autumn breeze

Met Steph and Martine for a coffee in Nyons this morning. An hour and a half of non-stop chat. It did me good.

I made cauliflower cheese, cooked my soaked mincemeat and then jarred it late at night, and also made wee cherry buns. Recipe to follow.

Went for a walk with Coquine down the apricot path in the afternoon. It was gorgeous and sunny, but FREEZING and so windy. I picked a big bagful of petits bois for lighting the fire. It's class getting it for free for a start, but it also gets me out walking with a purpose. I like walking and foraging at the same time - means I come home with something useful. I also think I spotted some beaver clues by the river - gnawed bits of wood and what looked like beaver poo! The beavers that live in Les Pilles hang out just around this section of the river...we think! As you probably know, they're extremely illusive! We're not even sure if the're still there, but I reckon they may well be given what I saw today. I was drawn to this part of the path not only by the amount of fire wood I could see, but also because I thought there was something going on with the river - as if someone had poured mud or chemicals into it...then, as I got closer, I realised it was the sun and the reflection of the autumn leaves on the water. So orange and so beautiful.

Had a great skype with Luce for an hour in the afternoon and then a big, long skype with Tash in the evening. I miss those two so much and really want some proper time with them. I think I need to start thinking of a wee trip back to Scotland (via Brighton to see Don too). My friends are one of the main things I was so sorry to leave behind. It's just not the same talking to anyone else about stuff...why is that? Good friends have a way of just listening, just letting you talk, just understanding.

Wee Cherry Buns

Makes 12
Oven at 150C

3 eggs yolks
60g sugar
30g flour
5g potato flour
50g softened butter
12 glacé cherries

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until doubled in size and creamy in colour. Add both flours and stir well. Add the softened butter and mix well.

Line a bun tray with 12 mini cupcake/muffin cases (or grease a mini muffin tin) and put a teaspoonful of cake mix into each case. Push a glacé cherry into each one.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until slightly golden.

Nb: I halved the 24-bun recipe for these which is why the measurements are so tiny. Feel free to double it up to make the full 24 - they'll be gone in no time anyway!