Reflections in, on and round about…with a lot of cooking on the side
Stories that don’t fit elsewhere and add to the rich fabric of life….
I’ve not had a rant for a while. My last few rants were more than a year ago. I railed against aspects of the restrictions associated with the lockdown. Truth be told, I was probably railing at the virus itself. As if it gives a damn. I might come back to that but I suspect … Continue reading Unicorns, bunnies and fishes: a reality check
Nearly two years ago, and when the world was first locked up, and as mother survived, I had to confront the very real possibility that I might have to actually bake something. Probably bread. I wasn't ready. The entire process from the kneading to the proving and everything in between, terrified me. I'm also (if … Continue reading Is it a scone? Is it a biscuit?
Wednesday began as it usually does. With dustbins and shopping lists. The former is The Husband's job and the latter is a kind of joint effort that starts with meal planning (yes, I know I've promised...it's on another list...) and culminates with his famous spreadsheets. He "translates" the paper scribbles, notes prices and, well, generally … Continue reading Fishing, shmishing…whatever…don’t get had!
"Don't close the door," the mother said. The three year old trundled up the grass banks to the ablution block, chose a stall, and closed the door. It was a door with a staple handle and a ball and socket closure. The three year old was not inclined to sit and perform with the door … Continue reading A saint, lavatories and life
When I grew up, Halloween wasn't a thing. And it was. In the 1970s, Halloween didn't feature on the South African calendar. Somehow, though, it was always mentioned in our house. By my father. It had been a thing in his childhood and he'd talk of the night the spirits fly. He believed in things … Continue reading Halloween: memories from the past, and not-too-distant past
Foreword This post first appeared in 2015, and since then, the recipes have gone through a number of developments/iterations/whatever word you'd like to choose. Originally, it was carrots, two ways. Now, I've added a third. Growing carrots Our soil is rocky and very clayey. Certain root vegetables grow, but very differently from what one would … Continue reading Carrots – yes ways – three ways
I'm in a pickle: in my day job, we are reaching the end of a project which means that a deadline is looming. My week was long, very hot and I had writer's block. I'm tired. My colleagues are tired and stressed. A bit of a pickle. And pickles need time. I've not had much of that lately, it seems.
I can't remember the first time I ate this dessert. It's one of our favourites - when I "do" dessert. I don't often. I don't have a sweet tooth. I am was not much of a baker. My chef friend and market pal reckons mine are among the best she's tasted. I brimmed with pride … Continue reading Marvelous Malva
Around May 2017, around the time, my regular blogs became increasingly sparse, as one chapter in my life ended, and others began. One of these was Sunday Suppers @ The Sandbag House. Two years later we were still doing it. Menus went out weekly to a WhatsApp group and via various social media and e-news … Continue reading Sunday Suppers: A season past?
Fire is devastating: we had a fire in the mountains above our village in spring (September) 2014. It burned for what seemed like a month and because, to start with, it was in inaccessible parts of the mountain, it could not be effectively fought. So it spread and threatened prime agricultural land and vineyards. So … Continue reading When Cape Town Burned