My Granny was a great cook. Her meals were basic but the plate was always clean at the end of dinner. She introduced me and my brother to black pudding, curried sausages ... and cards. She was also a great baker. Her tins were always full and every Sunday she
would send cakes, biscuits and slices home for dad to take to work.
Mum was a great baker, too, we used to love licking the bowl - especially hokey pokey biscuit dough. But with the amount Granny began to supply, there became no need for anyone else in the house to cream butter and sugar or grease cake tins.
Now it's my turn, with the help of Granny's Kitchen: Baking.
There's something special about baking; the kitchen always smells wonderful and it's something special to be able to put a home-made slice of cake next to your visitor's cup of tea.
The book covers it all: biscuits, cakes and muffins. Each section has an introduction and plenty of tips.
There are the old favourites like Afghan biscuits, madeira cake and cheese muffins. And all seem to be foolproof.
But take a look at some of the recipes that may not be so well known. Granny's peanut butter biscuits, which include orange rind and raisins, are one of my favourites. Also, give the courgette cake a go. I used a lime and cream cheese icing and it went down a treat. Try the chilli corn muffins and cranberry and pecan muffins as well.
The book is short on pictures, but for once that doesn't matter.
I can see this book getting handed down through generations with little bits of dough stuck to the pages with favourite recipes.
I think I'll work my way through this book, it's easy and inspiring.
Granny's Kitchen: Baking
Penguin, $19.99
