Picture this: it was a sticky hot afternoon. My kitchen was a mess, my hair had just fallen out of its hastily fastened together bun just as I was spooning a mix into a pan and somehow, two cunning little flies had gotten in and were buzzing around me. I was highly irritated and not in the mood for advice.
“Do you know what you need?” Mr NQN said to me coming up to me eating a mango.
“What do I need?” I said through gritted teeth.
“A frog!” he said smiling broadly as if he had figured out the solution to the errant fly problem.
He’s quite mad my husband and despite my foul mood, a smile crept into the sides of my mouth. Before I finished scooping the batter into the tin, I had started laughing. If anyone knows how to brighten a mood, it’s Mr NQN with his random interjections.
But did you know I know how to brighten his mood too? And no, I don’t mean that, this blog is read by children 
It’s by making him these Sesame Snaps! This recipe is from my friend Faith’s new cook book “An Edible Mosaic: Middle Eastern Fare with Extraordinary Flair” which has just been released. I was proud enough to write the foreword for the book too! Faith and I “met” a few years ago on the vast expanse of the internet and we’ve been reading each other’s blogs ever since. These sesame snaps are great for gifts as they’re a cinch to make, taste fabulous and keep well too.
This is an excellent book if you’re looking to delve into Middle Eastern cuisine. Faith married into a Middle Eastern family – her husband Mike is half Palestinian and half Syrian and because of this, she asks and answers the same questions that those new to the cuisine might ask. She starts with basic recipes for ashtar (which I’ve always wanted to know how to make) and goes onto breads & pies, salads, vegetable and rice side dishes; appetisers; beans & lentils;chicken & seafood; beef & lamb; desserts and drinks. I went straight to the desserts (of course, right? ) and I found something that was the perfect Christmas gift. It takes less than half an hour and Faith’s instructions are crystal clear and simple. It is perfect to package in cellophane bags for friends. That is, if you don’t eat it all yourself first.
As Faith is a friend of mine, I’m giving away 10 copies of her new cookbook An Edible Mosaic to be shipped worldwide! For a chance to win, all you have to do is tell me what puts you in a good mood! Just add your answer as a comment to the story. The competition ends at midnight AEST on the 7th of December, 2012. You can enter this competition once daily and it is open worldwide.
***The winners are:
Wendy A. of NSW
Lyn R. of NSW
Ulrich T. of NSW
Rebecca C. of Vic
Margaret J. of NSW
Tricia C. of Qld
Joanne F. of SA
Lucy W. of NZ
Antonietta F. of Vic
Jenny W. of NSW***
Best of luck!
Lots of love,
Lorraine
xxx
Oh and I have some other news! As of today, I’ve signed up to The Remarkables Group who will help out with all of the business side of NQN. As I’ve been doing the blog full time by myself for four years now, I finally availed myself of some much needed help. Nothing will change for you Dear Readers, but I will have more time to write while they take care of the business side of things and I’m so grateful for this. Thank you for your patience and I will hopefully have more time to focus on a more user friendly design for the blog where information is much easier to find! xxx
Sesame Snaps
Adapted from “An Edible Mosaic: Middle Eastern Fare with Extraordinary Flair” by Faith Gorsky
Yields: about 3/4 lb/ 350g
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
- 2 teaspoons oil or non stick oil spray
- 1 cup (140g) white sesame seeds
- 1 cup (225g) caster or superfine sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
Variations: use vanilla instead of orange blossom water, add your favourite spice or you can also use black and white sesame seeds.
1. Brush a 20x20cms (8×8 inch) square baking tin with oil or spray with non stick spray. Also spray a knife and a silicon spatula with the oil.
2. Preheat oven to 350F/175C and spread out the sesame seeds on a baking tray. Bake for 10-12 minutes until a light golden shade shaking the tray halfway. Remove from oven to cool.
3. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, add the sugar and orange blossom water on medium high heat (I used 8 out of 10 where 10 is the hottest). Allow the sugar to melt but do not stir until two thirds melted, about 5 to 8 minutes – just don’t ever leave hot sugar unattended, it’s a total Gremlin Once two thirds melted, gently stir with a clean spatula or wooden spoon (not the one that you have oiled).
4. Once the sugar has melted and you have a caramel, working quickly but carefully as the caramel is very hot, pour the sesame seeds into the caramel and stir to combine and then immediately, pour into the prepared tin. Smooth with the oiled spatula. Wait for 2 minutes and then with the oiled knife, score to make whatever shapes you like-I made diamonds and rectangles.
5. Cool 2 to 4 minutes more, then turn out onto a cutting board and cut along the scored lines. Cool completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature or wrap individually. And try not to eat them all as we did!
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178 Comments | Add your own
YAY!!! I am so so so HAPPY with this giveaway
I have been following Faith’s blog since discovering it through your blog and love all the recipes she posts! WOO HOO!
I feel so bad I was going to participate in Faith’s virtual book launch but haven’t had the time
I can’t wait to try these sesame snaps and really hope to win a copy of this book
To answer your question hehe desserts ALWAYS puts me into a good mood!
