Pavlova and Panzanella

Panzanella Paradise

Well the pavlova turned out awesomely though I do say so myself. It didn’t go chewy in the middle like my mum’s but was really light and marshmallowy so I’m half way there; I’ll ask for her tips on chewyness at my next attempt. I pimped some of the berries with edible silver spray too just for a bit of extra Jubilee bling and well, as you can see, the result was IMMENSE!

My first ever Pavlova, complete with silver raspberries!

Ruby’s patriotic triple-decker chocolate and raspberry cake

A Jubilee Porker! (and I’m not referring to myself on this occasion ok!)

Anyway it got polished off along with Ruby’s chocolate cake by the villagers once the pig roast had well and truly done itself justice. God, the crackling was outrageous – it just exploded into airy, crunchy, porky heaven in your mouth. Totally lush.

We were asked to take salads and in my parallel life I’m an Italian ‘mamma’, spending my days in my vegetable garden overgrowing with mediterranean plants, burnt and freckled shoulders

Happy Jubilee!

Me in the rain, on the river bank, complete with flag and merry disposition!

Well it’s Jubilee Sunday on June the third and I’m sitting on my sofa in front of a log fire having turned the central heating back on. And this afternoon I was standing on a bench on the banks of the Thames in Putney watching the pageant in the freezing drizzle, futilely jumping up and down to try to beat the cold, layered up in every item of clothing to be found kicking around the car boot. But despite the all-too-predictable conditions we still shouted, whooped and waved our little hearts out as the endless stream of vessels passed by farting steam from their funnels, honking their horns and firing water cannons to a fairly excitable crowd who weren’t even close to the start line, let-alone along the official stretch.