tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65882718849131922602024-03-16T08:46:23.735+00:00Pomiane"Bien Manger pour Bien Vivre"Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.comBlogger793125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588271884913192260.post-32241152304249337772024-03-16T08:45:00.004+00:002024-03-16T08:45:33.003+00:00Leek and Mushroom Custard<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">An uninspiring name for an ethereal dish: light, and elegant, and quietly spectacular. This is another gem from the largely unsung Stephen Bull, to whose solitary published volume of recipes I've returned time after time, over the years (for me, he and Jill Norman together occupy the same place in the firmament of great food-writers; clearly neither of them interested enough in the commercial aspect of becoming a Celeb-Foodie to churn out book after book, to keep their public attached, and with ever-diminishing returns - and yet what little they have given us has been solid gold). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Bull gives these quantities as being sufficient for four servings, and he specifies use of ramekins of 9 cm diameter. I think the luxury is more than merited of doubling the ramekin size, and indulging in double the quantity per person. Once you taste it, you'll understand why!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Ingredients: 25g butter; 4 leeks (approx 110g; white parts only); 220g mushrooms, chopped; salt; 150g chicken stock; 1/2 cup dry white wine; 150 ml cream; 2 eggs; generous tsp dried tarragon; ground pepper.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Method:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">1. Pre-heat the oven to 170 degrees C. Butter two ramekins (10 cm diamater/200 ml capacity) and put a circle of greaseproof paper in the base of each, buttered again once in place. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">2. Melt the butter in a small pan, and sweat the finely-sliced leek, covered, for about five minutes. Add the chopped mushrooms, cover again, and continue cooking over a low heat for a further ten minutes. Add the stock, wine, and cream to the pan, along with a little salt; bring to the boil, and then reduce the heat to a steady simmer. Cook for approx twenty minutes, until the liquid has reduced by half.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">3. Let the mixture cool slightly, and then liquidise it, along with the eggs and tarragon. Check seasoning, and adjust as necessary. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">4. Divide the mixture between the prepared ramekins, place the ramekins in a bain marie, and bake for thirty minutes. Leave to settle for a minute or so after they come out of the oven, then run the tip of a small knife around the inside of each ramekin and unmould onto serving plates. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Bull serves his with hollandaise, but I don't bother - it doesn't need it, and anyway, it isn't practical to make a sensible quantitiy of hollandaise for just these two servings. Revel instead in the delicacy of the leek and mushrooms on their own.</span></p>Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588271884913192260.post-65939232203717179372024-02-27T12:08:00.001+00:002024-03-06T08:51:55.138+00:00It rains...<p><span style="font-family: arial;"> and - for once - I revel in it. For the first time I can stand in any of the rooms at the top of the new house, and enjoy the sound of rain drumming onto the skylight above. And there isn't a single sound of drips falling incessantly into buckets which have been strategically positioned around the place for the past months. Because - the roof has been fixed! Alessandro, the miracle-worker from Ruota, with the aid of his silent henchman, spent five days carefully hoiking out and replacing any and all of the damaged tiles, along with several hundredweight of accumulated moss and sedum. And, for the first time, we have a dry house. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Bliss! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I'd practically given up hope.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Meanwhile, outside, there are downpours, punctuated by brief periods of calm, and then yet more rain.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The stream has become a river, and the waterfall thunders away, mere metres away from the house. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxhC2mrzeQ4OaYAMS-1pBVzWUifKQNG9JB5POGzELeAIlU6XF1aF5CTVtCgSl1JfYBYH0emz4tsZ4bVQSpH9PxmTW2eQZsJ9oeto3hCBRTkSUIyRNClBekFzVHz4s81rCqDTyMS5ER5-Skv29FP_M3UTQcIj0jqulYi4n1jma9_FRn0RWQ5n1oqHj0Ygm/s4128/20240227_104558.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2322" data-original-width="4128" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxhC2mrzeQ4OaYAMS-1pBVzWUifKQNG9JB5POGzELeAIlU6XF1aF5CTVtCgSl1JfYBYH0emz4tsZ4bVQSpH9PxmTW2eQZsJ9oeto3hCBRTkSUIyRNClBekFzVHz4s81rCqDTyMS5ER5-Skv29FP_M3UTQcIj0jqulYi4n1jma9_FRn0RWQ5n1oqHj0Ygm/s320/20240227_104558.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The main waterfall</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIn81Yg5_m_UcQ3-snTT3mOcavTetA7eauS7AyoKwBQG2sSREi3p-hSMU2uq89wpiCNjUzESW5Zd2PXKpW5KBdwq0-BR1lIhPSWNfBYuNUOX2A2YmY0Mmhmd_Sn8hWwA6H7GbgBGVtjwP-ob40RvOGcRBuqX6EEEd9XZRxG_-ZDOt9KF90xJB47jrryplX/s4128/20240227_104605.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2322" data-original-width="4128" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIn81Yg5_m_UcQ3-snTT3mOcavTetA7eauS7AyoKwBQG2sSREi3p-hSMU2uq89wpiCNjUzESW5Zd2PXKpW5KBdwq0-BR1lIhPSWNfBYuNUOX2A2YmY0Mmhmd_Sn8hWwA6H7GbgBGVtjwP-ob40RvOGcRBuqX6EEEd9XZRxG_-ZDOt9KF90xJB47jrryplX/s320/20240227_104605.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And the two immediately subsidiary ones</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0O27bB3x3XG1h5vFSot5b-pCKSLJhODCr6k3IRf-as1Le8Taira14VZ8euKqohDAPuAka6HQoAnKJ3RxOT836_moC6h0WbEUBzr0Y25fdFSjLiveDMIKdNcF_loxpYcaHhk-LNmS-MWiP79sHPuNNphLPVwN-nyV7mWQgMMX_v6FcKRnbm5WsBop-gqpo/s4128/20240227_095934.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="2322" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0O27bB3x3XG1h5vFSot5b-pCKSLJhODCr6k3IRf-as1Le8Taira14VZ8euKqohDAPuAka6HQoAnKJ3RxOT836_moC6h0WbEUBzr0Y25fdFSjLiveDMIKdNcF_loxpYcaHhk-LNmS-MWiP79sHPuNNphLPVwN-nyV7mWQgMMX_v6FcKRnbm5WsBop-gqpo/s320/20240227_095934.jpg" width="180" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Looking upstream, towards the waterfall, from the old bridge</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKoN_odlSNyLLq0WsBR1KvYEeiEtpOGx07AI11FIwjHoLtOEFO_0B9mCgoQL6FiQ2uaVip4uP8thbEdy0IAbLXDAgkjTQGp-w0tpo6JfKG-vKCxv6t1tFpPolWlae9HE46ZaQ4w3mf4P1a83x_8Gi0wMKxHgGYyHU5TyibGPdon1pDHSXaoawBMvRJ48HN/s4128/20240227_103956.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="2322" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKoN_odlSNyLLq0WsBR1KvYEeiEtpOGx07AI11FIwjHoLtOEFO_0B9mCgoQL6FiQ2uaVip4uP8thbEdy0IAbLXDAgkjTQGp-w0tpo6JfKG-vKCxv6t1tFpPolWlae9HE46ZaQ4w3mf4P1a83x_8Gi0wMKxHgGYyHU5TyibGPdon1pDHSXaoawBMvRJ48HN/s320/20240227_103956.jpg" width="180" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">From the Giovannetti bridge, outside the front door, looking <br />downstream, towards the top of the waterfall</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIDVMwPVg1zbMcz1dEsPuD0_7aJ5xOQx_rYDHx8oGhRMPzbcWtvUThzj1-AidqX06YnGMZDlPhTKSIAM0mpgppQmRyW4WQlW6aEZ5fNk10lkOs0wkPy4N1ZKHrZPADFlKrUm3eu4zxEktfYqVKz2ukx40nADsYI3PqKzRLHJ9JJwPZoF0veCSTpls8E9Uc/s4128/20240227_104001.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="2322" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIDVMwPVg1zbMcz1dEsPuD0_7aJ5xOQx_rYDHx8oGhRMPzbcWtvUThzj1-AidqX06YnGMZDlPhTKSIAM0mpgppQmRyW4WQlW6aEZ5fNk10lkOs0wkPy4N1ZKHrZPADFlKrUm3eu4zxEktfYqVKz2ukx40nADsYI3PqKzRLHJ9JJwPZoF0veCSTpls8E9Uc/s320/20240227_104001.jpg" width="180" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And from the same place, looking upstream</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Inside - in the dry! - Michele is finishing off the work in the ante-room, and will then 'wrap' the inside of the house, to protect it from the paint-sprayer which, we hope, will be available for use next week. And yesterday, we had an afternoon first with the electrician, and then with the plumbers...and there's a distinct possibility that they can all get started as soon as the painting will have been finished. </span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Tonight's dinner:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Sweetcorn galette</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Spanish chicken (boned thighs, braised with garlic, dry marsala and sherry vinegar); sprouts (newly-available in Italy, seasonally...which is much-heralded)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Lemon cheesecake <br /></span><p><br /></p><br /><p><br /><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588271884913192260.post-66645282581665555552024-01-22T11:50:00.000+00:002024-01-22T11:50:22.702+00:00This week, in pictures...<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7bmLY_jwy0M4kFvRt_UoO9i1L9zCaM0R-2oRYfU9cDA90CX_Fz012qNoHyMzNbh7XZrH_CNfh5fLn6iMvBGNXvllncynUXoA2gkE7lxpqRHhFAd-IqvGcypfsfr68bckv0Dr86PYHjwykEdbm1PdhA5pwPs7CFET-kKUJWqt3b7RvgmehQCthWkGBuOIy/s4128/20240118_214335.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2322" data-original-width="4128" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7bmLY_jwy0M4kFvRt_UoO9i1L9zCaM0R-2oRYfU9cDA90CX_Fz012qNoHyMzNbh7XZrH_CNfh5fLn6iMvBGNXvllncynUXoA2gkE7lxpqRHhFAd-IqvGcypfsfr68bckv0Dr86PYHjwykEdbm1PdhA5pwPs7CFET-kKUJWqt3b7RvgmehQCthWkGBuOIy/s320/20240118_214335.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Lemon, Pear, and Fennel Tart</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpmgCXA-9m01xVaQHyuEARjlh2zbXNfRRwqhdRlfkYZba5nJkiqlZrikzI5Qk7HV7yTMSKKYenE7OBOTzztUGpVyyuFCRTQcU23NIPzj4RPZyB6Z5s-BJwUlVhfPXlFNeO7QinrWSoxwrMkq080JIi20_BG-UGXYBLzrIPRL_2QOjBvcJSPE4jRmEUcjes/s4128/20240118_214157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="2322" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpmgCXA-9m01xVaQHyuEARjlh2zbXNfRRwqhdRlfkYZba5nJkiqlZrikzI5Qk7HV7yTMSKKYenE7OBOTzztUGpVyyuFCRTQcU23NIPzj4RPZyB6Z5s-BJwUlVhfPXlFNeO7QinrWSoxwrMkq080JIi20_BG-UGXYBLzrIPRL_2QOjBvcJSPE4jRmEUcjes/s320/20240118_214157.jpg" width="180" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ravioli, with celery & mushroom stuffing</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCL-hIgEHhT0aafzX9DvCNpGDVqcOTRx9M0KCx8iGyoUWVCgl6P3WkLGAIwkQTzZUh2KqshP-bAlNLX7UmXUGpWlPd8kWfTTnl8C5X0c2jpDUQ7JJE-ydTbtEPevw0JiuxpEAcSSpUTuMO-bfu9SSpoCmSM_Vd6DlmJBXsH1QsEeNmy8ETmYQ5XNS_dtrq/s2981/20240116_121916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2981" data-original-width="2322" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCL-hIgEHhT0aafzX9DvCNpGDVqcOTRx9M0KCx8iGyoUWVCgl6P3WkLGAIwkQTzZUh2KqshP-bAlNLX7UmXUGpWlPd8kWfTTnl8C5X0c2jpDUQ7JJE-ydTbtEPevw0JiuxpEAcSSpUTuMO-bfu9SSpoCmSM_Vd6DlmJBXsH1QsEeNmy8ETmYQ5XNS_dtrq/s320/20240116_121916.jpg" width="249" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Phyllo and Apple 'Pastis'</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbUEZ4mIQ_56tWcQK7FQBNeUCIQX4zu12G4PjSXq0x_nlxLzmpcspgbnQsg2_ajQHfGnixB8brdNj9aLsaRYT1oxiBVetZi_2Ja1ExDPTSczudip7j0pJj8AqT-DzVW6u6-1xkdoYRU9fGt4V5wR8_uNtZFmzw8XqczjsLzGdL4nEOIdTknyD1pjHWrj_t/s4128/20240114_161016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="2322" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbUEZ4mIQ_56tWcQK7FQBNeUCIQX4zu12G4PjSXq0x_nlxLzmpcspgbnQsg2_ajQHfGnixB8brdNj9aLsaRYT1oxiBVetZi_2Ja1ExDPTSczudip7j0pJj8AqT-DzVW6u6-1xkdoYRU9fGt4V5wR8_uNtZFmzw8XqczjsLzGdL4nEOIdTknyD1pjHWrj_t/s320/20240114_161016.jpg" width="180" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Newly-restored windows in the dressing room (to-be)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitiUJ8hyphenhyphencsndB5mUGicLh5BH3vmdA86TBrlMlUHjyMdF8stsq4l2oIxnLiXOi8JkYO2wp8B9j7zSm243ahp0BJC7v5rLf8l4I4VxBJFPITVOuCgOCYof8gNgFNt6RlqnSAIQ-6UdnHZ9kwIT2ZTzLXjID3_NqiFvApbwYWUS9k49ZywYIm0iqGUjU3S4Mh/s4128/20240114_160953.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2322" data-original-width="4128" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitiUJ8hyphenhyphencsndB5mUGicLh5BH3vmdA86TBrlMlUHjyMdF8stsq4l2oIxnLiXOi8JkYO2wp8B9j7zSm243ahp0BJC7v5rLf8l4I4VxBJFPITVOuCgOCYof8gNgFNt6RlqnSAIQ-6UdnHZ9kwIT2ZTzLXjID3_NqiFvApbwYWUS9k49ZywYIm0iqGUjU3S4Mh/s320/20240114_160953.