Crikey O'Reilly.

So, has it really been 1 year and nearly 3 months since I last posted?! That is awful. I apologise profusely. There have been reasons for this though. No, I haven’t stopped baking but I guess life has kind of taken over now that there is no thesis. So what has been going down since I last wrote a post? I won’t bore you with each and every detail (of which there are many), I’ll keep this as a short update…So, let’s do this in chronological order. Firstly, I officially set up my own cake business! Connie’s Cake Emporium officially started trading last September (yes, this was the ‘exciting news’ I mentioned in the previous post!). It has been challenging at times trying to fit orders in around a practically full time job but it has been wonderful seeing the smiles on my customers’ faces! Orders come in fits and starts – it has been a really quiet summer but all of a sudden I have a lot going on in November…! It’s getting to the point where I have to start factoring sleep in to my diary…badtimes. I also have a table at an upcoming craft fair that I have to uber prep for – for more info on events, ‘like’ my facebook page or follow me on Twitter (@cakeemporium)!

Most importantly though…I BLOODY PASSED MY PHD! It was quite a long and drawn-out process as I didn’t have my viva until last November. I had some corrections to do which took me until June this year (turns out that there’s not a lot of time between working and eating and sleeping and baking) and then ta-da! My corrections got accepted and here I am! I graduate in December, which is a relief (my mum has been planning her outfit for, like, years). However, I am not too happy about having to reveal my massive head circumference again to Ede and Ravenscroft. The floppy hat that I get to wear will be epic. Plus, my hood is green and red –Christmas colours! How appropriate!

In job-related news… just after I submitted the final copy of my PhD I also managed to bagsy myself a new job! I know, talk about timing. I am now officially a curator and totally loving what I do. It’s really odd to think that I had this crazy idea in 2005 to work in museums and galleries…and here I am. I actually followed through for once (this doesn’t happen very often). So far, my new job has been everything that I expected and more; the 6.30am starts are horrific but my new colleagues are all wonderful. Sadly, I am no longer curating contemporary craft and I have come to realise how much I miss it and all the makers that I’ve met in the last 5 years. Hey ho, I suppose I will have to make up for it by wearing loads of designer-maker jewellery to work instead! *dons earrings, bangle, rings whilst typing*

In other news I’ve actually BEEN ON HOLIDAYS (note PLURAL) this year! I hadn’t travelled abroad since my epic Japan/Yale trip of 2009. Last Christmas (no, I didn’t give anyone my heart) my family treated me to a trip to Hong Kong and Beijing. Although strictly speaking I didn’t class it as a holiday as HK was visiting family and Beijing was a little bit like being on holiday with a bunch of holiday Nazis. Then came Japan (again) in September this year – FOR THE WEEKEND. Yes, you heard! 2.5 days of Japan and it was worth every second! Spain was next (last week) and it was great having some time to properly chillax (I don’t think I’ve done that since 2005) and soak up some rays (don’t worry, I slapped on the SPF 50). As a friend said: ‘Good grief, you don’t half get about!’ – ah why not I say! Now I just have to sell my soul to be able to afford a trip to Oz. Watch this space (in about a decade’s time – I do work in the arts darling).

So, that’s a brief update for the moment… I’ve got lots of exciting cake projects coming up so keep your eyes peeled for info and piccies! (I know you all miss those the most!)

xxx

My year (in brief) in cakes...

Pregnancies, births (not mine thank god!)

This 'Sporting Year' (am I allowed to say the 'O' word?!) 

St Paddy's Day - Chocolate Guinness cupcakes

Onwards and upwards!

Apologies for not updating my blog for so long! I guess things get put on the shelf when you're trying to finish and hand in your thesis. Well, the good news is...I DID IT! IT'S IN! I submitted The Beast on Tuesday 12 July - having spent an absolute fortune on printing and binding. The actual submission was ridiculously unceremonious, not that I expected there to be a fanfare (with these budget cuts and all), but a congratulations wouldn't go amiss in the Academic Services Enquiries Desk (named and shamed). I was insulted when I was asked whether I wanted a receipt: 'YES I WANT A BLOODY RECEIPT, I JUST SPENT 4 YEARS WRITING THAT'. Of course I was too polite to say it out loud. I just gave him evils instead. So, what now? I recently received the date for my viva (a verbal exam on my thesis), but this isn't until November so I guess the job hunt saga/search for life enrichment programme continues until then. I have been trying to 'rest' although I don't think I remember what this means, or what it entails. 


I have been getting back into reading lately - of the non-academic variety, and one of my recent-ish reads (okay, this was probably about 6 months ago) was Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters. Having read Fingersmith, I was eager to see if the other books were as good. Although Tipping the Velvet was okay (don't mention that horrific dramatisation on TV, that basically cut out half the book) it still wasn't as good as Fingersmith. However, I finished the book with a real craving for...oysters. The story focuses on the lead character Nan, or Nancy, from Whitstable, Kent (on the east coast). The way that Sarah Waters describes the hustle and bustle of Nan's family's oyster restaurant - the sounds and smells from the cooking, made me really want to eat oysters. As I was reading the opening and closing pages,  I could literally smell and taste the salty, slurpy morsels. 


