Asparagus and Bacon

The market stalls are piled high with fresh asparagus.
A tasty way to serve asparagus allowing 3 spears to 1 thin rasher of streaky bacon or pancetta.
Serve one portion as a starter or more as a main dish or accompaniment to chicken.

1. Trim the woody end of the stalks until the asparagus shoots measure about 5 inches in length.
2. Wash and rise the asparagus with 2 pints of boiling water in a strainer, rinse with cold water.
3. Line a baking tray with non stick foil or parchment paper.
4. Take 3 asparagus spears and wrap them in a slice of the bacon.
5. Repeat until all the spears have been used up.
6. Cook in a hot oven for 15 minutes 200 degrees C
7. Serve on a warm plate with crusty bread to mop up all the delicious juices.

Garden Colours for Summer 2011

Time to start some serious gardening now the warm weather is here.The window boxes outside the smart buildings in London like the Pall Mall clubs seem to have gone for a white, purple and green theme this year.
I keep some variagated ivy, shrubs and mini conifers in my window boxes permanently.Last seasons plants can be removed and with the addition of some new compost and slow release fertiliser, new ones for the summer can be put in.

This year I have added white geraniums and purple surfinia petunias.This looks fresh and elegant against the green background.

Plenty of watering will be needed to help them establish and covering at night if a late frost is forecast.

Life Drawing and Erotic Style

Erotic Line is the title of next weeks life drawing class with Derek Batty in Cambridge UK. This will be using examples of work by Egon Schiele  and August Rodin. Can hardly wait.
It is good to be back with this group after the spring break and thinking about using water colours during the summer.Sketching people on vacation when they are sitting around is good practice.

                                                 Swimming Pool  Excelsior Vittoria , Sorrento, Italy

Fascinators, Top Hats ,Genealogy

Fascinators

Many people have  liked the fascinator hats worn by guests at the Royal Wedding.If you like hats there is a wonderful shop in St James Street , London.They will make you a hat to order. Although this is quite expensive you will have  the  hat of a lifetime.I had one made for my daughter's wedding 10 years ago.If you are visiting London see this shop.
The window  display of this shop is quite small but exquisite- both for ladies and men.
If you are going to a wedding, Royal Ascot (see the Top hats for men) or meeting the Queen this is the shop for you.This is link where you can see them online.
You may  just want to dream like most of us.-- you know what they say
If you want to get ahead get a hat


http://www.lockhatters.co.uk/

The Society of Genealogoists Conference was held in London on Saturday. This society is 100 years old today.Particulary interesting speakers at the conference were Alec Tritin on blogging for family historians and Elsie Churchill on more advanced ways of finding out about your ancestors.
If you have English ancestors this is a good place to search for information, they have copies of parish registers and a library full of interesting information such as trade directories with lists of people and their occupations. I have found several of my ancestors listed along with the trades that they followed or the names of the farms where they lived.

Chocolate Biscuit Wedding Cake for Kate and William

Prince William requested a chocolate biscuit cake for the Royal Wedding Party, it is a childhood favourite of his.A huge version of this recipe was made for the wedding by McVities the biscuit manufacturer.
This is a nice recipe for Grandmas to make with children, there is no baking, it goes in the fridge.

Chocolate Biscuit Cake

200g plain biscuits such as Rich Tea, Digestive,Marie
100 g butter cut into cubes
70 g (1/4 cup) golden syrup
300g good quality chocolate

Method

1. Line a shallow 20cm tin (square) with cling film or parchment paper leaving plent hanging over the edge .
2. Put the biscuits in a plastic bag  and crush then with a rolling pin until they are the about the size of 10p ,(quarters) pieces.
3. Melt the butter and golden syrup in a large bowl placed over a pan of simmering water.Add the chocolate. Everything should be melted and smooth but NOT boiling.
4. Remove from the heat and gently stir in the biscuits until they are well coated with the chocolate mixture.
5. Put into the prepared tin pressing the mixture down with  the back of a spoon and smoothing it out.
6. When cool cover with the flaps of cling film and place in the fridge for at least three hours.
7. Turn out the cake gently, (wrap in a warm tea towel if it sticks) remove the cling film.
8. Trim off the edges to show the inside. Cut into small squares.
9. Keep in an airtight tin in the fridge

note : 25 grams =1oz
       a handful of raisins or chopped pecans can be added if liked.

