Monday, July 06, 2009
Test drive of the awning
On the occasion of the FIL birthday celebration, cow chops, al fresco under the new awning. Three fairly significant changes to the format, apart from the al fresco business. First, having had a pork loin joint chined recently, decided to go for it with the three conjoined cow chops bought for this occasion, having resisted suggestions about this from the butcher for two years or more. I was concerned that chined, the thing might degenerate when cooking and not look quite as flash when brought to the table. But it worked OK. Didn't lose its shape when cooking and the fact that one could remove the small bones as one went along made for easier carving. And it left an interesting large flat bone which could be broken up and chewed in comfort. The only downside was that the joint was not quite as solid when half eaten. Having lost a good bit of structural integrity, a tendency to fall apart. But overall, a good thing. Second, we decided to have soup as a starter. Leek and potato with mixed rolls from Cheam. All very nice, but you have to remember to go easy on the soup to leave room for a decent portion of beef. Third, we decided to lay off the cabbage for once, parly because crinkly cabbage is not in season. So we had runner beans, presumably grown under plastic or under overseas sun. Don't suppose natural organic English ones are quite ready yet. Not bad, with no strings. But cooked to a slightly dull green with not too strong a flavour. Dear to buy and good to try, but back to cabbage next time. A minor up point was that their remains ate quite well cold and unflavoured with oil or vinegar the next day.
When they accompanied a smoked haddock version of the fish dish reported on 4/7/2009. Around a pound of smoked haddock, padded out with two onions, maybe a pound and a half of cooked new potatoes and some left over frozen peas (thawed) worked well. BH was even persuaded to resume consumption of smoked haddock, having been on strike in that department for a few weeks.
Today to that well known luvvy joint, the Latchmere, via Battersea Park. Battersea Park a little damp, but otherwise up to scratch. Two splendid compositions in green, one the trunk of a large London plane and the other the divided trunk of some kind of eucalyptus. Given a bit of practise and/or skill I should have been able to extract a photograph or better still a still life in oils. Water colour would have been too weak to capture the rich variety of greens and greys involved. Various fishermen trying to extract fish from the pond. One said (in a proper, old-style London accent) that he had been fishing the pond for fifty years. Sometimes catching thirty pounders and sometimes going a small number of months without a bite. But he keeps at it. Blew eight quid on tea and cake at the waterfront cafe. Not bad stuff but an expensive way to eat. Then pegged it along the northern side of the park to exit at Albert Bridge. Across the bridge, past some very swanky flats, past what looked like the very swanky international headquarters of the Lord Foster of Thames Bank organisation and then up onto Battersea Bridge road. Bridge looking very well, repainted with some of the detail having been picked out in gold. Rather than stopping on the way, even managing to get past the Youngs establishment unscathed, we kept ourselves fresh for the Latchmere where I had a decent couple of pints of Doombar. Proper London pub iron pillars with fancy capitals. Thought about giving the upstairs theatre a go (http://www.theatre503.com/), but the programme looks a touch fringy. Probably involves a lot of coarse humour. Cheap but starts a bit late. Probably be back in Epsom after midnight. Need to give it some deep thought. Then on to the Falcon where just a quick whistle whetting Brakespeare bitter of some sort or another. Then onto, just for old times sake, a crowded train. Luckily a fast one, so we got home in time to whack up some lentil soup for supper.
Not bad but the (basics?) unsmoked bacon from Mr S. did not add quite as many e numbers as I would have liked. So the result was a little bland. But entirely serviceable. Done the first couple of pints with the balance earmarked for the next day.
# posted by Jim @ 11:42 AM 
