Long Ago, Before The Great British Bake Off...

Next month marks 15 years since GBBO started. I was looking back and found this post from 12th July 2010. Long before I had grandchildren. I think I shall make some of this for them this summer... The post was originally called Super Saucy!

In Mary Berry’s “Real Food Fast” I came across this easy-peasy recipe for toffee sauce. It gets my vote because it is made from store cupboard ingredients [no need to rush out for fresh cream] and has a sensible method for measuring the golden syrup.

I have enjoyed MB’s no-nonsense approach to cooking ever since the 70s when I used to read “Home and Freezer Digest” – where she often had “Half-Term Bake-Ins” which I think were designed so mothers could stock up their freezers and larders for hungry children, but also jolly useful for a busy teacher with a hungry young husband! One intense Saturday in the kitchen provided us with loads of pre-prepared meals and snacks for weeks.

The sauce is very rich and you don’t need much – but it keeps well in the fridge and is lovely over ice cream..

or sliced bananas…

or chocolate sponge…

Toffee Sauce

50g butter
150g light muscovado sugar
150g golden syrup
1 x 170g can evaporated milk

• Weigh 150g sugar in the scale pan – spread it out, and then gently spoon syrup on top till it all weighs 300g.
• Tip the sugar and syrup into a pan, add the butter, and heat gently until melted and liquid. Gently boil for 5 minutes [stirring like crazy!]
• Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the evaporated milk. The sauce is now ready.
• Serve immediately, or leave on one side and reheat to piping hot to serve – or allow to cool and serve cold. Keeps in the fridge for a month [unless eaten first!]

I got this book out of the library last week – there are some interesting recipes in it – this is the only one I have tried so far. But MB seems to have developed a passion for mangoes- about 1 in 8 of the recipes appears to list mangoes or mango chutney among the ingredients.

Does Mary still like mangoes?

Do you have a favourite sauce for ice cream?

Back To The Middle Ages

 

It was really splendid to see so many people coming together for this fantastic community event [info here]

I stood near the start of the route, outside  St Peter's Methodist Church [whilst Bob sat inside feeling unwell]

Hundreds of people, from the very young, to the elderly, in an array of costumes- some professional, others homemade. And everyone so cheerful. There were school children in the tabards they ad decorated, proudly carrying their colourful banners. Huge models of Chaucer's Characters. Lots of music, and laughter. A guy walking on stilts, juggling at the same time [I couldn't  do either skill - to do both at once is amazing imho] It was lovely and the atmosphere was really good.

Such a delightful morning - so much to see and do and learn...

Her Name Was Lola...

 ...She Ate Granola
Apologies to Barry Manilow, but I feel it would have been a good alternative lyric to "she was a showgirl"   Bob's appetite has returned,  a sure sign of recovery. Very appreciative of all your get well wishes, thanks everybody!

We are both very fond of granola. My 1978 Mennonite "More With Less" Cookbook has eight different granola recipes, but I haven't made my own for years. I generally buy Sainsbury's "Simple Granola" and throw in dried fruit and banana chips [bought cheaply from the friendly guy on Fakenham Market] But then I heard Nadiya Hussein talking about the "Bread granola" she makes for her children. So I began saving crusts and solitary slices in a bag in the freezer. And this week I made some...

Ingredients

300g/10½oz stale bread slices, cut into 1cm/½in cubes
200g/7oz slivered almonds
50g/1¾oz sunflower seeds
50g/1¾oz oats

25g/1oz desiccated coconut
200ml/7fl oz coconut oil melted
200ml/7fl oz maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
3 tsp ground  cinnamon
1 orange, zest only
200g/7oz dates chopped
Method

Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5.
Place the bread cubes on a large baking tray. Add the almonds, sunflower seeds, oats and desiccated
coconut and mix everything together.
Mix the coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract and almond extract together in a small jug and drizzle over the almond mixture. Get your hands in and make sure everything is well coated.
Sprinkle over the cinnamon, grate over the orange zest and mix again with a spoon.
Bake for 30–35 minutes, stirring halfway through to make sure everything is evenly golden.
Once everything is crisp and golden, remove from the oven, add the dates and mix through. Leave to cool. Once cooled, store the granola in an airtight container. 
Substitutions - I was using what I had in the cupboard, so used mixed nuts, and mixed seeds. I had no coconut oil or maple syrup. Rapeseed oil and golden syrup worked fine. No dates on hand so I chopped dried apricots and added a handful of sultanas.

Here it is in my tall lock'n'lock cereal box. The recipe says 'serves 4' but we've already had 4 portions and we're barely halfway through the quantity. Bob says it tastes more like Cinnamon Toast Crunch' than granola, which makes senses as it is bread-based after all.

Bread-and-warm-milk used to be very common as a breakfast food. Dating back to the Middle Ages it was called 'sop' [a precursor to 'soup'] and was a way of using up the stale bread and preventing waste. It was popular during WW and I ate it as a child in the late 50s. In Feed Your Family for £4 a day [Bernadine Lawrence 1989] she makes this as a breakfast dish using bread or toast cubes. 

Nadiya's recipe is tasty and ZeroWaste. I shall do it again!

ALSO thank you everybody for the positive comments about recycling and labels on last week's post. Steph said she showed it to her team at Tangible, who had helped with all the OPRL research. 

Have you ever recycled stale bread into a breakfast dish?

