British Baking with Barbara

A couple of years ago, Marty and I were introduced to the PBS version of the Great British Baking Show, and it didn't take long for us to become eager fans.

We soon learned that it was extremely difficult to sit through an episode without having something sweet on hand, which probably did not help our waistlines, but we found ourselves enthralled with each episode, caught up in the suspense as to who would be eliminated on any given week.

So, it was a real treat to receive this book for my birthday last year. Only, the book never showed up until right before Christmas, and the season didn't air until lent here in the US, and then things became way too complicated in my life for me to have time to even consider attempting to make anything. 

But flipping through the pages the other day, my eyes caught the recipe for a Tiramisu cake, and I decided that it was time to tackle my first attempt from the book.

I had invited our friends, Dennis, Morena and Tina for dinner and this seemed to be the perfect opportunity, for a couple of reasons.

#1:  Making such a delectable concoction for just Marty and me could be quite dangerous, especially right before Christmas with so many other treats in the house.

#2:  Morena, pictured here with me, is the queen of Tiramisu.

In fact, Morena introduced me to this special dessert several years ago, and I've been a fan ever since.  So, it seemed appropriate to make it for her to get her feedback.

#3:  Her family has enjoyed this dessert for years, and so, you really couldn't ask for better judges in my mind. 

So, I decided that Saturday was the perfect opportunity to try out the recipe.  I had read through the directions, and was ready with all of the supplies.

One thing to note is that the sugar and flour are weighed, not measured by the cup. 

Luckily, I had a scale, purchased by one of my children as a gift last year. (Don't I have great kids?)

The recipe called for Castor sugar, and it just so happens that I had a bag of the stuff that I brought back from Scotland in my checked luggage.  Now, it's perfectly legal to bring back sugar from Scotland, but Amy, who was on the trip with us and who had also packed a bag in her luggage, didn't escape the scrutiny of the customs officials, and although she was permitted to keep her sugar, I dare say that her opinion regarding the search continues to be a sore subject for her.  So if you see her, don't mention it, OK?

Now, back to the recipe:

First, I beat the egg whites with some of the sugar:

Then, the yolks, with some sugar as well, until nice and thick

The whites were folded into the yolk mixture, and then the flour was sifted over the top to be folded in as well.

I'm not a big fan of folding as it takes a LONG time!  But, soon, the "sponge" was in the "tins" as called for in the book.

Now, here was my one oversight. I hadn't really thought about the cake pan size.  The recipe called for 20.5 cm in size, which actually is equal to an 8 inch cake pan, but I do believe mine were 9 inches in diameter, so the layers ended up a bit thinner than what was shown in the book photos.

But, I wasn't planning on showing anyone the book, so no worries there.  The layers baked for about 14 minutes, then I took them out to cool.

In the meantime, I had to make the filling, which involved beating the yolks, along with brandy and coffee, over a simmering pot of water, for at least 8 minutes.  

That had to cool while the rest of the filling was made and folded into that mixture.

The recipe called for grated 70% cocoa, which, in itself, took quite a bit of effort using some contraption that I had in my house for such a purpose.  

Finally, a sugar/brandy/coffee syrup was made, then, while warm, was brushed over the cake layers to add more flavor.

Then, it was time to assemble the cake.  After brushing on the syrup, a portion of the filling was spread on top of the layer.  

I became a bit nervous, as the filling wasn't as stiff as I would have expected, and I was concerned that it would slide off of the layer.  I popped on the second layer, brushed on more syrup, added the filling, then I realized that I was supposed to put 1/3 of the grated chocolate on the bottom layer and had forgotten.

Well, that wasn't happening!  So, I added a generous amount to the second layer.

Then, I popped on the top layer, brushed on the syrup, and covered the sides and the top with the remaining filling before pressing the grated chocolate along the sides and sprinting a bit on the top.

From start to finish, three and a half hours had lapsed, with me working the entire time on the cake.  And, I still needed to clean up the kitchen, which kind of looked like a bomb went off.  Numerous bowls were used, along with a stand mixer and a hand mixer, chocolate grater, double boiler, countless spatulas and measuring spoons!

A day later, the time involved was a distant memory, and we were certainly eager to dig into this creation.

Ok, so I'll admit, the cut version doesn't look that appealing.

But, I can assure you that it was amazing!  And, even though Marty took this picture prior to me cutting that cake, 

he will attest to the fact that they were even happier after having sampled the delight themselves.

So, how did I fare?

Well, the layers were obviously not exactly even, and the filling was not evenly distributed, and it was probably a bit "runny", but the sponges were perfect and not soaked with syrup. 

Three and a half hours to make a cake was a bit extreme, and would never have been acceptable, and I'm still trying to figure out just why it took that long.  Do you suppose it could have something to do with sampling the brandy while whisking?  or folding?  or grating?  

What did my judges think?  Well, they were all delighted with the taste, and not one complaint was sounded.  

Overall, I'll venture to say, that the Tiramisu cake was, to quote Mary Berry, quite "Scrummy"!  

