Eat the Storms

This is what I picture in my head when I hear 'Eat The Storms' (alongside the lovely host, Damien B. Donnelly, of course)...

The Eat The Storms poetry podcast has injected that wonderful childhood feeling of Saturday afternoons back into my world and I was delighted to be given a slot on it for Episode 1 of Season 2. Tea and scones were on the menu for the listening and in a busy world this 'stop, listen and relax with words' time feels just perfect for me.

I think Damien Donnelly has since turned me into a baker of things: For Episode 2 I wolfed down some shop bought Red Velvet Brownie that did not get a photo opportunity and then I decided to see if I could make scones since the first batch had been made by Kath. I made these gin and lemon fruited scones, but forgot to glaze them.

These Jammie Dodger delights were a purchased gift from Kath for Valentine's Day.

Thank you Blissful Pig Vegan Bakery

This banana bread was baked by Kath and I put my name on it just to be sure.

I remembered to glaze these whiskey and lemon fruited scones. They were served with marmalade and later with gooseberry jam. Gooseberry jam was the best accompaniment.

This banana bread was also a good excuse to break out the ice-cream and chocolate sauce.

Sour-dough hot cross bun stack!

Hot cross buns for real Easter...

When baking seems to have passed us by, this happens:

Our first home made cinnamon buns:

Port and lemon scones

Being amongst the poets for Episode 15 of Season 2 brought this cookie to my plate. Lovingly made by someone who sold it to my wife who let me plate it for the episode...

Featuring in a special Pride episode, Epsiode 1 of Season 3, on 26th June 2021 resulted in this cake being purchased because the date also coincided with the 19th anniversary of meeting my beautiful wife on a blind date. Thank you Cutter and Squidge!

After listening to the episode I made a video of my crush poem 'Your Pinks Match from Head to Toe'

For Episode 2 of Season 3 we have to rely on 'Grandma Wild' as life got in the way of baking...

Brownies For Episode 3 of Season 3. Kath Andrews used her sour dough starter to try out a new recipe. It is definitely one to return to!

Scrabble before Episode 4...

Today we tidied the entire garage and finished just in time for Episode 5...

Couldn't listen to Episode 6 at the usual time of 5pm on a Saturday as I found myself in someone else's city having an explore...

This cat (Cleo) made me a little late to Epsiode7, but it was a cracker of an episode!

Sharing plate of baked bananas with brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg served with our own raspberries and some dairy-free 'ice-cream' prepared in honour of Season 3 Episode 8...

Relying on the shop bought fruit loaf for Episode 9 after lots of garden tidying...

Kath was Star Baker in our house for Episode 10 and created some rather marvellous chocolate chip cookies. Pleasingly there are balls of the dough in the freezer that will allow easy repetition!

The night before Epsiode 11 there was a poetry party which prompted the following tweet: "Woke up this morning with a smile on my face because yesterday@deuxiemepeau threw the best poetry party. It’s been a long time since I wore my sparkles and @EatTheStorms gave me the perfect reason to don the pink!" Episode 11 featured Damien's choices from poems guests had already read - good to immerse in these. Kath made pretzels for our snacks!

And for Episode 12 a traffic light of cookies!

Relying on Mrs Crimble for Episode 13...

Dough from the freezer makes this for Episode 14 and methinks I see a face:

Today there was Hedgehog Poetry and then Episode 15 to end Series 3 of Eat The Storms. This cake was selected as today's celebratory treat (it arrived via post from Blissful Pig Vegan Bakery) :

For the Hallowe'en Episode some decorations and a cookie:

Season 4 Episodes 1 and 2 were supported by mince pies!!

Season 4 Episode 3 accompanied by banana bread...

Season 4 Christmas Special was accompanied by this mince pie:

Season 4 Episode 5 was listened to in isolation with these guys for company owing to Covid:

Season 4 Episode 6 and a Christmas present plate comes into play. Shop bought treats as no energy yet for baking:

Season 4 Episode 7 and Kath bakes these delicious treats...

Season 4 Episode 8 generates this kind of vibe:

Season 4 Episode 9 and this little cake arrives. I decorated it with a moat of crisps before I ate it!

Season 4 Episode 10 arrives and I send Kath to cut the cake becuase I am wrapped up in the creation of a new poem...

Season 4 Episode 11 sees this kind of plating up (Thanks again Blissful Pig Vegan Bakery):

Season 4 Episode 12 a plateful of nice things to celebrate being part of this special Valentine's Day episode...

Season 4 Episode 13: Crumpets with gooseberry jam...

Season 4 Episode 14: A forest walk before landing for a bun and cup o' tea...

Season 4 Episode 15: Tea and hot-cross buns for the final episode of Season 4. And how wonderful that the episode opens with 'Scarlet Rising', 'Tattered Brown Trousers' and 'Colour is Waiting'.

Season 5 Episode 1: Just one biscuit as it will soon be time for tea!

Season 5 Episode 2. Mixing it up by listening on a Sunday morning with cups of and homemade rolls.

Season 5 Episode 3. Settled down late to listen having had adventures with wool and sheep on a day out in Weedon Bec.

Season 5 Episode 4. There was tea in this cup and crisps. Loved listening. Loved the Kandinsky poems.

Season 5 Episode 5. Fortunately there is some of this kind of cake left over from my birthday for this episode!

Season 5 Episode 6 accompanied by a chocolate cupcake.

