Friday 23 August 2013

A funny old summer and The Great British Bake Off....

So this is what I have learnt: some of you have seen Star Wars, some of you have eaten macaroons, some of you have done both and some of you have done neither.

What a fascinating group of people we are!

A strange old summer: for medical reasons we are not/have not gone away on holiday but have put our trip to Rome/Pompeii on hold until half term all being well (I had a Rome/Pompeii bag all lined up).

We are not boo hoo'ing about it - millions of people on this planet never have a holiday.  We have aimed to have a few nice days out instead. If you have read this blog for any length of time you might have guessed that I don't do 'boo hoo'ing' - I have nothing to boo hoo about!

This post is a medley, a meringue, a pottage, a gathering, a collection of bits so far this summer.


By the way this is not an embroidery representation of my good self...or is it....
I bought this 50s hat with a several others from a car boot  a few years ago - for the children really as I have the biggest head in all of the kingdom. I particularly like this embroidery as faces are particularly tricky to master and this one is nicely done I think.  This embroidery represents summer!

This is THE macaroon box - for posterity you understand

In early August it was Maille's 14th birthday - suitable to post these after the Great British Bake Off I think.  Dom baked the cake and it was very moist and chocolatey


I supplied the tablecloth and table setting!   As per previous post it was necessary to move the china forward a few decades and make it more 'modurhn' for a 14 year old - just about got this right.......gulp.....



Cake close up


Tea close up

Cake top close up

I could not cater for Dom's needs so he had to have a flowery cup



"Is she still taking photographs?"


"Don't look and she might go away...."


Back to the china

and the end of the cake.....



I have had these cups for years and they used to live in Bronte's bedroom - all different colours, I have the matching plates somewhere too.








Much earlier in the summer  I made the usual elderflower cordial - a particularly nice batch this saison if I say so myself.


Not so many insects around in it this year either!


The most simple of recipes



Just cover and leave overnight and in the morning - ta dah




Get side tracked by other nice mixing bowls if you must (I once sold one of these on Ebay and it broke in the post - never again)


Best to have a range....!



TG Green's made a lot of nice kichen bits didn't they


A nice range of bowls....


Anyway -  whilst we have been bowl gazing the cordial is all done so strain through some muslin



I leave a few flowers in because they look pretty




 and then decant into your original Corona bottles.


You do have some of those don't you?

Crikey I am not sure what we will do if you don't!




Really I am just pretending - I really wanted to show you some nice coastery mats



Then migrate to your neighbour's garden where they have kindly given you free range over their red currants.


A bumper crop this year and no insects there either!


I am ashamed of my Summer Pudding (one of my all time favourite puddings) as here it does not look too pleasant - rest assured it tasted lovely.


Little photographs


Yet another cake...this was my Victoria Sponge for a Sunday afternoon

It takes years to get it looking  lopsided like this



And the slightly 'brown' bits take even longer to perfect the art.


It tasted nice anyway.  We enjoyed the first episode of the GBBO - Bronte could not watch poor Ruby and her cake show down


We have had some nice days out but each time I forgot to take my camera - good thing really


Here is my backup:


Nice fabricos whilst we are at it don't you think? It even has an image of the only car that I hanker after - an Austin Healey Frogeye Sprite (the green car featured)....one day


I have never seen this anywhere else - have you?

Bronte went to Brighton today with a friend of hers so I was thinking of making a 'Brighton Bag'....but could bear to  slice into  this!



.....we will make do with me back on the beach for now:

 

42 comments:

  1. Gorgeous gorgeous post Jenny! Are you sure you dont live in a tardis? Where on earth do you put everything? Still, I'm glad you do manage to put it all somewhere so that you can get it out on occasion and show us all!!
    P.S. Hope you manage to get to Rome/Pompeii-another for our bucket list.
    P.P.S. The choc cake looks divine, still on WW so not partaking myself thank you!

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    1. Hello Anne - a great deal is under the bed and that bed is now touching the ceiling!!

      Well done with your restraint - if only I could do the same....
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  2. Yet again you've jogged my memory Jenny and made me all nostalgic! I had those little coaster thingies and seem to remember that they came free with something ... They were the lids on the product ... Maybe custard? That would be very appropriate! The chocolate cake looks divine, as does the lovely pots and tablecloth ... Just love, love everything!

    Have a lovely weekend

    Love Claire xxx

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    1. Now I did not know that about the coasters - they were in a charity shop the other week so....
      Thank you as always for calling in Claire
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  3. Lovely words, pictures and cakes ... I have a print of the little flower seller on your coasters ... a recent charitay purchase ... I love her ... Bee xx

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    1. Ah yes Bee - a popular image I think
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  4. Blimey I dont know where to start, love your china and those mixing bowls I didnt know they did so many with different colour inners. Those dallas simpson coaters are adorable and your cordial and cake has my mouth watering. My friend gave me some blackcurrents today so I made muffins now they were yummy to so the boys told me:-) I put the rest in the freezer to make jelly later. Have a lovely weekend, dee x

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    Replies
    1. Blackcurrant muffins sound a real treat - good for you.
      Thank you for calling in Dee
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  5. Ah a feast for my eyes - bowls, plate, cakes, cheeky beach babe - I loved it all and I love your well chosen short commentary. I had a great time looking around. Thanks Jo x

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    1. Aww - thank you kindly Jo
      I wish that was an embroidered me!
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  6. Oh, what a beautiful post! So many gorgeous photos...

