A High Brow Rant

I went off to Tesco – they sent me a load of vouchers, so I decided to buy the few bits and pieces I needed there instead of my usual places.

I did fairly well, the vouchers reducing my total spend from £9.66 to £5.36, plus I got 122 points. However my ‘25 points when you spend £1 on home baking’ and ‘25 points when you spend £1 on bread’ wouldn’t go through at the till. The assistant apologised and directed me to customer services – “It’s the computer” she said.

At customer services, there was no problem about the bag of flour – but the assistant said she couldn’t give me 25 points for my New York Bakery Wholemeal Bagels.

“Why not?”

“Well, it is not bread”

“What is is then?”

“Dunno, probably ‘morning goods’”

“I don’t understand, bagels are bread, so surely the voucher is valid”

“Oh no – it has to be a LOAF”

“It just says ‘bread’ on the voucher – it doesn’t specify it must be a loaf!”

“We’ve had OTHER people trying to use their vouchers for FRENCH bread. THAT’s not bread either”

“Can I have a refund please?  I don’t think I want these bagels anymore, if they’re not bread”

So folks, French bread and American bagels are not bread, according to Tesco. Mexican tortillas probably don’t count either – even though the website lists them as ‘bread’! Mutter, mutter…

Outside in the Mall, I spotted a ‘beauty’ concession, with this sign

 

Does an

‘eyebrow tidy for £3’

mean just one brow- do you have to pay £6 for both? And how much would they charge Frida Kahlo, do you think?

“Thread with us, without a fuss” should perhaps be our slogan at Sewing Club!

God’s Going To Give Me My Full Pot Of Beans!

So said 75 year old Glen Campbell, the great American country singer, in an interview on the BBC Today programme this morning. I found it quite moving listening to him [listen here]. He is 75, and knows he is suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease – but is about to start his farewell tour in the UK. What a positive attitude to life! [pictures and details of the interview here] During the interview, he repeatedly sang snatches of favourite songs – and ended with “One Day At A Time, Sweet Jesus…”

One day at a time sweet Jesus, that's all I'm asking from you

Just give me the strength to do everyday what I have to do

Yesterdays gone sweet Jesus, and tomorrow may never be mine

Lord help me today, show me the way, one day at a time

None of us knows how long we have – or what our heath will be like – but if we live each day walking with Jesus, He will certainly give us the strength we need – and give us ‘our full pot of beans’ – however long or short our stay on earth.

btw – thanks everyone for all those kind messages you sent us yesterday – still happily married for 32 years and 1 day!

Hughes Cooking?

[please read that in a Norfolk Accent – that way it comes out as “Who’s Cooking?”] My SIL Marion lent me this book when we were up at Cornerstones. [thanks M!]

It is a cookbook-cum-autobiography by Richard Hughes, a chef born, bred and still very busy cooking in Norfolk.

This is a wonderful collection of recipes and reflections which chronicle the trials and tribulations of running a restaurant, with Richard's enthusiasm and passion for good food enjoyed with good company shining through on each page.

The reason Marion lent me the book is rather complicated…on our last Friday morning at Cornerstones, Bob went out for a long motorbike ride whilst I went to Tesco. On his return we were going up to Overstrand to collect our two cyclists. Bob came back, very excited because he had discovered a wonderful restaurant in Edgefield called “The Pigs” and he thought we ought to pay it a visit.

We went off to collect Liz, Jon and bicycles, and they announced they were buying us lunch [although they had not long eaten a large ‘Full English’ breakfast]

Bob said we should go and see ‘The Pigs’ – and of course, Jon was particularly keen to do so. The menu looked fabulous, if somewhat expensive – and we felt that we could not really do it justice, as none of us was really hungry.

However,  The Pigs is owned and run by three local people. Tim Abbott, Iain Wilson, and Richard Hughes. Tim is the chef in residence, but Iain is chef at Byfords in Holt, whilst Richard is Chef Proprietor of The Lavender House in Brundall near Norwich.

