Food Memory: Borough Market Toasted Cheese.

Of all the food I tried in London, a toasted cheese sandwich was one of my favorites. Melted Montgomery Cheddar cheeses, finely diced leeks and red onion, and garlic sandwiched between buttered Poilane sourdough. The answer you're looking for is Yes.

Kristin and I headed to Borough Market in Southwark one day to see what there was to see and specifically to try the toasted cheese sandwiches. Total heaven. When I got back home I made my own version with gruyere, fontina, and white cheddar on rye, which was pretty good, but nothing like the original. The leeks make the sandwich, so if you decide to try making it, don't leave them out.

This sandwich will always remind me of a warm spring day in London after the morning rain had cleared out, eating a delicious toasted cheese sandwich on the steps near Southwark Cathedral. The memory is that much more important to me because the company that provides such delicious fried goodness (Kappacasein) doesn't trade at Borough Market anymore. I found this notice on their website:

"NEWS: We are no longer trading at Borough Market. We have been forced to find a new home for our market stall after being caught up in a dispute over loyalties. Please come and see us at the reopening of the stall at what will also be our new cheese making premises in Bermondsey."

I'm glad I got to experience it when I did, though, and I will always associate toasted cheese with Borough Market.

Best Ever Texas Sheet Cake.

Hands down my favorite recipe for one of my favorite cakes. Try eating just one piece... P.S. Sorry there aren't any photos--good thing I don't consider myself a food photographer, huh?

Texas Sheet Cake

Ingredients

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
1/4 cocoa (heaping)
1 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted (optional)

Directions

Mix flour and sugar in a large bowl. Bring to a boil the butter, cocoa, and water. Pour hot mixture over the flour and sugar and mix well. Add buttermilk, baking soda, vanilla, and eggs; continue mixing until batter is smooth. Pour into a well-greased, large sheet cake pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Allow to cool only slighty and frost. I like to start making the frosting during the last 10 minutes or so of baking and then almost immediately spread it on the cake once it comes out of the oven. Once the frosting's on, sprinkle walnuts or pecans over the cake. I usually do half plain chocolate and half with nuts, so people can pick which side they prefer.

Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
6 tablespoons light cream or milk
1/4 cup cocoa (once again, heaping)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 to 1 package powdered sugar

Directions

Combine butter, cream, and cocoa in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Cool slightly and add vanilla and enough powdered sugar to make frosting the consistency you like. Work the frosting over the cake quickly before it sets. Enjoy!

Mini Carrot Cake

For the Fourth of July this year, my younger brother requested a carrot cake--it's one of his favorites, but it doesn't get made very often because there are other options, ya know, like chocolate. I was already making two types of ice cream and a giant Texas sheet cake, so I wasn't all gung-ho about making another big cake. Enter the mini cake idea. This little baby was only 6 inches, two layers. I adapted the recipe from several larger versions and added my own twist. The cake flour and extra cinnamon make this a lighter, more summer-worthy version than its heavier counterpart. Simple, light and sweet, this mini carrot cake barely made it through picture time.

Mini Two-Layer Carrot Cake

Ingredients

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten and at room temperature
1 1/2 cups finely shredded carrots
2/3 cup cooking oil
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1/4 cup sour cream
1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting, prepared (I add cinnamon to mine)
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted (optional)

Directions

Grease and line with parchment paper two 6-inch round cake pans. Set pans aside. In a large mixing bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

In a medium bowl, combine eggs, carrots, oil, vanilla, almond extract, maple syrup, and sour cream. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir until combined. Pour batter into the prepared pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for ten minutes before removing from pans. Cool thoroughly on racks. (At this point, if I'm in a hurry to frost them, I put them in the refrigerator.)

Frost middle, sides, and top with the cream cheese frosting. If you want, sprinkle chopped pecans over frosting. Et voila!