Cornflower

Granted

     Here's how I spent my evening: sitting by the fire, watching Cary Grant in what is a treat of a film, The Bishop's Wife.
     I remember seeing this years ago and loving it, and then Santa just happened to leave the DVD under the Christmas tree for me, but it's only now that I've had the chance to put it on. It's pure joy! Daughters even wandered in and stayed to watch, and one is now asking what other films Cary Grant has been in, so maybe we should start a collection...

    If you don't know it, here's the gist - the bishop (David Niven) is committed to building a cathedral, with financial support from a very wealthy benefactress, but she has her own demands and they threaten the whole project. The strain of the business has caused tension in the otherwise happy marriage of the bishop and his wife (Loretta Young), so the bishop prays for guidance, but he gets it in the unexpected and utterly charming form of the urbane Dudley (Cary Grant), who is an angel. It's Julia, the wife, on whom Dudley makes the biggest impression, naturally, but she's not the only one who is happier as a result of his visit.
    The supporting cast includes Gladys Cooper and Monty Woolley, but of course, it's Cary Grant whose film it is, and it's one of the most uplifting things I've see in ages. Perfect!

 

Breathing Lessons

This month's Book Group post is now up over at our new home.

Honoured

     Both Frances and Ted have generously given me the Premio Dardos Award which "aims to acknowledge the values that every blogger shows in their effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values every day. These stamps were created with the intention of promoting fraternization between bloggers, a way of showing affection and gratitude for work that adds value to the Web".

Here's the next part:

 "Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person that has granted the award and his or her blog link. Pass the award to 15 blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgment".

I'd like to honour a group of ladies who constantly amaze and inspire me with their creativity, and impress me with many other qualities, and they are:

Cheryl            Donna          Lene           Wanda           Francesca (who is also to be found here!)
Jane               Kelly            Charity         Neelia           Nan
Cristina           Dee             Rebecca       Natalie          Ysolda

Cornflower in conversation

There's a special post on Cornflower Books today; I hope you'll nip over and have a look!

A cake to remember

      When I wrote about a dessert by Josceline Dimbleby a few days ago, Curzon left a comment of which the following is an extract:

 "Josceline also got hold of my beloved history teacher Mrs Edmonds' recipe for Orange Chocolate cake (in the Book of Puddings, Desserts and Savouries), so I got permission from the publishers to photocopy this, and when I spoke at her memorial service a few years ago, sent everyone home with a copy of the recipe."

     It struck me that that was such a thoughtful thing to do - and a lovely way to remember a special teacher - that I wanted to feature it here. So I reached for my copy of the book, which is falling apart through extensive use, and made the cake for you to see.
 

     The ground almonds-enriched sponge mixture is flavoured with orange and lemon zest, brandy and cocoa powder. After it has cooled, the cake is brushed with melted dark marmalade, and then covered with a chocolate/butter ganache. I deviated from the instructions as far as cooking time was concerned because I wanted a pudding-y cake, so I took it out of the oven when it was still slightly squidgy in the middle. It is utterly scrumptious and could happily be served, with cream or creme fraiche, at dinner, or on its own with tea or coffee.

     No teacher of mine ever made chocolate cake for their pupils, so Curzon and Josceline are fortunate in having known Mrs. Edmonds! But if my son's school is anything to go by, roles have been reversed and it's the pupils who bake for the teachers (and the rest of the class); for instance, a triple period of Physics on Monday mornings sees each student in turn baking for the whole group, masters included. Will recently turned out a Lemon Drizzle Cake with Chocolate Chunks and a Rich Stout Cake (Guinness and chocolate) - they made quantum mechanics a bit more palatable!

