update from the coalface…err, soapface.

Posted on | July 15, 2008 | No Comments

not a lot of blogging happening here of late!
i am suffering from a rubbishy internet connection (thank you telstra)…and i’ve been busy with one thing and another.

we had a lovely lunch party here on saturday.
we were celebrating the imminent departure of a friend, who is off to shanghai to teach english for a couple of years.
the job sounds wildly fabulous and we are all queuing up to go and visit and stay in his luxury apartment.
we spent 36 hours in shanghai once and are gasping to go back.
literally gasping, the smog was just indescribable…but what an exciting city!

lunch went well.
i fed them canneloni stuffed with ricotta and rocket/spinach from our flourishing winter garden, plus a couple of salads, also mainly from the garden….we actually carried our champagne flutes outside and picked greens and herbs just before lunch.

dessert was savoiardi biscuits, layered with a boozy fresh strawberry/blueberry/sherry/sugar/orange juice/almond essence mixture and custard and cream.
it all sorta melded together like a trifle and was very delicious with more champagne.

i made my favourite boiled sultana cake to have with coffee in the late afternoon, but forgot to serve it!

sultana cake
…………………

pre-heat oven to 150C
500g sultanas, boiled with 1 cup of water until water evaporates.
add 250g butter, 1 TBLSP treacle, mix and melt, and allow to cool slightly.
beat 3 eggs with 1 cup brown sugar.
add to cooled fruit mixture.
add 1 tsp almond essence and ½ tsp vanilla essence.
sift 1 cup wholemeal flour, 1 cup plain white flour, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp mixed spice.
add flours to fruit mixture.
mix all thoroughly, turn into greased pan and bake in pre-heated oven for an hour.

now, my origin notes, said a 175C oven for 90 minutes and i burned several cakes before i started ignoring those instructions.
maybe it’s my oven.
this makes a delicious, moist, rich cake.
……………………………………………………….

i adore boiled fruit cakes…so easy and fast to assemble and always nice.

i’ve also been busy playing with some soap.
i’ve tarted up four of our soaps…tiny adjustments, but i am much happier with them.
my husband always reckons i am the only one who notices….but i don’t believe him.
of course, the new looks involve a lot more split-second timing and pressure…i doubt i could have pulled these soaps off four years ago, in volume, and with time contraints.
the last couple weeks have had us busy every day with custom orders, which is always wonderful.
it gives me a creative thrill.

all cats are well and even miss mousie has been around a little more lately.
pukeko was napping on the end of our bed this morning and maurice was talking to him, saying come on, come and sit on my chest…and gesturing.
after a minute or two, pukeko came up and lay down on maurice’s chest.
we were both thrilled…this was a particular trick of telemachus’ and nobody else has shown the least inclination.
he stayed and purred and got patted and then he jumped down, to get into bed between us…the purring increased and then he fell fast asleep in the warmth.
such a sweet boy.
the panda is cuddled up with maurice right now, watching tv.
an miss mousie has found a very small box in the kitchen and has curled up in it. i put an embroidered blanket over it ad she is as happy as a clam.

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