Even the dogs won't eat it...! Not even collie who is a walking dustbin if allowed...

My speciality is BURNING things. I have so little interest in the buying of, preparation of and cooking of food stuff that once I've done all that and whacked it in a pot I then settle down to work or go out or whatever and inevitably it gets forgotten and ruined. Timers are no good if you are plodding along the beach a mile away!

In the past two weeks I burned two things (don't usually cook that often as I like salad, cold cuts and dips and fruit and stuff from the deli sections etc. and of course choklit) The first disaster I had to soak the pan for 3 days and then try every method I could read up on to clean the pot (it was new and quite expensive). The second disaster was cooked in my big wok and I just threw the wok away with the burned contents.

My neighbours bring me lots of lovely home cooked stuff and if I really want to 'eat well' or have fancy stuff I can order in. But in the main, cooking for me, is an expensive waste of time.

I'd rather tile a bathroom than cook a complicated meal!

Slow cookers ( aka crockpots) are great.. You can leave them on for many hours am literally forget all about the meal...Once left it on overnight and it just simmered genty away.

Good for me as I can do the preparations then rest hours..

But Rosebud has transported me back more than 30yrs with her tale to a time when I tried to make this special dessert that you then turned out upside down when ready.

OK I admit it did look a mess. But my boys both just said 'oh mum ... oh yuk?' and I was a bit cross as I'd taken a long time over it. So I first said 'it doesn't matter what it looks like - it's what it tastes like that counts'. They still didn't want it. I then got a bit cross and said 'FINE! If you don't want it - give it to the dog' (GSD used to eat ANYTHING).

They came running into the living room triumphantly shouting 'Mum! Even the dog doesn't like it!' Humph!

In fact one day I might start a thread about Tangutica Non Domestica's Culinary Disasters' (I have had so many over the years!) I am sure that, if nothing else, it will make all the rest of you feel as if Nigella Lawson (oh how I detest her) is a mere amateur compared with your goodselves!

It was once suggested to me that I should write and publish a cookery book and call it 100 WAYS WITH CARBON

lol.. interesting thing is that I left the dish on the floor and one of the cats had a good go at it... probably fishing out tasty bits...

I love cooking and am skilled at it; have earned my living doing it and used to make and ice wedding cakes..used to bake all my own bread etc. But apart from lack of energy and time, the cost of fuel now is prohibitive.. last summer was baking muffins etc for the stall and they sold well.

And I make jams and marmalades and chutneys all year round for the market stall and they seek me out for more and follow me round markets.

So this weekend's disaster was unlike me ....

I blame the weather!