Tuesday, July 31, 2012

In which we make pop biscuits and I am serene...

 
On Monday morning while Minty is at kinder Turi and I usually find ourselves with a little 'alone time' to fill in.  More often than not, we end up in the kitchen together for a spot of baking.  Since Turi is still only two, the kitchen tasks he can actually complete are still a bit limited.  Mostly it's his job to carry the ingredients from the fridge, press the button on the electric scales, tip things into the bowl, and of course the most important job of all, lick the spoon!  Occasionally he will over enthusiastically attempt to crack an egg, slip with the stirring spoon and throw flour all over the floor or 'zero' the scales midway through measuring.  I have to say 'it's not licking time yet' more times than I can count.  I have to constantly remind myself, 'you are calm and serene'.  In other words it's typical 2-year-old fun!

Lately we've been trying to recreate the pop biscuits from Enid Blyton's Faraway Tree (or 'pop cakes' if you are reading from the overly sanitised and Americanised newer editions).  

'She [Silky] brought our a tin of Pop Biscuits, which were lovely.  As soon as you bit them they went pop! and you suddenly found your mouth filled with new honey from the middle of the biscuits.  Fanny took seven, one after another, for she was rather greedy.'

Don't you just love Fanny?  I can really relate.

Trying to actually create a biscuit that is filled with honey is more difficult than you'd think.  The honey completely melted into the biscuits in our first attempt and though they were lip lickingly delicious, they weren't exactly pop biscuits.  This week we used a little tart tin to help the biscuits keep their shape and hold the honey.  The result was certainly more successful with a proper honey centre.  They looked a little bit like a mince pie though so I think there is still room for improvement.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Why I haven't been blogging...


 
I'm having some technical difficulties getting my photos from my flash card onto the computer.  I know, sounds like it should be super simple right?  But for some reason I'm getting all these error messages when I try and transfer them from the server to my laptop and tech support (aka the Mr.) has been working and skiing and hasn't been around to sort out my drama.  I feel a bit naked blogging without pictures. (I took these photos a couple of weeks ago when we visited my little niece)

We have no TV at our new house.  The valley we live in is some kind of media dead zone, which means we would need a 4 meter aerial to get reception.  The Mr. feels this would be a grossly unsightly addition to our abode, so I am forgoing Grey's Anatomy and The Shire in favour of architectural aesthetics.  Oddly, despite being a self confessed raging television addict, I haven't missed it in the slightest.  And since giving up TV cold turkey I no longer feel like listening to popular top 40 style radio stations.  I am living a vaguely puritanical existence in which I only listen to ABC classic FM and go to bed at around 8pm.  As you can see my life is endlessly exciting!

I have been busy in the kitchen, so when I finally manage to sort out my photographic issues I'll share some more exciting things.  I've been making lots of wintery treats like rainbow chard pies, beetroot pesto and Irish beer bread.  Turi and I have even been experimenting trying to recreate Far Away Tree pop biscuits!

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

In which there is raspberry jam and stress eating...


 
This blog space has been awfully quiet the last couple of months.  I'm really beginning to miss my camera and recording our stories here.  We're finally beginning to get settled into our new house.  We still don't have lights or a proper power connection but all our belongings are here (albeit many of them still in boxes and piles of rubble).  My psyche is gradually relocating here too.  I still don't automatically refer to this as 'home' but I'm starting to feel that sense of peace and relaxation you get when you drive up your own driveway.

We got a little care package in the mail from a friend this week.  It had some cute knitted bunnies for the kids, some homemade raspberry jam and quince paste.  Such a great start to the week!  There was also some almond and cherry bread that I was looking forward to nibbling on with a cup of tea and a good book after the kids were in bed.  Unfortunately Turi burnt his hand on our site flood lights and Minty scoffed the entire packet, with a wild look of panic in her eyes, during the commotion!  Clearly I have raised a little stress eater.  Turi is ok.  Thanks Manu!