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Newly-restored windows in the kitchen (to-be)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsd9p2VloNCvKxt4TdkzHn_G5mw47bc6Sx5wC9o-uR9MDxE_Qr0j8OHTGTFil077JG3khX1d-crBFxjXjC3Mr105dHy2lgpo08lR7_T7ApcZ2QYU1t1XO2VuNBtNslJH-yFVutpwnhJEZ6HRdUvv5OBD4HCP4BgGQ0savEewrhPSQi35my52JkbV_rDkwU/s4128/20240110_110729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="2322" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsd9p2VloNCvKxt4TdkzHn_G5mw47bc6Sx5wC9o-uR9MDxE_Qr0j8OHTGTFil077JG3khX1d-crBFxjXjC3Mr105dHy2lgpo08lR7_T7ApcZ2QYU1t1XO2VuNBtNslJH-yFVutpwnhJEZ6HRdUvv5OBD4HCP4BgGQ0savEewrhPSQi35my52JkbV_rDkwU/s320/20240110_110729.jpg" width="180" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The view from London Bridge station at the start of the week (years ago, we <br />lived in the white house, centre-right, just in front of the faux-Globe theatre)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;">,<br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpigHAgyZBFK0aBaAq63DuEPOhyphenhyphenNcW6pE1I_lU2XCWzJ2qsK46_rCdbRLihgmNnhK6WvfwKyqfYFSF8tFE805gRaoKnrDnLr8Q8DG-yD6U-DcmqwhHRK5KyZUELLCxU6rKuKEyL09BD_OzvXKJt2BQ8eXc-B9c7SOXS0F9bNzpYpwPskh0VuNHeMeGOdID/s4128/20231213_144609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpigHAgyZBFK0aBaAq63DuEPOhyphenhyphenNcW6pE1I_lU2XCWzJ2qsK46_rCdbRLihgmNnhK6WvfwKyqfYFSF8tFE805gRaoKnrDnLr8Q8DG-yD6U-DcmqwhHRK5KyZUELLCxU6rKuKEyL09BD_OzvXKJt2BQ8eXc-B9c7SOXS0F9bNzpYpwPskh0VuNHeMeGOdID/s320/20231213_144609.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">New french windows, looking out...</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxzkNjlDw5iiXIjj_xW-JBCkmCAw_AnC3fZC5-D6T_rXWNGNbvuuIY752i3PDvITLExXQNtWBG1t2hvJgHOqrbPtWdTWqOqe9btv-hVIWK7sfVfp-v4Bj2V8advhbhfdgOsiGbWi0u3b_acQa8Lfyt8huPhfILfKvX-re-aF4C4N6aehSF0oXkG697akQB/s4128/20231213_144507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxzkNjlDw5iiXIjj_xW-JBCkmCAw_AnC3fZC5-D6T_rXWNGNbvuuIY752i3PDvITLExXQNtWBG1t2hvJgHOqrbPtWdTWqOqe9btv-hVIWK7sfVfp-v4Bj2V8advhbhfdgOsiGbWi0u3b_acQa8Lfyt8huPhfILfKvX-re-aF4C4N6aehSF0oXkG697akQB/s320/20231213_144507.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">New french windows, looking in...</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7_vYtyCzlw8rNfGFbITQCFx1_skpODTLck8gIXgtexq5wEla-zTgWkZDba4JwXJDn-XNhumYywTykP7nMG39b_BLJK7QT8IPyDM5ALsEoWcWpCMXiMCueeBrwzBzsGtLp9uTE6Ledjmv6chRWyEUu8s-Kgv0vLiDjP92jJK28QkcOuaEdEf60cw0J5Ra/s1352/IMG-20240110-WA0000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="1352" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7_vYtyCzlw8rNfGFbITQCFx1_skpODTLck8gIXgtexq5wEla-zTgWkZDba4JwXJDn-XNhumYywTykP7nMG39b_BLJK7QT8IPyDM5ALsEoWcWpCMXiMCueeBrwzBzsGtLp9uTE6Ledjmv6chRWyEUu8s-Kgv0vLiDjP92jJK28QkcOuaEdEf60cw0J5Ra/s320/IMG-20240110-WA0000.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Madam, making new friends in San Giuliano, while we were in London<br /><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I've started to transplant things from the garden in Pisa to the garden-to-be at the new house, but have called a halt for a few days because I have a filthy cold - so much for this winter's flu jab!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Tonight's dinner:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Turkish scrambled eggs</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Fegato alla Venezia</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Pineapple & Almond Tarts</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588271884913192260.post-15602930415740908842023-12-04T15:55:00.002+00:002023-12-04T15:55:42.754+00:00Meanwhile, over at The Project...<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKCYFdZKJIZfFiXPuEAttI2OGSu-pRyhPUvHOnBpvbS_O_faBs-9C_6Ml1A5NISc5KuzoRKzqo3Y81gbXxb8vtD-rjupBlF4ImkrbD8HB4yltFcZcFp9Gr9xXEl_5vlgRY7nNcvEa1tf0e1nXHrhZWT2hfl9Cm0qYR_Nj8D32u3PWam4CHa4dGPDkbBhD0/s4128/20231108_121306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKCYFdZKJIZfFiXPuEAttI2OGSu-pRyhPUvHOnBpvbS_O_faBs-9C_6Ml1A5NISc5KuzoRKzqo3Y81gbXxb8vtD-rjupBlF4ImkrbD8HB4yltFcZcFp9Gr9xXEl_5vlgRY7nNcvEa1tf0e1nXHrhZWT2hfl9Cm0qYR_Nj8D32u3PWam4CHa4dGPDkbBhD0/s320/20231108_121306.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The window in the old grinding room has been transformed into a <br />doorway -french windows being installed, this week.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh5JYgYy9Jat4vDl7uk1YBHlSGnPiORKB-xGZiTcKepaJ99KYeTv-_mwSCbGuXhKrRtVqm7y09-wX-rTSOZ4ikLOe2ZNS3wxiRGQ_IQKio8y1ziZLNEErsAV1jvsz_HsMjKEk8lOZ6cAr0ihJphOm8xLfyMFep3nbpHyTxW2eTxUpCwjajVkvffK-LdsgR/s4128/20231108_121254.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh5JYgYy9Jat4vDl7uk1YBHlSGnPiORKB-xGZiTcKepaJ99KYeTv-_mwSCbGuXhKrRtVqm7y09-wX-rTSOZ4ikLOe2ZNS3wxiRGQ_IQKio8y1ziZLNEErsAV1jvsz_HsMjKEk8lOZ6cAr0ihJphOm8xLfyMFep3nbpHyTxW2eTxUpCwjajVkvffK-LdsgR/s320/20231108_121254.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">All the old milling kit has been dismantled and removed - we're still looking for a<br /> home for the old wheels; not practical for a dining room, whichever <br />way you look at it</span></td></tr></tbody></table></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAyMv0ItEL_fRu7aMwrlYqe8vD6G_s1nDTvgbiABSc1-svHFjULIRdjJPC_3F84PXI0ZkU5MWsLSnuC4GFRrY3ePbXb4ztzUp61lob_m01qSgTdg0rZo6P5gZJrkC-zDhTzrqekxthXUT7YLf2cFMr5NHidAo9UHqQ-0gZIRUsjSq6J6QeKK8E82eWLftY/s4128/20231111_162224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAyMv0ItEL_fRu7aMwrlYqe8vD6G_s1nDTvgbiABSc1-svHFjULIRdjJPC_3F84PXI0ZkU5MWsLSnuC4GFRrY3ePbXb4ztzUp61lob_m01qSgTdg0rZo6P5gZJrkC-zDhTzrqekxthXUT7YLf2cFMr5NHidAo9UHqQ-0gZIRUsjSq6J6QeKK8E82eWLftY/s320/20231111_162224.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Tidied-up doorway looking from the ground floor guestroom, across the hallway <br />and through the doorway into the salone</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPUUvSigWaaVytlx-HCRQDeFY4-L54J3pcGycyfyhvpdCzPS1dvikhNHpJ94qoKQZfw-g3OxHFTKJ6oJw34_xhw9k9n7wIt3XymXRm1tGCf4ZqMgqKplGg22gUqc3cPawHhhN4id0hxVpjLC8leMxlJ7eR_pxfRhLbqkgi-zeEkomkGfRKfGe5YOMVYrq/s4128/20231111_162212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPUUvSigWaaVytlx-HCRQDeFY4-L54J3pcGycyfyhvpdCzPS1dvikhNHpJ94qoKQZfw-g3OxHFTKJ6oJw34_xhw9k9n7wIt3XymXRm1tGCf4ZqMgqKplGg22gUqc3cPawHhhN4id0hxVpjLC8leMxlJ7eR_pxfRhLbqkgi-zeEkomkGfRKfGe5YOMVYrq/s320/20231111_162212.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And the same view, in the opposite direction</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXifSOOE16jKE0ndqSV09sV9Qlsu9FJVlqG_0_WKQdAxLIAXbIM0A87fTNKGWMug8Ld5GisDvjJXkirSAUy7GEPfkyMMOKe9lZ0Ufonz97rgdO3GynWVjb0LqXju4a2zGz3few_iq6vem_x5NBHoTqwyhgi7uqdGrFJu0eo4XGdrZFPZNZ7i0j8bMt992v/s4128/20231114_163902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXifSOOE16jKE0ndqSV09sV9Qlsu9FJVlqG_0_WKQdAxLIAXbIM0A87fTNKGWMug8Ld5GisDvjJXkirSAUy7GEPfkyMMOKe9lZ0Ufonz97rgdO3GynWVjb0LqXju4a2zGz3few_iq6vem_x5NBHoTqwyhgi7uqdGrFJu0eo4XGdrZFPZNZ7i0j8bMt992v/s320/20231114_163902.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Looking from the kitchen into and across the dining room</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkBVMsmMzKhRvaYBqsnYNpaB5OQoUcJwB8i3mLqRxo-7OWqc_Z-xXmOElcIRkLEpMHCnRWVqgZqnaEhXSkXleiSTZcI4xS_mLZ-v4I0PyUt_fIegNnrgmURUjlEMTprWmp9E1FwX4U0Tx1qxA_eju9TsXqGmxwSQUsUnhvvZFunJrVeCWnP0A9toizmyLI/s4128/20231111_162251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkBVMsmMzKhRvaYBqsnYNpaB5OQoUcJwB8i3mLqRxo-7OWqc_Z-xXmOElcIRkLEpMHCnRWVqgZqnaEhXSkXleiSTZcI4xS_mLZ-v4I0PyUt_fIegNnrgmURUjlEMTprWmp9E1FwX4U0Tx1qxA_eju9TsXqGmxwSQUsUnhvvZFunJrVeCWnP0A9toizmyLI/s320/20231111_162251.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Looking across the inner hallway, where the builders have made a <br />new entrance into the cantina, and out into the ruin.<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlgysOtzQ9U-82mscDMbgKwxUlZRIl7KFlFNhuHkSW126fYOuJ95uDBPEWSxpt1DPNCeBqqGqzSq_gQqQxuVQ1uYw-FfKxikLUXODcC7bV-3wdknD5-td5_Bnh4oakdju1oBFmU6mDmoVXVzjoTvAGMxTcVeWKm3XuP-ARdTJ-jAp2P-Mr-8WabCDY7st/s4128/20231108_121340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlgysOtzQ9U-82mscDMbgKwxUlZRIl7KFlFNhuHkSW126fYOuJ95uDBPEWSxpt1DPNCeBqqGqzSq_gQqQxuVQ1uYw-FfKxikLUXODcC7bV-3wdknD5-td5_Bnh4oakdju1oBFmU6mDmoVXVzjoTvAGMxTcVeWKm3XuP-ARdTJ-jAp2P-Mr-8WabCDY7st/s320/20231108_121340.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">New windows! (This one, in the main bedroom).</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHV9eVz9p110launYDeoQ5Di84uMQnlslmF0gw8BAvHKJtBWZAj4Mohj9yBqy_Rz6F5LbiEmp7o9DeGnlUciHGEmWL84noEdqM-7RXjhVzW4DaoYlQ22dMHa-9H9saQd-aewZXAXYvSOXdfrydOVcuI81DB3R85AKTqnmL9oyfWOvig-vfnSBo9YlsGYd-/s4128/20231107_162124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHV9eVz9p110launYDeoQ5Di84uMQnlslmF0gw8BAvHKJtBWZAj4Mohj9yBqy_Rz6F5LbiEmp7o9DeGnlUciHGEmWL84noEdqM-7RXjhVzW4DaoYlQ22dMHa-9H9saQd-aewZXAXYvSOXdfrydOVcuI81DB3R85AKTqnmL9oyfWOvig-vfnSBo9YlsGYd-/s320/20231107_162124.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And more new windows (top floor - the ones on the first floor and ground floor are currently<br />being repaired, restored and painted)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRptMcJyN7z_2o3WT2R0tuiH953rv85oJ7O6oEdmBDKwp0pSQnMI5DHwYGVvXp-YPMXFd2XqPbPaSoylVij60y-xK2oTzzsfbfN-Pb7vjDShKWoXCOtVPu782CSxxEZjzvhm3LeJKfquFvhaY55LhKH2pMMzvQqxNL66vRnneWOTTZd3hDD-ZtXd02wZHF/s4128/20231122_162817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRptMcJyN7z_2o3WT2R0tuiH953rv85oJ7O6oEdmBDKwp0pSQnMI5DHwYGVvXp-YPMXFd2XqPbPaSoylVij60y-xK2oTzzsfbfN-Pb7vjDShKWoXCOtVPu782CSxxEZjzvhm3LeJKfquFvhaY55LhKH2pMMzvQqxNL66vRnneWOTTZd3hDD-ZtXd02wZHF/s320/20231122_162817.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm midway through excavating the paved area in front of the ruined wing...old cobblestones, <br />on a distinct slope, emerging from their tomb</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn16qCx3XzPvbUCvSy9HB3ZO5s3WZmAVqvKT_LNlp-5d2elu13yOKKic94OaqU3y8J8-vtZDjEWgXWJsCTzZ9Xz3dM7JqrLVctZLcMx9CeNtaw5cOhGk8r_qt23K_bKiacnu1j2rOya44eFz0Gy3Bg0MUAWxrHH0cPuDAG5jwDktsyB2zNbKSsGchLE9S6/s4128/20231126_141716.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn16qCx3XzPvbUCvSy9HB3ZO5s3WZmAVqvKT_LNlp-5d2elu13yOKKic94OaqU3y8J8-vtZDjEWgXWJsCTzZ9Xz3dM7JqrLVctZLcMx9CeNtaw5cOhGk8r_qt23K_bKiacnu1j2rOya44eFz0Gy3Bg0MUAWxrHH0cPuDAG5jwDktsyB2zNbKSsGchLE9S6/s320/20231126_141716.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The rear of the building, looking surprisingly organised.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZrzKN7ocu0usKcf8SNurQqrcNDIYEby9P4D1C3SQEULMe5UPdIo8xBHSzG-0CakrdH4NdgSoRVYc69I6pOyRK-2ft5aF2H6suMROfr3X2ufnbqg-AMZHr8F-AYLnjGsV8CzfsRcJemEY15z_M5gdoKUIujVZJZAG5gfmAOAzx-syQ1kqi5fyRCTEX2V7Q/s4128/20231005_165414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZrzKN7ocu0usKcf8SNurQqrcNDIYEby9P4D1C3SQEULMe5UPdIo8xBHSzG-0CakrdH4NdgSoRVYc69I6pOyRK-2ft5aF2H6suMROfr3X2ufnbqg-AMZHr8F-AYLnjGsV8CzfsRcJemEY15z_M5gdoKUIujVZJZAG5gfmAOAzx-syQ1kqi5fyRCTEX2V7Q/s320/20231005_165414.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A million (or so) new floorboards, delivered roadside, and waiting to be <br />carried one-by-one indoors...backbreaking!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0dHLFiEUpWpGQjfVmdR1UYt-2YWXyObqk-lIRbbfxCW3Fr6n2eWplaPn3oR3t9oGXrrDfyCB7qi7rP7KcrLdw1TcGm-pnNmH1fQyV5AnbZB7fsNTKxTHeUx-nUTfMnX20MKkLBk51uXgFzVa9YuGpxohMm0UVWz6EwiDtVNhZxySm8NXpAh4JD-FkVRG/s4128/20231108_121314.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3096" data-original-width="4128" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0dHLFiEUpWpGQjfVmdR1UYt-2YWXyObqk-lIRbbfxCW3Fr6n2eWplaPn3oR3t9oGXrrDfyCB7qi7rP7KcrLdw1TcGm-pnNmH1fQyV5AnbZB7fsNTKxTHeUx-nUTfMnX20MKkLBk51uXgFzVa9YuGpxohMm0UVWz6EwiDtVNhZxySm8NXpAh4JD-FkVRG/s320/20231108_121314.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Reticulated beams, between the building and the hillside, awaiting installation <br />of a decking terrace on top of them.<br /><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Tonight's dinner:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Courgette souffles</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Penne, with a tomato and garlic sauce</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Dark-molasses treacle tart</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588271884913192260.post-13232048183951720482023-11-19T11:16:00.001+00:002023-11-19T11:16:59.212+00:00Cheese Fritters<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvjtxkqK20AmVf5ehTJRWSpdnwWmQwcLiIw0lS-mv-kO5XoZq0bmq4eNszxn6b9YrGWWjb_R85ZqAFkJGWpKYH1102HHRsoIPZMsn-FfCJ4x5-U1o7Nx7bg_-R0qQ_9VhxHWW1DENAh9h2xaKdJWNebzj3dIhf4PISS3g1ZGwGNrxzWeJjArGsJAwY2fXw/s4128/20231111_211228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvjtxkqK20AmVf5ehTJRWSpdnwWmQwcLiIw0lS-mv-kO5XoZq0bmq4eNszxn6b9YrGWWjb_R85ZqAFkJGWpKYH1102HHRsoIPZMsn-FfCJ4x5-U1o7Nx7bg_-R0qQ_9VhxHWW1DENAh9h2xaKdJWNebzj3dIhf4PISS3g1ZGwGNrxzWeJjArGsJAwY2fXw/s320/20231111_211228.