Out Went Macaroons, A Poem By Mandy Sutter
by Mandy Sutter
This is the poignant but funny story of what happened at home when I was twelve (and rather plump) and my mother decided to stop baking. She thought all those home made goodies were just too tempting for me! This poem is from my collection Old Blue Car.
Transcript
Hello there,
It's Mandy here.
I'd like to read you a poem from my collection Old Blue Car.
And this one is called Out Went Macaroons.
When I was twelve and fat,
My mother stopped baking.
Out went macaroons and butter sinking slowly through hot scones.
Out went rock buns with their shy request for half an egg.
In came Ravita's.
Dry as dead men's ashes In came skimmed milk.
Measured in a 20 calorie jug.
Behind closed doors,
Soft bags of ground almonds rubbed shoulders with bottles of cochineal.
Shelves were sticky with the pink rings of glacé cherry tubs.
Imminent with the black rattle of cake tins.
Grease-proof sheets still jammed the drawer.
But my mother's back was turned.
Fearing my appetite she went shop-bought hid wagon wheels in the spare room wardrobe.
I stole them often.
Ept whole packets in one go To keep the crime clean.
Her cookbooks,
Plump with cuttings,
Look modest on my shelf.
Her inked instructions are neat and strict.
Bake in deep tin,
It rises.
Heat,
But do not boil.
Despite my broken waistline,
These days I bake often.
Finding her in the sweet density of marzipan the bitter puff of burnt currants.
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5.0 (6)
Recent Reviews
Olivia
May 28, 2026
Love this view of life, how we see ourselves in youth and what feelings carry over into adulthood…those we cherish.🙏🕊️⭐️
Cindy
May 15, 2026
Another one!! How lovely!! 🙏🏻😊❤️
Jo
May 9, 2026
I loved this too, I'm fascinated with the subjects you choose! Such wonderful descriptions in this poem & I love the thought of you baking in memory of your mum, how precious are cookbooks (or books in general) with cherished people's notes in, I have these too. And rockbuns from the old Be-Ro cookbooks too, still one of my favourite things to bake & eat!
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