TRYING SOMETHING NEW....

Some folks will know that I enjoy baking. In fact, daughter (whose skills far surpass my own) and I often venture to cooking classes. I do like a challenge (although life does seem to be offering lots of those lately)...but I enjoy a challenge where I can learn. Even if it is a total failure, you learn. I'm sure I read an article the other day talking about Flearning, which is when you have a failure but learn from it.

This week I attempted  created my first vegan cake. I have made vegan cookies before (we have vegan work colleagues, so only fair to share some of the baking love)...but this was my first cake.

Of course my first thought was to contact said great-baking-skills-daughter who has created vegan goodies before...and ask for her best recipe. My girl has her own baking blog---Hurricanesnozbakes- YOU MUST CHECK IT OUT - and she suggested this recipe for Lemon Coconut cake.

I must admit to being terrified, worried about cooking with ingredients I have rarely / make that never/ cooked with before.



 I had no idea what the batter was meant to look like, the consistency, the feel. I had no idea how far to take the coconut cream...was my idea of a syrup the same as someone else?

I persevered....


and frankly was very impressed with the cake. It was soooo lemony....helps with lots of lemon syrup being ladled over the cakes. The coconut cream icing was just right.


 Add some blueberries, a flower or two I made (in one of my other baking classes) and the cake was made.

In fact, there was enough batter for 3 cake tins. So I took the double cake to my work, and hubby took the single one to his. Both cakes were a success!

So not only did I take on the challenge, it worked out very well, and I learnt a lot from it. Success all round.


I have also given myself a big(ish) writing challenge for this month as well. This challenge I don't think I'll make...finish the first draft of my junior novel. I've actually written a lot, but not the first draft. Mind you there is another week left before the end of the month...so officially I still have a chance.

Time, however is not on my side. With work, meetings (have I mentioned I've taken on some volunteer work?) and doctor appointments, work on weekends and time spent with family (vital)...the hours are ticking by.

But I haven't given up.

Not yet.


Vicki 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

UNTITLED....

Image
I must admit to a difficult time thinking of titles. Most of my work at the beginning has a very bland and often generic title, simply because the computer needs a title to save the work. I do have autumn 1, autumn 2 etc...not to mention many poems that simply have a date as a title. Perhaps it would be better to say these are working titles. 29/05/12 is such a catchy title isn't it? Makes you really want to read it.... But when I do send my work out, not only do I edit, re-read and work on the pieces to make them the best I can, I work very hard on the title. Because this is the first thing an editor/publisher/ reader sees. And we do want it to stand out from the crowd, to grab attention. Every time I open a short story collection or a book of poetry I read the contents page.  Looking for a title that grabs my attention, that makes me smile, makes me ponder, wonder what that is about.  I'm sorry but having a poem entitled UNTITLED is a bit of a cop out. I am left t
Read more

PLANNING AHEAD...

Image
In my day job I do a lot of planning. In fact the school holiday program that runs for two weeks in January was planned four months ago. And we are just about to plan for the Easter school holidays. In so many ways, it is difficult to plan so far ahead. Once chosen, these programs are locked in. They are in booklets and flyers and are advertised. Not to be changed. We have no idea if a new theme or program will work until it has been tried and tested. Just because it works in another library, doesn't mean it will work in ours. Different space, different people, different reactions. And when we trial a new program, which we are next year, as well as new days and times for programs, it is a step into the unknown. Will they work? How long before we know? When can we tweak? When it comes to a lot of the programs, we have to give them a year. And of course during that year we are planning for the next year's programming. It is a continuous circle of planning months
Read more

FRESH START....

Image
There's something about the beginning of a new year. Fills us with inspiration, hopes and dreams. Lets us believe that anything is possible. That the year to come can be anything we want it to be. And it can. And of course there are resolutions...I'm still debating about what tack to take. Whether to focus on poetry or short story, the novel(s) that I wrote last year....hmmm too hard to think about just yet. I'll let it percolate, ponder on the pros and cons, on what I WANT to do, not what I SHOULD do. Personal resolutions are so much easier- I have plans on health and wellbeing, on the house, on the garden, on myself spiritually as well. The writing ones are so much harder. And of course there is knowing when to stop. There is no point in having a list a mile long ( I so used to do that)... totally unachievable and so daunting. So it's better to have a few solid ones on the list...ones that can be achieved within twelve months. And also goals that I have contr
Read more