There are many thankless jobs around and sometimes, especially in times of recession, you have to take what work is offered just to put bread on the table. If you have to work in a call centre, I sympathise, I really do, but ......
I can close my eyes, close my mouth and sometimes even close my mind but ears, well, they are different. When cooking, preparing a meal, I can (and do) ignore the door bell. The phone? Hmmm.. And when do the cold-callers call? Right, just after midday and between 5 and 6 o'clock.
So I really need to say this (just the once),
Will you please, get your foot out of my ear?
Tuesday 30 July 2013
Monday 22 July 2013
Little pots of mmm....!
Eating what is fresh, locally grown and in season, is satisfying on so many levels. Personally, I struggle to eat salads when the weather is cold, feeling baked apples and lentil soup are more satisfying. So it is no surprise that when we are surrounded by such an abundance of sun-ripened red, black and purple berries, the desire is to use them in as many ways possible. Who does not feel better for a meal of fresh, raw pick-your-own?
Lurking in one of my (many) cookery books was a recipe for a light pudding which is ideal for fruit gluts or even frozen fruit (although I am not sure it would taste as good with snow on the ground). It makes four generous servings - if put in to ramekins, it will make six or eight, and if less full because of the topping, maybe nine.
Yes, the topping. Good with out, better with whipped cream, but wonderful with white chocolate cream. This is a (very indulgent) dessert in its own, so is an ideal counterpoint. And the decoration is eminently munch able, so make lots!
Red and White Puddings.
In to a liquidizer/food processor put about 500g fruit (loganberries and strawberries are my current favourite), 125g caster sugar and about three-quarters of a measured pint of water, keeping the rest for later. Blend thoroughly. Place a sieve over a good sized pan and pour the fruit puree through it, adding the rest of the water to help squeeze as much fruit through as possible.
Weigh 50g cornflour in to a large bowl and mix with a little of the sieved puree, to a smooth paste. Heat pan with fruit to boiling point and pour over the cornflour paste, mixing well. Return to pan and stir until thickened, watching to make sure no lumps form. (If they do, remove from heat and stir well until mixed in. A small whisk can help at this stage.) Pour in to bowls and leave to cool.
White Chocolate Cream.
Put 284ml (now the cartons are usually 300ml) single cream in to a saucepan, adding the torn leaves and stalks from a large bunch of basil. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat, then remove from heat and set aside to infuse for at least 10 minutes - the longer the better, but take care a skin does not form. I leave it on top of the Aga until ready to continue.
Meanwhile, weigh out 325g good white chocolate drops, or if slab, chop in to small pieces.
Pour cream through a sieve in to a clean pan, squeezing out as much flavour as possible. Discard basil. Return pan to heat and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and immediately tip in the chocolate. Leave a few minutes to melt, the stir until smooth.
Pour gently on top of Red Puddings and pour any remaining into small ramekins as a special treat!
Enjoy!
Any topping will do, almond rocher is nice, but I love caramelized cacao nibs (see 'ecole chocolat' for recipe).
Also, any herb would be good to flavour the cream. Mint is the obvious (I have used it to flavour ganache) but lemon balm would be interesting, or fennel perhaps...?)
Lurking in one of my (many) cookery books was a recipe for a light pudding which is ideal for fruit gluts or even frozen fruit (although I am not sure it would taste as good with snow on the ground). It makes four generous servings - if put in to ramekins, it will make six or eight, and if less full because of the topping, maybe nine.
Yes, the topping. Good with out, better with whipped cream, but wonderful with white chocolate cream. This is a (very indulgent) dessert in its own, so is an ideal counterpoint. And the decoration is eminently munch able, so make lots!
Red and White Puddings.
In to a liquidizer/food processor put about 500g fruit (loganberries and strawberries are my current favourite), 125g caster sugar and about three-quarters of a measured pint of water, keeping the rest for later. Blend thoroughly. Place a sieve over a good sized pan and pour the fruit puree through it, adding the rest of the water to help squeeze as much fruit through as possible.
Weigh 50g cornflour in to a large bowl and mix with a little of the sieved puree, to a smooth paste. Heat pan with fruit to boiling point and pour over the cornflour paste, mixing well. Return to pan and stir until thickened, watching to make sure no lumps form. (If they do, remove from heat and stir well until mixed in. A small whisk can help at this stage.) Pour in to bowls and leave to cool.
White Chocolate Cream.
Put 284ml (now the cartons are usually 300ml) single cream in to a saucepan, adding the torn leaves and stalks from a large bunch of basil. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat, then remove from heat and set aside to infuse for at least 10 minutes - the longer the better, but take care a skin does not form. I leave it on top of the Aga until ready to continue.
