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Sheryl O'Connell's avatar

You are amazing Shell 🥰 - loved reading this.

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Shell Plant's avatar

Thank you so much Sheryl, I’m thrilled you enjoyed it 🥰

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Rebecca Blackwell's avatar

I love this Shell and feel these tips apply equally well to cooking with adults, and sometimes to cooking only with myself. :-) I have also baked with kids and the mess thing is no joke. You have to either embrase it as part of the fun or it will drive you (me) crazy. And those crullers are PERFECT.

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Shell Plant's avatar

Thank you!! I totally agree that it can help with cooking as an adult too.

Embracing the mess is so vital. I have a picture of James as a toddler, sat in a pile of flour. It looked horrendous, but didn't take so long to hoover up, and he had a wonderful time!

The crullers tasted damn good too!

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Fiona Whittaker's avatar

I love the way you write, Shell - authentic, authoritative and funny! I can relate to lots of the above, although my mother was such a good and patient cook that a lot of the cooking with my daughter fell to her...

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Shell Plant's avatar

Thank you so much Fiona! Your comment means a great deal to me, and I’m so pleased you enjoyed and relate to it.

That is lovely with your mum. I hope I get to bake with my grandchildren one day too.

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Fiona Whittaker's avatar

Oh, me too! I came across your Substack when Lisa from Spice Chronicles etc was cooking some of your recipes - I am in the process of planning to make your brownie recipe but with cherry compote and dried sour cherries rather than blackcurrant - I will let you know how it goes!

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Shell Plant's avatar

Oh wonderful! Lisa is a star. ✨

Sour cherry is an excellent addition! I look forward to hearing how you get on! 😊

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Betty Williams's avatar

Letting go of perfection - still something I need to remind myself! I love that you are so chill about your kids baking with you and that they love it. You are making memories that they will always remember!

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Shell Plant's avatar

Thank you Betty! Letting go of perfection is really hard. When I was working at the cake decorating company, my boss encouraged me to think: 'perfection is the enemy of good', a play on that line by Voltaire. Which helps!

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Elizabeth Pizzinato's avatar

Lovely post Shell! No kids here but I admit I do make a bit of a mess in the kitchen, even with cleaning as I go 😊

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Shell Plant's avatar

Thank you!

Ah the mess is inevitable. Means you are having fun 😉

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