We left The Pigs, and went into nearby Holt, and had a lovely light lunch at Byfords. This is the oldest building in Holt, dating back over 400 years, and was for at least 100 years, an ironmongers owned by the Byford family. Iain and Clair Wilson bought the renovated property in 2000, and now run it as a deli, cafe and ‘Posh B&B’ [their description] The food was splendid and the portion sizes very generous. My ‘starter’ salad was a ‘main meal’ as far as I was concerned! The website’s here.

Of course, when I told Marion about this, she said Byfords is very popular [Camilla likes to eat there when she is in Norfolk, apparently!]

Then Marion mentioned the book written by the third man of the Pigs triumvirate – Richard. It is a superb book, with lots of interesting and amusing anecdotes sandwiched between the recipes.

His recipes are written simply and clearly, and he is a great believer in locally sourced produce [more Norfolk pigs – and fish, and cheese, and fruit and veg…] and refers to supermarkets as ‘the soulless centres of Satanism’

I definitely want to try out some of his dishes before I return the book to Marion on my next trip to Cornerstones. Watch this space…

32 Years- Board, But Never Bored!

Purchased in Waitrose this week – FairTrade rubber gloves

…so I can get out the Brasso…

…to polish this…

…the little silver vase from the top of my wedding cake!

Today is our 32nd Wedding Anniversary

No major celebratory activities planned- but I did put the vase on the breakfast table next to the Weetabix. The original flowers were fresh ones – these silk ones have lasted a little longer.

No extravagant gifts – but Bob always writes me a special love letter on days like this [how romantic!] and he has also given me a serving board á la Jamie Oliver. My board is handmade – using the piece of wood Bob had left over from mending the garage door at Cornerstones!

It is smoothed and sanded and oiled, and I love it!

So thank you Bob – for 32 fabulous years of joy, love and laughter.

I can honestly say I have never been bored with our marriage!

This is Bob in France in 2006, celebrating our anniversary then with a large ice cream sundae in Galeries Lafayette, Paris.

I have to tell you that he is much slimmer now!

Congratulations today are also in order to all those GCSE students who have done well in exams – especially to my niece Lucy who rang me with her results earlier!

Perfick! Perfick!

If you have watched ‘The Darling Buds Of May’ – or better yet, actually read H E Bates wonderful stories, you will know that Pa Larkin is extremely fond of good food –and prone to declaring his wife's wondrous meals as “Perfick! Perfick!”. I confess that when I am reading these books, I actual salivate more than Pavlov’s dogs, Bates’ descriptions of food are brilliant mouth-watering morsels.

So it is incumbent upon me, I feel, to share with you details of some 'perfick’ food which is not fictional. It’s from the great Norfolk firm of Perfick Pork, ‘the biggest little butchers in Norfolk’

Only a stones’ throw from Cornerstones, this is a wonderful shop. Check out their website. We came across their sausages on sale on Fakenham Market a couple of years ago.

This year, we just had to take Jon, the family pork expert, along to the shop. The staff are so knowledgeable and helpful. We purchased meat for the family barbecue at Adrian’s, bacon to bring home to KM, and Jon bought pork to take back and cure his own bacon in SE17. Not only that, but he was even give a free sample of ‘some of Grandfather’s Secret Recipe Cure’ to take back and try out!

What sets PP apart from supermarkets and other butchers are the ethics and principles behind the produce they supply. They operate a "conception to consumption" pork business; raising their pigs from birth on their own farmland employing talented farmers with considerable experience. They breed Duroc pigs, widely regarded as one of the finest breeds on the market, specifically selected due to the increased fat distribution through the meat. During cooking, the marbling within the pork melts and diffuses though the meat providing an unbelievable flavour and texture.

Often these ‘artisanal producers’ tend to be extremely expensive – but we were very impressed with their prices. Yes, you can buy ‘Tesco Market Value’ bacon at  a fraction of the price- but there is absolutely no comparison in terms of texture, flavour, and ‘cookability’ – and just one rasher of PP bacon, along with a free range egg tastes so good, I find that to be quite adequate for my breakfast. PPs prices per kilo are actually cheaper than the equivalent ‘premium’ supermarket products. And I am confident that the animals were well cared for. As well as pork, the shop also stocks chicken, beef and lamb from other local producers. Perfick Pork are not paying me for this recommendation – but I think their products deserve promotion.

