Becky Bakes…

Amongst my collection of recipes there are several favourites that have stood the test of time – Fork Biscuits being one of them. It’s a recipe originating in the 1930’s from the Cordon Bleu kitchen and is one of our most popular on Youtube and as a download on the website. I’m not a fan of Mrs. Beeton though – she was a journalist working for a London newspaper when her editor suggested she might like to write a recipe column. Not interested in food, she asked her readers to send in recipes she could publish, which they did with enthusiasm, even sending hints and tips on household management…and so her books were born. None of the recipes were tested so she didn’t check they would work and many were very complicated and not suitable for everyone at the time. One of the favourite recipes in our household has been passed down from my mother. It may have come from an ancient BeRo book, I’m not sure, but it’s an excellent chocolate cake with an unexpected ingredient – wait and see!

Whilst many of us are not fans of social media, there are times when it provides us with unexpected memories. This week I came across a Facebook page dedicated to a school I attended for sixth form. My itinerant childhood (due to my fathers’ job) meant that I went to three junior schools and two secondary schools, the last being on the outskirts of Nottingham. Recently that area suffered serious flooding when the river Trent burst it’s banks and I recognised the scene. So, introducing myself to the Facebook group, I also recognised the photo of my Home Ec. teacher from those days. Not a favourite, she was a crusty old spinster who took a dislike to me and after teaching me for an academic year announce that I’d never make anything of myself! I’ve remembered this all these years and I wonder how many other children have been put-down with such harsh words. We are in school to build children up and help them grow in confidence as well as intelligence. We have two ears and one mouth – let’s use them in proportion…. x

Yesterday the Cake Friday brigade enjoyed the last of our mince pies. I always make and freeze them raw, then thaw and cook as needed. But last year I found a tray lurking in the freezer at Easter.. that won’t happen again! Now, at Epiphany, I’m thinking about Galette des Rois today – on the website as Epiphany Gateau – it’s a great way to use up any left-over marzipan. You don’t really the little figures (“feves”) to hide in the filling, but they are traditional feature in France. So now we enter the season which leads to Candlemass, yet already there are Easter eggs and hot cross buns in the supermarkets. Will we be shopping for those next week? No fear!

I hope you have had a lovely Christmas with family and friends perhaps. We managed to get the whole family together on Boxing day and enjoyed our traditional turkey with all our favourite trimmings – chestnut stuffing, special sprouts etc but it was the pigs-in-blankets that caused quite a stir. Two of our group had difficulty cooking them on Christmas day as they took much longer than was suggested on the instructions. Thankfully the timing was extended by one chef whilst the other chose not to serve them. The risks of undercooked food at these busy times can’t be over emphasised especially if vulnerable people are among the group. I was happy to hear that my nonagenarian friend had enjoyed roast lamb as well as a very fancy panettone too. Yesterday I delivered some of our pandoro to the beleagured shopkeepers for their weekly treat – we have managed to eat most of our “leftovers” but I really didn’t feel like making them anything from scratch after such a busy time !

We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year… and I’m singing while I type. Seriously though, wherever you are and whoever you’re with, we hope you have a lovely time. Those who are unwell, we wish you a speedy return to good health. I’m about to look at our favourite recipes so our family will have all their traditional foods – special sprouts, braised red cabbage to go with the turkey…take a look at the Christmas Special page on the website if you are still looking for inspiration. Have a good time! Bx

Lots of us get to this point in December with Christmas just around the corner and have a moment of panic. There feels like a mountain to climb with gifts still to buy and wrap, food shopping still to be completed and a degree of uncertainty as to who exactly will turn up and when! At least that’s the situation here today… But have you noticed that everything gets done in spite of our anxiety? I always used to feel overwhelmed by the number of school reports I had to write, but they were always done in time, just as there will always be enough food for whoever arrives on the doorstep. These days I try to take a more balanced view by doing what I can in advance and not putting off anything until tomorrow. Also, I’m a great list-writer, making notes and reminders then putting them in a safe place……… now where did I put that notepad..?

For our first Christmas living in Italy there would be eleven of us, including two excited nephews who had never flown before. Finding a turkey became quite a challenge until an ex-pat resident volunteered to order one for us, but it would have to be two smaller ones as Italians prefer salmon so don’t breed many big turkeys. I was shocked when they arrived… lots of black feathers left on their legs and vast bags of giblets stuffed inside. But that wasn’t the worst part – it was the cost! Over a hundred pounds and this was many years ago. Vegetables were different too, no sprouts or parsnips just carrots and savoy cabbage supplemented by plenty of potatoes and tins of sweetcorn. We were happy to leave Christmas pudding off the menu as we’ve never been fans but had discovered panettones on a trip to Saronno, where Amaretto is made. It was incredible to see them hanging upside down as they cooled suspended by two wooden stakes through their bases. Have you noticed the holes in the paper cases? Light and airey with much less fruit and a little peel, we were hooked. There were no wacky flavours in those days, just the Pandoro alternative to slice and create a tree shape. Any leftovers were made into delicious bread and butter pudding. Will you be buying one this year? I bought ours a couple of weeks ago in case they sell out !

This week we watched the final of The Great British Bakeoff. I’m always amazed that anyone should apply for the competition – working at great speed on recipes that are often unknown, under the gaze of Paul Hollywood – why? Personal satisfaction of course and a huge sense of achievement . Keeping the results a secret is tough too, but why do people feel it’s ok to question the judges decisions? Social media is to blame of course because anyone can voice their opinion anonymously, leading to the nastiest of comments and criticisms. We were brought up to understand that the judges decision is final. Whilst we might think we know the criteria, we aren’t in the tent with them. Let’s enjoy the programme and be happy for the winner of a cake stand and a bunch of flowers!

Our family have always enjoyed pasta – not least because of our time spent living in Italy. With great admiration I watched “balcony Bill’s” wife making it freshly each day for his lunch. We enjoyed taglioline al salmone and linguine alle scampi at La Scogliera, our favourite local restaurant, and I had lessons with Giovanna in her outdoor kitchen in the mountains above Parma. Lately I’ve bought the fresh stuff rather than making it myself, even though I have a fabulous Imperia pasta machine. Lazy and mistake are two words that spring to mind. Some of the fresh pasta on offer in our local supermarkets is, honestly, just dreadful. It looks as though I might be dusting off the Imperia soon and as you might have guessed, it’s blue!

When the departmental computer was wheeled into my FT room in Hemel Hempstead, my heart sank. It was on a trolley and was parked in front of the washing machine and tumble drier – most inconveniently. I was less than impressed as this heralded the introduction of a new curriculum where practical cookery took second place to, in my opinion, a contrived use of technology. Our own home computer was a hefty thing, not of much relevance to me at that time. Isn’t it amazing how times have changed! This week we were without both our landline phone and our broadband, making communication more difficult but my little cellphone saved the day. Compared with the cream phone with it’s curly wire sitting on the hall table, our tiny gadgets working over suprfast fibre optics have revolutionised our lives. Thankfully we’re getting back to normal, but none of this will help me make the next batch of Brownie!