Episode 40 - Storm at sea quilt - Eccles cakes and numbers can be emotional!

8th April 2022 - Welcome, my name is Pene and I live in the S.E. of England with my husband Pete and four chickens. After my retirement, working for the NHS as a counsellor, I decided to do Penelope’s Chinwag. It’s a chatty vlog about crafting, a fascinating fact about the natural world, maybe a chat with Mum or Pete and a story or poem. In episode 12 I introduced Transactional Analysis, a model of counselling that is practical and helpful. I finish with a short film usually taken when I’m out walking or from our garden. This week I talk about the cardigan I am wearing, the storm at sea quilt I am piecing, try to explain the Fibonacci Sequence and cook my own version of Eccles cakes. I also have a chat with mum and show you a short film of rough sea on my walk. #knitting#quilting#baking#nature 00:00-04:05 Welcome 04:05- 12:33 Knitting, Quilting and a present 12:33- 16:46 The Fibonacci Sequence - nature's code 16:46-31:57 Mum's reminiscing - March 1958 and her nickname 31:57-45:00 Cooking Eccles cakes my way! 45:00-49:12. After the storm a walk into town Delia's quick flaky pastry 225g plain flour 175g hard butter or margarine pinch of salt cold water to mix Put butter in freezer for half an hour. Then coarsely grate into the flour, add salt and mix with enough water to form dough. Put in fridge for half an hour. This makes about 18 eccles cakes. I used home made mincemeat this week. Hopefully next week the authentic eccles recipe. I show the mincemeat on episode 22 Mary Berry Mincemeat recipe : 175g currants 175g raisins 175g sultanas 175g dried cranberries 100g mixed peel 1 small cooking apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped 125g butter, cut into cubes 50g whole blanched almonds, roughly chopped - I chopped mine really small for the sake of teeth! 225g light muscovado sugar ½ tsp ground cinnamon - I didn't put cinnamon in as I don't like it 1 tsp mixed spice finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon 200ml brandy, rum or sherry - I found 100ml was plenty Measure all of the ingredients except the alcohol into a large pan. Heat gently, allowing the butter to melt, then simmer very gently, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool completely then stir in the brandy, rum or sherry. Spoon the mincemeat into sterilised jam jars, seal tightly, label and store in a cool place. Will keep for six months.