*Toot toot*!!! The 'What Katie Ate' Book Deal with Penguin Books :-) *WooHoo*

So I decided to bake a cake... a big, fattening, OTT, in-your-face cake... I did this as one of my fondest memories from being a kid was going to Wales one Summer (Llandudno in particular - yes indeed, my folks were 'tres swish'...) and being about 7 and going to a really cheesy restaurant with Mum and Dad for dinner and the waitress asking if I'd like dessert? So up I went to the counter and there I did spy myself a HUGE sugar monster of a cake - it was a chocolate fudge cake and I've never forgotten it since. Especially as that wondrous waitress stuck the mammoth piece of calorific delight into the microwave and served it warm... It's still one of my clearest memories from my childhood... And even though I am more of a savoury type, I thought no better fitting a cake for the occasion...

The occasion in hand being to celebrate some news I wanted to tell you all, for what feels like ages now... and I also decided to buy an extra special bottle of bubbles as I'm not going to lie, but I've been literally bursting to get this news out on the blog for some time and I was just a tad naughty and kept it a little quiet for the past few months, but finally I am delighted to announce that, very excitingly, in 2012...

Penguin Australia - specifically the super gorgeous Lantern Division of Penguin Books, will be publishing the first ever 'What Katie Ate' cookbook :) *Happy Dance*

I was approached back in late 2010 by the incredibly wonderful Julie Gibbs at Lantern and asked if I would be interested in writing, cooking, styling and shooting a book based on the blog and my photography - and whilst it was a totally flattering bolt out of the blue (I honestly nearly fell off my chair when Julie put this proposition to me) - I was utterly thrilled to say "Yes please!" and I have been working on the contents to-date. I am so extra thrilled to be working with a publisher who has produced books for the culinary superstar talent such as: Stephanie Alexander; Maggie Beer; Guillaume Brahimi; Christine Manfield; Kylie Kwong and Tobie Puttock to name but a few...

The book will be a beautifully printed format of the blog which will include a lot of extra special bits and pieces; simple and yummy, easy-to-cook recipes and tips and tricks not found online. It'll be very photo-heavy and full of very personal and special recipes, I'll also document via my camera a year of travels within Australia, the US and my home country; Ireland.

I am very excited to announce this news which has been so close to my heart for the past few months and I really look forward to holding the final printed keepsake in my hands next year, until then I have a lot of cooking, styling and shooting to do (!) and a bit of traveling (hence my upcoming trip to Europe and the U.S. as I wanted specifically to include photos and tales from places which are particularly meaningful to me). I will be sure to keep all the readers of the blog updated on the progress of the book over the coming months.

Roasted Tomato & Capsicum, Smoked Paprika & Basil Soup, with Melted Goat's Cheese Toasts

Mushroom & Bacon Spaghetti with Basil, White Wine and Cream Sauce

Pomegranate & Honey {Sweet, Salty & Sour} Pulled Pork

Bob's Toasted Breakfast Muesli

Banana, Strawberry, Ginger and Honey Breakfast Smoothies

Anzac, Oat & Honey Cookies

All Above Images © Katie Quinn Davies

Happy book deal news aside :) as mentioned briefly in my last post, I also wanted to include some recipes this week which I have been thinking about featuring for a while. I had some mates stay over this Easter weekend and decided to give Bob's (my father-in-law) muesli a bash as I've drooled over it many a time whilst staying at their house down the coast from Melbourne. Bob makes a big batch of this healthy and energy-packed breakfast cereal every week or so and has been doing so for years. You can store it in air-tight containers after baking and cooling it and it also tastes extra wonderful with a spoonful of cocoa powder thrown into the mix and/or a drizzle of blue gum honey or maple syrup - as I found was only fitting experiment for an Easter weekend brekkie.

Other goodies I served up were some super simple fruit smoothies; a very quick and easy mushroom, fresh basil bacon and cream pasta lunch and what with it being Anzac Day yesterday, I had to cook up a batch of the mandatory honey and oat famed Aussie cookies. Also my good friend Colm in Ireland makes THE most incredible tomato and red bell pepper (or I have now come to call them - 'red capsicums' since living in Oz) soup so I decided to make a take on this recipe over the weekend and added in a 'French onion soup inspired' big goat's cheesy crouton on top and served the bowls piping hot.

Lest I forget too, last week I mentioned I found Pomegranate molasses at my local green grocer, I grabbed a bottle or two on Friday and experimented with a shoulder of Free range organic pork which I slow roasted for 5 hours marinated in said molasses, a bit of bourbon, honey and soy sauce... The result was out-of-this-world good... sour, salty, sweet and bitter all rolled into one, use as a main or in warm bread rolls with some home made coleslaw. You can also use the same marinade on baby back pork or beef ribs which I tried also on Friday and these were an equal success.

All in all a very cooking-packed weekend - with a serious amount of washing up to boot *_* (my husband deserves a medal in particular this Easter weekend), countdown to the US trip is underway and looking forward to a little time off from 24/7 work and getting some quality pics on our travels.

xx