Meet Herman :-)

At the heart of my cosy little home, there on the kitchen worktop, resides Herman, my 'living German friendship cake mixture'.
I came across Herman initially as a teenager (many moons ago), it was all the rage back then to pass a little of this simple cake mixture to a selection of friends.
About two years ago an aunt passed a little my way, 'Oh the sheer delight of it'. I remember the scrumptiousness of the finished cake that you bake at the end of a period of ten days of careful nurturing.
I followed the instructions that accompanied my started to the book and gave my new friend a prime spot on the kitchen table covered (as instructed) for all to admire.
Well on this occasion I must have neared day ten 'cook-cake-day' when I noticed that something had pushed the covering cloth into the mixture.......ummmmm 'strange', I thought. Perhaps the mixture has magical powers of suction?? On closer inspection it was noted that the level of dear Herm had also dropped within the bowl!!!! Arrrrrhhh the horror of it all, dear Marley pup had been devouring my poor friend Herm. Well the thought of sharing my sloppy wet mixture with human friends is one thing but with a dog.....no, no, no!!!
So Herman number 2 sadly had to make it's way into the septic tank via the loo!
Then delight once again! My lovely friend Ginny came up trumps and offered me another sample of Herman.
This time I was determined to experience that yummy, warm, friendshippy, cake that I remembered so well from all those years ago.
Once you receive your little sample of bubbling wonder, you have to tend to it everyday for ten days before reaching the final 'cake making' day. Ten whole days of care and attention. It's quite like having a friend to stay, only you eat part of it before waving goodbye!
With no pup to eat the mixture this time (dear little Jen dog wouldn't dare to challenge the worktop) I was off.
After ten days of mixing, mixing, mixing, feeding, more mixing, more feeding (plus a little chit chat along the way) my Herman was ready to be divided, shared and cooked into a delicious cake.
Hey presto! Ummmm spiced apple cake at its finest!! :-)

Well I kept this going for several months trying different combinations of cakes and sharing samples to friends until 'Oh no'........disaster struck once again. OK confession time....so I didn't always measure the food out accurately and occasionally forgot to feed my friend on the right days and ummm......well......Herman died!!!!!

I MURDERED HERMAN!!!!!!

Oh the guilt of it, how cruel, how irresponsible and to a dear friend too....poor, poor little Hermy wormy - deceased, gone to meet his maker, never to be again :-(

I quite missed caring for my friend.......

But.....

Just two weeks ago Mel came up trumps with another little sample :-) :-) :-)........
So here we go again.
This time I shall take better care of my friend, be more vigilant to his needs.
I excitedly took a couple of samples to my grandparents house to share the delights of my wonderful friend, to impress them with that delicious warm, huggy tummy feeling you get when you savour a bite. One sample was to cook whilst there and another to keep my grandma company whilst she works in the kitchen.
I enthusiastically popped the ingredients into the mixing bowl, whipped them up, popped the mixture in the oven and waited and then......bugger!!!.....

I forgot to add Herman!!!

A Hermanless Herman cake...could things get any worse?

I have to say that it still tasted good but that wasn't the point and as a result two samples travelled back home with me!

This evening, I successfully made a cake....a delicious cake containing fruit and cinnamon all ready to share with friends tomorrow. I shall look forwards to scrumping some of that :-)

Ed note: Would anyone like a little sample?