Welsh Cakes

It's been a busy week getting back into the school routine after a week off. I'm not sure where my brain has been all week, but not in my head apparently! I have forgotten so many things this week- one of which was showing up for ballet this morning with two ready and excited girls only to find out it was cancelled for the week so the older ones can do their Royal School of Ballet exams. Nice one!

We had decided to meet up with some friends- another family of five- at St. Fagan's Welsh Museum of Life. We always enjoy this place, it's free entry (only pay to park) and it's a place to run wild and free for the kids! It's an outdoor museum of old houses and buildings that were across Wales at some point in history and they have been taken down brick by brick and rebuilt all on a large space of land just about 10 minutes from our house! I'm sure I've talked about this place before as we've been there so many times we've lost count. It's the touristy thing to do so we've taken everyone that's ever come to visit us there, plus it's fun to go from time to time to just let the girls run around. If you get there about 11am you can get fresh, hot bread from the old bakery. It was cold today but not raining, so we packed a picnic lunch and met up with our friends!

It's lambing season so we were really hoping to see some lambs being born, but we didn't get to! My friend had been there on Wednesday and saw two being born so I was just sure we would see some today. I stood over that large sheep pen staring at about 20 swollen sheep willing one of them to start labor, but it didn't work. Cerys is going back with her class from school on Thursday for a field trip, so I'm really hoping she will get to see one. Bailey yelled out today while staring at the very pregnant sheep- "Where are the lambs going to come out Mummy?" Gee honey, I'd really rather not explain it right here. I looked over at Marc just snickering because he's extremely thankful that I get to have "those" conversations with our three girls. I'm not real sure what I said, but I remember hearing myself say birthing and canal. Wow. Moving on.

The best part of the day was that in the farmhouse there was a lovely Welsh lady in her "old timey kitchen" as Cerys called it, baking Welsh Cakes. We were talking to her and just watching her flip them over on her cast iron skillet when she asked Bailey or Cerys if they wanted to help her. Cerys for some reason looked as if the lady has asked her to jump off a cliff, so she wouldn't do it but Bailey jumped at the chance. We washed our hands in an old metal bowl with one of those huge blocks of "old timey" soap and Bailey got to help roll the dough out and cut the circles out. The nice lady told us we could wait for a few minutes and she would let us have the ones Bailey cut out for our family! Score! (Our camera is broken, so no pictures have been taken in weeks! Except on our phones.)

We enjoyed our picnic lunch and what little sun we had left crept behind the clouds and we declared it was time for a quick stop at the playground then home for some hot tea! I was absolutely freezing. We got home and threw Addison in her crib for a nap, got the big girls coloring and making things and I got me a cup of tea while I snuggled under my fleece blanket, still wearing my fleece jacket that I wore under my heavy coat! Marc and I tried to watch American Idol that we had recorded but I kept falling asleep. I think I annoyed him by waking up every little while asking what song they sang and if it was any good. I'm sure he was loving me so much right then.

So, if you are in the mood for a little Welsh flavor- whip up some Welsh Cakes and pour yourself a cuppa- you'll be glad you did!

Welsh Cakes

8 oz/200grams self raising flour
4 oz/100 grams butter
4 oz/100 grams sugar
1 oz/25 grams black currants (you can use raisins if you are in America)
1/2 tsp. mixed spice (optional- cinnamon, nutmeg)
1 egg

Rub butter into flour to form breadcrumbs. Add sugar and currants. Beat egg and mix to form a dough. Roll out to form a dough 1/4 inch deep. Cut out small circles (I use biscuit cutter). Warm the bakestone or skillet and bake for about 4 minutes on each side (golden brown). Cool on a wire rack and sprinkle sugar over the top.

You're welcome!
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