Ps. SO SO SO Happy for you Lorraine for getting others to help you with the business side of things! I really don’t know how you do it all, and I bet you never get enough rest xox
I adore sesame snaps, but I’ve not made them before. I may just have to add this to my Christmas baking this year.
JT used to come up behind me with his hands splayed out by his ears and say in a giddy, silly voice. “I’m Bullwinkle the Moose” and no matter how annoyed or angry or even sad I was, he would always get a chuckle out of me.
A wonderful treat. Those are really addictive.
I love this book!
Cheers,
Rosa
Looks like a fantastic book!
Yum sesame snaps, I’ll be craving them all night now!
What makes me happy…watching episodes of Agatha Christie’s Poirot (with David Suchet), while drinking a cup of Twining’s Earl Grey tea and cuddling a selection of my four cats while it’s stormy outside xxx
Your Sesame Brittle is absolutely gorgeous, Lorraine! I am in love with that tray!
I am so honored by your kind words, and I can’t thank you enough for everything. Reading your lovely Foreword always brings a smile to my face, time and time again. I’m so happy to have “met” such a fabulously talented, kind, and wonderful blogger who I feel so close to although we’ve never met in real life and live across the world from each other. Hoping one day I get to meet my blog sister in person. xo
Oh Lorraine – THIS POST puts me in a good mood! For sesame snaps are one of Mr BBB’s favourites – and now I can make them for him!!!
I’m such a fan of Faith’s work – wonderful review of her new book! These sesame snaps look incredibly tasty! As for what puts me in a good mood? At this time of year, it would be a leisurely afternoon to read cookbooks or magazines with a nice mug of coffee.
Anything sweet puts me in a good mood…cake, cookies…ice cream
What puts me in a good mood: I’m a teacher, so hearing the 3pm school bell ring (on a non-staff meeting day)= a burst of extreme jubilation!! Then making it in time to the local botanical gardens for an afternoon jog (weather providing) = bonus!! Having a steaming cup of Rose Vanilla Tea when I get back from that liberating jog (completely exhausted)= double bonus!! When I accomplish all 3 in a single afternoon, that definitely puts me in a good mood
(but 2 out of 3 is usually good enough to do it 
Umm… getting some of these in the mail would put me into a *very* good mood! Thanks for posting this, they look like great stress-cooking snacks!
Thank you for introducing me to Faith’s blog – looks like it will become another must read.
As for things that put me in a good mood – I have three main loves (apart from my children who almost always put me in a good mood!). These are running, baking and drinking wine. They are somewhat contradictory loves, particularly as I run very early in the morning – very few things beat getting to watch a sunrise, in my opinion! Baking is an obvious one – who doesn’t love to bake?! And wine is a fitting reward at the end of a long day that starts with watching the sun rise.
The smell of summer fruits, or a puppy
Hehe, your hubby is funny:) These sesame snaps would surely put a smile on my face. I have Faith’s beautiful cook and also bookmarked the recipe. Your foreword was lovely.
I’m not entering the giveaway but thanks anyways.
I would probably eat them all in one day. Toasting seeds and nuts always puts me in a good mood
So many things put me in a good mood. A good cake, relaxing on the couch with my hubby, thunder storms.
Your sesame snaps look fantastic!
Shopping! And sleeping children!!!
These look wonderful Lorraine! And far more user friendly to make than the ones I’ve been doing. Thanks for the recipe!
baking with my 2-year-old son brightens my mood
that book looks lovely; and what a nice simple recipe for gifts!
Love these. They are called bene balls in my country and they are shaped into balls or sticks. I make mine like you have done here as squares. These are addictive.
Coffee and cake (raspberry and pear loaf mmm mmm)on my own or with friends, always puts me in a good mood ; )
Here is a recipe to a very easy and delicious raspberry and pear loaf.
http://www.goodrecipes.com.au/index.php/component/recipebookpro/?func=detail&id=8908
My family makes me happy.
What puts me in a good mood is a free weekend with endless possibilities. Great looking snaps – yum!
Nothing ever makes me as happy as when I have prepared a great Dinner and my Family come to share their appreciation is worth more than gold
Quirky makes me happy!
Great recipe, great news to hear you’re not spreading yourself so thin, and my cat is a great fly catcher too
Having the time to try out great new recipes (especially cakes) & then an appreciative crowd to feed them to puts me in a good mood
My mum puts me in a great mood. Her smiling at me when I walk through the door every day places a smile on my face. Her positivity transfers to me.
Eating a mango always puts me in a good mood.
I love these snaps, and why buy them when you can make them! I love the idea also of the orange blossom water to impart a wonderful aroma as well! What puts me in a good mood ALWAYS, is spending time with my nearly 4 year old grand daughter; she never ceases to amaze me with her knowledge for someone so young, and her sitting on my bench helping me prepare and cook the dinner. She is a great help, and I hope that her helping me with the preparation of dinner, imparts a love of cooking always within her. Not to mention special memories of grandma’s kitchen!
