Does anyone else think that there is far too much petty bickering on GN

I've not looked at that thread because I thought it was about Christmas decorations......am I wrong? I'll go and have a look at it now! Wonder what on earth I'll find there ?

Marelli there's a thread about polystyrene balls now - bit downmarket from yours, I think!

I did make the icing myself, but bought the marzipan, and rolled it thin and after brushing the cake with melted jam stuck it to the cake. Fortunately there was quite a bit of marzipan left and also some jam - so I rolled the marzipan into balls and dipped them into the jam, and ate them. That was so grown-up of me, wasn't it? .
Daisy the cat was white to start with, but with the usual twigs attached here and there.....so maybe the icing will have a bit of roughage now

I like this thread now! Nice to hear from you, Jeni! I always used to make my own Christmas cake, marzipan and royal icing. The problem was that no one else really likes it, so over a period of about six weeks or so, I would gradually munch my way through the whole thing. Not good, really! Now I make a nice light Dundee cake. Still manage to eat most of it myself, though!

All that in between the wrapping and peeling, movedalot ? sounds like a year's project for 2013 for someone.

Love it elegran

Can anyone tell me what the record number of pages on one thread is? Also what is the record number of changes of topic within one thread? How long in terms of days has the longest thread continued?

Well I was actually out of the house soon after 6am as the Wonderful Man chose today to go on a cycling expedition with son in law and I volunteered to drive them to the railway station; they didn't make it all the way to Barnstaple due to the nasty weather and the imminent withdrawal of the rail service, but I did get to the supermarket for 7am and M&S for 8am - and would you believe they were both really busy?!

They are those unused bits on the clockface, movedalot . Someone should market a cut-price clock that leaves out the numbers we never use.

Maybe they could replace them with symbols like

and

Would someone please explain to me what 4 am, 6am etc. are?

Can't believe I did this - woke at 6, thought "Too early for paper to be there, " so hung on, dozing, until just before 7. Went downstairs to make tea and lo! paper on the mat. "Well done, village shop" thought I and put kettle on. Glanced up at kitchen clock to find it was 9.15 Who misread digital alarm clock then? Feel v stupid as full of good intentions to do loads this morning.

jeni

All the best to you too. Have some fun.

jeni, port for the port side, ?? for the starboard?

I like the vodka idea, moved. I hadn't heard of that before. You can be sure I won't forget it

jingle you'll make yourself sick! Honestly I go away for a few days and you start misbehaving. i'm in Lisbon, just bougjht some port. Cadiz tomorrow.
All the best to you all!

I don't like marzipan so put on a thin layer of ready to roll icing and then spread on some vodka before adding the second layer. Not sure why but 'expert' friend does it so I do as I am told.

When I used to do it all 'properly' I added glycerine to make the royal icing softer.

Oh, if I hadn't eaten all that left-over marzipan, I could have made those muffins Shysal.

I use raw eggs. Always sample plenty before others get to eat it.

Icing doesn't get time to go hard.

I use raw eggs. If you add a bit of glycerine to the royal icing it doesn't go too hard.

www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/marzipan_berry_cakes_91508

I used to make both the icing and marzipan but stopped when Edwina was on about the eggs - do you all still use the almond paste recipes with raw eggs or have you another recipe? - if anyone please share it. I no longer do the royal icing as DH thinks it gets too hard.

This thread has morphed beautifully - Happy Christmas everyone.x x

That was in answer to kitty's question.

oops Freudian slip with the gin.

Is this a rhetorical question or are you about to share exotic details of your sex life with us? [fgin]

kitty I always wake at about 4 am. Today I got up and went to Tesco. Few shoppers, but cages of food and staff blocking all the aisles. My family are all coming on 27th, so thought I had better buy stuff now.
On the subject of marzipan, did anyone see Nigel Slater make some blueberry muffins with chunks of it in them? They looked yummy! I also make my own, very easy and not such an artificial yellow colour.

Morning all - does anyone know what happens at 4am that means both Dh and l always wake up then?