what it felt like to excel at everything in life and be beautiful at the same time.
Jessica asked Gemma, ‘You must be our young food technology teacher who David tells me is very conscientious?’
Nicola noticed Gemma give Jessica her sweetest smile yet. ‘I do try to be,’ she answered. ‘I love the job but the children can be a little challenging at times.’
Jessica nodded. ‘Hmm, that’s how I first started – I was a domestic science teacher back in the 1970s. You have my total respect because I know how hard it can be…’
Beginning to make the violet frosting with syrup, butter and sugar, Gemma said, ‘That’s true, but then I get so much satisfaction when I know they’ve understood what I’m trying to teach and it makes it all worthwhile.’
Jessica thanked her and wished her the best of luck. Walking back to the front she met David where they both took seats at the table and began to whisper and write comments on forms.
With her timer clutched safely in her hand Nicola wandered over to Simon. ‘Thanks so much for helping me before, Simon,’ she said sincerely. ‘I don’t know what came over me. But if it hadn’t been for you…’
He waved a dismissive hand. ‘Ah, Nicola, I didn’t do anything. You’d have made it anyway – this bake off means too much to you to throw it all away in a few blundering moments.’
‘Maybe it was baking in front of the Jessica Gallagher ,’ she sighed. ‘I’ve worshipped her for years and have all her cook books.’
He shrugged and smiled. ‘That was probably what made you jittery. And when she came back the next time she was nice to you?’
‘Oh, yes. She totally relaxed me and understands what it feels like to bake under stress.’
Simon’s timer bleeped and as she turned back towards her bench she heard him mumble, ‘Which is more than can be said for his lordship!’
Just as Nicola’s timer sounded and she painstakingly removed her tart from the oven, David shouted, ‘BAKERS, YOU HAVE FIFTEEN MINUTES.’
Because of her late start she hoped the tart would be sufficiently cool in fifteen minutes, but reasoned that it wouldn’t matter because the lemon tart was a bake that could be eaten hot or cold.
She watched Gemma covering her cake with the violet frosting and had to admit the colour did look stunning. She remembered how her mother had taught her to spread frosting evenly and smoothly and would have loved to give Gemma a few tips.
After leaving the lemon tart to cool for as long as possible she lifted it onto a round, glass serving plate.
Seconds later David called, ‘YOUR TIME IS UP – STEP AWAY FROM YOUR BAKES. ’
Nicola smiled – this would be the last time she’d hear those words and knew that whatever happened later she’d miss the competition. Carrying her serving plate she joined Simon and Gemma as they walked down and placed their bakes on the table.
Nicola wondered why the stools hadn’t been placed in the usual places to listen to the comments but then David told them they were now free to wait in the hospitality room or go into town for a while before the award ceremony began.
‘So we mustn’t find out what they think until this afternoon.’ Simon said as they filed through the kitchen door.
Nicola nodded. ‘Hmm. I knew they wouldn’t announce the winner until then but I did think we’d be allowed to hear what they thought about the bakes…’
***
With the camera filming, Jessica and David were ready to taste the bakes.
David said, ‘Just before we start, Jessica. I can tell you that so far in round one, Nicola was better than Gemma, but last week they were practically neck and neck. And up until today Simon has never quite had the edge the other two have got.’
Jessica drew her eyebrows together and nodded her head while David cut a triangular section from the Sicilian summer lemon tart and put it onto a small plate offering it to her first.
They both tasted the tart and Jessica relaxed her
Jessica asked Gemma, ‘You must be our young food technology teacher who David tells me is very conscientious?’
Nicola noticed Gemma give Jessica her sweetest smile yet. ‘I do try to be,’ she answered. ‘I love the job but the children can be a little challenging at times.’
Jessica nodded. ‘Hmm, that’s how I first started – I was a domestic science teacher back in the 1970s. You have my total respect because I know how hard it can be…’
Beginning to make the violet frosting with syrup, butter and sugar, Gemma said, ‘That’s true, but then I get so much satisfaction when I know they’ve understood what I’m trying to teach and it makes it all worthwhile.’
Jessica thanked her and wished her the best of luck. Walking back to the front she met David where they both took seats at the table and began to whisper and write comments on forms.
With her timer clutched safely in her hand Nicola wandered over to Simon. ‘Thanks so much for helping me before, Simon,’ she said sincerely. ‘I don’t know what came over me. But if it hadn’t been for you…’
He waved a dismissive hand. ‘Ah, Nicola, I didn’t do anything. You’d have made it anyway – this bake off means too much to you to throw it all away in a few blundering moments.’
‘Maybe it was baking in front of the Jessica Gallagher ,’ she sighed. ‘I’ve worshipped her for years and have all her cook books.’
He shrugged and smiled. ‘That was probably what made you jittery. And when she came back the next time she was nice to you?’
‘Oh, yes. She totally relaxed me and understands what it feels like to bake under stress.’
Simon’s timer bleeped and as she turned back towards her bench she heard him mumble, ‘Which is more than can be said for his lordship!’
Just as Nicola’s timer sounded and she painstakingly removed her tart from the oven, David shouted, ‘BAKERS, YOU HAVE FIFTEEN MINUTES.’
Because of her late start she hoped the tart would be sufficiently cool in fifteen minutes, but reasoned that it wouldn’t matter because the lemon tart was a bake that could be eaten hot or cold.
She watched Gemma covering her cake with the violet frosting and had to admit the colour did look stunning. She remembered how her mother had taught her to spread frosting evenly and smoothly and would have loved to give Gemma a few tips.
After leaving the lemon tart to cool for as long as possible she lifted it onto a round, glass serving plate.
Seconds later David called, ‘YOUR TIME IS UP – STEP AWAY FROM YOUR BAKES. ’
Nicola smiled – this would be the last time she’d hear those words and knew that whatever happened later she’d miss the competition. Carrying her serving plate she joined Simon and Gemma as they walked down and placed their bakes on the table.
Nicola wondered why the stools hadn’t been placed in the usual places to listen to the comments but then David told them they were now free to wait in the hospitality room or go into town for a while before the award ceremony began.
‘So we mustn’t find out what they think until this afternoon.’ Simon said as they filed through the kitchen door.
Nicola nodded. ‘Hmm. I knew they wouldn’t announce the winner until then but I did think we’d be allowed to hear what they thought about the bakes…’
***
With the camera filming, Jessica and David were ready to taste the bakes.
David said, ‘Just before we start, Jessica. I can tell you that so far in round one, Nicola was better than Gemma, but last week they were practically neck and neck. And up until today Simon has never quite had the edge the other two have got.’
Jessica drew her eyebrows together and nodded her head while David cut a triangular section from the Sicilian summer lemon tart and put it onto a small plate offering it to her first.
They both tasted the tart and Jessica relaxed her
Similar Books
