Tag Archives: cake

The ‘C’ word

‘Don’t mention the C-word around her,’ My friend said, pointing at me. ‘She can’t contain herself.’ I frowned at my friend and the woman he was talking to. ‘I can contain myself perfectly well,’ I responded crossly. ‘I just really like cake.’

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I do really like cake, to the extent that I have stopped serving it at my own dinner parties, because nothing says ‘perfect hostess’ like someone who produces a cake for pudding, only to refuse to share it with her guests. (I tried individual cakes, but people thought it was odd when I gave myself 2 and everyone else only 1).  

 Yesterday I texted my flatmate at 6pm to let her know that there were doughnuts. By the time she arrived home there were not. I had bought a bag of 5.

 In entirely unrelated news, I have just signed up to run a 10k for diabetes.  

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Call the Midwife

I have started watching ‘Call the Midwife’.

(Yes, I am aware it is long gone from TV, but it’s on my Sky+ box and there was nothing on TV last night. Well, if I’m being strictly, painfully accurate there was lots on TV, but I had seen the ‘Friends’ re-runs 40,000 times and I don’t really care about ‘Embarrassing Bodies’, and it was 9.15pm, so I had missed irreplaceable moments of CSI:Miami.)

‘Call the Midwife’ and I didn’t get off to the best of starts. ‘There’s something wrong with the brightness setting,’ I muttered to myself, as Jessica Raine cycled into a catfight. I fiddled about with the TV remote to no avail. By the time I looked up, Jessica (who is either the main character or a pushy extra who has the means to pay for her own hair and make-up artist) was eating cake with an elderly nun. ‘Brilliant,’ I thought happily. ‘I have long wondered what happened to those Nazi-fighting nuns in ‘The Sound of Music’.

I am so pleased they have re-settled in East London. I wonder what type of cake that is. It looks lovely and moist.’ I wondered briefly if I should pause ‘Call the Midwife’ and bake myself a cake.
I’m glad I didn’t, because fairly soon after this a lady gave birth. Here are the things I once knew about giving birth:

1. It wreaks havoc on your undercarriage
2. It is imperative to get an epidural
3. It is possible to hold your husband’s hand so hard it breaks.

I have always thought I was pretty prepared for the whole thing. Here is what I now know about giving birth:

1. It wreaks havoc on everything
2. It is imperative to boil water. I have no idea why.
3. It is possibly the worst idea imaginable to let any man you wish to find you attractive anywhere near the labour room.

I was pitifully grateful for the low-lighting that the director has obviously decided is ‘atmospheric’.
‘Call the Midwife’ seems to be excellent (I have only watched the first episode, and am painfully aware of other TV series that tricked me into following them to dire second seasons). I would encourage all cake-eating to be done before watching, however.

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Death by cooking

‘You made a cake!’ My friend said, shocked. ‘I am extremely domesticated,’ I told her smugly. ‘Please enjoy this freshly made cocktail while I check on my steak and ale pie. Yes, I also made a pie. And potatoes. No need to feel inferior.’ Yesterday I had a little Sunday lunch. (It was not little in the slightest, it’s just a lot of you weren’t invited so I’m trying to pretend it was).

Things started smoothly. I woke up at 10am because I was so hungover I fell out of bed. (I was reaching for some water, and just slipped out). I wearily put on some running kit and went outside. I returned, slightly sweatier, a respectable 8 minutes later. I washed my hands and began to make my pastry. My Father wandered into the kitchen. ‘Is that suet?’ He asked. ‘That’s dreadful stuff. Oh, we’re having it for lunch? Lovely.’ I moved onto my cake. This is when the trouble started. I marched into my Father’s study. ‘There’s no magimix,’ I said. ‘My entire lunch is in jeopardy.’ My Father wearily followed me down to the kitchen. ‘Here!’ He said proudly. The Tardis was heaved onto a kitchen counter. ‘Um, Dad?’ I began hesitantly. ‘I’m not sure this still works.’ I left my Father jabbing furiously at buttons and examining fuses, and looked for other options. Which I found.

In my delight, I sliced my thumb across the blade. Which for a second, was perfectly fine. Until I looked down, and saw the blood, and realised I probably needed to go to hospital.

Or get a plaster. Something drastic, anyway. I called my Mother. ‘I have cut my finger,’ I whimpered down the phone to her. ‘And I hate the magimix, and I’m coming over to use yours.’ ‘I’m not at home, darling,’ My Mother replied. I am affronted. ‘You are a terrible Mother,’ I told her crossly. ‘I’m probably bleeding to death.’ The rest of my lunch preparations took on a somber hue, as I struggled to finish my impossibly delicious three courses whilst conserving enough blood to survive. I didn’t want to make a fuss, so I didn’t tell my guests. But hopefully this will gently remind them that what turned out to be a lovely Sunday lunch could very easily have been my last supper. And also that I should probably have my own cooking show.

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