Meanwhile, weigh out 325g good white chocolate drops, or if slab, chop in to small pieces.
Pour cream through a sieve in to a clean pan, squeezing out as much flavour as possible. Discard basil. Return pan to heat and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and immediately tip in the chocolate. Leave a few minutes to melt, the stir until smooth.
Pour gently on top of Red Puddings and pour any remaining into small ramekins as a special treat!
Enjoy!
Any topping will do, almond rocher is nice, but I love caramelized cacao nibs (see 'ecole chocolat' for recipe).
Also, any herb would be good to flavour the cream. Mint is the obvious (I have used it to flavour ganache) but lemon balm would be interesting, or fennel perhaps...?)
Sunday 14 July 2013
....and the sulks are infectious?? *
We all have our moments of stubbornness, when we dig our heels in and refuse to budge. A line is drawn. Even if others prove categorically that our stated position is wrong, backing us in to an indefensible corner where black has to be declared white, then so be it. Backing down is not an option. 'They' go on and on, insisting they are right, insisting you are wrong and a mumpsimus is what you become.
In such a situation, though, I wonder if it less about who is wrong and more about who has to be right. A power thing. Human existence is built on little deceits, from the kind (you look wonderful, dear), the polite (that was very nice, interesting..), to the diplomatic (I'm sure this can be fixed) and the politic (everything possible is being done). Good manners, a smile and a tactful turn of phrase ease our way through life. In every disagreement, does someone have to be right? Or to be wrong? Does it really matter?
So what if we saw through every lie, all the misinformation and were aware of all the side-stepping from what actually is, to what others think we should know. I have just read a novel which puts forward the idea of an engine which would enable everyone to recognise a lie for what it was and see the consequences of its outcome and suggests it would therefore promote an end to war, conflict. Possible?
Or do we need little lies and deviousness to deal with the hugeness of life? If we truly knew what would happen if we said/did a certain something, would we ever be able to do anything?
This all came from the 'wordsmith' site and its word of the day - mumpsimus; (1) A view stubbornly held in spite of clear evidence that it is wrong. (2) A person who holds such a view.
A site to provoke thought!
*Oh, quote from my dictionary, under 'mump' - The sulks; a contagious disease characterized by a swelling and inflammation in the parotid and salivary glands!
In such a situation, though, I wonder if it less about who is wrong and more about who has to be right. A power thing. Human existence is built on little deceits, from the kind (you look wonderful, dear), the polite (that was very nice, interesting..), to the diplomatic (I'm sure this can be fixed) and the politic (everything possible is being done). Good manners, a smile and a tactful turn of phrase ease our way through life. In every disagreement, does someone have to be right? Or to be wrong? Does it really matter?
So what if we saw through every lie, all the misinformation and were aware of all the side-stepping from what actually is, to what others think we should know. I have just read a novel which puts forward the idea of an engine which would enable everyone to recognise a lie for what it was and see the consequences of its outcome and suggests it would therefore promote an end to war, conflict. Possible?
Or do we need little lies and deviousness to deal with the hugeness of life? If we truly knew what would happen if we said/did a certain something, would we ever be able to do anything?
This all came from the 'wordsmith' site and its word of the day - mumpsimus; (1) A view stubbornly held in spite of clear evidence that it is wrong. (2) A person who holds such a view.
A site to provoke thought!
*Oh, quote from my dictionary, under 'mump' - The sulks; a contagious disease characterized by a swelling and inflammation in the parotid and salivary glands!
Tuesday 2 July 2013
Summer smiles
Hurrah, midsummer and the sun shone! The garden is green, purple, pink and humming with bumble bees, who have constructed a hive in the yucca (which is sporting several spikes of red/cream flowers).
(Does anyone recognize this bee?)
The pond is crowded with frogs, including a very large sand-coloured one with distinctive markings down behind its eyes. Blackbirds have a nest and I am hoping there is a hedgehog home in the compound - early one morning I saw one making several journeys from garden to hidey-hole, mouth bursting with dried leaves.
Courgettes and beans are beginning to fill the bins and loganberries promise to be prolific. It feels like an old fashioned cottage garden, it just needs some old fashioned summer weather!
(Does anyone recognize this bee?)
The pond is crowded with frogs, including a very large sand-coloured one with distinctive markings down behind its eyes. Blackbirds have a nest and I am hoping there is a hedgehog home in the compound - early one morning I saw one making several journeys from garden to hidey-hole, mouth bursting with dried leaves.
Courgettes and beans are beginning to fill the bins and loganberries promise to be prolific. It feels like an old fashioned cottage garden, it just needs some old fashioned summer weather!
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