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Wonderful!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I love cooked cheese, in practically any form. These are a distant cousin to the fried cheese (saganaki) that was served in the little local taverna in Athens that I used to frequent for lunch nearly fifty years ago(!) that was in the centre of the little park between our office and the Evvangelismos Hospital. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This particular recipe is taken, loosely, from one by Elisabeth Luard, and can be found both in her collection of Adalusian Recipes and in 'Saffron & Sunshine'. With a provenance like that, you can't go wrong.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The quantities EL gives, she says are sufficient for four people. Since they're so more-ish, though, I find that they're barely sufficient for two, as a starter. The quantities given here produce 8 to 10 generous fritters.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Ingredients:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">3 eggs; 3 tbs milk; 150g grated parmesan (or grana); 3 tbs flour; 1 tbs finely chopped onion; 1 tbs chopped parsley; 1 tsp paprika; salt and pepper. Sunflower oil, for frying.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Method:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">1. Beat the egss and the milk toegther, and then thoroughly incorporate the cheese.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">2. Stir in the flour, until lump-free, and then add the onion, paprika, and parsley; season to taste.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">3. In a heavy pan, heat a generous layer of oil until it is very hot. Add spoonfuls of the batter to the oil, and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side. (I use a small metal ring of about 2 inches diameter, into which I spoon the batter while the ring sits on the hot oil, and I then remove the ring once the batter has 'seized', and I can progress to making the next fritter - I guess you could just spoon the batter into the oil in a more free-form way, but if you do you risk the batter running everywhere before the shape of the fritter has been captured).</span></p>Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588271884913192260.post-33410992778700568052023-08-05T10:42:00.001+00:002023-08-05T10:42:46.223+00:00This week's progress....<p><span style="font-family: arial;"> For those who might be interested:</span></p><p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0c4vKvCdsv9-B1DhnfPlnPNiHmvSKBstQXClxMKnppbObgm9MLaxRraMUqvyeD0PYU-HukKVXYBrNdts6b2nHMwhJialbk7OIr_esWwJ2LgTeeR96eLvD-s2EMfArb-FY-S_y-5x0eBaKojB7qy9URdTWxoIALcqJ607H-__IfC35rRgjej3xG2N2Q4Xb/s4128/20230803_175647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0c4vKvCdsv9-B1DhnfPlnPNiHmvSKBstQXClxMKnppbObgm9MLaxRraMUqvyeD0PYU-HukKVXYBrNdts6b2nHMwhJialbk7OIr_esWwJ2LgTeeR96eLvD-s2EMfArb-FY-S_y-5x0eBaKojB7qy9URdTWxoIALcqJ607H-__IfC35rRgjej3xG2N2Q4Xb/s320/20230803_175647.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The southernmost vasca (i.e tank), in the process of being cleared out; future use <br />will be as a cistern to hold water for the garden </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibbqDlWb5LKIMra2OxYOcML1DROoxaIMGjvfhEHhJHOHGhnxa124CzxYMgz0MNm0CvYFApwi5Fr1YdUTAVoI24OqrO9WO75alphYcYwkbiTqgPDmiMcyhvg4mZZdX5Ft5hfhaDPosgQzrOfvnzT6_JJGWS2T0faGVJtPlXs944IJBf8hCDL_o0-vjg2AMP/s4128/20230803_175536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibbqDlWb5LKIMra2OxYOcML1DROoxaIMGjvfhEHhJHOHGhnxa124CzxYMgz0MNm0CvYFApwi5Fr1YdUTAVoI24OqrO9WO75alphYcYwkbiTqgPDmiMcyhvg4mZZdX5Ft5hfhaDPosgQzrOfvnzT6_JJGWS2T0faGVJtPlXs944IJBf8hCDL_o0-vjg2AMP/s320/20230803_175536.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking through the new-doorway into the to-be second floor bathroom</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWaldGRcoE0gMUzcey5JONqDi8AcjEpPcUKTZCqU-WtENo6xtKPIZXm5f9hcTjr-pMAxXiNJcUlQGTHJs-ASsnNNMjNK8imN7eUaf4aS-NyCpSjFlTmA3qBQgF3-zN0Vf55zWtfXZJ-H49xaj_irryI6mDFrxZywomUPciKI1X6rEBi43CLElbHSuIv_wG/s4128/20230803_175457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWaldGRcoE0gMUzcey5JONqDi8AcjEpPcUKTZCqU-WtENo6xtKPIZXm5f9hcTjr-pMAxXiNJcUlQGTHJs-ASsnNNMjNK8imN7eUaf4aS-NyCpSjFlTmA3qBQgF3-zN0Vf55zWtfXZJ-H49xaj_irryI6mDFrxZywomUPciKI1X6rEBi43CLElbHSuIv_wG/s320/20230803_175457.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Upper guestroom, with its four-square new lintel over the window</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClK84bZ9pH0tbLDzPIBznmXPFSsl5VKwRngR7c4gh7bS_UFM4vZcRKSvVMJkYpf_ZEyaxZqfN8Gpzqsq4R1zR7hgHerR-7fsBrm9Y-jxKMyeol0Kc9eWTRwNpB96nHBcZgrb5OdTyu-7PH2cx7GFz6T-Ih3xyDOitErDz8SylBUSeG7A3eLtTZrPmpyPF/s4128/20230803_175442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClK84bZ9pH0tbLDzPIBznmXPFSsl5VKwRngR7c4gh7bS_UFM4vZcRKSvVMJkYpf_ZEyaxZqfN8Gpzqsq4R1zR7hgHerR-7fsBrm9Y-jxKMyeol0Kc9eWTRwNpB96nHBcZgrb5OdTyu-7PH2cx7GFz6T-Ih3xyDOitErDz8SylBUSeG7A3eLtTZrPmpyPF/s320/20230803_175442.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Library to-be, all cleaned up (the black and white look will disappear when <br />all of the beamed ceilings are painted entirely white (sometime soon)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmlPrY6EE_bCAz7lV1-wWLKbx8xsphHD04S4MwUQsiFYL7aGWA6_wotdfN2_xiOQvlSZhK6kcBjeLgEyYM-4ACLog5JpCOhZVN_zo8GMSj0N0VFVu6Y5NMGy9Zabuj6JdvkGkuEBUOWhkz2pjgZAAkOlQmPVKigg12W3LLcA-g29lZtYm5mmaMRy9GVWH/s4128/20230802_182227.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmlPrY6EE_bCAz7lV1-wWLKbx8xsphHD04S4MwUQsiFYL7aGWA6_wotdfN2_xiOQvlSZhK6kcBjeLgEyYM-4ACLog5JpCOhZVN_zo8GMSj0N0VFVu6Y5NMGy9Zabuj6JdvkGkuEBUOWhkz2pjgZAAkOlQmPVKigg12W3LLcA-g29lZtYm5mmaMRy9GVWH/s320/20230802_182227.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Western door in the ruined wing - new lintels installed right across door and window <br />(previously, they were perilously in danger of imminent collapse)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Our geometra is on borrowed time, as he continues to maintain radio silence, while we still have no electricity supply, or the various 'relazioni' which are needed to progress our planning application. I accept that geometras are a weird breed, but patience has a limit...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Tonight's dinner:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Cauliflower, fried in parmesan batter</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Pork chops, in onion sauce; artichoke hearts, braised in butter</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Phyllo tarts of fiori-di-sicilia cream, topped with blackberries</span></p>Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588271884913192260.post-90606187111484081042023-07-29T16:26:00.000+00:002023-07-29T16:26:29.838+00:00Crinum Vanillodorum<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFsHyMDrfDWj3gB2VZAk6bGNkn248Jiuop8hoMgmjewHtz0BsN4kOuyfNyONliZlE2cD2wSmiF-LMrWqK5bJG6AumeMBPz3N2GORM2Fia-W5bLDU138uM9G8Lr7GPbrtBbE9kLExhHTpaY3qGbfXQ73PS2pjLf3nTbfrYXZFWiNk5Ck5gduo5jeBard7TX/s3524/20230729_161814.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="3524" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFsHyMDrfDWj3gB2VZAk6bGNkn248Jiuop8hoMgmjewHtz0BsN4kOuyfNyONliZlE2cD2wSmiF-LMrWqK5bJG6AumeMBPz3N2GORM2Fia-W5bLDU138uM9G8Lr7GPbrtBbE9kLExhHTpaY3qGbfXQ73PS2pjLf3nTbfrYXZFWiNk5Ck5gduo5jeBard7TX/s320/20230729_161814.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not looking too bruised, having travelled to London <br />from the garden in Pisa</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;">
Tonight's dinner </span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> Frogs' Legs in cream, in pastry cases </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> Hamburgers, with caramelised mushrooms </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> Raspberries and Cream</span></div>Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588271884913192260.post-9188821518390430812023-07-28T15:38:00.001+00:002023-07-28T15:38:38.024+00:00We make progress...<p><span style="font-family: arial;"> After months of frustrating inactivity on the building front - when I've had to satisfy myself with excavating the ruins alongside the building-proper, as a means of getting at least something done - we've suddenly had a flurry of activity. Mostly by dint of having discovered a wonderful website, which matches people looking for work with others who have work to be done, et voila!</span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhc3YSUQtGqwhvd2hfSma1Xh4mFSAz3ZQCs6ILa4iKehdXJ5qgqNEC9KHC13zium2WoO4V9UceJfXl5vytO_QZ6J-VT414QkpD52um7ucBnZOVs6mOB3IuI4d6RZo1OY9Jlz1v81HrJ1-OApj5WPr1YejkJ_zOCz0iyj02IrC-65ZKYcdyrorARllO150l/s4128/20230502_164753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhc3YSUQtGqwhvd2hfSma1Xh4mFSAz3ZQCs6ILa4iKehdXJ5qgqNEC9KHC13zium2WoO4V9UceJfXl5vytO_QZ6J-VT414QkpD52um7ucBnZOVs6mOB3IuI4d6RZo1OY9Jlz1v81HrJ1-OApj5WPr1YejkJ_zOCz0iyj02IrC-65ZKYcdyrorARllO150l/s320/20230502_164753.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the ruined stable - to form the base for rose pergolas<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj6_SpxMBoBn54GzRSGSij8ttvACIA69zC4MR216MM1PshSCsUrr-rFmWyeTIe1Ig9PAazuKmrwHzlGJd_fT-cAv9rK9uHNSaO_8k6uL4_DWhXo0TAeEtlT_0iqdKej7MyIBLTfezvXiwtwEgtSxMlCuxWGnYSMMSoTZ8R2c2E8ZuTj0WdkW6b2jzCAny1/s4128/20230501_172321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj6_SpxMBoBn54GzRSGSij8ttvACIA69zC4MR216MM1PshSCsUrr-rFmWyeTIe1Ig9PAazuKmrwHzlGJd_fT-cAv9rK9uHNSaO_8k6uL4_DWhXo0TAeEtlT_0iqdKej7MyIBLTfezvXiwtwEgtSxMlCuxWGnYSMMSoTZ8R2c2E8ZuTj0WdkW6b2jzCAny1/s320/20230501_172321.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Hidden Room, cleaned-up and awaiting judicious introduction of walls <br />and floors, to become pantry and cantina</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9gn-cXd1Yk3lDHKW_auvfNbfGcu_qIXaChSy-4FFT8OS5H7SD3v8a4LuHErLEfjGTzsWyAz2lxU-MIOOaJpYYWNtBw1Re_cAj_gvHI2N6fylSykzOx7_uQVd_wWgeC09IrTC5fyWpEf3fSEtyFqslOtUUXcH5TR_mlfDo5JZfErPMRMwIPjGJeRBdIaU8/s4128/20230628_172207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9gn-cXd1Yk3lDHKW_auvfNbfGcu_qIXaChSy-4FFT8OS5H7SD3v8a4LuHErLEfjGTzsWyAz2lxU-MIOOaJpYYWNtBw1Re_cAj_gvHI2N6fylSykzOx7_uQVd_wWgeC09IrTC5fyWpEf3fSEtyFqslOtUUXcH5TR_mlfDo5JZfErPMRMwIPjGJeRBdIaU8/s320/20230628_172207.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The second room excavated in the ruin - I've no idea what it was, but it's going to be <br />part of a courtyard garden</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Anyway, as a result, we've now had all of the cross-beams (travicelli) replaced that were weak or broken or missing - there were sixty of them, in the end, where we'd calculated there might have been fifteen or so - and six new walls built within the house; all of the roof has been 'systemar-ied' (tidied up), which means replacing any and all of the broken tiles, and re-positioning any which have been moved out of place over time by the wind, and the underside of the roof has been insulated throughout.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjvu-LzviHwpWYagcZ34vr2BwA-T8xir0iMsKV1L-CgQuSK7HTY8oeZM2OI756AoeDn4qeYsHb5KZ0RYBa8XY0oCvBvLoh_PJOMr-RmdFIsH2HT-kS0jvItqHcHQyXzXG9f5YiypAf7Nc664SrVJBNLl0Kns4otD3065F8djg2hHsTclRPdxX0I7rhpbwU/s4128/20230506_174246.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjvu-LzviHwpWYagcZ34vr2BwA-T8xir0iMsKV1L-CgQuSK7HTY8oeZM2OI756AoeDn4qeYsHb5KZ0RYBa8XY0oCvBvLoh_PJOMr-RmdFIsH2HT-kS0jvItqHcHQyXzXG9f5YiypAf7Nc664SrVJBNLl0Kns4otD3065F8djg2hHsTclRPdxX0I7rhpbwU/s320/20230506_174246.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The end of the house, as seen from the stable ruin</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigcDMfHOJL6-i6FTdguBL6_GLRZyybslwRgQM-LoQP-Ad8_XcXdC2ahlINjkrrGP-P8sMoWv6lC43nAZrH3yNdtcmQ6kjMSXXUGuuGjo5PNIhKqudOigLueLhUnlRusM1de_aq3-Xb6MSjqAfhppWSB3C0cTqKJApWfBDOjOPCjvKjK6hbN0lSvvA35Yar/s4128/20230709_165324.