Having friends over for a great catchup, whilst good music and good food is in abundance – This is what puts me in a good mood!
My mood is always brightened when i take shower with The Breakfast Scrub by soap and glory brand. It totally smells like oatmeal with sweet maple syrup, delightful!
I just won a copy of this book and was so excited to see that you wrote the intro. Must write about it soon. Nice recipe for a favorite sweet. Yum.
Watching Funniest Home Videos always puts me in a good mood. There is nothing like a good belly laugh!
Lol, Lorraine! Men are smart creatures: it’s hard to be irritated when they enter with a big smile and genius ideas!
Those snaps look lovely, and taste good too. While I am struggling with cutting out cookies in shapes for which cookie cutters don’t even exist, I am having some second thoughts about making easier gifts, like this one….
I love the book, it has all my favorite flavors. Good luck to ten happy winners.
NOTE: I am not entering giveaway. I already won one copy, so let the others win too.
Spending time with my partner and dog cooking and having a glass of wine.
Hi Lorraine, how exciting for you to be able to hand over some of the admin stuff to someone else!
Something that makes me smile is handing the beaters to my children and the spatula to my Husband and knowing I still have the bowl to lick clean!
Wandering around the garden in my pyjamas, grazing on strawberries, raspberries and loganberries is a great start to the day and puts me in a good mood!
Well dearest Lorraine
YOU
and your daily blog put me in a fantastic mood
and not only me, all my friends too, when I share it with them.
xox
ulrich
I am always in a happy mood when I get home from volunteering as the “Library Lady” at the Senior Housing Center. The smiles on their faces just makes my day.
Oh I love sesame snaps, and yours look beautiful – I love that plate, it makes them look quite exotic. Gardening puts me into a good mood, and even better if I can then bring in some home grown produce and cook a meal with it!
Reading your blog and eating chocolate puts me in a fabulous mood!
What makes me happy? A salty, warm breeze releasing the sweet scent of a slurpy, ripe mango; juice dribbling down my chin, whilst reclining in cushioned comfort on Christmas holiday at Hyams beach, a copy of “an edible mosaic” within easy reach.
Middle eastern food is perfect for the Australian summer. This is such a great idea for a holiday gift, because it won’t melt 5 minutes after you leave the house!
To win this cookbook would make me VERY happy…PLEASE!
I would love to try these sesame snaps, but currently I don’t have a stove top
I’ve been busy trying to come up with other christmas gift ideas I can make without it.
As always, food brings a smile to my face. Whether it be cooking it or sharing it with great friends.
Hi Lorraine, I will definitely make these sesame snaps and will add them to my Christmas gifts. I have tried making some before, but this recipe seems a little bit easier.
What puts me in a good mood is to watch my little Alfie who is a gorgeous ragdoll cat run like a ‘mad cow’ from one end of the room to the other to get my attention and he won’t stop until I grab him and give him a big cuddle.
Okay, 1 – I LOVE sesame snaps, these will definitely be getting a run, 2 – the photo on the cover of the book looks divine!, 3 – at the moment the feeling I get when I get of the bus going home at the end of the day … absolutely guaranteed to put me in a good mood
A good cup of coffee gets me in the mood!
Mango smoothies and chocolate cupcakes put me in a good mood!
Lorraine your beautiful blog is already so user friendly. I love visiting it. But congratulations on the success of your blog and I’m glad you’ll be getting some help so you can focus on more pleasant things.
What puts me in a good mood? Seeing the loving faces of my two puppies. No matter what goes wrong, seeing them and cuddling them makes everything right with the world again.
I have a SERIOUS Sesame Snap addiction so I’m going to make several batches of these beauties. Thank you so much for the recipe.
As little boys my two sons loved store bought Sesame Snaps. What a shame they are now in their 20′s- could have done with this recipe a few years ago. However, I still cook for them when they come home for a meal and the look on their faces when they eat my food and tell me how good it was, always puts me in a good mood. Makes it worth the effort I go to.
What a fantastic recipe -simple and tasty. I’ve got to make them for my dad as they’re one of his favourite snacks!
Faith’s book looks really amazing and her blog is great! I’ve added her to my reading list and I really hope to get my hands on one of her books!
Getting a big hug from Jason at the end of a hard day from work is the best way to put me in a good mood
I enjoy everything sesame too, I’m especially heavy handed with the sesame oil in my cooking. Sesame on bread and in salads or sprinkled on a dish just makes it that extra bit tasty, ok so now you know I just eat them with a spoon (toasted of course) when it comes right down to it, with maybe a spoon of Nutella? lol.
What gets me in a good mood, is great food, better company and laughter with wonderful stories of how funny we can all be, taking the mickey if you will.
Best of luck Lorraine and team.
I only discovered this foodie blog a couple of days ago. It would be awesome to win a cookbook. It would help me while away the long cold nights in Nova Scotia, dreaming of food adventures. I love cookbooks almost as much as actual cooking!
