It's fish again. Only today it's going to be salmon, crusted with couscous & baked in the oven. I've just coated the fillets with the couscous already to just go in the oven this evening.
Couscous I find a strange item. We first encountered it in France when were staying with friends just outside La Rochelle. We were left feeling dubious. I suppose it's no more bland than plain boiled rice or pasta, even than boiled potatoes. It's the sauce that lifts these staples. I think what really gets to me is the texture - so granular.
Then one year we tried a Moroccan restaurant in Le Mans on our homeward journey from a holiday in the Pays d'Oc. Yes, plenty of flavourings were added to the couscous & yet we still didn't like it.
Since then I've had a go at cooking(?) it myself. I've come to the conclusion it can work reasonably well as the basis of a stuffing, for chicken for example. A small portion can be an interesting addition to a salad. But I still wouldn't have it in place of our usual staples of pasta, rice or potatoes. Spelt I would consider, couscous no. I just can't get away from the texture. So our tagines continue to be served with rice or potato, much to our preference.
This is the first time I've tried using couscous as a coating. I'm hoping it's going to give an interesting crispness to the fish whilst still protecting the flesh from the fierceness of the heat. We'll find out this evening.
Thursday, 4 November 2010
Wednesday, 3 November 2010
Excitement & colour
We didn't get over to Carnforth. The rain just kept coming down. So, today, we're not off to Wigan. Instead we will have to do some food shopping. Boring but essential. So far, today has just been showery, a bit of an improvement.
I'm digging out some fish for dinner, sea bream, from the freezer. It will make a change. I'm thinking of just dusting it in flour & simply frying it, meuniere style.
Meanwhile the rain & gloom is beginning to get to us. We find our minds turning to warmer climes & once more contemplating a holiday. I am seriously beginning to think two holidays a year are becoming essential - one to relax & one to get us through the winter cold, wet & dark. The winter already seems long to me & we're still in November!
I see, or rather hear, some people are trying to bring some excitement to life with bangs & shooting stars as fireworks are set off prematurely. Often in the middle of the night, around midnight.
But my excitement & colour is still being provided by the lilies. Now five have opened. On the petals of the older ones a slight dusting of paprika has appeared - a little spot of falling pollen I suspect. The delicacy of the colour is a joy to behold.
Many moons ago I was a bridesmaid for my Cousin Pat. Our dresses were just such a colour. Come the time of our wedding the only bought flowers in my bouquet were some roses of similar colour. The rest of the flowers were provided by my mother from our garden. My bridesmaid, a trainee horticulturalist, made up the bouquets.This shade of apricot remains a delight for me, only enhanced by such happy associations.
I'm digging out some fish for dinner, sea bream, from the freezer. It will make a change. I'm thinking of just dusting it in flour & simply frying it, meuniere style.
Meanwhile the rain & gloom is beginning to get to us. We find our minds turning to warmer climes & once more contemplating a holiday. I am seriously beginning to think two holidays a year are becoming essential - one to relax & one to get us through the winter cold, wet & dark. The winter already seems long to me & we're still in November!
I see, or rather hear, some people are trying to bring some excitement to life with bangs & shooting stars as fireworks are set off prematurely. Often in the middle of the night, around midnight.
But my excitement & colour is still being provided by the lilies. Now five have opened. On the petals of the older ones a slight dusting of paprika has appeared - a little spot of falling pollen I suspect. The delicacy of the colour is a joy to behold.
Many moons ago I was a bridesmaid for my Cousin Pat. Our dresses were just such a colour. Come the time of our wedding the only bought flowers in my bouquet were some roses of similar colour. The rest of the flowers were provided by my mother from our garden. My bridesmaid, a trainee horticulturalist, made up the bouquets.This shade of apricot remains a delight for me, only enhanced by such happy associations.
Tuesday, 2 November 2010
Plans
We're intending to go over to Carnforth this afternoon. Or, at least, that was the intention. I'm beginning to question the wisdom of this idea. Rain is slashing down. Winds are bowing over the trees.
The purpose of the trip was primarily to go to Booths supermarket & top up on our freezer meals & cheeses - the former are expensive but infinitely superior to the average & useful to have in when you couldn't be bothered to cook, the latter for the sheer range & variety. However, there is nothing apart from some bread that is essential for today's dinner. I've just made some carrot & coriander soup, which we thought we'd follow with the last of the Booths' ready meals that we have in stock, a chicken Alexander.
To not go would spoil our plans for tomorrow. Then, we're hoping for a trip down to Wigan. Why Wigan you might ask? It's not the highest place on the tourist map. We're going to look at bathrooms. We've decided the time has come to turn our attention to the next home improvement project, a new bathroom. I spoke to the Occupational Therapist a little while ago. She suggested three companies which specialist in bathrooms designed for disabled people, one of whom has a showroom in Wigan. So we're off to get some ideas.
