Earthly strife

One of the wonderful attributes of chocolate, and I mean good chocolate, is that it has the ability to be absolutely perfect for just about any of life’s occasions. Whether it acts as a salve after crazy-hectic weeks at work, or the exclamation point to mark life’s wonderful celebrations, or just the last essential piece to a gloomy-day-in puzzle...or even as a earnest offering for having been away from this blog for a while vacuum tube!

And if it acts as all four? Why then, use four times the chocolate!

I had bookmarked this famous (infamous) recipe by the Domestic Goddess herself a while back when spied it over here. There is nothing really more to say than I saw all the chocolate, and I was smitten. I’ve read the good (glorious!) reviews and I’ve also read the bad (doesn’t cling-film melt?) reviews. But so far, Nigella has not let me down. And this cake was no different.

Quadruple Chocolate Loaf Cake
(From Nigella Lawson. See here for original recipe.)

For the cake:
200 grams all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
50 grams cocoa powder
275 grams caster sugar
175 grams unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
80 ml sour cream
125 ml boiling water
175 grams dark chocolate chips

For the syrup:
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
125 ml water
100 grams caster sugar
25 grams milk or dark chocolate (I used a 30 gram Lindt milk chocolate bar)

- Bring all ingredients to room temperature.
- Pre-heat your oven to 170C and stick a baking sheet in. Grease a loaf tin (21 x 11cm and 7.5cm deep) and line it with parchment paper. Leave a little bit of parchment to extend beyond the tin so that you will have something with which you can easily lift the cake out of the tin later on g-suite cardinal manchester.
- Put the flour, baking soda, cocoa, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream in a processor and blitz until it is smooth and satiny. Scrape down with a rubber spatula and process again while pouring the hot water down the funnel. Switch it off, remove the lid and the blades, and then fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake in your pre-heated oven for 1 hour or until a cake tester comes out pretty clean...there may be stickiness as this is a damp cake and that is totally fine.
- When you still have about 10-15 minutes left of baking time on your cake, get started with the syrup. Put the cocoa, water, and sugar in a saucepan and boil for 5 minutes or so. You want a reduced, syrupy liquid that is still pourable.
- When the cake is done, place the tin on a rack and pierce the cake here and there with a skewer. Pour the syrup as evenly as you can over the cake.
- Once the cake is completely cooled, take it out of its tin (just pull it out with the parchment overhang you so carefully crafted), peel off the parchment, and place it on a serving platter. Now take your bar of chocolate and cut it into flakes and splinters and scatter all over the top of the cake. I used milk chocolate for the topping because the cake was already dark chocolate all throughout and I was taking this to a friend who is more a fan of milk than dark. You can also try topping with chocolate before the cake cools down so the chocolate shards melt a bit...MMM!

Let me take a moment here to just say: I really prefer weighing ingredients over fiddling with measuring cups! Weighing your ingredients is not only more precise, it is a whole lot easier! Especially if you have to do the washing up. Imagine a world where you never have to wash those darn measuring cups. That is the world of the scales my friend NuHar.

I am sold on adding boiling water to the batter as I did in another of Nigella’s cakes here. It really produces an enchanting crumb! Soft, tight, rich, but light. And despite the quadruple-ness of the chocolate, the cake just holds itself back from being over the top...stopping at being a lovely, luscious, comforting chocolate cake.

We took this cake to a friend’s house for dinner and it was enjoyed by all! Even my non-cake eating husband :) I hope you find it a suitable gift as well for my being a delinquent blogger :)

World number one Novak Djokovic raced into the US Open quarter-finals, where he will face explosive Russian Mikhail Youzhny, who staged two stunning comebacks Tuesday to beat 2001 champion Lleyton Hewitt Managed Security.

Top seeded Djokovic, the 2011 champion, wrapped up a place in his 18th successive Grand Slam quarter-final when he crushed Spanish world number 43 Marcel Granollers, 6-3 6-0 6-0 in just 79 minutes.

Russian 21st seed Youzhny, a semi-finalist in 2006 and 2010, carved out a four-hour, 6-3 3-6 6-7 (3-7) 6-4 7-5 win over Hewitt after trailing 4-1 in the fourth set and 5-2 in the fifth.

Djokovic, bidding to make the final for a fourth successive year, hit 34 winners and faced just one break point against Granollers, one of four Spaniards in the last 16.

But Granollers' challenge had already been fatally undermined by having played three five-set matches and spending almost 10 hours on court, twice as long as Djokovic, who has yet to lose a set.

"I definitely played one of the best matches that I've played in my life here at the Arthur Ashe Stadium," Djokovic said after winning the last 15 games of the one-sided tie.

"It was 3-all in the first set and then I managed to get the right advantage and I played flawless tennis."

He also won the first 25 points in a row on his serve to start the match.

"This is probably the first time I've experienced something like that. I can't say I have one of the strongest serves on the tour but I served pretty well Hong Kong Festival."

On the same Louis Armstrong court which had swallowed up five-time champion Roger Federer the day before, Youzhny celebrated just his second win in seven meetings over Hewitt.

