El Jefe's culinary delights

About 5 years ago, D produced his first cooking session for me - an apple pie made with Bramley apples that a friend brought us from Gibraltar.  

Next, a couple of years later,  he made a very good loaf using the bread maker.   I took pics of both and posted them somewhere on the blog as it was such a milestone:  these from the man who said food is fuel. 

I couldn't believe my ears when he said he wanted to have a go at Paul Hollywood's Chelsea buns.    I rounded up all the ingredients and stood by to be the plongeur, clearing up all the pots and bowls.   Well, he didn't back out and last week produced a tray of 8 and all very good.    The recipe on line was slightly different from the YouTube demo, which I think if he uses the modified version in future, they will be much improved.   Meanwhile, here are the results - just after proving, pre-icing and then iced.....

The icing is very special - the zest of an orange, plus icing sugar and suffient water to make it like a thickish creamy consistency.  Slop it all over the buns with a paint brush. 

It's always hit and miss with baking here because of the fluctuation in the electricity supply.   Endesa, the supply company, is making millions, but will they improve their infrastructure - no they won't.    So normally I don't bake as things tend to get burned on top before they're cooked through.   But these buns were great.  

Fascinating Aida

I've long been a fan of theirs and their "Cheap Flights" about Ryanair is as good as it gets.    Here's their latest "Down with the Kids".....have a good chortle....

here   http://youtu.be/VtAy0AhKKsk

Jottings for July

The new PC is up and running and now whipped into shape and behind me in the study el jefe is battling with a new system for himself.   In computer generated images there is always a demand for more and more memory ( I know the feeling - if only there were little DIMM slots for humans), so he is upgrading his system amid curses. lamentations and whoops of joy at something going right.

So we are settled back into something like the old routine, except we couldn't get out in the garden in the teeth of a Levante wind.   10 minutes and it felt that every ounce of moisture and energy had been sucked out of us.   It went on for almost 9 days and although there is a lull today, we hear it will be back any time now. 

Anyway, I said I'd post some holiday pics and here are just a small number to show steam locomotive stations and trains as they have been renovated by enthusiastic volunteers over the years, even down to the pre-War advertisements on the stations. 

First, here's a pic of a de-luxe 1st class carriage with its red velvet upholstery.

 This is the Tornado which had journeyed from Kings Cross to York and there was quite a crowd to see it arrive.

The journeys through the moors and dales were the highlight of the holiday, plus a 2 hour guided walking tour through York.