Day 197: *exceedingly* good

Snow fell this weekend. in abundance. And after the galeforce winds subsided, the naked branches and sepia landscapes of autumn are now draped in a sparkling white sheet that twinkles peacefully to the tune of winter’s amber sun. Today very much felt like it should have been a snowday. A day for casual strolling in the sharp, crisp air. A day for drinking hot, spice-, and brandy-, spiked wine, watching movies, and baking something good that smells divine and fills the house with cosy cheer.

I might not have got a full day’s worth of snowday fun, but I did get the chance to take a casual stroll through a wintry wonderland and bake something that did indeed smell divine: Nigella’s No-Knead Black Bread, from Cook Eat Repeat.

Nigella’s No-Knead Black Bread

Dense, dark and moist. Seductively treacly, with a gloriously bitter edge. Heavy as a brick, but tender, with a pleasurably-chewy carapace. Studded gorgeously with aniseedy crunch. On the heavenly cusp of liquoricey. This bread is exceedingly good. And I want to congratulate - and thank - you for it, Nigella.

We had a few slices for lunch: silky peat-smoked salmon, quick-pickled red cabbage and dill (without red cabbage on hubby's); and a whipped cream cheese, herb and sour cucumber spread (not homemade) on the others.

The recipe for this one can be found on p305 of Cook Eat Repeat and also on BBC Food (link below).