But sharing it with friends was even better!  And now, I just might rank as the Tiramisu Princess.....well......maybe.   

The Reinterment of Walter G Critchley

Yesterday, I had the honor of attending the reinterment of CPL Walter George Critchley, a United States Marine who died in the Battle of Tarawa, on the island of Betio on Nov 20, 1943. 

Walter served with the 2nd Marine Division and was part of an amphibian landing that, due to low tide, resulted in these soldiers having to wade through waist deep water as they made their way to the  beach that was infiltrated with Japanese soldiers who were equally determined to protect the island from invasion.  Walter was one of the first to lead the way, and was shot and killed on his very first day of battle. 

The casualties were high, and burials were quickly done for those who perished that day.  Shortly after the Marines had control of the island, an airfield was expanded, and roads and offices added.  When the war was over and the Graves Administration came onto the island in 1946, no one could remember where they had buried these brave dead soldiers.

I know that it seems almost incomprehensible that such a vital piece of information could be lost, and if it were not for the efforts of Mark Noah, founder of History Flight,  Walter and his comrades would more than likely still be laying under a parking lot on the island.  Over 1100 men died in that battle, and only half of them were recovered.  Mark took the challenge of finding these men upon himself, researching, hiring anthropologists and historians, and physically digging for any clues that would help him to get answers.

All of his hard effort resulted in the discovery of Cemetery #27, which held the remains of 40 Tarawa casualties, and Walter was among them.  That was in 2015, and at that time, I was asked by Mark if I would be interested in helping the team to locate families of some of these men who were no longer Missing in Action. 

I was thrilled to be part of the team, although, I must admit, that my contribution was minimal in comparison with others who have worked to find family members.  And I would be remiss if I did not give credit to my Britain born friend, Jennifer, who made the actual contact with a family member living in Great Britain.  The GB contact had an extensive family tree and he was more than willing to work with Mark regarding presenting the necessary information for Walter's living relatives.  

For some reason, I felt compelled to attend the service.  I had just a brief glimpse into this young man's life:  he was the son of British Immigrants, loved the Boy Scouts, played varsity Football in high school, enlisted in the Marines, and perished in the line of duty on his very first mission. Seventy-four years later, he was no longer missing, and I felt the need to be part of the ceremony honoring him and giving him the proper burial that he was denied all those years ago.

We were blessed with the perfect fall day.  Walter was to be buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.  In attendance was a Marine Band

as well as a Marine Honor guard.  

The casket was removed from the hearse with reverance

and ever so gently placed upon the horse-drawn Caisson.

A marine guidon led the procession, followed by the band and the platoon of marines.

while those in attendance followed behind.

When we reached the burial site, the casket was gently transferred from the Caisson while all stood at attention.

Navy Chaplain Lt. Clay C Edinger conducted the funeral rites,  read from scripture and offered sentiments of heartfelt sympathy.

Seven marines shot off 3 rifle volleys according to custom, followed by the playing of taps.

The sound of the trumpet resonated through the air, and I could not help but be touched by the significance of this final send off.  

The flag was meticulously folded  

and presented to the family by Brigadier General N.L. Cooling. 

When the ceremonies were over, and the bands and guard had marched away, we gathered as a group for a photo of those who had made the trip to commemorate this fallen soldier. 

In addition to the five family members who had made the trip, one man, who shared the same last name, had decided to bring his sons to the memorial service.  He had noted Walter's name engraved on a war memorial at Valley Stream High School, and was intrigued by the fact that they shared the same surname.  He pursued his genealogy, only to learn that he and Walter were not related.  

But after reading Walter's history as a 2nd Marine, and the story behind his fate, he felt compelled to make the trip from New York to attend the service, along with his young sons.  As a history teacher himself, he feels that it is important that young people are made aware of the extreme sacrifices that were made so many years ago, to assure our freedom.  I could not agree with him more, and I admire this man for making the effort to attend with his sons. This event will certainly be something that they will remember for a lifetime.

And so, we take heart that yet one more Tarawa MIA is no longer missing.  

Safely rest Walter G Critchley. You are finally home. 

A Rainbow Day in Scotland

This morning began with amazing skies, and I couldn't resist taking a couple of photos prior to our heading out for today's gallivanting adventure.

The sun had just risen

and was reflecting off of the white buildings.  

Isn't it lovely?  Great way to begin the day, for sure!

Our first destination was Blackness Castle, which is just a bit west of here and sits on the Firth of Forth.  I have always wanted to visit this castle, but never seemed to be able to fit it into our schedule on past trips to Scotland.

This castle was first built as a residence for the Crichton family and was originally a port for the royal burgh of Linlithgow. In 1453, it became a castle.  King James V transformed Blackness castle into an artillery fortification.  In later years, it became a prison under Charles II and James II both of who imprisoned many Covenanters. 

I was amazed to see how well preserved this bulwark continues to be.  Walking around the grounds, one could easily imagine how it served its purpose in the 16th century.

Located out on the Firth,  it would have been easy to spot any potential invaders.  And, because of that location, it made for an excellent vantage point for enjoying the vistas.

