Look on my cake, ye mighty, and despair
One of the great joys of living in Somerset is that we have the best food in the country on our doorstep. A splendid farmers market once a month, with a smaller one as well once a month. Here we get freshly-hewn meat, full of blood and life force. Pies of perfection, from the steak pies to the home-made mincemeat and cranberry pies. Here we get as much of our food as we can; and when we can't, there's the organic stalls in town every Wednesday and Thursday, two wet fish stalls, and farm shops around every corner.
Amongst our occasional haunts, being a few miles away, was Purely Organic in Longbridge Deverill (next to Hill, Brixton & Kingston Deverill - Deverill meaning water meadow, I believe). One of the major draws of this shop (cum trout farm cum watercress farm) was the spectacular Lemon Drizzle cake made by the proprietress. Why so good? Simply by using far too much lemon juice and far too much sugar to make the syrup which is drizzled on top of the cake. The result is that the top third of the cake is a crystalline lemon munge from heaven.
This is just THE best lemon cake of any sort that I have ever eaten.
We were having supper with friends on Wednesday, when another diner arrives, bringing such cake as a Christmas gift for L and me. However, along with the cake came the news that there was a problem with their tenure of the shop where it was made, and the result was that they were having to leave, and today was closing day. And this was the last cake, which he had kindly bought for us, knowing of our devotion to it.
RIP Purely Organic (hopefully to arise again) and RIP
So what you see above is the LAST of the Great Lemon Drizzle cakes. Look on it and weep. Outrageous as a pudding, with ice cream or the outrageous local double cream, but best on its own with a huge mug of hot tea. Brush teeth as soon as possible afterwards - you can feel them start to dissolve as you head for the bathroom.
Two pieces left.
