There are definitely more food blogs than ever out there these days. Which delights a food lover such as myself. I love it when I stumble onto a food blog I've never visited before. It's really neat to get a glimpse into someone else's kitchen. Thyme for Cooking is one of my more recent discoveries. It's owner Kate is an expat living in France and her blog is packed with amazing food and funny stories. She is also the host of Season's Eating's, a blogging event that has bloggers from all over the swapping ingredients from their part of the world. Each person sends a small gift of a local herb, spice, or other food that is unique to or characteristic of where they live, along with a recipe using it, to another blogger. Sounds fun doesn't it?? So I decided to join in the fun. I had no idea who would be sending me a package or what it would contain.
Then about two weeks later I got a package from Rosie of Bakes and Books. My package came from clear across the pond and was filled with all sorts of wonderful goodies from her part of the world. There was a packet of Bonfire Toffee, very tasty candies that are eaten during the Bonfire Night celebrations. She also sent a box of Jaffa cakes, sort of cross between a cake and a cookie, and a box of Yorkshire Tea. Along with the tea was a recipe for a tea bread called Bara Brith. I'd never eaten or even heard of Bara Brith but Rosie described it as "a scrummy fruit cake choc-full of gorgeous spices and tea". With an introduction like that, of course I couldn't wait to make a loaf.
Bara Brith (Tea Bread)
300g assorted dried fruit (1 1/2 cups mostly raisins/golden raisins) I used golden raisins, currants, and dried apricots.
2 teabags
250ml boiling water
225g self-raising flour (2 cups)
2 tsp mixed spice (ie. cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger) I used mostly cinnamon and about a 1/4 tsp each ginger/nutmeg.
150g brown sugar (I used about a half a cup)
1 egg, beaten
3 TB milk
3 TB milk
Make up 250ml of tea. Put the dried fruit in the tea and let soak overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 F or 180 C and grease a 1 lb loaf pan.
In a mixing bowl, sift together, the flour, spices, and sugar.
Mix in the soaked fruit along with the excess tea, the egg, and the milk.
Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for about 1 hour.
Rosie recommends making a double batch and baking "one humongous" loaf. I think I'll do that next time!!
Thanks Kate for putting this event together. I can't wait to see all the other Season's Eating's participants entries.
There will be a round-up of all the participants posted on Thyme for Cooking on Dec. 28. So be sure to check it out!
