Ken Wood.

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Remember this, The day the Kenwood died.

And this, A post about a poorly Kenwood.

And this, lovely pavlova’s

Well, we have been talking and thinking and then more talking about whether to get our Kenwood restored or to buy a new one.  Both of which we have baulked over the cost.  You see if I was going to get another Kenwood, I would like to get a top of the range one, one with metal body and a high spec motor, one that may last another 60 years.  One, the boys (or their wives) will fight over come the time I go to pastures new.

I wonder if Ken Wood (yes really, his name was Ken Wood) had any idea what he was inventing all those years ago of which we had the first off the production line.  Or should I say hubby’s Mum did. I wonder if he knew the pleasure he would bring millions of women and their families and friends.  Did he have any idea.  Or did he know and secretly was very pleased with himself when he saw how beautifully he was making his motor and knew that it would last a very long time.  That it was built on the lines of a high quality roller and not an old banger to get you from a to b.  I wish I knew the man and was able to thank him for all those happy times me and my Kenwood have had together.

And yet we remained in a state of flux not knowing which way to go, to restore and admire the lines of beauty of the machine we have known and loved for so long, or to go the whole hog, and buy something new that we will be able to play with for many years down the line.  What with our Kenwood having lost its mincer, sausage maker, other gubbins many years ago. (we think in a house move).  But still the cost, wow the cost.

When, we decided to look at just how many points we had accrued on a card that hubby has had for many a long year and just uses to pay for petrol that he has been collecting the points for, for 23 years.  It had rather a lot of points, enough points to all but pay for this little baby. I was quite giddy with excitement as we finalised our choice of machine.

 May I introduce our oldest of Kenwoods, as you can see from the vent on the first machine it is a single vent, the next machines had two vents (or something like that)
Next to each other.  The old and the new, our new one has a much bigger bowl, much easier to do battle with dough and Christmas cakes and double mixes of delicious cake mixture and with a 1500w motor, compared to our 500w on the old machine, I don’t think it will cause any trouble.
I made a chefs salad to go with our supper, it took seconds in the food processor which fits so nicely on the top.
I thought I would whip up a few fairy cakes for the knitters tomorrow.
They might need sustenance, we have a new range from Drops by Garnstudio in which has been eagerly anticipated by our Saturday knitters.
 I tried to pipe, but I am rubbish at piping, especially when I couldn’t find the right sized piping nozzle.
 I’ve been missing my Kenwood, I have. 
I think we are going to have a lot of fun, can’t wait to try the sausage maker!

Roses grow on you.

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We have just celebrated our 24th Wedding Anniversary.  I know, doesn’t time fly.
Hubby sent me these, the most beautiful long stemmed red roses I have ever seen.
 Florence clearly approves.
 A dozen beautiful long stemmed roses, such a treat in January.
 
 And then came home with another two dozen! 
We spent the evening quietly, finishing the Christmas port (A Quinta Do Noval 1975 from our cellar – and very nice it was too), looking through seed catalogues, crocheting, warming toes by our open fire and talking about our forthcoming trip to London. 
Whilst all the time gazing at my lovely husband and these lovely roses.

Oooh Yes! Peanut Bread.

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 First of all I’ll just show you a quick peek of my second loaf of bread from Paul Hollywoods new bread book.  I can’t remember which one it was, it was a simple white one and it turned our quite nicely.
But the real fun started when I gave hubby a list of bread ingredients which I now have stashed in the cupboards and fridge.  Which bread to try first, well it was Sunday, so a little treat was in order.  
 
I decided to make the peanut bread.  It was simplicity itself, you do a little bit of work and leave it to rest for an hour, a bit more work then rest for an hour, a bit more work then rest for an hour and then pop it in the oven. I suppose all bread is like that really. 
   
It was tea time when it came out, so warm peanut bread with chocolate spread warming through and turning absolutely delicious was an absolute winner.  I can imagine this bread toasted with mashed banana on it perhaps with a dribble of honey.  I think this bread will become a firm favourite in our home.
One thing I have found out about myself is that I have always made bread in batches in the morning and then froze the surplus.  And the bread that is frozen is never quite the same as fresh bread, even if you rewarm it in the oven, it seems to have lost some of its moisture and bounce.  So what I have found out, is that making one loaf takes moments, that making bread in the evening actually works really well time wise, I can easily fit it in between cooking the evening meal, knitting and homework and there is fresh bread ready for tomorrow morning. 

Our daily bread.

