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July is dressed up and singing a tune

As I write I'm listening to Summer Breeze sung by the Isley Brothers. Makes me feel fine. 
Salted coffee, pecan & lime rocky road
Lots of baking since my last blog entry. At the end of June I revisited a couple of lemon and lavender combination recipes - Bronte Aurell's blondies and Paul Hollywood's loaf cake. But an absolute triumph was Ottolenghi's salted coffee, pecan and lime rocky road. Oh yes. Make it. Make it soon. Make it often. 

 Now I'm listening to July by Mundy. Oh my my, July. 

 July is baking competition time. The baking competition is just one section of a local horticultural society's annual show. It took place last Saturday. In preparation, I made sticky gingerbread using Doreen Fulleylove's recipe (Country Fare published in 1972) on the previous Wednesday and set dried fruit soaking in chai for my tea brack which I baked on the Thursday evening. 
Pistachio shortbread
I took a half day on the Friday and set to with my three remaining entries. A friend's sister ("Polly") was calling round to my house to collect something so I texted her to let her know I wouldn't be offering her any hospitality as I would be baking. Princess fingers baked, I started getting ready to make the lemon cake. The doorbell rang. It was my nextdoor neighbour and a tradesman with questions about a manhole and pipework. Aaargh! Then Polly arrived. I was distracted. I left out a couple of ingredients and didn't mix the batter according to the instructions. Then only half the cake came out of the baking tin! But the spouse urged me to have another go. I did. But first I made my biscuits: Ottolenghi's pistachio shortbread (Ottolenghi: The Cookbook). 

 So, how did I fare last Saturday? Four firsts (including a prize for the best exhibit in the baking section - the olive oil and lemon cake triumphed) and a second prize for the princess fingers. I spent my winnings on a bottle of champagne and lottery tickets (no winners there!). Especial thanks to the spouse for helping my to set up and for all his encouragement and for giving me the occasional mention in his own blog about his own creative activities. 
Rapeseed oil, lemon & blackberry cake
You'd think I'd had enough baking but no! Even in the last week I've made a rapeseed oil, lemon and blackberry cake (Norfolk's Own Bookbook) for a baking event at work and today I made almond fudge crumbles in anticipation of the younger offspring's return from scout camp. 

 This blog originally started out in 2009 as a record of my progress through The Soup Book. And today I made Roopa Gulati's harissa and chickpea soup which I first made in November 2012. Many thanks (again) to the spouse for letting me use some of the harissa he made yesterday. Could you be loved?

 That's enough for today. 

 Minnie


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