When I was growing up, visiting our family friends in the Lake District was a highlight of the year. As were the flapjacks they made–treats that brought me comfort all the way through to my time at university, when an occasional care package would bring a taste of home.

Having craved these for many years, I finally reached out for the recipe so I could make my own. It turns out they’re actually ‘Anzac¹ biscuits’, and very easy to make.

Ingredients

• Plain flour, sieved – 115g (4oz)
• Caster sugar – 115g (4oz)
• Rolled oats – 80g (3oz)
• Desiccated coconut – 80g (3oz)
• Butter – 115g (4oz)
• Golden syrup – 2 tablespoons
• Baking soda – 1 teaspoon
• Water – 2 tablespoons

Method

1. Mix the plain flour, caster sugar, rolled oats, and desiccated coconut in a bowl.
2. Melt the butter, and golden syrup in a saucepan.
3. Bring the water to boil, dissolve in the baking soda, and then combine with the butter and golden syrup mix.
4. Mix the melted and dry ingredients together, ensuring a consistent texture throughout.
5. Spread the mixture on a baking tray, to a thickness of about 1 cm (3/8 inch).
6. Bake in a regular oven at 180ºC (356ºF), or a fan oven at 160ºC (320ºF) for 20-25 minutes, or until the biscuits are a golden colour.
7. Leave to cool before cutting into squares.

A few of weeks ago, Sarah travelled to Barcelona to celebrate our friend Annelise’s birthday.

She very kindly took my Ricoh Theta and helped me fulfil goal I’ve had ever since visiting Barcelona–to capture some full 360º photos of Gaudí’s stunning Sagrada Familia.

One strange side effect of the Ricoh¹ is the ‘hand with pinched forefinger and thumb’ gesture that ends up in every photo as the camera itself disappears in a puff of image processing. Michael is convinced it’s secretly offensive.

Part of an on-going series highlighting some of my recommendations for travel in Japan.

Perhaps my favourite destination in Japan, Kōya-san (Mt. Kōya) is situated to the east of Wakayama Prefecture, south of Osaka. It is the centre of Shingon Buddhism, and the perfect place to pause for a little while. I recommend staying in one of the many templates and, if you rise early enough, attending morning ceremonies.

The train journey from Tokyo to Koya-san is a leisurely one on local trains, winding, over the course of many hours, through Nara Prefecture, ending with a cable car up the mountain itself.