April 20, 2009

SO LOVELY & MISS WHISTLE - DON'T READ ON...!





… or you’ll frighten the horses!





Well, I did give fair warning! And I couldn’t keep it a secret any longer. Yes, I did make them myself and no, I didn’t offer them to Manolo (no, not that one, ladies), Carolina and extended family. (No point in adding to the soggy chips-with-everything stories already quaintly depicted in the Spanish press.)

But I’m getting ahead of myself. First a note of explanation.

Couldn’t source hot cross buns here so ended up making my own thanks to the Times recipe(http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/recipes/article701547.ece ) provided by the ever helpful Miss Whistle (http://www.misswhistle.blogspot.com/ ) and Paddington Bear ( http://www.dltk-holidays.com/easter/hotcrossbuns.htm) by the equally helpful So Lovely (http://www.itsallsolovely.blogspot.com/). Why did I use two recipes I hear you ask? And I’ll be totally frank in reply - to hedge my bets!

You may recall, P and I invited to a traditional British Easter Sunday lunch and tea Manolo etc with whom we spent last Christmas - and huge day-long meals. (December posts still bulging with all the fat details of that shamefully gigantic gluttony. Just thinking about them makes me unsteady and reach out for the sidebar...)

Now, whilst I considered my handiwork (first go at buns, after all) not totally unacceptable - the recipes themselves were perfect; my execution maybe less so - P’s verdict afterwards was compressed into a single word: "Disgusting".

Well, judge for yourselves, bearing in mind they really didn’t taste as bad as they look. (Click to see them in their full glory!)

And pics don’t always show things to their best advantage, do they…?

P.S. Later, thrusting the photo (top right) under my nose, P said he’d far rather have eaten those things (they’re mushrooms!). Look much the same, he muttered under his breath, but taste infinitely better, adding (with a nod to the cordon bleu- level of cheffing he so effortlessly achieves for dinner party guests) he’s unsure if I can be trusted with baking for guests again. So, gastronomically speaking, am now on the reserve bench. Or the culinary naughty step as it were.

Trouble is, how long - thanks to Bun-gate - will I have to stay there?

6 comments:

Miss Whistle said...

Oh dear. Are you sure you weren't attempting Yorkshire Pudding?
xo MissW

Lola said...

Miss Whistle: Well, admittedly I did get distracted half way through (by Lola) and might have accidentally picked up P's YP recipe and he mine. But if that were the case, P's YPs would have looked more like HXBuns!

In any event, Bun-gate is still reverberating around here. Am seriously considering calling on the services of Max Clifford - who has a home nearby - to help deal with the fall-out...

Thanks for dropping by,

LOL Nora

PS Your HXBs looked scrumptious! Am so envious...

Anonymous said...

Oh. My.

I did not expect them to look like that. Even my muffins made with baking soda instead of baking powder at least looked like muffins. Flat and utterly tasteless, but muffins in appearance nonetheless.

It is likely that you will never be requested or required to bake again. The free world must be protected.

PS - Word verification is "scousn". You're not from Liverpool, are you?

Lola said...

Pinklea: You are so right. The free world must be protected! What it needs is an International Task Force of Bun-Busters to root out such monstrosities. (As I evidently have such first-hand experience, maybe I should consider setting up ITFBB forthwith - and be its taster-in-chief?)

Regards as always to Vancouver,

Nora

P.S. Word verifications are a delight - could write a post on them! And no, am Hampshire born & bred & London Uni educated.

So Lovely said...

Oh dear Nora. Well 10 points for you, for trying. Honestly I don't think I would make them again, all a bit too fussy.
(While whispering....a few of mine were burnt on the bottom. I cooked them for exactly 12 minutes, as the PB recipe said, but that was too long).
xxC

Lola said...

So Lovely: So pleased you weren't TOO shocked at the sight! Daren't show my mother though - she'd have palpitations...

Agree with your soo wise words that they are a tad fussy to make. Much prefer admiring them inside a gorgeous box from eg Valerie Patisserie in London or Betty's in York... Neither unfortunately unavailable here!

Thank you so much for stopping by. See you & take care!

xx Nora