pumpkinstrokemarrow

I also got around to taking a look at the introduction, being interested in a book which had exactly 100 chapters. It seems that it was intended from the outset to come in two volumes of 10 sections each, each section to contain 5 chapters. I imagine that sections were supposed to be of more or less uniform length. The first volume was to end hanging of a cliff (metaphorically speaking of course). Trollope prided himself on being able to write his novels within this kind of framework. Which, the introduction tells me, was more or less obsolete by the time this book was written, but Trollope and his publisher were entranced by the success of Middlemarch, which had recently been published in this sort of way.

Not sure that Trollope did himself any favours with his loyal readers by exposing some of the grubby workings of the literary world. When you are writing a novel, including privileged material about the production and promotion of the novel itself is a little self indulgent. One should stick to knocking everybody else rather than oneself, or those near one. In any event, his star started to wane about this point and the fixed price contracts he liked with his publishers started to involve fewer naughts.

Today a double stick outing to Epsom. That is to say that FIL and I tapped our way down with near identical walking sticks, although the stick of which his was made had a green tinge to it and mine is an inch or so longer so we should not get into too much of a muddle. I also notice that my rubber ferrule wears most on the rear inside corner. Clearly something odd about the way I crock along.

Then further along the way to Epsom, passed a flock of thrush like birds feeding on Clayhill Green. FIL thought that they were redwings in consequence of their being a in a flock, something that regular thrushes do not do. Plus redwings are winter visitors. Seemed fair enough, but I could not make out the distinctive yellow flashes I thought that redwings had over and under the eyes. Must take bins down next time. But why do neither these nor any other sorts of thrushes ever seem to appear on the bit of green between Hookfield and Wheelers Lane or on Court Rec.? One might have thought that they were very much the same sort of green. And why do Google maps fail to label both Clayhill Green and the bit of green between Hookfield etc? The latter used to be moderately important as the site of an occasional fair. Perhaps there are customary rights in such matters. And, as it happens, the site was left in a dreadful mess after the last such fair, maybe ten or fifteen years ago. The fair ground people involved seemed to be completely without common decency when it came to making mess or to clearing it up.

Today was also the third day for the Tavistock top rib. The second day had been cold with my version of Dauphinoise potatoes and crinkly cabbage. The potatoes were boiled for 10 minutes, then coarsely sliced and arranged with some finely sliced onions in a baking dish. Pour blood and fat from the top rib over. Bake for an hour. A bit greasy but good gear. The third day we minced most of the balance, using our fine No. 10 Spong Mincer, a heavy cast steel contraption I do not suppose one could buy new these days. Very fond of the sort of mince you get by mincing cold roast meat; a quite different thing from the raw mince you get from the butcher. Add a bit of minced carrot, minced onion, a little water, a little browning, a handful of red lentils and simmer for 90 minutes. Serve with crinkly cabbage and mashed potatoes.

The crinkly cabbage from Waitrose at 89p a pop, with most of the outer green leaves missing. Not such a good buy as the crinkly cabbage from the market, late Saturday afternoon, at 75p a pop or £1 for two. Sadly BH had drifted off at that point, having given me the 75p, so I was unable to indulge myself in two of the things, well wrapped in outer green leaves, as they should be. Perhaps Waitrose customers are deemed to be older folk with challenged dentition who do not care for the more chewy outer leaves.