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    1. Hello again
      Thank you for your kind words
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  7. Lovely, lovely, lovely! Happy Birthday to Bronte, what a feast of cake and colour! I love those mixing bowls, the Brighton cloth is superb.....and the embroidery of the '50s gal, bet you ARE just like her! :) x

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    1. That Brighton fabric is quite lovely isn't it - would you cut it up?
      I am just like her if I lose a small amount of weight (!), grown hair, paint lips and strike a pose...yes just like her....
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  8. Gosh Jenny the chocolate cake looks so yummy - are we going to see you on the GBBO next year???
    BTW interesting to hear about your head size as I was always convinced I had the biggest head size known to man!!

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    Replies
    1. Shall we have a big head stand off?
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  9. A lovely summer condensed into 5 minutes...and now I'm desperate for chocolate cake. Looking forward to the Roman post already. EE xx

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    Replies
    1. Ah yes Roma - half term with luck!
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  10. My... Dom's chocolate sponge does look mighty fine... as does your beach babe and mugs/ saucers.
    I had a free pick of Blackcurrants last week and made some rather yummy Jelly from the 2kg.
    Today is Chutney making day... lots of courgettes to spice up. Oh and the cutting are still green which I am taking as a mighty good sign! Cx

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    Replies
    1. That is great to hear about the cuttings Cass - fingers crossed, if not we can start again next year
      I love the indulgence of fruit jelly jam - it is something special I think
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  11. Dearest Cootard
    Brighton cloth is fabbo and I have never, ever, seen the like before!

    Wonky vic sponge haha seen loads of those...but for me it is your Dom's cake that 'takes the biscuit' so to speak....what a talent...?

    bestest to you
    Daisy j xxx

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    Replies
    1. Indeed - Dom is most particular about his sponge....
      Best wishes
      La C

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  12. The tablecloth with the lion ... my Mum had the transfer for that, but I've no idea if she still has. For some reason I found this realisation incredibly exciting ... I just surprised hubby, sitting here going Oh! Oh! Oh! He thought I'd strained something that most definitely wasn't cordial ;)

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    Replies
    1. It is funny what strikes a chord isn't it
      Do hope no straining occurred...
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  13. Oh oh Jenny, what a lovely post, full of yummy cakes, colourful china and pretty linen's ( poor Ruby, she did fall apart )
    I remember the little coasters too, they were free with something, alas we only managed to collect two!
    Happy Days
    Thea xx

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    Replies
    1. Poor Ruby has come good I think now Thea - good for her

      Free coasters - those were the days
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  14. FABULOUS post dear Jenny,full of my favourite things, china cake and embroidery.Love the strawberry 14 on the cake,clever hubby!I do LOVE TGBBO,I think Marys jackets are super.I really liked the jam sandwich in a bag sponge and the squirrel cake.I would have liked to have seen more of the lovely hat cake though and less of the tears, if you can't stand the heat stay out of the kitchen!!(Was that a bit harsh? she was only a young girl)Have a great bank holiday TTFN Pam.

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    1. Dear Pammo
      I am keeping a very close eye on you and your sewing machine - I will be seeing you on GBSB I think

      I love GBBO too - all good stuff. Poor Ruby....
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  15. Is Dom available for hire because his cake looks mouthwateringly good? I think I must have attended the same culinary school as yourself Jenny because my cakes always come out lopsided too. As you say, years of practise. Have a lovely long weekend. Philippa xx

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    1. Dom does not know this yet but yes he is available for hire.
      It is all in the tasting isn't really
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  16. Hope no bits of moist crumbs got on your tablecloth! I imagine it was so fabulous that it was hoovered right up with no spillage by all involved. Yes, indeed, we have nothing to boo-hoo about. Although elderflowers and red currants would be welcome on our bit of land in the Pacific. But the lack of bugs in your area makes me worried. Have they all run off with the disappearing domesticated bees in the USA? Aloha, with ecologically concerned hugs, Ann

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    Replies
    1. You are right Ann - no bugs is not a good thing for the planet and have seen very few aphids and then no ladybirds either. 'Good and bad' are needed to get along and thrive
      Thank you for calling in
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  17. That pictorial tablecloth is amazing! I've never seen anything as busy as that.

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  18. Loving the lopsided cake most of all! LOL!

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    1. Lopsided or not it tasted just fine so that's the main thing in the end
      Thank you for calling in
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  19. Lovely bathing beauty embroidery. Very jolly. Great car fabric too.

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  20. Love the cake close up, could almost smell the chocolatey-ness, it looked delicious! Never seen an embroidery like that before, do you think its the old crinoline lady who has got a bit fed up hiding her ankles on all those tablecloths, and she has thought sod it i'm putting on my cossie and going for a dip? Curse you, last time i wanted macaroons and now i want gooey choccy cake-boo, Catx

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    Replies
    1. Ho ho - I like that idea very much indeed - hang it all

      Next week - fondants and sticky chocco pudding.....
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  21. It all looks wonderfully yummy
    Julie xxxxxxx

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