the dough down and leave enough space between the cookies. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, for about 13 minutes or until golden brown, the cookies will be quite soft. Take them out and let them cool on the tray for a few minutes before you transfer them to a wire rack.

Lemon Mascarpone Risotto with Crispy Sage

Since I started sharing my recipes on eat in my kitchen, I've been wanting to make this risotto. It took a while, but here it is:

I don't know why, but there's something about risotto that only inspires me when I see the cooked rice on my plate, ready to dig a fork into the white grains. I can't say that I don't like risotto, indeed, I find it delicious when it's made well, but somehow it's not an easy relationship. Originally I had something more puristic in mind: just lemon zest and juice stirred into Arborio rice cooked to creamy perfection. I had enough time to think about the recipe - about 2 and 3/4 years - so it changed a little over the years and in the end, the composition became a bit more refined.

I cooked the starchy grains with a few slices of the citrus fruit's tangy peel, a dash of white wine, and my homemade vegetable broth, which I always keep in my freezer in stacks of tupperware. When the texture was just right - neither too soggy nor too dry - I stirred in a scoop of rich mascarpone and let it sit for a minute. While the rice thickened, I took out the pan and fried some fresh sage in butter for less than 20 seconds. The leaves should retain their deep green colour and only become a little golden and crispy. If they turn too dark, you can throw them in the bin, they will be bitter and inedible. I grated Parmesan and a bit more lemon zest on top and enjoyed one of the lightest, freshest, and most summery risottos I can imagine. Needless to say, a glass of white wine goes very well with the citrusy version of this Italian classic.

Lemon Mascarpone Risotto with Crispy Sage

Serves 2

• olive oil

• butter 2 tablespoons

• medium onion, finely chopped, 1

• Arborio rice 200g / 7 ounces

• white wine 60ml / 1/4 cup

• vegetable broth about 900ml / 3 3/4 cups

• long strips of lemon peel 4

• mascarpone 2 tablespoons

• salt

• ground pepper

• large fresh sage leaves 12

• freshly grated lemon zest 1-2 teaspoons

• freshly grated Parmesan 1 tablespoon

In a large pot, heat a splash of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2-3 minutes or until golden and soft. Stir in the rice and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and a ladle of the broth, the rice should be covered. Stir in the lemon peel and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add more broth when it's all soaked, a little at a time, stirring gently. When the rice is al dente and the broth is more or less absorbed, take it off the heat, and stir in 1 tablespoon of mascarpone. Season with salt and pepper to taste, close with a lid, and let the risotto sit for a minute.

In a small saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter over high heat and add the sage leaves. Let them cook for about 20 seconds or until golden and crispy, but still green.

Divide the risotto between 2 plates, drizzle with the sage oil, and sprinkle with the sage leaves, lemon zest, and Parmesan.

Cherry and Chocolate Marble Bundt Cake

Marble cake is a childhood memory baked in a Bundt pan. It was one of my granny Lisa's fabulous cake classics and it always impressed me with its light texture and the right balance of sweet sponge and bittersweet chocolate. Lisa must have had a weak spot for this duo. There's another masterpiece of hers, the decadent Donauwelle, which is basically the same combination baked flat on a tray, topped with cherries, German buttercream, and chocolate icing. It's a luscious, sweet bomb, perfectly fitting when it's cold and grey outside and you want to keep cosy. But the current mood is far from that, so let's forget about buttercream and all that stuff and think fruity.

You can keep it simple and dust a marble cake with a little icing sugar, but I find that a dark chocolate glaze gives it the necessary crunch and depth to balance out the softness and sweetness. To add a summery feel to it, I stirred some cherries into the batter. You can use fresh or preserved fruits, I go for preserved cherries, as it reminds me of my granny. Lisa used to have the most beautiful cherry tree in her garden, it was huge. The crop was generous, so she used to preserve the fruits and fill the shelves in her pantry. I remember long lines of jars, all filled with cherries ready to be turned into Donauwelle.

The cherries added a hint of pleasant fruitiness to the marble cake, which I liked a lot. I can imagine that apricots or peaches would work just as well, but I've never tried it, that's next on the baking schedule.

