by Joy Sunday

Created on: May 17, 2008

We are a family of 4 - three male members and me. The males are husband and two sons. My Husband never cooked anything in his life until recently and now can cope a little but would no want to know anything about baking - but he loves homemade banking.

When my sons were young they were both interested in baking much much more than in any other form of cooking. Each week I made a brown bread each day and two apple tarts on Friday. Each Sunday, when cooking lunch I would also make a Cream and Jam Sponge. Scones both plain and fruit were made on Monday and Wednesday each week.

Once a year -

- a Christmas cake (very rich with lots of fruit/brandy etc., - with both almond and sugar icing and decorated for the festive season) was made in October - so that it would mature and full of flavors.

- an Easter cake much lighter and using Cream and Soft fruits to make it an absolute must.

- a Birthday Cake for each member of the family - it would be the favorite of the 'Birthday' Boy.

Needless to say my Sons got really interested in 'cooking' and to be fair to them - I could give them the boring jobs each time and they would get to it with so much energy that I got a good laugh out of them. To be fair to them they were not just willing, they also had some good suggestions for how to use some of the sponge cake mix and what to use with the apple pie for desert.

I have to say I loved having them in the Kitchen with me and I think it was a good exchange for the time I spent on the sideline when they played football and hurling or acted as taxi driver when a Karate competition was at another venue. The cooking at home with Mom was something that they were always happy to invite their friends around for - now my Kitchen is small and if you have two Sons and their two friends 'under your feet' it can be a little difficult but then it was good fun for all of us.

My sons are grown men now - one married - both gone from home quite awhile. However, my younger Son stays the odd weekend and it sometimes seems like nothing has changed - the friends are back - the cooking begins - the male jokes and the younger male take on things are just as refreshing as ever.

They are all a great bunch of young people -both the boys and the girls and they love baking, roasting, boiling,grilling, steaming, - yes, yes, yes steaming ( it is much more healthy, you know) and no vitamins are lost. Health eating is IN. Reduced fats, carbs, etc, and increased fruit & Veg, organic and raw if possible, low sodium, low fat, low carbs, low volume. THAT IS THE THEORY AND YES ALL GOOD FOR YOU.

BUT FOR A SPECIAL TREAT - Apple Pie, Cream/Fruit Sponge - just can not be beaten and are never refused as a snack or desert after a really good meal. Off Course we can justify eating these delicious fattening treats by saying we only have them now on special occasions.

For me baking is still daily - brown bread but a smaller loaf - seldom the treat - but when the boys are home or expected I do a little treat - one of my specials.

For my Sons - it was a really good induction to cooking - by the time they each went to college they had graduated to cooking a decent meal. Children need a starting point - for me and my sons - baking was our start.

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