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liVinG in a post-Stalinist world, having joined my parents in their journey back home, to Poland, from Scotland – was a certifiable nightmare. Mumsie was well-aware of


the nightmare endured by her progeny and she made sure that we grew up as a tight unit. lessons in family cohesion


took place in our wee kitchen with full family participation. it takes a few strong and


rested arms to whip up a hand-made and delicious mayonnaise or squeeze the cooked meats thru a machine for a divine pasztet (pate) or to make a cake. it also takes time. During that time we’d talk, argue, question, learn to think and hope. Maybe that’s why Mama Krysia’s cooking tasted soooogood. Visiting auntie Wanda and


her spawn once pigged out, all by themselves, on a 70cmx40cm tray of charlotte desert. it took us no time at all to whip up a Marble babka. in total silence, as auntie and cousin looked on and drooled.


n Our babka recipe comes from ALEXANDRA BOGORIA, who spent much of her childhood in Scotland before returning to Poland with her parents. She now lives in California, USA.


once the pan’s scrumptious contents had cooled down, we all pigged out together with the Visitors around the family table. auntie elected to pass on the fight for the crumbs.


inGreDientS:


250g all purpose flour 11


⁄2


4 large eggs 150g unsalted butter 150g fine sugar 11


⁄2 ⁄3 teaspoon baking powder


Rum or almond extract 1


Tablespoon vanilla sugar teaspoon salt


20g cocoa Toothpick HoW to MaKe it: Mix flour and baking powder. Set aside.


Whip butter until fluffy. Mix in egg yolks. one by one, then slowly pour in sugar, vanilla sugar, extract, salt. Whip egg-whites until stiff and gradually add to the mix. Gradually add flour to mixture until it achieves smooth consistency. Grease a rectangular baking pan with butter and pour in two thirds of mixture. add cocoa into remaining third of mixture and pour along middle of mixture already in pan. total height of mixture must fill no higher than three quarters of the pan’s depth. Bake for about 50-60 mins in oven pre-heated to 200C, until golden brown. if the cake threatens to turn dark brown, cover with pan with aluminium foil. test cake with toothpick. if the toothpick is dry, the cake is done. tip cake onto cooling rack and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Hold your horses until it cools down.


Goes well with tea or coffee.


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