Just as I suspected the oven is still not working correctly, the experimental loaves made last night are passable but that is not good enough. Because they are not properly cooked they will not keep well and of course they do not taste as good as usual. Refusing to give up hope I made two orange and lavender cakes this morning and just like the two chocolate cakes I attempted to make on Saturday they sat down in the middle due to the fact that the oven temperature fluctuated during the cooking. This time I watched the whole process and saw exactly what happened and it was not a pretty sight.
Being a glutton for punishment I decided to pit my wits against the refractory appliance and set about making a large batch of cookies, this time with more success. By dint of a great deal of fiddling about and great diligence I managed to produce several dozen cherry cookies, I tried one and they are not bad. This however does not alter the fact that my oven is at the moment more temperamental than Naomi Campbell, and will have to be fixed multo pronto.
Pa had an appointment at St Tommy's this morning and I packed him off in a taxi, the whole experience was rather like getting a small child ready for his first day at school, except that the only tears were my tears of frustration as he forgot first this and then that and then his mobile phone. I am certain that the taxi driver was convinced that we were both potty! Alone at last I returned to the kitchen to make yet more strawberry jam, this will be the last batch this years as I am rapidly running out of both jam jars and cupboard space.
Within a few weeks I shall by making all the fruit jellies, chutneys and the damson jam, I need to make a great deal of the later as it is required for the produce stall at our next fund raising day. Incidentally the moth trap, purchased with the proceeds of our last fund raiser was tested in our orchard last night and although the weather was chillier than we would have liked we caught a few moths, we really need a still balmy night to do well.
Pa returned at around three safe and sound and chaos descended upon the house once more, still a few hours of peace and quiet was better than nothing and I was glad to have him home all safe, really I was.
Twiggy has spent most of the day asleep in her favourite tree house, during the past twenty four hours we have been twice visited by a lady with a dog and Madam Twiggy is not amused. When ever I happened to pass her retreat she gave me a stare filled with reproach, hey ho!
Tonight's meal at the request of my son was a soup we call London Particular. Really it is a sort of pea and ham soup but it is as thick as the London fog from which it takes its name and is very good with home made bread.
During a lull in the kitchen while the fruit was boiling in the preserving pan I made a large summer pudding for tomorrow, at least this did not depend upon the vagaries of my electric oven and therefore should turn out well, fingers crossed! After spending so much time in a hot kitchen I am in urgent need of a bath and that is exactly what I intend to do so goodbye for now, and don't forget to tune in tomorrow for the next thrilling instalment of Avies culinary disasters!
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