Cake.

Not only does Lady Magnon make a very good Tarte Tatin, and exceptionally good Mince Pies, but she is also a dab-hand at making Mary Berry's 'Banana and Honey Tea Bread' (cake).

I've never been a cake-maker myself, but I was once so impressed by a cake recipe in Elle a Table magazine, that I had to have a go. It was an olive and bacon cake (savoury cake), and not only did it come-out perfect in every sense, but it was also delicious. If you can find the recipe, I would recommend it.

We do enjoy a bit of cake with our afternoon cup of Lapsang, and this Banana Cake is perfect. It's not too sweet, it is very tasty, and one cake usually lasts for about 4 days. I believe it takes just TWO ripe Bananas, and a few store-cupboard essentials.

She also makes a very good Lemon Drizzle cake, and the occasional Cheesecake; although Cheesecake can hardly be called a 'Cake'.

 

Houses of Parliament Sauce.

I never liked HP Sauce. I last tasted it in the 70's (or even before), and found it far too acidic and overbearing.

I've also always associated it with people such as Harold Wilson; so you can imagine my aversion.

Kimbo and I have breakfast together once a week, and he has brought his own bottle of HP which he keeps here. He cannot have his full-English-breakfast without it.

So, I thought I'd give it a second chance, and I must admit that I quite liked it. I'm sure that they must have changed their recipe as it wasn't at all acidic.

If it was my own bottle I would add some sugar or honey to sweeten it a bit, but even as it is, it's OK.

Looking at the list of ingredients in HP there are many similarities to Worcestershire Sauce, but it's a very different product. It's a thick sauce (a bit the texture of ketchup), rather than a liquid sauce.

It won't be replacing my Lea and Perrins, but in times of emergency I certainly wouldn't say no to HP.

Will I be buying any in the near future? I think not, but I shall reflect on the idea!

Kimbo will be here any minute for our weekly breakfast together. I must put his HP on the table.

 

Morning Routine.

I suppose most of us live by 'routine'; I know I certainly do.

I am the current guardian of 'The Family Clock'. Made for the family in 1735, it has remained with us ever since. 

It's not a grand clock. It has a very simple wooden case, and it has no frills. It's a simple country-made affair that has been telling the time for nearly three hundred years.

My Father knew his time was limited when he asked me to drive him down to visit his cousin in Hendon; London. Having given us an uncooked Chicken for lunch, she suddenly pronounced that I was to be the family clock's next guardian; there was no-one else. I was neither pleased nor upset; I simply accepted the duty, and loaded it into the car, along with an antique corner cupboard that she also said I should look after.

Luckily the clock has not needed too much maintenance. I did have it 'serviced' once, but it needed no repairs; just a small amount of internal cleaning of the mechanism. It was the repair man who told me its date.

I 'wind' the clock every morning. It works on a pully system, and requires a lead weight to be delicately lifted. It would keep going for two days, but I 'wind' it every day.

Sometimes I sit and listen to its tick, just as my ancestors must have done. In the days before radio and TV, the only sound in the house, other than a crackling fire, would have been the constant ticking of the long-case clock. Its time would have been set against the more accurate clock on the village church tower. Who the church would have used to check that their clock was telling the right time, I have no idea. 

The clock does have a chime, but I have 'disabled' it for the moment.

The clock will go to Kimbo, and then to his oldest son Suave Harve. It is never to be sold; just handed-on to the next family custodian. There is no reason why it shouldn't continue to tell the time for another 300 years.

 

Phoebe Hessel; a True Heroine.

One of the more distinguished graves in our churchyard, is that of Phoebe Hessel (above).

Hessel was a TRUE HEROINE. She followed her lover into the army (dressed as a man) and they served together in many battles. Eventually both she and her lover were wounded at The Battle of Fontenoy in 1745. Later, when her wounds were being dressed by the Colonel's wife, her secret was revealed. 