Table Top Computer

Today Grandma saw a very desirable new thing-- a table top computer. This was being used in some research conducted by the Open University in Cambridge on ways of recording information found externally ( in this case a grave yard) and relaying it via ipads and phone cameras to  the computer inside .
The table top computer made it easy for a group of people to look at the information we had recorded- much easier than all staring up at a screen.

Family History and Grandmas

Most  of the history we studied in school  was written by old white men.
Yes, we need a structure on which to base our research and provide a time line but  your family history is your personal account of how and where your ancestors lived, their work, loves, lives and wealth. Not just a list of names but a social and economic account to pass down to your grandchildren.The black sheep as well as the martyrs.
Grandmas I urge you to start recording what you know now.
If you are downsizing try to keep some of those old photos,jewellery, pieces of fabric from significant dresses , label them.Have a treasure box so that when you die someone in the family can be its guardian and add to it.

Grandmas can be very interesting- two of mine

Duke of Cambridge Tart

Duke of Cambridge Tart is one of the delicious dishes that visitors to Cambridge will find to enjoy. There are several well known puddings associated with Cambridge. Burnt Cream  or Creme Brulee is associated with the  University Colleges.
The inventor of CS Gas lived in Magdalene College and experimented on himself ruining his digestion at the same time.He was advised by his doctor to eat rice pudding,. If you dine in this college on High Table you can refuse the dessert being served because there is still always rice pudding which was made daily for the ailing scientist .

This recipe is likely to be revived
  Duke of Cambridge Tart

Recipe
          Crust
          4 -6oz shortcrust pastry .Ready made from the supermarket is fine. Line a pie dish or flan ring with  shortcrust pastry.
           Preheat the oven.
Filling   3oz butter, 3 oz sugar,4 oz raisins,2 oz glace cherries, 2 egg yolks,2 tablespoons rum or brandy, grated lemon rind.

1. Cover the raisins with cold water , bring to the boil, leave until cool and drain
2. Put the raisins and cherries in to the lined pie dish.( add the grated rind of a lemon if liked)
3. Melt the butter and sugar  in a small pan, bring to the boil.
4. Remove from the heat and beat in the egg yolks and brandy 
5. Pour over the raisins and cherries, bake for 25-35 mins, 190 C,375F,Gas5, until the pastry is brown and the filling golden
6. Eat hot or cool with cream or icecream.

ALTERNATIVE FILLING:  another traditional filling is candied peel instead of raisins. 

                                                         

Kate and Wills, Duke and Duchess

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
Grandma knows quite a number of ladies who thought that they were the Duchess of Cambridge.
I enjoyed a good cry through the wedding ceremony and will be going to the Hertford street, Cambridge, street party very soon.Looking up recipes for Duke of Cambridge Tart-- a very old dessert recipe.

The Ceremony
Crown Imperial was a brilliant choice for the exit from Westminster Abbey. Flowers- disappointing,dress wonderful--best dressed lady has to be Camilla , Prince Charles' wife.
The ugly sisters were played by Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice- get a new makeup adviser girls.
Sartorial faux pas- that prize goes to Victoria Beckham in funerial black with a satellite dish on her head--and where was your hat Mrs Cameron?  Your husband was correctly dressed, if you want to get ahead get a hat.


Street Party,Cambridge UK

After big National events many communities hold a street party. This is the party in Hertford Street,Cambridge today

This is Cambridge UK

Mathematical bridge

Winter

Royal Wedding Watchers Sleep Out for Best Places

A chilly night is forcast but many people are camping out around Westminster Abbey and the Mall . Grandma went to have a quiet lunch with her son and found peace in the Royal Academy exhibtion of exquisite Watteau drawings.