I am not doing particularly well at keeping this blog up to date at the moment! I had a busy, but lovely weekend, with my friend Maren who was over visiting from Germany and have also been trying to finish writing my book (almost there now - just a big push this weekend I should hopefully be done - I have written up a third of the recipes already which is a good way through). Today I am flying to Munich for a meeting tomorrow - what a jet set life eh (although sadly I don't think visiting a compost plant will ever class as being jet set!)

Maren and I spent the weekend antique shop hunting. I found a lovely oil lamp for the hut and Maren bought this very patriotic boat for her dinning room (if you didn't know she was German, you would think Maren was English). She sent me this photo when she got back of the boat in position in her flat and I think it looks great! I can't wait to see it in person when I am next in Hamburg (NB - Notice the Laura Ashley curtains - see what I mean about being English!!!!)

It is high time that I posted a recipe on this blog so here are some pistachio crips I made this morning.

Pistachio Crisps

Makes 16

Preparation time 10 minutes, baking 10 - 15 minutes

2 large egg whites

200g caster sugar

180g ground pistachios, plus 20g for decoration

50g hard amaretti biscuits, finely crushed

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 tbsp frangelico liqeuer or amaretto

80g plain chocolate, melted

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4/180F/350C and grease and line two baking trays (or line with silicon mats - I use them all the time and they were a very wise investment, particularly for merigues). Whisk the egg whites to very stiff peaks then gradually add the caster sugar a spoonful at a time until you have a glossy meringue. Add the ground pistachios, amaretti crumbs, vanilla and liqeuer to the bowl and fold in gently with a spatula. Place the mixture into a piping back and pipe 1 inch circles onto the trays leaving a gap between each as the cookies will spread during cooking. If you do not have a piping bag, use a spoon to make mounds of the cookie mixture. Bake in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes until crisp and golden, then leave to cool. Melt the dark chocolate and drizzle over the cookies with a fork, then sprinkle with the reserved chopped pistachios for decoration.