The pistachio, almond and carrot cake was fine a fine success. We ate it with dollops of rosewater flavoured cream. I now need to make three more of them next week.

Before the cake we had a rib of beef. Every time I go to The Farmer’s Market I eye up the beef without getting round to buying it. Yesterday the was a relatively small rib and I reckoned it would do for supper.

The oven has just been mended so it went on to its hottest setting. I rubbed the meat with olive oil and gave it a good coating of sea salt and pepper. In then went into the oven. After 20 minutes it had started to crackle and spit. It stayed in the hot oven for another 10 minutes then the heat was turned down.

In the meantime I had been making a quiche with peppers and onions and so that went into cook.

I took the beef out after another 40 minutes and covered it with some foil and a tea towel to rest for twenty minutes.

We ate it with fried potatoes, salad and a light gravy made in the pan the beef had cooked in. A a bottle of very fine Rioja.

I will not be waiting long before I get myself another rib of beef from The Farmer’s Market.