Cherry and Chocolate Marble Cake

Makes 1 Bundt cake

• organic eggs, separated, 6

• a pinch of salt

• granulated sugar 250g / 1 1/4 cups

• plain flour, sifted, 300g / 2 1/3 cups

• baking powder 3 teaspoons

• butter, at room temperature, 200g / 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons

• vanilla bean, split and scraped, 1/4

• whole milk 100ml / 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons

• cocoa powder 30g /1/4 cup

• pitted jarred or fresh cherries 200g / 7 ounces

• breadcrumbs, to sprinkle the pan

For the glaze

• bittersweet chocolate 200g / 7 ounces

• butter 1 tablespoon

• fresh cherries 8, for decorating (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F (preferably convection setting). Butter a 23cm /  9″ Bundt pan and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.

In the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, salt, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar until stiff.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour and baking powder.

In the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, the remaining sugar, and vanilla for a few minutes until fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and continue mixing until thick, creamy, and light yellow. Add the milk and mix until well combined. Using a wooden spoon, fold the egg whites and the flour mixture into the butter mixture, alternating about 1/3 at a time, combining well in between.

Scrape 1/2 of the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and spread the preserved cherries on top; push them gently into the batter. Stir the cocoa powder into the remaining batter, mix until well combined, and dollop on top of the light batter. Spread the dark batter carefully, then swirl with a small fork through the 2 batters, once is enough, carefully from top to bottom, pulling slowly all the way through the pan. Bake for about 40 minutes (slightly longer if using a conventional oven) or until golden and spongy. Check with a skewer, it should come out clean. Let the cake cool for 2-3 minutes, then shake the pan a little and flip onto a wire rack to cool completely. If the cake won't come out, place the warm Bundt pan into a large bowl filled with cold water. This will help loosening the cake from the pan.

For the chocolate glaze, in a small saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter on low heat, whisk until well combined. Let the chocolate cool for a few minutes, then drizzle over the cake. Decorate with the fresh cherries while the chocolate is still warm.

Gooseberry and Fennel Chicken with Mint

Fruits are my new vegetables!

Recently, stone fruits and berries replaced zucchini, tomato, and aubergine in quite a few of my recipes, I became experimental and now I'm hooked. The acidity of gooseberries and red, white, or black currants can be challenging, but at the same time it's exactly this quality that makes them a perfect partner for meat and seafood dishes. I don't have to worry about overpowering natural sweetness, instead I work with their slightly sour juices. Cooking makes them less harsh and a dash of maple or elderflower syrup or honey mellows the most pungent fruit.

I found my inspiration for this recipe in my own archive. Almost 2 years ago, I pulled the most delicious tray of Moscato Chicken with Grapes and Thyme out of my oven. The meat was wonderfully succulent, infused with the honey-like aroma of Moscato grapes and woody thyme. The chicken thighs needed less than half an hour to be done, including a few minutes under the broiler for the skin to become nicely browned and crispy. There was no reason to change this promising cooking method, but I introduced different flavours to the palate. The sweet grapes gave way for sour gooseberries, I stirred some maple syrup into the white wine, and placed the whole composition on a bed of thinly sliced fennel. Some mint on top and my summer chicken was done.

Yesterday, I received the first advance copy of my book, you can see the happy moment on Instagram!

Gooseberry and Fennel Chicken with Mint

Serves 2 to 4

• medium sized fennel bulb, cut in half, cored, and thinly sliced, 1

• bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 4

• gooseberries 300g / 10 ounces

• fruity white wine 5 tablespoons

• maple syrup 4 tablespoons

• olive oil 1 tablespoon

• black peppercorns, crushed with a mortar and pestle

• flaky sea salt

• fresh mint leaves, a small handful

Preheat the oven to 220°C / 425°F (conventional setting). If your oven is equipped with a Rotitherm roasting setting, use this setting instead. You just have to adjust the cooking time (it'll need a few minutes less) and skip the broiler at the end of the recipe.

Cut off any large chunks of fat from the chicken thighs.