The weather could not be more perfect for viewing the three bridges in the distance

and the town of Blackness

Here we are at the top of the tower

and, again, on the spot that juts out over the water.

When we first arrived, we were kind of confused by a group of four women, who were posing on their black peugeot, with the castle in the background.  In fact, one asked Amy if she would take their photograph, at which point, all of them hoisted themselves up on the side doors, and stuck their arms in the air while Amy took the photo.  

As we were walking through the castle, I soon was able to solve the mystery behind their enthusiasm, and let me just say,  it had nothing to do with King James V or Oliver Cromwell.

Apparently a scene from the recent series, Outlander, was filmed at this location.  That became obvious when a couple was touring with a guide, dressed in a kilt, and they were commenting on how they hadn't seen Jamie or Clair.

When we were in the ticket office, prior to leaving, I spotted a poster that showed all of the various locations where some of the show had been filmed.  I was amazed to see that Marty and I had seen most of them, (and there had to be at least a dozen mentioned), all prior to the filming. 

Each one of the venues had been fascinating to tour, but now I fear that they are being inundated by tourists fascinated with the show.  Even the proprietor of the B&B where we are staying told us that she has been booked with Canadian and American women, all coming in small groups, to take Outlander tours.

Now, that is fabulous for the local economy, I'll admit.  But I began to fear that the once intimate settings that we had visited would be overrun with Americans who weren't the least bit interested in the actual history behind the castles or landmarks.   I realize that there is actually no harm in people taking a tour in this fashion, except that it does lessen the enjoyment when there are large crowds to try to maneuver around. 

And, this might be going out on a limb, but please....please....PLEASE....if you are reading this and planning on taking an Outlander tour, please take the time to learn the actual history behind where you are.  It is fascinating and, actually, much more exciting than an Outlander episode, which, may I mention, is fictional. (I hope you do realize that.)

Ok, I'm off my soapbox for now regarding that, so let continue regarding this day's adventures.

We took a quick trip to see the Kelpies. The largest equine structures in the world, it took only 90 days to raise the structures made of stainless steel plates.  

They were completed in 2013 and are one of Scotland's biggest attractions.  And, believe me, the place was hopping with visitors today.

Just as we were leaving,  a sudden shower appeared, and the result was a beautiful rainbow overtop the Kelpies. 

How lucky was that?

From there we drove to the House of the Binns which is actually located near Blackness Castle, but it did not open until 2:00.  In fact, this is another grand house that I have been trying to visit in past trips, but the hours are so limited that it made it difficult to fit into a travel schedule.  

But it worked out perfectly for today!

We arrived early, so we took a walk around the grounds.  Here you an see Blackness Castle in the distance.

On top of the hill behind the house stands this huge tower.

which offers a view of the castle as well.

Interestingly enough, there are peacocks on the grounds, and apparently flocks have existed on the grounds for centuries, as they are depicted on the plaster ceiling of the King's Room in the house.

We were able to take an interior tour of the house and the woman who was our guide was entertaining as well as informative.  She had a fabulous sense of humor and we all enjoyed learning the interesting history of this house which has stood here, owned by the same family, since 1612, when it was originally built by Thomas Dalyell, a merchant who made his fortune in the court of King James VI and I in London.

The history of the family was fascinating, and our guide took a lot of time explaining just how the title traveled down the family line as well as the contributions made by several of the generations.  

The house is actually owned by the National Trust of Scotland, but the wife of the latest Dalyell continues to live there.  Her husband, Thomas, passed away just this past year.

Mrs. Dalyell was an active part of the welcoming team, and when we arrived, she was sweeping the leaves away from the front door!  

As we were leaving, we were greeted by yet a second rainbow.

Driving down the road from the house,  we had a bit of a road block.

But that was soon remedied when they moved out of the way.  Unfortunately, I couldn't capture a photo that included sheep AND a rainbow, so this is the best I could muster.

From here we drove to Linlithgow, which is only about 5 miles away.   In 1130, King David I declared this village as a Royal Burgh. 

 In the mid-1400s, Edward I built the Palace that continues to stand here. 

The castle is really quite impressive.   

The top features a round tower where it is said that Queen Margaret anxiously awaited the return of her husband, James IV from battle. 

Unfortunately, James never returned home as he died at the Battle of Flodden.

James V had this amazing fountain built in the middle of the esplanade.

It was fed via lead pipes with the water source coming from a nearby stream.

But the most significant event associated with this Palace is the birth of Mary Queen of Scots.  This has been a favorite palace of Stuart queens over the years.

I'll just post a few photos of this amazing structure.

Ok, so that was more than a few.  Here's the last one....I promise.

What a terrific way to spend our last day!

We made the drive back to South Queensferry and decided to dine just across the street at a local restaurant, where we had a very relaxing meal, followed by a fabulous dessert.

Or, as Amy would say, it was "freaking awesome!"  And I certainly would have to agree with that!

Our trip has come to an end, but I'm so glad that you followed along.  

I do hope that you have enjoyed our gallivanting adventures. 

So, for now, we once again bid a fond farewell to this spectacular country!