Black Forest Watch

Mac MC Update:

Off to chilly jockland for the obligatory cooking with army sketch in MasterChef tonight.
Contestants always seem to make a big deal of this sort thing tonight McPosh Womble Andy was floundering obviously he was less of backpacker than perhaps we first thought used to the "not so rough guide" it seems as he didn't like tins of "standard meat for the use of "and K rations.

It's strange because arguably in Scouts is one of the places where I (and my brothers) learnt to cook. We did cook bits of food at home but fending for ourselves at camp was a great laugh and excellent training. We were fortunate to have a proper leader "Skip" who pulled strings and got us a campsite where we could cook on fires and chop down tree etc.

He also insisted we ate well so we ate cornbeef hash, cooked breakfasts and steamed bread and butter puddings etc most of which we cooked ourselves for our patrol.

On one memorable occasion we had to build a platform 15 feet up a tree and cook a meal there! So a few peckish squaddies wouldn't be that much of challenge you just need to bash enough spuds and make enough custard.

After the field test it was back to the barracks where this time Chris floundered making posh snap for what the programme called officers but I think were NCO's (not that it matters to anyone but the Army).
Anyway this was to my mind flawed "team challenge". Flawed because until now it's been dog eat dog and so to expect contestants to work together is a bit odd (even though it's the basis of professional cheffing)
Sadly Chris wasn't bossy enough and Andy took over but the army boys didn't notice and gave their rather muted approval by banging on table.

Tomorrow it's off to the palace!


"Baking doesn't get any batter than this"

I must introduce and thank my own personal masterchefs whilst up in Yorkshire last week I was fed really well (as usual) by my Bros, who having families have an excuse to bake endless goodies.

Our A made a variety of his famous eponymous biscuits this time half dipped in chocolate. These were an exercise in precision and restraint and went too quickly to photograph. Whilst our S went all Nigellla on us and produced this here wonderfully over top birthday cake (it's on the cusp of camp don't you think ) for one of my nephews .

I'm sure John might have scoffed a little (he's rarely fulsome in his praise) but t'old Gregg would have disappeared in pool of drool... good work fellas!

Lastly Pancake Tuesday:
Are you having Pancakes tomorrow?
If so what to put on 'em lemon & sugar, nutella, cheese, marmite?