"It was a great atmosphere and a joy to play. I fought back in the fourth and fifth sets because I didn't want to be heading home just yet," said 31-year-old Youzhny, who takes a 3-5 record against Djokovic into his quarter-final.

"The crowd wasn't against me but for Lleyton. It gave me power to keep coming back.

Later Tuesday, defending champion Andy Murray, the third seed, tackles unseeded Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan, the world number 65, who has never beaten a top 10 player in six attempts.

Fifth seeded Czech Tomas Berdych trails Swiss ninth seed Stanislas Wawrinka 6-5 ahead of their last-16 clash Cloud Provider.

Berdych made the semi-finals in 2012 after knocking out Roger Federer in the quarter-finals.

New signing Marco Rojas, who has been dubbed the "Kiwi Messi" and voted the Australian A-League's player of the year, has scored on his debut for Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart in a pre-season friendly.

The 21-year-old New Zealander left Melbourne Victory on a free transfer in April and has signed a contract with Stuttgart until 2017, having scored 15 goals in the A-League last season Malaysia real estate.

Having been named in the starting line-up on Wednesday, Rojas put the German Cup finalists 4-0 up just before the half-time break on his first appearance against an invitation team as Stuttgart ran out 5-0 winners.

"That was a nice run out, our finishing was missing and we didn't score enough goals, but all in all it was a nice friendly game," said coach Bruno Labbadia.

Having spent two years at both Wellington Phoenix, then Victory, scoring 17 goals in 72 A-League appearances, Rojas made his debut for New Zealand in March 2011, going on to play 15 times for the All Whites.

Stuttgart play a friendly against Spanish side Valencia on July 20, then open their Bundesliga season at Mainz on Sunday August 11 Money Lender HK.

引導語：愛情總是想像比現實美麗，相逢如是，告別亦如是。我們以為愛得很深、很深，來日歲月，會讓你知道，它不過很淺、很淺。最深最重的jobs愛，必須和時日一起成長。




1、戀愛就像口香糖，時間長了會平淡無奇，覺得平淡了就想放棄，而無論丟在什麼地方，都會留下難以抹去的痕跡。
　
2、不要覺得不了解也會有愛情。在不了解的時候，我們僅僅是喜歡，達不到愛情。當彼此的缺點暴露出來以後，很多時候這喜歡也就會結束了。愛是寬容，愛著彼此的一切。愛上不了解的人，或許，你愛的只是他的新奇罷了。

3、不要去欺騙你的愛人。記得，若你沒有騙他一輩子的把握，那麼便對他說實話。當謊言一再被揭穿的時候，有可能一切都office interior design結束了。

4、不要把周圍的環境看得太重。談戀愛的是你們，和周圍的人又有什麼關係。但是請善待彼此的家人，朋友。很多東西，只是給自己的藉口罷了。

5、不要相信日韓肥皂劇中所謂的，因為不能讓彼此幸福而離開。是否想過，你們正是對方的幸福。愛不是逃避，是努力。不是逃避著給彼此幸福的責任，而是努力的實現讓彼此幸福的義務。當你說離開是為了不讓對方受到傷害的時候，你已經給對方造成了最大的傷害。愛就是要努力在一起。

6、不要因為衝動說一些過激的話。沒有人願意拿熱情換冷漠，拿體貼換傷害。衝動的話語，也許已經傷透了他的心。釘下一根釘子容易，但是拔起它，你是否能修復好柵欄上的洞呢？如果你已經說了，那麼請道歉，用你的溫柔去盡量彌補，只是是否有用就無法確定了。
　
7、不要因為害怕彼此離開而體諒。體諒是因為愛，而不是因為恐懼。愛是一種責任，不可以輕易的離開。讓你為離開而恐懼的人，算不上愛人，就算付出再多，要離開的人，終究是會離開。

8、不要在幾個異性間周旋。愛情是兩個人的存在，容不下第三個人。凡是覺得可以左擁右抱的無非是在網上YY小說看的多的人。愛情是專一的，請記好。

14、不要輕易許下承諾。做不到的承諾，比沒許下更可惡。也許很多男女都喜歡那一張張空頭支票，但當你發現每一張都不能兌現的時候，你還會愛著這個騙子麼？
　
15、不要只為自己活著。人活著不是只為了自己。父母，愛人，孩子。也許我們會要做很多我們不喜歡做的事情，但是為了他們，請不要抱怨。因為，愛是一種責任，是一種擔當。
　
16、不要給不愛的人任何希望。希望越大，失望就越大。也許你只是喜歡被人愛的感覺吧，但是當失望來臨的時候，你也許會因為你的貪婪，而被對方厭惡。
　
17、不要後悔。不管做了什麼選擇，是不是正確的選擇，請不要後悔。時間不可能倒流，每個人都要為每個人的過錯承擔責任。一個成熟的人要懂得為自己的行為負責．很多時候，錯過的就再也回不來了。

