@Dovefromabove, in about an hour we will have some roast butternut squash wedges, and roast fennel, if you can stretch the Pheasant a bit further. 😋 Otherwise we can make do with our free range chicken, it's a tough life here 😅 While OH was busy with the above I was busy moving pots and things so the delivery of washing machine can get through on Tuesday. It's going to have to come round the back jnto utility area through what was originally the garage rear door entrance. Get well soon @punkdoc.
It was quite foggy here this morning, but lifted for the remembrance service held at the memorial in the local park and then continued in our church across the road. It was a very moving service.
When we got back, we had a hot drink to thaw us out and then I put the beef stew into the slow cooker for tonight’s meal. It’s bubbling away happily as I type. The dumplings will be added later.
We managed to get a lot done in the garden yesterday, tidying away debris and fleecing up the more tender plants. I took some cuttings of some daisy type plants (forget their name) because although they are supposed to be hardy, I lost the ones I had last year after the heavy frosts (even with fleece round them), and think the same is likely to happen again. I don’t know if the cuttings will root, but it’s worth a try.
It sounds as if some nice meals were being prepared and eaten last night. I, too, enjoy pheasant, but for the last couple of years our local butcher has been unable to get any for me. I’ll keep my eyes open, because they’re handy to have in the freezer.
It was raining too hard for me to want to go out this morning but OH braved it and enjoyed seeing the procession of Cubs, Scouts and Boys Brigade set off from our local Moravian church down to the War Memorial.
I spent the morning doing the washing and cleaning the silverware - a filthy job and I ran out of silver polish. Will be glad to see it gone. That's one job I used to do as the eldest daughter, clean the silver (not that we had much) on Sunday afternoons and then do my homework. A giddy life I led in the country!
I've never eaten pheasant and you don't often find it on the menu these days.
We're having our usual roast lamb, Y puds, roasties, broccoli and carrots tonight.
I was still at primary school when Pa taught me how to pluck, draw and dress a pheasant and paunch, skin and joint furred game. My parent left a rented farm in Bedfordshire … took out a huge loan moved to a small and very run-down Mid-Suffolk farm in 1956 … times were very hard … if Pa could shoot something to make the housekeeping go further it made a big difference.
If he shot more than we could eat that week he’d take it to the local butcher and swap it for a credit note for ‘butcher’s meat’.
Life was very different then.
Now I pay £4:50 for a dressed pheasant at the farm shop … it’ll serve two of us for two generous meals and provide stock for a soup. That’s what I call a bargain.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
That does sound a bargain @Dovefromabove. I've just paid £14 for a lamb shoulder joint which will also do us for two meals and sandwiches but it's not the bargain you've got!
I remember my parents trying to save money one Xmas and rearing some chickens, the only trouble is that after they had plucked and drawn a few, they felt so sick they staggered back to the house for some brandy!
I am sorry to hear that you are still poorly @punkdoc I hope you are having hot toddies with a dollop of whisky in the evenings before bed. It does relieve the congestion - truly it does!!
Very sociable @Busy-Lizzie I'd love to go to a pantomime - the French do not have this tradition here which is a shame. Such a show!!
Good to hear that you are on top of things @D0rdogne_Damsel Isn't it amazing that things go well when your frame of mind is positive?
Food. Glorious food!! It's my turn to cook Christmas dinner this year and your pheasant @Dovefromabove gave me an idea. I thought of going traditional and doing a capon (chapon in French) with a puree of braised cabbage and potato to nest a floret of broccoli. (I hope this won't be too "windy") Butternut roasted with rosemary and garlic. Giblet gravy. Yorkshire puds. Trying not to get too technical and being stuck in the kitchen for too long. A light salady entree and traditional Christmas pud - which I need to do this week. Any ideas gratefully accepted!!
Today's expression is: Tel jour Saint Brice tel jour Noël, tel premier janvier. It is a fine bright day - and NO wind here!!
We’re having a local barn-reared cockerel for our big meal in the evening on Christmas Day … I’ve got a lovely Uchiki Kuri squash put by to have with that and the roast potatoes … and yes, Yorkshire puds 😋… there’ll just be the three of us by then. MIL will be with us for a brunch of ‘nibbly bits’ earlier and return to the country house hotel in the next village where she’s staying for the duration. We’re going there on Boxing Day. 😊
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
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While OH was busy with the above I was busy moving pots and things so the delivery of washing machine can get through on Tuesday. It's going to have to come round the back jnto utility area through what was originally the garage rear door entrance.
Get well soon @punkdoc.
It was quite foggy here this morning, but lifted for the remembrance service held at the memorial in the local park and then continued in our church across the road. It was a very moving service.
When we got back, we had a hot drink to thaw us out and then I put the beef stew into the slow cooker for tonight’s meal. It’s bubbling away happily as I type. The dumplings will be added later.
We managed to get a lot done in the garden yesterday, tidying away debris and fleecing up the more tender plants. I took some cuttings of some daisy type plants (forget their name) because although they are supposed to be hardy, I lost the ones I had last year after the heavy frosts (even with fleece round them), and think the same is likely to happen again. I don’t know if the cuttings will root, but it’s worth a try.
It sounds as if some nice meals were being prepared and eaten last night. I, too, enjoy pheasant, but for the last couple of years our local butcher has been unable to get any for me. I’ll keep my eyes open, because they’re handy to have in the freezer.
Hope you soon feel better @punkdoc.
Moravian church down to the War Memorial.
I spent the morning doing the washing and cleaning the silverware - a filthy job and I ran out of silver polish. Will be glad to see it gone. That's one job I used to do as the eldest daughter, clean the silver (not that we had much) on Sunday afternoons and then do my homework. A giddy life I led in the country!
I've never eaten pheasant and you don't often find it on the menu these days.
We're having our usual roast lamb, Y puds, roasties, broccoli and carrots tonight.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I remember my parents trying to save money one Xmas and rearing some chickens, the only trouble is that after they had plucked and drawn a few, they felt so sick they staggered back to the house for some brandy!
Luxembourg
Wind, drizzle and 11C here in Norfolk … the oak trees across the rise are glowing like fiery beacons in the gloom 😊
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I am sorry to hear that you are still poorly @punkdoc I hope you are having hot toddies with a dollop of whisky in the evenings before bed. It does relieve the congestion - truly it does!!
Very sociable @Busy-Lizzie I'd love to go to a pantomime - the French do not have this tradition here which is a shame. Such a show!!
Good to hear that you are on top of things @D0rdogne_Damsel Isn't it amazing that things go well when your frame of mind is positive?
Food. Glorious food!! It's my turn to cook Christmas dinner this year and your pheasant @Dovefromabove gave me an idea. I thought of going traditional and doing a capon (chapon in French) with a puree of braised cabbage and potato to nest a floret of broccoli. (I hope this won't be too "windy") Butternut roasted with rosemary and garlic. Giblet gravy. Yorkshire puds. Trying not to get too technical and being stuck in the kitchen for too long. A light salady entree and traditional Christmas pud - which I need to do this week. Any ideas gratefully accepted!!
Today's expression is: Tel jour Saint Brice tel jour Noël, tel premier janvier.
It is a fine bright day - and NO wind here!!
Have a pleasant Monday everyone wherever you are.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.