The end ...

Hey people!  I know I haven't posted for ages and ages so thought it was about time I brought you up to date with the latest happenings.  After a lot of soul searching, gin drinking and restless nights, I have decided to close The Bakehouse.  It is no more! 

A MASSIVE thank you to everyone who has supported me during its' life, from friends and family helping out when the chaos hit (and feeding me crisps and beer to keep me sane!) to my lovely customers.  I couldnt have done it without you all!

I love the blogging so you never know, it may remain, though in a slightly different format.  Watch this space!

So thank you one and all. It has been fun but the time has come to move on ......

Fife's bountiful larder

I've been thinking that, as I live in an area over flowing with amazing produce, I should really make the most of it and use it regularly.  I'm all for seasonal produce too - I mean, who eats turnip-like strawberries in January when you can wait until June for the treasure that is the Fife strawberry - juicy, sweet, bright red and to die for: perfection indeed! So, I'm going to begin a series of blog posts highlighting some of, as I perceive it, the wonderful products from the Fife larder.  I'm going to look at the suppliers, how I've used their products and also, sometimes, some of the local ingredients I've been able to forage for or grow myself.  It'll be an ongoing series with posts littered in between my cakes and other activities.  I'm a non meat eater so be warned, veggie recipes and baking only will feature.  I make no apologies, veggie is the way I'm going with special diets thrown in for good measure - be that gluten free, vegan or whatever!

What prompted this then, I hear you ask?!  Simple, a trip to Cupar Farmer's Market on Saturday alongside a weekend spent in my garden and at my allotment, preparing my veggie patches whilst dreaming of the delights I'm going to grow this year.  

Cupar Farmer's market is a joy to visit.  http://www.fifefarmersmarket.co.uk/ Stalls over flowing with amazing bounty - from the fruity vinegars of the Little Herb Farm in Pittenweem http://thelittleherbfarm.co.uk/blog/to the jar-ed delights of Trotters Independent  Condiments  http://www.trottersindependent.co.uk/Condiments/Trotters_Independent_Condiments.html and a million and one things beside.  I was inspired.  (And the distinctive smell of Smokies filing the air with their billowing smoke reminds me of home as a bonus!)

A visit to Ardross farm shop http://www.ardrossfarm.co.uk/ simply sealed the deal.  Again, I came home with a basket laden with goodies - Anster cheese, St Andrews Brewing Co beer and Ardross honey to name but a few.  Tea involved purple sprouting broccoli doused in garlicy rapeseed oil, yep bought at the Farmer's Market, and Jersey Royal spuds - not technically grown in Fife but bought from the local Farm shop and a treat non the less!

Things to be enjoyed after a hard day in the garden, digging, weeding and despising raspberry canes which get everywhere if left unchecked.  My seeds are in trays whilst I patiently wait for the magic to begin and I can plant my beetroot, broad beans, salad leaves, cabbages and on and on in the garden.  In the meantime, blog posts will appear as I sample and experiment so watch this space!

Red Vespa cake

It really has been a good, creative couple of weeks cake wise! I love the challenges that go along with designing a cake for someone - and then re-creating it in sugarpaste.  Here's the 21st cake from a couple of weeks ago, complete with red Vespa.  It was a lovely traditional vanilla sponge with buttercream and jam filling.  Can't beat the simple!  

21st Birthday cake

Vespa detail

It was a Mini adventure!

Had a lot of fun in the last week or so making novelty cakes.  Here's another - my Mini cake made for a 17 year old's birthday!  It was a chocolate cake with peanut butter filling and a chocolate ganache layer under the sugarpaste.  Yum!

The Mini adventure

back detail

Bonnet detail

Black & White wedding cake

It has been a busy week with cakes - great news and lots of challenges that I love!  Here are pictures of the wedding cake to start with.  It was made up of mini cakes in black and white with a large cake on the top.  Lemon drizzle, toffee and vanilla sponge where the flavours used.  Turned out pretty well I think!  More cakes to come so watch this space!

the cake

Top tier detail

Oaty, fruit goodness

I think I'm developing an obsession for flapjacks.  I love the oaty, sticky, comforting, almost predictability of them.... and the fact that I feel like I'm eating something healthy even though I know, in my heart of hearts I'm not!

The latest foray into the flapjack produced a nut, seed and fruit laden delight.  Perfect for breakfast, mid morning snack, midnight nibble  .... actually, any time of day!  I'm having to show restraint and hold myself back from the tin!   The latest version to grace my cake tin was crammed full of sesame seeds, pumpkins seeds, almonds, pecans, coconut, dried cranberries and sultanas: what isn't to love?!  It was a brunch style granola bar, if you will!  The possibilities are endless.  I'm thinking I need to experiment - a vegan version, a gluten free version, a chocolatey version, a plain and simple version for the purists out there.  And, for those virtuous moments when I need to eat only salad (doesn't happen often!), a healthy version with less butter, sugar and syrup.  Hmm ....  Anyway, need I go on!  Are you getting the picture and understanding my obsession?!!

The flapjack in all it's sticky, oaty, goodness laden glory!

Saying all this, I am picky with my flapjacks.  They must be deep, dense and moist.  Not overly huge and overpowering, yet not tiny and bite-sized.  What use is that to man or beast?! Not overly sticky and not too dry.  Nothing worse than ploughing your way through a bar of sawdust.  A good ratio of nuts/seeds/fruit to oat is vital - nothing too overpowering.  It is all about balance.  Not too well fired and crispy, just lightly toasted with a crunchy edge and soft middle.  And, home-made only please!  In an emergency, a Fabulous Baker Boys or a Stoats Porridge Bar option will just about suffice but really, only in an absolute emergency, thank you very much!

I'm dreaming of an apple and cinnamon version, or, apricot and ginger, or, a simple honey and sesame one, or a maple and pecan, or, a toffee and chocolate chunk, or a white chocolate and raspberry one  .... yum, yum, yum! At the core, a lovely oaty mix resplendent with jumbo flakes which still have just a little bit of bite left.   What could be finer?!  If you haven't dabbled in the flapjack world for a while, may I suggest you do.  Like cornflakes, have you forgotten how good they are?!

On that note, I think it could be time for tea and perhaps just a wee nibble of a flapjack, a fruity, nutty, seedy one ... well, a cuppa is too dry without one!

Mother's Day

Mother's Day is just around the corner .... Sunday, 18th March to be exact.

No inspiration hitting you for a suitable gift? 

What about Cupcakes??!

pretty Mother's Day-style cupcakes

Mother's Day cupcakes come in boxes of either 6 or 12,    will be a mix of lemon and vanilla flavours and will be decorated in pretty pastel colours with various flowers, hearts and all things nice as decoration. Special diets can be catered for too.

£7.50 for 6 or £13.50 for 12. 

You can either collect from me at home or I can deliver for a small charge dependent on location. 

Call me (0791 695 8010) or email me thebakehouse2@hotmail.co.uk to place an order.

(delivery in Angus and Fife only please.  Minimum order 6 cupcakes.)