CCC ‘A Year of Cake’ Book Launch, Waterstones, Huddersfield. 31.10.15

Kay the organiser of the Huddersfield CCC group thought it would be a good idea for local groups, Spen Valley of which I am the organiser and Wakefield group of which Rachael is the organiser to have a joint  book launch #yearofcake meeting on Saturday 31st October, and kindly did all the arranging for us to visit Waterstones, in Huddersfield Kings Gate centre.

Many thanks to Kay and also many thanks to the Manager and staff of  Waterstones for making us so welcome and providing  space for us and drinks.

The theme of the cake club meeting was ‘Halloween and October’ and as well as beautiful cakes there was lots of Halloween decorations too.

It was lovely to see the Clandestine Cake Club Founder Lynn Hill at this meeting and for those members who hadn’t met her in the past it was a chance to chat with her and to get their copies of the new book signed by the author.  It was good that some book store customers came to see what the party was about and bought CCC books and had them signed by Lynn.

We had been extremely excited awaiting the launch of the second Clandestine Cake Club book ‘A year of Cake’

I was especially excited as I have a recipe in the book

Quick Fruit Cake on Page 173 which I baked for this meeting.

Here are some more photographs from this afternoon’s party

 

 

 

 

These two were more interested in the books and other things to do than eat cake!

Sealy’s Deeper Sleeper Panel (EviesGran part 5)

For my 5th Challenge as a member of Sealy’s Deeper Sleeper Panel another pillow arrived.

 

This was a dual purpose pillow and such an innovative idea, one which I had never come across before.

It was the Sound Asleep  ‘Original Speaker Pillow’ which was a cosy hollowfibre pillow which had a speaker built into the pillow and would connect to an IPod, mp3, CD, Radio or other music/sound source.

All you had to do was to put your head on your pillow and listen. No need to wear uncomfortable headphones in bed and no need to have the music source playing loudly and disturb your sleeping partner/children.

How brilliant.

I said to my son Richard, “I don’t listen to music in bed” to which he replied “You don’t listen to music, full stop”.

That is true and I had no available music source to connect the pillow to, so it seemed sense to ask Richard to try out this pillow for me.

The results:    Richard thought that for anyone in bed alone it was a great idea and having music to lull the listener off to sleep was great, he did think though that at the volume he was listening at, anyone else in bed would be disturbed!

The result of his challenge was that listening to dreamy music was the perfect way to end a day.

………….and relax.

This is another great way to achieve relaxation and again with relaxation, the object of the excercise, obtaining a deeper sleep, can be fulfulled.

 

 

Clandestine Cake Club – Gomersal – ‘A year of cake’ book launch party 12.9.15

 

Red House Museum in Gomersal was a great location and venue for our ‘A Year of Cake’ Book Launch party on 12th September, 2015. We were in the Barn where there was lots of room to spread out our fabulous cakes and put up our Clandestine Cake Club bunting and balloons . (Amazingly one of the balloons is here with me today 28.10.15.   Its been battered about up and down the room by my grandson and it hasn’t gone down yet!)

I took along my laptop to provide suitable party music but as it was drowning out our conversations, the music had to go.

This meeting had already been pencilled in as an ‘Introduction to Crochet’ meeting as many members had shown an interest in learning to crochet but as the new book was to be launched only two days before the meeting it was a chance to celebrate and to show off the new book.

Everyone was keen to look at the great new book and agreed it would be a fab addition to anyone’s book shelf in fact many had it on order and were awaiting delivery (if they hadn’t already received it)

This book  is the Clandestine Cake Club  ‘A Year of Cake’ and is published by Quercus Cookery. In the book are 100 Celebratory Recipes and I am pleased that one of my recipes, Quick Fruit Cake is in the book, page 173

 

 

 

It is a great follow up to the CCC first book  The Clandestine Cake Club Cook Book.

This candle was my table decoration

The cakes were amazing

Here are some photos from the morning

As always we had a great event which was enjoyed by all. Lots of talking, lots of laughing, lots of crocheting and last but not least lots of cake eating!

 

I would like to give special thanks to Kevin Wells who took many of these photographs and to Helen Morton (joint organiser)  and Helen Lister who helped me introduce the group to crochet.

Foodies Festival. Harrogate International Centre. December 11th-13th 2015

Updated 4th December, 2015

Immediate Release

​
​​
Artisan Christmas Market, Bake Off winner Nadiya and top local chefs cooking live, Champagne Ski Bar, vegan treats, and festive favourites in the Pudding Hall are just some of the features food-lovers can look forward to as Foodies Festival Christmas arrives at Harrogate’s International Centre 11-13th December 

Yorkshire’s food-lovers can tuck into a festive feast next weekend as Foodies Festival Christmas transforms the Harrogate International Centre into a culinary winter wonderland, 11-13th November.

Festival-goers can watch this year’s Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain whip-up Christmas showstoppers in the Cake & Bake Theatre and get inspiration from Yorkshire’s acclaimed chefs cooking live in the Chefs Theatre. Confirmed chefs include:

Nadiya Hussain – 2015 Great British Bake Off Winner

Luis Troyano – Great British Bake Off

Murray Wilson – Norse

Stephanie Moon – Chef Consultant
Martyn Hyde – Eat Me Cafe
Yves Quemerais – The French Chef at Home
Lionel Strub – The Clarendon Hotel
Ashley Kelly McCarthy – Ye Old Sun Inn
Whaheed Rojan – The Round Table Dining
Sara Danesin Medio – MasterChef Finalist 2011
Rahila Hussain – Winner of Food Glorious Food
Rachel Green – Top TV Chef
Richard Fox – Top TV Chef
Steve Bulmer – Swinton Park
Katy Beskow – Little Miss Meat Free

Visitors can shop and sample from over 150 producers in the Artisan Christmas Market selling cheeses, chutneys, jams, oils, biscuits and more; everything needed to make this Christmas extra tasty and special.

A Street Food Village serves flavours from around the world, with vegan and gluten-free options, and a Pudding Hall offers festive favourites to feast on including mince pies, Christmas cake, candy canes, marzipan bonbons, chocolate yule log, shortbread and macaroons.

Gin lovers will rejoice as Yorkshires’s small batch gin producers host daily Christmas Gin Cocktail masterclasses, and wine experts Charles Metcalfe and Neil Philips are on-hand helping visitors match wines with festive flavours in the Drinks Theatre. Beer expert Melissa Cole also joins the festival championing craft beers as an alternative to wine and champagne this Christmas.

An Elf Cookery School entertains children under 12 with gingerbread men and cookie decorating classes, while families and friends relax with warm mulled wine, spiced cider and chilled bubbly at the Ski Bar.

Just like Christmas day there is lots of post-feasting fun to be had with live music, carolling from local choirs and schools, and entertainment throughout the day.

 

Winners of Foodies festival giveaway below should receive their tickets early next week.

 

 

Giveaway below posted in November is now finished and winners chosen.

I have two pairs of tickets to give away for this great event.

There will be lots of stalls with top quality food and drink  (and samples) and Top Chefs showing their skills.

It has just been announced that Nadiya, the winner of the Great British Bakeoff will be baking too.

To be in with a chance to win one pair of tickets, comment on this blog telling me that you would like to win them.

Alternatively email me at the contact address for this blog  (look in the headings above for this) and let me know of your interest to attend this event.

Winners will be notified at the end of November and tickets posted to the winner the week prior to this event.