On wings of song

     Between eating my toast and turning the pages of an excellent novel which was just reaching its climax, my attention was mostly elsewhere yesterday morning, but I did have an ear half-tuned to Radio 3 so I caught the presenter asking the audience for suggestions for music suitable for listening to at airports!
    My mind went blank, though on further reflection I thought something 'uplifting' might be in order... But as we haven't mentioned music here for a while, I wondered what the Cornflower readers' ideal airport listening might be? Perhaps you already listen on an iPod, etc. while you wait to be called to the gate, and if so, do you choose anything in particular, or does it not matter?
   If it's to be piped through the terminal for everyone to hear, Daniel Barenboim in Everything Is Connected: The Power Of Music has firm views "...we often suppress the signals [the ear] sends to our brain. More and more .....we create opportunites to hear music without listening to it. ... In terms of musical ethics, it is absolutely offensive. Muzak cannot possibly provide a full experience of music because music requires silence and total concentration on the part of the listener. Muzak is, in fact, intended to create exactly the kind of indifferent satisfaction described by Settembrini in "The Magic Mountain", replacing the participation of the intellect with passive consumption."    
     But if you'd welcome something pleasant to listen to in what can amount to a stressful environment, what would it be? (For inspiration - and thanks to Peter for the link - you might visit the 'Gramophone' archive).

Edinburgh: a whirlwind tour

     

       Always delighted to try to help visitors to Edinburgh to find things worth seeing, I'm putting a few suggestions in this post especially for Ros who will be in the city soon, but also for anyone else planning a trip to these parts.
    Ros tells me she's already got Fidra Books/The Children's Bookshop on her itinerary, and that is certainly vaut le detour. A bracing walk across the Meadows from there, heading to the Old Town, would take you past Peter's Yard in Middle Meadow Walk where refreshments can be had! A step further on is the National Museum of Scotland, and on South Bridge (at the far end of Chambers Street on which the museum sits) is a big branch of Blackwells. Just round the corner is Dovecot, the tapestry studio.
    Not to everyone's taste - but I found it absolutely fascinating - and only a short distance south of Blackwells is Surgeons' Hall and its medical museum.
     Retracing your steps back to George IV Bridge (i.e. adjacent to the National Museum), go down Candlemaker Row (beside the statue of Greyfriars Bobby) and you'll be in the Grassmarket, in the shadow of the Castle. Taking the curving West Bow and Victoria Street up to the higher level again you will pass K1 Yarns (and if you're lucky you might meet Ysolda there!).
    A walk up and down the Royal Mile is a must with a stop at Gladstone's Land, St. Giles' Cathedral and the Queen's Gallery at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, and perhaps the Museum of Childhood, but then I'd go down the Mound to Princes Street (avoiding most of the shops there), pausing at the National Gallery of Scotland and/or The Royal Scottish Academy, before heading to Queen Street for the Scottish National Portrait Gallery and further east to Elm Row at the top of Leith Walk for the wonderful Valvona & Crolla.

    Heading west from there you can explore the New Town, and for more refreshments stop at Glass & Thompson. The Georgian House in Charlotte Square is worth seeing, and heading even further west, there's the Dean Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art, followed by a walk through the Dean Village.

Any energy left?

Books and cakes - 13

     I hadn't got far with Breathing Lessons when it became clear that the story wasn't going to provide much obvious inspiration for this month's Books and Cakes post, containing, as it does, snacks, ice-cream and whatnot, but not much 'real' food to speak of. However, in Nell's Grocery and Cafe, Maggie picks up a box of Ritz Crackers - "There used to be a kind of apple pie people made that contained no apples whatsoever, just Ritz crackers. What would that taste like, she wondered. It didn't seem to her there was the remotest chance it could taste like apple pie."

     Well, dear readers, I am here to tell you that Maggie was wrong! Going above and beyond the call of duty to bring books to life by means of their foodie content, I have made Ritz Mock Apple Pie, and confounding expectations, it is a great deal better than it sounds!

I used my usual shortcrust pastry recipe (6oz. plain flour, 4oz. butter, a pinch of salt, all combined to 'fine breadcrumbs' stage, then 2 tblsps water added and the dough left to chill for half an hour), filled the pastry case with broken crackers, made the syrupy mixture as directed, with Cheryl's most thoughtful gift of a set of measuring cups and spoons (see above) coming into their own! Then I put on the pastry top and baked it - for slightly too long, unfortunately, hence its well-fired appearance.

