Elena Spirina brunch at Simple things (Простые вещи) restaurant

I already said a lot about Elena Spirina, a Moscow food book writer and blogger. I can't help wondering how many different original and beautiful things Elena manages to do around food. Today I saw her once again in a completely new role - hosting a special brunch at Simple things (Простые вещи) Moscow gastropub and wine bar.
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Steamed lemon puddings

I used to be averse of making steamed puddings before last week. Even despite how much I adored eating them. To me there was always some magic about their moist texture, which is so dense and soft at the same time. These lemon puddings changed this and I can't tell you how happy it makes me.
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My cookbooks shelf

My birthday of this year turned out very happy. I did have to realize I wasn't 25 any more but that didn't matter because when I woke up my inbox was full of warm greetings. I came to work and saw beautiful smiles of my colleagues saying happy birthday. Three red roses appeared on my kitchen table and they are still there getting more and more pretty each next day. And on top of all that my lovely parents presented to me three precious new and shiny cookbooks I kept dreaming about for months.
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My favorite books about food

These are some of the food books I really love. Amazing life stories, food travel guides and fiction books that connect food to people's feelings in a way that I start believing these are not really separable. Be careful with them. You might end up believing it too.
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Spicy hot cake with sticky toffee sauce

Last weekend I made this Nigella's Spicy hot cake. I knew I'll have to make it once I saw the video of her making it. The batter goes into the baking dish, lots of muscovado sugar goes on top and - oops - all that goes flooded by boiling water from the kettle. But magic! - a great looking pudding in boiling sticky toffee sauce comes out of the oven.
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A magic cup of cinnamon hot chocolate

I just needed something energizing yesterday night. So I thought about hot chocolate recipe I saw in David Lebovitz The Sweet Life in Paris. Happily I had an appropriate chocolate bar at home. I was too lazy to go out.
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The perfect vanilla sauce

If I had to pick one favorite dessert sauce it would definitely be creme anglaise. With its intense vanilla flavor, its thin and light structure it is just a perfect complement to many of my favorite sweets, especially fruit cakes and crumbles, chocolate fondant and muffins. I like it so much that it became my habit to make it.
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Half-a-teaspoon pancake baking class

This Saturday I went to Half-a-teaspoon baking class at last. I found about this project around half a year ago. It's an experimental confectionary shop and creative cooking classes (there are also special classes for kids). We came to the Maslenitsa pancake baking class by Алена Спирина, a Russian food writer and blogger on LiveJornal. She teaches weekly classes in the school.
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Salted caramel sauce

As I was running around shopping all day, I knew I wouldn't be able to cook that night. So I didn't really. I got my beloved ice-cream and belgian waffles. The only thing I made was warm salted caramel sauce to bring things together.
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Jamie Oliver's pasta with oozy cheese sauce

I've been watching a lot of Jamie at home on youtube lately. It's just unbelievable how inspiring Jamie oliver recipes are. Whatever I start watching: chilies, strawberries, pizza, I just want to try and make everything. And ideally even get my own garden. Though the garden might be a bit too much for me already.
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Russian food bloggers cook

Yesterday I went to see some of the popular Russian food bloggers at a charity event by Livefund in Moscow. I was not sure if I should go, but at the end I loved it. I'm not yet into Russian food bloggers community, so I was lucky to get an invite from my dad, who is. Максим Сырников, Андрей Бугайский, Алёна Спирина, Ирина Чадеева and Елена Киладзе cooked beautiful food which was sold to their followers from the auction.
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Like water for chocolate

By some chance I just bumped into Like Water for Chocolate: A Novel in Monthly Installments with Recipes, Romances, and Home Remedies on my bookshelf. In its old paper cover it's been lost and forgotten there for several years. I opened it to recall what it was about and I ended up reading all it night. What a beautiful food and love story! I just have to have my say on it.
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Delicious sabayon

When I'm depressed I often start hard core baking. That's exactly why a couple of days ago I found myself in front of my favorite confectionary book. I was looking for something that would keep me busy for at least half a day. Le Cordon Bleu Dessert Techniques is a perfect source of ideas for such an occasion.
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Soft brownies

Since my recent failure with brownies I just couldn't wait to give them a second go. This time I made really soft brownies with Dulce de Leche following David Lebovitz recipe. Yes, second time. Some things I only learn from my own mistakes.
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Crispy cheese quesadillas

Last night I started from guacamole and ended up also making quesadillas (sandwiched tortillas with cheese based filling) because I came across this wonderful Jamie Oliver recipe. They worked perfectly - Michael (my little brother) kept happy and occupied by the tortilla chips and quesadillas for the whole dinner and I even still have some guacamole left for myself.
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Most inspiring food writers

I do realize that after I publish this you might never come back to reading me. This is about food writers. For me they are incredible and inspiring. Reading and watching them I found my passion for food. I read them when I’m happy for ideas. I read when I’m sad for support. I hope once I’ll meet each of them personally.

Nigella Lawson is a British food writer. She passionately cooks for her kids and friends. Even more importantly – she loves to cook for herself and eat. She is so pretty that I spend hours watching her shows on Youtube. Next I really want to read her “How to eat” book and I hope my dad will give it to me as a birthday present.
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