Sunday, October 02, 2011

Last Days of Summer

Bee-ay-yoo-tiful beach 

But, Mr Weatherman, what have I done to deserve this? An extra week of summer. On my week off. On my week off BY THE SEA. Noone could have planned it better. I think it was the universe's way of making up for my lack of summer holiday this year.

I've spent this week back in Bournemouth with the rental units. And it's been a week of brunch, cinema, dinners, baking, beach and generally lazing around doing very little. I've been uber busy at work over the summer so I really needed this. I'm not really looking forward to going back to work tomorrow, but I think I'll be feeling more refreshed for sure. Which will last approx half an hour, before I'm working out how long til I can next take time off. I swear, someone needs to just pay me for hanging around chatting. I mean, I'm really good at that, you'd get your moneys worth.

 Beach Bird Stalking

I've spent the last couple of days at the beach. It's been the most weird thing to be lying on the beach, surrounded by people in their bikinis in October. OCTOBER! I mean, in mere weeks we'll all be carving pumpkins! Normally, I'm not a fan of unseasonal weather, but I guess I need to add a caveate to that. I'm not a fan, unless the weather is unseasonably WARM. Anything that increases the amount of time I can spend on a beach gets the thumbs up from me.

Cake and lashings of ginger beer 

I took the opportunity of a bit of time on my hands to treat the fam to my baking skillz. I chose the Apple Crumble Hummingbird Cupcakes to have a go at for two reasons. One, autumn = apples. And two, this recipe is EPIC. You have to stew the apples for the apple cake filling, then make up the cake batter as standard, then bake the cakes, then make custard FROM SCRATCH, then leave it to cool, THEN bake crumble for the topping, THEN whip cream to mix with your cooled custard and THHHEEENNN assemble all your toppings. I mean it took all day, I couldn't do this on a normal weekend.

Crumbly in my tumbly

Some people wouldn't have the patience for all the different stages, but I kind of like the luxury of spending all day creating something a bit spesh. Plus, I've never made custard properly before - it's actually surprisingly easy.

The cakes turned out really yummy, the custardy topping was unusual but actually worked really well to give the apple crumble effect.

Nomz

Indulging in one of these guys with a nice cool glass of ginger beer in the last summer sun of the year in the parental backyard was a real treat.

Now, when's my next holiday?

12 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow, those look seriously amazing!

What great timing for this awesome weather too! Lucky you, hope you had an excellent week off!

Rebecca said...

i've always wanted to go to bournemouth, it always looks so pretty (like in your photos!) and god, do those cupcakes look good!

Anonymous said...

cake and ginger beer look amazing!!! x

Sharde said...

thats so awesome! and suuuper lucky that you go to do that! im so jealous :) and that cake looks pretty delicious, i wish i could have some right now! im totally going to go bake something sweet after seeing this!
sharde @ the style projects

Anita said...

Looks like you had a great time, I'm so jealous!
http://xtheperfectmess.blogspot.com

Vanessa, Take only Memories said...

Those cupcakes look amazing!
I used to live in Bournemouth. Quite miss the ocean...

Unknown said...

Lovely photos, love that one of the bird!
Is that conkers thing really true? I'm terrified of spiders, might just give that a go haha!
www.styleisalwaysfashionable.blogspot.com

Jazzy E (Hivenn) said...

I'm awfully jealous, looks brilliant. x hivenn

PinkBow said...

mmm these look amazing!!! and so they should for the effort needed! how amazing was the weather, difficult to remember it now.

daniela kate morosini said...

straight up, two of my favourite things are cupcakes and ginger beer xoxo

Emma said...

Oh, you saucy thing, apple crumble cupcakes, ginger beer AND GOOD OLD (SOMETIMES) SUNNY BOURNEMOUTH? That sounds ideal.

Seconding the thought on being paid to chat and relax. x

the crafty currant said...

Apple crumble and cupcakes ... Match made in heaven!! SWOON!!