Oh my! I used to love eating these at a cafe in the town I grew up in. And you would find seasame seeds in your teeth forever! yum yum
My little boy laughing ALWAYS puts me in a good mood
No matter what is happening!
LORRAINE!!! What have you done girl? These are my hubby’s favourite sweets! and now I have to make them! Having said that, My fave good mood thing would have to be sitting down with a good book(which usually has recipes in it!) and a nice hot chocolate! About time you had some help,& more time for your thoughts to evolve! Love, love, Faith’s blog! Thanks for sharing this comp. with us Lorrz!! xxoo
Looks like a lovely book! Things that put me in a good mood… sleep-ins, driving with the stereo blaring, looking at my children sleeping, spending hours in my kitchen, christmas menu planning… i can’t narrow it down!
What puts me in a good mood is wandering around our garden and picking fresh veggies and herbs to create dinner!
On Saturdays we have a big traditional cooked breakfast which I enjoy with my 3 daughters and husband. I get to enjoy cups of tea with the rush of the rest of the week and fun conversation with the family. Even better if it is a beautiful day and we can do it outside. That puts me in a good mood.
It is wonderful you are getting help with the business side so you can do what you do best…. entertaining and educating us your loyal readers.
Finding an abundance of something delicious in my garden always lifts my mood. There’s nothing like grazing on fresh strawberries, with my grand kids, for dessert.
I adore sesame snaps! I’m salivating.
Without fail, music is the big mood-changer for me. I just have to put on the right song when I’m feeling frazzled and all is right with the world again. Oh and of course it helps to sing along and dance as well!
When my students hand up a beautiful piece of work. Nothing makes me prouder than realising I could be teaching the next prime minister or famous inventor!
My baby girl puts me in a good mood. Even when she is being ornery, it makes me smile because she’s mine
Don’t know where to start this morning
! First, congratulations on having grown so fast to need a team behind you: terrific!! Secondly, even tho’ I am not a baker, love anything to do with sesame seeds and big batches of this will be tried for Christmas: they do look moreish! Thirdly: I have been aware of Faith’s book awhile now and have told many that is the one present I so would love from Santa [named Lorraine?] as I genuinely love and cook lots of Middle Eastern food: healthy, tasty, easy to prep and wonderful for parties as so much can be served room temperature – Oh, would that not be a Christmas present and a half!!! Lots of things put me in a good mood: but, on a daily basis I love clicking on the computer and finding half a dozen friends have bothered to write whilst I was snuggling the pillow! Fuzzy warmth to the nth degree 
!
Mmm, these sound so yummy! As for what puts me in a good mood, well chocolate usually does it
It’s great to hear you’ll have some more time to yourself now! To enjoy the little things
I think I’d have to say that reading books and painting always put me in a good mood. With some tea on the side of course!
I absolutely adore sesame snaps! They’re amazingly fragrant. Why buy them when you can make them at home, right? (:
Some things that put me in a good mood,a hug from a loved one especially my children, having time to myself to turn up the music and dance and chocolate of course!
Reading a good blog, surfing CakesDecor, hearing a great story, cooking for friends and family, painstakingly decorating a cake and seeing people’s reaction, listening to wonderful music…..all these put me in a great mood. I love sesame brittle, and will try this out soon. Thank you for the recipe.
Fresh almond turkish delight is delightful for one’s mood! As does a happy husband who’s favourite thing is sesame snaps!
YES! Already up a christmas present just by having this one recipe – thank you!
desserts put me in a good mood! i love sesame snaps, thanks for the awesome recipe NQN and faith!
Being in the kitchen and cooking puts me in a good mood. Being in my kitchen is my favorite place to be in my house.y
LOVE Faith’s blog too!
LOVE Middle Eastern foods, like these sesame snaps, GREAT for entertaining too!
At the sake of embarrassing myself in a funny sort of way!
Fingers crossed one of the Edible Mosaic Cookbooks come my way!
INSTANTLY CHANGES MOOD :With a soup spoon in hand sing Ain’t No Mountain High Enough WITH Jimmy Barnes, TRUE!
Dance, prance around the house too!
JUST have to hear the first note, off to the kitchen I run!
After all, isn’t life and food moods always about fun? lol
Ooh, I have only just discovered your blog and what a warm fuzzy feeling it has given me to read about your beautiful friendship with someone on the other side of the world. An instant lift after being unwell. The Middle Eastern cookbook looks fabulous. Good luck to you both
These are an all time favourite, and so easy to make too
Drooling over yummy food blogs and re-creating their recipes puts me in a good mood.
Thanks for the recipe Lorraine, I buy these Sesame snaps by the bucket load, now I can make my own!
What puts me in a good mood – Spotting a recipe and realising I have every ingredient in the cupboard so can set to and make it immediately. Then when recipe works out perfectly – utter joy, camera out to prove I made it and then share said baked delights with husband.
I love when I can finally STOP everything and do late night crosswords with the BF.