“Everything in a pig is good. What ingratitude has permitted his name to become a term of opprobrium?”

Grimod de la Reyniere [1758-1838]

Fishy Story

The Edinburgh Festival has less than a week to go. One day I’ll have £12K to spare, and go up there to put on my own one-woman show. But not for a few years yet! It is 51 years since Alan Bennett and his crew did “Beyond The Fringe there.

The Sardine Sermon [aka Take A Pew]is out-of-date now, because the tins have ringpulls, and we don’t need a key anymore..

Life, you know, is rather like opening a tin of sardines. We are all of us looking for the key. And, I wonder, how many of you here tonight have wasted years of your lives looking behind the kitchen dressers of this life for that key…Others think they've found the key, don't they? They roll back the lid of the sardine tin of life, they reveal the sardines, the riches of life, therein, and they get them out, they enjoy them. But, you know, there's always a little bit in the corner you can't get out. I wonder — I wonder, is there a little bit in the corner of your life? I know there is in mine…

Liz was extolling the virtues of Waitrose Sardines last week – and I lamented that we do not have a W. near us. Then Bob had to take his motorbike for its MOT and I went in the car to bring him back – and realised that I was passing a newly opened branch. So I went in. And rang my daughter at 8am [sorry Liz!] to ask “Which sardines should I be buying?” She said that the lemon ones in the pretty tin were what she’d been talking about. In the end, in the interests of science, I bought all three varieties for a taste test. It is a pretty tin!

When I checked my emails later, Liz had even sent me a message, thoughtful child!

Three of my favourite things to do with sardines:

- in a salade nicoise with potatoes, eggs, tomatoes and vinaigrette

- in couscous salad with spring onions, coriander and lemon

- sautéed in a little of the oil from the can with a chopped onion and a handful of spinach or rocket, then stirred through hot spaghetti.

So for lunch today I made a salade nicoise, using Delia’s recipe. It is online here – although that one differs slightly from her original Cookery Course Book which is what I used. I made half the quantity, replacing tuna and anchovies with sardines. I omitted the green beans [didn’t have any] and used regular lettuce and spring onions [as per book], not rocket and shallots – and I used the drained lemony oil for the vinaigrette.

Here’s Delia’s salad – I am sorry, I forgot to take a picture of ours before we ate it!

The potatoes I used were ones our neighbour in Norfolk gave me, and having no parsley, I garnished the salad with my homegrown chives.

It was a lovely summer lunch on a sunny day. And I have two cans left for trying out the other suggestions from Liz later! Thanks, Liz.

Please Sir, I Want Some More!

The death was announced last night of John Howard Davies. His first brush with fame was as the eponymous hero of the 1948 production of Oliver Twist [long before Mark Lester warbled his way through Oliver! in 1968] This was the one with Anthony Newley as the Artful Dodger and Alec Guinness as Fagin.

a star-studded cast!

JHD – man and boy…

As an adult, JHD became the Head of Comedy at the BBC. He brought such laughter to our screens – Fawlty Towers, Yes Minister, Only Fools And Horses, The Good Life and much, much more. Looking at some of the output that the BBC claims to be ‘comedy’ these days, and at the risk of sounding a grumpy old woman – I wish we still had JHD at the BBC. Here’s one of my favourite clips

My daughters used to live in Peckham!

Don’t Drink More–Just Eat More!

As I mentioned, Steph works for SABMiller – and they are responsible for the Appletiser range of products

Part of Steph’s ‘salary package’ includes a regular supply of her company’s products. She generously gave me a load of cans of Peartiser when I visited London in July.

I have been enjoying these throughout the summer – but there is one thing that baffles me a little.

Look at this can…

It is all very healthy – no added preservative, no added sugar.

Just the thing to keep in the fridge – and 150ml [which is half a can] counts as one of your “5-a-day” So Bob and I shared a can with our lunch today. Most refreshing!

