Worm's World

My cakes usually look like this - tasty, but not exactly pretty... Anyway, while we promoting the CCC on twitter (@ staffscakeclub ) Charlotte & I got asked to do some cake judging by the fine folks that run Great British Food Festival  as it arrive in Stafford. Never one to turn down free cake made by other people we said yes...   So, dressed in our finest cake judging garb (we decided floral dresses and cardigans were the order of the day) and over two days tasted slice from 10 different vanilla sponges and 12 chocolate cakes of varying styles.   What was really interesting was how easy it was to judge the cakes - well actually to pick a winner. In both categories there was one cake that we'd have gone back to for another slice, even after trying 11 other slices, in a hot tent, having run for 2 miles to get there on time. What was quite sweet was the winner of the chocolate cake round (an unassuming 7th one from the bottom) which I think is from this recipe  -...

Last night was the 5th annual Stafford beer festival - backed by CAMRA  and it's nice to see it grow as an event year on year. It's also held in a Catholic high school, which amuses me no end, I'm not sure why, it works really well and the beer festival in Liverpool was held in the Catholic cathedrals crypt so maybe it's totally normal. Anyway, I'm quite a fan of beer festivals, in that I'm quite a fan of beer - I like cider and perry too - but they tend to be lethally alcoholic at a festival and mixing them both lies madness and drunkenness. What I couldn't help noticing is how very 'British' it seems, and where do all these people come from - and more to the point why do some of them still have mullets (how do you even still have a mullet in this day and age). But there's lots of people stood around peering at a festival listing, trying to juggle a tankard, a pen, a beer and a programme - working on what they want to drink next based o...

Author: Nick Rowe Date: 2006 Published:  Eaglemoss Publications Amazon Link: Around Britain Dairy Cookbook One of the 3 books I've won in the raffle, wonder if it's as comprehensive as #15

Author: Jane Pettigrew Date:  Published:  This is pretty much one of my favourite books, the recipes are a little meat heavy for every day use, but I took it with my to uni where it got a lot of use.