and i'll never have that recipe again

hello there

it would simply not be true, it shall not do, to say that of the (very) limited skills that i have it is so that baking really features. sure, i am perfectly capable of cooking for sustenance and survival, look you see, yet this does not mean i have abilities to do much fancy. or, at the least, it did not. now, mind, i would suggest that i still do not, but am ebbing ever closer to so. 

on instances where i desire cake, or some other form of pudding ("dessert" for you posh types), generally i tend to go purchase one from someone what makes them for a living. the logic i apply here is that when i am desirous of some vibes, i rather go purchase an album what someone else has recorded, and same with films and discs or tapes. much easier to go see a professional, so to speak, than try and work out how to do it yourself. 

but then, on a shopping sojourn, i saw something called "pud in a mug". i think it implied, or suggested, that it was all very easy to do, but in truth all i saw was the price (49p a go) and was sold on them. this was a short while ago (rather than, say, a point in the future), yet i placed them to one side, momentarily, either forgetting them or waiting for an appropriate moment to awaken my primordial baking talents. 

that's just one of the ones i bought, presented in the greater good and glory of Commodore 64 mode, next to my Bowie Aladdin Sane mug, which i cannot recall if i showcased here before. probably did, yes. but, to get to the exciting, business end, indeed i purchased not just one, but two (2) types of these "pud in a mug" things. and two of each. why two and not three? for they only did two types. 

so, a very extra special occasion occurred, so it did. an extremely good friend was due to be in my vicinity around the time of their birthday, but alas not to be. things happen, things change, but there shall be another time, another place. no matter. so as to celebrate, i asked of them which it was they wished for me to have a ruddy (which is a polite way of saying f*****g) good go at making, and with tears of anticipated laughter in their eyes they said the sticky toffee one, rather than the other. which, for purposes of clarity, is a chocolate chip one. 

many, or some, or one or two of you, will be aware of a tele show (and that) what we do here in the UK. alas, the name of it escapes me, but it is some sort of British Baking thing, in a tent somewhere or other. presently they appear set on having absolutely everyone in the nation (entire) feature in it in some capacity or another, be it a competitor to "bake off", or host. true, the below video was filmed mostly for the birthday celebrant, but them what make whatever the show is called are welcome to consider my deft skills here, see if i am the sort of thing they want fronting the show. 

absolutely nothing but pride, that's what i take, or feel, in or of the above. stirring is not one of my greatest strengths, no matter what you may have heard, and to do it one handed (so to speak) whilst operating a taping of it (with a fiddly button) and narrating is nothing short of a triumph. and yes you can quote me on that, very much so. him off of the show, the one with a beard, doesn't do the camera does he? i am probably available a lot cheaper, too. 

for my usual sentimental hygiene, there are indeed fond memories i hold, or shall forever associate with the terms baking and pudding. of my children, for James it was always a delight when it was baking day at his first school, especially when he got to play the role of baker. to William, and his delight at juniors was always his birthday, for on your birthday you got double pudding at dinner (lunch, if posh). 

reason for selecting sticky toffee over chocolate chip was not offered, sought or solicited. sometimes an air of mystery is best, especially with something like the dark art of baking. in this era of information many are always keen to know all immediately, rather let some aspects of life remain alluded to rather than clarified and categorised. 

no, i had not a clue if my Bowie mug would get totally and utterly f****d by the baking process, or administration, so yes, i took the above picture as a memento, or keepsake, just in case it all went not quite so how i had hoped. but, looking at the picture, perhaps the flash setting on the camera what is welded to my phone was an extra not required, looks a tad bright. 

how about a nice bit of video of the baking process, or act, or art? sure, certainly. depending on how you define, or understand, baking. these are things what you do in a microwave. i am sure some would say that this means it is not "proper" baking, but that's up to them, really. be progressive, i say. anyway, it is not like i designed or built it all, i just went with instructions. 

considering i have never actually seen that show what they do baking (or whatever) in a tent, no, i have no idea if they also (assuming sound is in the above video) also sing a happy song as they do, well, as they do whatever it is they do on that show. 

yes, singing is something i find that i tend to do with various tasks. no specific set list or what have you, just whatever tune comes to mind. except when cooking or baking, of course. at such times it always feels rather appropriate to pay homage to Mr Sinatra, right up to the point where you remember that what you are doing is significantly Bowie orientated and quickly change your, well, tune. 

if i were (and i am not angling for it) invited on to that cooking or baking show, then yes, probably, i would do a little ditty or two as i did whatever it is one does on the thing. not sure how licensing and that works, and i suspect Iman or someone off of the Bowie Estate might object to my interpretation of some of his songs, but still. anyway, i am not expecting a call any time soon. mostly as they do not have my number, but also because, so far as i am aware, up to now the tall one off of Pointless has not done the show yet, and there appears to be a quest to get him to do every show ever. so i won't get the gig before he has given it a whirl, i expect. 

well, there you go, above is the finished product. proof is in the pudding, etc. admittedly no, my first go at this has not produced something as aesthetically pleasing as the packaging suggests. now that i look, it would seem that i got a little bit of powder on Bowie's nose, too. oh. 

quite a bit smaller than i had expected it to turn out, certainly, or perhaps i just used too large a mug for all of this. in fairness, or to be fair ("TBF" if in a rush) what the end product was looks very much like a 49p pudding. still, i was delighted with it, it was rather tasty, and my friend appreciated the effort. 

unsure if i shall showcase any further culinary skills (or lack thereof) here, but you never know, i may well do so, one day. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!