For dessert, I made apple cake and served it with a wedge of Stilton cheese to pass around the table (trust me on this one, the two share a plate quite well). The recipe for this apple cake comes from a friend who bakes the most delicious cakes. Not the kind of cakes one has at birthday parties or manufactured social gatherings. These are the cakes that dinner party legends are made of. Rustic, with fruits and spices, and full of warmth. In this recipe, the spices are what make the cake especially good. Nothing compares to the flavors of fresh cardamom plucked from its pod, or nutmeg grated directly into the batter. Both of these spices will keep in your pantry for a very long time, and the results they yield are not to be surpassed.
