~ the Central Cookery Book comes into its own ~

The Doc had his birthday on Saturday.

Cue massive over excitement from the 3 wombles. 

For even without party bags, games or,  heck, even a party,  the thought of birthday cake is enough to get them going. 

We baked a delicious lemon tea cake from the  Central Cookery Book.  The book that was my year 7 cooking text (and therefore, over 30 years old much to the wombles amazement).

{teacake with lemon icing}

I didn't learn much cooking at school.  6 months of classes once a week in a mixed class in grade 7.

I can remember scones and pizza (same dough) -  that's about it.  That's no reflection on the utterly delightful Home Ec. teacher who was in the classic Mrs Beeton mode.  And is was certainly a whole lot better than the sewing lessons with a relief teacher for 6 months who struggled to get us to do anything except flirt with each other and throw eggs out the window and hide cooking ingredients . I blame my lack of crafting ability entirely on her... I cheated to get my machine licence (used a pin to poke holes in a straight line) and things have never really improved. 

But the cook book lives on.  Stained, torn, well-thumbed and certainly worse for wear.  Many of the recipes in there would never see the light of day in this house - think kidneys on toast,  scotch collops (what??), tripe friscasse... and it suffers hugely from the lack of pretty, light filled photos of the food.

But those old home Ec ladies sure knew a thing or two about baking and cakes.  And pikelets, scones and the like.

{simple cupcakes}

So while I drool over the latest food porn mags (Donna Hay, Delicious) and the gorgeous, plump-with- enticing photos cook books that line the shelves,  it's the old Central Cookery Book that we turn to for ritual and celebration.