But look again at that can and the little logo bottom right.

Here is an enlarged version of it

I can cope with the 5-a-day slogan. That is an achievable target, and I have found that easy to explain to my pupils. I like the idea that ‘a portion’ is ‘about a handful’ – so one solitary cherry [or brussels sprout] would be too small, but one whole watermelon [or pumpkin] would be way too much!

But who decided to put the phrase

 Just Eat More

underneath? That is just silly!

In these days of obesity, we surely want people to just eat less?

So they have to qualify the statement by putting in smaller letters below it[fruit and veg] It all seems rather unnecessary.

I must point out that this logo is nothing to do with Steph’s company – it is part of the government health initiative.

I have this war-time poster in my kitchen – it strikes me that the slogan they were using seventy years ago

“Feed Right To Feel Right” was a good one. It certainly trips off the tongue more easily than

“Just Eat More

[Fruit And Veg]”

On the subject of fruit, vegetables and food in general, I am happy to report that despite a fortnight of fabulous food whilst on holiday, Bob’s weight is exactly as it was when we left on August 8th, and I have lost one pound. 

Bob tells me that Pastor Rick Warren is also dieting, and is encouraging his congregation at Saddleback Church to do likewise.

They are following the Daniel Plan [more info here]

This somewhat controversial diet, masterminded by an aptly named “Dr Amen” is allegedly based on biblical principles. I suspect that if you don’t follow it properly, you may get thrown to the lions!

I’m not yet ready to show ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos of my personal diet progress – but I must congratulate Sarah - my good friend [and reader of this blog] who I met up with at church in Dereham on Sunday. Since last summer she has lost over four stone [56lb] in weight, and she looks stunning! Well done Sarah – and thanks for the encouragement.

Pink Drink!

Whilst in Norfolk, we visited Beers Of Europe. Twice. Jon is a keen CAMRA member, and Steph, working for SAB Miller, has a professional interest in the stuff. And Bob is half Belgian.

This shop has the widest selection of beers and ales you could imagine. Also a room full of strange, expensive garden furniture. Not sure quite why that is there – unless it is to give non beer drinkers like myself something to look at!

However I did end up buying some bottles – three pink drinks

The first is some Sirop De Monin Cherry syrup – useful for desserts and cooking with – and if I do another alcohol-free cocktail bar sometime. These syrups come in dozens of flavours – they have a fun website. The second and third are Lorina sparkling drinks, one pomegranate, the other pink citrus lemonade. I shall keep these for some special occasion, I think. I love those flip top bottles!

Oh and I bought something else from the ‘reduced to clear’ section

I think it is a box for holding bottles of beer – but despite the fact that the family between them purchased a couple of dozen bottles and more, only two fitted into it! Silly is a Belgian Brewery in Hainault [that’s the Belgian one, not the one in Essex!] They produce a beer called Silly Saison and another called Silly Pils!

The box came back in the car on Monday packed with things like squeezy mayo and ketchup bottles. I have yet to work out what I am going to use this for, but I loved the name.

Happy To Be Home

We had a good journey back from Norfolk [him on motorbike – me in car with two cycles on roof] and found the doormat hidden under a mound of post. My buttons’n’bows blogswap has arrived from Pondside in Canada. It is lovely

Inside the envelope was a card, a cross stitch chart and 4 voile bags.

The chart is for a Christmas stitching, which can be framed, or made double sided as a tree ornament. It’s very clever – it looks like a Christmas tree – but when you look at it sideways, the design says the word “Cherish”

Expect to see this featuring again on the blog before December!

Then some really pretty buttons, and some hand tatted lace, and an assortment of ribbons.

I love the large round amber coloured button with the diamante star centre don’t you?

I confess I’m not altogether sure what these two items are. Each a couple of inches long, with coloured beads threaded on silver wire.They are a little long to be ear-rings, and the end loops imply they are not hat-pins. But they are very beautifully made. Am I being dense?[probably]

Can someone advise me on a good use for this pair, please? 

