Jo...A Winner in Every Way

Nothing stopped me watching the final of The Great British Bake Off...

And as I watched I knew that Jo, the lovely Jo, would be crowned Winner. And so after making a Sacher, Mille Feuille and selection of dainty cakes with a British Summer Theme the Essex mother and wife WON.
I am ecstatically happy for her.

In previous rounds she was always gracious when getting a gentle telling-off from Paul or Mary for making slight errors and came across as genuinely humble, not once did I see a sneer or cocky attitude (that was Holly's area of expertise). Jo messed up, that's for sure, but she kept cool, coming right at just the right time. Her competition winning array of dainty cakes made me fill up, so simple, so English and, according to the judges... Tasted Divine. And that is what it's all about.
Holly sometimes slaughtered Jo on the tech front but like Mary Berry said, it's all about Taste. And so Jo won.
I would love to have her as a friend.

As for me and my baking...
In the oven as I write is a Yorkshire Tea Bread, thick with fruit and candied peel and lush with brown sugar. This stalwart is always in Mr H.'s munchbox and has been known to be toasted and buttered and spread with apricot jam. Keeps well and fills the heart with cheery safety.
Also being baked is another old mate. Dutch Apple Flan made with Greek yoghurt and apples. So easy on the eye, palate and purse. Served with ice cream makes a light guilt free indulgence:)

So that's my Baking for this Sunday morning...
Being roasted for lunch is a small chicken and for afters, rice pudding made with full fat milk.... low fat milk is anathema... if inside a rice pudding.
I'll probably top it with a madness of blackcurrant jam.

You know...I think amateur cooks like me have quite a lot of fun in the kitchen and if, on those rare occasions the apple pie goes pear shape, it's not a disaster...



(wanna bet;)

Now I go kitchenwards....................

A New Beginning

Monday 23rd May start of a new day, new week...

I've just checked up on the bird population...a friskiness of sparrows swirl from feeder to feeder, a pair of pigeons spying from the aerial... so generally an excellent beginning to the week.

Talking of excellence... I'll make a chicken pie later, and as usual won't stick fully to the recipe as laid down by Ms Berry, will probably tinker.

I watched Andrew Marr's interview with President Obama, his job (the President's) is clearly taking its toll, especially in the sockets under his beautiful eyes. I'm barmy enough to wonder whether Barack is strong enough for a second term, after all the election isn't that far away. If I were him I'd go to Camp David with Michelle and the nippers and take stock.

That reminds me I have a few new recipes to try which require wine shot stock, I expect a little sherry would do the job. We'll see.

Before I sign off I want to publicly thank the oodles of people who messaged me about the picture of my new frock, your compliments and generosity won't be forgotten or go unrewarded.

And now like my darling birds, I must fly..................

Good Bits/Bad Bits

Bad Bits:
Serena Williams beat the Czech girl in the semi-final but will face a Russian girl in the final. This could be the end of the American's tyrannical run. At last.

Good Bits:
My silver ring, and it is silver on account of its markings, is sitting comfortably on my right hand even though it's so long it reaches my knuckle. Smashing!
Bad Bits: An attempt to collect together my poetry and then sift through it, has failed magnificently:) Can't seem to sit still for longer than ten minutes to sort through the aforementioned work so nothing gets done...Poet my foot.
Good Bits:
Cut and hung the 'new' curtains and they do look good. My scissor work being so accurate that I had enough left over to make a 'pelmet' and with he remnant of the remnant re-covered the bathroom chair. Not bad for £2.

Bad Bits:
Had a to-do with a fly. Chased the blasted beast around the kitchen finally managing to nail it with a scrunched up paper towel. Fly or die numbnuts.
Good Bits:
Baked a new cake. Well actually it isn't quite a cake more of a sweet loaf made with carrots, spices, orange peel, Muscovado sugar and honey. If it turns out ok I'll post a pic, it if explodes, I won't.


Being concocted tonight on account of spending the food money on trivialities:
Spaghetti with off-cuts bacon, mushroom stalks and small limp toms.

I'm a tearaway but life's not all about cooking you know...

Ta ta!