Borage...

Blue and beautiful...

Blue borage flowers are a stunning colour, 

and the bees just adore them.

In fact blue borage honey is one of my favourites.

The borage self-seeds freely in the garden. 

For a special touch to summer drinks, 

the little blue flowers look fabulous if you freeze them in icecubes.

The young leaves have a cucumber taste.

If grown near tomatoes, the borage is meant to improve flavour,

 as well as being a bee magnet which is great for pollination.

Choc Cake

Delicious Chocolate Cake...

Very easy to make, secret is to avoid overcooking so cake is a little moist.

Preheat oven to 180 celsius.

In a large pot melt together:

150 grams butter

1 cup cold water

1 1/2 cups caster sugar

1/2 teaspoon of Baking Soda

2 heaped Tablespoons of cocoa powder

Bring to boil, stirring, until mixture froths and doubles in size.

Put aside to cool for 15 minutes.

Whisk in 2 lightly beaten eggs and 1 1/2 cups of self-raising flour.

Pour mixture into a square paper lined tin, or a round greased tin with a removable bottom.

Bake for 30 -40 minutes. It is cooked when skewer comes out of centre clean. 

When cold ice with chocolate icing of your choice.

I use this recipe for many variations...

Omit cocoa for:

Ginger - 1 or 2 teaspoons of powdered ginger. Ice with ginger icing.

Orange - Add 2 tablespoons of finely grated orange rind. Ice with orange icing.

Coconut - Add 1/2 cup fine desiccated coconut. Ice with raspberry icing.

Red Camelia...

I love camellias (but then I love all flowers!).

A lot of people hate them, because they are messy.  

But I think the floral display they have is worth every bit of mess. 

This camelia is a Japonica variety.  

It is called 'Pirates Gold'.