style="font-size:15px;"> ‘Weekly might prove a bit hard to come up with enough rolling ideas, but twice a month might work well,’ Jill pondered.
‘So, fortnightly then,’ Rachel continued, ‘with a pudding to taste – something that fits with that session’s theme. It’d be great to have a festive one in the lead-up to Christmas, and maybe a recipe to hand out and chat about.’
‘Oh well, we can’t be giving away all the Baking Bible secrets, you know.’ Jill looked rather affronted.
‘I know, but just one example, or a twist on one of your classics. Look, say it was Crumble Night or something, then the group could chat about favourite crumble recipes and flavours. We’d have one or two to taste, and of course,’ Rachel gave a little wink, ‘some more ready to buy to take away at the counter.’ Rachel’s business mind was firing up now.
‘Yes … I can see how that might work.’
‘Well, I think we should have an ice-cream night,’ Maisy added her thoughts on the matter, beaming.
‘Oh, now then,’ Rachel smiled across at her little girl, ‘that might work well. Hmm, “which ice-cream flavours go best with our puddings”? That’s a great idea, Maisy.’
‘Well done, Maisy. A pudding pairing session.’ Jill was smiling too, evidently warming to the idea.
‘We could invite someone from the local dairy along for that, and later on we could have other guest speakers.’ Rachel was thinking out loud. ‘Doing that will give us lots more ideas for the future and pair us with other local businesses too. I like it.’
Maisy beamed proudly, then took up a forkful of tasty carrots.
‘Though I do think the ice-cream evening might be something to keep up our sleeve for next spring or summer, when the weather’s a bit warmer,’ added Jill. ‘But, it’s a really great idea, Maisy.’
‘Hey, what a team!’ Rachel made a high-five in the air, and Maisy leaned across to clap it with her palm. ‘Well then, we’ll think a bit more on it yet, and I’ll make sure to cost it out, but I think the Pudding Club has legs, don’t you?’
‘It’s certainly food for thought, love.’
‘Yeah … well, let’s sleep on it and we’ll chat more about it at the Pantry tomorrow.’
‘Yes, that sounds good. So, young lady, how was your day at school today?’ asked Jill, moving things on. ‘All you’ve talked about was gym club since you got back. What else have you been up to then?’
‘Umm, we made pictures from leaves. Crunchy ones like we found in the woods, Mummy, and we painted them, then pressed them on to paper so the colour came off.’
‘Like a leaf print,’ said Rachel.
‘Yes. They looked really pretty. We’re going to put them up on the class wall.’
‘That sounds good,’ added Jill.
‘Oh! And,’ Maisy started pulling an oh-my-gosh face, ‘Matthew Timpson wasn’t feeling very well. And guess what, Grandma? He was sick in the playground.’
‘Oh dear.’
‘All over Sarah Scott’s shoes! It was yucky and lumpy and yellow and Sarah screamed so loud.’
‘Ah, okay, Maisy. Not really suitable dinner table conversation,’ Rachel warned, though secretly she was chuckling to herself, imagining the chaotic scene in the playground.
‘Poor Matthew,’ said Jill.
‘Hah, well I’d be really cross if he was sick on my shoes,’ Maisy said huffily.
‘Yes, but he couldn’t have helped it,’ added Rachel.
‘Well, he could have been sick somewhere else!’ That was Maisy’s final proclamation on the matter.
Rachel and Jill couldn’t help but smile.
Rachel listened to the dinner table chatter with warmth and appreciation for her little family. And with the new Pudding Club plans came a new sense of hope and purpose between them. Though times were still tough at Primrose Farm, the Swinton girls were a team and they were trying to plough forward – they were all in it together.
The Fourth Bake of Christmas
Blackberry and Apple Jam Sponge Pudding – Grandma Isabel’s Recipe, circa 1946
This handwritten poem had always been tucked into the Baking Bible as a loose leaf next to a recipe of Rachel’s grandmother’s:
Autumn days, the sky a blue haze.
Blackberry picking,
Hedgerows thick with brambles,
Watch out for the prickles.
Purple-stained fingers and mouths,
Ripe dark berries sweet with juice,
Baskets laden.
Ready for home, pass on to Mum,
With crumbles, jams and puddings to come!
Recipe:
100g/4oz self-raising flour
Pinch of salt
100g/4oz caster sugar
100g/4oz butter
2 eggs, beaten
2tbsp whole milk
45ml/3tbsp homemade or good quality Blackberry and Apple Jam (or other flavour if you prefer)
Sift flour and salt into a bowl. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs a little at a time with a spoonful of flour, beating well until eggs are mixed in. Fold in remaining flour alternately with the milk.
Grease and base-line a pudding basin, add the jam to the bottom. Spoon over the pudding mix up to ¾ full. Cover with buttered greaseproof paper, and secure with string. Using extra string to make a handle for ease of removal.
Steam for 1 ½ to 2 hours in a covered pan of boiling water, keeping water topped up to half way up the pudding bowl sides, until a wooden skewer comes out clean at centre. Allow to stand for 3 minutes before turning out.
Delicious with custard or cream.
‘Morning, ladies.’
‘Hello, Tom,’ answered Jill from behind the Pantry’s wooden counter.
‘Hi …’ Rachel answered with a