So, whilst on a visit to my friend - and fellow TTV reader - Emma's abode, I jokingly mentioned that one day we should visit Whitstable in honour of Nan. Low and behold, the Whitstable Oyster Festival was taking place from the 23 July! So, what did we do? We went to Whitstable to scoff oysters! Now, I have to say that this was incredibly brave of Emma as she'd never eaten an oyster in her life. I am glad to report that she is now a fellow oyster slurper!

Man shucking our oysters

Nom nom

Whitstable at twilight

We also ventured to Wheelers Oyster Bar  which is the quaintest oyster establishment ever (not that I've been to that many). The restaurant itself had a tiny seafood bar (seats about 5 people max.) and a little restaurant which seats about 12. I know, micro business or what? The service was lovely, and they answered all of our random questions. I tried brown shrimp - which delicious by the way- and a hake dish with some Kentish paella! I felt completely virtuous for eating a week's worth of omega 3s in one sitting!

Wheelers (a bride was having her wedding pictures taken at the time!)

My yummy hake dish with Kentish paella

Of course a 'break' wouldn't be a break without some baking...Rachel and Vicki paid me a spontaneous visit the other weekend and my immediate reaction was 'ah, an excuse to bake something new'. This coupled with the anxiety of what to serve for breakfast, I decided that brioche would definitely be a winner. Dough = good. Butter = good. And I was right. It went down a treat with some sweet strawberry conserve. I used Rachel Allen's recipe which was easy to follow, apart from the actual assembly of the dough to get the classic brioche shape. Hence why mine look a little lop-sided. The loaf however, I was quite impressed with. I even got approval from an actual French national who said that 'you could sell this in France, just don't tell them that, er, you know...' 'that I've  had absolutely no training whatsover?' 'yes, and that you're not French'. Nuff said.

Brioche

Loaf of brioche

Things would not be complete without some cupcakes now, would they? Inspired by the ice cream man, I bring you Vanilla Dream Sundae and Strawberry Sundae! A yummy vanilla sponge topped with vanilla buttercream (with lots of vanilla bean paste - almost too much!) and strawberry-vanilla buttercream! I couldn't believe how ice-creamy they tasted!

Mmmm, creamy Vanilla Dream Cupcake

Hurrah for Strawberry Sundae!

I'll leave it at that for the moment. I have some exciting news in store some time this month so watch this space!

xxx

My Spaghetti Dad.

I know that Father’s Day was last weekend, but I was, er, too busy celebrating to write this then!

My dad. Oh where do I begin?  We are so alike in many ways, yet so different. When I was younger (pre-make up and tweezer days) people used to say that we were ‘biscuit impressions’ (old Chinese expression) of each other.  We’re obsessive when we get stuck into something, like the finer things in life (although often on a beer budget) and believe that if something should be done, it should be done properly - the old fashioned way. Geez, I even have his crazy eyebrows (over-plucked, but perfectly pencilled in versions I would like to add). However, throughout my teenage years we did not quite see eye-to-eye. I’m sure everyone can relate to this – the teenage years are hard enough without a really uncool dad there to cramp your style. For a few years we didn’t really ‘get’ each other, but I was busy trying to grow into my new semi-adult self. It wasn’t until I hit my twenties that I realised that we were in fact, from the same biscuit mould. 

(Dad and me - note my eyebrows will end up looking like his one day...)

Father’s Day is always a nightmare for me and my sister. What the frick do you get the man who already has everything? He literally has every piece of golf equipment going. Yes, even a Powerball (that he never uses). I was so close to buying him novelty covers for his clubs when I realised I’d run out of time…and money. So, a DIY present it was. My sister, being my baking side-kick, was nifty. She baked savoury muffins. Chorizo muffins. Mmmm. I, sticking to the food theme, made my dad a pasta picture a la my 5 year old self. The fact that I had no money for a real present had no bearing on this gift. None whatsoever. Plus, every parent loves a pasta picture right? Oh yes. Especially when it’s a portrait:

With an accompanying pasta card. (note I have blurred my age – I’m not encouraging futher internet stalking).

My dad’s reaction was kind of odd. I think he took the pictures a little too seriously! Apparently the portrait made him look too young (I didn’t have enough pasta for ALL of his wrinkles). Bless him, as always he was trying to be encouraging, almost as if he was trying to humour me – it’s this attitude of his that got me into art history in the first place. I can do whatever I want, be whatever I want, as long as a) I’m enjoying it and b) I can fund my own shoe habit. Let’s face it, if I was brought up in any other Chinese family I’d be an accountant/lawyer/doctor (of the medical sort) by now (god forbid). I’ll wait until the next recession before reconsidering my career options.

So this is a shout out to my dad and all the other dads out there who have to put up with crap from their daughters (from the ages of 13-20). You rock. Even if you are made out of pasta.