Day 27: Cobblers!!!
Today was a pretty busy day - I got in late last night from my flight back to LA (had a fab dinner with Lacey and Jessica last night, hence no KSCC) and my flight back was pretty delayed, so I didn't get home til gone 1am.  Ugh.  Not sure why, but it seems as if United is getting worse at being on time over the last couple of months.  But, another 337 elite qualifying miles added to the stash and only another 5,000 to go before I crack the highly prized 1K elite status qualification.  Cue champagne on tap, dancing girls and red carpet treatment every flight.  That's right, yes?  I'm sure I read that somewhere on the United website?  My stetson-heavy trip to Houston the week after next should tip me over the top, so that'll be at least a consolation prize for having to spend time in Houston, look at fat blokes in denim and not be on a horse or at a dude ranch somewhere.

Anyhoo, I was supposed to be going on a champagne cruise on Saturday morning, so i'd set my alarm to wake me up at 8am.  Not much sleep but who needs zzz's, right?  (other than bees, of course) When I woke up though, i felt distinctly queasy and not quite right (steady - be nice), so the thought of dragging my ass out of bed and heading over to Pier 39 to climb on a boat and drink champagne just wasn't appealing.  I consulted with the boss (me) and we made a unilateral decision that, in fact, going back to bed and having a nice long lie-in would be a far more attractive course of action.  So thats what I did - and slept in til 11am!  When I finally got up, i transferred to the couch, had several very nice cups of tea and watched the Olympics, until it was time to head out and engage in some skullduggery and mischief-making.  More on that in my next blog.

But, I digress.  Back to KSCC.  Today was a special day.  The day Mr Carbquick finally got his day in the sun, his chance to shine and take centre stage.  To take the lightly golden brown medal in the Biscuit discipline and show the world what he was made of.  Before his main event (the 40 min Peach and Plum Cobbler Sprint), I managed to secure an exclusive interview and spoke with Mr Carbquick backstage.

Me: "Mr. Carbquick.  Delighted to meet you and on such a special night.  How does it feel to be finally out of the Kitchen Store Cupboard and lining up for your first (and only) event in this Challenge?

Mr CQ: It feels very..umm.... bright.  It was kinda dark back there.  And spooky.  I'm glad to be out and have some space, time to breathe and rise.  Those bags of spelt flour in their plastic Ziplocks are so clingy, you know?  And don't get me started about the tins of Amy's Chili that are EVERYWHERE in there.  Bloody vegetarians.

Me: You've had a lot of disruption to your training schedule over the last 12 months.  Tell me about it and how you've managed to cope with it?

Mr CQ:  Well, yeah.  Over the last 12 months, i've been in Daniela's kitchen cupboards in Noe, then I got transferred to Sarah's team in Noe and - just when I was getting comfortable, off I go again and get   stuffed into a new training facility in South Beach.  No consultation, no warning, just picked up and dropped in, like I was a sack of spuds or something.  Although those guys do have it bad so i guess I shouldn't complain really.  Anyway, I coped with the disruption by just focusing on my game, re-reading the recipes printed on the inside of my box for inspiration, and never losing sight of the magic that lightly puffed buttery scones can bring.

Me:  What are you most looking forward to tonight?

Mr CQ: Well, just getting out there, man,  Showing The People what I can do.  Scones, pancakes, drop cakes, whatever they want to throw at me, I'm ready.  No-one brings batter better.

Me: And, finally, do you think you're going to be a winner tonight?

Mr CQ: Absolutely.  I'm gonna bring my A game and I think its gonna be a clean spoon sweep.  Get baked or go home.

So, with a very confident cup of CarbQuik mix in hand, plus some organic plums from the local farmer's market that's set up outside our offices once a week as well as some peaches from the seemingly never-ending supply in my freezer, I got down to business.  I wasn't quite sure how it would all turn out, but I lightly cooked down the fruit with a little Splenda, butter and cinnamon and nutmeg, and then made the Carbquik into sweet biscuits and assembled a good old-fashioned fruit cobbler.   I had a tin of Ambrosia Devon custard in the cupboard, so it was a match made in pudding heaven.  Brit chums - this one was for you.  Here are the scores on the (comfort food) doors:

Day 27: Peach and plum cobbler with custard

Ingredients: for the fruit filling: thawed out frozen peaches, fresh plums, 2 sachets Splenda, cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg.  for the cobbler: Carbquick, melted butter, milk, Splenda.

DoD: 3 (potential for disaster as I didnt have a proper recipe, so was winging it all the way)

II: 2 (peaches and plums?  Sure. Why not?)

PfBF: 2 (although it was a pretty sure bet, there was no guarantee the cobbly-bit would bake properly and instead leave me with a soggy, battery mess.)

Overall assessment:  A triumph.  Drenched with golden creamy yellow custard, it was thoroughly deserving of a gong - fruity, crispy, buttery deliciousness.