I woke up most concerned that I was late for my 10am rendez-vous at the Post Office with Noel Gallagher. We’ve all got colds so sneezed and tissued our way through breakfast still half asleep. Not Noel, that was a dream. The night before’s dream was about my house being knocked down and replaced by a bungalow which turned out to be a tourist attraction with people buying nick nacks from the shop in my front room. Ahem… anyway, spent almost the whole day trying to make some sloe and apple jelly. Did it set? Did it heck. Tastes nice though.
Mr. P called me outside to look at our catastrophically blocked drains. I won’t go into details. There’s a brave man coming to sort it in the morning. He did say “not sure what time it’ll be as I’m going out tonight.” What a job, never mind with a hangover. (more…)
4am: “mummy, I had a horrid dream, a blue beetle was crawling on my leg”.
I foolishly allowed R into our bed and endured the next 3 hours being kicked, poked, coughed and farted at instead of sleeping . When it apparently became morning, the loo got blocked and nearly overflowed, so despite my eyes being barely open, I had marigolds and bog water right up to my elbows.
Later on while R was occupied doing some painting, I resolved I must do something about the stray sheep that’s wandered into the field at the back of us. The farmer who owns the field told me yesterday it wasn’t his or the farmer to the right of us. So I went about tracking down the numbers of the farmers to the left and straight ahead. Farmer to the left said it wasn’t his and gave me the number for the other farmer. I jotted it down on a piece of paper on the table.
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Food & Drink [2] Comments
This recipe is dedicated to Chris who would no doubt have left a funny comment about wanting to scoff the lot. I’m willing these over to you, fella …x
Mini Tarte Tatins
Actually it’s a cobbling together of two other recipes. My lovely friend allotment girl introduced me to Gordon Ramsey’s caramelised apples over xmas.
Just cover the bottom of your frying pan with caster sugar and put it on a fairly high heat to caramelise. Once it starts browing and bubbling, add about a fifth of a block of butter. If it starts separating out and going like toffee, like mine did just keep it moving and add more butter. Add a generous amount of whole spices: star anise, cinamon sticks, cloves and add your fruit. Gordon used apples and pears but I just used apples – about 5 peeled and cut into mouthful size chunks. leave to simmer in the treacly goo until tender. This is heavenly served as is (fish out the spices first), with ice cream. Gordon puts booze in his, brandy I think.
However, I had some buttery sweet shortcrust left over from my mince pies that was defrosting so I thought I’d be completely decadent and make the apples into lovely shortbready pies. I discovered the pastry recipe this year and it was so delicious, I’m gonna stick with it for forever. I did add some water to mine to get it moving and rolled out and cut the shapes rather than mould them. I promise you will get lots of compliments about next year’s mince pies if you use this!
I’m so sad to have to say goodbye to my blogging friend Chris / Kopstoot
I was shocked to hear today that Chris passed away a few days ago. I only met him once in real life many years ago, through an old friend but we recently became blogging buddies. 
Chris could always be relied upon for a silly comment or a generous compliment – he seemed a very giving person. 
Before he died Chris worked in the library and taught English to refugees and asylum seekers. Many years before that he was a war photographer. I think this left him with quite a scar.
I liked looking at his blog pictures as they always captured something different – one day a quirky pavement sticker, the next a tulip with fresh rain, the next his fave bar in Amsterdam. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind me showing you some here. Chris was always very encouraging about “making” pictures and was kind enough to make nice comments about my photos. He also gave good technical advice ie. “for a steady shot, lean your elbows on the top of R’s head” – that sort of thing.
You will be dearly missed Chris. Here’s a lovely welshy sunset especially for you xx
(Resolves to write more on blog this year…)