It is getting increasingly difficult to use our present bathroom. The Fox is finding standing in the bath to use the overhead shower increasingly dangerous with no grab handle to hold, a slippery base when wet, as well as slightly curved surfaces as the base becomes the verticals of the bath. As for me, I can cope with the bath board, but I'm having increasing difficulty getting up from my seat when I have a wash at the sink. The space between the sink & the toilet is too small to put a seat with arms, or even to really get purchase on a grab rail, to help me get up. We'd like to re-arrange the lot, getting rid of the bath (which we've never used) & making it into a shower room. That way there should be more space to move the sink & possibly toilet. We're half contemplating a wet room. The extra space would also mean that, if I became a full time wheelchair user, as has been suggested, there would be room enough to manoeuvre the wheelchair. As I say we need to have a look at what's on offer. Looking at brochures is just not enough.
So, at the moment, I'm hoping the storm will have blown itself out by this afternoon, & the rain dried out so we can get Carnforth done today & have tomorrow free for Wigan.
The purpose of the trip was primarily to go to Booths supermarket & top up on our freezer meals & cheeses - the former are expensive but infinitely superior to the average & useful to have in when you couldn't be bothered to cook, the latter for the sheer range & variety. However, there is nothing apart from some bread that is essential for today's dinner. I've just made some carrot & coriander soup, which we thought we'd follow with the last of the Booths' ready meals that we have in stock, a chicken Alexander.
To not go would spoil our plans for tomorrow. Then, we're hoping for a trip down to Wigan. Why Wigan you might ask? It's not the highest place on the tourist map. We're going to look at bathrooms. We've decided the time has come to turn our attention to the next home improvement project, a new bathroom. I spoke to the Occupational Therapist a little while ago. She suggested three companies which specialist in bathrooms designed for disabled people, one of whom has a showroom in Wigan. So we're off to get some ideas.
It is getting increasingly difficult to use our present bathroom. The Fox is finding standing in the bath to use the overhead shower increasingly dangerous with no grab handle to hold, a slippery base when wet, as well as slightly curved surfaces as the base becomes the verticals of the bath. As for me, I can cope with the bath board, but I'm having increasing difficulty getting up from my seat when I have a wash at the sink. The space between the sink & the toilet is too small to put a seat with arms, or even to really get purchase on a grab rail, to help me get up. We'd like to re-arrange the lot, getting rid of the bath (which we've never used) & making it into a shower room. That way there should be more space to move the sink & possibly toilet. We're half contemplating a wet room. The extra space would also mean that, if I became a full time wheelchair user, as has been suggested, there would be room enough to manoeuvre the wheelchair. As I say we need to have a look at what's on offer. Looking at brochures is just not enough.
So, at the moment, I'm hoping the storm will have blown itself out by this afternoon, & the rain dried out so we can get Carnforth done today & have tomorrow free for Wigan.
Monday, 1 November 2010
Worth the wait
When we went shopping on Wednesday, the Fox decided to buy me some flowers, some lilies. All the bunch was closed. Since then we've watched eagerly, & increasingly anxiously, for some sign of them opening up. Nothing. The water remained crystal clear. Some of buds gained a translucent orangeness, only really noticeable as the back light streamed through the bud. We were beginning to think they would never open up.
Then, on Saturday night, the first four flowers came into full bloom. Suddenly there were these majestic apricot coloured blooms. Magnificent. Throughout yesterday, we stopped to wonder & gaze on their glory.
I noticed things I hadn't observed before. I never realised before the petals of the flower were arranged as two three-petalled rings. Nor that the pale red dots on the petals are in fact slightly raised, hairy, almost barbed. This morning I became aware of a tear drop of something on the stigmas. They glisten in the bright morning light of today.
The colour of the pollen on the anthers is a rich paprika red, a glorious contrast with the paler yellowy orange of the petals.
All in all it's been a worthwhile wait. Now I eagerly look forward to the other buds opening up. I hope the open flowers last long. Each day it's wonderful to see the changes & rejoice in them.
Then, on Saturday night, the first four flowers came into full bloom. Suddenly there were these majestic apricot coloured blooms. Magnificent. Throughout yesterday, we stopped to wonder & gaze on their glory.
I noticed things I hadn't observed before. I never realised before the petals of the flower were arranged as two three-petalled rings. Nor that the pale red dots on the petals are in fact slightly raised, hairy, almost barbed. This morning I became aware of a tear drop of something on the stigmas. They glisten in the bright morning light of today.
The colour of the pollen on the anthers is a rich paprika red, a glorious contrast with the paler yellowy orange of the petals.
