Now is the time for the Phantom to don his wooly hat and do his Bill Oddie impersonation. (Actually not that difficult, apart from the height difference (approximately one foot, before you ask.)).
Tomorrow sees the start of the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, the 29th. Anyone, not just RSPB members, is invited to spend one hour sometime this weekend, logging the maximum number of birds in their garden, by species.
There is an identification chart on the website if you are not too good on telling a grebe from a goldfinch. Final species totals need to be recorded on the Birdwatch website. Don't feel worried if you only see common birds, or none at all. All the information gathered is of use.
Friday, January 25
Tuesday, January 22
Pasta Perfect
After the headlong rush towards Christmas, late December and early January can be difficult times to find motivation in the kitchen.
Work days seem to get longer and evenings shorter, leaving work in the dark and arriving home cold, wet and uninspired.
It is the weekends that offer a chance to take time and pains over a meal. A few weekends ago we invited the Legal Eagle and her Beau for supper. My wife and I discussed menu options the night before. I started off suggesting a casserole; she fancied something more individual, maybe fish. I dismissed this as too fiddly and being too 'last minute'. She suggested lasagna - now I was beginning to get enthusiastic. I saw her lasagne and raised it to cannelloni.
Even better, though, would be cannelloni with home made fresh pasta! I went to sleep happy,thinking of the day to come, and getting out the pasta machine...
I don't make pasta very often, but I always enjoy the process.
THERE IS A MAGIC IN MAKING PASTA FROM SUCH SIMPLE INGREDIENTS.
3 EGGS, 10oz OF FLOUR, NO NEED TO USE A BOWL.
MIX TO A DOUGH WITH A FORK,KNEAD FOR 10 MINUTES AND REST IN CLINGFILM
ROLL THE DOUGH THROUGH THE PASTA MACHINE, GETTING THINNER EACH TIME
REST THE PASTA ON TEA TOWELS WHILST WAITING TO BE ROLLED
THIS IS NOT A GOOD TIME FOR YOUR VISITING CATS TO JOIN IN - HARDEN YOUR HEART!
WHEN THE PASTA IS AS THIN AS YOU CAN GET IT - DROP 3 OR 4 AT A TIME INTO BOILING WATER
BLANCH FOR 1 MINUTE
AND DROP INTO COLD WATER
GENTLY RINSE UNDER THE COLD TAP TO REMOVE EXCESS STARCH- YOUR PASTA IS NOW READY TO USE!
THE FINISHED DISH OF CANNELLONI BEFORE FINAL COOKING
AND AFTER!!
I have to say it tasted great too. And we had enough pasta left over (uncooked) to make lasagna the day after.
Work days seem to get longer and evenings shorter, leaving work in the dark and arriving home cold, wet and uninspired.
It is the weekends that offer a chance to take time and pains over a meal. A few weekends ago we invited the Legal Eagle and her Beau for supper. My wife and I discussed menu options the night before. I started off suggesting a casserole; she fancied something more individual, maybe fish. I dismissed this as too fiddly and being too 'last minute'. She suggested lasagna - now I was beginning to get enthusiastic. I saw her lasagne and raised it to cannelloni.
Even better, though, would be cannelloni with home made fresh pasta! I went to sleep happy,thinking of the day to come, and getting out the pasta machine...
I don't make pasta very often, but I always enjoy the process.
THERE IS A MAGIC IN MAKING PASTA FROM SUCH SIMPLE INGREDIENTS.
3 EGGS, 10oz OF FLOUR, NO NEED TO USE A BOWL.
MIX TO A DOUGH WITH A FORK,KNEAD FOR 10 MINUTES AND REST IN CLINGFILM
ROLL THE DOUGH THROUGH THE PASTA MACHINE, GETTING THINNER EACH TIME
REST THE PASTA ON TEA TOWELS WHILST WAITING TO BE ROLLED
THIS IS NOT A GOOD TIME FOR YOUR VISITING CATS TO JOIN IN - HARDEN YOUR HEART!
