My Perfect Autumn Afternoon
The clocks have gone back and the nights are drawing in and it's time to get cosy in the home. I'm not a great lover of Autumn as it means we have to say goodbye to summer and the sunny days and long evenings that it brings. But Autumn brings a few highlights itself and it's a great excuse to relax and enjoy some home comforts.
I'd love to say my Perfect Autumn Afternoon would consist of cuddling up to Pebbles on the sofa but unfortunately she's not a lap cat! She will sometimes be close to me, usually under the sofa or on top of it, but never usually where she is easily accessible by me. That's ok though, I'm just grateful to have her around!
My favourite afternoon drink is a good old fashioned cup of tea (in a proper fine bone china mug of course). I'm usually on the herbal stuff, Pukka teas, Monday to Friday, but at the weekend, I like to have a traditional cup.
A perfect cup of tea in the best selling Crouching Cat Mug
This is because I will be invariably treating myself to something from my favourite local bakery, Sugardough. I am lucky enough to live very close to Brighton and Hove's best bakers (I think they are) and there are usually plenty of cakes and biscuits to enjoy.
I love their Carrot Cake. There's something about a carrot cake that's vaguely healthy. I think it's the word 'carrot' more than anything else.
Carrot Cake on China Cat Plate
If I'm feeling adventurous, on rare occasions, I may attempt some baking. I made some Mary Berry Fork Biscuits recently and these were delicious. Very much like shortbread, super easy to make and quick to bake. Even I could make them.
Here's the recipe if you want to try them yourself:
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Mary Berry Fork Biscuits
All you need is this...
| 100g (4oz) | butter, softened |
| 50g (2oz) | caster sugar |
| 150g (5oz) |
self-raising flour |
Preheat the oven to 180°C /fan 160°C/ gas 4. Lightly butter two baking trays.
Measure the butter into a bowl and beat to soften. Gradually beat in the sugar and then the flour. Bring the mixture together with your hands to form a dough. Form the dough into 16 balls about the size of a walnut and place spaced well apart on the prepared baking trays. Dip a fork in a little water and use this to flatten the biscuits.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15–20 minutes until a very pale golden. Lift off the baking tray and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
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So we have the cat, the tea, the biscuits but what else for My Perfect Autumn Afternoon? It would probably be a tune or two on the piano. I love playing and I find it very therapeutic. I'm no great piano player but it's a great way to relax. Pebbles sometimes likes to join in but more often than not, she uses the piano to get from A to B.
So enough about me. What about you? How would you enjoy Your Perfect Autumn Afternoon?