All in all it's been a worthwhile wait. Now I eagerly look forward to the other buds opening up. I hope the open flowers last long. Each day it's wonderful to see the changes & rejoice in them.
Friday, 29 October 2010
Waste
"Potatoes make up the largest proportion by far of fresh veg that get wasted."
Or so says the introductory blurb to today's recipe, a vegetable curry, based around potato. I can not believe that's the case in our household. Yes there is waste in the sense of potato peelings & any bad bits, but that's it. Surely I'm not the only one who cooks the amount of potato that we are going to eat so there is no waste. I even serve them on the plate so we each have a fair amount, a healthy amount. The only exception tends to be when we have visitors when I will get out separate serving dishes. Even then there is rarely any left. I may do more than one variety of potato or other veg but I do it on the same size portion per person as I do normally. It just means guests have a choice. (There's even less these days when we don't entertain at home any longer.) Needless to say I shall have to cook some spuds especially for the meal tonight.
No, the largest proportion of waste veg in our household comes from a different source. There are some veg which, while we appreciate a little for the extra flavour/texture they bring, we do not like them sufficiently to want to eat a lot. Celery comes into this category. While I regard it as invaluable in casseroles for example, it's not a veg we particularly like as a veg. And there are a lot of sticks in a head. So often a couple of sticks are used in cooking. I might nibble the odd stick. But so often the rest turns slimy before I've gotten around to using it up.
The other category of veg waste is the result of the huge bags supermarkets insist on selling so many veg. This week it has been cheaper to buy 5 limes in one bag than two loose ones. Two I will use up, but the other three?.... I'm not so sure. How often I have bought 5 peppers rather than two to have three go soft & slimy before I can get around to finishing them. As for chillies they seem to be impossible to buy less than five at a time, yet I do not want chilli every day. Bird's eye chillies are even worse. Those packets come nearer twenty a time. Why can't they come loose? Why can't veg be sold individually at the same price as those sold in bulk? It must put the price of shopping up considerably for people living on their own, as well as increasing their waste pile. Not everybody caters for large numbers.
Or so says the introductory blurb to today's recipe, a vegetable curry, based around potato. I can not believe that's the case in our household. Yes there is waste in the sense of potato peelings & any bad bits, but that's it. Surely I'm not the only one who cooks the amount of potato that we are going to eat so there is no waste. I even serve them on the plate so we each have a fair amount, a healthy amount. The only exception tends to be when we have visitors when I will get out separate serving dishes. Even then there is rarely any left. I may do more than one variety of potato or other veg but I do it on the same size portion per person as I do normally. It just means guests have a choice. (There's even less these days when we don't entertain at home any longer.) Needless to say I shall have to cook some spuds especially for the meal tonight.
No, the largest proportion of waste veg in our household comes from a different source. There are some veg which, while we appreciate a little for the extra flavour/texture they bring, we do not like them sufficiently to want to eat a lot. Celery comes into this category. While I regard it as invaluable in casseroles for example, it's not a veg we particularly like as a veg. And there are a lot of sticks in a head. So often a couple of sticks are used in cooking. I might nibble the odd stick. But so often the rest turns slimy before I've gotten around to using it up.
The other category of veg waste is the result of the huge bags supermarkets insist on selling so many veg. This week it has been cheaper to buy 5 limes in one bag than two loose ones. Two I will use up, but the other three?.... I'm not so sure. How often I have bought 5 peppers rather than two to have three go soft & slimy before I can get around to finishing them. As for chillies they seem to be impossible to buy less than five at a time, yet I do not want chilli every day. Bird's eye chillies are even worse. Those packets come nearer twenty a time. Why can't they come loose? Why can't veg be sold individually at the same price as those sold in bulk? It must put the price of shopping up considerably for people living on their own, as well as increasing their waste pile. Not everybody caters for large numbers.
Thursday, 28 October 2010
Shopping
Not long after two in the afternoon, the phone goes.
"Are you coming out to play?" It's PD, wanting a lift to the Pub, followed by a little supporting company whilst there.
Normally we're prepared to put ourselves out, especially if he sounds in a bad way as a result of his depression. For once he doesn't sound too bad, so I can reply with an easy conscience, "We're out, but we're going shopping."
Of late I've been finding, by the time I've done the big shop, I'm so exhausted I'm hard-pushed to cope with eating, let alone cooking, a meal afterwards. I manage better if I have time for a sit-down to recover from the shop before turning my attention to the food. The time has come to accept that the big shop can not be done after a trip to the Pub. A top-up shop I will still consider doing after the Pub, but this is a big shop.
So off we go to the supermarket. We get back about 4.30. It takes half an hour or so to unpack & put things away. By then neither of us feels like cooking. The only thing I've prepared is peeling some potatoes, so we decide to go down to our village pub & eat there for once.
