Last week I gave my readers & followers the chance to publicly ask me absolutely anything. No rules, no topics, just to ask "Miss Sue Flay" a question... and for me to answer it as best I can.
I have to say, I was inspired by the very talented & crafty lady, Claire Wilson who is better known online as Claireabellemakes. She did this and it inspired me to see what my followers would ask of me. To say I was a little nervous was an understatement, but you have been lovely and very amusing in this little experiment, so thank you to all who posted me a question! So here are the questions that were asked of me, along with my answers, I hope you enjoy the randomness of these as much as I did!
What part of your life do you find the most challenging and why? (
Claire) Good question, I find so much difficult it's hard to pick ; ) Believe it or not, I'm a shy girl and speaking publicly petrifies me. I've recently spoken at two different events & have been asked to do a talk at a huge home makers event in London, I'm scared witless, but my stubborn nature stops me from saying no. I like to challenge myself, no matter how much it scares me... how boring would life be if I said no all the time?! I have no idea why it scares me so much, as I can usually make sense of what I'm trying to say, I guess it just comes down to confidence and it took a long time for me to gain anything resembling that, but am getting there slowly, but surely- I can thank my lovely friends lately for being so supportive!
When was the last time you ate a cupcake? ; ) (
Deepa) Deepa knows all too well how much I used to LOVE cupcakes haha... then I fell out of love with the little blighters. I have a real love/hate relationship making them to say the very least. I'm not 100% why I must say. A slight pain, seeing as I had one tattooed onto the top of my left foot a few year ago, bugger! In fact, I now run a private household for a Cambridge-based family part time, it's great fun and I get to bake with the lads in the kitchen, which I absolutely love doing. As they are young, they love making cupcakes, so I did in fact make some of my infamous Oreo cupcakes last Friday and I "May" have nibbled on one as a result... ahem!
Have you ever gone to teach a class at someone's house to find their kitchen in a dirty state? How do you cope with that? (
Victoria) Actually Victoria, this is a slight fear of mine... but I am very lucky to be able to say (to date!) I have been very lucky in the kitchens I've been invited to help bake with students, they have all been fabulous. Even the smallest kitchen I taught in had the most STUNNING collection of Emma Bridgewater china proudly nestled in a space saving cupboard above the oven - I was in my element! Ask me again in a year, once I've really got going - eek! The biggest problem with teaching in the winter was actually teaching in freezing cold kitchens (especially when it snowed) and having to keep the buttercream for certain cakes from freezing solid, it was that cold in some homes, including my own, it was a bit of a technical nightmare that I have had to learn to cope with fast and on the spot.
What would the 10 year old version of you think of you now and the person you've become? (
Scott) Wow, a question I have no idea how to answer. When I was 10 I wanted to be a policewoman if I remember correctly, I was a tom boy really and was probably equally as scary as I may come across now in hostile situations. I would have made a mighty fine copper, however, as for most of us, those mainstream jobs go out the window when you start your working life. I've done everything from working in a stables, opticians, chemist, dolls house shop, boring admin jobs in various offices, through to chasing a career in events & hospitality. None of them were meant to be for me, I was too strong minded and had my own ideas of wanting to work for myself. I think my new business ventures would confuse the 10 year old me, I wouldn't have got it, but I would have thought the cakes I make are awesome and I would have wanted to lick the bowl every time I saw my 29 year old self baking something, that's for sure!
Whats your top tip for icing cupcakes? (Victoria) Don't handle the buttercream too much, otherwise it will start to melt... especially important in hot weather. Use a large drinking glass to place your piping bag over, then hold the glass when topping up the piping bag so you don't touch the sides with your fingers. This way you don't need to handle the buttercream until you are ready to pipe your cakes.
Jamie, no I can't bring myself to write your question and answer it, it's just too crude for this blog post hehe - trust you! ; p
Miss Sue Flay
Every year it gets harder and harder, especially when they don't want for anything and another set of novelty golf tees just aren't going to cut it! Well, look no further, Miss Sue Flay will sort you out and help you to book a Fathers Day experience like no other - She will help you to win him over in a heart beat! You can book a baking lesson in his own home, either to help him brush up his skills or learn to bake full stop. It can be tailored to his likes, so can be as simple or as technical as he would want it to be, you can even let your old man choose his own recipes once he knows what his gift is... It's very flexible indeed. Or you can book to join him or have a family baking lesson, getting the children involved, baking up a storm over an hour or two, then sitting down to your very own Afternoon Tea afterwards to enjoy the goodies you've made together. Perfect. 
What could be better than the smell of a freshly whipped up Victoria Sponge and some fruit scones & all the trimmings with a pot of dads favourite tea?! If your dad isn't into the baking at all, but you want to learn a few new skills to bake for him, then we can do this too... make it your own and give him something very special and personal this Fathers Day. Some of the recipes you can learn to make: Chocolate Malteaser Layer Cake Cinnamon Streusel Scones Salted Caramel Ritz Cake Giggle Cake Profiterole Tower Orange & Cinnamon Curd Retro Sweets Show Stopper Cake Cherries & Cream Cupcakes Cookies & Cream Cheesecake Truffles Meringue Kisses 
On the flip side of that, your old gaffer could be more into the eating than the baking, so why not book an Afternoon Tea Etiquette Workshop instead? You can now book a private afternoon tea etiquette session with a luxurious afternoon tea in a very relaxed City Centre venue in Cambridge to include a selection of delicate finger sandwiches, scones, cakes and sweet treats and, of course, copious amounts of top quality tea as we converse. Practice the art of conversation, enjoy some fabulous tea & cakes or use it as an excuse to spend some time with your family, it's a superb way to while away an afternoon. Or, again, why not book Miss Sue Flay to visit you in your own home or venue of your choice, should you prefer to make or source your own Afternoon Tea? 
Topics you will learn throughout your session include: History of afternoon tea Napkin etiquette Scones - Jam then cream? Or cream then jam? Milk then tea or tea then milk? Hosting manners Good guest etiquette Table manners - why they matter Dressing for afternoon tea Polite table talk - and putting it into practice Excusing yourself Plus much more besides! This is the "ultimate finishing school for afternoon tea" and your manners will increase ten fold… we hope! On reflection, perhaps YOU (my dearest reader) are the father and you want to treat YOUR family for a change? Who needs tradition?!... Let's get plotting any which way you choose. To book or discuss one of the above packages & simple pricing structure in further detail, simply email: Hello@MissSueFlay.com Or visit: www.misssueflay.com 
And most importantly... Happy Fathers Day! Photos courtesy of Liquid Photo 
