Today we rode the Guzzi to Aldburgh on the Suffolk coast, to meet my brother (a sculptor exhibiting in one of the galleries there) and his wife. They drove down from deepest Derbyshire and fell about laughing at me in my 'spacewoman' textiles and backpack. But we had a tasty bite at a little cafe and walked down the shingle to look at Maggi Hambling's welded steel 'seashell' sculpture - all in delightful warm & hazy sunshine. Very nice. They will come and see us in Spain, especially as they have a little house near Sete in France, so it's not too far to drop on down the Mediteranean coast.
From Aldborough we raced up to Great Yarmouth so Steve could have a check-up at an optician's. Free on the NHS now that he's over 60 and much needed as he has started to get 'floaters' in one eye and his specs are OLD too! Floaters are specks and flashes that happen as you get older, usually just in one eye, but they are not dangerous. Just little bits in the eye that have come adrift! Before we depart we will also have hearing tests, visit the dentist and assemble necessary first aid; we want our Spanish to be a bit better before we have to use it for medical services.
Now to the Streusal cake:
1. Line and/or grease a deepish square or round cake tin
2. Heat oven to 170 degrees
3. Make the streusal in a small pan over a low heat: Mix and melt 1oz butter, 1oz dark brown sugar, 1oz plain flour, 4 or 5oz walnut pieces, 2 tbs strong black coffee
4. Make a plain and soft cake mix with 4oz butter, 4oz caster sugar, 3 eggs, 5oz SR flour, 2 tbs milk
5. Layer the cake mix and the streusal alternately in the cake tin, finishing with 2 tbs streusal and bake for about 1 hour (test with a sharp knife which will come out clean if it’s cooked)
6. Cool thoroughly and then drizzle with soft liquid icing sugar, a la Jackson Pollock
7. Share with your best friend, some coffee and maybe a bit of cream
8. Perfect to your own preference, adding sultanas or dates or other nuts