Hot cross buns

Friday April 14th
Good Friday. After the gym I settled down to a serious hot cross bun. In other countries they might chase after mad rabbits scattering chocolate eggs, but hot cross buns are the real thing. You can buy white ones, but don’t. The best ones are brown, studded with currents, raisins and dried peel, and highly spiced with scents of cinnamon and ginger. The cross on the top symbolizes Easter, so they are definitely Good Friday fare.

They have to be hot. You can halve them and pop them under the grill or in the toaster. You can even microwave them, but only for 12-15 seconds. I prefer them placed into a very hot oven for a couple of minutes. What to eat them with? If you haven’t given it up for Lent, obviously butter is called for. I like mine (unusually) with cheese as well. I ate one half with brie and the other with edam. Both tasted magnificent.