DECATHLON

At last - a use for potatoes.

It's the first weekend in August, so that can only mean one thing. Yes indeed...yesterday was the Innerwick Horticultural-Flower-Baking-Craft-Country Show.
Which roughly translated means that out kitchen was a hive of activity on Friday night and the early hours of Saturday morning.
Flour was sieved, butter was melted and icing was - well whatever it is you do with icing.

Anne had decided to really "go large" this year and was entering 10 events. It would have been 11 events but slugs got to her "prize" cabbage on Friday night - just before she went out to bring it in!!

Anyway. 10 events and, if you'll forgive me for using the word as a verb, she managed to "podium" for 7. Including 4 firsts, 1, second and 2 thirds. So not a bad day's work.

Importantly first were obtained in the sponge (chocolate: undecorated) event and the hotly contested "scones - cheese - 4 on a plate" event. Believe me, the judges at these things are tough. When they say "4 on a plate" that's exactly what they expect. Not 3, not 5 and not on a  tray, salver or a napkin! And God help the fool who try's to put a layer of icing on the top of their undecorated chocolate sponge.

Athletics could learn a thing or two from the tough regime of competitive baking circuit. All too often race marshals and organisers will turn a blind eye to the no mp3 player regulations.... these biddies would have you hauled off the race route, your name expunged from the list of starters and deliver a swift kick up the soggy bottom for good measure!

I was pleased to see some school kids had actually found a good use for potatoes. Personally I consider the potato as Satan's vegetable and unless it's immediately followed by the words "..and then throw it away" I never trust a recipe that starts with the words "take one large potato".

Sadly, the Bramble Jam only managed a 2nd this year. But 7 prizes is still a good haul.

I was out for my 17 mile LSD today and did notice that there appears to be quite a lot of fruit developing on the Bramble bushes. So who knows - perhaps next year.