Chocolate Digestive Biscuits

Mmm, biscuits. I love biscuits. A chocolate digestive is one of my favourites, preferably eaten with a cup of tea. Or a glass of milk. Apparently the "digestive" description comes from the antacid properties in the bicarb of soda in the recipe. A tenuous link, really. I don't think they do anything particularly good for your digestive system. A lot of them will make your fat, that's for sure.


Chocolate digestives are a very typical, everyday type of British biscuit. Part of the British biscuit canon, if you will. Along with gingernuts, shortbread, rich tea, fig rolls. Garibaldi. What else? What have I forgotten?


The recipe is from Peyton and Byrne: British Baking, a book that is quickly becoming a favourite go-to book for baking recipes. It has a whole chapter devoted to the mighty biscuit including how to make your own Tunnock's Teacake (a biscuit base, topped with gooey marshmallow then covered in melted chocolate...*swoon*...).


They were easy to make and very easy to eat. I think after carefully taste testing the milk, dark and white chocolate toppings, I can conclude that the milk chocolate digestive is my favourite. What about you? Do you have a favourite biscuit or cookie to go with your mid-morning coffee or afternoon cup or tea? Please say it's not just me.

Day-tripping

Last week it rained, and rained. And rained a bit more for good measure. We are all so weary of the rain, of thinking about it, talking about it, getting wet. So, when Saturday was dry and sunny (ish) we had to make the most of it. My parents were staying with us and it was John's weekend off, so a day trip was in order.

We took the train to York and visited the National Railway Museum. I can't say any of us are train mad, but what a wonderful time we had. Old trains were admired (especially the royal one with the bath) new ones climbed on, lots of running around and quite a few heart-stopping "Where's Angus????" moments. I think there is a scientific ratio which says that the more adults there are, the greater the chance of misplacing a toddler, because everyone thinks that the other person has their eye on said toddler.

Bella and Angus loved the museum park. (dry playground equipment! A slide that isn't running with water!)

I really enjoyed the display of vintage railway art in the gallery. These posters capture a bygone age when train travel was exciting and full of adventure, and British seaside resorts were a destination to get excited about.

Bella enjoyed the interactive art.

Angus likes to really take in a piece of art. He is very advanced. See how he has perfected his art gallery pose?

Walking from the museum into York I noticed the Big Wheel. No time on Saturday, but I'd love a trip up there sometime for the views of the Minster and the river.

The river Ouse has burst it's banks again. This is quite a regular occurrence in York and the locals are used to it, but still, I felt very sorry for the businesses along the edge of the river. 

We had lunch in Pizza Express. The floor to ceiling windows open onto a balcony that overlooks the river and it was heaven to sit in the sunshine and look out at York. 

We wandered around for a couple of hours, pottering and shopping, trying to manoeuvre the pushchair over York's narrow pavements and bumpy streets. 

A lovely day out. We are so starved of blue skies that the smallest amount of sun put us all in an excellent mood. The high point of the day for the children? The train journey there and back.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Via SouleMama.

A Cream Tea

After all that fruit picking, jam making and requests for scone recipes it's no great surprise that I wanted to make a Cream Tea. I think I am trying to will sunshine to come to us by doing as much summertime baking/eating/activity as possible. Here is England we had the wettest June on record and so far July has not been much better. We are a waterlogged and sun-starved nation at the moment.


Thank you so much for the scone suggestions. I was recommended Mary Berry's recipe by lots of people (you can find it easily online) and also Jooles's recipe from her blog Sew Sweet Violet. Scones were baked, topped with jam and cream and eaten. Thanks also for the jam suggestions - mint or basil with strawberry sound heavenly; subtle and refreshing herb flavours that are just perfect for summer fruit jams. My first foray into scone making went well - they were light and spongey and fluffy and not at all like the heavy, dry ones I buy from the supermarket. I found the dough very wet though - I'm not sure if that is normal or my error, but I feel emboldened by my success and will have another go!

For those who don't know, a Cream Tea consists of a scone spit in two, topped with clotted cream and strawberry jam, and served with a cup of tea. It is a originally a West Country tradition and something I associate with summer, probably because of all the summer holidays I've had in Devon and Cornwall over the years. My research (backed up by my blogging friend Margaret who knows about these things) tells me that a Devon Cream Tea is a scone with cream then jam, and in Cornwall it is a scone (or sometimes a "Cornish split", a type of sweet bread roll) topped with jam then cream. The cream must be clotted (a very, very thick and gloopy double/heavy cream that you have to spoon out of the tub) and the jam must be strawberry. Another variation, which I've never had but I just love it's name, is "thunder and lightening", which is a scone topped with cream then golden syrup or black treacle instead of jam. I assume the name refers to the contrast of the dark treacle on the white cream...how evocative! Ok, lesson over. I love learning about food traditions and why certain things are eaten a certain way. I personally have no preference on how it is served, I just want to eat it, and eat it I did, two so far today, and I even got the teapot out and everything.

