Saving apples for a rainy day

This is last week's post, but having had problems with the computer, I thought it had disappeared.

I've been offline for several days, but hopefully, all is resolved now, and the blog is still applicable.

What can you do about the current crisis, if you are not directly affected? My own feeling is that you have to carry on as normal. My philosophy for all times, is never invest what you cannot afford (this applies to putting money on the horses, too), always have some Rainy Day money for when times get bad, and spread the risk. Alas, many people may have been caught out by putting their Rainy Day money in what were regarded as safe places, and which may not be safe after all - a very frightening prospect. However, the spreading of risk applies here. The Government in the UK are guaranteeing £50,000 in private savings accounts, so if you have more than that, then choose a second account. If you are considering equity investments, put them into unit trusts/investment trusts, etc, where someone else is spreading the risk for you. Even then choose different companies, not the same ones over and over again. Not everything will crash at the same time. Think in terms of a pyramid, with the safest forms at the bottom, forming a large base, bonds, etc. and the most risky, the point at the top – shares recommended by someone who knows someone, emerging markets/ Russia/China, etc.

However, should you be thinking in terms of investment at all. An American TV presenter has said, ‘Sell. Sell. Sell.’ The problem with this is that you will lose your money if the shares are at a low point, and you will regret it, if they bounce back. An unit trust manager in the UK says he is buying now. Cautious people may consider buying on a monthly basis – a little at a time – the dips now may be valuable in three years’ time.

But don’t panic. If you have the money, carry on shopping. I bought a new jacket/cardigan from Per Una at M & S, when I was in Guildford last week. Someone’s got to keep the money moving.

And now to something I really know about – apples. I am peeling, cooking and freezing now, so that when the tree is bare, I will still have something stored away. You could call them rainy day apples – and as long as the freezer doesn’t fail, I’ll have several potential desserts to fall back on.

This is my recipe for apple cake – for those who have a surplus.

I’ve lost the recipe, so this is from memory:

6 oz s/r flour

2 oz cornflour

6 oz margarine

6 oz caster sugar

3 eggs

1 oz butter (melted)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced

Baking dish 9” x 12”

Sieve flour with cornflour. Beat together margarine and sugar, and add flour mix, 1 tbspoon at a time together with one egg and beat in. Fold in the remainder with a metal spoon, and add lemon juice to taste. Cover base and sides of baking dish with parchment or grease-proof paper. Place mixture in the pan, cover with slices of apple about ½ inch thick and paint with melted butter. Cook for about 40 mins in moderate oven – 175 C - and remove when cake mixture is golden brown. Allow to set on wire stand and ease out of the dish carefully when cool.

Freeze what you don't need, but don't keep too much out at any one time. The apple on the top goes mouldy very quickly.