Herman Friendship Cake

I've read about it, thought about it and wished for it, then one day I got it - a Herman Friendship Cake. Well at least the basis of it. A Herman Friendship Cake begins life as a pot of yeasty sourdough mix that is fed, grown and shared around (a little bit like a chain letter). It's a yeast based mix that you stir, keep warm and feed after 5 days, then again in another five, when you split the mixture into 4. Retain one for yourself (to bake with) and then pass on the other three to your friends who repeat the process so that Herman's love is spread around the community. The resulting cake is really rather fab. It's a cake/sourdough bread (but more cake than bread) mixed with fruit and spices. My recipe (that came with him) included sugar, raisins, chopped apple and cinnamon. I have read lots of variants and you can alter according to your taste with chocolate or nuts for example.

Herman is a "he" and don't ask why - I don't know. During your care he will bubble up, you will be required to care for his basic needs (food, warmth and a good stir) and its all really rather fun. It's the closest that K and I will come ever to having children.

It traces some of its history to the Amish. The name Herman is most definitely taken from the Amish sweet cinnamon sourdough bread, whilst the process of sharing the yeasty mix is traced back to earlier colonial times. It's become quite a thing in modern Britain and is a constant source of delight on Mumsnet. Recipes for the Herman starter can be found online, but I was much happier when he came to me. The bake is fabulous warm with ice-cream (as is almost everything) and great cold. It makes a mighty beast of a cake and it was shared with love at work. We have kept an extra quarter of Herman - we rather like him, so in another 10 days of nurturing and love - we bake again.

So look out there could be a Herman living next door to you and he may very well come into your care sooner than you think.