An unexpected valentine

We've never been big into valentines day. We did go through a faze of making each other cards but it got all silly and when he sent me a particularly interesting pop up card we decided enough was enough.

Normally we'll either forget or buy each other a bar of chocolate to share, which is what we do most days anyway, the chocolate not the forgetting.

But today I got a very short, sweet and unexpected email from him, so I reckoned as the last few weeks have been a bit rough all round I would make him something nice for pudding. The cupboard was a bit bare but I had the ingredients for pancakes with Cointreau and oranges.

Everything was made, I just had enough batter for a small final pancake which didn't quite cover the pan. Imagine my surprise when I turned it over and this little heart was staring up at me. Unfortunately I was so busy taking a picture of it that the other side got a bit well fired! But once it was all covered in sweet and sticky oranges and sauce he didn't seem to mind.

He brought me a box of chocolates, which he said weren't for valentine's but just because it was Thursday. I think I prefer that!

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Smell Diary

Today I rediscovered cointreau, orange zest, toast, coal dust, paprika, rosemary, newspaper.