Today

No real reason to blog, nothing exceptional has happened. I just wanted to show you my current view. The one from my outside desk.

This April weather is stunning; the sky is clear, the breeze is warm, I can't hear anything except the birdies and my cat is still fat. As I said nothing exceptional!

At ten o'clock this morning, I took my computer outside, plugged it in, placed in on my garden table under the parasol and set to work. Sitting in my office just wasn't an option. One of the perks of being self-employed and working from home.
(We won't mention the non-perks of working out your own tax, chasing payments and no holiday or sick pay!!)

I have written seven recipes for my cookery school today - planned menus for my demonstrations and worked on my book.

Only problem - and this is a big one.
The hammock is taunting me for a little lie down under the blossomed apple tree and the wretched lawn needs mowing... and the weeds....oh the weeds are multiplying before my very eyes!
I can see them sneaking up through my sweet rocket and lupins. They are visibly writhing in ecstasy as the sun evaporates the nightime dew. I'm trying to keep my eyes firmly on the screen, doing my best not to get up and start plucking the little beggars out.

I wonder if I should cut the lawn just a bit shorter this week, and perhaps I'll give the edges their bi-weekly trim. Should I dead-head some daffs? Cut some old wood out of the large shrub roses? I'm sure my Rambling Rector needs some help climbing the old damson tree.

Oh,I don't know, this outside desk lark really does ask for a lot of discipline. Not entirely sure I'm cut out for it...perhaps I'll just have a wee rock in the hammock and plan my next recipe instead...

Eye Eye!

On Sunday I, like the most of the population stuffed a chicken, roasted it and then devoured it alongside sausages, bacon, cauli cheese and many vegetables.

I'm wondering however, if anyone else had the same incident filled, accident prone lunch as me.

Forgive me for saying 'paxo' in a food blog - but my daughter loves a bit of paxo sage and onion stuffing - as do I!
I know, I'm sorry.

Unfortunately we didn't have our usual dusty box at the back of the larder, which is bought out on feast days and holidays. So, I with great confidence told Daisy that because I was a fabulous cook, in the business for twenty-five years and capable at turning my hand to anything - I would make her some proper stuffing. It would only involve onion, sage, bread, egg and some seasoning. It was time Daisy, to be bold and take on the stuffing big boys..

I found a little sage in my garden, gathered in the onion and egg, but couldn't find any bread. Ping! Remembered there was some crusts in the freezer - always keep them for breadcrumbs.

So, I popped them in my food processor - having forgotten that the day before the lid had split a little. (on the list of super glue to do's).

Full force whizzing was put into action and within seconds the lid had ripped apart and lumps of frozen bread were attacking me from all angles.

I didn't think bread could be quite so aggressive.

I tried to fend them off as best I could, but suddenly one piece of particularly accurate b******d bread got me in the eye. Smack on the eye ball.
I yelped, clutching my eye with one hand, still trying to ricochet other pieces away from me with the other.
Daisy heard my panic, came to the rescue and managed, through the snowstorm of frozen crumbs to turn the food processor off.
In the nick of time, because quite soon I think the blade may also have tried to escape from it's plastic bowl.
Gawd bless her.

The rest of lunch did pass off without too much incident - although after a couple of Gin and Tonics (purely medicinal you understand) I may have forgotten the steaming vegetables and let them boil dry.

It was the shock you see!

A missive from Fanny

For those of you who have read from my blog archive,(or indeed my letter from Bath below) you'll know that one of my friends who works in TV, is as much of a Jane Austen fan as I am. We write missives to each other when life requires a bit of silliness. It's on going and here is Fanny's latest letter that I shall reply to very soon. (Fanny isn't her real name, because she is undercover!)...Poor, poor desperate Fanny.

Dearest Charlotte,

Please forgive me as this missive is long overdue and I keenly feel the reproach with which it must surely be regarded. It is however with good reason that my quill has been silent. But where to begin? I wish you to reach for your smelling salts before you read any further.

