Dec 19 2005
The lights are on. It’s nearly Christmas. Huge dazzling banners, twinkley fairy lights, glittering garlands, sparkling Christmas trees; they all light up the evening sky in every town, large or small. Late night shopping, free car parking, crowds, carousels, special Christmas markets, music on the streets, a Ferris wheel in Plymouth, good cheer everywhere, well mostly!
Nov 26 2005
It’s Beef Stew and Dumpling weather, Lancashire Hot Pot, Chicken Pie weather, comforting food weather. The week has been clear, sugary, crispy, crunchy, cold, cold, cold. As the sun appeared slowly over the hill the grass began to steam and boil. Gradually the land turned green again but now it’s cold and damp and getting worse! Snow forecasts for tomorrow, so unusual here, and freezing fog and dark, dank days. Suddenly it’s just a little warmer and the sky has taken on that certain ominous, pinky yellowy tinge we so rarely see in South Devon. Time to hunker down, fill the stables with straw, feed the sheep on the hill and prepare for the freeze.
Nov 25 2005
Let’s start with a traditional Sunday roast to cheer these winter days! A fillet of beef, a piece of sirloin or a rib caramelised on the outside and pink in the middle served with good gravy, Yorkshire pudding, fresh horseradish (grated into clotted cream!) and seasonal vegetables must surely be one of our best national dishes.
Nov 02 2005
Relentless wind and rain have battered October. Even today’s crisp sunlight illuminating a transparent clear blue sky does little to lift my perennial autumn melancholy. It evokes memories of childhood solitariness and isolation, of boarding school at seven, of a strangely emptying world. I hate dark mornings too, shopping by streetlight, grey foggy days. And the knowledge that it will only get colder! Most people struggle with ice cold January and February but for me November is the low spot of the year. Those first snow drops on Boxing day, dear mild Devon, lift my spirits once more and carry me on towards spring.
Oct 31 2005
Normandy Pheasant
This, without doubt, is one of my favourite pheasant recipes and is ideal for oven ready birds which have been commercially prepared. Pheasant like beef is better if it has been properly hung. If it is not it is inclined to be dry and dull when roasted. Apples and Calvados prevent the meat becoming dry and compliment the flavour wonderfully.
Sep 30 2005
As we reach the Equinox once more the autumn sun drops from our heavens into the southern hemisphere. It joins us later and later each day creeping up over the hill and, leaving earlier and earlier, soon slides away again like a huge red barley sugar. The golden autumn light seems to wraps itself around the whole valley easing us towards winter. As the days get shorter the light becomes hard and sharp. Mimicking shadows, long, crisp, exaggerating, fall across the grass. The days are still warm but there is a chill in the misty morning air as we set off for the yard before breakfast.
Sep 24 2005
The meat and fish are preserved in a dry cure of flavoured salt and saltpetre. Saltpetre is sodium nitrite and in these health conscious days regarded as unsuitable for human consumption. Its dubious origins and old stories of its early collection certainly make one wonder! However it is a good preservative and turns the meat pink. If you are not using it refrigerate the meat during curing. Sea salt is considered the best for curing and preserving but rock salt is quite acceptable. Modern fine table salt contains chemicals to stop lumps forming so is therefore not suitable for curing.
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