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Sunday 6 October 2013

Story Telling Sunday 3 - Coffee Kisses



Precious with an air of mystery

Hmm, that was Sian’s suggestion for this month for Story Telling Sunday 3. I racked my brains but couldn’t think of anything precious that had mystery attached to it! In fact, I was having trouble thinking of anything precious to share which is ridiculous as I have so many precious things, but not all have a story to them.

Then, as I was making an early morning cup of coffee for me and Hugh this morning, it suddenly hit me - my Bero recipe book.
As you can see, this has been well used and loved, it has no front cover, only the back.
When I was a little girl, this was the recipe book which my Mum used most of all. I learned most of my baking recipes from this book. When I left home to get married I photocopied my Mum's book so that I still had all my recipes! When my Gran moved into an old people's home and we were clearing out her cottage I found her copy of the book and was thrilled when Mum said that I could have it. I believe it was a book which you got from saving coupons from buying Bero flour. All the recipes, of course, call for Bero flour to be used! How many of you have a Bero recipe book? I expect that some of you have!
The chocolate cake recipe is my all time favourite!
The very first recipe that I remember baking without my Mum's help, was Coffee Kisses.
As soon as I remembered these I thought I must make some this morning to share with you all!
So, whilst doing the ironing and the accounts, I set to and made a plateful of Coffee Kisses.
The recipe says to make 80 balls, but I've never got that many out of the dough! I think I probably make them too big, but we like them like that! I also double up on the filling!
The making and filling of them took me right back to my childhood and I remembered standing at my Mum's kitchen worktop making these and having such fun filling them with the cream and then licking out the bowl! I did the same today, only I shared the licking out with Penny!
And they tasted just as good as I remembered.

I hope that you have enjoyed reading about my precious this month. Please grab a Coffee Kiss, hop on over to Sian's blog and read lots more stories about precious 'things'.

17 comments:

Jen said...

Oh how yummy Becky - thanks for the Coffee Kiss! What a wonderful precious to have - recipe books are so very evocative of times gone by - Is Bero flour still available I wonder - my gran used to sell it in her shop I remember. Jen x

Missus Wookie said...

Oh now that is a lovely and delicious looking precious :) I like old recipe books covered in stains. Was just looking at someone else's grandma's cookbook (on a cooking blog) and she was commenting on how she always wonders who Grandma was cooking for for each stain....

Hope Penny is settling in well.

Sian said...

Thanks Becky: that's just what I needed to keep me going before dinner time! It's a wonderful Precious and it takes me back to the old recipe books like that my Mum used to cook from. There was always something so special about collecting those coupons..actually you have given me another idea for a story about collecting firelighter coupons for a storybook now :) That must have been when I was about four. You have a wonderful talent for telling a story which sparks another story :)

Mel said...

Hmm these are like the predecessor of whoopee pies. A great precious with great memories attached. For me chocolate chip cookies always remind me of baking with my mom.

Sandra said...

Oh my how lovely, something so special about old cookery books and even more so when such precious memories come with them

Deborah Weber said...

What a delightful treasure! I, too, have well-used and much-stained recipe books from my mother and grandmother and deight in using them. Brings them right back into the kitchen with me. Those coffee kisses look delicious. Since the recipe is readable I think I'll be forced to give it a try. ;-)

Sheena said...

I love old recipe books with all their smudges & stains, all ways a good sign of great recipes for it to be used often enough to get marked x

Melissa said...

What a wonderfully precious item! We have several of Robbie's grandmother's cookbooks (with her handwritten notes inside) and a box of my Grandma's recipes, too.

scrappyjacky said...

I remember my mum having a similar recipe book....but hers was a McDougall's one....I think it fell to pieces in the end!!

Lou said...

Ahhh a precious book with what looks like fantastic receipes x I have one of my Nan's....about pickling!!

Jo said...

What a lovely little book, those kisses look amazing, might have a go at making them :) x

Ruth said...

What a treasure ... and they love delicious!

Anonymous said...

What a fabulous book and those Coffee Kisses look so nice.

Karen said...

I love books like that---filled with history and love. Thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

What a wonderfully precious book you have. I had to chuckle that we both shared stories about handed down recipes this month.

alexa said...

My Mum in law had one just like this! :). Lovely to see the pages again.

Susanne said...

Wonderful story to share. My mom didn't have that recipe book, but it does look very familiar in style to ones she did have. How great that you have your grandmother's copy.