Season 5 Episode 7 'Pride Episode':

Season 5 Episode 8 and I have created a chocolate, apricot, pumpkin seed and bran flake flying saucer:

Season 5 Episode 9 saw a cake from a box and a slightly later than usual listen...

Season 5 Episode10

Season 5 Episode11 and Ronnie was found readying...

Season 5 Episode12 sees cosy slices.

Season 5 Episdode 13 and the highly reliable banana bread (the bananas were as black as a witch's hat and Kath weaved her magic!)

10th September 2022: The Storms International Live Launch

24th September 2022: Tea and cake to accompany the 57 guests reading for the special episode for the inaugural issue:

Season 6, Episode 1, 29th October 2022: Did some 'mucking around with the Guernsey Gache' and then ate the cut off bits while listening and saved this for a dollop of ice-cream for later...

Season 6, Episode 2, 5th November 2022 before the fireworks...

Season 6, Episode 3, 12th November 2022, although I tuned in a day late as I had an urge to start the Christmas shopping on the Saturday. Gulbenkian Joe made this statement about the episode by holding aloft an orange chocolate cream and a cannonball. It was lovely to hear Damien's poem from 'Pandemic Love and Other Affinities' published by Ice Floe Press. And indeed an honour to be within these pages with all those poets.

Season 6, Episode 4, 19th November 2022. Tuned in a day late as there was a Rebecca Swift Foundation day and then a supermarket visit.

Season 6, Episode 5, 26th November 2022. This kind of vibe:

Season 6, Episode 6, 3rd December 2022. Inspired by Nina Parmenter...

Season 6, Episode 7, 10th December 2022.

Season 6, Episode 8, 17th December 2022. No eating or drinking! A day late and instead I am printing out my new collection of poems for Driving to Work 2022 whilst listening. Here's one as a taster.

Driving to Work May 2022

A crow on a telegraph wire doesn’t falter.

A buzzard stately on the verge as three geese rise.

We are graced then too by the flight of a grey heron.

Sunlight shines through the ears of rabbits on the verge.

'Eat the Storms on Christmas Eve'. A late listen after strolling out under a blue sky for a feast...

Season 6, Episode 10, 28th January 2023. I chuckle at the fact that I actually love listening to myself on Eat The Storms. This applies for this epsisode and Kath made chocolate brownies and we drink tea with potato milk!

Season 6, Episode 11, 4th February 2023.

Season 6, Episode 12, 11th February 2023.

Issue 2 of The Storms, 25th February 2023.

Season 6, Episode 14, 4th March 2023. Late today because a shawl needed to fly, so quick snack with a nice cup of tea.

Season 6, Episode 15, 11th March 2023. Here's to seasons ending and seasons yet to be.

Season 7, Episode 1, 20th May 2023. Balancing a piece of lemon cake on my knee ready to listen.

Season 7, Episode 2, 27th May 2023. A beautiful homemade loaf featuring almonds and apricots made by the marvellous Kath.

Season 7, Episode 3, 3rd June 2023. My lovely wife made these heart-shaped cakes for us to enjoy.

Season 7, Episode 4, 10th June 2023. Loved the fact that I was a featured poet. I really enjoyed putting a childhood themed set together for this season. Podcast link.

Season 7, Episode 5, 17th June 2023. A unicorn crumpet with homemade rhubard and ginger jam.

Season 7, Episode 6 The Pride Special 24th June 2023.

Season 7, Episode 7, 1st July 2023.

Season 7, Episode 8, 8th July 2023.

Season 7, Episode 9, 15th July 2023. ‘Double Square Crumpet Under Magritte Sky’

Season 7, Episode 10, 12th August 2023. 'Two Iced and Spiced Buns'

Season 7, Episode 11, 19th August 2023. 'Party Ring Hexagon'

Season 7, Episode 12, 26th August 2023. 'A heart-shaped, home-baked, fruited, lemon and gin scone plated on a Noddy plate and displayed on a Ludo board.'

Season 7, Episode 13, 9th September 2023. 'Decanted Seaside Honeycomb'.

Season 7, Episode 14, 16th September 2023. 'I Love Us, But I Don't Think I Lined Up the Stripes on Our Macaroons as Well as I Could'.

The Audio Companion to The Storms Issue III, 28th October '3 Cookies for Issue 3' (The Storms, Issue III is introduced by a Smurf in a white suit and three cookies, freshly baked by Kath Andrews, are presented on a red heart-shaped plate. All of it as delicious as the issue itself.)

Ah, the 'Premier Inn paper-plated chocolate cakes' for The Christmas Episode 2023...

Season 8 Episode 1 3rd February 2024. This season includes interviews for the first time and to celebrate 5pm words and new seasons Kath and I decorate our buns.

Season 8 Episode 2 10th February 2024. Love themed for this episode...

Season 8 Episode 3 17th February 2024. Delayed listening because my sister and I were out feasting before the Snooker Semi Final in Llandudno.

Season 8 Episode 4 24th February 2024. Kath's chocolate cookies in celebration of the episode I am interviewed in and the sharing of one poem from each gallery from 'Welcome to the Museum of A Life' my forthcoming poetry collection with Black Eyes Publishing UK.

Season 8 Episode 5 9th March 2024. East Anglia Yarn Festival weekend so we were in a Premier Inn in Norwich with these treats. Two buns are shown on top of 'Into the Vortex' a knitwear design by Kath Andrews.