Monday, January 26, 2009

our home is girt by sea*


What is one to do, when one finds oneself in a foreign land on the occasion of one's National Day?

One attempts to whip up a batch Lamingtons, of course.

In the process, I discovered a new found admiration for old-school, no mixmaster/kitchenaid cookery. Creaming butter and sugar by hand is a bitch.

How I longed for my old trusty Sunbeam Mixmaster (ca 1960). Ours was a multi-generational machine. When we left Australia I bequeathed it to my sister, so along with the family silver it has become a bit of an heirloom piece.

There was something about the way it sounded when it was cranked up to 10, something about the way it smelled - like machine oil and burning sugar - it always reminded me of a fairy floss machine. Most importantly, there was something remarkably pleasing about the way it creamed butter and sugar together without me getting a tired arm.

I'll admit, they are not the world's best Lamingtons, but not a bad first effort.



*Possibly the most ridiculous line in any national anthem - ever.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

hi
Great blog! I went around germany for 1 week last year, on the trains in a big circle from cologne to munich, dresden then berlin. i want to go back because it's a cool place! anyway hope u are getting lots of hits, bye.

pyjamamel said...

This looks like a fine lamington - much better than my (rather flat) efforts.

ANZAC day is a Saturday this year & we're organising an Aussie picnic in D'dorf, without explaining the signifigance of the date to the locals, ;)- so I may have to overcome my lamington neurosis & try another batch...

read via JB's blog that you'd had a fire nearby (!?) - and it's been quiet here since. Hope everything's ok...?

cheers,

pjmel

Jul said...

Helen where did you go?

Anonymous said...

Are you still in Germany????? We have not heard in years!!!!!!

Anneliese

Helen said...

Anneliese - still here. I've just been a bit hermit-y this year.

I do hope you and jb are well.

Helen

Anneliese said...

Helen, give us a yell, when the 'hermits have left'!
A.

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