My twin boys had been excited all week as the day of their friend’s Communion approached. Finally on Saturday morning the waiting was over. Their oldest sister was accompanying them to the communion lunch and then we were all to rendez vous for a party later. With my promised catering contribution to take care of I watched the clock as I made up the batter for the peach and raspberry bake. Ellie then decided she needed a new pair of shoes! Another glance at the clock told me we could make it if we were in luck Dunnes would have her size. Timed down to the nth we began the dash out to the car until it dawned on me that the beautiful batter mix had entered the oven naked! Another mad dash back inside the house where I quickly dressed the two trays in the rich mellow yellow of sliced peaches and popsicle pink raspberries. The shoes were purchased and on my return the peaches and raspberries emerged now surrounded by a lightly risen blanket of gold. After some time cooling I whipped up fresh cream and slathered it on and topped it up with more peach slices and raspberries. With a quick prayer and held breath I managed to get one half out of the tray and on top of the other without breaking. I hope you can see traces of the luscious fruit peeping through the batter and see how the moistness of the peaches has melted the icing sugar sprinkled on top.
My other contributions included sundried tomato bread topped with rocket, salami and roasted red pepper, mini tortilla wrapped salmon and cream cheese bites, a morrocan cous cous and a quinoa salad. It was my first time working with the quinoa grain and I used the pomegranate mollasses that I had purchased at ‘The Stuffed Olive’ in Bantry a few weeks ago. All other ingredients used were from my local supermarket.
I had spent some of the afternoon standing on my dining room table trying to balance the camera and a spotlight to get some pictures but I’m still on a learning curve with all that. The party that evening was a great way to unwind and went on well into the night. As the girls had a soccer match on Sunday morning we escaped into town with the boys for a fry-up at “Amicus” called ‘the hangover brunch.’ After that we paid a quick visit to ‘Waterstones’ where I loitered in the cookery section until it was time to go and collect the girls.
Till next time, Sheila.