Monday 6th July 2020 - Not Too Bad, Crumble Cake and Flat Bread

The easing of lockdown enabling people to stay overnight, together with the ability to go to pubs and restaurants has, as far as I am aware, not had any adverse effects here in Overstrand. If anything, apart from holiday lets filling up, it has been quieter this weekend, but then it has been a tad on the windy side. As my photo taken on Sunday shows, there were people walking on the beach, this is a change from a couple of weeks ago when more were sitting, picnicking, swimming and paddling. We have not been without some inconsiderate behaviour; in particular an illiterate family who entered the playground. With their education not encompassing the ability to read, the numerous signs posted on the fence meant nothing to them but then neither did the padlocked gates. They wanted to get in and get in they did.

When our sons were at school and both they and Peter had packed lunches, I made numerous cakes. I don’t know how many, hundreds I think, all in one sponges I have made over the years using Delia Smith’s recipe. Even though I say so myself, all were nigh on perfect and once cool, filled with either home-made jam and/or buttercream. It’s been a different case recently, to my horror the sponges dip in the middle and the latest one we are eating just crumbles when you pick up a slice and bite into it. Another failure was the dough I made in my breadmaker to make a pizza with the excess shaped into a round loaf. Again a recipe I have used numerous times but last week the dough came out so sticky I had to knead in more flour. The pizza base was okay but the loaf was another matter. It would not be correct to say it rose whilst proving; it was more of a case of it growing sideways resulting in a flat loaf. Well, at least the local gull and crow population have enjoyed it. So, what’s the problem? I intend to get to the bottom of this, starting with a change of flours. Later this afternoon, our online grocery shop will contain two bags of flour – self raising and strong bread flour Watch this space and if my next attempts are less than perfect there will be wails of exasperation coming from our kitchen!