No, no. It's only mid November Too soon. Oh no, say it cannot be...
Hairdresser Friend visited on Sunday. She laughingly said she looked like a bag lady pushing a trolley as she travelled on the tram. She looked rather too glam to be a bag lady but we did play on her being a bag lady.
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The occasion was for she and R to make Christmas cakes. They didn't last year but did the year before. They make a joint mixture and then divide it into two. Oh look, the bag lady with a trolley has her own cooking pots and pans in her trolley.
R once owned a sandwich shop and I had little involvement with the shop, aside from about every three days making a boiled fruit cake. The cake was sliced and put on the shop counter and it would sell like hotcakes, whatever that means. In eighteen months, I must have made many many boiled fruit cakes and I did refine and perfect the process and the cakes. I used to make our Christmas cake but I can't be bothered anymore. One year I made small individual Christmas cakes to give as gifts, totally unappreciated. After the lunch time Christmas dinner pudding with cream and brandy custard, who wants to eat more cake? I gave the cake making process away.
But clearly I do know about the making such cakes, so I offered helpful advice from the sidelines, mostly ignored, including 'no pineapple in the Christmas cake', and 'less almond meal'.
Cocktails were made and drunk and I wonder if there is name for a cocktail made of prosecco, Aperol and soda water, with a slice of orange. Something spritzer I guess. Empty glass, no brie and biscuits left, only a few olives and some humous dip.
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In spite of cocktails, the mix look pretty good to me. The hands are a bit old but they can still cook.
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It was a fun afternoon. With the guidance of the expert fruit cake maker, me, so far as is it cooked enough or not, the cake is just perfect. It will be fed brandy every week until Christmas.
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Looking good. I haven't even started making our cakes this year. And should. Soon. Ish.
ReplyDeleteWhat a delightful insight into your lives, past and present. Thanks for sharing. I'm planning to make a Mexican Day of the Dead cake. In fact, I should do that this afternoon. :D
ReplyDeleteAs someone who cannot abide dried fruit comestibles, that means Christmas cakes, mince pies, hot cross buns etc etc etc are a no-no. Your cake does look very professional though.
ReplyDeleteI love a good fruit cake but don’t like pudding or mince pies. And I remember seeing my first Aperol spritz, I just had to have one, it looked sooo good. I didn’t enjoy it one bit, how could something that looks so good taste so yuck (to me), needless to say I’ve never had another. Marie, Cheltenham
ReplyDeleteI like pecan cakes too. I would just go buy the cakes which would save a lot more time. It is a good time for bonding with your friends.
ReplyDeleteThe end product looks scrumptious thanks entirely to your managerial skills and wise guidance!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, back in the day, why didn't you just make hot cakes? Then they would have really sold like hot cakes!
I have never eaten Christmas cakes or puddings but your last photo looks very tempting. Does "being fed brandy" mean you will drown the cake in alcohol? Perfect!
ReplyDeleteI would need a few cocktails before having fruit cake; it looks gorgeous, sounds dee-lish, but just isn't my thing.
ReplyDeletePlus I don't have a real sweet tooth at all!
I don't think I have ever had home made fruit cake. That one looks like it will be delicious.
ReplyDeleteOh, thank GOD you were there! Your fruitcake looks much more involved than my fruitcake. I am humbled.
ReplyDeleteI have some aperol. Might need to get some sparkling wine as I do love a good spritz.
ReplyDeleteNo cake here this year as the oven is disgusting. Can't wait to have a new oven.
Your cake making skills and supervision show great results. Pineapple in a Christmas cake??? I am sure the cake will be very well fed by Christmas. "I haven't been drinking, officer. I only had cake at the highrise".
I'm not big on fruit in my cakes or pies, but I sure like the sound of pudding and brandy.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind a bit of Christmas cake, but usually a slice or two is enough, so I buy small packs of pre-sliced iced cake from Woolies or Coles most years. Mince pies were my thing, I'd make dozens every year for family and friends, but gave up a few years ago, when it got too expensive to pot them and also too much trouble to move everything off the kitchen bench for the pastry rolling space. That microwave weighs a ton! So Christmas is "less" now, but easier.
ReplyDelete*post them*
ReplyDeleteHey! My comment disappeared! As I was saying...mince pies were my thing, I'd make dozens each year for family and friends until it got too expensive to post them and too much trouble to clear off the kitchen bench for the pastry rolling.
ReplyDeleteYou are a talented soul Andrew, well done and good on you. Love boiled fruit cake, my mother used to make me one every month and bring it to me when I was pregnant with first child.
ReplyDeleteNot that fond of Xmas cake nor baking for that matter. I usually buy one to have one to offer any hungry guests.
ReplyDeleteNo-one would ever eat any cake made by me. The baking gene passed me by. Your cake looks lovely. Rich fruit cake tastes very good with cheese.
ReplyDeleteThat's a beautiful cake! And brandy makes everything good. I think the cocktail you mentioned is just called an Aperol spritz?
ReplyDeleteBe liberal on the brandy.
ReplyDelete