After some concerted whining about how my wife was always making fabulous "concept" cakes for other people to mark birthdays, anniversaries, retirements etc., but never for me, Mrs. G. finally caved in and produced a truly wonderful Antarctic cake for my 59th birthday back in 2011, which I blogged about here - and has come up trumps every year since then. When she finally decided to take the plunge and enter one of her creations at the utterly ginormous Cake International Show at the ExCel here in London (well, Docklands, so it might as well have been in Aberdeen as far as West Londoners were concerned) at the end of March, I tentatively suggested that she brought the penguins out of retirement (or, to be more accurate, made some new ones).
She didn't win the main prize in her category - it went to a breathtakingly accurate green train - but she was awarded a Certificate of Merit, which was no less than she deserved. After the cake returned home, I scoffed as much of it as I could manage before (a) it went stale or (b) I went into hyperglycemic shock. I even ate some of the penguins - but, as it felt a bit like chowing down on beloved pets, I quickly desisted. The remains of the cake had to be thrown away, and I sort of assumed the penguins would suffer the same fate - but then I came down for breakfast one morning to discover 14 of the noisy little beggars in our kitchen:
No, honestly - I swear you can actually hear them! They seem very happy by the window, and I suspect we'll never get rid of them - at least, not if I have a say in the matter. (Fortunately, our cat hasn't figured out that they'd make a tasty snack - or perhaps it's because, according to my son, cats have no taste receptors for sweetness.)
By the way, here's a picture of their former home, while it was still under construction:
And here, apropos of absolutely nothing, is an anatomically correct, edible version of the organ at Leicester Cathedral, with a 50p piece to give a sense of scale. (In case anybody's wondering what it was doing in the Antarctic, it was for another cake):
I was a lucky visitor to Gronmark Towers last week and can vouch for the enchanting nature of those penguins, far too delightful to eat and they do look extremely content on the window sill. Isn't there a children's book in there somewhere as they caper and cavort about the kitchen in the hours of darkness?
ReplyDeleteThe penguins still talk of your visit, Riley. I've mentioned your idea to them and they've asked me to hold some exploratory talks with publishers.
DeleteWise little chaps, those penguins, hurry to your publishers - a Christmas book launch will reap dividends....
ReplyDeleteA children's film about penguins is ruled out because of Jim Carrey's 2011 "Dr. Karl Popper's Penguins". But David Walliams [ spelling ?] and Emma Thompson are now very successful children's author's apparently and the Duchess of Fergiana may still be in business [Budgie the Helicopter Pilot and all that]. Drop them a line - you could end up with a big cheque and a spot on the Graham Norton Show,
ReplyDeleteIf I got a spot on the Graham Norton Show, I would go straight to A&E.
DeleteHoly smoke, the prospect of appearing with Graham Norton is enough to stem all creativity. Ghastly squawking git, I cannot bear to hear or see him in any form - instant lean to the off-switch.
ReplyDeleteI have reported this to the authorities as a potentially homphobic comment.
DeleteMind you, I suspect there are worse things in life than appearing on the Graham Norton Show - for instance, appearing on the Jonathan Ross Show, or on anything hosted by Sue Perkins.