WHEN THE PASTA IS AS THIN AS YOU CAN GET IT - DROP 3 OR 4 AT A TIME INTO BOILING WATER
BLANCH FOR 1 MINUTE
AND DROP INTO COLD WATER
GENTLY RINSE UNDER THE COLD TAP TO REMOVE EXCESS STARCH- YOUR PASTA IS NOW READY TO USE!
THE FINISHED DISH OF CANNELLONI BEFORE FINAL COOKING
AND AFTER!!
I have to say it tasted great too. And we had enough pasta left over (uncooked) to make lasagna the day after.
Sunday, January 20
Once Again, The Phantom Has Piles
I'm afraid they just keep on coming back. This is a photo of my post-Christmas bedside bookpile. I always know it's getting a bit out of hand when I can't see the bedside table anymore and start using the books instead.
Some of these will be bookcrossed. In fact the Bill Bryson on the right was released and caught earlier on today. Check the link here to my BookCrossing Journal entry.
If I was the type for resolutions I'd try and keep the bedside clear. I know it will never happen though. I'll check again at Easter and post a photo.
Thursday, January 10
Christmas Cooking
My old friend Welsh Dog asks (in his comment on my post below) about our Christmas dinner. I have to confess that no boats were rocked this year. There was prawn cocktail to start, gravy accompanied the turkey, and Christmas pudding was served at the conclusion, duly flamed in brandy. (The presence of my Mother at the Christmas board is now conditional on all three, after the infamous "No Gravy?" complaint of 2005)
My country cousin Stewart made the prawn cocktail dressing, mixing worcestershire, sweet chilli sauce and nutmeg into a chiffonade of lettuce and fennel in a style which was casual but dedicated. I have to say that prawn cocktail is practically the only dish that I ever allow the dreaded Iceberg lettuce anywhere near. (Apart, maybe, from in tortillas with chilli, cheese and guacamole.)
Our turkey, a free-range bronze, was supplied by Godfrey's of Highbury. Reared in Berkshire by Copas, it was delicious. Once again the highlight was the leg meat; rich, gamey, moist, almost like duck. If Copas could breed an octopod turkey with breasts like Twiggy I for one would be well happy.
A quick mention for the pudding is also deserved. It came from Duchy Originals, and was quite simply the best any of the eight of us had ever tasted. It was light, fruitfull, and moreish. At least half of us had seconds. The homemade rum and raisin ice cream never made a return journey to the freezer either.
All in all, a lovely meal. No photos though, just warm memories of a job well done.
My country cousin Stewart made the prawn cocktail dressing, mixing worcestershire, sweet chilli sauce and nutmeg into a chiffonade of lettuce and fennel in a style which was casual but dedicated. I have to say that prawn cocktail is practically the only dish that I ever allow the dreaded Iceberg lettuce anywhere near. (Apart, maybe, from in tortillas with chilli, cheese and guacamole.)
Our turkey, a free-range bronze, was supplied by Godfrey's of Highbury. Reared in Berkshire by Copas, it was delicious. Once again the highlight was the leg meat; rich, gamey, moist, almost like duck. If Copas could breed an octopod turkey with breasts like Twiggy I for one would be well happy.
A quick mention for the pudding is also deserved. It came from Duchy Originals, and was quite simply the best any of the eight of us had ever tasted. It was light, fruitfull, and moreish. At least half of us had seconds. The homemade rum and raisin ice cream never made a return journey to the freezer either.
All in all, a lovely meal. No photos though, just warm memories of a job well done.
Monday, January 7
Twelfth (or Thirteenth) Night
Tired out by the season of non-stop partying and overeating,
Tigger is here to remind you all that it was Twelfth Night on Sunday, and all of your Christmas decorations should have been taken down last night (Or even the day before, if that's the way you count. See the discussion on Wikipedia.) Of course, it's Fourteenth Night in Australia by now. Hello folks and Happy New Year.
Tigger is here to remind you all that it was Twelfth Night on Sunday, and all of your Christmas decorations should have been taken down last night (Or even the day before, if that's the way you count. See the discussion on Wikipedia.) Of course, it's Fourteenth Night in Australia by now. Hello folks and Happy New Year.