Catching the bus early puts me in a good mood
CONTEST ENTRY – What puts me in a good mood?
Here’s my Top 10 List:
1. Smile from a stranger
2. Kiss from my partner
3. Snuggle with my kitty
4. Sunshine on my face
5. Biking by the Lake
6. My Herb + Vegetable Garden
7. Snowflakes + Snow Angels
8. Cold Fingers wrapped around a mug of Hot Cocoa
9. Vanilla Sugar Cookies with Cardamon
10. Finding a new cookbook to enjoy and share!
Love reading your blog! Truly enjoy reading and seeing all your posts. You inspire and motivate me to live –
La Dolce Vita!
All the best
Laura
You know Lorraine, I have a husband and son who do exactly the same thing, coming out with comments just when my mood needs lightening!! Our son(who is now 35) makes me laugh even louder,(much to my husband’s dismay). My son has a habit when we gather each Christmas to hide our 3′ tall Santa. Santa goes missing each Christmas, sometimes for days. We found him in our shower one year, in my husbands van (my husband went off to work with ‘Santa’ in the passenger seat!) and one year we found him in our bed! He is the best practical joker. When we were in Maui for his wedding 3 years ago, he called me in my hotel room pretending to be the airlines telling me to quickly pack up my bags as our flight had been moved up a day – for a moment there I actually believed him. Arrrrrgh!!
Also Lorraine, I used to make ‘Sesame Snaps’ for afternoon tea for my children – I lost the recipe so thank you for this one which I am eager to try out for our grandchildren.
Sharing the making of my Home made Turkish Delight with the kids and then enjoying it with the family while watching a fun move
Yum these look so good! What puts me in a good mood? Exercising!!
And cooking/baking for my family.
What puts me in a good mood is summer, cricket, cicadas, cold beer and christmas leftovers. Happy days ahead…
Oh wow, what a great idea for a gift, can’t wait to make some for the teachers at school this year!! Thanks for the brilliant idea!
I love Faith’s pictures on instagram and would love to a copy of her book! For me, clean house + settled children + cup of tea = good mood. Always!
What puts me in a good mood..apart from a delicious glass of french bubbles?! Good friends, my gorgeous kids, good food & good weather. Girl of very simple needs.
Oh my my Lorraine! Those snaps are sooo in my list! Great idea for xmas give away too, thanks to you!
And I would love to join the competition too. I adooorrreee middle eastern food but have never cooked one. it’s just not area of my expertise! The kind of cuisine that I’m terrified to cook. This book might be the weapon to conquer my fear!
Ok so my answer would be.. recipe browsing. The travelling to the virtual world of food.. the gulp of my saliva by looking at those beautifully photographed food (just like yours).. and the excitement of testing those recipes. . Oh my.. it gets me good mood and calms me down, too
Baking puts me in a good mood. It lures my kids to the kitchen which always leads to great conversation. (I know they just want to lick the spoon, but when you have teens you can’t always get them to open up!)
What puts me in a good mood? Watching The Voice!
I am generally optimistic and a happy person, so even little things put me in a good mood! But mostly beautiful and pretty things, no matter how big or small, put me in a very good mood!
Ciao
Alessandra
Yummo!I first came across in Poland, and now I’m a big fan. Baking always puts me in a good mood – If I’m in the kitchen mixing up something delicious then I’m happy
You did well by Faith. She deserves it. Great book.
Having my 3 year old wolf down her dinner puts me in a good mood, as does baking my own pita bread (which she loves, and I feel far too clever when they puff up in the oven!)
A smile or hug or kiss or an “I love you” from any of my family ALWAYS puts me in a good mood!
The sesame snaps look delicious!
Thanks so much for a chance at the giveaway and Happy Holidays!
Hi Lorraine, I will definitely make these sesame snaps and will add them to my Christmas gifts. I have tried making some before, but this recipe seems a little bit easier. Can they keep for more than a week?
What puts me in a good mood is to watch my little Alfie who is a gorgeous ragdoll cat run like a ‘mad cow’ from one end of the room to the other and when he gets to the end of the room, he stops to look at me with big blue eyes and all this is just to get my attention. He won’t stop until I grab him and give him a big cuddle.
Hi Micheline! Yep as long as they’re in an air tight container they should last a few weeks. I made some about 2 weeks ago and they’re still crunchy
Aww Alfie sounds adorable!
My husbands funny antics always make me smile. He will make random jokes or start dancing in the middle of the room.
Hi Lorraine, I would love to win a copy of that wonderful cookbook! That would definitely put me in a good mood..
FOOD always has a way of putting me in a good mood, be it eating or photographing or cooking it. And of cos my children.. whenever they throw me kisses.
Fridays put me in a good mood because Friday’s mean my husband is coming home.
What reliably changes my bad mood to a good mood is sweeping the back path…there’s something uplifting about being outside, doing some mild exercise, and gathering up piles of dead leaves into the compost pile.
The book looks lovely; Tuttle books are always beautifully produced.
