By Jessie Lehail,
Special to the Post

When I recently, I reread The Poetics of Space by Gaston Bachelard, a book that applies the philosophy of phenomenology to spaces and things, it conjured a poetic experience with my mom’s rose teapot and orange cake.

The teapot: gold rimmed, beige/white in colour with red roses that looked eerily similar to the ones in our yard. They were rarely used, except when Auntie B (known as Bibi B) came for tea.

Along with an array of Indian namkeen, my mom would always present a Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines orange cake. I love this cake because I associate my fascination with the teapot, Bibi B and her relationship with my mother.

This cake satisfies my weak spot for tart yet sweet, bright orange tangerine. The flavour combination of the citrus, butter, and fenugreek, along with a dust of powdered sugar remind me of Madeleine cookies.

I love a baked good that can stand on its own, but can also perfectly compliment a cup of tea.

The cake is for special guests like Bibi B and can be served with tea in your best china, or to a friend who has a new home or baby, or just to devour on your own. This cake is best eaten within a day or two.

Fenugreek Tangerine Tea Bundt

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 1/2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds (see instructions below)

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1 cup sugar

• 2 eggs, at room temperature

• 1/4 cup fresh tangerine juice (about 2)

• 1/4 cup buttermilk

• zest of 3 tangerines

• 3/4 tsp orange extract

• 1 tablespoon of fenugreek concentrate

Fenugreek Seed Concentrate

• 2 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds

• 2 cups water

Put the fenugreek seeds and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to low and simmer for about 25 minutes, until the seeds are plump and tender. Drain the seeds, reserving a tablespoon of cooking water, and add them to the mix.

DIRECTIONS

Set oven to 350F. Prep the pan with butter and flour to prevent sticking.

Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Cream the butter and the sugar together until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the zest extract. If using fresh, chopped fenugreek , add in at this time. Mix the tangerine juice with the buttermilk. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the wet ingredients to the mixer, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Turn the batter into a bundt baking pan. Bake for approximately 28 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out without wet batter clinging to it. Let cool completely before dusting with icing sugar.

Jessie Lehail is the author of Indian Influence, a food blog that takes global eats and reinterprets them with a South Asian influence. Visit her blog at www.indianinfluence.ca.