18、我們總喜歡去驗證別人對我們許下的諾言，卻很少去驗證自己給自己許下的諾言。
　
19、去一個地方，想念一個地方，都是因為那裡的人，而不是那裡的風景，一個城市會跟自己聯繫起來，也是因為那裡有和自己相同的人。
　
20、喜歡，是淡淡的愛；愛，是深深的喜歡……
　
21、在愛情沒開始以前，你永遠想像不出會那樣地愛一個人。
　
22、在愛情沒結束以前，你永遠想像不出那樣的愛也會消失。
　
23、在愛情被忘卻以前，你永遠想像不出那樣刻骨銘心的愛也會只留淡淡痕跡；愛，就要大聲說出來，因為你永遠都不會知道，明天和意外，哪個會先來！

因為有所期待，才會失望。遺憾，也是一種幸福。因為還有令你遺憾的事情。追尋愛情，然後發現，愛，從來就是一件千迴百轉的事。

聰明係與糊塗相對而言。鄭板橋曰：“難得糊塗”，“聰明難，由聰明轉入糊塗為尤難”，此絕對聰明語，有中國人之精微處世哲學在焉。俗語曰：“聰明反為聰明誤”，亦同此意。陳眉公曰：“惟有知足人，鼾鼾睡到曉，惟有偷閒人，憨憨直到老”，也絕頂聰明語也。故在中國，聰明與糊塗複合為一，而聰明之用處，除裝糊塗外，別無足取。

中國人為世界最聰明之一民族，似不必多方引證。能發明麻將牌戲及九龍圈者，大概可稱為聰明的民族。中國留學生每在歐美大學考試，名列前茅，是一證明。或謂此係由於天擇，實非確論，蓋留學者未必皆出類拔萃之輩，出洋多由家庭關係而已。以中國農工與西方同級者相比，亦不見弱於西方民族。此尚系題外問題。

惟中國人之聰明有西方絕不可及而最足稱異者，即以聰明抹殺聰明之聰明。聰明糊塗合一之論也。僅見之吾國，而未見之西方。此種崇拜糊塗主義，即道家思想，發源於老莊。老莊固古今天下第一等聰明人，道德經五千言亦世界第一等聰明哲學。然聰明至此，已近老滑巨姦之哲學，不為天下先，則水遠打不倒，蓋老滑巨姦之哲學無疑。該中國人之聰明達到極頂處，轉而見出聰明之害，乃退而守愚藏拙以全其身。又因聰明絕頂，看破一切，知“為”與“不為”無別，與其為而無效，何如不為以養吾生。只因此一著，中國文明乃由動轉入靜，主退，主守，主安分，主知足，而成為重持久不重進取，重和讓不重戰爭之文明。

此種道理，自亦有其佳處。世上進化，誠不易言。熙熙攘攘，果何為者。何若“退一步想”知足常樂以求一心只安。此種觀念貫入常人腦中時，即和讓成為社會之美德。若“有福莫享盡，有勢莫使盡”，以極精微之道也。

惟吾恐中國人雖聰明，善裝糊塗，而終反為此種聰明所誤。中國之積弱，即係聰明太過所致。世上究系糊塗者佔便宜，抑系聰明者佔便宜，抑係由聰明轉入糊塗者佔便宜，實未易言。熱河之敗，敗於糊塗也。惟以聰明的糊塗觀法，熱河之失，何足輕重？此拾得和尚所謂“且過幾年，你再看他”之觀法。錦州之退，聰明所誤也。使糊塗的白種人處於同樣境地，雖明知兵力不敵，亦必背城借一，寧為玉碎，不為瓦全，與日人一戰。夫玉碎瓦全，糊塗語也。以張學良之聰明，乃不位置。然則聰明是耶，糊塗是耶，中國人聰明耶，白種人聰明耶，吾誠不敢言。

無所知者，中國人既發明以聰明裝糊塗之聰明的用處，乃亦常受此種絕頂聰明之虧。凡事過善於計算個人利害而自保，卻難得一糊塗人肯勇敢任事，而國事乃不可為。吾讀朱文公《政訓》，見一節雲：

今世士大夫，惟以苟且逐旋挨事過去為事。捱的過時且過。上下相咻以勿生事，不要理會事。且恁鶻突，才理會得分明，便做官不得。有人少負能聲，及少經挫抑，則自悔其太惺惺了了，一切刻方為圓，隨俗苟且，自道是年高見識長進…… 風俗如此，可畏可畏！

可見宋人已有此種毛病，不但“今世士大夫”然也。夫“刻方為圓”，不傷人感情，不辨是非，與世浮沉，而成一老滑巨姦，為個人計，固莫善於此，而為社會國家計，聰明乎？胡塗乎？則未易言。在中國多一見識長進人時，便是世上少一做事人時；多一聰明同胞時，便是國事走入一步黑甜鄉時，舉國皆鼾鼾睡到曉，憨憨直到老。舉國皆人三十六計走為上計之聖賢，而獨無一失計之糊塗漢子。舉國皆不吃眼前虧之好漢，而獨無一肯吃虧之弱者，是國家之幸乎？是國家之幸乎？

然則中國人雖絕頂聰明，歸根結蒂，仍是聰明反為聰明誤。嗚呼，吾焉得一位糊塗大漢而崇拜之。