Most people view the position of household cook with great disdain…I beg to differ. Not just because I love to cook, or even that culinary is my profession. I do agree that having to cook every day can be a bit of a daunting task when one wears two hats—working mother, and “cook.” But being the designated household cook has its many advantages. Being the household cook I always cook what I like. Seldom do you find a cook preparing a dish he or she does not enjoy! I get to taste everything, first. If it’s a roast chicken just out or the oven, or a roast leg of lamb, I almost always put that savory, crisp piece of chicken skin into my mouth.

When I carve a roasted leg of lamb, I always taste that first slice, the crusty outer layer that has caramelised to perfection, and holds the roasted garlic and herb marinade perfectly.  When I bake I always have first choice to enjoy the scrapings of batter left in the mixing bowl, after mixing a sponge cake. Or tasting the frosting from the wire beaters. When the bread comes out of the oven I can be the first to enjoy that crusty end slathered with sweet butter. And it can go on and on. So you see, although cooking can be a bit trying at times, I think the pros far outweigh the cons. Because in the end, after all… the cook is really the boss of the kitchen.

Apple Spice cake 
with Salted Toffee
Glaze Cake:

3 cups all purpose flour 
1 tsp baking soda 
2 tsp ground cinnamon 
3/4 tsp salt 
1 tsp ground nutmeg 
1/2 tsp ground allspice 
4 granny smith apples, peeled and finely grated 
1 cup unsalted butter, firm but not soft 
1 1/2 cups sugar 
1/2 cup brown sugar 
3 eggs, large 
1 tsp vanilla 
1 tbs orange zest

Glaze: 
1/2 cup brown sugar 
1/4 cup unsalted butter 
1/4 cup whipping cream or evaporated milk 
1/2  tsp vanilla 
1/2 tsp salt 
 
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
• Grease and flour a 12-inch Bundt pan or ring pan.
• Sift flour with baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and allspice.
• Measure 2 cups grated apples set aside.
• Cream butter with an electric mixer until light in colour, add brown sugar and cream for about 4 minutes, then add white sugar and continue beating until mixture is fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating well between additions. Add vanilla.
• Add orange zest to flour
• Add the flour and apples alternately in three additions.
• Transfer batter to pan, bake for one hour or until a tester inserted near the centre comes out clean.
Cool in pan on a rack for 20 minutes.
Makes one cake.

Make the glaze:
Combine butter with sugar in a small saucepan, heat until butter melts, add cream or milk, and bring to a gentle boil. Stir in vanilla, cook until mixture is thick and sugar has dissolved. Whisk well. Invert cake onto a plate and spoon glaze over cake.
Cool for 30 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.