Sunday, November 12, 2017

NEWS AND VIEWS FROM RUTH PRETTY, NEW ZEALAND'S MOST FAMOUS AND SUCCESSFUL CHEF

KEE@FSWMAG.COM



Wrinkles and Raisins

Ruth Pretty Catering

During the April school holidays we held a kids’ class which was all about tasty tin-filling home baking. Unfortunately for the kids my research was based on my childhood favourites. Show and tell began well but when it came to the ‘do’ part, the first question from a member of my young audience was, “Can I make the sultana cake without sultanas?“  I knew I was in trouble.
Many of the kids that day expressed their distaste for sultanas, raisins and currants. I did explain that when you bake you are creating comfort and joy for others and that did entice a few to add the sultanas to their cake. Following on from the class my informal investigation revealed that most people under 25 years old do not dig traditional Christmas baking.
Fortunately our world famous Christmas cakes have a following of people like me, wrinkly but still holding strong. I still love Christmas Pudding, Christmas Mince Pies and even Christmas Mince Ice Cream.
Fruity Christmas treats will eventually become a thing of the past. When I was a child we put ham bags aka stockings at the end of our beds. The bags were on account of my father being a grocer.  Crack of dawn Christmas day we emptied the bags and amongst other goodies there was always a can of Highlander condensed milk and an orange, both endearing childhood treats for my parents but non-events for my sisters and I.  My brother, however, adored the condensed milk.
Will raisins, sultanas and currants go the way of suet, lamb’s brains and tripe?
Best wishes,
Ruth
Ruth Pretty
















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