Thinking of Cookery & Christmas ...

I’m planning to try out my first recipe from Mr F-W’s recent publication of cookery.

The recipe of choice is Brownies (not of the yellow blob variety that Dr T has been teasing me about); as I feel they will go with our (chocolate optional) pudding on Saturday of waffles (with hints of cream/ ice cream) when we (finally) have the newly marrieds over for dinner (in reply to their much appreciated BBQs over the summer).

Hmm I think next to try is turkish delight for the festive season. Homemade Turkish Delight always makes me think of Brownies and the sweet stall at the church Autumn fayre. Tawny made the sweets (Fudge, Turkish Delight, Chocolate shapes, coconut ice, peppermint creams & I’m sure others) and us Brownies got to play shops! The problem is that Turkish Delight is a fickle beast and sometimes it came out as a rather slippery treat (but still yummy!). She’s now hit the magic age (so no longer a Guider) and has transferred to being the stalwart of the local Trefoil Guild. Taking over from the previous lovely TGer who was starting to find things getting harder with age; so county catering still comes out of Canterbury TG most of the time! I still remember the previous stalwart doing a full poached salmon with the cucumber scales for a County Commissioners Retirement do at the County President’s house. She has come out of sweet making retirement on a couple of occasions for some Guides who were fundraising for an international trip by having a fayre so provided essentially the Brownie Sweet Stall again! (to the joy of some of the parishioners who made purchases there!).

Still on a food theme, I have an idea for my parents present; the slight resurrection of something our (fav) Big Granny (Bigger & taller than Little Granny and closest one so we saw quite a bit of her) used to do when we were kids. I’m going to make them up a hamper of treat type food. BG used to come and stay for Christmas and bring with her a fruit tray of yummy Christmas treats, which would always be covered by a tea towel that we weren’t allowed to remove until it was in the kitchen! Underneath would be the dates, nuts, biscuits for cheese, choccy biccies, orange and lemon jelly slices and other Christmas treats. It’s been a good number of years since she died, but it’s still something that brings back happy Christmas memories (especially when drying up will all the tea towels!). I have a really small extended family so usually it was just BG visiting for Christmas, hence my sister’s excitement at cooking for 9 this year on Christmas Day! It’s the most she’s ever known. The tea towel and Orange & Lemon Slices are a definite item to go in … but I think some of the other stuff will be luxury/ different items to try.

Ooooh December is nearly here so time to get thinking of presents! (Despite Woolies having played Christmas music since 31st October!)