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigcDMfHOJL6-i6FTdguBL6_GLRZyybslwRgQM-LoQP-Ad8_XcXdC2ahlINjkrrGP-P8sMoWv6lC43nAZrH3yNdtcmQ6kjMSXXUGuuGjo5PNIhKqudOigLueLhUnlRusM1de_aq3-Xb6MSjqAfhppWSB3C0cTqKJApWfBDOjOPCjvKjK6hbN0lSvvA35Yar/s320/20230709_165324.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New wall to the left, which now divides the library to-be from a guestroom <br />(before the roof insulation was done)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjZomOQfnvyRxvfmLeCeFZL0Dsgp5YJjYBoNvFv98gghDSv_NGme5Mx4022SegT30jdG5L2YpQtOqi4leHe3DEUa9SMTDFjU0HdAEH1_MLuybG6f1rhmeD-guXzB7jyjvll5MtC-Z1XESWmymrymsFAQVvf4t4qH_d_CnzxKK-cbA5dZONPij7J5lO3v6W/s4128/20230710_181359.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjZomOQfnvyRxvfmLeCeFZL0Dsgp5YJjYBoNvFv98gghDSv_NGme5Mx4022SegT30jdG5L2YpQtOqi4leHe3DEUa9SMTDFjU0HdAEH1_MLuybG6f1rhmeD-guXzB7jyjvll5MtC-Z1XESWmymrymsFAQVvf4t4qH_d_CnzxKK-cbA5dZONPij7J5lO3v6W/s320/20230710_181359.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">looking from the stairwell, out through the inner hallway (newly-created) <br />into the ruined wing</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9yflxH1eYQCDLh_8pnMAgExoNXz2HtFzERiCaJxJ6xJ4kivXcuW7w87xEX7CaiyI1JRUe3lK5GL72WHe3oQAdRV8lYCqgVfFVQ0QbJAg7lXG5kEvY-aVezslngpNPxJe7CV1LiALUksWfjVsIqXApRv0T-J3l51HSjKrF4GTqxdx5nnarDc5g8pq16Njq/s4128/20230717_155112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9yflxH1eYQCDLh_8pnMAgExoNXz2HtFzERiCaJxJ6xJ4kivXcuW7w87xEX7CaiyI1JRUe3lK5GL72WHe3oQAdRV8lYCqgVfFVQ0QbJAg7lXG5kEvY-aVezslngpNPxJe7CV1LiALUksWfjVsIqXApRv0T-J3l51HSjKrF4GTqxdx5nnarDc5g8pq16Njq/s320/20230717_155112.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">insulated ceiling (bedroom, to-be)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">The new windows have been ordered, for delivery some time in September. The wood for all of the new floorboards has been ordered, and we'll sort out delivery next week (for either before or after August shutdown) and the beams which will hold up the rear terrace were delivered a few days ago, and are now all neatly stacked currently in the salone. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Luca, our godsend muratore from Gallicano is working today replacing the lintels above the top-floor guestroom window and above the library doorway, and he has just messaged to say that he can get started on Monday on repairing the more dangerous of the doorways in the ruined wing; it will be good to get started in that section. Once he's done that first doorway, he can move to repair the other doorway, which will eventually become the main entrance to the house, and he can re-point the existing stonework in readiness to be built upon further, once we have the relevant permesso. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The only delays we've encountered have been where there's been any bureaucratic element, and we haven't just been pressing ahead on the basis of sound common-sense. It took the geometra months more than seemed necessary to file our application to rebuild the ruined wing of the building, although we were much cheered when it almost immediately got the thumbs up from the Comune (although only after they had insisted on our design for the new roof to be changed, in a way which we can live with but for which the logic is frankly non-existent); then it turned out that this was only the approval from the planning dept, and we haven't yet had the response of the listed buildings brigade, who have now demanded a geological survey that the building won't slide sideways into the nearby stream, in consequence of the weight of a new roof being installed (despite the fact that it was roofed for hundreds of years previously, until the roof was taken off for tax reasons by a previous owner, and the roof we propose to put there weighs little more than an egg-box). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In the same kind of vein, we still have no electricity supply, even after the request for connection was made way back in April. The first request was inexplicably cancelled when we said we wanted the meter to be placed somewhere other than the electricity company had in mind. A second request was then made, but that too was cancelled (by the supplier) for no reason anybody can understand, and we're now on our third request, and still trying to find out what the hell is going on. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The request to be attached to the main drains was acted upon by the water company much more expeditiously, although to the effect that today they have said that, contrary to what they'd previously said, there isn't actually a main drain anywhere nearby that we can be attached to...and so we may be looking at having a septic tank instead (which brings all sorts of issues all its own). We're on a flying visit to London today, and the drainage system in Pieve is going to have to wait for any serious attention until we're back in Italy again next week.</span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMavHUBub5Hm58-ECCjjWhUd0ClkLdu5FzUoHp9GJQb3EUCdAIhD0e_BNpCJ7NR3RXMvwIRQgdh0qK-IQfIGHrtq10osrTpGrDTT9dtq7eEJtbW_i7gGOtavG25v6zZuD0QFsuP8bbymIJY5Db0kkEsoKOOSgNWLTdAr1XJacYwSfRs0-9QUZIhME4HlOU/s620/Bagno.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="411" data-original-width="620" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMavHUBub5Hm58-ECCjjWhUd0ClkLdu5FzUoHp9GJQb3EUCdAIhD0e_BNpCJ7NR3RXMvwIRQgdh0qK-IQfIGHrtq10osrTpGrDTT9dtq7eEJtbW_i7gGOtavG25v6zZuD0QFsuP8bbymIJY5Db0kkEsoKOOSgNWLTdAr1XJacYwSfRs0-9QUZIhME4HlOU/s320/Bagno.webp" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A moment of madness</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In a moment of madness - or economy - I bought from a lady in Rome an entire bathroom, including ball-and-claw footed bathtub and heated copper rails, and the whole nine yards, and it arrived in the back of a truck, last week, neatly wrapped up in all its constituent parts. Ditto, a rather splendid wood-stove with integrated oven, which is due to be delivered sometime before the end of next week.</span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkC0iVzlXdqbhXl7BeOwjXjmmRKmo9xEbzCGXbfvAIlhpw5onG6ZkwUg3JrXgJgZJbmnRE3-AaTVcj8upolVhDWMP4JQ0_zc0xopX9NJ2_0hMRyEDzac8tKky2yHJL5bXAE8n1NReWhau5LDovDRl6Po43H4D5Sf_l7RC6DR0YfKtPRJEH_WMqAL2PY06/s600/Stufa%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkC0iVzlXdqbhXl7BeOwjXjmmRKmo9xEbzCGXbfvAIlhpw5onG6ZkwUg3JrXgJgZJbmnRE3-AaTVcj8upolVhDWMP4JQ0_zc0xopX9NJ2_0hMRyEDzac8tKky2yHJL5bXAE8n1NReWhau5LDovDRl6Po43H4D5Sf_l7RC6DR0YfKtPRJEH_WMqAL2PY06/s320/Stufa%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home and hearth</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">And, meanwhile, on the hillside on the other side of the village, I've been getting stuck into clearing terraces, and contemplating the options for new planting when it comes time this autumn to start to transfer plants from the garden in Pisa. In the past ten days or so, it's been far too hot to do any hard-labour at the time of day I can get over to Pieve, so I content myself instead with picking fruit from the various fruit trees which are dotted about on the terraces among the olive trees (plums, apples, pears, peaches, cacchi, and a million blackberry bushes). </span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeXItrfgyuJAC5oX7Z7C-AiNKgKBJjTaZ_GcEQml_37RpohjbbGyi0mpwJANDovYMb1CfZgMZPrXBMxjegEOl9bqnX0GCNJC_9306ELzZ8ld2KVIcgqjnRf3A4GZ9rehTN8Z3O-1rkAVKkpp7ll0gf77PTSo-qxNBRTlLe-QNiduWW_-YHPOVmlMiSVtCa/s4128/20230718_144635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeXItrfgyuJAC5oX7Z7C-AiNKgKBJjTaZ_GcEQml_37RpohjbbGyi0mpwJANDovYMb1CfZgMZPrXBMxjegEOl9bqnX0GCNJC_9306ELzZ8ld2KVIcgqjnRf3A4GZ9rehTN8Z3O-1rkAVKkpp7ll0gf77PTSo-qxNBRTlLe-QNiduWW_-YHPOVmlMiSVtCa/s320/20230718_144635.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plum trees (six different varieties, at last count)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5za5JSQhge2vL-EtxHfYzF5817ZQpFFyoKjH55mIbodv1MqCBiCfXDtbsEbF1H2OqtKI5zg85mLewQEc3q6CUshC-zrLmpeLdBXqnOXdvtPDYm2JwF_ppQvvrtcZ7l7FERRijnamjZxVmCcbnxO8MQdF5xQUkeQSDooR7PRWJjut9aBeYrC9dmKnXjlJc/s4128/20230718_144721.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5za5JSQhge2vL-EtxHfYzF5817ZQpFFyoKjH55mIbodv1MqCBiCfXDtbsEbF1H2OqtKI5zg85mLewQEc3q6CUshC-zrLmpeLdBXqnOXdvtPDYm2JwF_ppQvvrtcZ7l7FERRijnamjZxVmCcbnxO8MQdF5xQUkeQSDooR7PRWJjut9aBeYrC9dmKnXjlJc/s320/20230718_144721.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olive terrace</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPT-DgugoP6T-42PSC4NX89aNjlkSxnIE0_4_VLWUhOOUfH0CJNXBxPSZT8JcozVy32dS5Ud7CQmJnfKYCFWa7TMcSHAQPjzCxCXMyqU05BSEYiE6f2iP5K7xuLEAG8F-J2Qxm0RH4-0UCA-CFOjWrqmXq0KfMNoEP4CiLmEgtakov0CZtG1XcEjEdxeMb/s4128/20230718_144732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPT-DgugoP6T-42PSC4NX89aNjlkSxnIE0_4_VLWUhOOUfH0CJNXBxPSZT8JcozVy32dS5Ud7CQmJnfKYCFWa7TMcSHAQPjzCxCXMyqU05BSEYiE6f2iP5K7xuLEAG8F-J2Qxm0RH4-0UCA-CFOjWrqmXq0KfMNoEP4CiLmEgtakov0CZtG1XcEjEdxeMb/s320/20230718_144732.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">more olive terraces (there are about forty of them, I fear...)<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;">And, while we remind ourselves in London what a sweater is, Madam is in San Giuliano Terme, being resplendent.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWPqhqPWZ9F0MXRo_vVYjEL7DBOg07v-LYSbAbLp_m3GseaxA95WRPB55lKpAi33-uD0WTxD-tKF5Y5gBRCusJdhw22lSPpJGNJMh8V6UQwg4xn8NtfDLun-iYJWiaMchKB4c6soVM6tB17mFO2zRzxH91mcfWlU1LOvQ9470VT1KfdQEdvtR9UTCIUc-/s1024/Phoebe%20270723.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWPqhqPWZ9F0MXRo_vVYjEL7DBOg07v-LYSbAbLp_m3GseaxA95WRPB55lKpAi33-uD0WTxD-tKF5Y5gBRCusJdhw22lSPpJGNJMh8V6UQwg4xn8NtfDLun-iYJWiaMchKB4c6soVM6tB17mFO2zRzxH91mcfWlU1LOvQ9470VT1KfdQEdvtR9UTCIUc-/s320/Phoebe%20270723.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Tonight's dinner:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Coddled Eggs, with mushroom & prosciutto</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Spaghetti, with smothered onions</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Strawberries and Cream (July, in England. No-brainer)<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588271884913192260.post-29553508518398892952023-03-19T09:30:00.003+00:002023-03-19T10:27:22.564+00:00Mascarpone Pie<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSOo_KtncyT8M1ubgZX4lBbF0w5Z3o1eqPvdsmk60VrydE7S0nB7rxCcKEKBfU9bClLfTWr_FxuNuMevpY8yeG-fj1kqPr5i5GphorQQY1sHjnxgrHmG4-vRFThdt-sBp3xOJorD-bLec6yZkvacs94fvraVpnpjr-0BfwDRnlkYDU5Qvrd9uwD86nfw/s1680/WP_20230318_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1379" data-original-width="1680" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSOo_KtncyT8M1ubgZX4lBbF0w5Z3o1eqPvdsmk60VrydE7S0nB7rxCcKEKBfU9bClLfTWr_FxuNuMevpY8yeG-fj1kqPr5i5GphorQQY1sHjnxgrHmG4-vRFThdt-sBp3xOJorD-bLec6yZkvacs94fvraVpnpjr-0BfwDRnlkYDU5Qvrd9uwD86nfw/s320/WP_20230318_005.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>I've never rated Nigel Slater. He writes good food - that's how come I've been seduced on occasion into buying his books - but so often the words on the page don't translate to anything exciting on the plate. I suspect that sometimes it's because in his enthusiasm for a 'fast' result, he omits important steps because they would take too much time (cooking the plums before mixing them with blackberries and brandy, for instance, so that the end-result is melt-in-the-mouth...instead of which, in his uncooked-plum version, everything remains chewy and individual, and nothing blends together at all), and sometimes, it's just because he gets it wrong - no, Nigel, when Mascarpone is grilled, it doesn't 'melt' unctuously, it merely consolidates into a claggy lump. Nice idea, but in practice it just doesn't work. </span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">However. I fell across a version of this recipe several months ago in his '30 Minute Cook' and because it suited an immediate need, I tried it. And, it is splendid! I've served it at supper on a number of occasions now, and always to critical acclaim - the combination of chocolate and orange, alone, is particularly beguiling. I've added sugar (or sucralose) to his version, and only used sultanas, instead of a combination of sultanas and raisins ( we can't get the latter here, for some reason; same with currants. Non ci sono.)
