An evening out.

It was a very cold evening last night, and we almost didn't want to go out, but we were so glad that we did.

We were very privileged to hear the internationally known violinist Tasmin Little, who gave a concert at our Hall for Cornwall in Truro.

She delighted the audience with her gentle commentaries on each piece, and played so beautifully. I particularly enjoyed a piece by an American composer, Amy Beach.

We found ourselves both waiting for taxis after the performance, so were able to talk a little with her. She is such a pleasant unaffected person.

She is off to Melbourne in the next month or two...from one end of the world to another.

Our Hall for Cornwall, which is the only local venue for large performances, is closing for nearly two years while it is extensively renovated.

This is the proposed layout, with much better disabled access, a three tiered auditorium, and other significant changes.

We look forward to it.

Sultana biscuits.

Biscuits?

Cookies?

It depends where you live, doesn't it? 

These are Sultana biscuits that I made this week, and they are easy and delicious.

I can't remember where the recipe came from, certainly not from my Grandma's book. They are so quick to make.

Recipe;

Sultana biscuits (Cookies)

4 oz butter

4 oz sugar

1 tablespoon golden syrup

1 tbsp milk

1/2 tsp baking soda

8 oz flour

Pinch salt

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup sultanas.

Place first 5 ingredients in a saucepan and melt together slowly.

Add in flour, salt, vanilla essence and sultanas.

Mix well, then place teaspoonfuls rolled into balls on a cold ungreased baking tray.

Flatten gently with a fork and bake in a moderate oven , 350'F/180C for 10 to 15 minutes.
(For my friends in USA, Sultanas are a type of raisin, made from the white grapes)

They are delicious when cool. Slightly soft with a crunchy exterior.

Just a brief rider about Saffron cakes/buns etc.

This is a huge favourite in Cornwall, and I can remember going on Sunday School trips. The highlights were the Saffron buns known as Tea Treat buns.

The Saffron Crocus is grown in Europe, but also in Cornwall in a small way.

This is the crocus with its long red stamens...one of the most expensive spices in the world!

I still haven't found the recipe in Grandma's book.

The recipe book.

I had a sudden surge of nostalgia the other day, and wondered if I could find my Grandmother's recipe for a Saffron Loaf.

(As Saffron cake/bun/ bread is a staple of Cornish Diet, I could have bought any of them, but I wanted to make my own.)

So this little book came out.

Grandma's recipe book, with notes by many of the recipes giving the name of the friend whose recipe it was. 

As in, 'Fruit cake, Mrs Hooley', or

'Sponge pudding, Dorothy, very good'

Isn't this beautiful handwriting?

Every now and then a different 'recipe' is interspersed with the others. This one is for furniture cream, between the pages for Yorkshire Parkin and Puzzle pudding.

This one is the oddest.

It's for a tonic, a pick-me-up.

Not too sure about this!

'Put 3 eggs into the sieved juice of 4 lemons.

Let them stay for 4 or 5 days until the shells are dissolved... Carefully lift the eggs out into a basin. empty out of skins, beat up well and sieve them into lemon juice. 

Add a noggin (!) of rum and sugar to taste.

Cork up in a bottle.

Dose, a wine glassful 3 times a day.

Twice a day is often enough.

It will clear all coughs.'

I think twice a day would be more than enough for me.

So many of the recipes are very much geared to frugality and wartime shortages. It's a fascinating little book, and even nicer as every now and then a recipe in my mother's handwriting is popped in. Maybe I should add one or two.

I never did find the Saffron loaf, but so enjoyed my browse with Grandma.

February

This very wet painting by B W Leader is so

'February-ish'. (I know that isn't a word)

Painted in 1881, it was exhibited at the Royal Academy and was not popular.

I wonder if people found it depressingly wet, rainy and with no hint that there might be Spring, sometime?

Its title is 'February Fill-Dyke', which is taken from an old country rhyme.

Dykes are something that we don't have in our West Country, being deep ditches dug to protect higher ground. I guess Offa's Dyke is the most famous example, an eighty mile earthwork between England and Wales.

February makes me feel there is hope for a new season. Crocus, pansies, snowdrops and daffodils are all popping up in the garden. A cream Hellebore has woken up. A sprig of Japonica is putting forth its cheerful flowers. Primroses are appearing in the hedgerows.

 I know we have had many rain filled days this month, with apparently worse to come.....but things must improve, soon?

But just to prove that we do have snow in Cornwall, here is a photo from last week.
Compared to some of the snowy posts from USA this is a bit feeble....but it's snow all the same!

Distractions

You know how it is when your mind is on other things?

When you should be doing practical housework-y things that you've neglected, like polishing furniture?

I do actually enjoy making our lovely antique pieces shine and glow. I always use Beeswax rather than spray polishes which contain silicone. I love the scent.

I love the scent of these Hyacinths also. Given to me as bulbs at Christmas, they had a hasty sojourn in a cupboard for a couple of weeks and then came out and have been glorious. I've already cut off three stems of blooms.

And then...distractions. 

It's a lovely sunny day, the first one for weeks. 

What's happening in the garden?

A tiny primrose popping up in the (weedy) lawn.

Some of my snowdrops. I planted one small group three or four years ago and they are spreading nicely.

A pot of Winter pansies with bulbs coming through.

Tiny Violas that bring a burst of colour.

And Tulips which were planted deep in the pot and topped with some small pansies

Furniture polishing? Another day.