Friday, June 29, 2007
Culinery matters
Top rib did very well cold - as well, although differant, as the fore rib. And a lot easier to carve, pleasing those who like their meat in delicate slices. Only puzzle was that the string which tied it up seemed to be buried very deep inside, which caused occasional issues when one chomped, unexpectedly on a lump of string, or worse still a knot.
Fat white fish don't seem to be being caught at Hastings so reduced today to a couple of Dover Sole for lunch. Reasonably dear but a much better bet than the Lemon Sole we had the last time white fish went missing. Both flavour and texture better.
Harvest in full swing between the showers at the allotment. The wave of broad beans is now ramping up and is about to hit the drive. Spent yesterday blanching then freezing them. We will see if ten rows is a row too far.
Just finished lifting the Ketrel second earlies - which included a surprising number of very large potatoes - surprising after last year's rather poor performance. Some of the big ones appear to have grown so fast that they have developed cracks, a bit like those you get in cakes. And just finished the last of the Sainsbury whites - having forgotten in a week or so how grotty they taste at this time of year compared with fresh.
Had a go at the third gooseberry bush, which turns out to be a differant variety from the first two. The riper ones are a very pleasing dull red colour and they cook to a slightly chewy skin which I rather like. Must plant more of the things.
BH had made a start on the smaller blackcurrent bush - there still being a small quantity at the bottom of the freezer from last year. Got about a pound before rain stopped play. But the rain did, at least, allow us to test the merits of divan bases as things to shelter under. That is to say, one to sit on and one draped over ones' heads. Worked quite well - and visited by a fledgling robin who looked rather fragile - until a puddle started to gather underneath at which point we abandoned ship and returned to the Dover Soles.
Pumpkin plants had been doing OK but one has been decapitated, presumably by slugs, in the last couple of days. More slug pellets needed.
My old school at Cambridge continues to drop expensive mail shots on me. Don't know quite from where they got my address but they are clearly try-hards. Presumably a good enough proportion of us reach for our cheque books or wills to make it all worth while for them. But don't think I am quite up for a 40 year class reunion - although it was interesting to see the names of those that they claimed had expressed interest - some of whom I would have never thought into this sort of thing. Maybe I should suggest they move with the times and get a Facebook site. (According to the DT one of the new cabinet got his entry updated within hours of being appointed).
Bought my first book from Smiths for years, there being one quite near to the Cheam baker, so faster than Amazon - and with an ugly sticker giving one a £3 discount. Hopefully it will peel off OK. Would Amazon have offered a better price? A book advertised in this week's TLS about the late lamented Diana by the late editor of the Tatler and the New Yorker. Someone who ought to be well qualified to spout about fashion and the press - these two accounting for a good part of the interest. It seems that her new angle is that Camilla is first villain of the peice with CGM and DGM being second and third villains. Decrypts may be sent to comments. All a bit like the Sun; something to pick up and read but not something to buy. My alibi is that I bought it for the BH.
Fat white fish don't seem to be being caught at Hastings so reduced today to a couple of Dover Sole for lunch. Reasonably dear but a much better bet than the Lemon Sole we had the last time white fish went missing. Both flavour and texture better.
Harvest in full swing between the showers at the allotment. The wave of broad beans is now ramping up and is about to hit the drive. Spent yesterday blanching then freezing them. We will see if ten rows is a row too far.
Just finished lifting the Ketrel second earlies - which included a surprising number of very large potatoes - surprising after last year's rather poor performance. Some of the big ones appear to have grown so fast that they have developed cracks, a bit like those you get in cakes. And just finished the last of the Sainsbury whites - having forgotten in a week or so how grotty they taste at this time of year compared with fresh.
Had a go at the third gooseberry bush, which turns out to be a differant variety from the first two. The riper ones are a very pleasing dull red colour and they cook to a slightly chewy skin which I rather like. Must plant more of the things.
BH had made a start on the smaller blackcurrent bush - there still being a small quantity at the bottom of the freezer from last year. Got about a pound before rain stopped play. But the rain did, at least, allow us to test the merits of divan bases as things to shelter under. That is to say, one to sit on and one draped over ones' heads. Worked quite well - and visited by a fledgling robin who looked rather fragile - until a puddle started to gather underneath at which point we abandoned ship and returned to the Dover Soles.
Pumpkin plants had been doing OK but one has been decapitated, presumably by slugs, in the last couple of days. More slug pellets needed.
My old school at Cambridge continues to drop expensive mail shots on me. Don't know quite from where they got my address but they are clearly try-hards. Presumably a good enough proportion of us reach for our cheque books or wills to make it all worth while for them. But don't think I am quite up for a 40 year class reunion - although it was interesting to see the names of those that they claimed had expressed interest - some of whom I would have never thought into this sort of thing. Maybe I should suggest they move with the times and get a Facebook site. (According to the DT one of the new cabinet got his entry updated within hours of being appointed).
Bought my first book from Smiths for years, there being one quite near to the Cheam baker, so faster than Amazon - and with an ugly sticker giving one a £3 discount. Hopefully it will peel off OK. Would Amazon have offered a better price? A book advertised in this week's TLS about the late lamented Diana by the late editor of the Tatler and the New Yorker. Someone who ought to be well qualified to spout about fashion and the press - these two accounting for a good part of the interest. It seems that her new angle is that Camilla is first villain of the peice with CGM and DGM being second and third villains. Decrypts may be sent to comments. All a bit like the Sun; something to pick up and read but not something to buy. My alibi is that I bought it for the BH.
# posted by Jim @ 6:15 AM 
