Armageddon in the kitchen

Today started well with more time given to the third set of competitions.  I have to say that the Take a break magazine provides good value for money - if only for the competitions!   Dad had a better nights sleep and so a decision was made - we would go to Atlantic Village.

Now for the uninitiated Atlantic Village bills itself as a retail outlet and there is a M & S, Gift Company and The works there.  But it is also quite a small place with some lovely places to enjoy a coffee and some lunch.  It has become a family tradition that after lunch on Christmas Eve we head off there - the point being not necessarily to shop but to mark the point at which all the work and preparations have finished and Christmas has begun.  after Christmas Day, if we visit we often do the £2 challenge where you draw a name out of the hat ( from those present at the time of course) and buy a small gift for that person which costs no more than the £2.   Today it was a limited visit, for obvious reasons, but the pasty from Presto Pasty did go down nicely!!!

When we came home Dad clearly needed a nap so I started tracing some more Redwork for my next project - a christmas cushion - before making a start on the vegetable jam.  1kg of carrots had to be peeled, topped and tailed and then grated before being left to soak overnight in sugar, spices and citrus juice.  Next came the courgettes which had to be topped and tailed, grated and left to soak overnight  in sugar and lemon rind.  Suffice it to say that the grated vegetables got everywhere - hence the title of the post - but it will be interesting to see how it turns out.  The carrot jam was supposed to be a mock apricot jam in the war whereas the courgettes are for courgette and lemon jam - this will be interesting but Phil - you're going to try both!!

Lastly a note for Wendy - I have bought the gluten free flour and mum is making a gluten free, fat free Victoria sponge - she is trying to train me!  Watch this space.