Wednesday, January 2
New Year, New Age.
Yes, I am back from my Christmas retreat. It is amazing what a diet of freshly-pressed wheatgrass and spring water does for the inner man. I was lucky to have made friends with the Native American in the Teepee next to ours. He plaited me a smaller belt (made from discarded dream-catcher twine) to keep my now far-too-large trousers up.
The days since I last posted have been dedicated to nurturing the Inner Phantom. Three hours a day in the lotus position contemplating the eternal questions such as “Why is Christopher Biggins?” and “What sex are Turkeys?” has honed my spiritual acuity whilst still leaving me time to practice my yoga, especially the Cleaning Dog position. (The first few days are the worst, until the tendons loosen enough to get both legs behind your neck at the same time.)
Only time will tell whether I will be able to keep my New Year resolutions of blogging at least every other day and always telling the truth.
OM.
The days since I last posted have been dedicated to nurturing the Inner Phantom. Three hours a day in the lotus position contemplating the eternal questions such as “Why is Christopher Biggins?” and “What sex are Turkeys?” has honed my spiritual acuity whilst still leaving me time to practice my yoga, especially the Cleaning Dog position. (The first few days are the worst, until the tendons loosen enough to get both legs behind your neck at the same time.)
Only time will tell whether I will be able to keep my New Year resolutions of blogging at least every other day and always telling the truth.
OM.
Thursday, December 20
The Staple Remover Is Unwell
Over the last three weeks the Phantom has been ducking and diving to avoid the cold bug which has floated around my library since the start of December. Of course, as it was my birthday last Saturday, I came down with it on Friday morning.
Like most men, when I get a cold I go down with all the unexpected swiftness of the Hindenburg having a bad landing. I have spent most of this past week with my eyes streaming, my nose running, lungs struggling to pass oxygen through mucus-filled sludge. Get the idea? ILL.
Having set the scene, I bring you, gentle reader, to the marital bedroom.
INT. BEDROOM. 4.30 A.M. DARKNESS.
THE PHANTOM is sitting on the edge of the bed, having woken up, yet again, coughing.
HIS BETTER HALF rouses from the depths of her slumber...
BETTER HALF: You alright?
PHANTOM: Yeah, I just woke up again, I woke myself up coughing...
BETTER HALF: No you didn't...
PHANTOM: Yes, I woke up choking and coughing...
(PAUSE)
BETTER HALF: No you didn't...
Yes, it had to happen. After twenty years of being married, my wife has got to the point where she can argue with me in her sleep!
Like most men, when I get a cold I go down with all the unexpected swiftness of the Hindenburg having a bad landing. I have spent most of this past week with my eyes streaming, my nose running, lungs struggling to pass oxygen through mucus-filled sludge. Get the idea? ILL.
Having set the scene, I bring you, gentle reader, to the marital bedroom.
INT. BEDROOM. 4.30 A.M. DARKNESS.
THE PHANTOM is sitting on the edge of the bed, having woken up, yet again, coughing.
HIS BETTER HALF rouses from the depths of her slumber...
BETTER HALF: You alright?
PHANTOM: Yeah, I just woke up again, I woke myself up coughing...
BETTER HALF: No you didn't...
PHANTOM: Yes, I woke up choking and coughing...
(PAUSE)
BETTER HALF: No you didn't...
Yes, it had to happen. After twenty years of being married, my wife has got to the point where she can argue with me in her sleep!
Thursday, December 6
Catty Christmas
We started writing our Christmas cards a couple of nights ago.
Its the sort of job that needs all hands on deck...
Though I think that Tigger has already decided on his favourite card...
Its the sort of job that needs all hands on deck...
Though I think that Tigger has already decided on his favourite card...
Sunday, December 2
An Advent Calendar
This is a site set up by Westminster Libraries. Festive information and tips. Best of all you can't cheat - you can only open each window on the day itself or after.
