FfresCook

01/11/2026

Today our not so little boy Beau turned 15. A lot of the time we are deep in the trenches of teenage delight. Anything above 3 grunts a day is a bonus, it seems you currently view our main purpose in life is to be personal chauffeurs & chefs and the level of affection you show us is an occasional pat on the head (like we are dogs). That said, what a lovely boy we have made. People (obviously those that don’t live with you 😜) tell us all the time about how kind, helpful and all round lush young man you are and you do make us so very proud of both who you are and who you are becoming. Despite being ruled and roasted on the daily by your sisters, you are (most of the time) a great big brother too. I’ve invested a lot of cake in you and you’ve grown like I sprinkle fertiliser on top! But, it doesn’t matter how big you get, you’ll still be my baby boy - all 6 foot odd of you! Birthday cake choice this year was a very understated banana loaf - pretty sure you’ll view it as a single serving. 🙄

24/10/2026

Recommendations for a new audible listen/read please? I don’t get time to sit down and enjoy an actual physical book but like to pop something on in the background while I’m mucking out the horses, in the kitchen and driving. Enjoy crime thrillers (I mean how else are you meant to enjoy time with your significant other if it’s not watching a murder documentary?) and dark humour. Preferably combined but not necessarily. Recently worked my way back through Patricia Cornwall’s Kay Scarpetta series (Gave me nightmares as a teenager), lots of Jane Fallon’s books, Bella Mackie, Rob Rinder and Richard Osmond’s latest. One of my favourites of the last few years was Sandi Togsvig’s ‘Friends of Dorothy’ - a perfect book with all the things. Definitely worth a read. Hit me up with something that will have me hooked to work out who did it or test my Tena Lady with laughing.

24/10/2026

What a bloody miserable start to half term. But at least we are unlikely to blow away in the wind today. Hopefully the weather will be better when our Solar System is going to be installed over the next week or so but that will also mean disruptions in the house and I’m not entirely sure when power will be one and off so kitchen closed til it’s all sorted. Meanwhile please send your Christmas Eve orders through as spaces filling up. Ta.x

27/09/2026

The boy did good. Especially considering he had a big health hiccup at the start of this year which meant 3 months off exercise and any training. He has worked hard to regain fitness and be ready for his first Gala in almost a year. 5 individual races entered, smashed PBs across the board and came home with 3 golds and a bronze medal.

This one wasn’t about the medals though, I think it was more about proving to himself (and others) that he could get back to where he was after a series of wobbles and set backs. He has put the work in but also had help & support from some great coaches and teammates along the way. Obviously I’ve played my part too with feeding him well on cake scraps and focaccia 😉.

Big shout out to the coaching teams at Pembroke & District Amateur Swimming Club and South Pembs Weightlifting Club.

If you are looking for friendly and confidence building sports activities (bonus is you don’t have to stand in the rain as a spectator 😉) for your kids both come highly recommended.

Huge well done to Team Pembroke this weekend. Every single one of you gave it your all. We may be a small club but your efforts and team spirit were mighty!

PS. First weekend off in an age but wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else than what equates to a noisy rave in a sauna with 500 strangers 🥵. Very sore throat but absolutely no apologies being given for the volume nor voracity of cheers for Team Pembroke. Next few weeks off to recover and catch up on admin & life but get your Xmas Orders in and I’ll confirm asap.

Macarena because iykyk. 🕺

21/09/2026

As my teenager would say, I’m cooked. I mean obviously I have cooked, a lot over the last few weeks actually. It’s been a very busy September so far with plenty of meeting lunches for our business clients, we fed lots of lovely people at a Wedding in North Pembs last week with canapés, a celebration feast and some banging chilli bowls in the evening and of course there has been all the cakes and puds in between.

Very lucky and always grateful to be busy and appreciate our customers keeping me on my toes but also I’m a little bit knackered.

Add in the fact that after school activity chauffeuring duties and logistical conundrums are in full swing (IYKYK), chuck in a few swimming galas, octopush trips away in the diary (Beau, not me, just to be clear 😉) and a nagging twitch that reminds me that I have both work and life admin piling up, I need a little time out of the kitchen over the next few weeks to try and catch myself running the other way.

Diary will be back open for 9th October onwards when I will be another year older, alas probably not wiser. 🤪

Also, might start using the C word soon.

21/08/2026

Some progress is being made on my list, but not much. 🙄. Loft maybe 50% clear so the boys are on tip run today, Aoife is on her never ending quest to tidy her bedroom and Maeb, being a bit of a medically complex madam has her regular monitoring appointment at the hospital. I’m going equipped with
* Peppa Pig plasters (bog standard NHS issue will not pass muster with her).
* Boo as backup (for me!). As Maeble’s built in bestie she is always good at trying to dissolve any situation with humour and on blood days we never know which Maeble will be in the room. Compliant & charming or feisty and fearsome. 🫣
* Cake for the Paeds Team. Both as a thank you and sometimes as a necessary apology for any temporary hearing damage sustained due to the volume of screams (usually before a needle has actually gone in).

Much of life during Maeb’s first year was spent on Puffin Ward with the occasional trip to other hospitals for tests and procedures and it was an incredibly stressful and at times traumatic period while we were trying to get a handle on her symptoms and get a diagnosis and treatment plan. We literally spent the Summer with hospital every day so to baking for the staff when I got home helped to keep some sense of normalcy for me when there was not much I could do to say thank you to the people trying to make our poorly baby better. And who needs sleep when you’ve got a newborn anyway!

Hence cake for Hospital visits is our norm and I think a small trade off for the care Maeb always receives. Thankfully, with the help of meds and a whole village of different consultants, medical professionals and therapists everything is manageable (but busy) and she really is a trooper when being poked and prodded on the regular.

There is always a post appointment treat though. Not sure what today is likely to cost me…😬

13/08/2026