Cake!

I can't even remember what I was looking for when I found a recipe for chocolate cream cheese muffins. But they go a little something like this.

They're absolutely deadly. We normally eat 2 or even 3 of a newly-baked, just-cooled batch each, but we only managed 3 of these between us. And they are incredibly moist and sticky - stuck to the greased silicone cups and even to the plate I put them on after they'd cooled. I think paper cups may be in order next time! They did get noticeably less squidgy after being out for even half an hour though. I put them back in the cups and into the bread bin - not quite airtight, but somewhat.

I'm using himself's camera at the moment, as I didn't have enough room to bring mine back from the UK (priority was given to the scanner and books, and I don't like taking it in hold luggage). I'll pick it up between Xmas and New Year when we're back - must try taking some more photos although it is easier with his camera than my slightly larger one.

Tomorrow night I'm off to a Japanese expat group Xmas dinner, which involves a very nice restaurant in the city, about 40 people, and an entire tuna being cut up for our entertainment and indeed culinary pleasure. Himself, being vegetarian, has passed on the event. It's going to be insane, and probably well worth 80 CHF plus drinks. And a chance to meet people!

Of pumpkins and muffins

Well, it's my second week back in Zurich. The temperature is varying between cool and freezing, but no sign of snow down here yet.

I failed to meet my two objectives in Reading: finishing my annotated translation for my MA and organising movers. I have a second extension for the MA (let's just leave it at the reason for the second extension being "awaiting reply from supervisor") until the end of the year, and I'll try again for movers next year. I'm going to send the annotated translation to the printers before we go to Spain for Xmas, so I really don't have all that much time to finish it off. I still want to get a lot of reading done.

I've managed to pick up a few bits of work in the last 2 weeks from a new agency, which is great. Their rate isn't great, and charging me for bank charges is something that nearly made me walk away from them, but I can get through the work quickly (all game-related) and they have sent me quite a bit. Nice to be busy. Although it does interfere with the studying.

Other than that, I've been procrastinating. Which has expressed itself as cooking, oddly enough. I've discovered the wonderful sites Just Hungry and Just Bento, with a wealth of wonderful recipes. The one that immediately caught my eye was Earl Grey tea muffins, which I went out and bought a silcone-cup baking tray to make them with. They came out a bit heavy, probably from over-mixing, but I'm also a bit suspicious of the buttermilk - it's more like cream. But the first batch were lovely if rather misshapen, so I made a rooibos tea batch. And then a vanilla and spice tea batch. And I have enough for at least one more batch. Needless to say, this is not a good idea when you're home on your own.

Tonight I went back to an old favourite as I'd found a promising looking pumpkin in the local Migros - sweet soy pumpkin. It came out beautifully, as did the koya tofu (freeze-dried and allegedly from Mt. Koya's Buddhist monasteries) I'd bought ages ago in Zurich's Japanese food shop. Feeling a bit peckish, I drained the fluid I'd used to cook the pumpkin in (dashi, mirin, soy and sugar) and used it for cooking some brown rice. It was... amazing.

Other than that, still getting my behind kicked by FFIV. I'm near the final boss, but in another dungeon that just keeps killing my party. We had a wibble moment last weekend when we put in an order with a local electronics shop - a PS3 with additional controller and remote, Little Big Planet... and a 55" LCD TV. Last one was for himself. It should be delivered tomorrow!

So, really need to buckle down to study... again. For what really needs to be the last time. But I am as always easily distracted. Found an Earl Grey tea and white chocolate chip muffin recipe, for a start...