2009 September | Blue Door Bakery

Archive for September 2009

Damson Gin

September 17th, 2009 — 2:06am

I love gin. There’s nothing more satisfyingly summery than a gin and tonic with a wedge of lime, when you’re sitting outside the pub in the summertime on a Friday night after work. Apart from perhaps rose or Pimms, or maybe champagne.

I am pleased to report that in recent years I’ve discovered winter gin drinking, the warming gorgeous loveliness of sloe gin after dinner. It seems to give me rather a headache but apparently that may be due to the quantities that I’ve consumed.

Anyway, I’d been hankering after some sloes to make my own and haven’t quite managed to root around in the hedgerows to find any. So when I saw a bag of damsons at the farm shop, I thought I’d have a go at damson gin instead.

I used:
400g Damsons
100g Caster Sugar
Rind of an Orange
Bit less than 75cl Bottle of Gin

I put the damsons and sugar with the rind in a very pretty bottle I’d bought ages ago from Cox & Cox and had been longing to use, but it was probably a little too small for the job in hand. Then topped up with gin and sealed.

I’ll report back on its progress in 3 months, after sampling.

–

www.bluedoorbakery.co.uk

Comment » | Uncategorized

Super Show Saturday

September 7th, 2009 — 1:58am

What an exciting weekend for Blue Door Bakery! We are now officially award winning! I’ve been very excited about our village show for 12 months, since we went to the last show and I realised that I might actually win something to be displayed alongside my husband’s golden rugby boot. I’ve often woken up in the middle of the night over the last year thinking of my French apple tart, or dreaming of winning the Women’s Institute Cup.

Friday and Saturday morning were a flurry of flour and activity in the Blue Door Bakery kitchen. We hot footed it down to the show with the good stuff and I paced up and down for the next two hours whilst judging took place. Mr Blue Door Bakery gave me a little talking to about how everyone is a winner and perhaps you need to be in the Women’s Institute ‘in crowd’ to win. He also reminded me about playing nicely with the other entrants and to not throw any cakes if I didn’t win. I am pleased to report that I didn’t need to be wrestled to the ground while ranting about foul play as I won!

We also received second prize for our display of herbs and third prize for our Victoria Sponge. Well, you’ve got to leave something to the WI haven’t you?

I wonder if they’ll add a cupcake category next year?!

–