New Baking Tins means better baking

Several years ago I bought what has continued to be my best baking tray from a Kitchen shop in Cirencester, which never warps or buckles.  As I have been doing more baking recently I decided to replace some of my older tins which had started to loose their non stick: I bought a new very heavy non stick baking sheet and tray baking tin from a local store.  However I was so disappointed that after a short time in the oven, there was  the undeniable sound of the tin warping.  I went on line and did my research and found to my delight that my best baking tray was made by Silverwood, which is still manufactured and in the UK too nearby in Birmingham. .  Whilst ordering some tins from Salamander I had to get a Madeleine tin too...but one from France.

So with my recent new recipe books, and old favourite recipes, I have been adjusting the amounts of ingredients to fit the new tins.  This is a honey, almond and raisin cake.  I cut it into three and freeze two portions.  That way there is cake for another time, and we can have a variety.

The madeleines too were light and tasty and really have to be eaten the same day they are made.

Brede Mouroum or Moringa Oleifera from a friend bearing gifts

Last week my friend Marie-Claire returned from her break in Mauritius, where she stayed at Pointe aux Sables and was able to visit her Mum, as well as going out and about. 

When I got home on Friday, there in a Sainsbury's bag by my front door, were a few hard green sticks.....What were they?  I could not guess but a phone call later I was wiser:  Brede Mouroum Sticks.  But I had not heard of eating the sticks.  I can remember that my Auntie Suzanne who lived next door had a tree, which from time to time, especially when times were hard, or it was too hot to walk to the bazaar for greens, she would pluck the young green leaves and make them into a 'greens dish' to go with rice and salt cod, poisson sale or whatever.  It took no time at all to cook, and was a gorgeous bright green colour, always lovely beside the local rougailles.  If I lived in the right climatic zone, this would definitely be growing in the garden.  I bet the tender small green pods are great to eat too!

With the wonder of the www, I found that indeed one can eat the pods.  Mine seemed to be on the hard side, so I chopped them up, boiled them.....and what a pungent smell.  I stripped the outer pods, and was left with some winged seeds.  They taste very mild, so I am going to dress them with some olive oil and have them as a starter with some roasted red peppers, olives etc.