And the animals went in two by two..

This weekend was a popular weekend for Christenings it appears. I know of at least 4 that took place amongst my family and friends alone. I consider this popular.

I was very honoured to be asked by a friend at Church to make the cakes for her son's Christening. We decided on a Noah's Ark theme and although I don't have photos of cakes on the day nicely displayed on a tower cake stand as I was at another Christening we did manage to get a few snaps at home.

Next week look out for some Snowflake themed cupcakes as I start my new job with Snowflake Software. I have the sprinkles in the baking cupboard (yes I have a whole cupboard for fun baking things) just waiting to be used.

Smelling like Christmas - Mincemeat Flapjacks

My little house is awash with the sounds and smells of Christmas this afternoon. Don't worry, I haven't decorated just yet but with the first Sunday in advent only days away I'm making a start with my preparations and digging out the all important advent wreath for the dining table this week.

Now I mentioned earlier today on Twitter about Mincemeat Flapjacks and got lots of requests for the recipe. They're in the oven as I type and boy, does my house smell festive! As promised, here is the recipe. I already know I am going to be making batches of the stuff and may even forego mince pies entirely for this oaty alternative!

Mincement Flapjacks

Ingredients:

4oz butter

2oz Demerara sugar

2 tablespoons golden syrup

5 generous table spoons of mincemeat (equivalent to one small jar about 411g)

small tub of glace cherries (optional)

5oz rolled oats

Oven - 160'C, GM 3 or 325'F

Line a baking tin with non stick baking paper/parchment or grease well.

1. Melt your butter, sugar and syrup in a saucepan on a low heat and then add the mincemeat and warm through. Add your glace cherries at this point if you want to make your flapjacks even more festive!

2. Take off the heat and stir in your oats.

3. Pour into your baking tin and spread out evenly. Bake in the middle of the oven for 30 mins and until golden brown.

4. Allow to cool in the tin for 15 mins before cutting into squares or finger slices. Store in a airtight container or biscuit tin - if you have any left to store!

I'll update with an image once mine are out of the oven and sliced up, with a review from Mr 140andthensome! If you do make these yourselves please do leave me a comment and let me know how they turned out and any variations you try (like the cherries!).

Enjoy!

*Update: Don't they look scrummy? Mr 140andthensome had one in his packed lunch today and said it was delicious.

Why should Apple be like a traditional music label?

This week The Who guitarist Pete Townshend branded Apple a ‘digital vampire’ akin to ‘Nothern Rock’ in the banking industry. His reasoning by that Apple should act like a traditional music label rather than a music distributor. Amid some amusing quotes, quite possibly taken out of context by the newspapers, such as “...just because iTunes exists in the wild west internet land of Facebook and Twitter..” which made Mr Townshend appear a little behind on youth culture and technology I feel that the musician still rather missed the point if iTunes and Apple.

iTunes isn’t a music label. The iTunes Store is just that, a store. It distributes music in a digital format to play through iTunes on a PC or Mac, or on one of Apple’s portable music devices (iPod, iPhone, iPad...). When Townshend said that iTunes was a "fantastic piece of software" but offered only distribution and royalties to the singers and bands whose work it sold he kinda hit the nail on the head. iTunes is a music distributor – not a music label. Apple sells digital products, including music, and such radical diversification into managing artists.... well it may dilute Apple’s core values and product offering.

But, I do like the idea of Apple setting up some sort of music foundation with support and grants and advice for ‘undiscovered talent’ and who knows maybe that’s in their business plan, After all, Steve Jobs kinda understood about developing and support talent and knew that music was something that brings us together in community.

Let’s not forget though all the smaller artists who have benefitted by having their music used in Apple ads or featured in keynote addresses. What about @songadaymann Jonathan Mann who’s ‘iPhone4’ song opened the antenna-gate press conference and propelled him to internet stardom? You don’t have to turn yourself into a ‘traditional’ music label to support new talent.

It’ll be interesting to see how iTunes develops over the next few years with Tim Cook now at the helm of the good ship Apple. There’s loads of avenues they could go down but I kinda like it just as the place I can buy all sorts of music without complications.