But this I know



There are very few certainties in life, aside from death and taxes, as the saying goes.




As I grow older I find I become less certain, less opinionated, more easily swayed. I know this is not true of everyone, many people become more sure of their thoughts and views as time passes, I suspect it may be particular to this stage of motherhood. As the boy works his way through age 12 I find my firmest certainties tested on a regular basis.



I can no longer can be sure of his clothing tastes, it seems Gap is grounds for playground bullying and even buying underpants or socks is fraught with difficulty. I pace the store, pick up, put down, not sure. Not sure.

Food is surprisingly tricky too, why did both my children develop a strong hatred of bananas at around age 6, a food they were practically weaned on. I know for certain that during the toddler years I never left the house without an emergency banana in my bag yet now they visibly gag and bananas cannot even be absorbed in undercover, chocolate covered disguise.




The Tomato Tart greeted with glee one week will be heckled with abandon a month later.

But this I know for sure, my Apple Cake is loved by the boy. It is in his top 10 of favourite foods and for a boy with a top 100 this is no mean feat.



This cake will not win the beauty prize it is a homely sort of cake, a hint of almond and dense, damp apple sponge are its secret weapons. A cake for tea, a cake for after school, a cake for lunch boxes. A cake certain to please.


Comments

Dawn said…
I know just what you mean about boys and clothes - I have completely lost confidence in choosing clothes for my boy and not many shops do a good early teen range either.
Anonymous said…
It is odd how their tastes change isn't it? I can see why the Apple Cake is in the top ten though. Are you going to share the recipe or point us in the right direction? I have a large bag of apples you see...scrumped too!
Elizabeth said…
It does not get any easier to understand. My teenage daughter will diss my clothes on one day and raid my closet on the other!
And food? Don't get me started.
Anonymous said…
It gets better again - my son has just turned 33 and I still buy the odd item of clothing for him! His favourite is lemon meringue pie - which my husband is going to buy to have for pudding on MY birthday, because it is his boy's favourite!!
I think I'm more in the latter box these day - so much more head strong then my shy, wanting to please 'everyone' younger version.

How strange, my almost twelve year old loves home made (rough around the edges) apple cake - can't seem to get enough of it and even asked me to make another as he polished off the last slice for pudding tonight. Good job it's apple season.

Nina x
Robin said…
I'm in the "growing less sure" camp as I age.

Both of my children used to willingly eat broccoli and mushrooms. One day they both shocked me with gags and protests. It's not right.
Shelley in SC said…
As a fellow mother with a 12 year-old boy, I can say . . . "I sympathize!!"
silverpebble said…
I loved this post. My girls are still little but I know all this kind of uncertainty is to come. Could you point me in the direction of the recipe? I love moist apple cakes and am trying to find a good one.
Anonymous said…
i love apple cake. it might even be hedging into joint first with chocolate and lemon (already sharing!) in my books and that one looks amazing. yum.
i'm still on the hunt for a good moist recipe too, so advice would be very gratefully received.
Pomona said…
I gave my boys a clothes allowance at age 12 and 14 and it solved all my problems! And they stopped hankering after expensive labels, and became astonishingly economical because suddenly it was their own money!

Pomona x
Ali said…
Navigating these teenesque waters gives me much more self-doubt too. It would be easy to stop trying to please them, but the urge remains strong. Thank goodness for apple cake.
Eloise Grey said…
I love this post too - you have a humility which disguises a tower of strength and wisdom. I think accepting uncertainty is quite scary but maybe liberating. The cake looks delicious. It reminds me of an Italian biscuit/pastry which is called in one nostalgic breath 'brutti ma buoni' - 'ugly but tasty'.

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