Sweet tart...

If you travel on the the boat between Scilly and the mainland on a flat day, it's magical. The Scillonian has a bad reputation which I think is unfair. The amount of times I've seen people wolfing down pasties declaring they never get sea sick only to be seen staggering around the main deck twenty minutes later a moss shade of green. You are travelling thirty miles into the Atlantic for goodness sake.

There's a technique to it. You have two options. One: stay on deck and don't move. If you're doing this, wrap up warm and wear a lot of sun lotion. Option two: go downstairs and keep going. There is a little room at the bottom with beds, blankets and pillows. Take sea sickness tablets and go to sleep...preferably for 2 hours and 40 minutes and wake up on the mainland.

When I leave the islands I'm generally taken on board crying and holding on to the ankles of my family. I go straight downstairs so I don't have to see myself leaving Scilly. But occasionally I wake up in time to watch the voyage along the south coast of Cornwall......

Last night mum and dad came over and I drove down to meet them in Penzance....

We went for dinner at The Navy Inn. I had Monkfish with Mushroom Risotto. It's just a stone's throw from Newlyn the best fishing port in the world and the monkfish was fantastic. Mental note: must cook more fish....

We had a bit of a wait before they docked so we sat crossed legged on the harbour eating these....

Strawberry and Clotted Cream Shortcakes.....(Makes 15 to 20 depending on how thin you like the shortbread)

150g plain flour

100g cornflour

70g caster sugar

125g salted butter

1 big pinch Cornish sea salt

150g strawberry jam

1 large punnet of strawberries (with about 10 strawberries in it)

1 200g tub clotted cream

Put the flour, cornflour, sugar, butter and salt in a food processor and whizz together.

Pull the mix together with your hands until it becomes a dough. Roll out until it's about the thickness of a one pound coin. Cut into circles about the size of a jam jar lid.

You should have preheated the oven now by the way to 180'c. Grease a bun tin and place the circles in each hole. Prick with a fork. (I have no idea why you do this. I do it because it's been drummed into me. If you know..tell me!)

Bake for about 15 minutes until light brown. Take out of the oven and leave to cool for 20 minutes. Run a knife around them just to make sure they haven't stuck to the tins. Put a small tsp of good quality strawberry jam on each shortcake and pop back in the oven for 10 minutes.

Take out of the oven and leave to completely cool. Top with a small scoop of clotted cream and half a strawberry.

Remember.....

I've always marked Remembrance Sunday. I think stopping for two minutes wherever you are, whatever you are doing is important. To stop and think about the millions of people who have given their lives, their futures, their children and grandchildren so that I can say what I want, love who I want and believe what I want.

But this year has been even more poignant. On Monday my other half found out his friend from school had been killed in Afghanistan. He was thirty.

So this year the two minutes silence was even more important. We decided not to go to a Remembrance Sunday but head to the beach to be thankful for the freedom we have. But just before eleven we pulled over in a layby to mark the silence. Other cars did as well. While motorists roared past we sat by the A30 and reflected on the last week. On the brave family who have been left behind.

On the way home it rained and rained until we reached Chiverton Cross. In the sky was the most radiant rainbow I have ever seen. It created a glorious arc between Truro and the north coast...an amazing splash of colour on a slate skyline and I felt lucky to have seen it.......

The other half deserved a Sunday off from roasts. The layers of the rainbow inspired me to make him his favourite lasagne...with a little treat afterwards.....

Bramble Pudding and custard....


Remember that jam I made a couple of months ago? I still have jars of the stuff. This is the best way to start making a dent in the store cupboard....

3 tbsp blackberry and apple jam
2 eggs
5oz self raising flour
5oz brown sugar
5oz butter
1 tsp baking powder.
1 tin of custard. I can't be bothered to make my own...this stuff's just too yummy.

Preheat the oven to 180'c. Put the eggs, flour, sugar, butter and baking powder in a bowl and beat together. Pop the jam in the bottom of a heatproof dish. Spoon the sponge mix on top of the jam. Cover with foil and pop in the oven for 30 minutes.


Serve with hot custard. I like mixing mine together so I get pink custard...

Phoenix from the ashes....

Two weeks ago I shared with you the triumph of the Truro Ladies A as they made it to the final of the County gig championships for the first time in ten years. Today I reluctantly got up early to watch the other half in the quarter finals of the men's event.

There was a blanket of slate grey clouds lingering over the harbour and a definate chill in the air as we walked down the steps towards the quay. And it seems it was an omen of what was to come. The boys were disqualified. Disqualified for trying not to hit another gig on a mark. If they had hit it they would have been disqualified. So they tried not to. Apparently that was the wrong decision. So there was many a gloomy face as we walked back to the car park two hours later.

We decided to go to the beach and have a picnic with one of my other half's crew. He drove us to a locals beach we had never been to. The sun came out, the temperature rose and we ate sausage pasta salad and ham rolls and everyone seemed a bit happier.....


Everytime I have a nice day at the beach I always pick up a shell or pebble to take home and put in a plant pot. It's a habit I've picked up and it makes me feel happier in the winter when it's too cold and wet to go out. Today ended up being a brilliant day so I took two home with me....

Yesterday I made jam. Making jams and chutneys is the only way to bottle the sunshine we are having at the moment. My fingers ended up bright purple because I kept dunking my fingers in....

Easy blackcurrant jam.....

2lbs blackcurrents
2lbs jam sugar
splash of water

Put all the ingredients in a heavy based pan......

Let it boil for about 20 minutes or so. Test if it's ready by putting a little bit on a saucer. Leave it for a minute and then drag a teaspoon through it. If it wrinkles, it's ready!

Put in pretty jars.....

Perfect on hot, buttered toast, scones or on fingers!