Monday 29 August 2011

French fancy ...

Bank holidays, how do you like to spend them?  They should be about fun and relaxing.  Maybe a bbq on the beach.  Reading, writing, catching up with friends.  True to form, the Welsh weather disappointed and I spent my Saturday afternoon challenging my baking skills.  Having never made anything more fancy than cake and Rhid constantly declaring his love for Café éclairs, I thought I would give it a go.  He is always bemoaning the fact that the ones you find in the UK are nothing like the ones in France so I sought a French recipe, bought a few things, spent hours getting excited and finally took the plunge making half the batch café and half chocolate (for myself).  Not perfect results, the pastry was a little knobbly and I didn't get the chocolate topping right for my chocolate éclairs, but nonetheless, quite a pleasing and tasty first attempt!  I don't think that they'll be something I make very often, although I want to try to perfect them.  They are definitely fiddly enough to qualify as a "special occasion only" treat, not to mention I would rather munch cake than choux pastry.  I have suddenly gotten the baking bug again though and have, like a nerd, just made an inventory of all my baking tins.  I now feel a bit stupid for having just shared that with the whole world!  Ooh, I feel a new baking notebook starting....



Saturday 27 August 2011

Afternoon delight ...

A tea-time treat; warm floury scones, split and slathered with raspberry jam, dolloped with clotted cream for those indulgence days.  Simple and easy for anyone to make and yet luxurious enough for royalty.  Perhaps that is why I love the scone so much, it is quick, easy and completely delicious.

Mercifully the scone has come a long way from its' humble beginnings.  It is believed that scones were originally made as a Scottish quick bread with oats and baked on a griddle.  Thank heaven that today's version is baked, made with flour and bursting with sugar and fruit (probably in order of importance).

The scone really is a treat fit for Kings, with the snack originating in Scotland in the early 1500s and legend has it that the name comes from the Stone of Destiny, where the Kings of Scotland were crowned.  Its' royal connections do not end there though and Anna, the Duchess of Bedford (1788-1861), has officially become my favourite royal.  "Why?", I hear you cry!  Did she save orphans?  Did she become fashionista of the moment?  Was she the Kate Middleton of the late 18th Century, loved by all?  Well, truth be told, I don't know!  She may have been, but more importantly, she popularised the scone and can single-handedly take the credit for the very English tradition of Afternoon Tea.  One late afternoon, she ordered the servants to bring tea and some sweet breads, including scones.  The act was so delightful that she indulged every day at precisely 4.00pm, thus founding a Great British Tradition.  What a woman!

Won't you join me?  I've a fresh batch....tea, coffee or a juice?



 

Tuesday 23 August 2011

A natural touch ...


When all else is falling apart, the steady beat of the natural world goes on.  In a week where death has touched my life so closely and worry has been paramount, a small flag of soothing balm still managed to reach my soul.  Driving, blinded by tears, I caught sight of a tiny flash of red.  A solitary piece of comfort, much needed.  Twice this summer, this has happened.  It is often thought that the natural world can be therapeutic, even healing in some ways.  This week, I have been calmed by rain, soothed by the delicate poppy and touched by loving human contact.  These things do not, and can not, change events but ease the journey through them.  The touch of something soft, the glimpse of something beautiful.  I look around and store these treasures inside, something to reach to in the times when sadness is overwhelming.  The tangible natural world and knowing that I am deeply loved.  

Wednesday 3 August 2011

Meet Kiki...

Last night I went for a lovely evening walk around the heathland in Rhosgadfan and arrived home to find a horde of children lying underneath my car!  They were screaming, yelling and desperately trying to reach even further under.  It turned out that two of the local cats were sitting there, minding their own business and trying to get a bit of shut eye.  That was until the nosiy four year olds began their attempt to coax them out.  I'm not sure why but at four years old, it must seem like trying to have a nap under a car in the quiet is the worst place in the world!  I said to just leave them be, they were quite happy.  I wasn't moving the car so no danger of a flat kitty!  But one little boy mentioned something about hitting them with a broom to get them out.  Right, I'd better do something about this sensibly I thought to myself.  So in I went to get a slice of ham and gently (and most importantly, quietly) talked the first cat out.  She is a darling, she's seventeen years old, bones sticking out everywhere and just wants a quiet life.  So I took her to her house and then started on cat #2.  The same trick worked and to my delight a tiny black and white kitten popped her head out!  She was only about 8 inches long and jumped into the safety of my arms like a shot.  She was trembling poor little thing and seemed to snuggle deep into the chunky knit of my new H&M green cardigan (now complete with a little pull from a cute kitten paw).  I went to her house but no-one was at home and didn't want to leave her with the children, who seemed to think that as each minute passed, their voices had to rise by at least another 5 decibels.  So I took her into Rhid's, where she stopped shaking like a leaf, munched more ham, had a few licks of custard, explored all around the living room and fireplace (we were very tempted to attach a duster to her feet), had some cuddles and then threw herself against me (her heroic rescuer) and promptly fell asleep.

I think I just fell in love again ...