Little Eaton Produce Show

The Little Eaton Produce Show was held on Saturday 11th September in the new Village Hall. The day dawned bright as I picked my marrow from underneath the many leaves that were covering it - was it damaged? would it be alright? I carried it indoors and gave it a wipe with a cloth and spoke a few kind words to it. I busied myself making a Lemon Drizzle cake and making sure my pot of strawberry jam was labelled as the instructions. I found a fabric shopping bag that I had made in the summer - nothing fancy just a plain bag for carrying those essential items. I was ready. I drove very carefully to the village Hall trying to make sure that my cake did not slip off its plate. All was ready and my itmes duly displayed. I must admit my marrow looked a bit lost as it sat next to two rather fat marrows spendid in colour. However I reassured it that it didn't matter - he was spendid to me.
WE all went back in the afternoon. It was the first time I have entered anything in a show and being involved in our new village life. What a splendid time we had looking at all the items. I loved the photographs and the work. from the little nursery and junior school. I received a second place for my lemon drizzle cake, but I was proud to have taken part.
The photograph shows my lttle marrow and don't forget to take a look at the slideshow on the sidebar

This Moment

This Moment was inspired by Soulemama
http://www.soulemama.com/soulemama/

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

A BIG THANKYOU

Hi everyone
I just had to write and say a BIG THANKYOU to a lady in Slovenia. I received a beautiful sheep pillowcase in the post this morning with a little note attached saying a pillowcase made with love for someone special. This pillowcase will be added to others I am currently making for ConKerr Cancer. As you know I have started a'Chapter' here in the UK donating pillowcases to children who have cancer or other chronic illness. All pillowcases are gratefully received and donated to local hospices. You can see more about this charity on
http://www.conkerrcancer.org

Happy Weekend

Brown sugar pastry - Blackberry Meringue

I found this recipe whilst searching through magazines for ideas of what to cook with the children at school.

Brown Sugar Pastry - Blackberry Meringue
Ingredients
350g plain flour
75g brown sugar
125g butter
2 egg yolks
drops of vanilla essence
5-6 tablespoons water
500g blackberries - hulled and washed
100g sugar
Meringue
2 egg whites
50g caster sugar

Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to Gas 6/200C/400F
2. Place the flour, butter and brown sugar into food processor
3. Whizz to fine crumbs and then add the egg yolks, vanilla ess. and water until
binded together
4. Tip dough onto table and divide into two portions - freeze one portion of pastry
for another day as you will just love this pastry
5. Roll out the pastry and line a baking dish, prick the base with a fork and bake
blind for 20-25 minutes - remove from oven
6. Whilst the patry is baking make the filling.
7. Combine the blackerries and sugar into another dish and place in oven below
the pastry - the blackberries will roast until soft for approx 20 mins
Remove from oven and cool
8. Place blackberries onto pastry base - remove any excess liquid or pastry becomes
soggy
9. Using an electric mixer whisk the egg white together until thick and stands up
in soft peaks.
10. Add the sugar gradually until you have a thick, glossy meringue mixture
11. Spread over the blackberries and bake for 5-6 mins on Gas 6/200C/400F until
meringue is golden brown.

Serve with ice-cream. What could be nicer than this for a Sunday pudding?

This Moment

This Moment was inspired by Soulemama
http://www.soulemama.com/soulemama/

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.