Today is going to be a great day. Christopher and I sat down with our morning coffee and had the first slice of the official Christmas cake for 2023. I have to admit, I have outdone myself this year.
An absolute gastronomical deliciousness of flavor, filled with brandy, cherries, and nuts exploding in your mouth. With the aging period from now until Christmas Day, the flavor will be intensified. I am going to have to hit the gym hard this festive season if I want to start my days like this, but I won’t let the team down. Cake in the morning and the gym at midday – it’s all for a good cause. I have no more to say about that; my actions will speak for themselves.
I have no formal training when it comes to cooking and baking, but I think I have strong genes in that department. I definitely did not hand those genes down to Briony – she can burn water. But I have strong hopes for Keagen. He seems to have a natural knack and a passion for creating in the kitchen, so all is not lost.
The cake tradition started many years ago when I found a handwritten recipe that my gran used. I have often thought, “What could I do with all the little handwritten notes she left?” They are all on yellowed paper, and as she got older, her handwriting got a little more shaky. I also inherited all her icing utensils and the round cake icing turntable, so it was only natural that I would put these things to the test. The first few cakes were rather… basic. But now I am so confident that I choose a theme each year, and then all the cake icing and decor are done accordingly. This year, the theme is rose gold glitterati. Watch this space.
There is a little madness going on here. I am in the midst of decorating, baking cakes, playing plot-plot, sorting gifts for my friends and family, and preparing for the kids to come home. I cannot sit still as the excitement is just bubbling under the surface, and Christopher keeps asking, “What’s going on? Is there a fire somewhere?”
It’s called passion – living life to its maximum every day. I love it.
