Christmas Spiced Shortbread Who doesn't love shortbread? A pointless question, unless you're vegan or avoiding gluten, I suppose—but even then, surely the idea of it still sounds good! Shortbread feels inherently festive to me. Maybe it’s the buttery richness or its association with colder months. I wanted to take this classic treat closer to Christmas, inspired by the warm spices and bright citrus notes of the season. Think Christmas Pudding, Christmas Cake, Mince Pies, or Stollen—there’s something about cinnamon, clove, and allspice that perfectly complements winter’s chill. For my festive version, I’ve added a mix of spices, citrus zest, and a small twist: raisins soaked in Cointreau for a hit of fruity sweetness and orange flavor. (Feel free to switch up the soaking liquid—rum, hot tea, or even water will do.) A quick note on clove: it’s a potent spice, and not everyone loves its strength. If that’s you, reduce it to 1/4 teaspoon. I’ve also added almond extract for a subtle...
First Post
Welcome to the inaugural post of Ommni's Bakehouse, a venture into the hidden literary circles of the internet. Our journey begins with a particularly special item.
A Hot and Surreal Day
I traveled to London on the premise of attending a secretive event hosted by a YouTube channel that I've followed for years, Sorted Food. I and likely others in attendance assumed the secrecy stemmed from the desire to preserve the event's novelty, lest it be diluted in the public domain. I was very much incorrect.
I was served a burger by none other than Prince William himself; I believe this is what the authors of the world call a narrative hook, to keep you reading.
Without delving into every detail, all of us clueless guests waited upstairs in a London pub, melting in the 30°C summers day. Eventually we were lead in small groups downstairs to a burger van. The burgers were ordered and the "chef" that turned around to our complete surprise was Prince William.
An accompanying video (https://youtu.be/iY7OzCG7Of0) awaits your viewing, not only for an introduction to an exceptional foodie channel but also to learn about the Earthshot charity Prince William was representing.
The event introduced me to new acquaintances—both the event crew and fellow attendees. Its a novel experience meeting others with common interests, unlike in the normal world where it feels like people only talk about ironically named reality television and going to the gym to use their phones, here, everyone was a to some extent a foodie.
The event spanned a few hours, leaving ample daylight and motivation to explore with newfound friends.
The Earthshot Prize
It's only fitting to commence with the Earthshot Prize, if I didn't start here I feel it would be a disservice given its significance to the event's purpose.
I'm going to start on the assumption that most people haven't heard of the Earthshot Prize, I can genuinely say that I did vaguely, however the majority of people I've encountered are none the wiser.
Founded by Prince William, this relatively new charity launched in 2020, and only formalised independently in 2022.
As the name suggests this is a Prize, or several prizes, awarded annually. The prizes are categorised by the environmental goals of the organisation judged by both impact and scalability. Winners receive financial support, resources, and crucial recognition.
The model of having separate streams ensures attention is being paid equally to multiple areas of concern that need to all be addressed for each to exceed.
Earthshot fundamentally seeks to redefine human interaction with our planet. There prizes are awarded in five categories:
The five areas of activity are:
- Protect and restore nature.
- Clean our air.
- Revive our oceans.
- Build a waste-free world.
- Fix our climate.
The underlying goals feel like they fall into two fundamental concepts, improving the ways that we use our environment, and rectifying the damage already done.
If I had a teeny bone to pick with the objectives, its their wording, there's a suggestion of ownership of the planet that in my mind takes away from the idea of coexistence with the planet. This might be active choice to build a connection with people, but still feels a little unsettling to me.
There are many fantastic projects out in the world trying to good, and this charity feels not only a worthwhile endeavour because of its financial assistance, but because the awareness raised about the work going on. Backed by royalty and influential figures, it marks a significant step forward. From research I learned that Jacinda Ardern is also a trustee, former Prime Minister of New Zealand, possibly the only politician I've ever heard speak that kept my attention and gave me belief in what was being said.
Explore this remarkable project further through their website and channels:
https://www.youtube.com/@EarthshotPrize
Sorted Food
There's a chance that you haven't heard of the YouTube channel sorted food, everybody makes mistakes. The channel is YouTube's home for foodies, essentially a group of friends, both Chef and what are called 'normals', cooking and generally larking about with anything food related.