The  two smallest bags are teabags – flavoured ‘Zen’ and ‘Passion’ and Pondside instructed that I should enjoy a cuppa and think of her. She had also tucked in two shells, from her walk along the seashore.

The photo doesn’t show the wonderfully iridescent lilac-blue colour. I think relaxing with Zen, whilst remembering her – and my own walk by the sea yesterday will be a fitting end to my holiday.

Thank you, Pondside – and thanks again to Elizabeth at French Village Life for arranging this one.

Time To Go Home

After a fabulous weekend with all the family [Adrian, Marion, Lucy, Liz, Jon, Steph and Mark] Cornerstones seems quite empty! But now it is time to pack up and return to KM. Holidays are for rest and recreation, and re-creation, to equip us for the work ahead.

Time to load up the car with all the stuff – bikes on the roof, leftover food in the coolbox, dirty laundry in bags. And all the odd little things I hadn’t expected to be taking back – a box full of jars of bottled fruit and chutney and jellies, random 2nd hand books, and Saturday’s treasures.

On our way to Bircham Windmill, on Saturday, we stopped at a Yard Sale in Bintree. We all agreed we had not seen anything quite like it. Steph found an advertising postcard for SAB Miller [her employers] Jon found a huge pile of vinyl ‘45s’ of assorted vintage. And I got…

Well, I ignored the wonderful Acme Wringer…

…and the aged Norfolk magazines…

…and the revolving safety signal, and the cocktail mixer…

But I actually found the very thing  which our church has been lacking for some years [I kid you not] I found two new easel pegs for the church easel! We have improvised with batteries and felt pens and things – and whenever it happens [usually on a Sunday just befre a Family Service] Bob says “Remind me to cut two bits of dowel to fit” and I always forget. But now, look!!

Two lovely easel pegs, a pair of good sharp pinking shears [so I do not have to keep taking mine down to Sewing Club] and half a dozen postcards showing Mr Robinson holding his Mammoth Improved Onion. This lot cost me £3.

“What if they don’t fit the easel?” I speculated

“Ask the Vicar to shave a bit off” said the lady.

“Have you got a lathe for sale?” said Bob

“Oh yes, out the back, it’s still in its box!” she replied.

We did not buy the lathe

And the other lady said “We did wonder what those two bits of wood were for. We had no idea. I’m glad you have a use for them. Fancy somebody turning up today who needed pegs for an easel…”

Feeling so thankful, for a lovely family, great friends, super holiday, and Cornerstones to enjoy it all in. So many, many blessings.

No Trouble At Mill!

I can really recommend Bircham Windmill for a great day out. There are loads of things to see and do, and it is suitable for all ages. Check out their website for details of special events. Plus points include

• decent, clean toilets and baby-changing facilities
• parking
• cycles for hire if you want to explore the local area
• plenty of places to sit down!
• compact site
• well thought out children’s activities
• lots of good clear signage [wash your hands after touching animals and equipment, do not mistreat the animals, be careful on the ladders etc]
• reasonably priced cafe – the most expensive item on the menu was £4.25 for a ploughman’s lunch [choice of 3 Cheeses, or Bircham’s own sheep’s cheese]

There was a chap doing wood-turning this weekend, and his wife was weaving. They were both very friendly, and happy to explain their crafts [and sell their wares!]

 

In one area they were selling a wonderful selection of second-hand books and other useful stuff. I didn’t buy the bog book, but Bob was pleased to get one about the Dead Sea Scrolls.

We ignored the worm juice too

Children could have pony rides

Wild Thyme Cottage was great

Thank the Lord for Mabel Perk’s fresh veg and bacon!

Good signage

Mark and Steph at the top, Jon halfway down

We got to see the sheep being milked too.

There was a bucket of water with a rubber teat attached so that children could pretend to do the milking too.

 

 

The girls were much better at squirting it into the bucket I noticed!

 

We had a great lunch, sharing 4 ploughman’s and two pasties between the six of us. There were lots of pickles and pickled onions, a generous amount of salad and freshly made rolls. You could watch the baker preparing bread etc  and children could make bread too, and have it baked to collect later!

10/10 for this one!