Marrakesh highlights, a set on Flickr.
You can read the full story here.
Marrakesh highlights
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Discovering the real story of Scott of the Antarctic
“I am just going outside and may be some time”. The immortal words of Captain Lawrence Oates on the ill-fated expedition to reach the South Pole with Captain Robert Falcon Scott in 1911-12.
I had heard this saying so many times, yet had little idea of the context. But that changed tonight when I visited a fascinating new exhibition on Scott’s Last Expedition at the Natural History Museum.
Based around the layout of Scott’s research expedition base on Antarctica, the expedition told the story of Scott’s grand, but ultimately failed adventure through artefacts and scientific samples carried back on his ship, the Terra Nova.
Did I learn something new from the exhibition? Definitely yes. Would I recommend it to others? Well, kind of. The stories are amazing and inspiring, but the interpretation left a lot to be desired. The flow was painfully static when entering and exiting the exhibition, with a slow-moving queue before you even got in through the doors. And the artefacts were presented in quite a linear and old-fashioned way with little interactivity and an over-emphasis on text.
Having visited Antarctica myself in 2009, I have some understanding of the harsh conditions that occur, and that was with modern-day gear to shield me from the elements. The exhibition did a good job of showcasing the range of resources used by the expedition team in tackling their challenge, and was moving in places when they illustrated the human impact of the snow and ice.
The star of the show was a digitised version of Scott’s diary, detailing the final weeks up to his death. This was recovered by the rescue party in 1912, and provides a compelling insight into the courage and fortitude of the polar team. But if the gallery is busy then you may well have to wait a long time to investigate this exhibit as it only really allows two people to interact at a time.
Overall though, I would recommend a visit. But not at peak times if you have any choice!
Tickets can be pre-booked through the Natural History Museum website and the exhibition runs until 2 September 2012.
New Year’s Eve 2011
A wonderful New Year’s Eve 2011 with Emma Duffy at the Southbank Centre in London.
The full photoset can be found on flickr, and a highlights set in the slideshow below.
Christmas cake!
So it must be nearly Christmas as the cake is iced and ready. I used our traditional family recipe, but changed out the brandy for tea and apple juice so as not to poison myself!
Christmas cake recipe
Cooking time: 4 – 4 ½ hrs
For the cake
- 8oz Soft brown sugar (225g)
- 8oz butter (225g)
- 5 eggs
- 10oz flour (285g)
- ½ oz mixed spice (15g)
- ¾ tsp almond essence
- ¾ tsp lemon essence
- 1 tbsp black treacle/marmalade
- 1 lb currants (454g)
- 8 oz raisins (225g)
- 8 oz sultanas (225g)
- 4 oz cherries (we use 8oz) (225g)
- 4 oz chopped mixed peel (115g)
- Rum, brandy or cherry brandy for steeping the fruit and pouring over the cake (Lady Grey tea as an alternative for steeping the fruit and apple juice an alternative for feeding it)
For the icing
- 1 egg white, lightly whisked
- 300g sifted icing sugar
- 1tsp lemon juice
- Grease and line a 9” cake tin. Tie folded brown paper or newspaper round the outside of the tin. Wash the fruit.
- Put all the fruit in a bowl and pour at least a wine-glass of brandy (or a mug of Lady Grey tea allowed to go cold) over it. Leave overnight.
- Sieve the flour and spice.
- Cream the fat and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the essence, and the treacle or marmalade.
- Gradually beat in the eggs.
- Lightly fold in half the flour. Mix the remaining flour with the fruit. Stir into the cake mixture.
- Turn mixture into the tin, make a shallow hollow in the centre.
- Place a pad of newspaper in the oven on the middle shelf. Bake the cake on this at 335°F (165°C) – Mark 3, for 1 hour. Reduce to 310°F (150°C) – Mark 2, for the next hour, then reduce to 290°F (140°C) – Mark 1, for the remaining cooking time. Cover the cake with paper if it becomes too brown.
- Turn the cake onto a wire tray. Remove the paper. Prick the bottom of the cake, spoon brandy (or apple juice) over it and allow to soak in.
- When the cake is cold, wrap it in foil or grease-proof paper and store until required. Make the cake 6-8 weeks before it is required and feed regularly with brandy or apple juice.
- Apply ready-to-roll marzipan. I use marmalade to bind the marzipan sheet to the cake.
- For the icing, lightly whisk one egg white and then continuously fold in the sifted icing sugar until you achieve a thick paste.
- Add the lemon juice and mix into a smooth paste
- Apply evenly all round the cake and leave to set.
And hopefully it will turn out something like this!
Virgin London Marathon 2011
Virgin London Marathon 2011, a set on Flickr.
Blenheim Palace
Welcome to my new website
Welcome to my new website at www.ianduffy.co.uk. I’ve just moved it onto wordpress so am still learning the ropes. Comments and suggestions gratefully received!
Ian