Dear Margo
How fabulous you were on Countryfile! I rang everyone I know to tell them you'd be on. Some of the ladies in the village misunderstood and thought you were the expert on food miles. I had to tell them that you were being featured as the 'ordinary person'. How lucky you were to get so close to John Craven and share your Marmalade Loaf with him, no wonder you had sticky fingers afterwards.
Toodle Pip, Lucy.
Thursday, 29 March 2012
Friday, 16 March 2012
Bloody Margo!
Well, Lucy, she's at it again! Hobnobbing with the 'Country File' crew - is that what happens when you get yourself a new kitchen? Can that woman get any more superior? I'm surprised she condescends to write to such a mere mortal as you... What inside information do you have on her? Is there a skeleton in her Smallbone of Devizes cupboard, I wonder. I know I shouldn't let her get to me, but she's fast becoming a major source of irritation - like itching powder in one's underwear. I do hope that she's not going to come between us; you know how much I value your friendship and, at times like these, 200 miles may as well be 2000. Even my cakes have sagged this week. Do say she riles you a little, won't you?
The cake is quite extraordinary, you get a variety of flavours from the chocolate, ginger, chilli and treacle that seem to develop as the cake matures. I've had it a week now (none of my brood will eat it as it isn't pure chocolate) and it's still moist and delicious. Perfect with a cup of tea.
I'm afraid that Margo's purchase of 'our' book and her delightful-looking Marmalade Cake sent me scurrying into the pages of another cookery tome: "The Great British Bake Off: how to bake"; I just had to put a little distance between us.
Anyway, comfort was needed, so chocolate was the answer! A girl at school has Turner's Syndrome and was doing a cake stall to raise funds, so I made Chocolate Crackles (yummy biscuits) for her and Chocolate Chilli Cake for me. Both were delicious; she raised £80 and I expanded my waistline!
The cake is quite extraordinary, you get a variety of flavours from the chocolate, ginger, chilli and treacle that seem to develop as the cake matures. I've had it a week now (none of my brood will eat it as it isn't pure chocolate) and it's still moist and delicious. Perfect with a cup of tea.Well dear, all this talk of cake has reminded me it's lunchtime, so I'll send this and get on. Hope all is well with you, I haven't even asked (sorry).
Love to you, my dear friend,
Cathy x
PS: I've just had a naughty thought - I wonder if Margo's cake contained any of those strange black things that were in the jar of marmalade she gave to you? I do hope she didn't damage a tooth...
PPS: Be careful; I think she may be delusional: Country File wasn't anywhere near your neck of the woods last Sunday. The TV listings for the next two weeks don't look good for Margo, either. Were they even at her house?
PPPS: Alas, not delusional at all. Having watched said episode on BBCiPlayer, I can confirm that she did eat with John and Mike and that her kitchen is gorgeous. Bloody Margo!
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
Margo's Sticky Marmalade Tea Loaf
Dear Lucinda
Just wanted to drop you a quick line to 1/ say how lovely it was to see you recently and 2/ inform you that I have just purchased that little cookery book you and Cathy Chino are so fond of, and lo and behold, would you believe it, when I unwrapped it, it mysteriously fell open at page 130
Sticky Marmalade Tea Loaf. Well, that was it, pinny on and away I went.
I left it for Mr Mocha to put in the Aga as I had to dash to meet that nice man off the television, John Craven. We did a spot of filming at the local supermarket, then back to our house for more filming - Sound man, Camera man and Director all in toe. Luckily, I had already made my trademark chocolate cake (apologies Ms Collister, dare I say it, a recipe from my dear old friend Delia) which we all washed down with mugs of hot tea and cafetiere coffee, then on with the filming. We chatted about the carbon footprint of our food, which I am now very well educated about thanks to 'Mike' the expert. Next, a spot of cooking with 'Kale'. I have it on good authority that it used to be fed to cattle, but it was very tasty with chicken and potatoes, even middle Mocha enjoyed it. Alas, tiny Mocha was more interested in his Mario Party on the Wii, than the lights, cameras and other TV paraphernalia taking up my kitchen. So, now we wait with great anticipation for the broadcast of 'Countryfile' on 11th March.
