Take Eccles cakes.
Works every time.
Obvs they have to be ‘real Lancashire’ Eccles cakes. Not to be confused with Chorley cakes.
New cards available in the shop. Big thanks to the lovely Miss Smith for gracing the shop with her talent.
Tonight is Brits night. I won’t be watching. It’s on ITV and there are some things that one just can’t do. My Brit goes to this girl. For hair alone. True talent.
and the downright delicious.
After a rather strenuous week, it was needed. Figs, banana and pumpkin seeds = big thumbs up. Syrup and pancakes = well it’s not every day is it.
Flower markets remind me of christmas tree purchasing. You pick up something a little bit interesting, that the guys don’t like perhaps. And next minute everyone wants the same thing.
Put these two together – they make a lovely couple. I did try to think of a lovely couple but struggled….Elisabeth Taylor and Richard Burton? Wills and Kate? Adele and Karl Largerfeld – as I said I’m crap at this game.
Enjoy the sunshine.
“You’re back’s against the wall, there’s no one home to call, you’re forgetting who you are, you can’t stop crying.”
Ah, another Valentine’s Day, and don’t you think The Gossip have it nailed? Florists the world over are waiting for their poor little hands to recover. The studio, before the stock arrives.
The roses are hiding the English tulips, early cheerfulness and black iris. More stock arrived, and no photos were taken. And now, it’s all gone. It’s scattered through the houses of Manchester making people smile, safe in the knowledge they’re loved.
“You’ll do it all again, and I’m not lying.” Miss Ditto, she’s right isn’t she?
…red. You were expecting armfulls of red roses weren’t you? Always expect the unexpected.
Now, you didn’t expect Blackpool prom did you? And you didn’t expect to find ‘that’ either. Love it? Hate it? Completely indifferent?
The sort of architecture that critics describe as “B-movie architecture”. And having “echoes of such serious precedents as Frank Lloyd Wright, but also 1950s motels.” So know you know.
And no mention of V day. As I said, not what you expected.
For a wedding?
What do you mean, grey drizzle isn’t your thing? Oh freezing rain doesn’t do it for you? Some people want the moon on a stick.
The soup is perfect. Pumpkin (I’m still working through the great harvest of 2011, only four left), five spice, garlic, ginger, chilli (lots), lemongrass, fish sauce, rice, coconut milk, stock, salt and a good pinch of pepper. Should have had lime juice, it didn’t the fruit bowl could only offer a lemon.
It’s nearly Valentine’s, can you feel the romance? No, me neither, but there’s time.
Europe freezes. The North of England ain’t too warm either. And when the mercury plumets my freezer comes out in sympathy. So as you reach in, you realise everything is just a little bit soft.
Soup, a la Mandelson. Whole bag of slightly defrosted peas, couple of homegrown garlic roasted enough to squish out of the skin. Veggie stock, cream, pepper and onions. It’s simple and yum. Followed by 27 veggie sausage sandwiches – this food isn’t going to eat itself.
And lilac, astrantia and memory lane roses. Was feeling in a dusky mood today.
No filling.
Just proper cake. In slices. Chocolate orange. With dark muscovado and syrup. No gooey topping. No decoration. No effort either. Mrs F made it.
Wooden wardrobes. Imagine if Ikea did these? Am I the only person who likes wooden furniture?
And old fashioned embroidery stuff?
Chez Fletcher is a bit of a time warp. Today it’s 1932, it’s a brave new world with unadorned cake.
