I used a different recipe this year as I usually make the Mary Berry rich fruit cake and decorate it simnel-cake style and have it ready a few weeks in advance to feed it with rum or brandy. Somehow I didn't get round to it this year, so decided only yesterday to make one, opting for Mary's actual Simnel cake recipe, which is a lighter mix and has a layer of marzipan baked through the middle of the cake. It came out of the oven smelling delicious and looking well formed, however, it sadly started to sink after a couple of minutes so probably should have had a bit longer in the oven. Not to worry, the top layer of marzipan and the kitsch chicks in their nest have covered up the crater and I'm sure it will taste good when we cut into it.
Two out of three of the kids (plus one partner) are now home and will be good to have them all here on Saturday and Sunday, before the eldest and youngest go back on Monday.
Tomorrow morning we plan to go into town to our local traditional bakers for breakfast in their cafe and to buy lots of their yummy hot cross buns, which will be devoured enthusiastically by all of us, and in huge quantities by some members of the family!
At the same time, packing for next week is now underway. My new holdall on wheels arrived during the week and I've started to put into it some of the essential things as they come to mind, plus newly washed clothes that I plan to take. This time next week we'll be in Paris, so it's all starting to feel real and exciting.
Happy Easter and thank you to all of you who take the trouble to read this blog. I hope that once we are on the move, there'll be a lot of interesting information and impressions to share and you'll stick with me.
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