Chips
It’s strange but I always choose what we will eat in the evening. Even when Danny does the big shop. Even when he does the cooking. I wake up and the second thought after”I must have a large mug of tea. Now.” Is immediately, “What will we eat tonight? D is a carnivore with a capital K. If I am feeling tired and droopy, I want light meals with very little meat. He is understanding and agrees to the wildest whims as long as 1) I take his turn to cook and 2) He can have chips Chips would be an integral, pivotal element of...
read moreDonagh’s Gambas al pil pil recipe
Donagh (pronounced Dunna) is Danny’s youngest brother. He is a superb cook. When we meet the Dublin flight at Stansted he is Talking Food. The journey to the cottage is spiced with intriguing recipes and discoveries. Sitting in the back of the car, I begin to get nervous as I always seem to cook for Donagh’s first night. Generally, it’s a disaster. The next day we shop, he doesn’t buy the most expensive ingredients as we venture through the entire local tranche from Netto to Waitrose, with a dally at Tesco in between....
read moreBob amongst the Aardvarks
Yesterday Jalopy and I were tootling down to Saffron Walden when I spotted a friend walking her dog. The family used to live next door, moved away about six years ago and we gradually lost touch. Alice is now married and expecting her first baby in three weeks time. When I first met her she was 14. Brilliant with horses and highly intelligent. Our households were close, often eating together and playing games. Not Hunt the Thimble or Monopoly. We played Bob amongst the Aardvarks. Initially we played charades. The game where one person chooses...
read moreSeven random garden facts
Ten days ago, Sara from Farming Friends tagged me for seven random facts about my garden. I have lived here for fifteen years now, creating and maintaining my garden is how I keep vaguely sane. When I first moved here it was just after I had been released from a short, unhappy marriage. A marriage that was so brief that all I tottered away with was half the wedding presents and a tattered heart. I am extremely lucky in “The boy stood on the burning deck” sort of way. My aunt had unexpectedly died and left me some money. I could...
read moreMrs Boss jumps: the Svengali Bantam
Mrs Boss is the Bantam heroine of the Farming Friends – Cottage Smallholder Interblog Guinea Fowl Breeding Event. She has been broody more often than not throughout her four summers. As a result, she spends weeks either in the anti broody coop or being bullied by the other hens in our flock. Sara at Farming Friends took pity on this diminutive feather footed hen and sent six guinea fowl eggs to us in the post for Mrs B to hatch out. Within days Mrs boss was living in her own castle within the main chicken run. Suddenly she had privacy,...
read moreCooking with dogs
Daisy Beatyl drinking from the large bowl of water in the kitchen is one of the most soothing sounds. This is my Mum’s miniature Daschund. She is on the very largest end of miniature. In fact she seems to be a proper sized Daschund to me. She also has very large, soft eyes. The only small part of DB is her lack of spite. When crossed, the Min Pins can spend a day in their igloo beds with the blinds down. Daisy Beatyl is always forgiving, wanting to join in, loving being petted and returning the compliment in a Daisy Beatlyish sort of...
read moreArancini rolled in crouton crumbs
Having made the mushroom risotto, I finally read Richard’s arancini recipe properly. I discovered that last time I had missed two vital ingredients: the beaten eggs and bread crumbs. I had merely rolled the balls in flour and attempted to fry them. No wonder they fell apart in the pan. Danny ate a strange mongrel cross that lurked somewhere between arancini, fried risotto and the bin. Richard had been so enthusiastic about his arancini I just had to try them again. The discovery of beaten egg wasn’t a problem but bread crumbs would...
read moreMushroom and chicken risotto recipe
Despite a few clouds this afternoon it has been sunny all day. Only 12 hours ago I was wrapped up like Eskimo Nell and considering collecting twigs for a fire in the igloo. On a warm summer evening I love concocting a risotto bursting with summer flavours and colour. Last night, I flicked on the heater in the kitchen and mulled over the menu for supper. I wanted deep earthy flavours and tones. Comfort and warmth were a priority. There were chestnut mushrooms in the fridge and Arborio rice on the shelf. Perfect. I enjoyed making this dish,...
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