It falls to you to decide which fruits you should use and whether you use both fruit and nuts in the dish or just play with one. The actual dish can be anything at all - bread, salads, desserts, whatever you fancy!

Entries should be emailed to me with the subject line of Waiter F&N by the 30th of the month. A picture is optional but sold be 100 pixels in width. Don't forget to tell me which city and country you live in; it makes it so much fun in receiving submissions from around the world.

A Tart of Claret Wine
Makes enough filling for three of the tarts pictured.

1. Take half a glass of claret wine, as much juice of ripe red gooseberries.


2. Add 2 crushed macaroons and


3. the yolks of 3 eggs and make this like a cream


4. flavour with sugar, citron, grated cinnamon, a little salt


5. add also a small piece of butter


6. make a fine pastry, and line a dish with it


7. pour in the mixture and bake


8. sprinkle orange flowers over it when you serve it

During the week breakfast though is little more than a slug of juice, a slice of Marmite-topped toast and a few slurps of coffee taken on the run. Neither make for interesting post for a blog event; especially as Johanna explicitly stated that Marmite on toast is not a suitable entry for Waiter There's Something In My...which has a Breakfast theme this month.

This week, then, something a little more interesting than a fry-up; how does Vanilla Pain Pain Perdu with Fruit Compote grab you?.

Vanilla Pain Perdu with Fruit Compote
For the Fruit Compote

• 380g frozen mix of blackberries, blackcurrants, raspberries, red currants


• half glass red wine


• 125g caster sugar

For the Pain Perdu (sweetened French Toast)

• thinnish slices of stale bread


• 1 egg


• 150ml milk


• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla flavoured caster sugar


• butter and oil for frying

My local semi-deli (I use the word as the range is limited) has a prominent display of the Just Biscuits range. I am most taken with the hand-made Ginger Shorties and have long harboured a desire to use them as a cheesecake base. I'm having a 'thing' with ginger at the moment...

Ginger Cheesecake
2 packs Just Biscuits Ginger Shorties
large knob of unsalted butter
preserved ginger in syrup
250g Mascarpone
250g full-fat soft cheese
284ml double cream
chopped walnuts to decorate

Crush biscuits and mix with melted butter. Spread over the bottom of your chosen dish to form the cheesecake base. Chill.

Mix the cream cheese, cream and Mascarpone. Add as much ginger, chopped small, as you desire (I used 5 or was it 6 large pieces). Add half a jar of the ginger syrup. Mix and spread over the biscuit base. Chill for several hours. Top with chopped walnuts. Serve large slices. Wonder, with incredulous amazement, at expanding waist line.

Scotch Woodcock with Asparagus on Toast
Adapted for one (or two) From Delicious May 2008

• 20g unsalted butter
• 3 anchovy fillets drained of oil
• 25ml double cream
• 4 eggs
• parsley
• rustic bread
• asparagus blanched until just tender

Melt the butter, add the anchovies and cream. Remove from heat and stir until the anchovies dissolve. Return to the heat, add the eggs ad cook until set t your desired consistency. Fold in the chopped parsley and season. Serve on the toast topped with the asparagus. Delicious!

Blackberry and Loquat Clafoutis
The batter -

• 50g ground almonds


• 2 tbsp plain flour


• 100g caster sugar


• 2 eggs


• 2 egg yolks


• 250ml double cream

Mix all into a smooth batter and pour over the fruit. Bake for 40 minutes or so at 190C/17-Fan/G5 until lightly browned, risen and set.

Clafoutis just happens to be Bron's theme for this months Hay Hay It's Donna Day. This is therefore my entry, as Bron asked so nicely to join in.