My personal situation is so altered that I feel you should not recognise the dear person of whom once you were so fond. I am all but shunned by my family who find my refusal to marry brings disgrace and ruin on the family. They have placed me in lodgings - from where I write - in the Kensington countryside. While pretty enough, it cannot be described as an area blessed with what one always hears being referred to as 'good society'. I know only too well that the purpose in placing me in such an exile is expected to bring me back to the fold, to realise that surely at 30 I am already too old to marry but if I tried harder may perhaps be fortunate enough to be considered by a lonely widower. I am to think upon this and leave my "childish ways" behind me. It really is too much. I shall not ever make them happy and I for one refuse to spend the rest of my life serving a miserable old farmer with acres of dull flat land in Cambridgeshire. I hope you do not judge me too severely? But I fear there is worse to tell.

I am forced to turn my hand to some form of employment.
Distressing as it is for my family I instead rather find it brings me a good deal of satisfaction and I am proud of my situation. Should you feel I am no longer suitable as a companion, indeed even a correspondant, you need only send word and all contact shall be severed. Your reputation must be upheld, that is something I at least understand.

So I find myself leading quite the dramatic life. I have no fear of what is to come and am even considering venturing into politics. Until then I content myself with my work as a writer of receipts - I hear tell of a Mrs Beeton and some great work on household managment that she hopes to publish. I wonder if I mayn't achieve a similar success myself.

I have three ladies dining with me this evening. I have of course informed them of my reduced situation but they see fit to continue to patronise me and so there is much to be done before their arrival.
I shall therefore have to leave you my dear and hope this letter doesn't bring you too much distress.

Affectionately,

Fanny

CAKES AND PUDS GALORE!

Here are some photos of me and my cakes minutes before we went live on air yesterday...sooo delicious.
Yes, I do have the most terrible job - I have to taste every one of them when deciding on the range. The strain of it is unbearable, the task in hand one of the most awful - but honestly, someone REALLY does have to do it to make sure that the cakes and puds I sell are delicious.
Bet you wouldn't want my job!

They are still available to buy on QVC, Got to their website www.qvc.co.uk and tap in Lotte Duncan and the whole range comes up.You can also see the video from the show - may help you to decide which of the many (if not all!) cakes and puds you want.

Beautiful Bath - meeting my publisher Absolute Press

Bath belongs to Jane Austen, so to be true to this gorgeous place and in the best possible taste, my musings of yesterday's trip to see my publisher shall be the following...

My dearest Fanny,

Bath was simply delightful. I arrived on one of those magical March days, that bring sunshine, warmth and so much optimism to it's people. Smiles adorned the faces of the dear little children playing so happily amongst the sparkling daffodils.
Bath stone refects light beautifully and I have to confess that I did, for one small moment, believe I was a character in a fairy tale just like the ones dear Mother used to tell us when we were small.

Fanny dear, words cannot explain the joy surrounding my venture into Bath. I own in fact to have such excitement, that Miss Honey is finding my skipping around the house, just a little irksome.

I have met with a publisher who at this very moment, I fancy, is discussing arrangements for my receipts to be read and, I would hope, be appreciated by polite society across our green, springtime isle. Perhaps I will, one day learn of my dishes being served at the tables of dear friends and family and further afield such as Bristol and Oxford. I imagine this to be more thrilling than tea with Lord Dartington.

My publisher, a Mr Jon Croft and his editor Mrs Meg Avent took me out to lunch at a most favourable house. We ate seafood and some beef, that I believe was cooked for just one minute. It was so very tender. The weather was oh so warm, and I confess to having taken just a little too much sun on my nose. I do believe I have some freckles - you must send me your remedy to remove them as soon as possible.

I travelled back to my cottage yesterday afternoon, after a day of such gaiety in the sun filled town of Bath. My memory of a day spent in the company of professional well read individuals will stay with me for a long time. My contract of employment is due to be drawn up this week and then I will arrange my time to produce some delicious receipts.
I recall a conversation about making pictures of my dishes, I own to not being entirely sure how they will do this. Perhaps an etching, oil or a strange method called digital.
I fear I am a little outfoxed with this strange modern language, but be assured Fanny I will do my best to learn.

I will be calling on you in the very near future. A time spent with my dear sister is a time I genuinely look forward to. Please, do send my kind regards to Captain D'Arssey,

Yours with affection
Lady Lotte.

Promo Shoot for QVC Cake show

Here are some photos from the set of my promo film we shot today for my upcoming QVC cake range. You will be able to see the film as of wednesday 18th March and the show on 26th March at 2pm...just a taster of a fun and silly film....

RED NOSE

Go to www.digitalrednose.com and you too could look as silly as me!