We both decide to have the gammon. Until recently they always did large gammon steaks. We're still recovering from some gammon steaks we had years ago at the Greyhound in Shap. There the steaks were over a pound in weight per person. We were just overwhelmed. It's left us nervous ever since. These steaks turned out a nice size, beautifully tender & not too salty. We were pleasantly surprised by the accompaniment. Apart from the fried egg, there was "pineapple chutney". I'm not sure it's what I'd call chutney. It was more a case of pineapple pieces in sweet chilli dipping sauce. Whatever you call it, the sweet spiciness was delicious with the gammon.
Today we're off to the Farmers' Market. No Pub again. The market is only on until 2pm. We usually go off to the local pub for some lunch - a tuna & mayo jacket potato more often than not - followed by an afternoon nap in time for dinner. And today the dinner will be pork pasties with the Fox's mustard mash. I'm using up those 50g of minced pork I mentioned the other day. The pasties are already made so will just need re-heating later. Nice & easy.
"Are you coming out to play?" It's PD, wanting a lift to the Pub, followed by a little supporting company whilst there.
Normally we're prepared to put ourselves out, especially if he sounds in a bad way as a result of his depression. For once he doesn't sound too bad, so I can reply with an easy conscience, "We're out, but we're going shopping."
Of late I've been finding, by the time I've done the big shop, I'm so exhausted I'm hard-pushed to cope with eating, let alone cooking, a meal afterwards. I manage better if I have time for a sit-down to recover from the shop before turning my attention to the food. The time has come to accept that the big shop can not be done after a trip to the Pub. A top-up shop I will still consider doing after the Pub, but this is a big shop.
So off we go to the supermarket. We get back about 4.30. It takes half an hour or so to unpack & put things away. By then neither of us feels like cooking. The only thing I've prepared is peeling some potatoes, so we decide to go down to our village pub & eat there for once.
We both decide to have the gammon. Until recently they always did large gammon steaks. We're still recovering from some gammon steaks we had years ago at the Greyhound in Shap. There the steaks were over a pound in weight per person. We were just overwhelmed. It's left us nervous ever since. These steaks turned out a nice size, beautifully tender & not too salty. We were pleasantly surprised by the accompaniment. Apart from the fried egg, there was "pineapple chutney". I'm not sure it's what I'd call chutney. It was more a case of pineapple pieces in sweet chilli dipping sauce. Whatever you call it, the sweet spiciness was delicious with the gammon.
Today we're off to the Farmers' Market. No Pub again. The market is only on until 2pm. We usually go off to the local pub for some lunch - a tuna & mayo jacket potato more often than not - followed by an afternoon nap in time for dinner. And today the dinner will be pork pasties with the Fox's mustard mash. I'm using up those 50g of minced pork I mentioned the other day. The pasties are already made so will just need re-heating later. Nice & easy.
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
Meaning in life
Suddenly, as dinner to comes to an end, the Fox asks, "Do our lives have any meaning?"
A difficult one to answer, I thought. Does anyone's life have meaning? I'm not even sure what could give meaning to life. Is it achieving great things? Bringing up a happy family? Surely none of these give meaning to life. As far as I can see we exist, and in as much as we exist, our job is to live our life as well as we can. But that is about how to live that life, not whether it has meaning.
I'm forced to reply that I'm not sure about meaning but I think our lives have value. No, we haven't shaken the world in any way. The Fox didn't become the great writer he aspired to be. We didn't have the children we would have loved to have. But we do endeavour to live our lives according to a set of values, in my case essentially Christian ones. I think we have achieved some things in our working lives. I feel we have done some good in the world if only in little ways, as we have tried to support friends & family through the passage of their life. I certainly don't think we've done anything to cause serious pain or anguish to others. At the end of the day I suspect that's the best anyone can do.
A difficult one to answer, I thought. Does anyone's life have meaning? I'm not even sure what could give meaning to life. Is it achieving great things? Bringing up a happy family? Surely none of these give meaning to life. As far as I can see we exist, and in as much as we exist, our job is to live our life as well as we can. But that is about how to live that life, not whether it has meaning.
I'm forced to reply that I'm not sure about meaning but I think our lives have value. No, we haven't shaken the world in any way. The Fox didn't become the great writer he aspired to be. We didn't have the children we would have loved to have. But we do endeavour to live our lives according to a set of values, in my case essentially Christian ones. I think we have achieved some things in our working lives. I feel we have done some good in the world if only in little ways, as we have tried to support friends & family through the passage of their life. I certainly don't think we've done anything to cause serious pain or anguish to others. At the end of the day I suspect that's the best anyone can do.
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