ABC Wednesday - F is for...


... First and Fourth

NAH came back from swimming training yesterday morning and announced 'I think I'll bake a cake'. I almost choked on my breakfast - it shows he still has the power to surprise, even after nearly 25 years of marriage.

Me: Have you made a cake before?
NAH: I made three when I was a student (i.e. more than 30 years ago)
Me: So you'll be wanting a recipe - what kind of cake are you going to make?
NAH: A fruit cake
NAH: No, that'll be stealing your thunder
Me: It won't really - you'll be wanting a good basic recipe then

So I got my BeRo recipe book out and found the page with the basic fruit cake recipe on it. A family favourite my nan used to bake a lot.

Me: This is a good one - it uses the rubbing in method
NAH: What's that?
Me: Oh there's a few basic methods used for cake making - rubbed in, creamed, melted...
NAH: Does it tell me how to do them in your book?

We looked at the book together - no instructions, it assumed you already knew. I described the rubbing in method. NAH looked a little puzzled.

Me: I think you're meant to learn the basic methods at your mother's elbow
NAH: Could I learn them at my wife's elbow instead?

We then looked in the cupboards to find we only had the flour and sugar needed. No mixed fruit, eggs or margarine. NAH happily departed for the shops. I disappeared into the garden.

And a couple of hours later at lunch, I enjoyed my first slice of cake made by NAH and he enjoyed a slice from his fourth. All lovely and warm from the oven.

Not only that, he'd done all the washing up too :0

Do hop over to the ABC Wednesday3 blog for more stories and photos on the letter F.

Comments

  1. Daphne Gould27 August 2008 at 00:31

    If my husband ever did that, I think I would go into shock.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Rose27 August 2008 at 04:36

    If my husband came in and announced he was baking a cake, I'd be sure to check to see if I was in the right house! Cheers to NAH--the end result looks delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Matron27 August 2008 at 08:38

    Has he been watching the Hairy Bakers on BBC? Maybe he has been inspired by manly role models!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Rune Eide27 August 2008 at 08:41

    Does he deliver - when he gets roud to it? Or give courses?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Jerez Sherry27 August 2008 at 08:58

    ummm!

    ReplyDelete
  6. emmat27 August 2008 at 09:35

    See its against my religion to buy margarine so I can only make buttery cakes... ha ha. Also I am lazy and everything is done in the magimix. Rubbing in, what's that? :-)
    Very impressive cake! I will keep watching to see if I can find out the differene between rubbing in and creaming...

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yolanda Elizabet Heuzen27 August 2008 at 09:42

    I'm shocked! Good grief, are you serious? Did he really do the washing up afterwards? Consider me gobsmacked. ;-)

    How nice that one's partner can still surprise from time to time. Especially when it is such a lovely surprise. :-) Great looking cake, wish I could have a piece too.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Gemma Wiseman27 August 2008 at 10:02

    What a fun posting! Verfy entertaining!

    ReplyDelete
  9. AphotoAday27 August 2008 at 10:43

    ABC Wednesday is making me hungry this morning...

    ReplyDelete
  10. Kim from Hiraeth27 August 2008 at 12:27

    Could I learn them at my wife's elbow instead?

    What a great post! I enjoyed it immensely!

    ReplyDelete
  11. VP27 August 2008 at 13:10

    Daphne - I'm pretty much in shock too!

    Rose - they are. Just finished my third piece at lunch today.

    Matron - surprisingly no!

    Runee - you could come over and do the Man in the Kitchen course at our local college ;)

    Sherry - do you mean yum, or are you just amazed?

    Emmat - good point re the margarine, though he did use organic eggs and fruit. He did also wonder whether he should have bought his mother's Kenwood Chef down from Darlington when I was describing what to do. As for the rest - you're a very naughty girl ;)

    Yolanda - I was gobsmacked too when I saw everything on the drying rack :o

    Greyscale territory - welcome and thanks!

    A Photoaday - perhaps you need to go and bake a cake?

    Kim - Hello! That's my favourite bit. Glad you enjoyed it too :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous27 August 2008 at 13:54

    I've still got my mother's Be-Ro book (34th edition).Mine says the rubbing in method is suitable "for beginners and busy housewives" so you made the right choice. A classic publication.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Gordon27 August 2008 at 14:55

    Now that's something I should do ....
    NAH has a head start on me; he made three at school.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Bear Naked27 August 2008 at 16:50

    That was so Funny to read about.
    Fantastic and very unique choice for the letter F.

    Bear((( )))

    ReplyDelete
  15. CaBaCuRl28 August 2008 at 00:05

    What a wonderful F post...lots of loving thoughts in it. AND...he cleaned up after himself??? Now that must be a first!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Leslie:28 August 2008 at 03:41

    Oh my, lucky you! I think the only thing my husband could make was beans from the can.

    ReplyDelete
  17. mrsnesbitt28 August 2008 at 14:21

    Well if hubby announced the same I would definately worry...after I had stopped laughing!
    It did look lovely however.
    Great stuff.
    Dxx

    ReplyDelete
  18. Lucy Corrander29 August 2008 at 16:36

    It's the washing up bit that's most astonishing.

    And 'Be-Ro' brings me back to warm and ancient memories . .

    Lucy
    PICTURES JUST PICTURES

    ReplyDelete
  19. VP2 September 2008 at 21:34

    EG - I was bought up on the Bero book, so it was natural to have my own copy when I set up my own home

    Gordon - he's made another one since! Doubled the fruit and it was even yummier!

    Cabacurl - you can understand my shock!

    Leslie - there's a joke about a man from Newcastle who's wife died, who did precisely that

    Denise - it was very surprising, as was how good the result was!

    Lucy - yes astonishing's the right word. But somehow reassuring. I've the same warm memories about Bero too

    ReplyDelete
  20. this is my patch4 September 2008 at 22:34

    That fruit cake looks delicious, it reminds me of the ones my Mum used to make. Will you be cutting it into slices for your garden visitors? x

    ReplyDelete
  21. VP9 September 2008 at 10:43

    Tee hee, we were very selfish and scoffed the lot :D

    Must get NAH to make another one for our garden visitors ;)

    ReplyDelete

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