The result is quite incredible as it looks and tastes just like conventional apple pie, and even the sceptics in the family have been won over. I might put in slightly less lemon juice and increase the cinnamon another time, but as it stands it is very convincing indeed, and I'm amazed! No, it won't contribute to the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables per day, and with apples readily available there's no need to substitute crackers, but as a curiosity I'm glad I tried it and it suits the book perfectly.

Hyacinths

Wish I could transmit their scent!

Cornflower Book Group 2009 : Volume 2

     

     The Book Group is going to be based on the new site, so, just in case anyone misses it, here's the link to our February title. I hope it will appeal!

Needle and thread

  

    

 I know I've moved the fiction over to the new site, but I thought this novel deserved a quick mention here as it might interest the needlewomen amongst us.

   

    

    

     Frances de Pontes Peebles' The Seamstress is "an epic tale of love and courage, loyalty and adventure, set in a brutal and beautiful country at a pivotal moment in its history."     

     It concerns two sisters growing up in a Brazilian village, "raised as seamstresses, they learn how to cut, how to mend and how to conceal. Captivated by the romances she reads in magazines, Emilia dreams of finding love in the bustle and glamour of the city. But for Luzia, scarred by a childhood accident ... real life cannot be so romantically embroidered."

    It's a whopper of a book at almost 650 pages, and its American reviews are very favourable, but I do hope there's lots of sewing in it!

Wild multis, nearly solids and other yarny delights

    

     What was I saying yesterday about cookery books? A new one just gives the repertoire and enthusiasm a bit of a boost....
The same can be said of knitting books, and just look what the postie has brought!

     I made this purchase on the grounds that if I'm to do justice to the lovely things I buy at The Yarn Yard and Posh Yarn, I really ought to have a bit more knowledge about the material I'm working with, so Knitting Socks with Handpainted Yarn seemed just what I needed.

    The book is all about choosing patterns which complement the yarn you have, avoiding splotching and pooling, and understanding how colours in a sock work together.

    With twenty-one patterns by 'top sock designers' and suggestions appropriate to different fibre blends, it looks as though there will be plenty here to keep my kneedles busy for a while. Some of the socks featured are what Jeeves might refer to as 'a trifle sudden, sir' - for my conservative taste, at least - but others are much more me!

Cooking the books

 
     I've never counted the number of cookery books we own but there are lots. Some have been much used, consulted for everything from reminders of basic timings, temperatures and techniques, to inspiration for new dishes and repeats of old favourites. Others, perhaps more specialised, are opened rarely, but like the posh frock in the wardrobe which does get occasional wear, they merit their place on the kitchen shelves. I still turn to Delia Smith for the basics (and much more), and I've had her Complete Cookery Course since I was a teenager, bought for almost nothing as part of the introductory offer from a book club along with the "Laura Ashley" Book of Home Decorating and Lark Rise to Candleford in red spotted hanky cloth binding, (it looks as though my interests haven't changed much in all these years!).

     Many of my favourite cookbooks have been mentioned frequently on these pages and there are a host of them over in the sidebar on the left. Yet despite their proven worth I can't resist adding to the collection, and I've found that a new book really does lift my repertoire of dishes and boosts my enthusiasm for cooking - the thought of 'what to have for supper' can faze even the keenest cook, after all! So to inspire us, would you like to say what your favourite or most used cookery book is, and the comments section will then amount to the Cornflower Readers' Culinary Library.

 

Rose dreams

    Here, a little later than planned, is the finished pudding mentioned in yesterday's post. I was slightly short of gelatine, so mine has achieved a 'soft-set' rather than a stiffer consistency, but no matter.
The original recipe appears in Josceline Dimbleby's Favourite Food; I used 1 tblsp. rose syrup instead of the almond essence, and added some fresh lychees to the tinned. The result is delicate, unusual and very refreshing.

See below:

Pudding in the making

    Pictured here, believe it or not, is a pudding in the making. I'm waiting for good light to show you the finished dish, but all the above have been incorporated in Josceline Dimbleby's magical dessert "Almond Dreams with Lychees" (in the absence of almond essence, I've used rose syrup to flavour, but the substitution works well as you'll see when I post the recipe later). 
   Of course, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Suffice to say that for those of us with more 'sophisticated' palates, this really does appeal, and particularly so after rich and heavy Christmas fare!