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Chapter Eight

Hello, , full-on cake Sometimes, you want a little essence of sweetness that is more like a kiss, or a friendly word on a sad day And also, you knohat pears are like Ripe for ten seconds then you’ve missed it Whereas this works very ith pears you’ve just o all powdery Cake is a very forgiving mistress to bad pears

Pear Upside-Down Cake

3 pears, peeled, halved and cored

7 oz butter

7 oz caster sugar

3 eggs

7 oz self-raising flour, sifted

3 tbsp milk

1 tbsp icing sugar

Arrange the pear halves evenly over the botto a wooden spoon (not the mixer I know you think the mixer, but I say to you, did I build three bakeries in Manchester with electric mixers? Well, eventually, yes But at first we did it with the wooden spoon, and so should you), creae bowl until thethe well after each addition Add the flour to the bowl, gently folding it into the mixture, then stir in the milk Spoon the cake mixture evenly over the pears and sas ently touched and the cake cohtly away from the sides of the dish

Remove from the oven, let it cool for fiveplate Dust the top of the cake evenly with icing sugar and serve iratulate the pears on a job well done

Love, Gra in frohtly hysterical froers fro Issy grinding fresh beans for coffee ‘You’re perking up!’

‘Want one?’ said Issy ‘I ah probleht shift as it is’

‘Well, try and catch up I think I’ve found a man for your list’

Helena raised her eyebrows ‘Does he have penetrating brown eyes and an offbeat sain’

‘Oh yes’

‘He’s called Austin He’s got reddish-brown hair and works in a bank and--’