A Short, Short Break

We had hoped for a short break after the Kitchen Project was completed. Bob wanted to return to the Canterbury area where he grew up. Things kept getting in the way. Last Wednesday we decided if we didn't book it soon, it would be the school holidays...So we investigated possible accommodation. Airbnbs seemed quite expensive for what was offered. But Keynes College, part of Kent Uni, offer a really good b&b deal. 

Double room, with ensuite. Use of kitchen and lounge, full breakfast menu, free parking. So we booked Friday - Wednesday. And planned our schedule. Whitstable, walk by the sea. Canterbury and see the sites, and be nostalgic. Return to Littlebourne where Bob grew up, and the Churchyard where his dad is buried. Deal Beach Parlours [once owned by Bob's Italian godmother] for an ice cream. Stroll through picturesque Rye. Eat a sandwich in Sandwich...It didn't happen as planned 

Friday drove down, over Dartford Bridge, stopped at Bluewater for lunch in Leon. Got to uni at 3. Checked in [2nd floor room] Bob had back pain, so I walked to nearby Campus Co-op, got a couple of microwave ready meals for tea. He felt better after food, so at 7pm we drove to Whitstable for dessert.

Saturday into city centre for 9.45. The Medieval Pageant was due to start at 11. We pootled along, visited his Mum's church [not been there since his sister's wedding nearly 44 years ago] looked at people in costume setting up stalls, and displays in the Library, had a coffee. 10.55 we were in the Methodist Church, and Bob said he needed to sit for a bit. I went outside for 10 minutes to watch the procession pass by. Returned to find him feeling really unwell, The kind church ladies looked after him whilst I fetched the car and was able to drive it round to side entrance. Back to Uni. Arranged to change to a ground floor room. It was Really Hot. Bob slept. I took the car to big supermarket for more food. 

Sunday after a disturbed night, Bob said he still wanted to go to Littlebourne. The sun was shining brightly. We had coffee in the local pub, visited the lovely old church [no service this week] and stood quietly at Dad's grave under the trees. Onto Sandwich, for a sandwich

The Folk and Ale Festival was in full swing, great music and Morris Dancers everywhere. Excellent sandwiches. Onto to Dover, to the Ancient Maison Dieu. Then the heavens opened, we were soaked to the skin. Bob felt ill again, acute pain, nausea and more. Back at Uni he phoned 111, we ended up in Ashford Hospital Urgent Treatment Centre. Kidney infection, antibiotics. Monday He slept all day.

Tuesday we came home a day early, it was a long drive - and I managed it ok [but 8 miles from home, we stopped for petrol, and he kindly took over for the last bit]. 

I did manage to get a few good pictures, and will post them later. Right now I'm concentrating on nursing duties. Happy to say that Bob is getting better, slowly

The Green Leaves Of Summer

The tree does not really seemed to have changed since June - but notice that the crop beneath continues to change colour.

The music is the song from the 1960 film "The Alamo" . The lyrics have nothing whatsoever to do with that historic siege, nor yet Davy Crockett!

 

Please, Grandma...

George would like a Pokémon costume. Specifically the Pokémon Legends: Arceus Rei character. What? Who? I'm seriously out of touch here. 

It's this guy. Steph suggested it might make sense just to modify a dressing gown, to get the simple wraparound jacket. She didn't think it would need to be shortened.

Blue fleece d/g duly bought and sent to Cornerstones. I researched the gold "Team Galaxy" sleeve logo and the grey diamond one on the chest. I found some mustard fabric for the sash, leftover from the dress I made for myself 5 years ago. And for the scarf and hat, the rest of that red curtain which lined the cape of the Worst Witch for World Book Day 2024.

The d/g was a fleecy blue fabric which looked like it would shed fibres if cut. So I wed a new collar, cuffs, and hood lining in white French Terry fabric. These were stitched in place with no cutting. 

Yet again I am thrilled with my sewing machine - the "walking foot" made sewing the thicker layers so easy. 

George seems very happy with my efforts, and promptly WhatsApped to say thank you. Despite the heat, he was reluctant to take off the fleecy costume!

Thank you for all those kind words yesterday and the assurance of your prayers 

I Will Hold Your People In My Heart

This beautiful hymn, written by Daniel Schutte, a Jesuit Priest in San Francisco, has resonated with me since I first heard it about thirty years ago. It reminds me that God is Lord of all creation, and cares for all humanity. And He asks me to share in that mission of love and care for all creation and for all people [whether or not they consider themselves Christians] But the last line of the chorus "I will hold your people in my heart" has always been associated in my mind with caring especially for those in the church fellowships to which I have belonged down the years. 
Last Sunday, I was elected to be a deacon in our Baptist Chapel, part of the leadership team - called to seek God's will and way forward for those friends who worship Sunday by Sunday. There are 5 other deacons plus Nick our Pastor. I've never been a deacon before [it's not appropriate if your parent or spouse is the Pastor] If you are the praying sort, 🙏 please pray God will give me grace, strength and wisdom for this new role. Thank you 🙏

I, the Lord of sea and sky,

I have heard My people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin My hand will save.
I, who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear My light to them – whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if You lead me;
I will hold Your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne My people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them; they turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
Give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak My Word to them – whom shall I send?

I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them; My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide,
Till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give My life to them – whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if You lead me;
I will hold Your people in my heart.