How things have changed since the beginning of the month. I started by keeping notes of my activities but those are already something of a blur.
March got off to a busy start, building on February's baking (stored in the freezer). I hosted a coffee morning on 7th March in aid of Merchants Quay in order to mark International Women's Day. I asked my guests to bring donations of toiletries and hygiene products for "comfort kits".
My friend Fifi gave me a hand: she borrowed a boiler and mugs and was happy to work quietly in the background, making tea and coffee while I paraded around. The spouse was on standby too, wearing his dinner suit to open the door, receive the donations and direct the guests down to the kitchen.
I was so impressed by the generosity of all the participants, whether they came in to chat and eat cake or whether they dropped their donations at the door and hurried away.
Fifi and I wore matching "artisan" aprons. One of the guests had been the art teacher of the apron's designer. Small world.
March got off to a busy start, building on February's baking (stored in the freezer). I hosted a coffee morning on 7th March in aid of Merchants Quay in order to mark International Women's Day. I asked my guests to bring donations of toiletries and hygiene products for "comfort kits".
My friend Fifi gave me a hand: she borrowed a boiler and mugs and was happy to work quietly in the background, making tea and coffee while I paraded around. The spouse was on standby too, wearing his dinner suit to open the door, receive the donations and direct the guests down to the kitchen.
I was so impressed by the generosity of all the participants, whether they came in to chat and eat cake or whether they dropped their donations at the door and hurried away.
Fifi and I wore matching "artisan" aprons. One of the guests had been the art teacher of the apron's designer. Small world.
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| My cake labels |
The menu consisted of date and banana ripple loaf, pear and cardamom teabread, rosemary cake, frosted lime cake, coconut snowball cake, anise shortbread, millionaire's shortbread, and fairy cakes (the last two were provided by Fifi and her daughter).
March wasn't just about the sweeter things in life. I made seafood chowder too but I can't for the life of me remember which cookbook I used. I got the younger offspring to make a seafood soup using The Soup Book. I made a healthy lentil and vegetable soup from Nigel Slater's Appetite.
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| Let the calorie count begin! |
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| Coconut snowball cake |
March wasn't just about the sweeter things in life. I made seafood chowder too but I can't for the life of me remember which cookbook I used. I got the younger offspring to make a seafood soup using The Soup Book. I made a healthy lentil and vegetable soup from Nigel Slater's Appetite.
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| Seafood chowder |
The spouse and I are fans of Escape to the Chateau. He is particularly in thrall to Angel and her easy creativity. So when I saw her book The Vintage Tea Party (published in 2011) in the library I whisked it out. (On my card, of course!) With the library closures it appears I could have this book out on a very long loan. While I was in the library it crossed my mind that I could borrow all sorts of recipe books, rather than depending on what we have at home. I will be limited to our kitchen library for the foreseeable future.
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| Angel's scones |
Back to the matter in hand. I made scones using Angel's recipe. The mixture was quite moist and didn't take shape. That didn't matter as they were very tasty.
For Mothers' Day I wanted to have something tasty on standby in case the older offspring was able to visit me. He's a front-line healthcare professional and I have felt anxious about him. As I had the remains of a bottle of maple syrup in the fridge, I decided to make maple walnut tart (Martha Day, Baking). The recipe calls for a mixture of plain and wholemeal flour. I wasn't able to buy the latter: I blame all those people who never bake and then in times of crisis think they can turn into Paul Hollywood overnight!
For Mothers' Day I wanted to have something tasty on standby in case the older offspring was able to visit me. He's a front-line healthcare professional and I have felt anxious about him. As I had the remains of a bottle of maple syrup in the fridge, I decided to make maple walnut tart (Martha Day, Baking). The recipe calls for a mixture of plain and wholemeal flour. I wasn't able to buy the latter: I blame all those people who never bake and then in times of crisis think they can turn into Paul Hollywood overnight!
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| Maple walnut tart: pastry case ready |
In the end the pastry was a little too light in texture and got burnt. I'll know next time.
I haven't baked since. The world has changed. I continued going into the office until last Friday (27th March) and got a message on Sunday about working from home. About time too!
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| Maple walnut tart: I blame the flour hoarders for the burnt bits! |
I haven't baked since. The world has changed. I continued going into the office until last Friday (27th March) and got a message on Sunday about working from home. About time too!
Honey-dipped words
These are challenging times. Lots of people are writing about Covid-19 (the facts and the fantasies), ways to pass the time constructively and how to mind your mental health. I don't think I have anything new or particularly insightful to say.
In these challenging times let's be kind to one another:
Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
Proverbs 16:24
Until next time.
Minnie
Minnie, you're mighty.
ReplyDeleteI tried to leave a comment several times previously on this post but it never seemed to work. The coffee morning was an absolute triumph and well timed too. Congratulations on your superb organisational skills. And, of course, your baking skills. x
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