Norwegian Biscuits

Veshla's Biscuits

Ingredients:
0.5 Kg of Porridge oats (oatmeal)
Sesame Seeds
1 whole fresh egg (large)
Butter (1 third of a block of butter)
1 - 1.5 cups of hot water to bind
1 tsp of molases (optional for a sweeter taste. I prefer a more savory flavour).

Method

Before you begin pre-heat oven to 200 degrees C. (non-fan assisted).

1. Mix everything together in a large bowl.
2. Turn out mixture onto a clean surface and roll flat (approximately 5 mm).
3. Cut out biscuit shapes with an upturned glass.
4. Place shapes on an oiled backing tray or baking sheet.
5. Place them on the middle shelf of the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes. Shorter times for ovens with a fan.
6. Leave to cool.

These are so cheap and simply to make but are great as a snack on their own or as an accompaniment to soups etc. Good for dieting after the DaVinci Cookies.

The DaVinci Cookie

Ultimate Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Makes 17 big fat ones.

300g plain (all-purpose) flour
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1 teaspoon fine salt
170g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
215g light brown sugar (buy the good stuff)
120g granulated white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 large fresh egg
1 large fresh egg yolk
300g milk chocolate chunks - break up a entire chocolate bar into little pieces with a large kitchen knife. Galaxy chocolate is rather splendid, but this is entirely down to personal preference. White chocolate is an awesome variation. Personally I use a mix of milk, dark and white chocolate, after all, we are talking about the ultimate cookie!

1. Sift together flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Set aside.

2. In a separate, larger bowl Stir together melted butter, brown sugar, sugar and vanilla. Add egg, then the yolk. Beat well to ensure that egg is evenly distributed. Stir in dry ingredients, and then fold in chocolate chunks until incorporated. It will look as if there are too many chocolate chunks but the dough will be able to hold them all. Cover with Clingfilm and chill dough until firm. At least 30 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 190C/Gas Mark 5.

4. Drop 1/4 cup sized "hockey puck shaped" mounds of dough onto a greased baking sheet. I use a 1/4 measuring cup to both measure and shape the dough which works perfectly.

5. Bake in preheated oven for approximately 10-12 minutes or only until the edges begin to turn golden. (They'll look and feel underdone but they're ready). Cool on the sheet for 1 minute and remove with a wide spatula to a cooling rack. Cool thoroughly and enjoy! If you don’t have a cooling rack you can use the wire grill part of your oven’s grill raised on a couple of wooden spoons.

* You might try adding a tiny pinch of chili powder to the mixture, or a touch of cinamon. I've heard of people adding peanut butter, peanuts, Jordon's Country Crisp breakfast cereal (looks like little museli clusters), dried fruits and some other, more exotic but contraband additions to the mixture. As long as you stick roughly to the ratios of dough to chocolate you should be okay. Too much choc and they fall apart. I sometimes add a tablespoon of golden syrup to the mixture to get that extra gooey consistency, but again the possibilities are endless. These little beauties go down especially well with a cup of spiced tea.

A late night with Neruda

For Neruda

And still I miss you
And again I think of oceans
When our lives went out
Like two hands in the night
Close to dawn and its murderous love
When I reach out to you
Drinking your soul like laughter
Begging you with a look

To forgive all you do not keep for yourself
For in dreams I have scarce left your side
Nor would I turn away had I but the chance
To let old regrets die
You who I wounded
Be good to me

I want your all, your everything
I want you always, to taste your blood upon my lips
Two smooth bodies drawn taught
Two rivers meeting by the sea
As if in a traveller’s dream
Where all roads lead back to you

And if I could
I would have you understand me
To show you how I’ve grown
And find my place beside your heart
Open new doors with old love renewed
Where bare foot children run
Calling familiar names

And you would find this a better man
Than the one you knew
A little wiser for being twice as broken
Who measures all love by you
Your long hair coiled around his heart
That in the struggle tightens
And cuts deeper to the sweater meat
That bleeds you name into his eternal soul

PCW June 2006