Day 177: Something for the weekend

It looks like something out of a 1970s Woman's Weekly but it was darn tasty.

A bit of rum, a bit of vodka, a bit of triple sec, some strawberries liquidised with sugar and lemon all shaken up with ice.

V alcoholic, but made watching The Perfect Storm on TV bearable in an anaesthetised, even lobotomised way.

Day 176: Ariel photo

Day 175: Pea green boat

Day 174: Bau Board

Day 173: Corridor

There's a cinematic quality to the light and the angles of this scene that I liked. Plus the subtle points of interest.

It was taken in the National Portrait Gallery, I was hanging about for a seeming eternity for my sister and neice to return from a 'comfort break', as the euphemism goes.

No pictures allowed at the NPG but I don't think this counts, does it?

Day 172: The end of the Tour

So this is how it should have ended, no? Andy Shleck ahead, Contador watching his back with Lance Armstrong at his heels. Only this was last year and I didn't know who any of these guys were until someone on the plane home told me this was a great photo.

Day 171: Flower

Day 170: Malawi Guinea Fowl

Day 169: Organ Pipes

Day 168: Giraffe

Day 167: Running

sometimes

only running

the length

the breadth

the circumference

of a bandstand

will do

to

while

away

an

afternoon

Day 166: Spying

on the butcher

Day 165: Big shoes

When we used to re-enact the Sound of Music as kids (probably an admission I should really keep to myself), I always wanted to be Captain Von Trapp (could explain a lot) just so I could wear my mum's black, leather knee boots.

It's fun being small and wearing big people's shoes. And it's fun to be big and watch little people wearing them - even if they are on the wrong feet.

Day 164: Padron Peppers

I like food that has a certain theatre to it. One of my favourite things to cook when people come for dinner is a crab claw and sweetcorn gumbo, the main reason being that I love a good dinner party where everyone has to attack their food with a hammer. There's something very satisfying and a little bit amusing about it.

So this is why I also like Padron peppers for dinner. One in every thirty 'has a kick' so it says on the packet, so when you make your way through a large bowl of them you have no idea whether the next one you eat will be the one to blow your head off or not. In reality, I think the kick you get is one given with lovely, fluffy, slippers rather than a steel toe-capped DM but the expectation is part of the fun - like touching an electric fence, is it on or is it off? Mild electrocution or nothing at all?

Or is that just me?

Day 163: Lettuce and pea salsa verde

This is in its kernel stage but I think I'm going to be developing this recipe in the coming days as it could well be the answer to that glut of allotment lettuce that is looming.

I'm calling it a salsa verde for no better reason than that it happens to be very green. Today I did the basic. Fried a whole head of lettuce with butter and spring onions, added cooked peas, a pinch of salt, some chopped fresh mint and zapped it all in a mixer.

I think there is scope to add many more ingredients to it, bit of cream, garlic, perhaps some anchovies but this was not bad as a start. I think it will go nicely with a lot of different fish and chicken dishes but having the greatly refined and delicate palate, sophisticated taste etc, that I (one) do (does), tonight I had it with fish fingers and boiled potatoes. Yum, Yumety Yum!

Day 162: Bounce, bounce, bounce

Well, it's been a while. I've been down in Dulwich hanging out with this beautiful girl (and her mum and dad of course) and having a fine old time baking, playing in the park, singing, dancing, etc. I'm now much more au fait with Dora the Explorer than I would perhaps wish to be but I also got to do nice adult things like visit the Tate to see a great exhibition 'Exposed' and enjoy an evening at probably one of my favourite all time restaurants, Ganapati in Peckham.

But I'm back now. My blogging sleeves are rolled up and ready. So here we go.

I have to admit I've been a bit poor at picture taking recently, suffering a slight absence of inspiration but let's see how we go.

Day 161: The tour...

is on!

This pic is from last year but I loved the carnival atmosphere of the thing.

And the memory of the amazing adventure we had. Where we met guardian angel No. 1 Collette.

I will tell you the story:

Later.

Off to London town.

Day 160: Lomo attack

I'm loving the Lomo camera app for iPhone (almost the best £1.79 spent, pipped to a very close second by the Scrabble app!)

Tried the effect out on the keyboard, the kettle, the yak's bell sitting on the window sill. Settled for the funky graphic (in both senses of the word) of an Airside pic.

Minutiae Friday in Spillersville.

Day 159: Langoustine

Dee-lish, I say, deeee-lish.

Day 158: Reflections

Day 157: Banister

... in the Botanic Gardens visitor centre.

Day 156: Grafitti II

Day 155: Flowers

I'm that good with botanics I couldn't begin to tell you what sort of flower this is. Lily possibly, maybe. Dunno. Pretty flower. That'll do.