Saturday 14 September 2024

An Evening Out! Plus recipe for the Gingerbread & Date cake




 Since moving here, I've gone to a few meetings of the local Heritage Society, usually when there are talks on Archaeology or Castles.  It's £3 to go as a guest.  Last night I joined, which is £15 a year.  I didn't go very often whilst Keith was alive, for fear of catching Covid or a nasty cold and bringing it home to him.

Last night's talk was about Builth Fire Brigade and given by a good friend of Keith and I.  We had a good chat before he started, and it was a very interesting talk.  The new venue was full and it made a nice change to get out.  It's just 2 miles down the road, so not far to go. A local pub is doing a Quiz evening in aid of the Society next week, so I'm going to go along to that as well.  I may also volunteer at their centre in town.

 I am debating whether to go to Malvern on Sunday.  Now it's Autumn, dealers may not be trying to hang on to stock and I've had better bargains than at the summer Fairs in the past.  Because I'm tired I'm finding it hard to get enthusiastic. However, there's just been a post about the wonders of Great Malvern Priory on my Facebook feed (many thanks, Mr Bulstrode) and so I will go and then visit the Priory afterwards.

Today the new neighbour is having an open day.  On Tuesday I baked a big pan of the Ginger Cake with Dates, so will drop that down, and perhaps stay for a little while.  He's got about 10 people coming to find out about his courses.  




This makes a mighty cake, so by all means halve, or make two.  Mine ended up as two cakes (one's in the freezer) as there was far too much for the pan I was using. The recipe is from Sonia Allison's Home Baking Book.  (c. about 1980 I think).  I usually make the Chocolate Gingerbread, where you use 14oz flour (400g) and add 2oz (50g) cocoa powder.  Increase the water to 4 tablespoonfuls.

Yesterday afternoon I finally got back to working on Gabby's quilt - hah, unpicking and putting right a couple of mistakes I made in June.  Not having a busy 4yr old about the place makes a big difference to concentration levels.  I had Audible on - I'm still listening to Edward Rutherford's The Forest.  (Audible really are being tempting right now, as they are offering me four months at £2.99 a month . . . may just do the 4 mths and store up some big fat books to listen to over the winter months . . .)

As it's not overly warm in the house again  (14deg) outside, I am going to go up and do a little bit of ironing now to warm up.  Have a good weekend.

17 comments:

  1. I used to bake a mean Gingerbread. I had regular, weekly orders. However, I made one for the St Andrew's Day fair at the Cathedral, cut into slices so sold in individual papers and someone bought it as a chocolate cake {without asking} and branded it "the worst chocolate cake" she'd ever eaten, and how had I made such an awful chocolate cake. Aside from anything else, this person really does not like ginger, but too late, my reputation as a baker was undone!
    Looking at heated throws in Lakeland this morning.

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    1. Well, if someone can't tell the difference between chocolate cake and gingerbread, they should forgo cake eating!

      I hope you will get the heated throw as I find it works a treat.

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  2. Rather than audible does your library offer BorrowBox?

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    1. Yes, I must go down to the Library and check that out. Thank you for reminding me.

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  3. Maybe treat Malvern as a day out?

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    1. Just what I'm going to do, and I'm going on to check out the Priory afterwards too.

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  4. I think that’s a lovely society to join!
    Archaeology is fascinating! I’ve become more and more interested since my son studied it at University. His lecturer even invited us to go on a dig, which was the second dig I’ve attended; the first was many years ago, when I was studying history at college. I hope that you enjoy your membership.

    I have the Sonia Allison book too! I used it frequently when I was younger and I remember making the gingerbread…lovely!

    It’s been so cold here in Devon! Ridiculous for September! Hopefully, it will warm up next week as it’s too soon to put on the heating! We usually get a warm September!

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    1. The people are very friendly and we share the same interests. There will be a Christmas dinner too, and they normally have a coach trip somewhere special as well once a year. Archaeology has always fascinated me - prehistory, and Insular Art and church history are my favourite areas of interest.

      I saw there's been a goodly frost up on the Moor. SO early. Tam had a frost where she is near Aber too. Let's hope for some sunshine for as long as possible.

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  5. Thank you so much for the recipe x
    Alison in Wales x

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  6. I was uncomfortably cold yesterday evening but loath to increase my electric usage beyond £2 in 24 hours ( my meter sits on by side table and my usage has become a source of interest and challenge )
    I went and changed the sheets and duvet covers on the big beds - a job I've been putting off for days. No need for a sneaky click of the central heating button after that - I was glowing!

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    1. I should check what I am using each day, but as I am planning a bath shortly, I've put the heating on for half an hour so I don't get out into a cold room (nothing worse).

      I was going to put the winter duvet on but decided to put an extra patchwork quilt on top and do the change next time the clean bedding goes on (Monday). Ironing is very warming too, but costs money!

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  7. Sunny here but now clouding over, but managed to get washing dried and ironed. Trip over to Cannock to Sainsbugs to get new pj's for me using a money off voucher! Managed to get into the garden to cut back everlasting geraniums, crocosmia and japanese anemones, dug some of those out as well. Even though we are moving want to leave the garden tidy. Have a good trip to Malvern if you get there. Xx

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    1. Nearly-free pj's - not bad! Glad you were able to do a garden tidy, as well as taking some with you. I will enjoy Malvern once I'm there but hate starting off the drive in the dark.

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  8. Forgive me for asking, is there Yorkshire pudding tin a regular rectangular pan, 11x9” or is it something different? I love gingerbread and would like to try this recipe

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  9. The tin I used is about 2" deep, the base 6 1/2" x 8 1/2" and it flares out to 9" x11". I make my Yorkshires in a 12 hole muffin tray. Hope this helps Mary.

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  10. The talk sounds interesting - it sounds a great society to join. Gingerbread looks delicious - one of my favourite cakes :)

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