Monday 13 July 2015

Regretful Eggs

I am sorry. I'm not normally quite this flustered when I flick over the pages of the Cradock Cookery Programme. Usually I feel excited, intrigued, curious, eager, confused, impatient to get started, or puzzled how I'm going to make Fanny's creation work, but today I feel crestfallen and, well, a little bit embarrassed. I feel I must reluctantly give an apology before I even start... What has got me so guilt-ridden? They are just simple Egg Mayonnaise Tartlets, but Fanny calls them Angry Chinese Egg Men.

Fanny Cradock Angry Chinese Men

I am sorry to the entire nation of China, to each and every one of the 1.357 billion people who live in the vast country, and the many millions more who live elsewhere around the world. That's a lot of remorse. I'm not sure that Fanny ever travelled to China, or even met anyone from the East, but perhaps in a different age her negatively stereotypical 'rather cross men' were more funny than offensive? I wonder if Fanny would feel repentant today? Or is it just harmless fun?

Fanny Cradock Angry Chinese Men

I am sorry to Wrights Flour who sent me some Golden Pastry Flour to try. I am sure they were not expecting to see their treasured product transformed into a tartlet case decorated to look like some kind of representation of a distraught Chinese Man. Those distressed farmers growing the wheat, the hardworking millers grinding the flour, the happy-go-lucky packers and shippers who ensured it came to me in perfect form. Regretfully, for this.

Fanny Cradock Angry Chinese Men

I am sorry to the chickens on Over Langshaw Farm, who diligently ate their organic feed and strutted their stuff confidently around the yard waiting to lay set after set of gorgeous eggs, only for them to be boiled up and added to a layer of mayonnaise, with a top layer coloured green. I am sorry to the humiliated Tomato Growers who unwittingly provided the little hats. I am sorry to Wilton who not only never would have expected their harmless food colourings to be used like this, but presumably did not design their decorating pens thinking that someone would follow Fannys instructions to create an angry representation of a Chinese Man on an egg.

Fanny Cradock Angry Chinese Men

I am sorry to other bloggers who have selflessly opened blogging link-ups to help to showcase and share sensational (not sheepish) food blogs with their readers. Poor Dom at Belleau Kitchen will be mortified to see these linked to his Simply Eggcellent challenge but I'm ashamed to admit this is how Fanny liked her eggs in the morning. I'm distraught to add these to the Pastry Challenge from Jen and Lisa, but these were very quick to put together... I reluctantly link to Treat Petite, Egg Mayonnaise and Tomatoes say summer to me, but will Stuart or Kat ever speak to me again? Before I reveal these very Angry Chinese Men, here is a picture of the ones shamefaced Fanny made, just so you don't direct your disdain to me.

Fanny Cradock Angry Chinese Men

Last but not least, I am sorry to the little Chinese Men themselves. I'm guilty of having no idea at all why they have been disguised as mushrooms and plonked in a little pastry boat filled with grass. Or is it water? Or something else? No wonder they are angry.

Fanny Cradock Angry Chinese Men

24 comments:

  1. I love it!! Why on earth would you want to make these though! Did you eat them?

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    1. Not sure why Fanny thought anyone would want to make them, but as a taste, an Egg Mayonnaise Tart is a strange thing in itself, never mind as a wee Chinese Man...

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  2. I have some of her cookery course magazine was a bit taken aback by them too!!

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    1. Have you made anything? I normally just chuckle along with them!

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  3. Hmm not really sure what to say they don't really look very enticing - and I normally love eggy things - style over substance perhaps? Hey ho Fanny was truly a law unto herself !

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    1. She certainly was, normally they at least make some sense, but these....!

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  4. Hehe. A little unfortunate, but you've certainly made the best of them! How funny! SusieF, GlasgowDragonfly

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    1. Just so bizarre he? But fun to make and funny to think about it... Thanks!

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  5. They do look more like little mushroom men. Perhaps they need renaming!

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  6. These are hysterical!! Any yes slightly offensive - but hey ho - it was a different time... Thanks for entering Treat Petite with such a unique treat!

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  7. i just don't know where to start... they're utterly genius and horrific at the same time... firstly I hardly think they're particularly offensive but there's always someone to offend... what I don't understand it what you do with them? Are they to be eaten or admired or run away from... whatever. I love them and they are an excellent addition to the Simply Eggcellent link-up so that you x

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    1. I have no answers! Thanks for being so gracious with my weirdly wonderful entries to your challenge!

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  8. Erm... where to begin?! I had to suppress an office LOL the first time I saw these and coming back now I'm still bemused. Thanks for sharing one of the more 'interesting' creations from Fanny's archives with The Pastry Challenge. It certainly livened things up a bit! :)

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    1. Glad to hear that! Poor old Fanny, I will try and enter something more mainstream soon!

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  9. This is definitely a crazy recipe and name. Well done for persevering and being so gracious about it too. I just came over from Jen's Food (her pastry roundup) to see what the deal was. Glad I did!

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  10. I've just come over from the Pastry Challenge roundup too, to see the regretful eggs! Love your post, I wonder what Fanny was drinking when she made these up? Gin perhaps?

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, and if you ever find out what Fanny was on, let me know! These are just bizarre aren't they? Hee Hee...

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  11. I will feel bad for eat that, it's too cute

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    1. they are aren't they, in a slightly uncomfortable way!

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