I only pray we don't live to regret it and end up on Harry Hill's TV Burp!
I digress, back to my baking. The loaf was delicious, but my advice would be to have a wet-wipe handy for sticky fingers!
Ta Ta for now
Margo xx
Just wanted to drop you a quick line to 1/ say how lovely it was to see you recently and 2/ inform you that I have just purchased that little cookery book you and Cathy Chino are so fond of, and lo and behold, would you believe it, when I unwrapped it, it mysteriously fell open at page 130
Sticky Marmalade Tea Loaf. Well, that was it, pinny on and away I went.
I left it for Mr Mocha to put in the Aga as I had to dash to meet that nice man off the television, John Craven. We did a spot of filming at the local supermarket, then back to our house for more filming - Sound man, Camera man and Director all in toe. Luckily, I had already made my trademark chocolate cake (apologies Ms Collister, dare I say it, a recipe from my dear old friend Delia) which we all washed down with mugs of hot tea and cafetiere coffee, then on with the filming. We chatted about the carbon footprint of our food, which I am now very well educated about thanks to 'Mike' the expert. Next, a spot of cooking with 'Kale'. I have it on good authority that it used to be fed to cattle, but it was very tasty with chicken and potatoes, even middle Mocha enjoyed it. Alas, tiny Mocha was more interested in his Mario Party on the Wii, than the lights, cameras and other TV paraphernalia taking up my kitchen. So, now we wait with great anticipation for the broadcast of 'Countryfile' on 11th March.
I only pray we don't live to regret it and end up on Harry Hill's TV Burp!
I digress, back to my baking. The loaf was delicious, but my advice would be to have a wet-wipe handy for sticky fingers!
Ta Ta for now
Margo xx
Sunday, 19 February 2012
Carrot Cake
Dear Cathy
I don't know which is worse, using that state-of-the-art food mixer while all the time professing to be a purist, or owning such a magnificent machine just for show!
This weekend we had a visitor staying and I know he is particularly partial to a carrot cake. What with all my voluntary work, I didn't get chance to bake on the Friday he arrived, although I did serve up a tasty lasagne with a crisp green salad for supper, followed by a couple of bottles of red wine.
By the time I went to bed I had become quite political and was slurring a bit, but luckily I didn't stray beyond the bounds of good taste. The next day I was a bit dizzy but still produced a glorious butternut squash and red pepper soup (recipe courtesy of Margo) and aforementioned carrot cake.
The cake was easy to make as it's one of those recipes that contains vegetable oil rather than butter (sounds awful doesn't it?), but you just throw everything together, slop it into two cake tins and pop it in the oven. It was quite a dark mixture, what with all that brown sugar, and little Latte said it looked like poo when we put it in to bake. (It didn't stop her licking the bowl out.) The cake was very tasty and super-moist, and I became over-confident with the icing. I made it in a rush and it turned out to be runny and lumpy - like sick! I had to throw it away and start again, this time adding the cream cheese to the butter and orange juice, little by little, in order to prevent it from curdling. Et voila! De Gateau aux Carrottes!
Well dear, must get on. Mr Latte and the little ones are at the village hall rehearsing for the pantomime and I want to use the time to get a few jobs done. I applied some beautiful stage make-up to the children before they left - they looked like two miniature Margot Fonteyns. I turned my back for two minutes and some official had gone over the top of my artistry with some luminous bright blue eye shadow. Unbelievable! Mark my words, if they come out in a rash someone will feel my boot up their arse!
Much Love, Lucy. x
I don't know which is worse, using that state-of-the-art food mixer while all the time professing to be a purist, or owning such a magnificent machine just for show!
This weekend we had a visitor staying and I know he is particularly partial to a carrot cake. What with all my voluntary work, I didn't get chance to bake on the Friday he arrived, although I did serve up a tasty lasagne with a crisp green salad for supper, followed by a couple of bottles of red wine.
By the time I went to bed I had become quite political and was slurring a bit, but luckily I didn't stray beyond the bounds of good taste. The next day I was a bit dizzy but still produced a glorious butternut squash and red pepper soup (recipe courtesy of Margo) and aforementioned carrot cake.
