I love and admire my MIL very, very much. You will not meet another woman who does more quiet, publicly unheralded service for others than she. She is the epitome of a woman of God: she bases all of her actions on her faith in God and what it means to be a tool in His hands. She is exactly what she seems: compassionate, action-based, and full of integrity. There is no duplicity or hypocrisy in her soul. And while she has very strong opinions about things, she is not a tyrant about forcing anyone to take her advice or believe like she does. She has a great sense of humor, and I can often make her laugh so hard she has to wipe away tears. I have to love someone who thinks I'm that funny! Plus, she can laugh at herself, which narcissistic, controlling people can't do.
In the context of the reception: while it didn't matter to me or Gabrielle about reception decorations, it did matter to her. Plus, when we asked if we could have the reception in their yard, my MIL and FIL were incredibly gracious in allowing us to do so. While my FIL loves to work in his garden, he had to work extra hard to make it be what he wanted it to be in time for the reception. He said he enjoyed it because it forced him to get some things done that he had been telling himself to do, but it was still gracious. And if MIL wants yards and yards of organza hung on the fence, then I am going to make her happy. I think she stressed herself too much about decorations, but she just wanted everything to be lovely, and British weddings are a big deal. I did talk her out of changing the reception from an open-house format into a massive dinner party (the very thought of a massive dinner party makes me want to sleep for a week), so decorations were a good compromise.
My MIL and FIL lent us some Welsh objects we could use for a culture presentation on Wales that Husband and I were asked to do this past Tuesday. As I am not Welsh, I mainly held and displayed the objects while Husband talked about them, including teaching the audience some words in Welsh. He was very entertaining, and the presentation was a hit.
One of the things we shared were Welsh cakes. This was my first time making them, as MIL usually whips up a batch every few weeks and has FIL bring them around when he takes the dogs for a walk. They turned out well, and MIL gave them her enthusiastic stamp of approval. Now that I have her recipe and know what I'm doing with it, I thought I'd share.
Welsh Cakes (American measurements, MIL's method)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 sticks butter (1 cup), softened
1/4 cup raisins or dried currants
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
2 eggs, beaten
Mix all dry ingredients together in a food processor or mixing bowl.
Slice butter into chunks and cut them into the flour mixture (a few pulses on the food processor is all it takes) until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
Pour mixture into mixing bowl if you've used a food processor.
Add raisins or currants and stir until thoroughly mixed and raisins are coated in flour mixture.
Make a well in the center of the mixture and add beaten eggs. Mix with hands until all the flour mixture is incorporated and a firm dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add a touch of milk.
Heat griddle to 350 deg. F. and grease with butter.
Break off walnut-sized pieces of dough and roll them into a ball. Gently flatten the ball between your fingers until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Lay the cake on the griddle and cook for three or four minutes on the first side, or until golden-brown on the bottom. Flip the cake and cook for another one to two minutes, until golden brown.
Sprinkle a serving plate with granulated sugar and lay warm cakes on top (optional). Cakes will firm a bit as they cool. Best when warm, but also awesome when cold.
Makes about three dozen Welsh cakes.
Welsh Cakes (British measurements, traditional method)
8 oz self-rising flour
3 oz lard
1 egg
3 oz currants
3 oz sugar
pinch of salt
Sieve flour and salt into the mixing bowl. Cut up lard and rub in well with fingertips. Add sugar and currants and mix with lightly beaten egg to a firm dough. Roll out on a floured board to a quarter inch thickness and cut with fluted two and a half inch cutter. Place on a pre-heated, lightly greased griddle or solid plate. The first side will take about 4 mins., turn heat off and cook second side for 3 mins. Makes 16-20 cakes. Serve fresh, even slightly warm.
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