Read Online Always With Love by Giovanna Fletcher - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Giovanna Fletcher
Ads: Link
Dee,’ he grins, looking pretty impressed with himself.
‘I’d say,’ she nods, wiping a rogue tear from her eye. Clearly the thought of Billy baking is too much for her, a fact I can’t help feeling some pride in. It’s nice to know he’s picked up the surprising skill because of meeting me.
‘I got all the ingredients you said we’d need,’ Dee says, motioning over to the kitchen side where flour, sugar, fruit and all sorts of colourings and flavourings have been piled.
‘Looks perfect,’ I say, walking over and inspecting the products in American packaging I don’t recognize.
‘I don’t know why you’re so scared of baking,’ says Billy, shaking his head at her.
‘I’m not scared now I know you can do it,’ she retorts with a grin, looking back at me expectantly, letting me know she’s ready.
‘We’ll start with Billy’s favourite,’ I say, pulling out a few packets of different ingredients and moving them over to where they’re waiting.
‘Lemon drizzle,’ Billy says, licking his lips as he nudges a glass bowl and a set of electric scales in my direction.
We bake for hours – churning out a bakewell tart, Victoria sponge, Eccles cakes, custard tarts, a rich fruit cake, marbled mint and chocolate cake and two dozen classic Chelsea buns. We even make up a batch of Molly’s signature scones, which will be nicely displayed with a variety of English jams and clotted creams that have been flown in especially for the occasion – highly excessive for my liking, but no one else seems to think so.
It’s a mammoth baking session, with me talking Dee through all the tiny but significant methods that could have led to her previous baking disasters. For instance, the importance of lining a tin, pre-baking your pastry when cooking tarts (no soggy bottoms here) and the necessity of finely cutting fruit into smaller pieces to encourage even distribution throughout a sponge.
I’m in my element. For the first time since being here I feel as though I have a purpose and that I know what I’m talking about. I don’t feel lost or nervous. If anything, I revel at being the one in charge. I love it. Although it doesmake me miss my little spot behind the counter in the shop more than ever …
‘You know the hardest part?’ Dee asks, while checking on the scones in the oven for the millionth time and eyeing up the finished treats on the side.
‘What?’ I ask, drying up a washed baking tin (I wasn’t going to leave her with all the mess too).
‘Not being able to eat them. Not for my own greed, I assure you, but just to check they’re ready and taste good.’
‘You’ll just have to make sure you try it all later,’ I tell her.
‘I’ll be a bit too busy to eat cake,’ Dee tuts, glancing again at the oven.
‘You’re off tonight, surely?’ asks Billy.
‘Oh,’ Dee says, waving her hands about as though it’s no problem. ‘I’m not officially on duty, but you never can trust these people they have in. Agency staff,’ she says with horror. ‘I like to have an eye on them and keep them on their toes.’
‘Well, just as long as you get some time to celebrate too,’ Billy frowns, clearly unhappy with the idea of Dee not being able to let her hair down for the night.
‘I will, Billy,’ she winks, highlighting the fact that the relationship they share is more than the removed one usually seen between staff and employer. It’s far friendlier, and makes me warm towards her even more.
‘What’s that smell?’ asks Hayley, floating into the kitchen with her nose curled up in disgust.
‘Nothing for you, that’s for sure,’ smirks Billy as Dee breaks away from us to put away some of the used ingredients.
‘There is going to be food for me and Jenny too though, right?’ Hayley fires back, her hand finding its way to her hip in a fierce attitude.
‘Have I ever left you to starve before?’ asks Dee, with saintly patience.
Before I can interrupt and say that we’ve actually
‘I’d say,’ she nods, wiping a rogue tear from her eye. Clearly the thought of Billy baking is too much for her, a fact I can’t help feeling some pride in. It’s nice to know he’s picked up the surprising skill because of meeting me.
‘I got all the ingredients you said we’d need,’ Dee says, motioning over to the kitchen side where flour, sugar, fruit and all sorts of colourings and flavourings have been piled.
‘Looks perfect,’ I say, walking over and inspecting the products in American packaging I don’t recognize.
‘I don’t know why you’re so scared of baking,’ says Billy, shaking his head at her.
‘I’m not scared now I know you can do it,’ she retorts with a grin, looking back at me expectantly, letting me know she’s ready.
‘We’ll start with Billy’s favourite,’ I say, pulling out a few packets of different ingredients and moving them over to where they’re waiting.
‘Lemon drizzle,’ Billy says, licking his lips as he nudges a glass bowl and a set of electric scales in my direction.
We bake for hours – churning out a bakewell tart, Victoria sponge, Eccles cakes, custard tarts, a rich fruit cake, marbled mint and chocolate cake and two dozen classic Chelsea buns. We even make up a batch of Molly’s signature scones, which will be nicely displayed with a variety of English jams and clotted creams that have been flown in especially for the occasion – highly excessive for my liking, but no one else seems to think so.
It’s a mammoth baking session, with me talking Dee through all the tiny but significant methods that could have led to her previous baking disasters. For instance, the importance of lining a tin, pre-baking your pastry when cooking tarts (no soggy bottoms here) and the necessity of finely cutting fruit into smaller pieces to encourage even distribution throughout a sponge.
I’m in my element. For the first time since being here I feel as though I have a purpose and that I know what I’m talking about. I don’t feel lost or nervous. If anything, I revel at being the one in charge. I love it. Although it doesmake me miss my little spot behind the counter in the shop more than ever …
‘You know the hardest part?’ Dee asks, while checking on the scones in the oven for the millionth time and eyeing up the finished treats on the side.
‘What?’ I ask, drying up a washed baking tin (I wasn’t going to leave her with all the mess too).
‘Not being able to eat them. Not for my own greed, I assure you, but just to check they’re ready and taste good.’
‘You’ll just have to make sure you try it all later,’ I tell her.
‘I’ll be a bit too busy to eat cake,’ Dee tuts, glancing again at the oven.
‘You’re off tonight, surely?’ asks Billy.
‘Oh,’ Dee says, waving her hands about as though it’s no problem. ‘I’m not officially on duty, but you never can trust these people they have in. Agency staff,’ she says with horror. ‘I like to have an eye on them and keep them on their toes.’
‘Well, just as long as you get some time to celebrate too,’ Billy frowns, clearly unhappy with the idea of Dee not being able to let her hair down for the night.
‘I will, Billy,’ she winks, highlighting the fact that the relationship they share is more than the removed one usually seen between staff and employer. It’s far friendlier, and makes me warm towards her even more.
‘What’s that smell?’ asks Hayley, floating into the kitchen with her nose curled up in disgust.
‘Nothing for you, that’s for sure,’ smirks Billy as Dee breaks away from us to put away some of the used ingredients.
‘There is going to be food for me and Jenny too though, right?’ Hayley fires back, her hand finding its way to her hip in a fierce attitude.
‘Have I ever left you to starve before?’ asks Dee, with saintly patience.
Before I can interrupt and say that we’ve actually
Similar Books
