Florida 2013. A small, quaint tea room not far from Orlando. I can't remember the name, but I can still picture it. Set in a w hite, clapboard Victorian-era house with a run-around porch. Small wobbly tables with white lacy tablecloths. And lots of kitsch-y nicknacks. All just perfect for an inquisitive 18 month old toddler to explore (in no way is that true). This was in the days before Sweet, when I was still in the depths of depression following the loss of my mum and trying to claw my way out. Our family holiday had been booked for over a year. We felt we should still go, as it would have been very difficult to disappoint the two oldest. I spent nearly two weeks looking after Sam, while the others did the rides. It was fine - no complaints here. But one of the things I wanted to do - insisted on - was to find somewhere off the beaten tourist route that could serve up a slice of authentic key lime pie. We ventured south from Orlando in hot and humid August sunshine and pitc
It's grey and dull in Cardiff today, both literally and metaphorically. That end-of-festivities feeling is hitting hard, with the looming anticipation of returning to work in a couple of days. The new year brings promise, but at the moment it hasn't fully seeped through. One of the promises I've made myself this year, though, is to break out of some of the bad habits I've fallen into over the last few years. That includes neglecting some of the things that truly bring me enjoyment. One of those is my love of baking, which went on a much needed, but lengthy, hiatus after we closed Sweet - our coffee shop - in 2018. After we opened in 2015, we soon discovered that there were a number of key favourites in our cakes and bakes that people asked for time and time again. This Lemon Mess Layer was one of our regulars, along with a simple Victoria Sponge, Coffee and Pecan Layer, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Brownies, and Salted Caramel Shorties. As the mood took me, I supplemented