Strawberry Jam

I don't have a happy history with strawberry jam. Three years ago, when Angus was around six weeks old and Bella two and a half, I went strawberry picking with a friend, and came back with a huge amount of fruit. That same afternoon, I carefully washed and hulled all the fruit and put it in the fridge. Where I promptly forgot all about it. One week later, I pulled the dried up, sorry looking strawberries from the fridge and attempted to coax them into jam by adding a little water with the sugar. Total disaster. And in my hormonal, sleep deprived, leaky boobed state it seemed even worse than it was. I was a failure. I couldn't even make jam. The moral of that story is don't try to set ridiculous standards of domestic goddess-ness when you have a toddler and a hungry new born baby. Or at any point in life, for that matter.

The following year I tried again and could not get it to set. I boiled it for hours until it evaporated down to one little jar of very expensive jam. Now I have learnt and I happily pass on my wisdom. Use pectin, or jam sugar, and all will be well. Now I actually like making jam.

All that fruit picking at the weekend prompted a happy few jam making sessions, with the tennis on the radio in the background. I love making jam because it lasts. When you cook a meal it is eaten, then the dishes are washed and put away, then got out again so that you can cook and eat another meal. Hours of preparation gone in minutes. Sometimes the repetition of those domestic chores (shop, cook, load dishwasher, unload dishwasher, shop, cook etc...) really grinds me down. But with jam, I make a big batch and pour the beautiful coloured sticky liquid into jars, then label them and put them on a shelf and admire them. Fabric pot covers are cut out and they are given as gifts. You get a bit more love back from a jar of jam.

I made two types - strawberry, and strawberry with rhubarb. The second was my friend Debora's suggestion and I don't know why this combination never occurred to me, it is so divine. The sweet and sharp flavours work so well together. The rhubarb gives it a real kick. The amount of fruit I used is just based on what I had to hand at the time. I find if I attempt more than 1.5 kg (approx 3 lbs) of fruit in one batch my jam looks scarily like it might boil over the pan and go everywhere. I use a 50/50 fruit to sugar ratio. Strawberries are naturally low in pectin so I always use jam sugar, which is just sugar with added pectin. The lemon also contains pectin which will help it set. I you're using a fruit that is naturally high in pectin like plums, damsons or apples, then you should just be able to use regular sugar.

Strawberry Jam

1 kg (2 lbs 4 oz) fresh strawberries

1 kg (2 lbs 4 oz) jam sugar

I lemon

Strawberry and Rhubarb Jam

650 g (1 lb 6 oz) strawberries

650 g (1 lb 6 oz) rhubarb

1.3 kg ( 2 lbs 14 oz) jam sugar

1 lemon

• Sterilise your jars*. You will need roughly one jam jar per 250 g (9 oz) of fruit, although this depends of the size of your jars.
• Wash and hull the strawberries and chop the large ones into smaller chunks. Wash the rhubarb (if using) and cut into 2 cm or 1 inch chunks.
• Put the fruit and sugar into a large jam pan or stock pot and slowly bring it up to the boil. Squeeze the lemon juice over the fruit. I mash the strawberries with a potato masher or wooden spoon at this stage to crush them down a bit.
• Put a saucer in the freezer.
• Boil for ten minutes then start checking to see if the setting point is reached. To do this, take your saucer from the freezer and put a little jam on it. (The cold dish simply helps the jam set more quickly). When it is set, gently push your finger across it and if it wrinkles, it is ready. If it doesn't wrinkle, put the saucer back in the freezer and check every five minutes. If it really doesn't want to set, add a sachet of pectin to help it along. If you let it boil for too long it just evaporates, which is quite depressing after all that effort.
• When it's ready, line up your jars ready to go.
• Using a jam funnel (what a revelation that was!) ladle the jam into the jars, seal, and leave to cool.
• Have lots of fun with labels and ribbons and other frippery.

Happy jamming people! Anyone have any other variations on or fruit combinations for strawberry jam? I would love to hear them. I wonder if strawberry and vanilla would work or if it would be too sweet?

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*There are a few ways to sterilse your jars and lids. You can wash them really well with hot soapy water, rinse, then put them in the oven to dry (no higher than 180 c or 350 f). Or, after washing, fill each jar with boiling water from the kettle. Then when you're ready to pour the jam in, carefully tip out the water and fill with the jam. Or, put them through the dishwasher, taking care not to touch the insides of the jars as you remove them. You may need to use tongs or oven gloves to handle the hot jars. Always put hot food into hot jars, or cold into cold, or the glass may crack.

