I taught them to cook vidya4 - Flipbook - Page 33
Autumn Term
31
‘Girls, hang up your duffle coats, take out your chewing gum,
tie back your hair, and wash your hands. Then put on clean
overalls before you start.’
Ha ha! I’ve got a couple of white cook’s overalls ready for
special occasions. As they button up, the girls transform. Their
short skirts and half undone ties are hidden. A pair of smart
cooks emerges.
I’ve prepared the hostess trolley with tray cloths, teapots,
milk jugs, sugar bowls, teacups and saucers, small plates and
serving platters. We need napkins and knives, cake forks and
teaspoons, tablecloths and d’oyleys. And we mustn’t forget the
tea strainer. We’re serving proper tea and need to make sure that
all the china and cutlery is sparkling.
‘Carol and Vicky, can you check that everything is clean?’
They glower at me.
‘Why can’t someone else do this, Miss?’
‘Because they want to do an EXAM and you don’t.’
This tea will test their stamina. As they start their baking
marathon I keep a watchful eye knowing that at any time they
could erupt, slam down their tools and leave the room shouting
‘We ain’t doing no more. We ain’t your cooking slaves.’
Into the oven go the scones, then a swift clear up ready for the
sponges which they will transform into butterfly cakes. Finally
our biggest cooking challenge of all – brandy snaps.
Dollops of gingery, sugary, syrupy dough go into the hottest
oven and out come golden brown craters which must be worked
at speed. Each snap is lifted, wrapped round a wooden spoon
handle and held in place till it forms a roll. Your hands feel warm
and greasy, but there is no time to enjoy this pleasure. There are
trayfuls to process and more baking in the oven.
I join team Carol and Vicky to finish off the brandy snaps with
piped cream, glacé cherries and tiny angelica leaves. Wicksteed
Park would be proud.