As the autumn draws in I find myself back to “Bake & Blog” Saturdays! Mind you, this morning did include an early raking session followed by an hour-long Wil walk into Westmount where we chose two 2018 calendars at the stationary shop. But it is a dark cloudy day so, once home, baking began and now just after 2pm the cooling racks on the dining table are full 😊
Tomorrow we have an extra CTM Board meeting (normally we meet every second month) at which we are going to address the “Future of Crossroads”(CTM’s monthly Youth Service). It is hard to squeeze in a long discussion on a single topic at our regular meetings so it was thought wise to hold a separate one in the hopes that we will be able to come to a consensus on this important subject.
But I should have started with a quick review of the past week: –
We received our first 2018-Day Camp Application YAY!!!! We also received final 2017 payments from 2 communities and promise of another so I think that only leaves 3 still outstanding. Good news both for CTM’s finances and also for getting us closer to finally shutting the door on all the work of Day Camps 2017 so that we can concentrate on next summer 😊
The week also included more progress on the 2018 Program Manual Chapters and preparation of the agenda for the Day Camp Committee Meeting, coming up on Monday. Two mornings started super-early with the Brady children and guests were here for lunch on two days, afternoon coffee once and dinner on another evening.
Happily, despite some rainy weather, I have now completed cutting down the perennial plants in all my flowerbeds (a VERY big task) and can concentrate on raking many many maple leaves! The arbourist still has not come to prune the tree that was damaged in the microburst. Annoyingly one day he did arrive but only to find there was absolutely nowhere to park his truck on NDG Ave. Grr!
A small amount of progress has been made on Christmas gifts and next week I really hope to complete the fleece pullovers I’ve been sewing for three of my Godsons. I did cast on for the Thneed for my fourth Godson so; with Christmas baking also underway I’m feeling fairly confident that preparations are on track.
It is hard to believe that Jillian has been living with me for almost two months 😊 She slept here last evening (she normally goes back to her family’s house on Friday and Saturday) because the school where she is now teaching was having its Open House today and all the staff needed to be on hand to help out. Last weekend, with the Thanksgiving Holiday, she was at her home until Monday evening so it sort of worked out. She is super busy with work and wedding preparations but we try to carve out one or two evenings a week to spend together and since she is also very involved in the work of Day Camps it is great to be able to bounce ideas back and forth over dinner 😊
Well the baking must have cooled off by now and so I should head off to get it all packaged up. Today I made 2 more types of biscotti, for Christmas, 2 currant cakes (one for the Day Camp Committee Dinner, the other also for Christmas) and a batch of Cream Crackers that with cheese and hot apple cider will serve as refreshments at tomorrow’s Board Meeting.
Before I head off to put it all away we need a recipe.
The currant cakes I made come from my Mum’s handwritten cookbook. This cake is a favourite with several friends; maybe you would like to try it too 😊
Farmhouse Currant Cake
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 ¾ cups flour
- ¼ tsp. each mace, baking powder & salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 3 cups currants
Grease an 8” tube pan and line with parchment paper. With an electric hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time and continue besting until light. Add the vanilla and beat to combine. Whisk together the flour, mace, salt and baking powder. With the mixer on low, very gradually beat in the flour mixture, just until it is incorporated. Fold in the currants. Carefully spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Place the pan on a parchment-lined baking sheet in case any of the batter leaks out! Bake in a preheated 325º oven for at least 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean when the cake is tested at its deepest point. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes then turn out and cool completely on a rack. If well wrapped the cake will keep in the freezer for several months.