Kitch cooking

I've come to realise that one of the reasons I enjoy baking is that it gives you an outlet for all things a bit chintzy and slightly naff*. That's not to say that I find baking itself naff, but there's more room for things that are a bit homespun or 'folksy' in baking than in other hobbies. For example, I don't think gingham would work as a tracksuit (although I did see some rather nice Liberty print trainers recently) but it looks great lining a basket of muffins.

This thought stuck me as I found myself using alphabet cutters to label my recent creation (above). When it comes to baking I revel in the chance to pull out the tasteful stops and channel my inner kitch.

The world of baking features so many colourful and frankly joyous things to embrace. Tints for icing, cookie cutters in pretty much any shape you can think of, (in one of my Nigella Lawson books she actually lists all the cutters she has) heart-shaped baking tins, patterned paper cupcake cases, edible lustre, teeth-breaking dragees - and that is just a sample of some of my kit.

While OH busies himself with the business of bread I revel, literally, in the icing on top of the cake. Don't get me wrong I love the bread - but it's all a bit - brown, OK golden brown. Of course OH is no stranger to a bit of kit himself, proving baskets, baking stones - but frankly none of it is very pretty or cute. It's no vintage bundt tin or Cath Kidston tablecloth (it's the cowboy* one all the way for me btw). So I will leave OH to get on the with staff of life, while I busy myself with the 'fancy' stuff in life.

*Personally I blame watching Calamity Jane at an early age.