yet stands the clock at ten past three?
Phoebe and I are elbow-deep in flour, butter, eggs and sugar as we test recipes for Cherry Cake and Ginger Beer. She is my right-hand girl and the best critic of my draft instructions. She's been there since the inception of the whole idea over three years ago, and I am grateful for her staying power (and baking skills). Tom and Alice help in a tasting capacity while Simon does his best to make sure nothing is wasted. It breaks his heart when mistakes and failures are binned unceremoniously - and we've had to do that a few times. Some things work first time (molasses candy pull, posset, jam puffs) while others require several attempts to get the result I'm looking for (parkin, walnut and honey cake, crumpets).
As we make four or five things on a recipe day, we can't eat substantial portions and the slice taken out of the pineapple cake (above) was enough to tell both Phoebe and me that it had passed the test. And then I saw that it looked a little like a clock face telling the time at ten past three. Which brought me, as any mention of clocks and afternoon tea does, to Rupert Brooke.
I'm taking liberties with his poem The Old Vicarage, Grantchester when I say ten past three, because the memorable closing lines are, of course, '...yet/ Stands the Church clock at ten to three?/ And is there honey still for tea?'. But my cake made me think of the beauty of both Rupert Brooke and Grantchester - where you can still have honey for tea at ten to or ten past three in the wonderful setting of The Orchard.
We went there a few years ago and it was magical. And now I have the times of ten to three and ten past three forever ingrained in my cake-eating imagination.
Love The Orchard! It's an amazing place and as you say really magical. I have punted there once or twice which adds to it all in my opinion. You do get a very story book feeling!
Adore the Brooke reference. I have a bit of a thing for the war poets.
Posted by: Gemma | January 14, 2008 at 09:15 AM
what a delicious post, Jane!
i have visions of your right-hand girl beside you in her marmalade socks and sparkly heels.
have a great week.
xoxo
Posted by: irene | January 14, 2008 at 02:08 PM
Yummy - that looks so yummy! I love the calorie free dessert you treated me to for breakfast!!
:)
Missy
PS - I am hosting a Valentine's Day Swap on my blog if you are interested!
Posted by: Missy | January 14, 2008 at 02:35 PM
Posset, I will have to look that one up. I seem to recall a poem from childhood that had a reference to posset in it but can't remember which one.
Posted by: Kathleen | January 14, 2008 at 02:35 PM
The cake looks absolutely scrumptious. I'm very much looking forward to the new book!
Posted by: Luisa | January 14, 2008 at 03:46 PM
While spending 6 months in Cambridge last year, my favorite thing to do was to bike to the Orchard in Grantchester for coffee and scones. Never tired of it! Every guest that came to visit, received a bike and a trip to The Orchard for scones. I'm going to try the cheery cherry cake. I hate to cook, but LOVE to bake. Scones and brownies for dinner!
Posted by: dalis | January 14, 2008 at 04:08 PM
looks ike you are back on a roll now, after the last two months...new ideas, new receipes...keep going all good now....
Posted by: carole davis | January 14, 2008 at 04:42 PM
looks ike you are back on a roll now, after the last two months...new ideas, new receipes...keep going all good now....
Posted by: carole davis | January 14, 2008 at 04:42 PM
So Jane, and Phoebe, why can't you just turn your cake 180 degrees and make it say 10 TO 3? Can't wait for the new book. Just finished the first one and then spent some happy time doodling around on the rowan and mjtrims websites. By the way, remember Heidi's grandfather toasting bread and cheese in the fire? And the white buns she saved in her wardrobe while she was exiled in the city? And did you get the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books in England?
Posted by: Mary K. in Rockport | January 14, 2008 at 05:27 PM
Every time you mention your new book I get more excited about it! Whenever I read those old children's classics I start craving whatever they're eating...warm gingerbread, crumpets dripping with butter...even fried fish after reading The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, and I dislike fish with a fiery passion! I can't wait until your book is published!
Posted by: Emily | January 14, 2008 at 05:44 PM
Mmm, pineapple upside-down cake, that was a staple of my childhood, a real puddingish dessert. I've really been enjoying your book and blog, like simply breakfast, its so nice to celebrate the mundane yet intensely pleasureable things in life.
Posted by: A Homely Heroine | January 14, 2008 at 07:19 PM
OOO that looks yummy!! Is that a Gien plate that it is on? I had a set of four that I received as a gift. When I lived in France for a couple of years, I visited the Gien factory and bought four more!!
Posted by: Elizabeth Mackey | January 14, 2008 at 07:22 PM
Beautiful picture!
Pineapple upside down cake has been my birthday cake ever since I can remember. It's the only cake my mother baked on a regular basis... I now make it for myself. I'm glad to see that you also put extra cherries in all the little nooks and crannies, not just in the center of the pineapple slices... We always used to fight to have more cherries!
Posted by: Anne-Marie | January 14, 2008 at 09:10 PM
Yummy! The Orchard is our numbre one sunny day destination: I crochet, DH works on his latest article and we both sip lemonade or green tea (and, to be prefectly honest, we both snooze)
Posted by: rosie | January 14, 2008 at 09:14 PM
Yummy! The Orchard is our number one sunny day destination: I crochet, DH works on his latest article and we both sip lemonade or green tea (and, to be prefectly honest, we both snooze)
Posted by: rosie | January 14, 2008 at 09:14 PM
Your cake looks like a fruity pacman - how lovely!
Posted by: The List Writer | January 14, 2008 at 09:34 PM
The Orchard is a regular haunt - we like it best on not-so-sunny days, when there are still scones left and you can get a deckchair which is not bothered by wasps. My children love the tunnels through the bushes there, so much so that we've been inspired to tunnel behind the shrubs in our garden for them.
Posted by: dottycookie | January 14, 2008 at 10:43 PM
Really, though, your Rupert Brooke connection is "The Great Lover"--he was passionate as you are about domestic pleasures!
Posted by: doctor mom | January 14, 2008 at 10:47 PM
It looks like on our visit to England next summer we will simply have to go to The Orchard, plan an entire day's excursions around scones there.
Posted by: willow | January 15, 2008 at 12:47 AM
I'm so glad I discovered your blog! I'm such an Anglophile,writer, baker, crocheter, reader and general all around putterer. My grandmother used to make pineapple upside down cakes, with cherries too. I owe it to my girls to try one.
Posted by: Bobbi | January 15, 2008 at 02:46 AM
Pineapple upside-down cake was always my ex's request for his birthday cake. I should make it for myself sometime!
Is there any news on the American distribution of your first book? I'm considering ordering it from Amazon UK, but haven't broken down yet!
Posted by: janna | January 15, 2008 at 03:38 AM
if your new book ever comes to the states, are you planning on using cups and teaspoons? :) The cake looks lovely!
Posted by: Amanda | January 15, 2008 at 04:29 AM
I know what I'm making for my son's next birthday now! Thanks for the inspiration...as usual :)
Posted by: Jenyfer Matthews | January 15, 2008 at 06:46 AM
I have just bought your book and can't put it down. I was brought up learning to crochet, sew and cook but somehow forgot that the simple things in life are the best. Looking at your beautiful quilts has made me start my own and do a little more cooking. I have noticed that more and more people are going back to basics.
Thank you and I love the blog.
Posted by: Gaynor | February 02, 2008 at 03:49 PM