Welcome - Violet Sparks and a return to blogging!

I have my very own, properly related to me niece. The dark haired, mysterious beauty is called Violet and she looks perfect. Sadly I haven't yet met her due to the cursed Atlantic ocean, really expensive plane tickets to Denver and no job. It is vexing as the lack of a job means I have tons of time to visit my big bro, his annoyingly sexy wife and the munchkin however it also means a reduction in funds which means no happy trips. I am trying to figure out how to get someone to pay me for doing bugger all as I enjoy the freedom of no work but miss the benefits of an income.

Anyhoo I was trying to decide the best way to celebrate a new niece, Harry thought something along these lines:

But then Harry's idea of celebration is always some sort of running and grinning like a loon on a beach. And yes it is a bad picture but you try taking a good one of an insane Labrador running as fast as a hayfever suffers nose when you only have a tiny camera and there is a force 5 gale...

I thought, as her name is one of those lovely old-fashioned names, something along the lines of afternoon tea would be more the ticket.

To that end we made my favourite jam tarts - almond pastry, homemade raspberry jam and whipped cream. Can't you just hear the heavenly choir start up on that note!


Crumbly, buttery shortbread, the proper stuff with semolina in the recipe.


Ina Garten's lemon bars - I just love lemon bars so the Americans have given us something other than Violet!


and a wonderful almond and lemon cake with an amaretto whipped cream and raspberries.

So the arrival of Violet has also heralded the arrival of even more thigh fat for me which is bad news as I have to get Kate Moss thin for my wedding in November. Eeek. This blog is going to become '100 Ways to Eat Beans'.

Welcome to the world Violet and this is your first lesson in just how late your cool British aunt inevitably is. XXXXXX