Dearest Lucy, How are you? I feel like I've just emerged from hibernation - where did November and December go? - but, in truth, I could sleep for a couple of months. I've just surfaced from a nap on the sofa to make a cup of tea accompanied by a fresh bread roll slathered with Lemon Curd in order to have the energy to write to you. I do hope that you got my Christmas card so you know I hadn't totally dropped off the radar...
I really feel as though Christmas crept up behind me and took me by absolute surprise, despite the fact that I'd bought cards last January and the presents were all wrapped three weeks before the big day. The Chino children decorated the tree, so my tradition of playing Dean Martin's "My Kind Of Christmas" with baubles in my hand was ignored, and the poor tree was heavily decorated in one spot and virtually bare the rest of the way round - I spent the next few days surreptitiously moving decorations to fill in the blanks. I have baked - boy, have I baked - but I don't have any photographs to prove it, so I shall add some 'professional-looking' ones to illustrate what I've done.
I made Margot's Sticky Marmalade cake for a friend;
a Raspberry Clafoutis (although it's not strictly called a clafoutis unless you use cherries, apparently)
and a Lemon Meringue Pie.
I have resorted to shop-bought pastry cases and have had none of the disasters that befell me when I made the whole thing from scratch.
Chino child number one had to produce a model of a specialised cel for Science, so I made a square sponge cake and he iced, decorated and labelled it. He dyed some royal icing yellow, used a strawberry shoelace, jelly tots and a giant chocolate button for the various parts and finished it with white royal icing. I do so wish we had a photograph, but it was whisked away by a teacher and returned a week later in an inedible condition.
He did terribly well, getting a 6A, but a friend of his (whose mother made the whole thing out of jelly for him) got a 7A. I was gutted, but proud that my son had earned his mark, not me! I don't think we teach our children anything by doing everything for them, to which end, the little Chino children were wielding the vacuum cleaner yesterday. They declared it to be 'very hard work' and now have a bit more insight into what mummy does.
We were away skiing in France for the Christmas week (where I indulged in the most fabulous chocolate and almond gateau), nevertheless, the Chino Family hosted our annual tradition of a New Year's Day walk and feast so as to allow us to catch up with friends in our town. What a triumph! After a bracing walk on Redcar beach, Mr Chino served a chili and a prepared selection of M&S nibbles, while I delighted our guests with another Clafoutis, Lemon Meringue Pie and a Death by Chocolate cake.
Other offerings to the banquet were a Turkey Curry, home-made Christmas pudding, mulled wine and a Pineapple Cheesecake; our friends are so generous! (As are the people whose pictures I've used to illustrate my efforts)
I was delighted to hear of your dancing success and envision Mr Latte and you to be very much like the triumphant Louis Smith and Flavia in Strictly 2012! Well done you!
And now, I am in need of much rest before next Monday when we all return to school.
Off for another nap; much love Cathy x