The cake was easy to make as it's one of those recipes that contains vegetable oil rather than butter (sounds awful doesn't it?), but you just throw everything together, slop it into two cake tins and pop it in the oven. It was quite a dark mixture, what with all that brown sugar, and little Latte said it looked like poo when we put it in to bake. (It didn't stop her licking the bowl out.) The cake was very tasty and super-moist, and I became over-confident with the icing. I made it in a rush and it turned out to be runny and lumpy - like sick! I had to throw it away and start again, this time adding the cream cheese to the butter and orange juice, little by little, in order to prevent it from curdling. Et voila! De Gateau aux Carrottes!
Well dear, must get on. Mr Latte and the little ones are at the village hall rehearsing for the pantomime and I want to use the time to get a few jobs done. I applied some beautiful stage make-up to the children before they left - they looked like two miniature Margot Fonteyns. I turned my back for two minutes and some official had gone over the top of my artistry with some luminous bright blue eye shadow. Unbelievable! Mark my words, if they come out in a rash someone will feel my boot up their arse!
Much Love, Lucy. x
Friday, 10 February 2012
Little Pots of Baked Chocolate
Hello dear!
I can't say I'm surprised at all by Margo's ostentatious new kitchen - if ever there was a woman who had it all and never tired of telling us about it, it's her. Chandeliers?! But I do see a chink in her armour - did you say a shiny red food processor? I thought Margo was a stickler for the wooden spoon and mixing bowl; what a duplicitous woman she is. I shall no longer feel inferior because I have to get by with a Sainsbury's Basics electric whisk! I can work wonders with it and don't need to pretend; I bet she distresses shop bought mince pies at Christmas and passes them off as her own...
This evening I am feeling most satisfied, even a little smug. After a particularly challenging week, I decided that the Chino Family needed a little spoiling and set to planning a lovely evening meal. We ate chicken and mushroom risotto followed by Little Pots of Baked Chocolate (heavenly!) and yes, the 'molten chocolate centre' did 'ooze out' as I broke the crust. I believe that even Raymond Blanc would have been impressed.
[This picture was taken after the pudding had cooled so, Margo, the inside is not oozing.]
The recipe required 300g of good plain chocolate; when I came to inspect the contents of my larder cupboard, I only had 200g of Bourneville; drat! I rifled through the fridge and found another 50g and a single chocolate from a Christmas variety box; getting closer! But how could I make up the final 50g? In desperation (on so many levels) I was forced to use the last of my Cherry Green & Blacks. What resulted was actually quite pleasant, however, one of my youngest nearly went apoplectic when he came across the alien fruit in his desert. Honestly, if it's not a banana, he won't go near it. I bet Margo's children eat all sorts of exotic things. By the way, what is that black speck in the marmalade? Heaven forbid it's anything untoward; as long as it's not your charred flesh, Lucy...
Speak soon, Cathy x
Tuesday, 24 January 2012
Margo's Marmalade
Dear Cathy
Nice of you to drop me a note but I wasn't worried about you. I remember only too well last year when you went AWOL for a month and it turned out you were sitting on your backside without a care in the world somewhere on the Costa del Sol. I was beginning to wonder about Margo though, as we haven't heard from her for a while, so I popped in on her today.
It was a surprise visit, and I found her in her newly remodelled kitchen making Marmalade. The kitchen looked beautiful I must say. She has a classic cream Aga, a stylish kitchen island, several stained-glass windows, one of those fab red food mixers they use on The Great British Bake-Off, and not one, but two HUGE chandeliers. The place was spick and span, and there she was, just about to do the wrinkle test - on her Marmalade.
When the boiling mixture had reached setting point she lifted the huge preserving pan off the Aga and poured the contents into jars (and over the table) 'freehand'. I was holding the jars steady and let me tell you it's a wonder I've got any skin left on my arms. If you want to know what to buy Margo for Christmas next year, for god's sake get her a funnel. Anyway, while I was there she made a phone call and while she was distracted I took the opportunity to run my finger along a few of the less conspicuous work surfaces, but not a trace of muck anywhere. (I bet her bedroom is strewn with wet towels and dirty underpants.) She was kind enough to send me home with a (small) jar of her freshly made marmalade - pictured. I could ask her to write with the recipe if you were interested?
