A LESSON LEARNED

Today's trip to the supermarket has made me realise how fragile I am after my recent illness. I needed to pick up a some vital supplies for Christmas, the sort of things that, if you will excuse the sexist remark, it is better not to ask a man to buy. It is the small things which defeat them, for instance last year I sent my son to buy whole walnuts, whole shelled Brazil nuts, whole pecan nuts,and whole blanched almonds. These with some red glacé cherries were needed to decorate a couple of large fruit cakes for Christmas.
He returned,bless him with walnut pieces, Brazil,s with the shells on,ditto pecans, un-blanched almonds and black glacé' cherries which looked anything but festive.

While these mistakes were used up in the production of cookies during the following weeks I meant that I was late getting the cakes finished. Next I tried ordering theses items on line and received walnut pieces(a substitute) no Brazil’s, pecans in the shells and flaked almonds, the cherries were thankfully very red indeed.

I then did what I should have done in the first place and went to the shops myself! Now I would be the first to admit that my son is very good at shopping as a rule. He is as good a judge of a piece of meat as I am and can be relied upon to buy the freshest vegetable ans fruit. He always checks the sell by dates and is altogether exemplary, so really I should not complain. Pa let loose in a supermarket is a law unto himself and totally unreliable,
we do get a laugh however from some of the most amusing mistakes.

I was quite looking forward to the trip as I have not been out very much for several weeks and up to a point it was pleasant to be out side in the fresh air, but once inside the stuffy supermarket I soon became tired and left with only half of what I needed. I could not even find the shelled Brazil nuts or the whole blanched almonds. He pecans while claiming to be whole looked as if they had been run over by a truck. I retired from the scene well and truly beaten!

On the plus side I did find my favourite mince meat and the special sausages for the sausage rolls, lovely jars of peppers in olive oil and sun dried tomatoes, about which I am very fussy indeed. Foxes glacier fruits needed for some special stained glass window cookies were easily found along with some other baking necessities of and obscure and seasonal nature. I now have enough to make a start, the trouble is I am too tired to do anything more today.

Tomorrow should be better as I have to be at hospital by 8.30 am for an MRI scan which means that I shall be home early enough to crack on with some of the pre Christmas preparations and bake some bread too. The boys keep telling me to take things easy and I do try but ,oh dear, it is difficult when I know how much I still have to do, and more to the point enjoy doing.

Preparing for Christmas is not a chore, it is the crown of the year for me as a cook. It is an opportunity to indulge my passion for baking and to play with more exotic ingredients than usual, It is great fun and I do not intend to miss it ,so I will be good, I will rest and relax but woe shall betide anyone who comes between me and my cooking, I have such plans for this year and I mean to carry them out by hook or by crook!