Fiction, Food, Faith and everything in-between

There is something about cooking that is very centering for me. I think those few hours in the kitchen give me time to relax and create something that is both very satisfying and life giving. I get a huge sense of achievement and happiness from trying new recipies or old favourites. And then there is the eating which is always comforting and satisfying even when the recipie doesn't work out. Unfortunately after having stayed clear of covid for two and a half years I caught it and became ill. Despite vaccinations, mask wearing and reduced work/social contact I became unwell. It isn't surprising. I am clinically extremely vulnerable so I do my best to look after my health but there is only so much an individual can do when the prevalence of Covid is so high. The experience was unpleasant but I am feeling much better now and apart from a cough and fatigue, I am feeling more like my usual self.  Being ill disrupts daily patterns of activities and routines, especially those that giv...

     Source Wikipedia Luke 10:25-37 ‘But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And  who is my neighbour”?   The parable of the Good Samaritan is one that many of us are familiar with. It reminds us that we should always be willing to help people who are in trouble. And it raises an important question.  Who is my neighbour? At first glance this is a simple question. Generally, our neighbour is the person who lives near us, or the people we meet from day to day, but these days our neighbours also include people who are brought near to us in other ways. The digital age with non stop TV, 24-hour news, the internet and social media have opened us up to the world. Suddenly people in other countries and far places have become our neighbours. We now find ourselves involved in things that are happening elsewhere in the world. It might be really entertaining things like sporting events but it might also be really tragic things like wars and natural...

I came across this lovely pair of legs  just outside the Haywards Gallery at the Royal Festival Hall. They are slightly creepy and I am quite sure they stroll around the Royal Festival Hall at night looking for their torso and head. There wasn't any explanation but I am quite sure there must be more info in the gallery. For some reason this lovely pair of legs reminded me of the way women used to be cat called by builders years ago and how that doesn't happen any more (not to me it doesn't). Nowadays if you walk past a building site you might see a sign saying that the builders are considerate and the builders are busy at work instead of yelling at women like they used to in the 'olden days'.  The Considerate Constructors web site says it is a 'not-for-profit, independent organisation founded in 1997 to raise standards in the construction industry'. I am guessing that they are responsible for the cessation of catcalling. If they are t...

I made Mary Berry's Chicken Cordon Bleu. I used to think that Cordon Blue was some kind of casserole. I was clearly very wrong. Instead it is a fried ham and cheese sandwich only instead of bread you use chicken and slice it open, putting the ham and cheese inside. The chicken is then smothered with bread crumbs and fried. I am not really a fan of frying so I approached this with some hesitancy but it does taste nice. Not sure when I will make it again. I also made Mushroom Risotto which tastes fab. Altogether a great Sunday lunch.

I cooked Miso Glazed Cod and tray baked chicken with leeks, butter beans, and spinach. My previous experiment with Miso came to a sad end when I used it to cook Brownies, but it tastes fab with cod.  The chicken is delicious and having all the veg cooking along with the chicken is very convenient. Anyway I had both for lunch and now I am having a well deserved Sunday snooze. And I made ice cream for my son's birthday which he says goes very nicely with the honey sponge pudding I made sort of for his birthday but also for myself 😃😋

I really like a nice Sunday lunch! If I am going to be taking a Sunday service then I will cook my Sunday lunch on Saturday evening. After church I just get home and lunch is there waiting. It is such a nice feeling to know that lunch is there and that it is delicious.  Today is Pentecost Sunday and also the Platinum Jubilee. I am not at church today but I am quietly reflecting at home. I woke up early and cooked but I didn't play music like I usually do because I needed the quiet. First of all I made Mary Berry's prawns and rice. This is actually fried rice with mushrooms and prawns and it tastes delicious.  I also decided to make a slow cooked barbecue brisket with some paprika potatoes. And some veg because green is good. Sometimes the quiet is good. I am having such a disruptive year. I am seeking God and I am determined to follow wherever God leads. This can be difficult when people suddenly divert you from the path you were on.  Y...

I made Beef Wellington from my Mary Berry cookbook. It is quite easy to make because the recipie uses ready made puff pastry. This means that I could concentrate on the mushroom topping. I even managed to improve the look in comparison to my 'Lattice' pie. (See earlier post on Lines Pie). My attempt wasn't as neat as Mary Berry's but it tasted nice and between my sister, my son and myself it didnt last long. So I enjoyed making it and I enjoyed eating it but I am not sure because there are so many wonderful things to make with beef and wrapping up a nice piece of beef in pastry is a bit of a loss to me.  It did taste nice though 😋