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I seem to have come across many blogs of late extolling the virtues of their home made bread. 
It was like preaching to the converted, I’ve been making bread for 35 years, am I really that old? Okay not always every week, or even month, but fairly regularly to have picked up a few tricks. 
However since I started college, I haven’t had the energy to put yeast to flour, or the inclination, but lately I  feel more energised, and I although I find this slightly perplexing, I am not going to question it too deeply and just enjoy the moment. 
After reading Carie’s blog the other day and wittering on about yeast, it got me thinking about bread and that new book of hers 100 Great Breads by Paul Hollywood, so I ordered it and it came yesterday, ’cause I am impatient and fast tracked it.  Its a great book, (thank you for sharing Carie,) there were some breads that I thought oooh yes, Date and Fig bread and some that I had never even seen let alone heard of, Peanut Bread with 3/4 of a jar of crunchy peanut butter, I reckon that could be fun, especially with a chocolate spread, or how about Banana and Muesli , or Chocolate and Sour Cherry? or do you fancy a savoury Stilton and Walnut to nibble at with a glass of port on a cold and wintery evening.  
Anyway I got home later than planned, threw yeast into warm water with a teaspoon of sugar and a sprinkling of flour, whilst I set about weighing flour and butter and finding sieves and baking trays, cooling racks etc.
After the yeast had woken up, even though it was a fast yeast I’ve always woken my yeast up, on the rare occasion I have just thrown it in the flour I feel I don’t get as good a result and it all seems much slower.  When the yeast was nice and frothy I melted my butter (it says rub it in, but hey, I don’t think the bread minded) and threw it all in together and needed for a full ten minutes until I had this.
 Looks good doesn’t it. 
 Tip two? (tip one was the yeast) 
Instead of putting the bread back in the bowl, having to find a tea towel and wet it and even when you do all that, unless your fastidious and get out every bit there are dried crunchy bits stuck to the bowl which end up in the bread. 
I turn my bowl over and place it over the dough.  It works a treat, no draughts, no skin forms on the dough and its in the perfect place to knock back, you don’t even have to grab it out the bowl. 
 Ready to go in the oven, slashed and dusted with flour. 
 And twenty five minutes later we had this. 
And fifteen minutes after that I had eaten two slices!, 
Its very good. I like the butter in it, I normally use oil and I definitely prefer the flavour, of butter,  for true transparency I used goats butter as that what was in my fridge. 
(It is a combination of the Crusty Cob and Batch Bread, – I forgot to add the sugar!, so I cooked it at a higher temperature as it had very little sugar in it) 
It was very therapeutic to make bread this evening, I really enjoyed giving it a good pummelling. 

Our boy’s 21st.

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At the moment I feel quite old. 
Our youngest has turned 21. 
And if that doesn’t make me appreciate the turn of the wheel, I don’t know what will. 
But within that, its a good feeling too, both boys are healthy (blows breath through lips and thanks god for that), intelligent and kind. What more could you ask from boys?
We partied,  there were very good lychee cockatails, it was the greatest fun. 

The boy turned 21, what can I say apart from,
It was magical. 

Our Christmas holidays.

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As hubby went shopping at the crack of dawn on Christmas Eve and was back by 8.30 a.m.  we only had very light duties to finish off and once finished I decided to treat hubby to lunch before going to our final shop. (more of which in a moment) So as I’d sampled the delights of Wagamama at our Christmas party for Wool Warehouse, which was the greatest fun, I decided to treat him too.  I also thought the lychee cocktails with freshly squeezed ginger were magical and deserved a second tasting.
 Starters, tuna which was zingingly fresh and a side dish of pickles.
After lunch we went off to Patisserie Comme-ci, Comme-ca.  Which is an amazing patisserie in Leamington and was revealed to me by Holly when she bought beautiful macaroons in to work.
 Treats for the afternoon, (those chocolate and raspberry truffly squares have a layer of compote/jelly/jam which makes a delightful fruity interlude against the power of the rich, soft and sultry chocolate.)
 
 Macaroons for treats.

 A yule log,  we also bought buttery croissants and almond & chocolate croissants which were extremely rich but very very good.

Christmas morning comes and I open my Christmas box to reveal…
  At which I gave a squeal of delight, an enormous project bag.
 Which slowly revealed my initials embossed in gold.
 
I think you can guess now. 
  
My very own satchel from the Cambridge company in which to put my pencil case, notebooks and apple for the teacher.  It is going to be greatest of fun using it. 
 Hubby and his newly knitted hat in Cocoon by Rowan in pattern First Encounter by Elisabeth F Parker.  
He likes it very much and says it keeps his ears warm.
Which I think it does because I have tried it on and it feels like you are putting on a hot water bottle.
 The boys waiting to start and Mum (me) is messing around with a camera.
 I am being hurried along, excuse the shaky photography. 
Note the home grown parsnips which were absolutely delicious this year and the dark greens consist of  home grown kale, black kale and brussel sprouts.
 The Pinata didn’t make it, one hit with a wooden spoon sent it spinning into orbit, so I will have to reinforce it next year.  The boys ended up holding it up, which was a game of nerves of steel in itself. 
 Having a relaxing Christmas allowed me to start this on Christmas Eve. At the moment all I can think about is granny squares with thanks to Holly for teaching them to me.  This is four colours placed together randomly to try and make something arty, rather than four colours repeated.  
(hubby’s jumper is on the back burner, sorry love, but its so mild!)
 So on the day after boxing day I trotted over to Wool Warehouse to spend my Christmas money, which lets face it was burning a hole in my pocket.
 And since then I have enjoyed every spare moment crocheting.
 This blanket has grown, it will only ever be a lap blanket due to the lack of wool, but it is pretty.
 And this, well, this particular blanket has been haunting me for a few years, it is so me in its choice of colours that in the last few years I have often felt it tugging at my heart strings.  So as soon as I learn’t to do granny squares I knew I had to make it.  It is Granny Squares Throw by Marie Wallin and already I have fallen deeply in love.