Saturday, December 1
200 Not Out
It is, undeniably, December.
The last three and a bit weeks passed too quickly to capture in this blog.
Highlights?
The last three and a bit weeks passed too quickly to capture in this blog.
Highlights?
- Seeing Arcade Fire live at Alexandra Palace
- Cooking curries for our friends Eze and Jackie's new son. We did (by special request) veggie curries as part of a bring-and-share at our church. These events are beginning to get a reputation and the queue for food stretched right out of the building. Edible Love in generous portions at the baptism of Onyedikachi Sean Ugoala.
- Doing a really good interview for an internal vacancy at my college.
- After standing all night for Arcade Fire my Sciatica is killing me.
- I couldn't hang around at the feast as I had to go shopping for my mum, and then work on my job application.
- There were only two vacancies. I came third...
Thursday, November 8
And As The Sun Sinks Slowly In The West...
We say goodbye to Kerry, with a view of the sunset over Cromane bay.
... We say goodbye to Kerry, But We'll Be Back...
... We say goodbye to Kerry, But We'll Be Back...
None Fresher Than This...
After two days on Valencia, we moved to Cromane (pronounced "Crumb-orn".) This is where my wife's father was born and bred. It's an unspoilt fishing village, where my wife's cousin John Joe still makes a living from the sea.
This photo shows The Phantom looking rather nervous. I'm not a great lover of boats, and had just been handed a set of waders to put on which looked like they had come straight out of the costume locker for the film "The Perfect Storm".
This is JJ's oyster barge, with my better half looking cool for'ard.
Early morning light over the oyster beds...
This is John Joe, hefting a sack of oysters. We were standing way out at sea. The oyster beds are only uncovered at low tide, for a couple of hours morning and evening, two weeks out of four.
We were out to do some quality control. This is the contents of one bag...
I soon started to relax when I realised that we had an oyster knife on board. After all, there's only one real way to do quality control on an oyster. Eating it. I will never eat an oyster any fresher than those I ate, standing in the Atlantic that morning.
And this is A Happy Phantom, with two kilos of mussels and two dozen spanking fresh oysters for that night's supper. I'm afraid I didn't get any photographs that night, we were too busy eating!
This photo shows The Phantom looking rather nervous. I'm not a great lover of boats, and had just been handed a set of waders to put on which looked like they had come straight out of the costume locker for the film "The Perfect Storm".
This is JJ's oyster barge, with my better half looking cool for'ard.
Early morning light over the oyster beds...
This is John Joe, hefting a sack of oysters. We were standing way out at sea. The oyster beds are only uncovered at low tide, for a couple of hours morning and evening, two weeks out of four.
We were out to do some quality control. This is the contents of one bag...
I soon started to relax when I realised that we had an oyster knife on board. After all, there's only one real way to do quality control on an oyster. Eating it. I will never eat an oyster any fresher than those I ate, standing in the Atlantic that morning.
And this is A Happy Phantom, with two kilos of mussels and two dozen spanking fresh oysters for that night's supper. I'm afraid I didn't get any photographs that night, we were too busy eating!
Wednesday, November 7
Tuesday, November 6
We're On The One Road
We spent a couple of days just chilling out on Valencia Island. It's only a couple of miles across and 2 or 3 long. It has some superb views...
And some very idiosyncratic road markings on the more quiet lanes...
In best Irish style it has turned a disused slate quarry into a tourist attraction by transforming it into a religious grotto, with statues of the Virgin and St. Bernadette...
And if you ever wondered where Kerrygold butter comes from, we met a couple who know...
And some very idiosyncratic road markings on the more quiet lanes...
In best Irish style it has turned a disused slate quarry into a tourist attraction by transforming it into a religious grotto, with statues of the Virgin and St. Bernadette...
And if you ever wondered where Kerrygold butter comes from, we met a couple who know...
Sunday, October 28
Fuchsia
The Southwestern area of Ireland around Kerry is blessed with an unusually mild climate. We have both been to Ireland several times, but never to this corner. In the hedgerows the most dominant plant is the Fuchsia of all things!