Spread the fennel on the bottom of a medium sized baking dish and place the chicken and gooseberries on top. Whisk together the white wine, maple syrup, and olive oil, pour it over the meat and fruit, and rub it in a little with your fingers. Sprinkle with crushed peppercorns and salt. Sprinkle with 3/4 of the mint and roast, spooning the juices from the pan over the chicken every 10 minutes, for 25 to 30 minutes or until the juices run clear when you prick the thickest part of a chicken thigh with a skewer. Turn on the broiler for a few minutes until the chicken skin starts sizzling. Sprinkle with the remaining mint, and season with flaky sea salt and crushed peppercorns to taste.

Yossy Arefi's fantastic Apricot and Berry Rye Galette with Saffron Sugar

Yossy and I share the same passion for one of the best combinations a coffee table has ever seen: juice-dripping fruit and buttery pastry. When I first saw one of Yossy's famous fruit galettes a couple years ago, I immediately fell in love with its honest and rustic look. And as the New York food writer and photographer announced the birth of her first cookbook, Sweeter Off The Vine, a couple months ago, I was hoping that she'd include a recipe for one of her gorgeous open pies. Yossy didn't let me down and she had my full attention when I spotted her Apricot and Berry Galette with Saffron Sugar made with rye pastry. This innocent pie tastes as good as it looks. Theoretically, I could have eaten the whole cake on my own - and I would have loved to! -  but we had guests over for dinner and they enjoyed our fruity dessert just as much as I did, so I had to share.

Yossy Arefi is the creator behind the beautiful blog Apt. 2B Baking Co. and she managed to create a second masterpiece (after her blog) with Sweeter Off The Vine. The book is a gorgeous recipe collection from start to finish, following the seasons with colourful creations that celebrate nature's crop at its peak. Rhubarb and berries, stone fruits and melons, figs, apples, and pears, Yossy didn't leave a single craving of mine unanswered. As I thumbed through the pages, I got lost in her honest and pure, and somehow poetic photography. Nothing feels artificial, the whole book is true and manages to speak to the hungry mind without distraction. Her ice creams, tarts, desserts, and pies look like the food you want to eat in your granny's kitchen, but the young woman from New York always manages to sneak in her little additions that make the recipes very modern at the same time. Aromatic spices, like saffron, vanilla and citrus, orange blossom and rose water, or fresh vanilla bean are used in almost all of her recipes. Yossy's family roots are in Iran, and this heritage brought in her great fascination for the wonderful flavours of Middle Eastern cooking and her love for contrasts.

Apricot and Berry Rye Galette with Saffron Sugar

Recipe from Sweeter off the Vine: Fruit Desserts for Every Season by Yossy Arefi, Ten Speed Press.

Makes 1 9" (23cm) galette

For the rye pie crust

• 2/3 cup (85g) rye flour

• 2/3 cup (85g) all purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon (125g) very cold unsalted butter

• 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 4 tablespoons (60ml) ice water

For the galette

• 1/2 vanilla bean

• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

• pinch saffron threads

• 2 teaspoons all purpose flour

• pinch salt

• 8 ounces (225g) apricots

• 1/2 cup (80g) blueberries

• 1/2 cup (80g) blackberries

• 1/4 cup (60g) apricot jam (I used blueberry jam)

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten for egg wash

• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

Whisk the flour and salt together in a large bowl, cut the butter into 1/2-inch (1 1/4cm) cubes, and add the apple cider vinegar to the ice water.

Working quickly, add the butter to the flour and toss to coat. Then use your fingers or the palms of your hands to press each cube of butter into a flat sheet. Keep tossing the butter in the flour as you go to ensure that each butter piece is coated with flour. The idea is to create flat, thin shards of butter that range from about the size of a dime to about the size of a quarter.

If at any time the butter seems warm or soft, briefly refrigerate the bowl.

Sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of the icy cold vinegar-water mixture over the flour mixture. Use a gentle hand or wooden spoon to stir the water into the flour until just combined. If the dough seems dry, add more cold water a couple of teaspoons at a time. You have added enough water when you can pick up a handful of the dough and easily squeeze it together without it falling apart.

Press the dough together, form into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill the dough for at least 2 hours before using, but preferably overnight. Keeps for up to three months in the freezer wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a roughly 12-inch (30cm) circle, just under 1/4-inch (1/2cm) thick; it’s okay if it isn’t perfectly round. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet. Store in the fridge while you prepare the filling.

