Malcolm and Ann, despite having their Spanish bus passes and living the life of sun, sea and sangria, are still typical Geordie’s at heart. Both are fanatical supporters of The Toon, and of course England.
Since Saturday was England v Portugal, Ann suggested that we all come to hers to watch the match. All, being myself, my wife, also Ann, the grand dame Elizabeth, my mother in-law, our neighbour Jimmy – a Yorkshire man hailing from Richmond – and the two girls, Emily and Samantha who were staying with him for a holiday.
The evening began well; Malcolm’s flag that hung from the balcony flapped in the evening breeze like some great crusaders pennant, the drinks were poured; the air-conditioning turned up and I will make no comment on a match that everyone of you knows ended with Portugal winning the penalty shoot out.
Needless to say, it was a sombre, if not sober party that made their way out on the balcony. However Ann trooper that she is – how she managed to slave over a hot stove when it was 42C in the shade I will never know – saved the evening by producing a delightfully array of home cooked food.
The drinks flowed the food was consumed and the mood lightened, then as we rounded off the night with tea and coffee, Ann produced a delicious cake, the recipe is reproduced below.
If this is not a truly international cake nothing is, ‘Dublin Tea Loaf ’ baked on the Costa Blanca by an expat Geordie, to a recipe from the Whitburn Colliery, Thorpe Thewles branch, of the Durham County Federation of Women’s Institutes.
