1. It's terrible the way these walnuts are all broken. That one's no good for decorating the top of my cake. I'm going to have to eat it. And that one's no good either. Nor is that one.
2. I've never made a cooked butter icing before. It's beautifully glossy, and the butter browned a little so it has a nutty taste.
3. At last we manage to watch the Christmas episode of Downton -- and very good it was too. Thomas is lucky, Bates is brave, the Earl is merciful, Lady Violet is acerbic, Sir Richard is a cad and Mary is true.
