Cakes, Cookies and Chocolate

Well hello to you.

Stuff lately has been a tad hectic.....

A couple of weeks ago my friend Liz and I booked ourselves a spot at a table top sale at the Guild Hall here in St Ives. We had in mind a cake stall. A table brimming with lovely buns and cakes sitting atop vintage plate stands and festooned with bunting. We decided to dress up as the proverbial 1950's housewife - all polka dots and cardis. There would be gift wrapping with ribbon and paper bags stamped with the name 'Kitschin.' It was an edible dream. We had a meeting, and were joined by Martha, Liz's daughter. Together we decided who was to bake what, and that we would donate any proceeds from our first sale to charity. It gave us a cause. We were baking to raise money.

Had you popped round to mine yesterday, you would have found a wreck of a human being, covered in flour and all manner of detritus. My right eye was twitching as I became overwhelmed with the task of baking so much stuff. I had bought my ingredients, I had my list of what to do and when to do it. I had a three year old 'helper', who was palmed off onto my sister in law so that I could create something that wouldn't make me blush with shame.

Man it was stressful!!

But by 9.30pm, I baked enough to feed a small army. I had inhaled more icing sugar than was healthy. I had beaten the finest Beryl and Jean could offer into submission in my quest for a perfect bake. I sat drinking a cup of tea, and felt a real sense of achievement......

How did it go?

People love home made stuff. There was a lot of salivating going on around us. One gentleman was even absent mindedly rubbing his belly. That may have been due to the display of heaving bosom, but my guess is it was the huge wedges of cake on offer. The children seemed to enjoy the cookies and fairy cakes. The Mums plumped for anything chocolate based. The more mature punter preferred the plainer fare of rock and hevva cake.  It was a fantastic morning. Liz and I had a great time. There was banter galore, one too many quips about the size of our buns and the cakes flew off their cake stands. We raised a tidy sum, and there was only a small amount left at the end of the sale.

 I always find it daunting to put myself out there. But people were so generous in their compliments and their charitable donations. It was something different, and it gave me warm feeling that hasn't left me yet.

Our next stall (yes there will be another one) will be even better!

Leanne xx