Mon 11th December 2000

The Flaming Pie formation drinking team is busily preparing for a wee trip To the Rhein. I've had a gusset taken out on my liver and and looking forward to stuffing myself with all sorts of gingerbread. Meanwhile, here is The Pie's first example of an ethnic Yorkshire recipe.

A note on weights and measures
You may have noticed that I favour the Avoirdupie system - Bunches, a wee bit, some, etc. This is not just willful imprecision. Truth is, I tend to regard recipes not so much as instructions as ideas - "Why not bung a wee bit of this into a bunch of that?" When it comes to baking, though, you sometimes have to be a tad more precise. Therefore, for our multinational community:
1lb = approx 500g = 2 cups

In truth, in this traditional winter cake recipe, exact amounts are not important.

Yorkshire Treacle Parkin

Melt about 3oz/ 90g of butter or margarine together with about 2 tablespoons (50g/ 2oz) of treacle/ molasses and a lump of ginger, grated, about the size of a large person's thumb.

In a mixing bowl, mix 1/2 lb/500g/ 1 cup of oats, 1/4 lb/ 250g/ 1/2 cup of flour, a heaped teaspoon of baking powder (omit in US, and use all-purpose flour), 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp mixed spice (if they have that in your country)

Add melted stuff to dry stuff. Moisten with 1/3 pint/ 200ml milk.

Spoon into a greased, lined baking tin. Bake at 160C/ 325F/ Gas 3 for 2 hours. Cool and slice.

Tschüß!

*** The Blether***

1. A social worker is working down the street and sees a man lying in the gutter, beaten black and blue, groaning and bleeding heavily. The social worker stops and says "My god! Whoever did this to you really needs help!"

2. What is it with the Blair government that they feel that they have to appear right wing? The latest example is the proposed changes in the law to allow childminders to smoke and to smack children, with parental permission. Now, leaving aside whether these changes are sensible (I'd argue that a) parental smacking is different to smacking by an employee - and I'm against both, b.t.w.- and b) if parents are dumb enough to smoke in the same room as their kids, at least they should get mandatory clean air when with their childminder) - the point is WHY? Is the electorate crying out for these changes? Or do the Labour Party just want to appear tougher than that stupid, horrible Widdecombe woman?

As I type, an even more depressing thought occurs. Labour have promised to make childcare available to allow mothers to return to work. Perhaps the only way to meet the provision is to reduce the quality of the care available.