The recipe itself is a first cousin to Budino alla Toscana, in its combination of cheese and ground almonds and dried fruit, but since it is encased in Phyllo, there's no need for the egg which Budino uses, and there are some other differences too in the flavouring elements which are included. In this house, we've taken to calling this Bougaza, in memory of the sweet-cheese phyllo slabs (there was no other word for them) which we used to get in the seventies from the baker behind the Old House, in Greece. There are elements in this dish which seem as old as time... </span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> For two individual pies: </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> Ingredients: </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">1 sheet phyllo, approx 12" x 18"; 1 tbs melted butter; 110g mascarpone; 25g ground almonds; 1 tbs sugar; 40g sultanas; 15g chocolate (calletes, or else roughly chopped); grated zest of one orange. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> Method: </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> 1. Heat oven to 200 degees C. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">2. Brush the phyllo with melted butter, and cut the sheet into four. Use two of the pieces to line each of two 10 cm flan tins (I ease the pastry sheets into the greased tins at right angles to each other, and then, once the filling is in place, fold the overhanging pastry over the filling to enclose it fully). </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">3. Combine all remaining ingredients thoroughlyl, and divide the mixture between the two pastry shells. Close the pastry shells, brush the top with any remaining butter, and bake for about twenty minutes or so, until golden brown. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> Allow the pies to cool slightly before serving.</span></div></div>Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588271884913192260.post-31165748015870553112023-02-04T16:57:00.000+00:002023-02-04T16:57:03.287+00:00Finally...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwcVr3MJCrzmSDN9nctpU8ZsAXzSJvR-Cm6Dmc0vVtlb5Tx0JUmTkz2kZepJc43vt-dnmlNPWVmJrO2Qy3FY7eBVcjYC7aREGIHAa__6v3Cs-Eg1CVcOVf00btXkjb9NEMXNcbyrlGMVfglVEKFhuHXKLh8JD2L9yNd1ZS0TcfLly3kCtWX_ODV0iwGw/s3072/WP_20230203_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="1728" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwcVr3MJCrzmSDN9nctpU8ZsAXzSJvR-Cm6Dmc0vVtlb5Tx0JUmTkz2kZepJc43vt-dnmlNPWVmJrO2Qy3FY7eBVcjYC7aREGIHAa__6v3Cs-Eg1CVcOVf00btXkjb9NEMXNcbyrlGMVfglVEKFhuHXKLh8JD2L9yNd1ZS0TcfLly3kCtWX_ODV0iwGw/s320/WP_20230203_001.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"> After nearly six weeks, I've finished clearing out the ruin! To the extent that I'm going to, at any rate. It's now at the stage where the geometra can take his photographs and finalise his re-structure plan, for filing with the Comune - after which, we just wait (and wait, and wait, and wait, as I understand it. Six months seems to be the norm to get any kind of approval). Having excavated down to the original floors, and carted away fallen beams, and boulders, and broken ceiling and roof tiles, and countless loads of soil, I then cut away as much of the creeper as I dared, without risking the walls coming down around my ears (and even that was a close-run thing, as at one point a boulder twice the size of my head crashed down without warning onto the scaffolding I was standing on, about six inches to my left, and very nearly finished me and the scaffolding tower off, in one go! It gave pause for thought.)</span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNa3aPK6QFMQ9DRNoLYsImocvfGvqdLwNqfpwzfFb5o40gB7jGN9FWpH586qlsUb1wV5fZJPdQE0SDyGJ95iIzpzmEEO-tF9cz7H_EA7vl3-MfRKJVQeqL6R3YcM9HnW4QgWYCsqfNMUTtNyAi518VtjCer2ts7x7PzHv6Aok3MU8vOoz4bd0gbIkLkQ/s3072/WP_20230112_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="3072" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNa3aPK6QFMQ9DRNoLYsImocvfGvqdLwNqfpwzfFb5o40gB7jGN9FWpH586qlsUb1wV5fZJPdQE0SDyGJ95iIzpzmEEO-tF9cz7H_EA7vl3-MfRKJVQeqL6R3YcM9HnW4QgWYCsqfNMUTtNyAi518VtjCer2ts7x7PzHv6Aok3MU8vOoz4bd0gbIkLkQ/s320/WP_20230112_003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Tomorrow, I'll do some basic housekeeping, in terms of clearing away the spoil-heaps which have sprung up in the course of the clearing project, and then I'll have an investigatory poke at the other ruin, which is a little further to the east, and in much more ruinous state; if we can uncover some decent floors, then we have in mind re-cycling them for use as the base for pond(s) and greenhouse, and the like. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOkAyIIQKdwrz4s1pbpH4E_7l2InZhJ4ixu7NF06NrLTb6MSTATB-ySomLVV35arviryGo5PuP0cG2Ek-p1k82LJDxlR_oqm8ntrcp_dtHOg0qSXmqrpv8gwRDRH72KCpr8YZ7mO9VAYjlxhd_KihD_qzKhOQJgDNIj0ZhJFZMbvZbmDVi12WYMXgmIg/s3072/WP_20230202_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="1728" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOkAyIIQKdwrz4s1pbpH4E_7l2InZhJ4ixu7NF06NrLTb6MSTATB-ySomLVV35arviryGo5PuP0cG2Ek-p1k82LJDxlR_oqm8ntrcp_dtHOg0qSXmqrpv8gwRDRH72KCpr8YZ7mO9VAYjlxhd_KihD_qzKhOQJgDNIj0ZhJFZMbvZbmDVi12WYMXgmIg/s320/WP_20230202_003.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><p>So far, so good. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGxUeiiiuJScAdO46rBn77Z87jnehMo6WTyclKd7HsomFArriUwa11UhVjsUmtA-UZ7BtFmc4HZV9DfdAijJstpo5ZWXVZGKi8044tXr1T3zbub81QVqrZU64LOW_jiTmLlPvJnCfHMzTSTLboSfMgqBcOiCNsrSndlD3ofC8bOi5YrSNrrud1wSyRQ/s3072/WP_20230202_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="1728" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGxUeiiiuJScAdO46rBn77Z87jnehMo6WTyclKd7HsomFArriUwa11UhVjsUmtA-UZ7BtFmc4HZV9DfdAijJstpo5ZWXVZGKi8044tXr1T3zbub81QVqrZU64LOW_jiTmLlPvJnCfHMzTSTLboSfMgqBcOiCNsrSndlD3ofC8bOi5YrSNrrud1wSyRQ/s320/WP_20230202_004.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Tonight's dinner:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Sformatino of fennel, with gorgonzola sauce.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Baked Sea Bass, with colatura di alici; braised cucumber.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Fried crepes, stuffed with apples, served with orange-marsala mascarpone.</span></p><p><br /></p>Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588271884913192260.post-74967348823605037322023-01-23T10:56:00.003+00:002023-01-23T10:56:33.597+00:00Chicken with Lemon and Walnuts<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK-WWwZvxPL1NvqxgZmTRpXZxG84NFk1nB98m4iC4njXcYksIvNSmhju1HOusY767VzIcfvfofb_ZlAybuBRlnmwlX0zoBmHSI1v4vnnXoAfk0trIzezLgZyljEaulw85HhEx2O8v8FoBvMMT2fEgkBh9X4FyAARtC92_6k71LD7idm5QFRLCMAFlcgQ/s1719/WP_20230122_016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1710" data-original-width="1719" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK-WWwZvxPL1NvqxgZmTRpXZxG84NFk1nB98m4iC4njXcYksIvNSmhju1HOusY767VzIcfvfofb_ZlAybuBRlnmwlX0zoBmHSI1v4vnnXoAfk0trIzezLgZyljEaulw85HhEx2O8v8FoBvMMT2fEgkBh9X4FyAARtC92_6k71LD7idm5QFRLCMAFlcgQ/s320/WP_20230122_016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The latest addition to the chicken repertoire. There are some surprising elements here - not least, the additions of ginger and black treacle, neither of which is obvious in the finished dish, but where both give greater depth to the overall flavour, and the use of beef rather than chicken stock is not entirely expected either. The end result, however, is delicious. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As with all stews, this is even better if left to sit for a day or two, and then reheated to serve.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Ingredients:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">1 chicken, cut into quarters; salt and pepper; 40g butter; 2 tbs chopped onion; 1 tsp ground ginger; 1 tbs flour; 450 ml beef stock; 1 tbs black treacle; juice and grated rind of 1 lemon; 50g (approx 8) walnuts.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Method:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">1. Heat oven to 180 degrees C.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">2. Heat butter in a large frying pan, season the chicken pieces and then brown them all over in the hot butter, for about five minutes. Remove the chicken pieces to a casserole.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">3. Use the butter to soften the onion, again about five minutes, then stir in the flour and ginger, add the stock and bring it to the boil.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">4. Add treacle, and lemon juice and rind, and walnut pieces; stir to mix together thoroughly.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">5. Pour the contents of the pan over the chicken pieces, then cover and cook in the pre-heated oven for an hour.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Serve.</span></p><p><br /></p>Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588271884913192260.post-47390993203805820572023-01-03T11:14:00.001+00:002023-01-03T11:14:16.492+00:00Progress<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6WPkqZjYn6X3KBu8Ck-47NgydsWmnXVHIsOlZZ7V6qf2xuuuA9F0KzFdhV_wFL6zIDg0jtekTSn2rOQpI4YdnCUPYpnlCcaeNwOHnHhPV5cO8C-i3q1OOhW996w9e163XSYqgTPepPLsStFPucoseYnAl7Yg3dyiON0GcZVzP7_ZIAqnBOdH0S7CKjg/s3072/WP_20230102_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="1728" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6WPkqZjYn6X3KBu8Ck-47NgydsWmnXVHIsOlZZ7V6qf2xuuuA9F0KzFdhV_wFL6zIDg0jtekTSn2rOQpI4YdnCUPYpnlCcaeNwOHnHhPV5cO8C-i3q1OOhW996w9e163XSYqgTPepPLsStFPucoseYnAl7Yg3dyiON0GcZVzP7_ZIAqnBOdH0S7CKjg/s320/WP_20230102_005.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The hearth, now fully uncovered, <br />and the 'fornello' which has been released from the roots of the tree <br />which was <br />growing on top of it</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv3OKH4g9e8up0v7DsjNIWkYS08PxaxT3oTgjsMrHMtIBMeB9CUq9ojExQGZZ5J-1hd7S_wl3Fh947_t1KssJ4pheSGmE0aclvEiRYE8BJ9MRZCX3oa8hIUqJBWTCHvr370aRotCTaSpsUhO0Xhz9mA2nQibuw9MBnzQX4yTu0UWNy200XQDpFyW7_WA/s3072/WP_20230102_007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="1728" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv3OKH4g9e8up0v7DsjNIWkYS08PxaxT3oTgjsMrHMtIBMeB9CUq9ojExQGZZ5J-1hd7S_wl3Fh947_t1KssJ4pheSGmE0aclvEiRYE8BJ9MRZCX3oa8hIUqJBWTCHvr370aRotCTaSpsUhO0Xhz9mA2nQibuw9MBnzQX4yTu0UWNy200XQDpFyW7_WA/s320/WP_20230102_007.jpg" width="180" /></a> </td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The doorway into 'the hidden room' , now almost fully re-opened</span></td></tr></tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJKhl4UwnQIM6Jf_AZbxoUABxAiHH0zQdew6zrb3KfK0Mopx5sjc2yvsAuj_8zuXEYXpBhE4S6zUomzpAuqp9tds85QEgW3IJ1uMsyl7javc1RQ7-Y81NrBNzOe4USYw-UW1DN1uPFieX3R2sZzeFrBSFZXJ40D8dCj1nZhoEcikVN-rqlduFA160aw/s3072/WP_20230102_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="3072" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJKhl4UwnQIM6Jf_AZbxoUABxAiHH0zQdew6zrb3KfK0Mopx5sjc2yvsAuj_8zuXEYXpBhE4S6zUomzpAuqp9tds85QEgW3IJ1uMsyl7javc1RQ7-Y81NrBNzOe4USYw-UW1DN1uPFieX3R2sZzeFrBSFZXJ40D8dCj1nZhoEcikVN-rqlduFA160aw/s320/WP_20230102_002.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The east wall of the ruin; creeper now more under control.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Tonight's dinner:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">French Onion Soup</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Chicken Breasts in mushroom sauce; salsify</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Fresh Pineapple, with Mascarpone</div></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p>Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588271884913192260.post-68731088971553045212023-01-02T12:34:00.005+00:002023-01-02T12:34:43.615+00:00Leftovers<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">For starters, on 1 January:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvup467ptDSmY4nLf8VkNTYpy022vLqy1YK8fYru0utWVn0x44ZdcEzH57qMXDV-GnGAFODuYfwGsKN7nzt1RDVEm3ULycHVqmpXLMqMWXV4HocHR-HtEnX7Q2CA31PMuVsJZ9_XNMfv0v-AxedJiVheVnlM49Nfi51bvAsWeMl66gyB8eFuRxn5t35A/s1754/WP_20230101_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1694" data-original-width="1754" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvup467ptDSmY4nLf8VkNTYpy022vLqy1YK8fYru0utWVn0x44ZdcEzH57qMXDV-GnGAFODuYfwGsKN7nzt1RDVEm3ULycHVqmpXLMqMWXV4HocHR-HtEnX7Q2CA31PMuVsJZ9_XNMfv0v-AxedJiVheVnlM49Nfi51bvAsWeMl66gyB8eFuRxn5t35A/s320/WP_20230101_005.