As a new mum to 10 week old Willow, seeing her smile at me makes me most happy … Even at 1am, 3am & 5am … I do believe I have finally found something I love more than chocolate … LOL
the NQN website always put me in a good ood there is so much to see and try. always has awesome comps too
Being a silent reader, I will finally comment because I am not in a good mood today because of food *sigh*
The things that makes my day is when I figure out what food I want to eat (picky as hell!)and can get it/make it/buy it. Today, it took me almost an hour to realise I want a BBQ Bun for brunch, something I can’t make, but can definitely heat up. I went out to the most Asian suburb ever, and somehow they were out of stock in more than 1 grocery store! I went home, empty handed (except having a bag full of cakes). I got home, still wanted BBQ bun, but had none, so I ate a cake, and an egg tart, and is still left wanting my BBQ bun…
End of rant
I love using your blog as a reference to where I will eat and potentially stay for my next holiday. Glad to hear you have someone who will organise things for you so you can spend more time writing
More places to write down and eat for us ^_^
Another lovely book and another lovely blog to follow! Wow, Christmas comes early! What makes me happy? (Apart from cooking and cats of course.) It’s when the leaves on my Tree of Heaven change from streaming right to left to streaming left to right. It means the cool change has arrived! Phew.
Love your version of faiths sesame snaps. I cant wait to read your forward. I have only cooked her rice recipe from this book but I am sure the others are just as good. I am always happy when I am cooking.
What puts me in a good mood, is hearing a great song on the radio and singing along to it as loud as I like. It helps get the angst out if I need, and gives me a laugh knowing someone is probably listening to my terrible singing!
ps, these look so easy to make, and will be great little xmas treats.
Delicious food, great company and a cracking red.
wine glorious wine!
I’m not entering to win, but congratulations of the news! It’s not easy letting go of control when something is pretty much your baby ;P
Finishing a cup of tea makes me really happy along with making and giving home made treats for family, colleagues, and friends.
Good food and good company ALWAYS put me in a good mood
What beautiful looking sesame snaps. Congrats on being accepted into The Remarkables. You will be an asset to them I’m sure. And you would be their only food blogger! And that’s a lovely looking cookbook. How wonderful that you met through blogging and what an honour to write the forward to someones very special accomplishment. What was the question? Oh, what puts me in a good mood. A time-out from all the goings on, a glass of wine and at the moment, wandering my street (glass in hand) admiring the Christmas lights xx
Love sesame snaps, thanks Lorraine & Faith. I think it’s wonderful that Faith has embraced her husbands food, middle eastern food looks delicous and I like how it seems the food is relaxed and made for sharing. Apart from being with hubby what makes me happy is playing with my niece and nephew, never fails to put a smile on my face. Also, coming into Christmas I love giving gifts and seeing faces light up when they open their presents.
Oh I love sesame snaps !What puts me in a good mood is a good bowl of laksa with rice noodle. I love laksa when ever I experienced stress from work i always go down stairs and buy a bowl of laksa from malaychinese.
Hi everyone! Thank you so much for the wonderful, supportive comments! You are THE BEST! Love, Lorraine xxx
I love sesame! I’ve been making nut brittle to give as Christmas gifts but now I’m going to use sesame as well.
Looking at fabulous food photos like yours always cheers me up!
I must make these Sesame Snaps!!
At the moment what puts me in a good mood is planning my Christmas fare. I like to get myself organised, because then it’s just a lot of fun & no stress.
looks good and a table desert for our christmas dinner
Oh wow. More beautiful yummy food to cook and eat. So much, so little time! Love the idea of Orange Blossom water in these Sesame Snaps – that’s a good mood smell. Will definitely be making these. thanks
These look so amazing – any tips as to where to buy Orange Blossom Water??
what puts me in a good mood is a good book
Just read your foreword, very eloquent Lorraine. It’s lovely that you have both formed a friendship through your blogs, it must have been an honour to write.
Firstly, mint is great to keep away the flies and is a great windowsill plant. A beautiful moonrise viewed from my balcony while sitting chatting to Dave and sipping on a glass of good red wine makes me happy!
I’ve eaten the commercial version since schooldays but sesame snaps with orange blossom water! That would definitely put me in a good mood!
Cooking something spectacular always leaves me in a good mood because I finish it and think to myself “Yeah. I’ve still got it”.
l.gilbert93@hotmail.com
Gorgeous!!
I love sesame snaps or brittle whatever people wanna call them..
I have to try this recipe…
B/W I am in love with you platter… So beautiful…
Sesame snaps are one of my favourite things ever!
I am currently having a No Good Terrible Very Bad Day, and feel that a good mood could be found if only my blog would stop being broken (sobbing sobbing sobbing, BlueHost barely even tried to help, I don’t know what to do, sobbing sobbing, what the hell is CPU throttling) or someone in particular would email me.
Sobbing sobbing wah wah guitar.
