Social Distancing from my Kitchen

Working from home has given me a routine of sorts and so far the virtual world seems to be behaving. Obviously coffee and a wee snack helps me get through the working day but what is concerning me is that I don't need any excuse to visit my kitchen and surf the cupboards to find items to consume.

Now on furlough, I hope that this need for sustenance with my coffee might actually decrease. However, in reality the eighteen year old's need to fill her day has meant she has resurrected her desire to bake. Yesterday's cream egg brownies shows you the nutritional value of the sort of cooking she is undertaking. Even I have attempted cake-making, which is quite a miracle, as those of you that know me will be aware I am not a natural in the kitchen. Nigella Lawson I am not.

 Early memories of school cookery classes involved my bread rolls being made an example of to the class to highlight what not to do. Enough to put any ten year old off cooking and baking! My Christmas Cake is an exception of course, with the help of copious amounts of alcohol added to it from the end of October it has become well-known amongst family members. I can also rustle up lunch and tea for the family, but it is more about necessity than wanting to create a meal to remember. Lockdown is putting me under pressure, whilst my hubbie is still working, as it is stretching my limited reportiore of evening meals. I now want to resign from my role as a domestic goddess.
Although currently not working, I had previously put together a series of family friendly activities for our Wednesday workshops which are scheduled to appear on the Museum social media sites until the end of May.  This coming Wednesday is Hard Tack. Yes, make your own hard tack biscuits. Inexpensive and imperishable. Incredibly tough biscuits that were found in the rations of many soldiers and sailors. So easy to make that even I have mastered this task! Often known for breaking teeth, these biscuits provided a good source of carbohydrate whilst on campaign. Not sure these would be great added to our home tea-time menu, but if you can get some flour this may be the way forward in lockdown. History in the eating.  

 Perhaps making my own hard tack biscuits might even help me to social distance from my kitchen...we wait to see!

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