Grandma’s spreading the word

Marmalade spice cake

I’m passionate about sharing Grandma’s skills and expertise which she passed on with the legacy of her delectable collection of 200 recipes in Grandma Abson's Traditional Baking so I’m doing talks, book signings and demonstrations about Grandma’s baking. Read about them on my Events page.

The first  of these was at Furlong Road Methodist Church in Bolton on Dearne, South Yorkshire where Grandma spent most of her life. It was brilliant to talk to the group about Grandma’s life in the village. It all set them reminiscing and quite a few of them remembered Grandma and her baking. I took along the Marmalade Spice Cake which they loved. We talked about ways of helping the next generation learn how to use simple ingredients to make good food for their families. Grandma’s baking has lots to offer as her skills were honed over the twentieth century often in times of shortage during rationing in the first and second world wars and the depression in the 1930s.  

John Foster of Fosters Bakery in Barnsley says that what he loves about Grandma’s book is that her appeal is not just about yesterday but it's for today and tomorrow. Grandma’s recipes celebrate our baking heritage and are highly relevant for us now and in the future with increases in the prices of foodstuffs and energy. He is very clear that we need to make tasty food with simple ingredients once again.

Last weekend, I was signing books and sharing cakes with the customers at Waterstones, which was great fun. Everyone tells me an anecdote about their Grandma’s baking so I'm starting Grandma’s traditional baking revolution!