I’m back! ‘Tis been way too long between posts.

As my school days draw to a close, my little guy is about to begin his. When I began writing this blog, he was a new walker with ridiculously long hair (why didn’t I cut it?!). Somehow, three and a half years have flown by and I find myself occasionally sobbing on the couch as I think of him navigating the big wide world of primary school on his own.

I’ve written before what a sook I am since becoming a mum. And there has been a lot to be sad about recently. It’s hard to reconcile the Syrian crisis. Let’s face it, we’d all do anything to keep our children safe or to give them a chance. So I sort of get the risks people are taking. Nevertheless, it is heart breaking to see. And, what we do see is but a mere glimpse of what is happening.

My Dad was a refugee. He was one of the lucky ones who got to go home when the war was over. So many of these people will never go home. I can’t imagine how that would feel – loss of identity, culture, whanau. But worth it for life?

Meanwhile, in the comfort of New Zealand, I battle with first world issues. The recent one being which school to send our son to. Seems kind of silly when so many children don’t get to go to school.

We have decided to practise that little known phenomenon, brown flight (I realise this could be construed as being part of the problem of the lack of diversity at our local schools). I’m hoping that by sending our son to a school with a wide cultural and demographic mix, it will help him develop into a more rounded person with a strong sense of social responsibility. I know much of this will come from his home, but I really like the community spirit I’ve seen at our school – we’ll all be better off if some of it rubs off on us.

One of the things that has rubbed off on me is Mum’s ability to cook (she’s still better at it than I am). If there’s one thing we can rely on, it’s Mum whipping up a batch of cinnamon oysters for a family function (or a neighbour’s wedding). These little beauties are from the iconic Edmonds Cookbook.

What you’ll need

2 eggs

60g caster sugar

1 Tbsp golden syrup

55g plain flour

1 Tbsp cornflour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp baking soda

How to make them

Pre-heat oven to 190°C. Grease two 12-hole mini patty pans (or one 12-hole regular size patty pan).

Beat eggs and sugar until thick. Add golden syrup and beat until well combined.

Sift together the dry ingredients and fold through the egg mixture.

Place tablespoonfuls of mixture into pans. Bake for 8-10 minutes, depending on whether you make small or large oysters.

Remove cakes from pan/s when warm. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Once cold, cut a slit in each cake (“oyster” like) and fill with whipped cream and sprinkle with icing sugar.

You can make a chocolate option by replacing the ground ginger and a tablespoon of flour and with one tablespoon of cocoa.  They freeze well without cream and only take a few minutes to defrost.