After her Service Career, she became a fish-seller in Brighton, and was a well-loved local character. Even The Prince Regent (later King George IV) appreciated her and her exploits, and he granted her a generous pension.

Hessel died in 1821 aged 108, and I walk past her grave twice daily.

If you have a moment it's worth looking at her Wiki page, to see her full exploits. An amazing woman!

 

Solar Panels

Recent news that China has secretly included a cut-off system in their exported Solar Panels is worrying to say the least.

They apparently have the ability to close down most of the world's major solar farms at the click of a switch. How on earth did we allow this to happen?

The success of the Chinese economy is based on The West's greater earnings and spending-power. We send our money over to China, whilst our own industries go to the wall. People are now even buying CHINESE CARS for heaven's sake!

This new possible problem with solar panels (which could bring us and other Western countries to our knees) is all of our own making. Why are we not producing our own panels? Potential UK manufacturers are being priced out of manufacturing, whilst China keeps production prices down and swamps international markets. Who are the fools?

I am always very conscious of where things are made, and sadly we cannot escape 'everything' that comes from China. Perhaps ALL British made products should exhibit a small Union Flag telling us as much.

The world is blindly walking towards 'renewable energy', and Net-Zero, as if it's the Saviour of the Planet, but may I suggest that we continue to exploit 'fossil fuels' as well. If the Chinese block all our solar power, at least we'd still have oil, hydro, natural gas, and maybe even some coal (although finding anyone to dig it out would be a problem).

I recently looked on Wiki to discover who makes those huge windmills we now see everywhere. Well, it'll come as no surprise that the majority of them are made in China. If they control both our solar and our wind production of electricity; we really could end-up in the 'ess aitch eye tea'. 

Who would have imagined that 'Eco solar and wind power' could hide such sinister secrets?

RIP Alan Yentob

 

I was very shocked and saddened to hear of my friend Alan's death yesterday. It was the opening subject of yesterday's lunchtime news on BBC1.

Alan and I were at school together. We were contemporaries, and both being southerners we naturally tended to stick together.

In the above photo Alan is third from the right in the top row, and I am third from the left in the middle row. Alan's brother Robert is on the far right of the top row. Between the two brothers is my other very good friend, Aubrey 'Po' Powell, who found fame designing album covers, etc.

We both entered our upper school in 1960, and left together in 1964. Alan went on to study at The Sorbonne, and I went into The City. We kept in touch for several years, then, when I moved to France in 1973, that rather dwindled to just Christmas cards, etc.

Alan had an illustrious career with the BBC, being both Controller of BBC1 and BBC2, he was even in line for the job as Director General at one time. His arts programmes, especially 'Arena' and 'Imagine', were ground-breaking, and brought a new aspect of the arts to the viewing public, he will also be remembered for commissioning many well loved dramas and sit-coms. He made a huge contribution to our more 'serious' TV viewing.

He has been described as 'One of British culture's defining figures'.

I was really shocked to hear of his death. I send my condolences to his family and his brothers.

Potatoes

I love potatoes. Like eggs; what WOULD we do without them?

I love them roasted, chipped, mashed, sautéed, on a cottage pie, in brandade, as bubble and squeak, in an Irish stew, and especially baked in the ash-tray of our wood burner. 

I'm not a great connoisseur of the different varieties of potato, but frankly I've not yet met a variety that I didn't like. 

I rarely buy fancy varieties, but once a year (around now) I do buy one small bag of Jersey Royals. Otherwise, I never buy coloured or strange shaped varieties, as I think you are paying extra for 'novelty'.

What could be more comforting than a big 'dollop' of smooth mashed potato, topped with a generous amount of butter and some freshly chopped parsley. I would serve that to The King, and I know that he'd love it.

If I was asked what I would save from my burning house; the rice, the spaghetti, or the potatoes, there is no question, it would have to be that bag of glorious spuds.

I regularly grew my own potatoes at Haddock's, and the excitement of digging-up fresh tubers never diminished. I just wish I was still growing them today.

So, long live the glorious potato. May they never be blighted!