With loving hands.

Readers of my several blogs have heard about my special birthday this year for weeks now. My anticipation, the family celebration in Italy, the "real" day and the coming garden party in June. I guess you are fed up long ago, but as my blogs are just as much my memory diary as it is written for my readers, I can't let this period pass without photos and words about the chocolate cake my husband and youngest daughter made for my birthday.

With celebrations before and after The Day, April 10th, 50 years since my birth, was a quiet day. Though with family around we were still 10 around the dinner table, and afterwards around the coffee table. I am usually the cake maker in our family (Marta seems to be the one soon to take over though), but Terje has had his own speciality through almost all of our soon to be 28 years of marriage - a chocolate cake which we call "Mokka kake".

Wednesday I was sent out of the kitchen, and father and daughter made my chocolate dream together - yet another Mokka kake from The Blue Café.

Cheese souffle and a salad, and a few thoughts about food

Friday and Saturday nights are nights with something extra good to eat. Normally we eat our dinner around 5pm, but these nights we eat late, and I enjoy my time in the kitchen preparing the food. After a long period of pastas and pizzas I felt it was full time for something else, and my choice fell on a cheese souffle. Marta was the only kid at home and souffle (except chocolate souffle) is not her choice, but we had some leftover tomato soup in the fridge which she was more than happy to have.

Eating together, taking time to enjoy food and company is important. And soemthing we tend to forget more and more. I am a supporter of the slow food movement, and though our days are often busy, we love to share stories and silence over a meal. It can be a simple meal or it can be more sophisticated, company and time is always important. And for me it is a rule (very seldom broken) that we have no television on while we eat. The company we have in each other, the joy and pleasure we get from the food is not to be ruined by today's "house god", the television.

Back in my own Kitchen

Two weeks in Italy are over. I enjoy Italian food and have brought back ideas and new recipes. As time goes by I will share some of them here, but tonight, after long and busy days at work this week, we have been enjoying a fruit salad. It is good to be back in my own kitchen. Good to know that the food I prepare is rich and healthy, good to know that my family enjoy my cooking.

Friday Night Fruit Salad

one pear

one banana

two blood oranges

a small box of diced pinapple

grained dark chocolate

raisins

pinenuts

juice from the half of a lemon

Top the salad with yoghurt before eating.