love those cupcakes

Some don't like it hot

Me, for instance. 

Hot means frizzy hair, itchy eyes, flies, sandals (and therefore other people's feet on view), blokes who think it's OK to walk around town (well this town, anyway) bare chested, airless offices at work, feeling sticky, not knowing what to wear, sleepless nights, less energy than I have normally ............I could go on.

Fortunately, the garden does like it hot (as long as it has its thirst regularly quenched). Pelargoniums are thriving in pots,

  

the Philadelphus is a froth of fragrant flowers

and the roses have never performed better.

I may be avoiding the garden in the heat of the day but evening is a different matter.  There's really nothing better than eating supper outdoors with a chilled glass or two of the white stuff to hand.

This is a favourite recipe to accompany a barbecued bean burger so, if you like halloumi cheese, you might want to try it.  It's one of Delia's and perfect on a balmy summer night.  The quantities serve 4 people as a starter or side dish or 2 people as a light meal.

Halloumi with lime and caper vinaigrette

1 halloumi cheese

2 tbsps seasoned plain flour

2 tbsps olive oil

For the dressing:

Juice and zest of 1 lime

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 heaped tbsp capers, drained

1 heaped tsp grain mustard

1 heaped tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves

2  tbsps extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Unwrap the cheese and pat it dry with kitchen paper. Using a sharp knife, slice it into 8 slices.

Prepare the dressing by simply whisking all of the ingredients together in a small bowl.

When you're ready to serve, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat.  When the oil is really hot, press each slice of cheese into the flour to coat it on both sides.  Add the cheese slices to the pan and cook on each side until golden brown.  Serve on a bed of mixed salad leaves with the dressing spooned over.  Good with toasted pitta bread cut into slices.

Trains, jellyfish and a very busy mountain

Our weekend started on Friday morning when we boarded a specially chartered train for the journey to north Wales.  With its nine classic first class carriages, this is probably the nearest thing to the Orient Express that Saltburn and Middlesbrough (the only other pickup point) railway stations are likely to see!  Once on board, we were plied with coffee and warm croissants (oh, go on then), followed a little later by a surprisingly delicious and beautifully presented two course meal. With wine. Have you tried pouring wine on a moving train, by the way?

Our base in Wales was Llandudno, a lovely seaside resort complete with Victorian pier.  And jellyfish.  Hundreds of little jellyfish and the odd monster sized one (like the one in the photograph below).

 

On Saturday there were two more train journeys, one steam powered, to reach Portmeirion, memorable as the setting for that 1960's classic TV series, The Prisoner.

Sunday and yet another train journey. Up a mountain.  A very busy mountain, as it happens, with stunning views from the (overcrowded) summit.

Monday morning we boarded the train for the six and a half hour journey home.  Plenty of time for reading, napping and enjoying another delicious meal (the rhubarb and apple crumble was so good) on board.

Rail travel?  I love it, me.

Rosy........

.....nosey

.......and just plain lazy.

Happy Tuesday.

My week

Work stuff has pretty much taken over this week (I'm the world's worst at planning which hasn't helped) but at least there's been time for:

• watching the last episode of Luther
  

• buying a couple of books
  

• sweeping the seemingly endless piles of dead leaves (in June?) from the eucalyptus in the garden

• hanging out with the littlest one here who was finding it hard to stay awake

• eating strawberries and cream.  With cake, of course. 

 

This wasn't today's breakfast but it oh so easily could have been.

Lazy Saturday afternoon

I should be working on some papers.

Instead, I've indulged in a little baking, found myself a shady spot in the garden and treated myself to half an hour or so with the latest magazine........

...........accompanied by a sample of the fruits of my earlier labours.  I've baked many a scone over the years using numerous recipes but I think these were the lightest yet, thanks to Mary Berry.  I've added the recipe below.

 

Work in the garden is progressing slowly.  At least the Araldite mentioned in the previous post has done the trick and the bird bath is back in action.

The pots are starting to provide a bit of welcome colour

.........and food for the snails.

 

Vacuuming the pond on a weekly basis is beginning to pay off.  I think the remaining fish can actually see where they're swimming now.  Well, more or less.

With the addition of houses at the back of ours, where there used to be a field, and the influx of young families round about the garden isn't always the haven of peace it once was.  But the sound of running water is very soothing.

Mary Berry's Very Best Scones (slightly amended)

(I used half the recipe which produced five decent sized scones)

 

1 lb SR flour

2 rounded tsp baking powder

2 oz caster sugar

3 oz butter

2 large eggs

Approx 8 fl oz milk

 

 

Pre heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7.

Lightly grease 2 baking trays.

Mix together the flour and baking powder in a large bowl.  Add the butter (I diced it first) and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Stir in the sugar.

Beat the eggs together and make up to a generous half pint/300 ml with the milk.  Reserve about 2 tablespoons for glazing later.  Gradually add the milk mixture (you may not require all of it) to the dry ingredients until you have a soft dough.  The scone mixture should be on the wet side, sticking slightly to your fingers.  

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and flatten with your hand (I never use a rolling pin for scones) to a thickness of approx three quarters of an inch.  Use a 2 in fluted cutter to stamp out the scones, pressing straight down into the dough.  Don't twist the cutter - this will affect how well the scones rise.  Gently push the remaining dough together, pat out again and cut more scones.

Arrange the scones on the prepared trays and brush the tops lightly with the reserved egg and milk mixture.

Bake in the pre heated oven for 10-15 minutes until well risen and golden in colour.  Transfer the scones to a wire rack and leave to cool, covered with a clean tea towel to keep them moist.

Serve cut in half and spread generously with strawberry jam and a good spoonful of clotted or whipped double cream.  Top with a strawberry if you like.