I'd urge you to go and visit the channel and subscribe if you haven't done so already; I'm not affiliated, I just know you'll enjoy the channel.
Speaking of Sorted Food, and that they were hosting the event meeting and greeting followed the main show. I'm happy to report that the entire team are no different to on camera, having had lengthy chats with them. They are just as friendly as you imagine, and iff you get the chance to attend an event in person, do so. I had a great chat with Ben, I finally found someone that is happy to geek out over the science side of food, and Kush gave me some words of wisdom on my future journey.
Its hard to believe that what was once a very small channel has reached such a point where they're able to help such a great cause in a powerful way. Somehow acquaintances that I've shared the event with since still aren't aware of the 2.7 million subscriber channel, so spread the word!
Head over to the Sorted Food channel for much more:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfyehHM_eo4g5JUyWmms2LA
The Food
Amidst all the charitable endeavours, there was food too!
We were served the Earthshot Burger, its recipe available on the SortedFood Sidekick app. This burger was a creation of plant based deliciousness. Personally I have no problems with meat impersonators, but this didn’t go down that route, it was a celebration of the vegetables from which it was made and a flurry Indian inspired spices. Despite the wealth of vegetables and spice there remained freshness, provided by pickled cucumber and mouli, and a herbed vegan Mayo.
Held at the cozy Hiver Taproom near London Bridge, the event catered to a select group of 30 individuals from the Sorted Community and the crew's family. Unfortunately, the Earthshot Burger's limited exposure means only a fortunate few have enjoyed its taste. Remember, the recipe is available, so you can still join in.
Other than its sublime taste and being one of the best burgers I've ever eaten, what was truly wonderful was that it encompassed multiple winners of the Earthshot Prize. The vegetables were representative of micro greenhouses provided to smaller farms, the cooker was a better alternative to traditional means in developing areas of the world, and the packaging was sustainably sourced from seaweed! Yes, most of the these awesome ingredients won't be directly effecting you making the food yourself at home, many ingredients are in-season during the UK summer, enabling a lower carbon footprint.
Give It a Try
If you haven’t got the drift yet, get the app and make the burger! While you’re at it, check out the Earthshot prize. This charity champions inspiring causes; personally, I found NotPla particularly impressive. Their compostable items, like seaweed-coated burger boxes, present a substantial upgrade from paper straws.
Exploring London
London is somewhere I rarely visit, so whilst there I went walkabouts with a couple of new friends I met at the event.
First stop was Borough Market, somewhere I've never been but heard of, from what I can tell its London's answer to La Boqueria in Barcelona, which I visited years ago. While it might not reach the same heights, the market brims with stalls offering produce and cooked delights.
A spice shop beckoned, and I acquired Penja Pepper and Hibiscus flowers. The latter, when stewed and mixed with ice and agave syrup, concocts a delightful summer tisane.
Mint Choc chip ice cream allegedly garnered rave reviews, but as a devoted anti-fan of the flavor, I remain skeptical.
There was an exciting moment as it dawned on me that Mei Mei by Elizabeth Haigh is in Borough Market. We'd already eaten, but done a significant amount of walking so a drink sounded amazing, and I had to buy something ,so we made a pit stop. Butter Coffee was on the menu and its something I've wanted to try for a while. I wasn't exactly sure how the drink would taste, but after drinking its exactly what you'd expect: a sweetened buttery coffee. A word of caution—this drink is addictive. I've replicated it at home countless times since.
The day culminated with an extended stroll, unintentionally elongated due to a navigational mishap. Despite the comedic sense of direction, I appreciated the scenic detour. For someone who rarely visits, it was a beautiful evening for a riverside walk and taking in the sites of Tower Bridge and HMS Belfast.
Reflection
This was a genuinely fantastic day out. Meeting royalty, learning more about some wonderful projects, mingling with the sorted crew, the food, meeting new friends, and a wander around London. Even the train home was fairly empty, which was a pleasant experience thats not happened on the way back before.
This all happened about two months ago, waiting for the involved parties to break their news. From what I can tell the reception has been exceptionally well received as what seemed like every news channel covered it.
Most importantly, I've maintained contact with some of the friends I made that day.
This marks the first chapter of what I anticipate will be a series of tales. Stay tuned for more.