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Andibo No Abokado, Kani, Ikura Nose</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Toriniku Kenchin-Mushi</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">&</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Soroname No Ama Tofu</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Followed by leftover Oden stew, and rice. The four-footed couldn't have been happier!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Tonight's dinner:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(Back to normal)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Ham & Mushroom crepes</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Fennel-seed Hamburgers; buttered spinach</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Budino Toscano</span></div><p></p>Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588271884913192260.post-60808486508660191212023-01-01T12:08:00.001+00:002023-01-01T12:08:23.896+00:00New Year's Eve Dinner...<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">And the menu was:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyVK7HwyKJxthI8sbZ9vHXDxqPed8Kpt-jA8a19DQYLbIb-ZAzcikw9Tv3G2DdmCV_Ios-oN1WRd1yv06TH_bzF1N4I9VBi_pZSPN7YNf-3ODHmya7Q7FItOsQAdoEJ1RqFPeGY81BJUU2jZgeFTgoM046n7_gtZ3gWMS_-1N6o1J2A8MGfAL3RvsskA/s3072/WP_20230101_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="1728" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyVK7HwyKJxthI8sbZ9vHXDxqPed8Kpt-jA8a19DQYLbIb-ZAzcikw9Tv3G2DdmCV_Ios-oN1WRd1yv06TH_bzF1N4I9VBi_pZSPN7YNf-3ODHmya7Q7FItOsQAdoEJ1RqFPeGY81BJUU2jZgeFTgoM046n7_gtZ3gWMS_-1N6o1J2A8MGfAL3RvsskA/s320/WP_20230101_001.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Aperitif was sake on-the-rocks, with a stick of fresh cucumber, served with crunchy, deep-fried fave beans. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">To confuse matters, two swedish wines were served with the first seven courses (the swedes make wine? Who knew?) Immalan 2020, followed by Aniara Renessans 2020. And then, because the Pauli had brought a splendid 2003 Barolo, we abandoned the warmed sake we'd intended to go with the Oden Stew, and defaulted instead to Italian vintage. For dessert, I'd lost my nerve anyway (I don't actually like Japanese desserts - to my mind, the mouth-feel tends to the 'woolly', and flavour ranges are too chestnuty for my liking...) and so, we had ginger ice-cream, which was light and rich and creamy, with just enough bite.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I'd worried that we might not last until midnight, but in fact we were still ploughing through Oden Nabe (stew, in other words, of beef, chicken, potato, fried fish balls of shrimp and merluzzo, fried tofu, salsify - because I couldn't source any Konnyaku, and salsify seemed a good substitute - and hard-boiled eggs, all cooked in a complicated broth) when the fireworks began to explode in the distance. This four-footed, unlike her two predecessors, was spooked by the noise, and she ran around being alarmed for a good five minutes, until she was corralled again, under the table. And we could then wind down into the final course, and try not to worry too much about what 2023 might bring!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Tonight's dinner:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Da capo. The fridge is stuffed with leftovers, and we'll be dining 'alla Nonna' for at least several days to come.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588271884913192260.post-79229484977009908792022-12-25T18:01:00.000+00:002022-12-25T18:01:29.610+00:00Cool Yule...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj243Vs-LLpaxk98CC0X3db13SPdQ3Kx_7JcZmCRuOgQPiS6eHJNwJgaR-zlXOHfi1323A7r99wngcgnlCus9E30j5XVnPurd5iBWrS8SKR_mdcTcrq3du7wfn5DIvZwkKar7sxaVsXv5LcehC6uyzs9B55kU1PITxPJ7fAqCofhAXfo_8KnbJnYs0YXw/s3072/WP_20221224_011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="1728" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj243Vs-LLpaxk98CC0X3db13SPdQ3Kx_7JcZmCRuOgQPiS6eHJNwJgaR-zlXOHfi1323A7r99wngcgnlCus9E30j5XVnPurd5iBWrS8SKR_mdcTcrq3du7wfn5DIvZwkKar7sxaVsXv5LcehC6uyzs9B55kU1PITxPJ7fAqCofhAXfo_8KnbJnYs0YXw/s320/WP_20221224_011.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Christmas morning...</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIK_f6QDHU9eBYgRxk9vKuytBhvUsjA3em9le-KJKYF-vpl7rE8ue4zIVJL65tptCskxjiA-MKU5z-epG7mm3U7VRuQLBcFp_8GuMt6NfXVgUIhlHPGK40Mb_nwXj-57pAZ9c0izqGj2u2G5u-Omts--Ra2xl1P9D6l03WtAFmYGhyf6CopwFF6EKL0g/s3072/WP_20221225_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="3072" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIK_f6QDHU9eBYgRxk9vKuytBhvUsjA3em9le-KJKYF-vpl7rE8ue4zIVJL65tptCskxjiA-MKU5z-epG7mm3U7VRuQLBcFp_8GuMt6NfXVgUIhlHPGK40Mb_nwXj-57pAZ9c0izqGj2u2G5u-Omts--Ra2xl1P9D6l03WtAFmYGhyf6CopwFF6EKL0g/s320/WP_20221225_005.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Christmas afternoon...</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3EbEFPU0CKR7QlHgczLfzeLUOtZ40GNPkkYfK6yUxyr3EITu-d1UGoplxxh4Om0LtsJy9BjKjWzjYFrW3Okz93wjrwGCe9-j3RHFAYYMS9PhF1gsSg753GFiWM3rsmHkIneGkcrz12Xve6yhENNOnjTmnYrNUG9XU9UIiaAYJrIInxrJvBY8cJ00oJQ/s3072/WP_20221225_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="1728" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3EbEFPU0CKR7QlHgczLfzeLUOtZ40GNPkkYfK6yUxyr3EITu-d1UGoplxxh4Om0LtsJy9BjKjWzjYFrW3Okz93wjrwGCe9-j3RHFAYYMS9PhF1gsSg753GFiWM3rsmHkIneGkcrz12Xve6yhENNOnjTmnYrNUG9XU9UIiaAYJrIInxrJvBY8cJ00oJQ/s320/WP_20221225_003.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">More Christmas afternoon (spade, out of picture)...</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfyYTdx3m5kiTNWQy8xHAowAFc6J_IimJuSHQ2a1krQlhssO26evwO6JaImTB04KqZg52GqIvpyUuiuDSmSe-veKffklWVm6F9x0nJOdF8rym_KIA6qE9Cr2rJi-0JeXnc7OROuHLhV09NGHdHvDpCbRzPxjEMgE0DK-qV8bSCB7b0d2lP-EFAKe8bw/s3072/WP_20221224_010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="1728" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfyYTdx3m5kiTNWQy8xHAowAFc6J_IimJuSHQ2a1krQlhssO26evwO6JaImTB04KqZg52GqIvpyUuiuDSmSe-veKffklWVm6F9x0nJOdF8rym_KIA6qE9Cr2rJi-0JeXnc7OROuHLhV09NGHdHvDpCbRzPxjEMgE0DK-qV8bSCB7b0d2lP-EFAKe8bw/s320/WP_20221224_010.jpg" width="180" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And attendant extra-terrestrial!<br /><br /><br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;">Tonight's dinner:</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Smoked salmon and pumpernickel (in homage to E.David)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Moules Marinieres (just because...)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Steak frites (as a self-inulgence)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Christmas Pudding (required)</span><br /><p><br /> </p></div>Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588271884913192260.post-37613416898674150652022-12-18T20:34:00.005+00:002022-12-18T20:34:35.957+00:00Getting stuck in...<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">Perhaps optimistically, I blithely promised our geometra - which is essentially means 'surveyor', but most importantly in this context it means the person who will be filing our planning application with the Comune - that the ruin would have been entirely cleaned out (by me) before capo'd'anno. Which means addressing the fifty years and more of accumulated neglect since the roof was removed from the structure after it had last ceased to be lived in: toppled stonework; beams that had crashed to the ground as floors had given way, over time; broken floor tiles; and mountains of earth and greenery, with three or four trees, of varying degrees of maturity, which had seeded themselves and by now generously over-topped the structure. It doesn't help that it's barely stopped raining ever since we completed the purchase, and so available working days have been limited.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It's been an archaeological voyage of discovery...</span></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYG97VYp81AQnBYHZscwr5AGOeIuZbp9qb_EFYcEdSIJcpuy3ryyQN5wfgYsTnLeOqaeqvMlMgQ6-2CVIIYue6BCtAyIC9QDcSgNf_k3EA7iX9GvLe4q-PXBpR6An4Y1JVAvFXyQyA4jPtfcVqA4R7T2qSOLsCCK8t4xBJsh7EDZWahbMWjwUUombwog/s3072/WP_20221206_011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="1728" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYG97VYp81AQnBYHZscwr5AGOeIuZbp9qb_EFYcEdSIJcpuy3ryyQN5wfgYsTnLeOqaeqvMlMgQ6-2CVIIYue6BCtAyIC9QDcSgNf_k3EA7iX9GvLe4q-PXBpR6An4Y1JVAvFXyQyA4jPtfcVqA4R7T2qSOLsCCK8t4xBJsh7EDZWahbMWjwUUombwog/s320/WP_20221206_011.jpg" width="180" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Fallen roof-beams, and weeds</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj870Vyv6ZERduZhIntuZTwtEHsGoQ_m8rLljXBLf6M7VGxgi7_Kj5_8VadwUGNxmSxzEre2hw7HTN7M8_qbtlY4_6tr2hKg5_S7KEm_wPU4SBABtsUtoqNSyC9vymedaey8xoUsXAcu_1eIITb1ewDUm3CydAl1jU5euOWpttLLnSUtQyHNIW2p3f0kg/s3072/WP_20221212_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="3072" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj870Vyv6ZERduZhIntuZTwtEHsGoQ_m8rLljXBLf6M7VGxgi7_Kj5_8VadwUGNxmSxzEre2hw7HTN7M8_qbtlY4_6tr2hKg5_S7KEm_wPU4SBABtsUtoqNSyC9vymedaey8xoUsXAcu_1eIITb1ewDUm3CydAl1jU5euOWpttLLnSUtQyHNIW2p3f0kg/s320/WP_20221212_004.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Once the worst of the greenery had been removed...</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDNFauks0sAvXCPvQvXgg_oyRTARF_2ZeoXzeJ3m8piB_fP5A2IEUdKzp5KDBN8wL03urKnIyzocF4-lZH2GQujk8A2HRZB_DZvamwRhpmeaHyRJiS3lRj9Wp0kuleGepDYZDJdZYOZQfihrlvFLZKSKewsW9h9qQ72R0uHvAhjrgK2J40SJVb6oIDIA/s3072/WP_20221217_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="1728" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDNFauks0sAvXCPvQvXgg_oyRTARF_2ZeoXzeJ3m8piB_fP5A2IEUdKzp5KDBN8wL03urKnIyzocF4-lZH2GQujk8A2HRZB_DZvamwRhpmeaHyRJiS3lRj9Wp0kuleGepDYZDJdZYOZQfihrlvFLZKSKewsW9h9qQ72R0uHvAhjrgK2J40SJVb6oIDIA/s320/WP_20221217_005.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">What we'd thought was a blocked-up doorway, turned out to be a hearth - complete with a hook for an iron pot - and a ruined chimney...</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table>.<div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPpTXRd1DeM6ctv1F4RCOJFtY-tbd4QFhuWxLnv9cLlLsrNdDrtlrSm2tcU16kMi-8_5zlDeMwi214F6WK7_Ylp4p4tOLYh2P9IFDP_yR1f26RhXggPXzfy5MeyxZgps_3BHpmGqtHT_0tHQhrnadXq-uH-dylggttK45aOcs4FB3ULe7dRPVgo0O3Q/s3072/WP_20221218_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="3072" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPpTXRd1DeM6ctv1F4RCOJFtY-tbd4QFhuWxLnv9cLlLsrNdDrtlrSm2tcU16kMi-8_5zlDeMwi214F6WK7_Ylp4p4tOLYh2P9IFDP_yR1f26RhXggPXzfy5MeyxZgps_3BHpmGqtHT_0tHQhrnadXq-uH-dylggttK45aOcs4FB3ULe7dRPVgo0O3Q/s320/WP_20221218_002.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Progress! Ancient flagstones unearthed as the floor to the eastern room</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0cIYv8fMyl0M3JlR0JE_eVHmmjrHob-857TOvGQIwbBaVlneQ-DsAwbqEHqzvDpj9DYXlGjH-jTnuxrbYdYZkgQOy5a4A7isWYKYW9EAZBmu1I7Bcs5louoS7ynY_bOkSiqTdY2JLfFC_qyLGNZPbsQ6rPmI_4Y6yom-pwLuid2P852mYvO4rCxFbCg/s3072/WP_20221212_008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="1728" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0cIYv8fMyl0M3JlR0JE_eVHmmjrHob-857TOvGQIwbBaVlneQ-DsAwbqEHqzvDpj9DYXlGjH-jTnuxrbYdYZkgQOy5a4A7isWYKYW9EAZBmu1I7Bcs5louoS7ynY_bOkSiqTdY2JLfFC_qyLGNZPbsQ6rPmI_4Y6yom-pwLuid2P852mYvO4rCxFbCg/s320/WP_20221212_008.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And ancient terracotta as the floor to the western room</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin78IFZO5x06_fE86zCr22lJ47PswfEgYUktJNwaGkww93_2gGMSuc3g44Iy01NJO2HMd2hV9ektpu0jHqPchMXYUxzDklEdnI990FeRwtiKMgKm6qSg1mf1xr35eOeN7CKprN75KhJ3Ia6NgXKLYtuvrxMSpFMD6eymZwNDlFaHaXleJTDMcFmH-oUQ/s3072/WP_20221217_011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="1728" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin78IFZO5x06_fE86zCr22lJ47PswfEgYUktJNwaGkww93_2gGMSuc3g44Iy01NJO2HMd2hV9ektpu0jHqPchMXYUxzDklEdnI990FeRwtiKMgKm6qSg1mf1xr35eOeN7CKprN75KhJ3Ia6NgXKLYtuvrxMSpFMD6eymZwNDlFaHaXleJTDMcFmH-oUQ/s320/WP_20221217_011.jpg" width="180" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The base of the staircase, emerging from the mud.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK90A2740cGRuydb7-f7FHWOOjWUod1zrdxUIetwdF_Zt5y0uQnQ-Kmfcg1heLJs26wt4jMbEVAi1iU-5asqxFh9mOUr3VBx2ipD9OihvBSbfjbu8ebNTVCxXEzuC2qXYKjzl_jpwEuGJJHu7b1CIae8iSjGydkwGygI8ZHi37aoV-k-9FJGPYSiLu0A/s3072/WP_20221218_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="1728" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK90A2740cGRuydb7-f7FHWOOjWUod1zrdxUIetwdF_Zt5y0uQnQ-Kmfcg1heLJs26wt4jMbEVAi1iU-5asqxFh9mOUr3VBx2ipD9OihvBSbfjbu8ebNTVCxXEzuC2qXYKjzl_jpwEuGJJHu7b1CIae8iSjGydkwGygI8ZHi37aoV-k-9FJGPYSiLu0A/s320/WP_20221218_003.