I’ll have to check out this book on Amazon over here. I love Middle eastern food but don’t often cook too much of it. The sesame snaps look really straightforward to make, have to give them a go. GG
These sesame snaps were my absolute favorite candy growing up! My grandparents used to give them to us to shut us up, lol.
Things that put me in a good mood… a hot cup of tea and a delicious pastry. Few things are quite this satisfying
I love sesame snaps, especially when they are chewy. Faith’s book looks amazing, would love to have it in my collection. Watching quality shows on SBS makes me happy. Have just watched This is England ’86, the series following on from the exquisite film This is England. Can’t wait to watch the next series This is England ’88. If you like gritty English realism, I can highly recommend it. Lorraine, I always wonder how you do it all, so am glad to hear you will get help from now on.
My comment seems to have gone missing in the ether! Hope that this one makes it. Love sesame snaps, especially when they are chewy. I am happy when I watch a great documentary on SBS or ABC.
congratulations for your fantastic blog once again!
what puts me in a good mood are my beloved ones, simple everyday happy moments, holidays, sweet treats, great slow food, baking treats for friends inspired from your sweet recipes!thank you for your generous giveaway!
(✿◠‿◠) gina
Oh Baking and Cooking put me in a good mood every time! It all relaxes me
and I can’t wait to make this recipe, it sounds so delish! HO HO HO!
unexpected snail mail always improves my mood–it’s so rare these days!
I have always wanted to learn how to cook Middle Eastern food and good food of any kind always puts me in a good mood to my pant size’s chagrin.
Lived in the ME for many years. Enjoyed the most wonderful dishes of Syria, Lebanon and Armenia. Sesame snaps fit right in there. What puts me in a good mood, being back in Oz at Christmas time. I love the warm days, clear blue skies, the noisy cicadas and kookaburras, the Christmassy feel of summer holiday. Love to have Mosaic cookbook to remember my other life.
I’ve been craving those seasame snaps since reading this yesterday! Would love to win a copy of the book.
There’s one never fail way of putting me in a good mood – and that would be chocolate.
My herb garden makes me happy. Being able to walk downstairs and pick some lemongrass and coriander for a salad or some peppermint for a cup of tea is awesome.
On the fifth day of Christmas: what puts me in a good mood – going outside for my lunch and watching the whole street ablaze with flowers: I am contributing roses, hundreds of baby agapanthus and heaps of petunias to the score and the big jacaranda next door is a wild purple
!
relaxing with a cup of coffee
that is all i ask for!
i love the perspective she comes from to introduce us to the cuisine, sounds like a fantastic book.
I’m sure these sesame snaps would put me in a good mood! If my mood is bad enough, my husband will just run a bath for me and give me a good soak before he even tries to be jovial! A cup of tea on the balcony overlooking the bush in the afternoon is usually quite effective at removing a grey cloud. And then there’s exceptionally good moods that come from making a new friend, trying a new recipe, playing with my nephew, dreaming up a new project …
A cup of well made coffee almost invariably puts me in a good mood. Even better with a hint of caramel and a good book or the company of a friend!
Pets always put me in a good mood – whether it be my own or others. I’m lucky enough to have three (2 dogs and 1 demented cat) and work part-time in a petshop where people bring them in all the time
I adore sesame snaps!
And snaps to you my dear friend, congrats!
lovely recipe and blog as always.
I have to say other people laughing puts me in a great mood. I realised that this morning at work I was in the foulest mood. but then all I could here was my team giggling and I go over thinking of telling them to shush. and they share the story and all break out laughing again along with me. laughter is infectious.
Oh I love absolutely love sesame snaps they are my favorite treat, I will be definitely be making them.
What puts me in a good mood my feet up on my recliner reading a good magazine.
Do you know how much I love these candies? We used to eat them when I was a kid and my siser even made something similar. Love them so thanks for the recipe! My dog makes me smile. My husband doing anything silly: he foreign accents, his imitations, his sick jokes that only we understand.
Seeing those sesame snaps brings back memories. I used to love them when I was growing up.
And congratulations on joining the Remarkables Group!
Love this simple recipe, sounds like a great book. Cannot believe you have been managing such a prolific blog on your own for so long, along with all your travelling!
Can one really have too many cookbooks????
The competition is fierce but here goes.
I hesitated at first but logged onto Faith’s blog ( I love her Philosophy on food) and now I think I would love to win a copy Lorraine
What makes me happy,hmmm…lots of things:
Music, singing and dancing
late afternoon sunstreams
Weddings
shopping at local food markets
Completing tasks that seemed impossible
My grand daughters
Every day on Planet Earth!
Back again
Weather also puts me in a good mood when it’s super sunny and not too hot hehe ~ love the blue blue skies too!
These are my favorite treats..quite popular in India and is made with loads of variations.
I feel happy when I am in my kitchen
I used to live in Mexico and amaranth seed was very popular there. Amaranth snaps were very common there and are very similar to these sesame snaps. Amaranth is a highly nutritious seed full of goodness. I am happy when I eat authentic Mexican food, which is so much better than a lot of the tex-mex style of food often served here as the “genuine” article.
