Friday 30 October 2009

Halloween poem


Hallow there
It's what you've all been waiting for!
My Halloween poem!

Creep, creep, creep
So loud that I cannot sleep
Pumpkin cut smiles, flash flakes of shattered light,
guiding me safely as I tiptoe through the black baked night.

as Black lucky cats chase liquorice bats, we sit by buttercup tea lights and hear the younglings giving elders a fright.
Hear the heckled children’s cackle, dressed in sheets, echoing trick or treat, as they lose their teeth in sticky soft sweets.
Knocking on anonymous wooden doors, and bruising their faces on ancient tree’s claws.

Crisp torn leaves crack against your window pane,
cobwebs become tangled in your golden wavy hair.
an owl’s screeching: a love lost
Manipulative mirrors, remind you of memories withered,

The vampire bite's cold makes you shudder;
the creeping begins again to end your slumber
the whipping wind clings to your tired lungs,
you tried to break loose but it got tangled and now you've choked.

Saturday 24 October 2009

Diary of a confused, angry 13 year old

I thought it would be a good idea as I was rifling through some old dusty boxes this weekend at home in Lancaster. To look through my old diary from my 13-14 year old period. How funny it is to look back at how awkward and uncool I was. I thought it might be interesting to compare a diary entry from today to my 13 year old self.

24th October
I woke up in a bed too small for me. This is not my bedroom. Well it used to be. A few years ago. Now is is painted pink and blue adorned with typical girl's kitsch decoration. My 8 year old sister jumps on me to get out of her bed. She is dressed in a cat suit. I don't ask her why as she is always dressed up. I signal for a hug but stubborn Lily insists that all her hugs have been exhausted by mum this morning and I will surely have to wait at least till the afternoon for mine. I ponder whether to force myself to go out to run, but it's raining. Mother and I hurriedly walk 5 miles to a discount fabric shop that we thought closed at 12, but closed at 2 on Saturdays. We then walked into town in the rain. My umbrella barely covered my head. People I past knew, excite at my hair. I'm used to it now. I write a piece about being a poet at a young writer's event at Lancaster's newly refurbished "clinical" library. The piece will be exhibited at some point. I won't be here to see it. Mother gets agitated at having to wait. Outside there was a parade of dancers. Curious.
We have coffee at a mainstream cafe. I see my other sister. The dormant transvestite got angry we took the best seats. He can wait. I see a past friend, I hope we can become friends again.
When we go home, I eat and eat and then I'm too full to think. I collapse and read my book, then filter through old dusty boxes for memories forgotton.
I hate X factor.

October 24th 2002
Dear Diary
I went for a long walk with Dad last night it was really nice because I haven't been outside for a few days. It's nice to talk to Dad too.
I haven't done any homework yet- yikes!
I went to Matalan with mum and Lily and Charles and Harry. Mum bought Lily a witches outfit for Halloween- so sweet. After that we went to Asda for some food! We haven't had ANY food this half term. At Asda we looked at some clothes. I tried on some combats, they looked huge, I looked like a house.
When mum was starting the mini-bus it didn't start so she had to go back to Asda to phone Dad to phone Neil the mechanic. Me and Hababs went back to Asda to buy some more snacks. Neil came and fixed the bus quick. I don't know why it didn't work in the first place.
I'm going babysitting soon.

Thursday 22 October 2009

Vegan Pumpkin Pie












I made this vegan pumpkin pie for the very special monthly night at Tiger Lounge named "Your Mama's cookin’'" A quaintly eclectic night combining a knitting lesson, bring your own cake stall, vintage tea cups and a lindy hop lesson adorned with classic swinging tunes from the 1920’s- 50’s. A night which takes you back to a simpler period where all you needed was rock and roll tunes and delicious cake to have a swell time!
Ingredients: Hot Water pie crust
250 grams of vegetable shortening or suet (looks like white maggots but makes the pie flaky!)
400 g of plain flour
2 teaspoons of suma dairy free margarine
175 ml boiling water
2 tablespoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
You will need a circular cake tin/ pie dish, rolllling pin, and wooden spoon.
First we shall make the pie dough! Mix together the shortening, margarine and hot water in a large bowl until thoroughly blended. The shortening will make it look bumpy, don’t worry it will dissolve in the oven. Add flour, baking powder and salt mix to form dough and then knead. Wrap in cling film and put in the fridge to chill for 3 hours then think of something better to do than watch the fridge door impatiently. After waiting patiently for your dough to chill, flour a surface and cut in half the dough, one half for the base, the other the top. Then roll out your dough with the rolling pin in a circular style shape. (*Tip I find it best to hover the pie dish with the pastry to get an approxiamate idea of the shape.) Then line the cake tin with 1 half carefully making sure the dough is thick enough to hold the filling and you have rolled out the right shape to cover the cake tin. Fold over the edge of the dough over the pie dish chopping away excess with a knife.
Now for the filling
Ingredients
A pumpkin (small or large) :)
350 ml of soya milk
5 ounces of granulated brown sugar
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 table spoon of golden syrup
No egg, (brand name) Expensive but worth shelling out, (get it) as it binds the mixture. Follow instructions on packet.
Pre heat the oven to gas mark 4/ 180“C
My cutting of the pumpkin was very basic. I used a large knife to cut from the top of the pumpkin then slide down to quarter the orange beast. You can also cut open the top of the pumpkin to make a lid, then scoop out the flesh. Scoop out the seeds ( you can toast these later on if you so desire ) Use approximately 5 tablespoons of pumpkin flesh and whisk together with the egg replacer and soya milk. Then add spices and syrup and pour into your pie base. Tip* You should place your pie base in an oven for 30 minutes or so so that it hardens before adding the mixture as if you put it in all together only the pie lid will cook well and burn before the base catches up! Finally roll out your other half of the dough and carefully lay on top of the cake tin, again cutting of any excess pastry to neaten up. (Tip* This may take a few goes as the pastry may tear, but be patient and keep rolling till you get the perfect pastry lid! You can place cling film over the dough to cut down on tearing!
You can use any spare dough to make a funny picture on the centre of the pie; I did a pumpkin and the initials of “Your Mama's cookin’ and used bat cookie cutters for halloween.
Brush soya milk or blend with fingertips around the pie crust to fill in any holes and smooth out. Don't forget to cut two lines on the surface of the pie to let the pie breathe.
Then pop your pumpkin pie in the piping hot oven and wait 30-40 minutes until centre is firm! The pie crust will brown and become very crisp first, but the filling and base will take a while longer! but you were clever and popped the base in beforehand ;)
While you are waiting you could fill your time with making some delicious vegan cream to go with the pie.
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons of soya milk
2 tablespoons of granulated unrefined sugar,
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract,
1 tablespoon of corn flour
2 tablespoons of oil.
Whisk in a blender until smooth and creamy for about 2 minutes then chill for an hour, and then pour over your scrumptious pie and bop to on the hop!
If you can keep your hungry teeth from the scrumptious pie, pop in the fridge over night to harden the mixture, therefore it will be less sloppy!
Pumpkin seeds
Well you must be wondering what on earth you are going to do with them seeds! Well don't feed them to the birds or toss haphazardly in the bin, line your stomach instead!
Pop the seeds in a boiling pan of water for 10 minutes and cover
Then line a baking tray with oil and pop the seeds in and cover with salt or sugar!
Tasty not so instant snack!


( I am still waiting for my prize for my vegan gingerbread cookies from the last “Your Mama’s Cookin’” )
Your Mama’s Cookin’ is a monthly night at Tiger Lounge, 5 Cooper St Manchester, Every 2nd Wednesday.