BIG BAD World?
Mr Wolf answers all your worries and problems
Dear Mr Wolf,
I’m a 27 year old female and I think I have
trouble with alcohol. I don’t drink a lot but
when I do, I have too much which causes me
to make a show of myself.
Mr Wolf says
Well done for recognising that you have a
problem with alcohol! It’s the first step in
regaining control over your life and feeling
good about yourself.
Even though you don’t drink every day or
vast amounts, you’ve been drinking to the
point where it affects your mood, your selfworth and your behaviour. You’ve even put
yourself in harm’s way. By some definitions
that counts as alcoholism. People are
individuals and their bodies have the ability
to process alcohol to differing degrees.
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That doesn’t make you weak or inadequate.
It’s just useful information for you to act
on. Some people know when to stop - but as
alcohol first knocks out social guidelines and
adult awareness, it can be hard to for others
to take control of their drinking.
So what can you do about this? Find an
alcohol awareness and support group in
your area. They’ll be listed in Yellow Pages
or on Yell.com. Some, such as AA (Alcoholics
Anonymous), operate their 12-Step Program
nationwide. Others are regional. In the West
Midlands there’s Aquarius (www.aquarius.
org.uk). Drinkline 0800 917 8282 can tell you
where to find services too. Or talk to your
doctor.
The sooner you act, the sooner you’ll find
balance and confidence. I wish you the
courage to find - and use - the help you need.
Recipe of the month
From the big bad wolf
Strawberry cream tea cake
Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. On the coarse side of a box grater, grate the butter into a
bowl, then place back in the freezer for 5 mins. With a spatula, quickly mix the butter with the
flour, baking powder and sugar, add the milk and lemon juice, then bring together until you
have a butter-speckled dough. Knead the dough a few times on a floured surface. Roll out to a
circle, press into a lightly greased 20cm sandwich tin, then brush the top with egg and scatter
with a little sugar.
Bake for 20 mins until risen and golden, then transfer to a cooling rack.
While the scone is cooling, toss the strawberries in a bowl with a sprinkling of the sugar and
the jam, then set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk the clotted cream until stiff with the 50g
sugar and a drop of vanilla extract.
To assemble the cake, place the scone base on a serving plate, spread the cream over, leaving a slight edge of the cake showing, then pile the saucy strawberries on top. Serve cut into
wedges
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