Saturday, 1 January 2011
Thursday, 23 December 2010
Sunday, 19 December 2010
Araucaria
The greatest of all crossword compilers, who is 90 years old soon, so we'd best enjoy him while we can.
I settled down with his Christmas Prize double crossword yesterday, and half an hour later I had just about managed to make sense of the rules. Three hours later I'd even solved some of them. Which made up for the lack of sport on TV, as I huddled round the log-burning stove, wishing I had some wood to put in it. The Crossword should see me through to about February at this rate.
Simon Hoggart shares his favourite Araucaria clue - a most incredible anagram:
"O hark the herald angels sing the boy's descent which lifted up the world." (5,9,7,5,6,2,5,3,6,2,3,6).
I like monkey-puzzle trees also.
I settled down with his Christmas Prize double crossword yesterday, and half an hour later I had just about managed to make sense of the rules. Three hours later I'd even solved some of them. Which made up for the lack of sport on TV, as I huddled round the log-burning stove, wishing I had some wood to put in it. The Crossword should see me through to about February at this rate.
Simon Hoggart shares his favourite Araucaria clue - a most incredible anagram:
"O hark the herald angels sing the boy's descent which lifted up the world." (5,9,7,5,6,2,5,3,6,2,3,6).
I like monkey-puzzle trees also.
Saturday, 18 December 2010
Chocolate-covered Cocoa Beans
Dark chocolate for preference, a bitterness probably only appreciated by older palates, perfect with rioja or a late bottled vintage port, and if you're not careful, longer-lasting than a handful of pro plus...
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Tuesday, 7 December 2010
This morning's frost
Which is extraordinary. . This batch of snow hasn't been as pretty as last winter's for some reason - lack of sun maybe - but this morning's frost has more than made up for it. I realise I've been a city boy most my life, but I can't remember seeing anything like it before.
The views over to Kemberton reservoir were of a whiteness I'd never seen in the landscape before. The sun was trying to break through the fog and the whole landscape was an unearthly colour. Every tree was covered , every branch and twig with an inch deep covering of frost on top of it. Whatever green pigment that remains, was seeping though underneath, giving the trees an off-silver greenish glow. Stand alone oaks look like giant ice crystals. Even evergreeens have been consumed by the frost - there's thirty foot leylandi at the end of our road tucked up in it from head to toe.
I plainly don't have the words to describe this very well. If we're lucky the Wenlock Edge country diarist will have been out today and will treat us to his rendition shortly....
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The views over to Kemberton reservoir were of a whiteness I'd never seen in the landscape before. The sun was trying to break through the fog and the whole landscape was an unearthly colour. Every tree was covered , every branch and twig with an inch deep covering of frost on top of it. Whatever green pigment that remains, was seeping though underneath, giving the trees an off-silver greenish glow. Stand alone oaks look like giant ice crystals. Even evergreeens have been consumed by the frost - there's thirty foot leylandi at the end of our road tucked up in it from head to toe.
I plainly don't have the words to describe this very well. If we're lucky the Wenlock Edge country diarist will have been out today and will treat us to his rendition shortly....
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Sunday, 28 November 2010
Tapas
It was a toss-up between tapas, or Jamie Oliver, but for all his good deeds and essential decency I couldn't bring myself to do it. Plus his latest book "30 minutes" is the most preposterously optimistic title ever to decorate the spine of a book. We've done two meals from it so far and both have taken closer to 2 hours. I look forward to all cooks promoting their wares by saying the opposite of what they mean - especially Nigella's next series "Food without Fellatio".
Still, his tapas recipe worked out pretty well in the end. His simple dishes worked best - chorizo glazed in honey; manchego cheese with ham; anchovies with tomato. His tortilla wasn't so good and his Belem cakes were as risible as those at Nandos.
We had a wonderful evening in Madrid once, when visiting one of Anne's friends, as he took us on a strolling tour of the bars, a snack and a sherry in each one. What a jolly civilised way to spend time before dinner. We even had a decent spread in Calla Millor once, after we'd managed to persuade the waiter we didn't want chicken and chips in a basket.
This wasn't up there with those, but it's recommended for a simple Saturday night in dying a slow death in front of reality TV. Just start early.
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Still, his tapas recipe worked out pretty well in the end. His simple dishes worked best - chorizo glazed in honey; manchego cheese with ham; anchovies with tomato. His tortilla wasn't so good and his Belem cakes were as risible as those at Nandos.
We had a wonderful evening in Madrid once, when visiting one of Anne's friends, as he took us on a strolling tour of the bars, a snack and a sherry in each one. What a jolly civilised way to spend time before dinner. We even had a decent spread in Calla Millor once, after we'd managed to persuade the waiter we didn't want chicken and chips in a basket.
This wasn't up there with those, but it's recommended for a simple Saturday night in dying a slow death in front of reality TV. Just start early.
.
Thursday, 25 November 2010
Kestrels
The very first thing I praised was buzzards. Which I love, and still feel privileged to enjoy - particularly the ones with a great billet in the copse up near the Kemberton reservoir, who use the contours of the field for their hunting, swooping down just above my head.
However, I've seen at least one buzzard on 350 or so of the 400 days since I wrote that praise. So I've come to take them a bit for granted. Plus I haven't felt entirely the same about them since Daryl told me the story of them attacking one of his friends.
A kestrel, on the other hand, is a rare treat. And one was in full hover this morning as I went for the paper, and on the way back. They particularly like the telephone lines that stretch across 'lamb-chop field' just down the lane, a perfect hunting roost. But I don't think they live long. I'll see one there for a week or so, and then not again for another six months. Unlike the buzzards, I certainly don't know where they nest. So, they're well worth stopping to watch and enjoy whilst the Shifnal commute/school-run dawdles along all around...
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However, I've seen at least one buzzard on 350 or so of the 400 days since I wrote that praise. So I've come to take them a bit for granted. Plus I haven't felt entirely the same about them since Daryl told me the story of them attacking one of his friends.
A kestrel, on the other hand, is a rare treat. And one was in full hover this morning as I went for the paper, and on the way back. They particularly like the telephone lines that stretch across 'lamb-chop field' just down the lane, a perfect hunting roost. But I don't think they live long. I'll see one there for a week or so, and then not again for another six months. Unlike the buzzards, I certainly don't know where they nest. So, they're well worth stopping to watch and enjoy whilst the Shifnal commute/school-run dawdles along all around...
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