Mid-week musings

It came to me on Sunday, as I sat on the couch in a mind fug, tired and with misery in the guts, that my previous days weakness at a birthday party really just wasn't worth it. Mind you I think I might have compounded matters by getting up early and swimming 34 laps when I probably should have slept in, but try tell that to a morning person!

See I'd weakened when the various platters came round with tasty lunch snacks of vegetable samosas, mini pizzas, homemade pate and crackers among other gluten laden treats. I was hungry, the food looked good so I ate. And of course I paid for it. When will I ever learn? Anyway it gave me inspiration for this weeks Friday Baking Club as I remembered something Neil and a friend were discussing as they were devouring the samosas - their favorite party food - party pies and pastizzis. It gave me a yearning for homemade sweet and savoury pastry treats like my Mum's pasties, date and walnut slice and lemon meringue pie. So I think that this Friday I'm going to make short crust pastry to make Neil some party pies and myself a date a walnut slice. Just thinking about them now has got me salivating.

I might also peruse my new birthday cookbook, thanks Kersten, "Babycakes: vegan, gluten-free and (mostly) sugar-free recipes from New York's most talked about baker" by Erin McKenna, for further inspiration if I get time. I'm excited by the pretty pictures - they look good enough to eat - as well as the concept that these recipes use health conscious alternatives to refined sugar and butter as I really don't want to pork out over the next six months of baking! Anyway, enough of that.

Now I also wanted to take this opportunity to encourage comment, advice, suggestions, requests and information sharing in response to my ramblings. Don't be afraid to have your say or to pass on your pearls of wisdom. I'm also just learning how to "blog" so bare with me as I work things out. I'm currently cross posting on Facebook to let people know when I write a new post as I haven't quite worked out how to send out automated emails for those supportive friends who have joined up as a follower. By the way, big thanks to all 9 of you!

Happy baking!