Tuesday 21 July 2009

How not to be a Domestic Goddess


This post is somewhat of a departure for me but is more for the reading pleasure of Verity and Darlene, since they are the bakers amongst us bloggers and were the ones who inspired me to bake today. In actual fact this post does have a precedent here, the first time that I attempted to bake banana bread.

Four months on and I still haven't bought a loaf tin and I have a long way to go until I perfect my baking skills. I am not much of a baker but I try... I was going to make some of Nigella's fairy cakes (traditional and chocolate) for my boyfriend as he doesn't like bananas but I didn't have enough butter.

How to be a domestic goddess rule #1: ALWAYS have enough butter for fairy cakes.

The recipe I use for banana bread isn't actually from How to be a Domestic Goddess (although the fairy cakes recipe is) but this is a book blog and the photograph and content should involve something literary.


13 comments:

verity said...

Brill... I have that book. That tin looks like it would be perfect for brownies.

Hmm...I like the idea of literary baking, I've seen that on various blogs actually.

For me it is enough that baking and books both start with B, but perhaps I need to relate them more.

Paperback Reader said...

Verity, I have a number of Nigella books, mainly for the reason that they are books... I am slowly attempting things from them though.

I have an amazing recipe for brownies so I may have to try it out using the tin.

Literary baking/cooking... I love books and I love food so it makes sense that the two should meet every so often.

Your blog sets your project out in your profile though, which is good, whilst mine is pretty much a book blog from the title alone (it does not exclude hardbacks though).

Darlene said...

Well done Claire! I've really enjoyed the thought of us, spread out across the globe, donning our oven mitts in baking unity. It's nice to shake (bake?) things up in your blog every once in awhile. Now where's JoAnn's baking....

Anonymous said...

fun! Isn't frustrating when you see a cool recipe but can't find the silly pan that is called for? I, for some odd reason, have lost my muffin tins. HOW do you lose muffin tins!? alas, I can't find mine and I have to suspect they were stolen.

JoAnn said...

I love the title of the book, and agree with Verity that the tin looks like it was meant for brownies- lol!
And for Darlene, I did make brownies today... but horror of horrors they were from a mix. I'm thinking Friday or Saturday for some dark chocolate espresso cookies!

verity said...

I must do some baking from the Cherry Cake and Ginger Beer book as that is a marriage of literature and cake.

Paperback Reader said...

Darlene, it is a lovely thought! Perhaps for Persephone Reading Week the four of us should bake cakes with grey icing (that reminds me of Steel Magnolias).

bkclubcare, I should really have a loaf tin anyway for future baking endeavours but when I first attempted it this was (and still is) the only pan in the house. I hope you find your muffin tray! I just use the cases on a baking tray but do one a designated one.

JoAnn, I also love the title of the book and it was great to work it into the post. It's one of my favourite cookery book titles.
Mmmm, sounds like a good weekend will be had!

Verity, it is indeed! I also can't think of that book without images of the Famous Five.

verity said...

Grey icing. Ick.

Silver balls perhaps on cupcakes?

Or maybe decorative icing like an endpaper?!

Paperback Reader said...

Mmmm, they would be lovely! I really want to purchase The Hummingbird Bakery cookbook.

Ana S. said...

I'm not very good at baking (if I were optimistic I'd say "yet"), but I refuse to let that discourage me :P It's just something that I enjoy doing so much.

Paperback Reader said...

My sentiments exactly, Ana :).

Pam said...

I am, hands down, the world's worst cook (this has gotten worse over the years as I've learned to rely completely on my sister in law who is a fabulous pastry chef) but this cover is fantastic. I love it! It really makes me wish I had even a shadow of skill in baking...

Paperback Reader said...

It just makes me wants to eat it! Mmm, cupcakes...