Becky Bakes…

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

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