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And the remains of the (18th Century?) wood stove.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Onward and upward...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Tonight's dinner:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Endives gratin</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Sausages in dry marsala buttered spinach</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Pear & chocolate clafouti</span></p></div>Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588271884913192260.post-59617732589411535832022-12-05T09:02:00.002+00:002022-12-05T09:05:51.342+00:00Pastures new...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">We completed on the purchase last week...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrxzLGODwAjNRD_CC5iUv_TFcXOU0oH76M2byKHBY8s7sT99McCTsGwka8i0V4h0AmjKJAlumUnd0YDADgqUB1zukNszBKpcHXM6BvaBcCQf_pnFNcWOtUTCP4eNIXONOKpC3MtyxUnxpnbdgHYnMOiJ1RUvDngEVYh2v78t0F4CqN0DdGdfXpJW2y9g/s3072/WP_20220615_008.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="3072" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrxzLGODwAjNRD_CC5iUv_TFcXOU0oH76M2byKHBY8s7sT99McCTsGwka8i0V4h0AmjKJAlumUnd0YDADgqUB1zukNszBKpcHXM6BvaBcCQf_pnFNcWOtUTCP4eNIXONOKpC3MtyxUnxpnbdgHYnMOiJ1RUvDngEVYh2v78t0F4CqN0DdGdfXpJW2y9g/s320/WP_20220615_008.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYh_6ws2oe8l2VKjui-sEdTj2i3Lsg_gDvm9Y7EUigUAZgHgNcxnQecc0OGk_2XGMaF1R0SBSNLKsGGUAfI5Sco2D_kPeJPEthUWSFpsDImoWjHcQoVzgh_tfKg0UWaYSkFbnSCME_-PYoayXU8GAKqx_B-Xu7nd9rPxFkcopDhJ8tLqgLQL0EbjKYg/s3072/WP_20220615_017.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="3072" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYh_6ws2oe8l2VKjui-sEdTj2i3Lsg_gDvm9Y7EUigUAZgHgNcxnQecc0OGk_2XGMaF1R0SBSNLKsGGUAfI5Sco2D_kPeJPEthUWSFpsDImoWjHcQoVzgh_tfKg0UWaYSkFbnSCME_-PYoayXU8GAKqx_B-Xu7nd9rPxFkcopDhJ8tLqgLQL0EbjKYg/s320/WP_20220615_017.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><span style="font-family: arial;">There's debate about how long the work will take. The more optimistic amongst us think we'll be in within a year...and the less optimistic think it will be twice that.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Tonight's dinner:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Portobello Mushrooms, roast with balsamic and herbed breadcrumbs, served with gorgonzola sauce</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Fennel-seed hamburgers, with salsify</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Pear Tarts</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588271884913192260.post-84036468498960637092022-11-13T17:18:00.003+00:002022-11-13T17:21:08.956+00:00Galette of Sweetcorn and Peas<p> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSEb7crOgGYHEESajSuvlpUdRyuppqspBvTySqH3zV-klxK-8ckK8b2TNZcNKG_IbD_I9-50kVKYtFWwd-KYtcl4RRuFDQ5YWj0Taq7uzZY95HgnyrpmYFMdF8JvPqdmh2aUzZ89PDXiEtmEQ5Kv1-LbezXdI-SYgz84DFLPv7hKjVF8YLBeBCUaj5QA/s3072/WP_20221112_008.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="1728" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSEb7crOgGYHEESajSuvlpUdRyuppqspBvTySqH3zV-klxK-8ckK8b2TNZcNKG_IbD_I9-50kVKYtFWwd-KYtcl4RRuFDQ5YWj0Taq7uzZY95HgnyrpmYFMdF8JvPqdmh2aUzZ89PDXiEtmEQ5Kv1-LbezXdI-SYgz84DFLPv7hKjVF8YLBeBCUaj5QA/s320/WP_20221112_008.jpg" width="180" /></a></p><br /><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Just off the plane from London yesterday: dinner was required, the fridge was glaringly empty, and I had neither time nor inclination for anything that wasn't quick and simple. Sweetcorn galettes as a first course was a perfect solution - with half an hour to let the batter rest, the actual cooking time is little more than five minutes, and the ingredients are all store cupboard staples. The recipe is a simplified version of a Roux Bros tried-and-trusted.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">For two galettes.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Ingredients:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">40g flour; 1 egg; 85 ml milk; salt; 1 tbs oil; 40g canned sweetcorn 2 tbs peas (defrosted frozen is perfect).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Method</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">1. Whisk together flour, egg, oil, salt (to taste) and milk, and then stir into this the sweetcorn and peas. Leave the bowl in the fridge for 30 minutes or so.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">2. Heat to a high temperature a small (approx 8" diameter) heavy frying pan, and then film the base with oil. Place a 6" metal ring into the pan (heavy enough that the batter doesn't leach out once filled), and into this ladle half of the batter.</span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2wsBb-jhFaAWn1YJL514EQlOO22gyct-7b7Sb9SnWWyrel0CRl6P9C7tADCYaOa_B4hAEcqjeeUSbQcAlvfBFvtdISaLHCBYMCDKxLB05L_6AhsghNBw8dHX5Swq60NJXMHx5JSDQei_YI7fxQ0TOnY4cmvgSq-0vyNA5dRPjhEfE3D9FXKXNDjqQA/s1662/WP_20221112_003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1534" data-original-width="1662" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2wsBb-jhFaAWn1YJL514EQlOO22gyct-7b7Sb9SnWWyrel0CRl6P9C7tADCYaOa_B4hAEcqjeeUSbQcAlvfBFvtdISaLHCBYMCDKxLB05L_6AhsghNBw8dHX5Swq60NJXMHx5JSDQei_YI7fxQ0TOnY4cmvgSq-0vyNA5dRPjhEfE3D9FXKXNDjqQA/s320/WP_20221112_003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><span style="font-family: arial;">3. Let the batter set over a high heat - perhaps three minutes - then run a knife round the interior of the ring to free the galette from the ring, and (using tongs) remove the ring from the pan. With a large metal spatula, turn the galette over, and finish cooking on the other side for a further minute.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">4. Remove the galette to a heated plate and keep warm, while you repeat the process using the rest of the batter to make the second galette.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Serve.</span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_MTn_adm9T9Rj1DUShaW2vTaMBZX5q4jCAhXOFcW0OvMqAODD848tU-oxclGzkz0Im0bTSI91qZc0zYfJdwKUk5hybSKH8xlMUbr3ak8MnOn2OevOfm2n6KRBXpvWpcVEc_fO3l82BpkFUJk5Sq-o6teg51CuJLbV0PtPjP48hqE4V6S5nhNtZWlXiQ/s1808/WP_20221112_009.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1808" data-original-width="1725" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_MTn_adm9T9Rj1DUShaW2vTaMBZX5q4jCAhXOFcW0OvMqAODD848tU-oxclGzkz0Im0bTSI91qZc0zYfJdwKUk5hybSKH8xlMUbr3ak8MnOn2OevOfm2n6KRBXpvWpcVEc_fO3l82BpkFUJk5Sq-o6teg51CuJLbV0PtPjP48hqE4V6S5nhNtZWlXiQ/s320/WP_20221112_009.jpg" width="305" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588271884913192260.post-92171250022946144102022-11-03T16:55:00.000+00:002022-11-03T16:55:28.424+00:00Baked Chocolate Cheesecake<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp0KIyej22TMRbjPRN1Nb-egrKQtLmRWEI45c--4UxTC7jC0tn6JmPUNniNTzxuLqLJ9DXmScb-IeM6q8gNAwUkPZ-NAAUf2QNpizakaSdGngWyeNy8hMKK66fSA1-Fo_NjEgjk3jNADPntSAEJcVKhUPBxb_3qAt1wnQiN401g9MX3SibX2csGf5I8g/s1540/WP_20220919_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="1540" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp0KIyej22TMRbjPRN1Nb-egrKQtLmRWEI45c--4UxTC7jC0tn6JmPUNniNTzxuLqLJ9DXmScb-IeM6q8gNAwUkPZ-NAAUf2QNpizakaSdGngWyeNy8hMKK66fSA1-Fo_NjEgjk3jNADPntSAEJcVKhUPBxb_3qAt1wnQiN401g9MX3SibX2csGf5I8g/s320/WP_20220919_003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>This presents as a lot more decadent than it really is....as long as you substitute sucralose for sugar, at any rate, and since sucralose works just as well, then why wouldn't you?</p><p>This is from the pages of a book rather unimaginatively called 'Chocolate Bible' by Christines McFadden and France, which has been languishing un-regarded on the bookshelves in London for the past few years - I must have bought it on a whim, at some time, and then forgotten that I had. Anyway, it got included earlier in the year in a shipment that was being sent from London - more as ballast than anything else - and it was only after it had got to Italy that I settled into it properly, for the first time. And it is treasure trove! </p><p>This particular recipe was tried, and got a massive thumbs-up, early on - of the 'this alone justifies the purchase of the book' type of accolade - and it was then repeated as dessert for the TD's birthday dinner.</p><p>Rich and dense in texture, the addition of cinnamon in the base and sour cream in the cheesecake itself both give it a beguiling edge. And served with a simple raspberry coulis, it is heaven! </p><p>Serves 8 (ish, depending on greed)</p><p>Ingredients</p><p>275g plain chocolate; 1.2 kg cream cheese; 1 cup sugar (or sucralose); 2 tsp vanilla essence; 4 eggs; 3/4 cup sour cream; 1 tbs cocoa powder; 200g chocolate biscuits (i.e baked with chocolate in them, rather than chocolate-dipped); 6 tbs butter, melted; 1.2 tsp ground cinnamon.</p><p>Method: </p><p>1. Heat the oven to 180 degrees C. Line the base of a springform tin which is 9 in x 3 in with greaseproof paper, and grease the sides of the tin.</p><p>2. Process together biscuits, butter and cinnamon, and press into the tin to make the base of the cheesecake. </p><p>3. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler.</p><p>4. Beat the cream cheese with the sugar and vanilla, and then beat into this the eggs, one by one. </p><p>5. Mix the sour cream with the cocoa powder, and then add this to the cream cheese mixture, before folding in the melted chocolate. Once the chocolate is properly incorporated, pour the mixture into the tin and bake for an hour.</p><p>6. Leave to cool in the tin, and then remove to a serving plate. (Best to run a thin-bladed knife around the edge of the cheesecake before relaxing the spring, in case part of the cheesecake adheres to the tin.)</p><p>For maximum indulgence, serve with raspberry coulis.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaCPTrSsZF9KvxNTQ5_CdaMiDuqJF-xwLovdGyyW2hwdCVXYXIwotIIfa78JST8e33HAJqIQglLBvt-ham9NKdFH4s0B6HVix02oUTMxsiKrzv8mBveu4EuJIotz0EofcBn8l7BeTp1Bf4aPG18wl66DeTZNI1nUrYuKc875gh4K8XvZSTkNyT90SjoQ/s2372/WP_20220919_009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2372" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaCPTrSsZF9KvxNTQ5_CdaMiDuqJF-xwLovdGyyW2hwdCVXYXIwotIIfa78JST8e33HAJqIQglLBvt-ham9NKdFH4s0B6HVix02oUTMxsiKrzv8mBveu4EuJIotz0EofcBn8l7BeTp1Bf4aPG18wl66DeTZNI1nUrYuKc875gh4K8XvZSTkNyT90SjoQ/s320/WP_20220919_009.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588271884913192260.post-70987717372982099952022-10-09T17:54:00.006+00:002022-10-09T17:54:54.097+00:00And after her birthday dinner...<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9IOdj7IW9F-4I0OrJ8iqqXUrIO3VoFq_MjqDU3mtvfyUy0-d3UfWiU_IzMUxDj3QOsMfPM8QbBdEQ1l9paiW7Cd_DE8BvB5mlwYmaQNotq1Fe3LMTJlbaUH3GLV456V_f-xs1qsNi5z1614LG8Z1KOIYVajmSkFqu2p22FBr-ypfZ8Y6PRWoqeHAtQg/s1936/Post%20Liver.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1936" data-original-width="1936" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9IOdj7IW9F-4I0OrJ8iqqXUrIO3VoFq_MjqDU3mtvfyUy0-d3UfWiU_IzMUxDj3QOsMfPM8QbBdEQ1l9paiW7Cd_DE8BvB5mlwYmaQNotq1Fe3LMTJlbaUH3GLV456V_f-xs1qsNi5z1614LG8Z1KOIYVajmSkFqu2p22FBr-ypfZ8Y6PRWoqeHAtQg/s320/Post%20Liver.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">A dog has to stretch out on the window-seat, and contemplate life...</span></p>Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588271884913192260.post-60082375487372054392022-10-08T16:03:00.005+00:002022-10-08T16:03:48.294+00:00Official Birthday Photographs...<p><span style="font-family: arial;"> The birthday girl, celebrating Year One...</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqLKx5hJpp4Dj6rhhRH5RXTw2QgNKMSE2LH-GHq6nVj7ig9ytfrwkZczU1uX0QW66supQhcaSNmBbRlI7vtwtQpioDHJDoxv1PDqniVdBnSZ46cFwduc7egvIK1VG0MrO03bL6BuwEUZtwZ9iKr8dx2UkRb_517xtZP1JYp7ucf0e-4i7iIbSSZcsDYg/s578/WP_20221008_006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="575" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqLKx5hJpp4Dj6rhhRH5RXTw2QgNKMSE2LH-GHq6nVj7ig9ytfrwkZczU1uX0QW66supQhcaSNmBbRlI7vtwtQpioDHJDoxv1PDqniVdBnSZ46cFwduc7egvIK1VG0MrO03bL6BuwEUZtwZ9iKr8dx2UkRb_517xtZP1JYp7ucf0e-4i7iIbSSZcsDYg/s320/WP_20221008_006.jpg" width="318" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the road quite frequently travelled</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-12Ocq3xa-bSC1dUfUgtn5cmjvF0X0YPMvztl0vRQg_yyG5R6HlsyOJmIAl1Fuoq53-mdgauo_jlnslw2SWVKjI7YXpcVesh9lNtXE1qn3VbtZDogz0lspxf95nFNdqe8eb7Gi-3Sy8e0tiRAbViYSOOG3Cr5RziRtdr3BYaEWo8dNWXNDtcc6qb0g/s1164/WP_20221008_007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="858" data-original-width="1164" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-12Ocq3xa-bSC1dUfUgtn5cmjvF0X0YPMvztl0vRQg_yyG5R6HlsyOJmIAl1Fuoq53-mdgauo_jlnslw2SWVKjI7YXpcVesh9lNtXE1qn3VbtZDogz0lspxf95nFNdqe8eb7Gi-3Sy8e0tiRAbViYSOOG3Cr5RziRtdr3BYaEWo8dNWXNDtcc6qb0g/s320/WP_20221008_007.