Becky Bakes…

It’s been quite a week. Some of our young friends are in the throes of moving house and, like most parents, we want to help. Their current home is not as big as the new one so there are pieces of furniture required to make use of all the rooms – this is where we step in. Commitments and age hamper our practical input, but furniture is something we have. So having waved off a van full of “stuff” we then had to reorganise various places/rooms to make better use of the space we’ve gained. Several hours later, after much discussion (not argument) I think we’ve done it, but probably I’ll do more tweaking tomorrow. The upshot of all this is that my usual “Cake Friday” delivery just didn’t happen because I hadn’t had time to make any cake. I know I should have planned better but there really wasn’t a moment! So, next week I’m going to be making them one of their favourites, fruit cake, and spread butter on each slice. The young people? They are exhausted. Showered and waiting for a delivery of something they haven’t had to prepare for themselves. We’ve all been there haven’t we, but isn’t it exciting?! x

International Women’s day. How incredible is it that more women are starving now than ever before? If we think about it I suppose it isn’t unexpected… we all give other members of our family the best we can and in areas of extreme poverty, where food is scarce, which mother wouldn’t feed her children before herself? The situation in Gaza is just dreadful – there simply isn’t any food so everyone is malnourished at best, starving to death at worst. What has this world come to? Let’s hope that relief comes soon in sufficient quantity and by whatever means to these poor people. And here am I delivering cake to beleagured shopkeepers, what a contrast.

The news that obesity has taken over from hunger as the greatest threat to global health is very worrying. It seems that 30% of adults and 10% of children in this country are obese. This seems to be attributed to a lack of activity and education about the risks of becoming “couch potatoes”. Add this to the increase in the popularity of highly processed food and we have serious problems of malnutrition. Highly refined or processed foods often lack vitamins and minerals which are essential for good health. Only yesterday I heard of biscuits being offered which were low calorie and vegan – a quick look at the ingredients showing many items not usually found in my store cupboard and the first ingredient on that list was sugar! Of course I’m going to bang on about the importance of teaching Food Studies in school. It gives children a good grounding in the knowledge and skills needed to eat well, in the hope that they will be more inclined to use fresh ingredients and eat properly as they get older and fend for themselves.

Over the winter our weekly excursions have gone by the wayside – till this week. The lighter days certainly bring a feeling of Spring so we decided to take a nostalgic trip to Hollesley, pronounce “Hosely”. It’s where I was born and where, after moving several times in childhood, my family eventually returned. We were married at the tiny windswept church within sight of the sea at Shingle Street. From Hollesley we drove to Melton for a delicious lunch at the Horse and Groom before continuing to Woodbridge, where I worked for many years. It’s a pretty little town on the River Deben, just across from Sutton Hoo where a Saxon burial ship was excavated by Basil Brown in 1939. All the treasures can be seen in the British Museum, but the site is run by the National trust so I know lunch will be good when we visit…maybe next week? x

Haven’t we been lucky to have two reasons to celebrate this week? Not only Shrove Tuesday, but Valentines day too… so many foodie options in one week!. For us, pancakes can only have one topping. It has to be lemon juice and sugar. Over the years I’ve sampled all sorts of options for sweet ones, with my second choice being chocolate spread. Crepes suzette are perfect in France but less authentic in other countries. Buckwheat makes wonderful savoury pancakes and the French ones are the best (particularly in Honfleur) Many years ago a colleague and I held a pancake party and cooked hundreds, a tally our children couldn’t meet – their personal best finished at 15 each. I remember adding milk to the batter to keep it going for just another, then another… Valentines Day presents us with so many options but anything heart shaped will win the day. Did you celebrate either of these feasts? x

Yet again, cancer is in the news. Our new King has been hit with a diagnosis many of us have received. My own parents, brother and myself have all become part of the statistical 1 in 2 people, so maybe my own children will be saved from it. Medical science is wonderful and, for myself, offered answers to all my questions, bringing me through the process and safely out the other side. Many are less fortunate. Only this very day I went with many ladies from Knit&chat to the funeral of a dear friend. Let’s hope King Charles has a good outcome and is able to continue his reign – he’s waited long enough. x

…beautiful places – a phrase we saw daily in South Carolina as it surrounded the license plate on most of the cars. When the sun shines everyone looks happier and walks with a lighter step which was noticeable on a trip to Norwich recently. The cathedral spire was quite a sight against the cloudless sky and inside the building hundreds of candles were waiting to be lit in celebration of Candlemass, marking the end of the Christmas season. The purpose of our visit was to have lunch with a young friend and of course deliver goodies, including cake. Earlier in the week I had watched a livestream of a service in the cathedral with two archbishops and numerous bishops in the congregation. It was amusing to learn that some of those taking part were more than happy to receive chocolate brownie yesterday . Cake Friday put a smile on faces in another beautiful place this week!

Earlier this week I called on some friends and as soon as the door was opened I could smell oranges. It’s that time of year again when the Seville oranges are in the shops and ready for marmalade making. So, the kitchen table was covered in all they needed – cooked and scooped out halves of oranges, with a jug of juice and a plate of pips. Plenty of sparkling jars were ready and waiting too. But it was the recipe that caught my eye – a pamphlet smaller than A4, six or so pages with precise instructions, printed in bold turquoise and orange. It probably dated from the 50’s or 60’s as it was compiled by Marguerite Patten who was a famed cookery writer and author of my very first recipe book. She came to my college in Bath and spoke to we “gals” in the lecture theatre but I can’t remember much of the talk to be honest. She was seconded to the Ministry of Food in World War 2 to help the nation deal with food shortages and rationing. She was responsible for Woolton Pie – a vegetable cottage pie with oatmeal and marmite gravy. My year six class made it once. Never again!

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