Whole banks of delicate nodding heads, some robust, others more delicate, line the roadsides.
It is such a feature of the area that in Chapeltown, the northernmost village on the island, they even have a restaurant named after them, with this particularly fetching sign:
If you are in the area, pay a visit to Glanleam. It is a hotel with a sloping series of gardens working down a sheltered slope which actually boasts a sub-tropical climate. There are tree ferns abounding, glades of bamboo, and a fine walled vegetable garden.
This magnificent Ram's head decorates one of the iron gates which protect it. It has a pagan look to it, suggesting virility and strong growth. Maybe it is a reference to Puck Fair, celebrated in the nearby town of Killorglin.
Whole banks of delicate nodding heads, some robust, others more delicate, line the roadsides.
It is such a feature of the area that in Chapeltown, the northernmost village on the island, they even have a restaurant named after them, with this particularly fetching sign:
If you are in the area, pay a visit to Glanleam. It is a hotel with a sloping series of gardens working down a sheltered slope which actually boasts a sub-tropical climate. There are tree ferns abounding, glades of bamboo, and a fine walled vegetable garden.
This magnificent Ram's head decorates one of the iron gates which protect it. It has a pagan look to it, suggesting virility and strong growth. Maybe it is a reference to Puck Fair, celebrated in the nearby town of Killorglin.
Friday, October 26
Ireland Past and Present
Caherciveen is the nearest big town to our first stop, Valencia Island.
This is the civil war memorial there. The soldier has a soviet-era look to him. A little bit cuddly and rounded.
The strangest things can give you culture shock. We are so used to seeing Pound Shops in the inner cities, but over in Ireland they have...
Look carefully, and you can see what the Euro Shop was in a previous life.
How many people went into banking for job security, and were overtaken by technology?
This is the civil war memorial there. The soldier has a soviet-era look to him. A little bit cuddly and rounded.
The strangest things can give you culture shock. We are so used to seeing Pound Shops in the inner cities, but over in Ireland they have...
Look carefully, and you can see what the Euro Shop was in a previous life.
How many people went into banking for job security, and were overtaken by technology?
Thursday, October 25
There and Back Again
Curses, foiled again! I took my card reader with me, and then ended up without a fast internet link to send the photos through.
I can't complain though. The countryside is simply stunning...
I was taking photos before I had even arrived at the terminal building. I couldn't resist this sign...
There is something "Twin Peaks" about it.
I can't complain though. The countryside is simply stunning...
I was taking photos before I had even arrived at the terminal building. I couldn't resist this sign...
There is something "Twin Peaks" about it.
Friday, October 19
Autumn Vine Leaves
Our grape vine, Vitis Brandt, is not really designed for it's harvest of grapes. They are tiny, pea-sized. But at this time of year, the rich colours just demand a post all of their own...
I'm off to the West of Ireland soon, to meet my better half. This time I will take my card reader with me. Valentia here I come! More soon, with photos hopefully.
I'm off to the West of Ireland soon, to meet my better half. This time I will take my card reader with me. Valentia here I come! More soon, with photos hopefully.
The Season of Mist and Mellow Chutney-ness
There really is something in the air. Just as I was posting my paean to all things pickly, Amalee came up with her own post. I feel a cheese and chutney sandwich coming on...
Thursday, October 18
Chutney
As the evenings get longer and cooler, the Phantom's thoughts are of capturing the summer in preserves. Last Sunday was devoted to our annual chutney making session. The tomatoes, some barely bigger than peas, were from our garden, mostly from window boxes in fact. The apples were from my Mum's neighbour. The tree is more in my mum's garden than it's owner's!
There is something magical about chutney, such uninspiring ingredients brought together with breath-taking amounts of vinegar, producing something so rich and complex...
The finished result, dark, mysterious. Just three months till we can open it!
There is something magical about chutney, such uninspiring ingredients brought together with breath-taking amounts of vinegar, producing something so rich and complex...
The finished result, dark, mysterious. Just three months till we can open it!
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