Food Glorious Food

This morning I was up bright and early as some friends who have a guest house just round the corner have me booked in as breakfast chef for a couple of days whilst the ladies take off for a jolly at Aachen Christmas Market. I just looked the place up and came up with the following 'In the Middle Ages Aachen was the seat of emperors and kings, and the scene of many coronations and imperial diets. Its hot springs made this city, at the foot of the Eifel hills, the favourite residence of Charlemagne, who built a palace here.' It was the capital of the Holy Roman Empire under Charlemagne and it has a famous cathedral and Gothic town hall. Sounds like they will have a wonderful time, meanwhile they have left the male of the house to wait on and me to cook.

Speaking of cooking, I thought it might be a good idea to post the Christmas Lunch here for those of you who are interested in food. So this is the lunch which we shall be enjoying at Dalemain on the 11th December.

Parsnip & apple soup with wholewheat roll
Mushroom pate with baguette or biscuit
Fruit juice

Locally reared roast turkey with stuffing, sausage & Yorkshire pudding
Roast Cumberland beef & Yorkshire pudding
Rainbow nut roast, layers of nuts, cheese & tomatoes with a tomato & basil sauce

Selection of vegetables & roast potatoes

Traditional Christmas pudding with brandy sauce
Sticky apple & ginger pudding with ice cream
Tarte au citron with cream

Freshly brewed coffee or Tea & mints

So 3 courses, I don't know how I shall get through it all, but after having come back from California this month I do know not to be ashamed to ask for a doggie bag, they all do it even in the poshest places. So it could be an extra treat for Bella. Here she is the little darling on the bus about to depart from Booths Carpark to go up to Borrowdale for a guided walk with me in the summer. This lovely photo was taken by a German lady called kira who was a good companion on the walks and who kindly sent me the picture.













Anyway, the next item of news is a reminder about our 15th January meeting which is a workshop/demonstration for those of you fed up with just workshops this year. So hopefully you won't be disappointed and its with Janice Nott who will have a kit available at £6 but you will also need to bring your regular sewing bits which may or may not go with the making of Fabric Jewellery.

Now then I know that I have already included a recipe this month but as the subject of this post is food, I thought I would give you another cake recipe and the lady who supplied this one says it is good although it is unusual. I asked about the lack of eggs and was told the mayonnaise made up for it. So here it is

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH MAYONNAISE
10 oz Self raising flour
8 oz Caster sugar
1½ tsp Baking powder
7 oz Mayonnaise (Hellmans is best)
4 tbsp Cocoa
8 fluid oz Boiling water
1 tsp Vanilla essence
Pinch salt

Method

Mix flour, baking powder, salt & sugar, add mayonnaise (mixture should look like breadcrumbs).
Mix cocoa into boiling water then add to the mix with the vanilla.
Put into 8" cake tin and cook for 1 hour 180º Reg 4.
Leave in tin to cool.

Please post a comment if it turns out nice.