I used to live in Mexico and amaranth seed was very popular there.
these sesame snaps look delish. I would like to win the recipe book. What puts me in a good mood is chocolate- must be dark choc and gives me a rush of endorphins!
I love that feeling when something just works. That new TV you bought that took an hour to set up? It works. That ridiculously long recipe that you were regretting even starting? It works! That time when you made up a little white lie to get out of going to a social event on a cold winter’s night? It worked!!
music puts me in a good mood every-time – there is a melodic tune to describe every emotion!
On the sixth day of Christmas: I don’t just blog food, but gardening, philosophy and photography: Have a photographer blog friend from Sydney with the most marvellous gift of catching animals in wonderful situations! When Christine’s blog arrives in the box with labrador puppies looking absolutely and gorgeously stupid and falling all over each other waving their floppy paws around: Oh I’ll be in a very good mood
!
Good friends + good food +Good music all = a good mood for me
or a cheeky grin from a DD always does it
I volunteer two days a week at the local nursing home, and even when I don’t really want to wake up, just remembering that we have a game of scrabble that day lightens my mood, as it is incredible seeing the progress that these ladies who have varying degrees of dementia have made since we began.
What puts me in a good mood…. Cooking Hungarian gundel pancakes and watching my whole family devour them, especially the kids.
I am always in a good mood in The hour after I have finished my workout.
How wonderful of Faith to put her husband’s story into a book to be treasured by their family always. What makes me happy? So many things, and when I stop and really think about it, it is the simple things that give the greatest joy. To have my family and friends at the table, to share a closenss and bond that lights your life, there is no greater gift; to sit quietly at the dawning of a new day with the time to enjoy the colours of the changing sky, the birdsong and the sweetness of the air, it is Mother Nature at her finest; doing a good turn for the smile and appreciation in the kindness given without expecting anything in return. To look out my kitchen window as I am blissfully cooking to the sparkling river below and the mountain ranges in the background; so restful and peaceful, if fills my heart with gladness each time and I am grateful everyday at how fortunate I am to live where I do and most importantly, my loving, supportive and most gentle husband of almost 30 years and our wonderful children; I couldn’t ask for more; we are truly blessed in so many ways. Thanks Lorraine for another great post and for introducing Faith and her story to us.
Back again
something else that puts me in a good mood is happy people around me ~ the happier they are the happier I will be too 
On the seventh day of Christmas: one thing which has always put me in a good mood is closing the door after the last guest has departed after a happy and successful dinner at some ungodly hour in the morning [always!]: I don’t care about all the dirty plates and glasses and serviettes on the floor and disintegrating flower displays . . . It just feels oh so good to sit back for a moment and think back as the last candles quietly burn down . . .
Not having much luck making comments. Yesterday’s comment all but disappeared. What I was trying to say was that amaranth snaps are popular in Mexico and are very similar to sesame snaps. Amaranth is considered a super healthy food full of amazing goodness. What makes me happy is authentic Mexican food and not a Tex Mex style of food often passed off as the “genuine” article.
Wow they look amazing and are much more straight forward than I expected. There is always room for dessert and it always makes me happy although being diagnosed w lactose intolerance has taken a lot of favourites off the table!
Being greeted by my ridiculously happy dog upon returning home from work, always puts me in a good mood.
ymmm..i love sesame snaps! My girls giving me their cheeky grin always makes me smile.
Good brunches also put me in an extremely good mood hehe
Very good PORK BELLY makes me in a good mood too hehe had some today super DELICIOUS!
Sunday morning brunch with my hubby and green tea automatically put me in a good mood
Oh, and fresh flowers
Someone just sent me an Xmas tree that will stay on my computer screen
that definitely put me in a good mood even though I’m not feeling my best today hehe
Kisses and hugs from my gorgeous niece and nephew at random times or an out of the blue ‘love you’ from either.
Bugger….just realised this is already closed
Good cupcakes will definitely make me very very happy
Hopefully I’ll get one today hehe
Thank you for the chance to win!
Quite simply, sunshine makes me happy. It can get a bit cold and miserable here in Hobart, but the sunny weather that we are now experiencing is making me very happy indeed.
Thank you Lorraine – I just received Faith’s Book -An Edible Mosaic. Just spent the last hour browsing her book and I cannot wait to make some of these beautiful looking recipes. Thanks again for this lovely prize.
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! I am about to go for a massage with my gorgeous lovely masseuse friend, and I really wanted to bring her something lovely. I was thinking of chocolate truffles, but she is not keen on creamy things, then I thought, oh, I have a whole bunch of sesame seeds hanging about…
Delicious, simple recipe. I substituted the orange flower water for the juice of a blood orange, and enlarged the quantities a little, making for a slightly more brittle result, delicious nonetheless. Works fine if you are like me and live in a tiny village where its hard to get such things!
Cheers! Marecrow
HI Mary! Thank you so much for the feedback and I’m so glad that you liked the recipe! I have found Faith’s recipes to be fabulous
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