Ann, Whitley Bay, England

[Ann]

I live right on the north east coast of England. These are two pictures of my local beach which is about a 10 minute walk from my home. Sadly, we don't get nearly enough good weather to make the most of the wonderful coastline.





The weather wasn't so good when these next shots were taken.





The recipe I'm posting is one my grandmother used to make and I can remember having it at her house in the 1950s. When she died, it was another 30 years before I ever tasted it again. That was when I was researching my family tree and met up with an elderly lady who had lived next door to my great grandfather and his family in Seaton Sluice, just a few miles away from here, many years previously. As we were talking, she brought out tea and cake and, as soon as I tasted it, I knew the cake was the same one as my grandmother used to make. I asked her for the recipe and, here it is.

SNOW CAKE



8 oz potato flour
2 oz cornflour
2 0z plain flour
8 0z castor sugar
4 0z butter
3 oz margarine
3 egg yolks
3 egg whites, well whisked
level teaspoon baking powder
pinch salt

1.    Cream fat and sugar
2.    Add egg yolks
3.    Fold in the beaten egg whites
4.    Fold in all the flours and baking powder
5.    Turn into a greased small roasting tin
6.    Bake for approximately 1 hour at Reg 3 (325 F 170 C) on  the second shelf from the bottom of the oven



This is where I like to sit and have my coffee and cake on a warm summer's day. When there's a free chair that is.

[Miles]

Ann,
Looks like you're going to have to spring for that 3rd chair if you want a reserved seat in your own patio....lol...!

Miles

[Ann]

A few more pictures of the local coastline.

[Maria]

Ann,

Snow Cake sounds very nice - I must try it soon and let you know how it goes. I always find that the old fashioned home recipes are the best. I'm glad your grandmother's recipe is living on.

Nice to see that you povide comfy chairs and some shade for the cats in the garden!

Maria (ps: Whitley Bay looks lovely, as always. The rainbow is amazing.)

[tutsmom]

I love these photos--what a wonderful place to live!

As it turns out, one of my co-workers used to live 8 miles from Whitley Bay. I'm not sure if he still has family there. But, he said he has often visited Whitley Bay, so I gave him your url in case he wants a "virtual" visit home. But what a fascinating coincidence that the same week I find this message board, I also learn that Richard grew up just a few miles down the road.

What fun!
Tut's Mom aka Sharon

[Ann]

Sharon,

That's amazing! Where did he live? And does he still have a Geordie accent?

The north east coastline is one of Britain's best kept secrets. Sadly the sea is absolutely freezing and the climate is what is euphemistically known as "bracing"!

Ann

[Miles]

Ann,
We're on the northeast coast of the USA, and our water temp never warms either....the beaches here are great tourist attractions, but even living here most of my life I *never* venture into it for a swim....!  

"Bracing"...yes...that sums it up here as well....!

[tutsmom]

Hi, Ann,
I'll have to ask him where he lived. I just asked if he knew where Whitley Bay was and he said, Why, yes, in fact he used to live about 8 miles from there and had visited often. He definitely has an accent--but here we would just say it was an English accent--no more specific than that. He has only been here a couple of years, I think. He married an American social worker and moved here when they got tired of a long distance marriage. We're lucky to have him--he's a delightful human being.

I'm just astounded by the timing. Since I don't believe in coincidence, I'm curious about why the connection. The next time I see Richard, which should be next week, I'll have to ask him the name of the town and will pass it along.

I live outside Philadelphia, so am only a couple of hours from the shore--I usually go to the Delaware coast although others find the New Jersey shore attractive. Fortunately, our water does get warm. This past winter was unusually mild--much to my joy. I don't like the cold. So as much as I would love seeing your coast, I suspect I would find the cold too severe. I looked it up on a map and had wondered if it would be too cold. Knowing how much traffic I encounter on the way to Delaware, keeping your coast a well kept secret is a smart move.

But I do so enjoy your photos. Coasts fascinate me and you did such as excellent job of catching its character.

Thanks,
Sharon

[Ann]

I don't like the cold either, so I hibernate in winter. With the central heating on and plenty of things to keep me busy indoors, I could eliminate going out altogether if it wasn't for having to buy food! Now the local supermarkets are delivering, I could even get round that if I really put my mind to it.

I also always take my holidays in winter. Apart from not wanting to miss the good weather at home, it's wonderful to sneak a week of sunshine in when it's cold and horrible here. My dream of having a second home in Malta and being able to jet off there when I get sick of the cold weather also keeps me going! (See Maria's thread on favourite places.)

I do love being so close to the sea and seeing it virtually every time I go out. I don't think it's any coincidence that my favourite places tend to be other islands.

Fortunately, the way my house is designed, I have very sheltered places both back and front. It was even warm enough to sit and bask in the sun in March this year in the front patio. That's the one pictured earlier in this thread.

If Richard ever worked at what's commonly known in these parts as "The Ministry", then it's even possible we've bumped into each other. (It's a huge Civil Service complex and I worked there for 17 years until 1997.) It's amazing how many people in these parts have done a stint there at one time or another.

Sometimes things happen that are very difficult to put down to coincidence. I'm a believer in fate and that some things are simply "meant to be".

Ann