Today, after the obligatory walk through a deserted Mayfair, shops shut, some of them never to return, or so it would seem, stripped of all and sundry whilst others still want you to enter, one day. Other empty premises have signs of things to come, opening May 2020, maybe, just maybe!

Finished our third major jigsaw, a pity 7 pieces are missing, we await the arrival of the next.

Meanwhile I went baking, well baking is a bit of exaggeration, I made one thing, a Zucchini, chocolate nut bread. It said bread but more like a cake. I do like the word Zucchini, lots of Americanisms, I don’t, Egg Plant instead of Aubergine, No, No, Gotten and not got, Bangs for a fringe, I’m fixing to do something? A biscuit, more like a scone, cilantro, or coriander I could go on! But I do like the word Zucchini. So I made a Zucchini cake/ bread, and size wise it is pretty impressive. The one consolation is that there is enough to give some away and some to slice and freeze and some to just keep for Himself!

1. 325 grams self raising flour plus 1 tbsp baking powder
2. 1 tsp cinnamon
3. Pinch salt
4. 2 eggs
5. 2 medium sized courgettes grated
6. 8 fl oz / 235 mls vegetable oil
7. 2 tsp liquid vanilla, or some vanilla powder ( can be omitted),
8. 125 grams chopped nuts ( optional)
9. 75 + 25 grams dark chocolate or chocolate chips

Heat the oven to 175 C, grease a loaf pan. Put the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix . Add the zucchini and mix in, either by hand or with an electric whisk, then the 75 grams chocolate and the nuts. Then with the whisk running pour in the egg/ oil mix and mix well. Pour into the lair pan and bake for about one hour. Test by inserting a skewer or toothpick into the centre, it it comes out clean, it is ready. Remove from oven , leave to cool for about 10 minutes, before tipping out onto a cooling rack.

Melt the remainder of the chocolate along with a knob of butter and a teaspoon of sugar, pour/ scatter / smear over the top of the bread when it is cool!