In My Kitchen: March 2026

Where did February go? Do we as parents just spend all our time wondering where time goes? G has been saying funny things that I really want to write down like 

Le poisson est triste, parce qu'il a perdu sa maman (the fish is sad because he lost his mother) 

Louise a mangé le gâteau au chocolat (Louise ate the chocolate cake) 

Viens, mama! on attend le bus ici, le numéro 10 (come mama! we wait for the bus here, number 10) 

Il pleure parce qu'il a perdu sa tétine (he's crying because he lost his dummy) 

He's also learning to request hot or cold milk.. exciting times! 

In My Kitchen... 

I brought back these sablé cookies from Trouville, aren't they pretty and delicate with the abbey printed on them? 

I've always wanted to make a crêpe cake and for this year's Chandeleur (a celebration of crêpes) I finally made it - here with coconut (I mixed half coconut and half normal cream) and lychee. The texture of the final cake was amazing - soft and ethereal ! 

Pasta Wednesdays continue.. here with gnocchi and smoked bacon, delicious!

Another Pasta Wednesday, spaghetti con vongole with a generous smattering of bottarga (salted cured fish roe) 

S was away in Marseille this month and he ate a sausage lentil dish there that he replicated at home for Valentine's day along with some excellent wine (the baby and I made the lego heart)

It's not Valentine's day without the Cyril Lignac special Valentine's edition equinox...  

Édition limitée Saint-Valentin : une crème légère parfumée à la vanille Bourbon, renfermant un cœur fondant de caramel et un croustillant praliné au Spéculoos. Une douceur irrésistible pour célébrer l’amour.

My SIL was also visiting for Valentine's and I made her these sablés with fleur d'orange and orange zest, very delicately perfumed and perfect with a cup of tea

I have been rather obsessed with Ottolenghi's tomato confit rice and it's been on our weekly rotation, here with chickpeas and feta as well. We just can't stop eating it, there's a depth of flavour that comes from slow roasted tomatoes that is irresistible

This was a last minute cake I made for a colleague at work - if you haven't tried it yet, Cyril Lignac's invisible apple cake is a real winner. Packed full of apples and just a smidgeon of batter, it takes barely 10 minutes to prepare (basically ready to go in by the time the oven preheats), and sets into a lemony custardy "cake" that tastes even better the next day. 

We celebrated Chinese New Year by all being terribly sick with the flu, but I was still determined to make our annual animal themed salad... it's fire horse year!

And despite our sickness we still made dumplings, though G refused to eat them as he was too sick.. 

I also tried out making our own glutinous rice cakes for Chinese New Year this year, inspired by Hetty Lui McKinnon's recipe. Highly untraditional, with pumpkin purée and coconut milk, cooked in the oven (the traditional recipe is just glutinuous rice flour, sugar and water, then steamed). This was stunningly delicious and I could have eaten the entire cake myself.. 

I've been having some troubles at work (too long and somber for an IMK) and one depressed day S brought home this rum baba, it was just what we needed, syrupy, soft but not soggy, unctuous vanilla chantilly cream... 

I leave you all with my curveball, my little monster with an organic bok choy full of holes (how often do you see holes in veg these days?), and a live worm even to attest its organic-ness. I tried to convince S to keep the worm as a pet but unfortunately he vetoed the decision... 

Sending this to Sherry who hosts the monthly IMK series. Have a great March everyone, and see you soon!