Did I ever tell you about the time Margo and I went to see The Vagina Monologues together? We were waiting for curtain-up and Margo was just telling me that she'd left her brood with a roast chicken, stuffing, roast potatoes, carrots, beans, cauliflower, cabbage and god knows what else, when she received a text from Mr Margo which read: "No gravy - gutted!"
I'd left Mr Latte a piece of toast on a plate with an unopened tin of sardines on top. Some men don't know they're born do they?
Speak soon dear. Love Lucy. x
PS Did I tell you about my new Breville 'Cafe Style Sandwich Press'???
Nice of you to drop me a note but I wasn't worried about you. I remember only too well last year when you went AWOL for a month and it turned out you were sitting on your backside without a care in the world somewhere on the Costa del Sol. I was beginning to wonder about Margo though, as we haven't heard from her for a while, so I popped in on her today.
It was a surprise visit, and I found her in her newly remodelled kitchen making Marmalade. The kitchen looked beautiful I must say. She has a classic cream Aga, a stylish kitchen island, several stained-glass windows, one of those fab red food mixers they use on The Great British Bake-Off, and not one, but two HUGE chandeliers. The place was spick and span, and there she was, just about to do the wrinkle test - on her Marmalade.
When the boiling mixture had reached setting point she lifted the huge preserving pan off the Aga and poured the contents into jars (and over the table) 'freehand'. I was holding the jars steady and let me tell you it's a wonder I've got any skin left on my arms. If you want to know what to buy Margo for Christmas next year, for god's sake get her a funnel. Anyway, while I was there she made a phone call and while she was distracted I took the opportunity to run my finger along a few of the less conspicuous work surfaces, but not a trace of muck anywhere. (I bet her bedroom is strewn with wet towels and dirty underpants.) She was kind enough to send me home with a (small) jar of her freshly made marmalade - pictured. I could ask her to write with the recipe if you were interested?
Did I ever tell you about the time Margo and I went to see The Vagina Monologues together? We were waiting for curtain-up and Margo was just telling me that she'd left her brood with a roast chicken, stuffing, roast potatoes, carrots, beans, cauliflower, cabbage and god knows what else, when she received a text from Mr Margo which read: "No gravy - gutted!"
I'd left Mr Latte a piece of toast on a plate with an unopened tin of sardines on top. Some men don't know they're born do they?
Speak soon dear. Love Lucy. x
PS Did I tell you about my new Breville 'Cafe Style Sandwich Press'???
Sunday, 22 January 2012
Happy New(ish) Year!
Happy New Year, Lucy! I can't believe that we're almost in February! Where is the time going?
I have to apologise for my lack of baking - I'm afraid that my beloved has transmogrified into somewhat of a foodie fascist in a bid to rid himself of a spare-tyre's worth of festive fayre. The least mention of anything more fattening than a limp crudite has him launching into a rant about health and fitness. I wouldn't mind, darling, but there is a cupboard full of left-over chocolates that I'm having to consume, surreptitiously; it's a dirty job, but someone has to do it...
I'm hoping to be able to bake later in the week as the Chino children are about to take packed lunches to school, and shall want something 'cakey' to accompany their sandwiches. I do hope it all goes well, Mr Chino has volunteered to make their lunches, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the responsibility will fall to me ere long; 'twas ever thus - I remember the long discussions we had as a family before we got the dog, last summer: "Oh, yes! We'll all walk her!", "I'll get up at 6 o'clock in the morning to take her around the block, Mum.", "We'll have lovely family walks at the weekend!"Needless to say, I'm the only person who remembers the aforementioned conversations and the only one who turfs out at all hours and in all weathers! (But that's how I can get away with finishing-off all of the chocolates without my jeans giving me away!)
I'll write to you again very soon, with results of my latest bake.
Hope all is well with you and that your oven is sparkling, once again.
Much love, Cathy x
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