Sunshine on a Rainy Day

Hello there! Firstly, thank you for all your comments and suggestions for scone recipes - all much appreciated. I will attempt scones later this week. And I was able to buy a new lens cap for the mighty sum of £3.62 on Amazon, phew.

Back in May (was it really that long ago??) Donna at Little Acorns and Hazel at Ramblings and Suchlike nominated me for a Sunshine Award. Thank you both very much - I love to read you blogs and am very happy that you enjoy reading mine too. But I have been very tardy at reciprocating. Then on Saturday, Lyn at everyday life was also kind enough to nominate me for another Sunshine award, which provided the reminder and kick up the butt I needed to get going. Thank you all. The general gist is that I answer some questions about myself then nominate some blogs I love to read to do the same, and so on. Not everyone likes to be tagged, but I think the questions provide a nice way for readers to get to know a blogger a little better. So here goes...

1. What is your favourite colour? Currently bright yellow, this particular shade in fact...

2. What is your favourite animal? I honestly can't think of one. I like dogs a lot. And I'm loving my friend Rachel's two new kittens.

3. What is your favourite non-alcoholic drink? Builder's tea (strong, just a drop of milk) first thing in the morning. While we're on the subject, I like a certain type of mug. The rim must not be too thin or too thick, it can't be too shallow or it cools too quickly, or too big which makes a weak cuppa. This is mug is acceptable. No-one can call me a princess.

4. Do you prefer twitter or facebook? I don't have a twitter account so it would have to be facebook. I keep whittling my friends list down so that it just includes family and people who really are friends, and I like the way it makes me stay in touch with people.

5. What is your passion? Does it have to be only one? Family, friends, creating a home, making, baking, reading, the sea... At the moment it is granny squares.

6. What is your favourite pattern? I very much like patterns with a repeated, leaf or flower design and a retro influence. Practically anything by Orla Kiely, like my new hand towel. The woman is a genius. 

7. Do you prefer giving or receiving presents? There is nothing nicer than planning a present for someone, knowing how much they will love it, wrapping it and then watching their faces when they open it. Having said that, these roses my friend Sam grew in her garden and gave me yesterday were very well received...

...not to mention the daisies Bella picked for me on our way home from school.

8. What is your favourite number? Honestly, that question baffles me. I don't have one. When we finally win the lottery, those numbers will be my favourite numbers.

9. What is your favourite day of the week? Saturday. I love Saturday mornings and the promise of all that is to come over the weekend, especially if John is off. He works every other weekend and I used to dread those weekends when the children were very small. But now, especially since Bella started school, I have come to treasure the days when it is just them and I, and we can do as much or as little as we please.

10. What is your favourite flower? Tulips, always tulips, but peonies, roses and sweet peas are all welcome in my house.

I would like to pass the Sunshine Award on to:


Colette at Colette Moscrop
Col at hello olive
Jenny at Audrey Finch
Greer at ...typically red
Veronica at giggles and chatter

All blogs that I love and read regularly. Ladies - I am not at all offended if tagging is not your thing and you'd rather not take part. My nomination just means that I like your ideas, your writing, your crafting, your photography and your creativity, and find your blogs hugely enjoyable and very inspiring.

Strawberry Fields

Bella, Angus and I went strawberry picking on Saturday morning. I drive past this field a couple of times a week and we've been eagerly waiting for it to open. Bella picks excellent strawberries, huge and fat and red. She showed me one and I said "Wow, that's a beauty!" and for the rest of the hour we were there she shouted "Mummy, Mum, look, I've found another beauty...and another beauty" at the top of her voice. I've been going to this field for three years and this was the best trip yet - no tears, no cries of "I need a wee", only one trip into the mud, none were eaten (no danger of that with Angus!) and very productive. By productive I mean that the kids picked ripe strawberries this time, rather than the green ones or ones that have been discarded by other people in the dust.

I wore my new white Saltwater sandals, the sun came out, and it was (nearly) perfect. Except for the fact that I dropped my camera lens cap among the strawberries. I searched for ages and could not find it anywhere. But I did spot some beauties during the search.


And now we have a fridge full of strawberries. We had them straight out of the plastic punnets on Saturday, with meringues and cream yesterday, on breakfast cereal this morning. I have made jam, smoothies, frozen some for crumbles and pies, and I'm hoping to have a go at baking scones some time this week. Clotted cream has been purchased in preparation for a cream tea. Can anyone recommend a good scone recipe? I have never made them and suspect that, like pastry, they will be "tricky".


I hope you all had a great weekend, whatever you were doing.