Parkin update

In this morning's thrilling installment, it turns out that the parkin solidified overnight. Not terribly surprising, given how much melted sugar and melted margarine it contains. It's now a rather solid mass with just a slight give to it. In fact, it looks like something that would improve by being stored in a tin for a few days (or a week or two).

If the oatmeal softens a bit more, I think I'll have something worth serving on Saturday.

One of the recipes I came across after the parkin was in the oven called for letting the mixture sit overnight before baking it. I wonder if that would have made things work better.

Done for the night

Well, yesterday wasn't too productive in terms of Romance Exchange preparations (too much parkin angst), but I made up for it today. Today I was mighty.

I have:

Set the table (and, alas, broke a saucer -- and ordered a replacement over the Web; saucers are much less expensive than teacups, it seems)
Made oatmeal bread
Made flourless chocolate cake
Cooked chicken thighs, chopped them up, and made chicken curry sandwich filling
Made gingered crab filling for filo dough cups
And I cleaned up the kitchen

Tomorrow I need to:

Do final clean-up
Make scones
Put sandwiches together
Cut up vegetables
Put everything in dishes and on the table

And then wait for people to arrive, make tea, and serve it forth.