"Today is Thursday"

This week, I have spent lots of time lying in the shade of the chapel between classes, staring up at blue, blue sky through pokey leaves and scarlet callistemons (not pictured!), with two very fun people.

I love you, Lioness and Megaphone.

(PS: All you fans of generic teenypop, have you seen this song?)

Live. Love. Eat.

My first thought when I woke up this morning was "Must bake today."

I must love cake more than I think.

Spring is here, and because this season lasts for all of two weeks in this city, it's going to be too warm to want to eat or bake anything with dry fruit, nuts or butter pretty soon. That and the fact that my subconscious is obviously craving the rolled up sleeves, flour on my collar and telltale chocolate on my pinkie that go with baking brought me straight to my grandparents' kitchen after class.

(Okay, almost. I paused for lunch. Delectable squash and daal the way only my grandmother can make it.)

Anyway, I've had some gorgeous date and walnut cake lately (mental thank you to the awesome people at Cakeaway), and ever since ASG, their extremely generous main man, told me the cake pictured above is his mother's recipe, I've been subconsciously thinking about it, I guess, because I knew exactly what order and in which quantities to put where, even before I did a brief check with Aunty Google. Yes, my dates were separated and soaked in hot water before I knew what I was doing, and my butter was beautifully (but not quite so successfully) melting on the countertop. Guess it isn't warm enough for it to melt quite just yet.

So I tipped and cracked, mixed and mashed, whipped and ...umm... didn't quite get whiplashed, and devised this recipe to satiate my needs. And boy, that familiar ache from too much stirring in my arms felt good. (There, I've said it. Make of it what you will.)

Click below to read the recipe.