Use the tip of a knife to cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Reserve the pod for another use. Add the granulated sugar to a mortar, add the vanilla seeds and saffron threads, and grind with
a pestle until finely ground. The sugar will turn pale yellow and smell wonderful. Stir in the flour and salt.

Gently tear the apricots in half. Place the apricot halves into a large bowl and discard the pits. Add the berries and the saffron-vanilla sugar mixture to the bowl and toss with your hands to combine.

Remove the dough from the fridge and spread the jam on top, leaving a 2-inch (5cm) border around the edges, then top with the fruit. Fold the edges of the pastry over the fruit and press gently to seal the folds. Chill the formed tart until the dough is firm, about 15 minutes.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400ºF (200ºC). When the tart is nice and cold remove it from the fridge and gently brush the dough with the egg wash; sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.

Bake until the fruit juices bubble and the pastry is deep golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving. This tart is best served the day it’s made.

Avocado, Melon and Fennel Salad with Mint

This is the official start to my salad season. In the next month, I'll be indulging - daily - in simple yet scrumptious compositions of tasty vegetables and juice-dripping fruits. Chopped and tossed with a quick vinaigrette or just a dash of olive oil and some flaky sea salt from Gozo. Ripe tomatoes, cucumber, fennel, radicchio, carrots and peas, the sweetest peaches, pears, and plums - summertime offers a firework of flavours and I'm ready to celebrate each single one of them.

My next few weeks will bring the kind of temperature into my life that makes you think twice if it's really necessary to switch on the gas cooker. We'll be off to Malta soon and that means it will be 30°C (90°F) in the early morning and more than 40°C (105°F) at noon - this calls for a different menu. It'll be hot, but I won't complain, it's the time of the year that I look forward to the most. I can run around in an airy dress all day and late night swims won't leave me chilled - it's warm enough to sit on the rocks with wet hair when the sun has already sunk into the sea. I can basically live outside 24 hours a day, that's my kind of paradise.

In the Mediterranean, you have to go with the flow and stay flexible, so we keep the cooking plan as open as possible to adjust to our mood. You can always find a large jar of fresh, homemade basil pesto in the fridge and, of course, the whole variety of Malta's crop fresh from my favourite farmer Leli's fields, all piled up on the table and shelves. Fresh oregano, marjoram, basil, and the spiciest arugula are ready to be picked in the garden and always at hand to refine a chunk of creamy mozzarella di bufala, a crunchy bruschetta from the BBQ, or a 5-ingredient pasta dish: Give me spaghetti, olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh herbs and I'm happy. If I'm lucky, there will still be a few lemons on the tree in the family garden in Msida. The season's over but my Maltese mama always keeps a few fruits on the tree for me, she knows how much a German girl enjoys the treat of picking the lemon for her morning tea straight from the branch.

I decided that I'll spoil myself with a kind of luxury that doesn't cost anything: To slow down and keep it simple, to let go of constant planning and rigid expectations. I know that I'll sit at the sea for hours, quite possible every day, but that's as far as my schedule goes. We'll be away for a month to stay with our Mediterranean family, we won't stop working, but we'll definitely take a great chunk of time off, it will be a different pace. To give myself enough time for the transition from my northern to my southern rhythm, I'll prepare a few recipes here in Berlin to share with you in the first two weeks of my holiday. Once I get into the groove, I'll write about my Maltese kitchen life. Until then, I will enjoy a foretaste of what my taste buds have to expect: a simple salad of velvety avocado, honey-sweet Cantaloupe melon, and crispy fennel - topped with fresh mint and a light vinaigrette.

Avocado, Melon and Fennel Salad with Mint

Serves 2

For the dressing

• olive oil 3 tablespoons

• white balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon

• freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tablespoon

• fine sea salt

• ground pepper

For the salad

• soft avocado, peeled and cut into thin wedges, 1

• small fennel bulb, cored and very thinly sliced, 1

• small Cantaloupe melon, peeled and cut into thin wedges, 1/2

• fresh mint leaves, a small handful

For the dressing, whisk the olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange the avocado, fennel, and melon in layers in a wide bowl. Drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle with mint leaves and serve immediately.