Here today, gone tomorrow!

Here today, gone tomorrow just about epitomises last week.

Summer arrived with a vengeance on Monday and the thermometer hit 38 degrees Celsius (just over 100 Fahrenheit).  Overnight, a little swarm of bees took residence in our Cotoneaster.  We were delighted because a couple of months ago, a local beekeeper had put an empty hive on our plot and we’ve been waiting patiently for a swarm to occupy it.  Bee man said to leave them alone.  “They’ve already decided where they’re going….”

Wednesday dawned:  cool and blustery and got progressively more blustery and cold.  By evening it was pouring with rain.  After Monday’s heat, this was all a bit much, so I persuaded The Husband to light the fire; I know he thought I was being extra dramatic.  Wonderful man:  he indulged me.

When Pearli thundered home, bang-crash-wallop through the cat flap, she was very glad to discover a lovely warm fire.  And the sofa, with its pristine throw, was just the place to dry off.  Of course.

I had planned omelettes and salad for supper, but with the cold, I thought that something more warming and stew-like would be in order.  But what?  Whatever I made would have to have egg or cheese as the protein, and whatever else was in the kitchen, garden, or the fridge.  Thursday is shopping day, so the proverbial pantry was rather bare.

Fortunately, and don’t ask me why, we had a large number of tomatoes and in the fridge I found courgette, sweet bell peppers and mushrooms (these we would have had in the omelette, anyway).  In the garden there is fennel, oregano and parsley, all of which go well with both eggs and tomatoes.  Fortunately we both like egg and tomato.  My dad didn’t, and nor do a few other people I know…

So, in the wok, I made a tomato stew with sautéd onions and garlic to which I added chopped peppers, mushrooms and courgette, with some fennel.  I let all of that brew for a little while – not too long so that the vegetables keep some crunch.  When it was all bubbling nicely, with a good bit of liquid, I made four “wells” in the stew, and broke an egg into each.  I put the lid on the wok and let the eggs poach in the tomato stew until they were ready.

Boy, did we need that warm stew.  It was a cold night and we woke to snow on Thursday morning – summer was gone – and our little swarm of bees had huddled themselves into a tiny little ball.

And by Sunday, winter had retreated.  And our swarm of bees, still here yesterday, was gone.  Our empty hive is still empty.

© Fiona’s Favourites 2014