Merry Christmas Everyone.

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Well, it is Christmas Eve.
The shopping is in, the Pinata is made.
And I am sure we have a radio times somewhere and a tin of Quality Street. (which really was the essence of Christmas when I was growing up – non of that faff that Blumenthal puts in with smoking pine needles etc.)
The Pinata has been made hastily, but will serve its purpose for two sturdy boys to wield their wooden spoons.
And the board games are at the ready. 
And I think…. its stopped raining!
On that note, I hope everyone is safe and warm and has a cosy time with their loved ones.
 

A Tudor Christmas. (sort off)

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Its surprisingly cathartic to shake off the shackles of a modern day Christmas. 
Because of time and energy constraints this year, earlier this month I thought about what Christmas means to us, as a family. 
And what I came up with is that it wasn’t spending £50.00 on a turkey and then all of the trimmings, coming out of our local supermarket over a £100.00 lighter for a two day celebration/feast/festival.  
And that it wasn’t spending money on cards, writing them and then posting them causing considerable damage to the pocket money reserved for treats, for people that I haven’t seen in many a long year. So last year I stopped sending cards to everyone apart from family, warning family that I won’t be sending cards again.  I didn’t hear any howls of protestation so this year I haven’t bothered.  And all during the month of December I have felt free and lighter of spirit for not having to do that chore.
Our tree went up eventually, Hubby falling out of the attic whilst looking for the Christmas decorations he dropped the full length from attic to floor and landed on the ladder,  did stop play for quite a while, this included a couple of trips to the local hospital and another trip to the doctor.  He is still shaken and bruised but getting better.  Between us we managed to get the tree up.  Fortunately for us we chose a smaller than usual tree this year, (mainly because we gasped for breath at the price of our usual sized tree) but it may have been a blessing in disguise. Son no.2 is home from Uni and for the third year has decorated our tree for us, I think he quite likes this role and he does a lovely job of it.
Our roast meat this Christmas will be in the shape of a shoulder of pork with the bone left in, after trying this earlier in the year, Roast Pork and having our sons remember it with great affection we decided that this would be our centre piece and at £15.00 for a whole shoulder it was worth a go.  In Tudor England it would probably have been the head of a pig, complete with apple in the mouth.  And we will have fruits and dates in the form of a Christmas pudding for afters,  so quite authentic in many ways.
I am making our own Christmas crackers, and our pinata is drying as we speak to be made into a snowman sometime soon. Last year the boys loved bashing that to smithereens with the help of wooden spoons, it was great fun.  I am penny pinching this year, because well, we have three full time students in the house and in our different ways, we are spending money on our studies and one on his accommodation, food etc.  To be honest it has been a breath of fresh air, to stop the traditions that started to feel like a chore and to keep and introduce new ones that are more in keeping with our family.  Son no.1 is already lining up the Monopoly board for Christmas afternoon and evil taunts are being sparred about our poker playing skills.
Boxing day is being kept at the same level with roast pork, salad, pickles and hot crispy chips.  I found a quarter of a bottle of Cointreau in the back of the drinks cupboard I feel Crepe Suzette’s coming on as our boozy desert treat.  And hubby will be taking a bottle of vintage port, champagne and claret out of the thermoelectric cellar, so I don’t think we will do too bad.
I am knitting as fast as my little fingers will go to make hubby a Christmas jumper, I completed a sleeve today.  I don’t think I am going to get this finished in time, but it should get done before the end of December.
One thing is for sure, it will keep him warm coming the cold snaps of January. 

1st Granny Square.

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My Saturday job is a wondrous thing, I can’t tell you how happy I am to spring out of bed knowing that I have a full day ahead in which to immerse my self in all things yarny.  
My boss rather enjoys crochet and as such there are numerous crocheted blankets and throws to delight the eye and sink into whilst knitting a few rows during a quiet moment. 
And so to that end I asked her to teach me how to crochet a granny square. 
She did during the few moments of quiet we had before the afternoon rush. 
Today, I sat quietly for a few minutes and produced this. 
I did have a little help when I got stuck from Little Tin Bird.   
Who has an excellent tutorial for a basic granny square.
It is early days, but I can feel another addiction coming on.  
Mandy wanders off thinking ‘now where is that pattern I saw for a granny square crochet blanket that I saw in that Rowan book ages ago…’