I’ve just come back from an amazing three week holiday in Canada.

Our friends have been relocated to Barrie, near Toronto for two years, so for the past year we have been saving our pennies so that we could go out to see them and also explore some of the area. Until we started planning our route I had no idea it was such a vast place, we did as much as was possible, and yet only covered a tiny corner of Ontario.

The Canadians seem very adapted to living with the wildlife. We saw many chipmunks. My son who is six years old rescued one from a trap at a campsite at Tobermory, where the little fellow had obviously been deemed to be a pest. Finley was quite upset seeing him trying to lift the door to escape, so we casually left the two of them alone so that he could help him out. He was incredibly pleased with his endeavour!

The bear warnings we had were real, there had been sightings, but it was quite early in the year for them and they eluded us. As did the moose. My best spot was a hummingbird at Killbear Provincial Park, it was so beautiful.

My lasting thoughts of Canada will be the hugeness of everything: the sky goes on for ever and the lakes have no far shore and are tidal, so look like the sea. Oh, and the meals. They are huge too! A popular Canadian dish is called ‘poutine’. Living in Yorkshire I am quite used to people asking for chips and gravy, but ‘poutine’ is chips, gravy and curd cheese. It looks incredibly sloppy, must be loaded with cholesterol, but tastes lovely!

Birthday baking

I have come home to Birthday plans for my daughter Elena, who is now the ripe old age of four.

For her party she has requested not a big traditional birthday cake, but some buns. This may sound a simple enough request to you, but I know that what she is expecting is the finest pink cup cakes lathered in butter icing and decorations that I can make. No longer can I quickly smudge some icing on the cakes with a knife, she expects piped swirls. Hundreds and thousands will not do, I have to use glitter sprinkles.

Apologies if I sound as if I am moaning about this expectation, for actually I shall quite enjoy my afternoon’s work and the delighted children’s faces as they receive one each to take home after the party.

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Maybe this Orange Ice Cup Cakes recipe will do the trick.

Pretty as a picture and quick too!

A Good Food Fast recipe that takes just 25 minutes to prepare and bake!

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For an adult treat try these delicious Honey Flapjack Cookies.

Guaranteed to disappear before the end of the day!

Another great Good Food Fast recipe.

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Take care.

Karen
The Dairy Diary Team