The Liebster Award

   Recently I feel like I've lost my baking mojo and the only thing that has kept me in the loop is Twitter. I've been following my fellow foodies' recipes with great envy and reading more posts than usual in the hope of some inspiration. Steph and Hannah recommended that I try a non-recipe post and when the lovely Emily nominated to take part in the Liebster Award I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to start afresh. So here it goes...

10 things about me:

1. My initials are SJS, if you say it quick enough it sounds like 'sausages'.
2. My favourite cake in the whole entire world is Victoria Sponge.
3. I studied a Bachelor of Science in Digital Imaging, specialising in Forensic and Biomedical Imaging.
4. From January to March I took part in a food writing course with Lulu Grimes.
5. My favourite biscuit is a custard cream.
6. I have a dog who enjoys eating ice creams, particularly 99s.
7. My favourite cake place in London is Bea's of Bloomsbury.
8. Last year a friend and I got stuck in Hurricane Sandy in NYC.
9. I'm a big Harry Potter fan.
10. I can't sing, but I really enjoy car karaoke.

Emily's questions:

How would you sum up your blog in 5 words?
Sugar, simple, fun, learning and lighthearted.

Where did your blog name come from?

Well...I love food!

What is your ultimate favourite cuisine?

I'm not sure if this really counts, but baked goods. I have a terrible sweet tooth. Otherwise I really enjoy Indian food and experimenting with different spices and herbs. I'm on a mission to up my heat tolerance and to master the perfect dhal.

What foodie product or utensil could you not live without?

I recently got a new pair of digital scales, as a baker and a science geek I like to be very precise.

Do you think you could go veggie and why/why not?
I was a sort of veggie for 5-6 years. I wouldn't say that I was a strict vegetarian at all, I picked out meat from meals and enjoyed lots of fish. In the past year or so I've reintroduced chicken and turkey into my diet. Its just the texture of other meats that I don't enjoy, I will give anything a try though. 

What would you cook if you went on 'Come Dine with Me'?

I'd love to take part in something like this but haven't really thought about what I'd cook until now. I would start with a really cheesy soufflé, followed by something with haddock as its my favourite fish. Then, for the finale, a massive show stopper cake or boozy lemon desert.

Who is your favourite celebrity chef and why?

I'm incredibly fickle when it comes to celebrity chefs. I don't watch a lot of food TV because I think there's a real difference between a 'TV chef' and a 'proper chef'. People like Jamie Oliver are fantastic entrepreneurs and their names a brand of their own, but how much does he really cook? For aesthetics, I want Gizzi Erskine's beehive and Rachel Khoo's wardrobe. For proper home baking recipes, Dan Lepard is my go-to guy. I can't really think of any chefy chefs...its not often I think of anything other than baked treats!

If you were to make an ice cream with three scoops, any flavour, what would they be?

Peanut butter, salted caramel, and lemon meringue pie.

What is your earliest memory of cooking/baking?

I remember visiting my Grandmother (Nain) in Aberystwyth every school holiday, my brother and I were always greeted with baked treats. My favourites included orange dondis cake and lemon meringue pie.

Last but not least...sweet or savoury?

SWEET!!

   Thank you to Steph & Hannah for your kind words and for my new addiction...Speculoos. If you have a minute to spare, read Hannah's 'Love Letter to Speculoos' every single line is completely true. If anyone has any recipes for it then let me know as I'd love to try! And thanks to Emily for nominating me.

   I nominate anyone reading this who would like to join in and spread the Lieb-love! My questions are...

1. What is your favourite thing to spread on toast?
2. What is your signature dish?
3. If there was one food item you could not live without, what would it be?
4. What made you decide to take up blogging?
5. Where is your favourite local cake shop and why?
6. Marmite, love it or hate it?
7. What has been your most successful meal/bake?
8. And your least successful?
9. What is your favourite biscuit?
10. Sweet or savoury?

Enjoy!