Reading my way through the Coronavirus

I hoard books ... probably 180 cookery books along with stacks of others. Jilly Cooper to Mary Poppins.  Peter Walkers Heartbeat books and Dick Francis novels sit along side James Herriot volumes.  .What I don't like are when they change the covers and I end up buying the same book twice.

 I love Andrew Perns' Black Pudding and Foie Gras ..the feel of it all velvety... just wish it wasn't brown .Just dont like the colour brown ,it is a bit like grey, so depressing. Maybe Andrew Perns' choice of colour for his magnificent book came from his equally delicious brown of a creme caramel ..that is the only brown I like so I will forgive him.
When it isn't lockdown you will find me in Christine and James Bentley's Castle Stores up Church Street in Helmsley opposite the church. Bunting hung up in the windows will catch your eye and make you want to go in.

 It is my favourite shop in Helmsley and run by proper Helmsley locals. So once you have chosen your wool, knitting pattern, buttons and anything else that takes your fancy you mustn't stop there you must keep on exploring deeper into  the back room..... full of books ,big books little books ,war books ..not for me thank you,,,spy books again too scary ... cookery books, village life books the books you buy 6 at a time to take on holiday and read them before you even start to pack .  Christine's books are only a pound each as they are much loved books... and sold as gently read. I like those Agatha Raisin ones too. Pretty yummy mummy covers too. As for Harry Potter I read the first one but as I said before I dont do scary. Oh and I mustn't forget gardening books . Just Looooove gardening books but why you may ask do I buy a book with a title my 3ft by 3 ft small space garden or one as grow your garden on your balcony ..when we have over an acre of garden.
As you head down towards the market place is Claridges yes I am still in Helmsley as the given name is  usually relates to the one in London. But I am not looking to take afternoon tea but for more books .This time to give as a present well if I buy one for my Dad or Jack I can read it too. The books in here are more to do with local ,sports and country life as well as a host of other things. Over the year I have bought most of the Tales of Countrymen here. Beautifully hard backed books which would grace the finest of coffee tables. Upstairs they have an amazing collection for children including 3 versions of Alice in Wonderland how truly wonderful in wonderland is that.   Here you see when I took the Mad Hatter exploring. Tomorrow I will tell you what book I pulled form under the bed ...yes I keep running out of space to put them ...and what I did with what I read inside.

Back to baking cakes

Think it will have to be an orange cake . Ever since the virus started I have been upscaling my Vitamin C uptake and happily chump through 2 oranges a day and sometimes 4 .. I was lucky to be able to buy a whole box full when I got a home delivery the other week from Hebdons of Easingwold

Now this is maybe while I have had a few hours in the sun I look more suntanned I never thought of that before.  And it isn't fake ... but most people who put fake tan on look orange.

With my weakness for chocolate I usually make a chocolate cake . I say to Jack "what cake do you want me to make". "Surprise me" he says which is so annoying . I feel one day I will leave an empty tin with the words Boo written on a paper inside.

 Last week I did chocolate and cherry and my dad,we cant leave him out ,had cherry and almond.
But what a waste of orange skins I lay the out on top of the log burner and we have the lovely smell of orange waft in as soon as you walk through the door . So at least if I make an orange cake I can use some of the rinds up too.  So here is Saturday night special ready for after we have had our lunch tomorrow but I think I probably need to make sure it is ok before then and have a slice .
It is strange not having guests in to share it with but better we all have lockdown and stay at home safe