Rudders at Home

Pumpkin pie is a staple in our house - when I was growing up, and also now that I’m here in the UK with Paul. I couldn’t imagine a fall without at least one pumpkin pie, and luckily, Paul likes it as much as I do, so there’s never any complaint when I opt to make it.

Recently, however, I’ve been hungry for other types of pumpkin food. I don’t know why. I’ve craving cake, cookies, bread and even pumpkin pie cheesecake - which I’ve never even tasted! Usually I associate hankerings for food with homesickness and it’s settled by making something from my mother’s kitchen. However, I don’t remember my mom making anything other than pumpkin pie, apart from the occasional cookie. So, to satisfy my craving, I turned to the web, and found a recipe for pumpkin cupcakes from Martha Stewart. I then used a butter and cream cheese icing I found on this website here, which also used the cake recipe I had found!

Were they gorgeous? Oh yes, they were! They were very moist and delicious. The icing was also very tasty, although a little runny.

I had small, fairy cake cases, so this recipe made tons. It was with enjoyment Paul and I were able to take these in to share at work, with plenty left over at home to comfort us!

No Comments »

I’ve been busy recently. Very busy. Work has me in early and home late, so I haven’t had much time to sit down at home, let alone post to the site. However, just last weekend, I did take much appreciated afternoon off to celebrate my birthday.

It started when Paul brought home my birthday cake:

Absolutely yummy. Paul brought this home for me from Patisserie Valerie last Friday. Granted, that was October 31, but we were on our way out the door for my annual birthday trip. This year it was a bit low key, completely different from the year before. But that’s ok, because I had a fabulous time, and I finally got to celebrate Bonfire Night in the UK.

My birthday falls on November 5, which  in America is most often just a normal day, unless it happens to fall on an election day. Which it doesn’t this year. Close, but not quite. In the UK, November 5 is Bonfire Night. Bonfire Night - what is that, you ask? Well, it’s a holiday the UK has to celebrate the foiled plot of Guy Fawkes’ attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

The weekend before my birthday, Paul took me up to Derbyshire for my annual trip. We went there specifically to tour the house Chatsworth and go to their Bonfire Night celebrations. Not to mention enjoy the beautiful countryside up there.

Chatsworth celebrated Bonfire Night in style. Not only did we get to see this massive fire, but they also put on an impressive display of fireworks.

It was a great night. Not too cold, and only minimal rain. The event started at 6:30, and they had food vans selling pasties and sausage sandwiches, along with beer, tea and coffee. It was a bit of a carnival, with people on stilts all dressed up and then they also had performers who were juggling fire batons and all sorts.

It was a quick weekend, with the Saturday spent touring the house and exploring the gardens. I was having a terrible afternoon with the camera, though, and didn’t manage to get many pictures, which is a bit disappointing. It was a nice break and one I’ll definitely remember for a while.

1 Comment »

When I was little, I used to look for salamanders on the road after a rainfall in the summer. During the summer, a nice cool rain would bring them out and you could find them very easily along the road.

This is a salamander, or a red spotted newt, native to the Eastern US. When they’re young, they’re this vibrant orangey red color. They turn brown as they get older and head towards the water.

The weather turned on our last couple days in the US this last time. On the last afternoon, Paul and I took a bike ride down the road. As it had just rained I held out some hope of spotting a salamander, and I was in luck. I thought it might be a bit cold for them, but we ended up spotting two. I had to flag Paul down on his bike though, as he very nearly ran one over! But once he understood what it was all about, he made fast friends.

We didn’t disrupt them too much - just made sure they crossed the road safely!

1 Comment »

And these days, you’ll even hear me call them courgettes once in a while. But that’s only when I slip up.

When I was home, it only took me a day to discover these monsters on the back porch. These are home grown in our family’s garden, and I just had to take a picture because I haven’t seen any zucchini this big in quite a long time. Also, it’s nice to have these weird little pictures from home - the zucchini table.

For scale, I reckon those blocks on the table are about a foot, or just over a foot long. And I don’t know what the story of the cabbage is, so don’t ask.

Later that week, mom and I peeled and grated a number of these. It was fun (I really mean entertaining) activity for us once we had our electricity restored to us. While she froze a a good amount of grated zucchini (I mean at least four or five bags with 2 or 3 cups each bag, maybe more - I’m not sure), she also held back four cups and made some zucchini bread for us.

Mom’s zucchini bread was, simply put, gorgeous. And while I munched it all up with the family, I couldn’t get it out of my head these past couple weeks. So, I guess you could say I was inspired when I returned to London. I’ve had my mind set on making some of my own since, and plenty to share with others.

Here are the fruits of my labor. I added in a broken up dark chocolate bar, because I’m saving my Nestle chocolate chips for something else.

Mom’s Zucchini Bread (makes two loaves)

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 tbsp vanilla

2 cups grated zucchini

2 cups flour

1 tbsp cinnamon

2 tsps baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

Mix together and add nuts, raisins or chocolate chips as desired.

Bake 350 degrees fahrenheit (180 C) for about 40 minutes or until done.

2 Comments »

You can’t get Libby’s pumpkin just anywhere in the UK, and sometimes it can cost a fortune.  However, I’m lucky enough that a local grocery store stocks it and at a reasonable price. Unfortunately, they don’t get very much in, (unlike the Wal-mart I went to when I was back home), and it always seems that I’m behind the crowd. Last year I was too late, and they were all out, so there was no pumpkin pie in the Rudders household. It was a very sad time.

But I’m ahead of things this year. I’ve stocked up.

I stopped by the grocery store today in order to get some pumpkin puree. I am now officially ready for fall and the holidays. Let the pie making begin!

3 Comments »