Tea Room 17 - The Tropical Beach Hut

[amberlight]

Welcome to the 17th version of the Tea Room. We find ourselves on a tropical beach, with the tea room now in a beach hut on stilts, the waves lapping on the golden sands beneath. Palm trees surround us. Our virtual gardener/beach surfing dude/handyman, Mellors, is here to tend to your every need. He looks like the person of your dreams (male, female or otherwise ). There are of course holidaying Bishops and other leaders of faith, the Camels, the Bison, various guinea pigs, the tea room horses, a life-size cut out of George Clooney, the NMBs (please don't ask me to explain how Mohawk Babies joined us, and a wide variety of other virtual followers. We chat, we relax, we share how life is. All in need of friendship are most welcome. The kettle is on...and the distressed chintz sofa has of course made the journey over. Enjoy.

Dunno -- don't know much about it, to be honest, other than I thought it was for a much older section of the population but HubbyScout said they do a lot of baking and cooking and stuff that I might like. I do make a decent Victoria Sponge, though.

We have a groovy (allegedly) WI quite near us, but I've never been as it's in Alpha Mummy Central and, besides, I don't really have the time as I spend it all on MN.

I think you and Mary live quite near each other, Scout. Perhaps you should meet for a day of paintballing, karting and other adrenaline highs?

How are you feeling now?

Is it a PROPER vicky sponge tho? No butter cream, must be raspberry jam (as I recall)

Oooo, Alpha Mum Central -- yucky.

Have never been carting but have always wanted to try. And yes, Mary's not too far away -- fancy a race, Mary?

Physically a lot better. Side effects lessening, except the ones that they said would probably be long-term (ie, thirsty a lot, decreased appetite). Wasn't sick this last week, which was good. Had a back-up plan at camp, just in case. Mentally feeling a lot better as well, the further away we get from camp.

We go on holiday this weekend. Well, the three of us are leaving on Thursday and having a mini-break on the way down before we meet up with the extended family. Looking forward to the mini-break, but not sure I fancy eight days with the whole family. I feel this way every year.

How were your hols, Small?

What sort of cream do you use? And I thought Vicky Sponge was strawberry jam? I use either strawberry or raspberry, depending on what I have in the house. A friend of mine makes her own jam -- I've thought of asking her to make me some (I'd pay her if desired) so I could say the whole thing was homemade. But I'm sad that way.

I've never been karting either, so would be fun! I've been paint balling though! I'm not a purist re: vicky sponges, I like jam AND buttercream!

Um, could I have a recipe for Victoria sponge with jam and buttercream? Thanks!! :)

I like my Vicky sponge to have buttercream as well [cake-heathen] and have made a very good one in the past with blackberry jelly (my favourite) but raspberry is my preferred alternative. Strawberry has too many big lumps in.

JBsmama - I seem to remember it goes along the lines of the weight of 2 eggs in butter, sugar, self-raising flour and a tsp of vanilla essence. Cream butter and sugar, add beaten eggs & vanilla essence and fold in flour. Spread between 2 (probably 7 or 8") sandwich tins and bake in the middle of a moderate oven but I can't remember how long for. Buttercream is some amount of icing sugar creamed with some amount of butter (can't remember the ratios) and I always put the buttercream on the lower half of the sandwich, not the upper - jam goes on the upper.
That do?
I made your key lime baked cheesecake before I left Australia - it was yummy! Had to use Nairn's fruit'n'spice oat biscuits for the base (wheat free) but that worked rather well; not easy to cut but tasted fab!

I have been karting - it is fun but if you are short of leg it can be interesting on the braking front, as I discovered after I rammed some poor bloke and ended up in the sinbin for 5 mins. I got pads put in behind my back after that so I could actually depress the brake pedal!

The weather has been a bit kinder to us so far than we expected - had a good weekend and it looks like it might stay sunny with cloudy spells today - but I'm not holding my breath!

Are Vicky Sponges not meant to have cream?!?! Every one I've ever seen and/or eaten and/or made has buttercream.... Have I been creating non-Victoria Sponge Victoria Sponge?!

www.mumsnet.com/Recipes?call=RecipePage&pid=2499 :o

I prefer it with buttercream

Given a choice, I like strawberry compote and whipped cream..

WIs can be any age - I went to one that was all under 40, wheras my mums was all 60+

Ooooh! This thread is turning into cake porn.

Mmmm, cake.

I have cashew brittle in the fridge and have the fixings to make some pretzel brittle. Mmmmm....

LOVE nut brittle, and cashew nut is my fave! :)

Bolly, anyone?

Yes, please!

Bolly and cake, please.

Coffee and croissants anyone?

My eldest brother is working in the area and has just invited himself to dinner (he said if thats OK), which it is. I now have to put the house in some sort of semblance of order... eek...

Hello all - back from deepest, darkest Shropshire from music week....

Mistlechick played his violin all on his own - and sometimes roughly in the right place and even occasionally on the correct string - and stamped very enthusiastically when it was required....

He also learnt to swim - Monday hysterical 'I can't swim', requiring 4 floats before venturing forth etc. Tuesday -absentmindely forgot he couldn't swim and swam from me to the side without thinking (I pointed this out to him) - also discovered he could actually touch the bottom. Thursday (had day-off on Weds!) swam 2 or 3 m from side to me and back lots of times. Friday swam a width of the pool twice (had to do this where it was too deep to put feet down ). Sat swam about 12 - 14m depending when he cheated! and spent a lot of the time under the water doing 'statues'and finding that he bobbed back up to the surface on his own anyway....

I hope we've not chased the newcomers off - sussex, 12, where've you got to?

CMot - how's it going - not sure I know how you managed to mangle your wrist? I hope things are getting a bit better?

Scout - glad things are improving - some of this alcoholic ginger beer might help with both the thirst and any remaining nauseousness...?

Woohoo Mistlechick! Fantastically well done! (love that he "forgot" he needed 4 floats, so funny!)

I can't stand nut brittle, sorry ladies - v.v. bad memories of long car trips up to Sheffield as children, Dad seemed to think that peanut brittle was the thing to give us - mucho carsickness later (EVERY time) he gave up on me at least. Can't bear peanuts in sweet things, can just about cope with hazelnuts and almonds but not in any kind of toffee/hard caramel.

helo ladies.
WI reborn, why not give it a whirl, if not our bag ater a couple of metings quit.
Vic Sponge I ust use jam in midle, I prefer blackcurrent, but that not trad. Made a chocolate version yesterday .

london day was good. Boys fav bit was the underground trains. Coram Fields was a top lunch spot ( picnic) MANY thanks for the tip off, MUCH nicer than Diana playground would have been and no need to worry when boy wondered off to explore and we lost sight of him for 5 mins.Found him again in the 7+ bit of the playground, furthest bit of field from where we had picniced.

While we are onteh topic of cake.... any one care for a chunk of gluten free choc brownie, mostly choclate ,butter, eggs and sugar with a bit of coco powder .

No thanks, just read the report from the latest WI meeting in the village magazine. They had a competition to make a buttonhole.

Choc brownie sounds good though! I have a friend who makes gluten free ones, and they're great!

Anyone care to join me in a glass of Merlot?

Merlot, did you say?

I am so glad that the UniFamily enjoyed Coram Fields. I love it and regret that we did not go there when SmallGirl was, well, small.

Tada!

That'll lure the new people back and no mistake.

Well done Mistlechick !(fell off horse, dislocated and broke 6 bones in my wrist Mistle)

Lovely gf brownies - perfect with a glass of merlot

Oooh, Cmot. I think I missed the drama while I was on holiday. How are you doing?