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm ready - are you?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg707Y2ozBdttQb3XaE35Viy55lnwDvTeDKduUiZK_B2UkSupzfyE9MomR4rm0d5EErNs02CU5C1Shl_8-bXzA7TssvsAwZut-xaK_-5-y1aVuX4KLNaXiDt0Y2WM5W_3Emc5AV7pkW9XSnsdOBTZnqfzyy_Y4cRR8SgKTF9urJgWUGL5o9c1UmfuZ4cw/s992/WP_20221008_008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="992" data-original-width="780" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg707Y2ozBdttQb3XaE35Viy55lnwDvTeDKduUiZK_B2UkSupzfyE9MomR4rm0d5EErNs02CU5C1Shl_8-bXzA7TssvsAwZut-xaK_-5-y1aVuX4KLNaXiDt0Y2WM5W_3Emc5AV7pkW9XSnsdOBTZnqfzyy_Y4cRR8SgKTF9urJgWUGL5o9c1UmfuZ4cw/s320/WP_20221008_008.jpg" width="252" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What is that camera-thing, anyway, that you're aiming at me?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcenDlolmyExrL3mF9bE7WmWfdQFR6n38Z7GU_MNwBhgLNS0lbST-qstBBiBe1CWKIiekn182SkXtJGYuAcg40LVXle2UhaqjFw2wa2u77-HLDvfmlHctGsOapYtG3_yBACVgsPuvb1QVogWqAJrnGyfCgNL7drSkx3pGBIgjaw7oyqyokJ8LefK0qeA/s1290/WP_20221008_010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1290" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcenDlolmyExrL3mF9bE7WmWfdQFR6n38Z7GU_MNwBhgLNS0lbST-qstBBiBe1CWKIiekn182SkXtJGYuAcg40LVXle2UhaqjFw2wa2u77-HLDvfmlHctGsOapYtG3_yBACVgsPuvb1QVogWqAJrnGyfCgNL7drSkx3pGBIgjaw7oyqyokJ8LefK0qeA/s320/WP_20221008_010.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What IS that thing, over there?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg81EOs8eN5Wd-b8cwxCnKNpEz5UbhcYY3AJHCZ51EUcfxvzzN6aug54ygA0GA4SO96CAKa2W925S4yaYIRuLMirOUDZIr1AdQVKAYx6P0WcVN4GQz0iZ9QLUrqxZBf5g1vUhr-SNV0vkFL7fMDSI5IKCN0Qu06LMVPkXUZ0c-AS_c1BWe3X2KAD7DkQQ/s935/WP_20221008_011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="935" data-original-width="795" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg81EOs8eN5Wd-b8cwxCnKNpEz5UbhcYY3AJHCZ51EUcfxvzzN6aug54ygA0GA4SO96CAKa2W925S4yaYIRuLMirOUDZIr1AdQVKAYx6P0WcVN4GQz0iZ9QLUrqxZBf5g1vUhr-SNV0vkFL7fMDSI5IKCN0Qu06LMVPkXUZ0c-AS_c1BWe3X2KAD7DkQQ/s320/WP_20221008_011.jpg" width="272" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting down and dirty...</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-utjfgOoneroS5IVzDwfiXcO3QqyHQsiewFwLzyhkAu7q0gNJbXQpp7u7uVq69z4FBWbj4KyGeCc9YOjZMiTh3wsyACpF4hYTfFHCm5mq5V0g5SJGG_OSYFizIyd4fbiLxxtkd2XjTawc75T94iS6EPh8ohmGfcdBCM8Edt52HlPMmfQNCO8vmBqUg/s950/WP_20221008_013%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="944" data-original-width="950" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-utjfgOoneroS5IVzDwfiXcO3QqyHQsiewFwLzyhkAu7q0gNJbXQpp7u7uVq69z4FBWbj4KyGeCc9YOjZMiTh3wsyACpF4hYTfFHCm5mq5V0g5SJGG_OSYFizIyd4fbiLxxtkd2XjTawc75T94iS6EPh8ohmGfcdBCM8Edt52HlPMmfQNCO8vmBqUg/s320/WP_20221008_013%20(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is it a bird? Is it a plane?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7dut3x2o3oTb8codSQl4bLyHlkhY2OOb2X4XOZf0SdBH26LnadxMM0dLlP5DrfiZch2rSBaosx7C2b1HYXFiSYxpOf6e2Ls0G74NAcXnQjUFtbFgtkw2mFApFS59xBWx9uLQ4hiwDpf2G9pngc23WKtrbdpZMjcgd1oR2aeDYFYuFuJMHI_tTLVFnjg/s923/WP_20221008_014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="923" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7dut3x2o3oTb8codSQl4bLyHlkhY2OOb2X4XOZf0SdBH26LnadxMM0dLlP5DrfiZch2rSBaosx7C2b1HYXFiSYxpOf6e2Ls0G74NAcXnQjUFtbFgtkw2mFApFS59xBWx9uLQ4hiwDpf2G9pngc23WKtrbdpZMjcgd1oR2aeDYFYuFuJMHI_tTLVFnjg/s320/WP_20221008_014.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Balls!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDaoEg8VZG21t88F4vQlp94kb980s4pT5OHawWjscEyJ-bdWRZTXyDul1yYyKTwpAuuFhtAVs6gEU-BIvSqw2vQQnS4coN0s39YFq03mUM8cKG1V5F1JY2vKVQ5x1NJMh03iFdzyRq5bom5dobSLcinX8iUyiIMx3ejbA0dy_bELoM7NCAYNSnM1Rflg/s1710/WP_20221008_022%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1710" data-original-width="1066" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDaoEg8VZG21t88F4vQlp94kb980s4pT5OHawWjscEyJ-bdWRZTXyDul1yYyKTwpAuuFhtAVs6gEU-BIvSqw2vQQnS4coN0s39YFq03mUM8cKG1V5F1JY2vKVQ5x1NJMh03iFdzyRq5bom5dobSLcinX8iUyiIMx3ejbA0dy_bELoM7NCAYNSnM1Rflg/s320/WP_20221008_022%20(2).jpg" width="199" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And finally, a birthday toy!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Tonight's dinner:</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">For four-footed: munchy-crunchies (Chicken flavour) with cold, sliced liver</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">For two-footeds:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Vitello Tonnato</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Timballo di Gattapardo; Buttered Spinach</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Raspberry bavarese, with Mandarin glaze, served in chocolate cups<br /></span><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588271884913192260.post-67855895801669252702022-08-24T16:14:00.002+00:002022-08-24T16:14:29.928+00:00It's that Day, again...!<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibxIbntvlQsL2X6mhzcrD-2n-8OBaDwORF4adEq8jFBhPA2eh-glRYzK6zAWVK27XUxaRZAulFSHn5wpNdNJvyAvwB1U4zocygVPEIAIEgFP3nGYiSGGbaHCStA7FcOEeMR8VNj2fHR5XYv3jxxmcxbWgL8jV3dl0naR2Wx8PYBfGz2OnGW7nVz4-MPg/s1638/WP_20220824_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1638" data-original-width="1424" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibxIbntvlQsL2X6mhzcrD-2n-8OBaDwORF4adEq8jFBhPA2eh-glRYzK6zAWVK27XUxaRZAulFSHn5wpNdNJvyAvwB1U4zocygVPEIAIEgFP3nGYiSGGbaHCStA7FcOEeMR8VNj2fHR5XYv3jxxmcxbWgL8jV3dl0naR2Wx8PYBfGz2OnGW7nVz4-MPg/s320/WP_20220824_002.jpg" width="278" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As ever, Amazon made a pig's ear out of delivering them all on-time <br />(three still to come, and one of the ones that has arrived is with Italian text!) <br />Oh, well...</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Tonight's Dinner:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Salad of Peas and Fave, with Feta and Mint</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Lamb Provencal (Potatoes, in celebration!)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Lemon Cheesecake</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588271884913192260.post-81838529679235640992022-07-17T08:07:00.002+00:002022-07-17T08:07:35.143+00:00Heatwave dinner<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiueXZkaKlZH1cWk8bb7HqRB2LhZi6kmk4Ya1EtLEKcmGd-mCRc1NFsxr8mYdhNP-zQM8DqJSS3eI157rrCXpjLut_n2Z-CxWe2NUDDCoDirWcsuDo2vYZiQJSf3FlkldamUfP6YqDJjhdmFW32IruBLe3crwPz3B1tZqgokHmp4YF9y0lhnMfPhnPUMQ/s3072/WP_20220709_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="1728" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiueXZkaKlZH1cWk8bb7HqRB2LhZi6kmk4Ya1EtLEKcmGd-mCRc1NFsxr8mYdhNP-zQM8DqJSS3eI157rrCXpjLut_n2Z-CxWe2NUDDCoDirWcsuDo2vYZiQJSf3FlkldamUfP6YqDJjhdmFW32IruBLe3crwPz3B1tZqgokHmp4YF9y0lhnMfPhnPUMQ/s320/WP_20220709_004.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Dinner, in the courtyard. Where it's marginally cooler - or we persuade ourselves that it is, at least.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Stuffed aubergines.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Boned Chicken, stuffed with herb butter, served cold with tarragon sauce; fennel gratin.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Semifreddo of Bergamot and Amaretti, with a raspberry sauce.</span></p>Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588271884913192260.post-64743913850528577532022-07-09T14:55:00.001+00:002022-07-09T14:55:24.281+00:00Pear & Chocolate Clafouti<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6l0dtxwQZ6MRq5O7_xAEcrOqaVfj4d5x1TPlO9HMiLfgItxHWhIOK4ieUtLR6l9xaQIaRX_Bxd9qgmvWsdGKxxVpO1GkHqurmPvv_8sfXj2Wfmhid2I-e1y9eX-_BIX8slgciwhwxPdPAV41EK5Zb8H9sdLNbtGo4Ci-AogccLlurc08tE6Z1TGaKfw/s2444/WP_20220708_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2444" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6l0dtxwQZ6MRq5O7_xAEcrOqaVfj4d5x1TPlO9HMiLfgItxHWhIOK4ieUtLR6l9xaQIaRX_Bxd9qgmvWsdGKxxVpO1GkHqurmPvv_8sfXj2Wfmhid2I-e1y9eX-_BIX8slgciwhwxPdPAV41EK5Zb8H9sdLNbtGo4Ci-AogccLlurc08tE6Z1TGaKfw/s320/WP_20220708_003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>I'm trying to think of as many pear recipes as possible that can be served over the short (but monumental, given the size of the crop!) period of pear harvest we're now experiencing, without it all becoming drearily repetitive: pear souffle; pear sorbet; Tarte Bordaloue; pear tarts; crepes stuffed with baked pears, with a rum/pear/butterscotch sauce; pears, diced fine and served with honey over yoghurt, for breakfast; pear cake; pear-treacle pudding; tartine perigordine ....and this. </p><p>It's a standard dessert clafouti recipe, but with the addition to the batter of a small amount of powdered chocolate, which takes the whole thing to a different level. </p><p>For four, standard egg-dish servings.</p><p>Ingredients 80g flour; 60g + 2 tbs sugar; 2 eggs; 80g butter; 150 ml milk; 1 tsp vanilla flavouring; 1 tbs brandy; 1 tbs chocolate powder; 4-5 ripe medium-sized pears. Icing sugar, for serving (optional)</p><p>Method:</p><p>1. Grease four standard egg dishes, and arrange in them the pears, which have been peeled, quartered and cored (If the quarters are large, divide them again into eighths). Sprinkle the pear pieces with the 2 tbs sugar and bake them for about 20 minutes in a 190 degree C oven.</p><p>2. Melt the butter over a gentle heat, and leave it to cool.</p><p>3. In a liquidizer jar, blend together all the remaining ingredients, and once the melted butter has cooled somewhat, add this also and blend again. </p><p>4. Remove the egg dishes with the baked pears from the oven, and divide the chocolate batter equally between them. Return the dishes to the oven for 25 minutes until puffed and proud.</p><p>Dust the tops of the clafoutis with icing sugar, to serve.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhknHve_tTmSutOPjKIUyf5-q_qGaiJxkM-50TwSu422S867mfTNhllL0EvHv5KcywHHH-BeQHgV0-cyDqNHtTTTjZzpzGT1V0DJDgNxNkNBvz6geUGmdtKClyvz6QqEEwaH1Bjm8NxjhNXjf_hEI42CYN9ApkRQ3FpJ50_e6QrAsdRzbKI0hICHbRozQ/s1808/WP_20220708_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="1808" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhknHve_tTmSutOPjKIUyf5-q_qGaiJxkM-50TwSu422S867mfTNhllL0EvHv5KcywHHH-BeQHgV0-cyDqNHtTTTjZzpzGT1V0DJDgNxNkNBvz6geUGmdtKClyvz6QqEEwaH1Bjm8NxjhNXjf_hEI42CYN9ApkRQ3FpJ50_e6QrAsdRzbKI0hICHbRozQ/s320/WP_20220708_001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p>Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6588271884913192260.post-12713506943564405272022-06-01T20:02:00.000+00:002022-06-01T20:02:09.467+00:00View from the Breakfast Table, this morning...<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFX8kjvP69TsI_WLLgX87OQ8pSywC0TjHp_9h8JJPXmaLNy9pmKYMezcqG4ZcYLzfyNeyO0Ju78c-mDACE2pj2ul3I3n9HWFdIq_9y_XvIJNVpOw5TrZ-pEbaKw1mkyJENQDmP5jiw7ixmyE9zDefCQ-m5uBXKV-tKlzMEm6EOIYQ7DB8YsMnLzEWmZw/s2592/Jasmine.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1936" data-original-width="2592" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFX8kjvP69TsI_WLLgX87OQ8pSywC0TjHp_9h8JJPXmaLNy9pmKYMezcqG4ZcYLzfyNeyO0Ju78c-mDACE2pj2ul3I3n9HWFdIq_9y_XvIJNVpOw5TrZ-pEbaKw1mkyJENQDmP5jiw7ixmyE9zDefCQ-m5uBXKV-tKlzMEm6EOIYQ7DB8YsMnLzEWmZw/s320/Jasmine.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Three of the Spice Boys, enjoying the morning sunshine against a background of trachelospermum in full bloom. The smell is intoxicating! (Also, with a guest appearance in the bottom left corner of the frame, of a puppy - now seven months old...)</p><p>Tonight's Dinner:</p><p>Turkish scrambled eggs (with feta, red pepper, chilli, onion, garlic, tomato, and a sprinkling of parsley)</p><p>Squid Ink Risotto</p><p>Apricot Tart, with apricots fresh from the tree, picked after breakfast, this morning (puppy currently in deep disgrace, as she snaffled a quarter of the tart before it was served - it had been left negligently too close to the edge of the kitchen counter. It's a learning curve...)</p>Pomianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05396853206841588293noreply@blogger.com1