Red, white and blue.

I am feeling very patriotic. I am sure I am not the only one. The mood across the country is encouraging 17th and 18th century feelings. If it wasn't already on Google Earth I would be sorely tempted to don a sola topee, pack a jar of Shipham's paste and a small, yet practical knife and go forth to claim vast swathes of undiscovered land in the name of Queen and country. Huzzah!

You could barely move in supermarkets without seeing a Union Jack. They were on everything from biscuits and bread to washing powder and a certain yeast product that shall remain nameless! I even saw Union Jack loo paper, although wiping ones backside on the national flag might not be quite the message that being conveyed last weekend!!

I went into the weekend feeling very prepared. Oodles of red, white and blue. Shoes are all three, I have shorts in each colour, shirts as well, a jolly three toned belt and a can of hairspray in each colour. I wore a different outfit every day of the long weekend and still stay true to Blighty's colours!

I love the fact that the country has reacted in this way. This sort of show of nationalism is usually reserved for large football tournaments and normally goes very quiet and disappears once we have been reminded (yet again) that we can't actually play the game very well on the world stage. Just wait until Euro 2012 and tell me that I am wrong! The Diamond Jubilee was a chance for all of us, not just the sporty ones, to get inflated with national pride and to get behind one person. One of the joys is that it is not a competition, at no stage was the Queen out done by anyone. It was her weekend, her year, her chance to get showered with adoration. God save The Queen! If I am doing anything other than sitting in a armchair, blanket over my knees and drooling at her age I shall declare the occurrence of a miracle!

On Saturday we did all the mis en place for the rest of the weekend.

Having spent the week looking at the weather forecast, I knew Sunday was not looking too promising, but we Brits are nothing if not resilient! The programme for the fun day advised that one could get wet on the obstacle course so my Union Jack shower hat will be very handy should the heavens open!! My heart went out to all the people taking part in the Thames pageant in open boats. The sheer scale, splendour and reason behind the weekend kept the spirits up even if the weather kept the brollies up!


This is soooo good and very easy to make!

We spent the day partaking of the local village fun day with my parents. I prepared a picnic, including a recipe from the wonderful ladies at Crumbs for a fantastic sounding picnic pie, slightly adapted to include quail's eggs. I also made a vat of Coronation chicken, I wonder how many tons of it were consumed over the weekend? There was also a very jolly cupcake competition that I, somewhat rashly, decided to enter. I was somewhat hesitant as I am no baker, however recently discovered a fantastic cake recipe that translates very well in to cupcakes and even I can manage. The cupcakes were to be judged on taste, texture and decoration. The first two were whatever they happened to be as my skills are no where near being able to alter those. The third, however is where I hoped to triumph. I produced Union Jack cases, silver balls to go on the top and crowns made from tuile paste in red, white and blue. Surely victory must be mine!! Oh, the enthusiasm of youth. I walked in the tent and before I had even set the plate down, I knew in my heart of pessimistic hearts that I was doomed! The results an hour later confirmed it. I shall not give up. I shall continue baking, continue to be laughed at and with luck, improve, well I cannot get any worse!

On Monday we went to Tors' parents and spent a most enjoyable day in the almost sun at a street party. I have never sat in the middle of a street eating and drinking, well maybe I have in my youth, but certainly not without car horns blaring. It was rather a nice change.

I hope that we will still see the odd Union Jack still flying now that the Jubilee celebrations are over. I fear that once the excitement of the weekend is over we will forget the National identity that we have become so proud of in recent weeks. I adore the Queen and the Royal Family, the monarchy in general, however I love England just as much and maybe we should celebrate our country as well as the Monarch.

Having eaten more than my fair share of not very diet friendly food, I have to get back on track. I recently discovered Philadelphia with Cadbury's Diary Milk. Lord have mercy, not since bread and butter have two things meant to be together more than these two. An inspired combination! And relatively low in naughtiness! So, being creative in the kitchen area I have thought up the following recipe.

Mix 150g Cadbury's Phily with 150g low fat fromage frais. This should do for four people.

Toast some nuts, any will do, in a dry frying pan and when browned add a couple of teaspoons of caster sugar, let it melt and pour out on to greaseproof paper and allow to cool. 

Pop a spoon of choc mix in the bottom of a glass, then a spoon of fromage frais and continue until you have a pretty layered pud.

Chuck some raspberries and toasted nuts on top and tuck in.

A nice glass of something sticky will match very splendidly indeed!

Have a great weekend!