Benjamin Franklin once famously said “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes."

Hey you! Yes, you. Person who should be in the garden but who can’t be bothered because it’s too cold. You know who I mean.

Well if you want an exquisite garden come spring, you better get off the couch and head outside. Now!

Continuing the series of apple cake recipes I've hopped over the border of my native Germany to neighbouring Belgium. They do wicked cakes, those Flemings! And don't miss my little rant about vanilla at the end of the recipe.

It's so hot I'd like to sit in a cool pool all day slurping iced coffee in the morning, iced soup for lunch, icecream for tea and something boozey on the rocks a little later. Chilled soups might seem a bit outlandish at first, but they're so good you've got to try one.

Why sugar plum fairy, you might ask. She's a character in Tchaikovsky's ballet Nutcracker. And she's a keeper of sweets. Such as the sweet I'm about to make - plum leather.