The very best of British

For the last couple of months all I have been hearing from my son Euan is how excited he is that the Olympic games where going to be on in July.  He's been a sponge absorbing every news tidbit and familiarising himself with all the potential stars that were going to be champions on the day.  Euan is 12 and seems to have a photographic memory for the things he likes and can expound facts at the drop of a hat.  Shame he doesn't seem to think time tables over 12 are important enough to remember the same way.  


Every Wednesday he goes for physiotherapy for a weakness in his left side (diagnosed as hemiplegia when he was a few months old).  It was highly amusing to hear him rattling on the latest Olympic news to Rebecca his physio whilst I sat in reception.  Needless to say by the time we got to Friday night in Melbourne, he had a whole plan to wake up at 5:30am to watch the live telecast of the Olympic opening ceremony.  He was in bed early, set his alarm and went off to bed with anticipation of the next morning.  Thankfully my husband Andrew was more realistic and set the Foxtel (cable tv) recorder to tape the ceremony should we all sleep through the alarm.  


As luck would have it, we did sleep through the alarm but woke up at 7am, snuggled up together under blankets and watched the taped telecast.  And what a telecast it was.  

Way to go London!!!

London 2012 excelled in the spectacle they created for our enjoyment.  It had just enough of whimsy to keep us enthralled in the story telling aspect of the performance.  Who would have thought of recreating a whole village green in the centre of the stadium...... bravo Danny Boyle.

The parade of athletes was much anticipated and when they started filing out as always we debated the choice of costumes, the selection of flag bearers and how we thought the various teams would fair in the final medal tally  It was refreshing to see the number of women flag bearers at these games. 




Of course we could not hide our joy at seeing the Australian team march behind basketballer Lauren Jackson, who held the Aussie flag high without the aid of any harness.  What a champion! 




There were many interesting outfits on display but I will have to give style points to the US team who came on looking crisp, fresh and ever so on point in the fashion stakes with their Ralph Lauren designed team uniforms.

The production team did a great job in showcasing the fantastic array of British music throughout the decades finally ending in a singalong with Paul McCartney.  


It was, at the end of it, a fairly long ceremony so I did not envy the poor athletes who had been standing for hours whilst waiting for the ceremony to be completed.  However you couldn't help but feel this wonderful glow of kinmanship with the rest of the world as you saw sports taking centre stage and maybe helping us forget, if only for just over a fortnight, the ills of the rest of the world.


I will say that after watching the Opening ceremony I was so motivated by my feelings of nostalgia and empire that I dusted the old scone recipe and baked some for afternoon tea.  I have to say they never tasted so good.


The following is a simple and practically fail proof recipe for scones.

Plain scones

Ingredients:

3 cups self-raising flour

80g butter, cubed
1 to 1.25 cups of milk
Extra plain flour for dusting
Jam and whipped cream for serving 

          (Makes approx 16 scones)

• Preheat oven to 200ºC.  
• Line baking sheets with baking paper
• Sift flour in large bowl
• Add cubed butter and use fingers to rub in until the flour resembles fine breadcrumbs
• Make a well in the centre and add milk
• Use a spatula to slowly incorporate the milk. 
• Sprinkle counter or pastry sheet with extra plain flour.
• Gently knead without over handling.  The scones will be too hard if they are over kneaded.
• Roll the dough gently and cut with a scone ring or if you don't have one, a small mouthed glass will do.  Make sure your dip the ring in flour so it wont stick to the dough.
• Place the scones on tray and dust lightly with extra plain flour.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes.
• Serve warm with jam and whipped cream........... and a steaming cup of tea.

      Enjoy!!!!!