From My Kitchen

I’ve been in the kitchen since I was a wee girl.  Sitting at my own small table in the kitchen I would roll out biscuit mix, cut dough, mix scones and ice things. My mum made great biscuits, cakes and slices.  When I got married I gained a mother-in-law who was the queen of baking; sponges, pavlovas, shewsbury biscuits and Scottish shortbread. Both mums put simple meals of meat and 3 vegetables on the dining table every night, so I grew up with great cooking role models. I have to admit that I don't cook all the meals in our home. I don't always cook fantastic food either, though I wish I did. However sometimes, just occasionally, I can be truly inspired. I like those flashes of brilliance best. 

We all have to eat and there's no better way to do that than with some good conversation with family and friends around the table.  When we were younger we had a huge house, huge back yard, and the most kids, so everyone used to come to our place.  I learned to make high volume quick meals with whatever was in the cupboard at the time. People always brought what they had to add to the table. No one went hungry. Roast dinners were stretched to accommodate more people not by buying more meat (we couldn’t afford that) but by adding more potatoes, pumpkin, carrots and making a huge delicious pudding.  I made big pots of soup and hot bread rolls or scones for after school and on the weekends, and in summer we cooked 00's of sausages on the BBQ. I have to admit it has taken some time to revert to cooking for two. The food I cook has changed with income and location but I do aim to cook seasonally where possible.




Back in vintage times I used butter, sugar, and flour in abundance. The development of an intolerance to gluten and lactose have caused me to rethink what we eat. I still sometimes bake things for the family that I cant eat because sometimes gluten free does not translate to the same yumminess as gluten filled products.  I'll try and provide gluten free options where possible.

Hopefully I can inspire you to try to make some simple, yummy things that really aren't complicated and might be great to share with your family & friends.