Eat My Face

I have seen some Mother's Day paraphernalia but this takes the biscuit.  Last father's day Asher arrived on the outside of a cup however today for Mother's Day she turned up as a dinner plate sized biscuit.  No doubt another internet business, just send in your photo and we will bake you. There was also an array of other edible gardening implements. How did they know we would be doing a Mother's Day gardening session today?

Face Time

Eat Asher's face

edible tomato seeds

Barcelona Beauty

We have been to Barcelona about 6 times now and every time we have found different things to check out.  I originally had the Library in mind but it is closed on a Sunday however in the old town the Catalan courts and meeting rooms are a free entry.  We wandered the area checking out the old Roman walls.  Lunch consisted of small pasties made from very thin pastry. The afternoon was beachy and for the evening meal we had traditional Catalan paella. The internet is dodgy here I will add photos later.

Pocket Pasties

A Meating Room

Afternoon Tea

Yes the count down has reached the penultimate day.  This afternoon tea sendoff was more like a party.  It was cold outside but the number of bodies made every window in the house start dripping with condensation.  Many sandwiches and sausage rolls were consumed. Now for the Queensland weather.

We're steaming in here

Death by Chocolate

I have seen some birthday cakes in my time but this creation by Sue Sandford goes to the top of the cake tree.  It is a Black Forest cake variation dotted with the smallest Mars Bars I have seen as well as Maltesers.  I did fit in a piece after the barbecue snaggs.

Every - month is Movember

62 Chocolates

GF Bulldogs v Swans

We hosted another GF viewing and barbecuing day. The group has grown smaller over the years but smaller can be better. It could be called the day of the desserts. I made a choco cake but the vanilla blocks plus Debbie's apple pie and Franster's berries were a highlight. I guess the Bulldogs breaking a 62 year drought should be mentioned. The Blues for next year.

with roast potatoes

Foodies day

Fathers Day could well be Foodies Day after Mushroom Risotto for lunch at Max's Corner. Good service and fast delivery here. Then that evening it was homemade Pumpkin Soup, Pumpkin Pizza and Apple Pie. Not to mention the fudge cake I made.  It worked out because I was given a mattress and a good book to lie down with afterward.

Bike Touring made comfy

Mothers

I am wondering what the collective name is for Mothers.  Maybe a Fertility of Mothers or a Bakery of Mothers in any case we had a gathering of Mothers yesterday four of them in total, so there was much mothering and much baking. Including sausage rolls, pizza, soup and 10 different cakes. I think the highlight may have been the Salami and Pumpkin pizza.



Cakes

Rolls

Birthday Season

We have come to the end of another birthday season which begins from Sep 7 and runs to Nov 7.  This seems to usher in Christmas season.  I notice the cake standards are rising as well. (Ha Ha rising cakes, get it.)  I will have to peruse my Just Deserts book. The Danes v Vikings was a rivalry match in Finska where for the first time, it was the second team to get to 50 who won the match.

Backyard Finska

Ollie Oi Ollie Oi Ollie Ollie Ollie

I have made fudge

This needs to be declared castaway or survivor like when the flames were lit. I just used the gas stove but fudge has been made. I have diligently followed page 200 of the manual but the only thing I did not have was a 20x25cm slice tray. The photo in the book shows incredibly machined blocks of fudge that you could build a tower with. I have a spreading mass that does not reach the sides of the tin. Tomorrow's proof will be in the eating.

Photo has been fudged.

How about them apples!

Had a go at your basic apple pie. Hasn't been baked yet but looks the real deal. 12 green apples, four cups of sugar and a packet of Lion pastry. The artistry seems to be rolling the pastry into a flatish circle, twice. Don't forget the pie holes to let out the steam.

Granny Smith

Pie

Chocolate Milk Cake

I am expanding my patisserie skills by trying the choco milk cake.  This is a complex business requiring 700ml chocolate milk, 1Kg mixed fruit and two cups self raising flour.  I didn't use the full quota of 1Kg of fruit more like 800g.  Previous observations showed that a slightly less dense fruit cake was better.  After mixing in the fruit with the choco milk I  left it fermenting over night. Sift in the powder and place in the paper lined tin. I had this bun in the oven for 2hr 15min at 150° with no fan forcing.

Internet Cooking revisited

Yes I was nominated to try the internet Apple Roses which have been doing the rounds. One thing the video doesn't show is the sticky fingers you end up with.  The trick is to cut thin apple pieces and slightly thicker pastry. Also leave a section of pastry to wrap around. They disappeared at tea time tonight so they must have been all right.

the Canvas

the Raw Product

Apple Flowers

Cold Snap

Someone suggested that as the days start getting longer then that starts the cold weather in earnest. So far this theory is holding true. A half metre of snow in the hills and cold toes just walking around the house. I have a theory about cold feet. After I went for a run yesterday (only about 4 kms) for the rest of the day I had warm feet.  It was as if the blood flow kept pumping long after I stopped jogging. Doesn't work that way on the bike feet and hands are like ice.
I warmed things up by advancing my cooking prowess. A self sourcing chocolate pud no less.  However when the recipe says use a mixer for the ingredients don't try one of those very fast whipping tools.  There is always use for a good whipping tool but the slow mix master style makes a good mixture. The chemistry of this pud is amazing when you put a bowl full of boiled water into the oven and out pops a pud.

If I knew you were coming

The upskilling knows no bounds. I have made a chocolate fudge and it seems to be of a high enough standard to be present at next weeks Mother's Day gathering. Normally on such an occasion I would be there to devour said cakes, however this is a turnabout for the blogs. I did have some help from Betty Crocker.  I think Anzac biscuits could be the go next but I have a year to practise.