tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45769591425061288402024-03-13T16:29:52.367+00:00mugofstrongtea Europe on a plate. Food and drink blogs direct from Phil Lowe, Butcher and Fishmonger. Written with passion and humour. Winner of Tesco 'Passion For Food Award' 2013. Order from Amazon links below.
Just published Phil Lowe's 5* book - Supermarket Creatures.
Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.comBlogger690125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4576959142506128840.post-72887180942516511212021-06-28T10:04:00.000+01:002021-06-28T10:16:37.087+01:00New stories about the crazy people who shop and work in supermarkets.<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBdtJYri0rAQ3pajwIS3_-mY7o8Ef_Egv614nbMEqxJZCeI_HzZwixYSEMbasa0B5MNwbeZmMDbkToXPuks7G5Z8WtaKtIv0MN0qeU-fTGji23rqtqmjnWMMW7-kjW7pv5M4pOSB8bD5A/s960/206018930_10159687720993735_4777973470470043795_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBdtJYri0rAQ3pajwIS3_-mY7o8Ef_Egv614nbMEqxJZCeI_HzZwixYSEMbasa0B5MNwbeZmMDbkToXPuks7G5Z8WtaKtIv0MN0qeU-fTGji23rqtqmjnWMMW7-kjW7pv5M4pOSB8bD5A/s320/206018930_10159687720993735_4777973470470043795_n.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just when you think there are no more stories of crazy customers or even crazier shop workers, as illustrated in my book <a href="https://amzn.to/3joD5yG">Supermarket Creatures</a>, along, from the depths of my memories, trot a few more to amuse or shock you. These are quite random but here goes:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I remember the type of person working behind the counters who had very little regard for the fact that Supermarkets were there to make a profit so they would come up with the getaway clause "Well that's what the customer asked for and the customer is ALWAYS right." These types would trim the fat off the the edge of the sirloin steaks and not charge the customer, likewise with cutting out the fat from the ribeye steaks because the customer asked them too. Again they didn't charge the customer for the fat.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1xvqi-v_fYHDMFq1jbMjsDrM_LCR_taQ7zFWHQABiQ9xerisoA7yWy7Yc55tbjH6-J-9SlDRfjcLxk3ujDo-dNe0j553a_5T6VeCqu3BF2jzcw0i08rL-8cz_FtkXqCjN5VXAKqycL0/s2048/rib+eye+steaks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1659" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1xvqi-v_fYHDMFq1jbMjsDrM_LCR_taQ7zFWHQABiQ9xerisoA7yWy7Yc55tbjH6-J-9SlDRfjcLxk3ujDo-dNe0j553a_5T6VeCqu3BF2jzcw0i08rL-8cz_FtkXqCjN5VXAKqycL0/s320/rib+eye+steaks.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rib eye steaks<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I even saw and most definitely heard one of the women on our meat counter hacking a length of oxtail to death with a cleaver because the customer wanted smaller bits of oxtail. The bone is solid except in the joints and almost impossible to chop through. The customer' would also say that the 'other butcher' did it for them the last time and would stand there tut tutting impatiently, with their arms folded in across their chest whilst the shop worker went red in the face and weak in the arms and wrists hacking away at the oxtail.<p></p><p>One day I came back from a break to find the small metal tray on the fish counter, that had previously contained loose scallops, mostly with the orange roe attached, just full of orange roe bits. The person who was on the fish counter whilst I went for my break had sold a dozen or so scallops to a customer who had asked for the roe to taken off because they only wanted the white scallops and her dog didn't like the orange bits.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdBIiTpkX-Pnl3GNrUD9W0JFW1m5GWFV5Toelh1Qwpf68k-SP-QyZ1iJL4rwCKtJu3XCBB7IABLwd8CBMWSyZk154IzGoY2V4gRilwDORzhJ-e5XOfZ-PIqNaKKkfXjkRMufJh_oWs00g/s2048/209202424_10159683663243735_8768701870245937144_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdBIiTpkX-Pnl3GNrUD9W0JFW1m5GWFV5Toelh1Qwpf68k-SP-QyZ1iJL4rwCKtJu3XCBB7IABLwd8CBMWSyZk154IzGoY2V4gRilwDORzhJ-e5XOfZ-PIqNaKKkfXjkRMufJh_oWs00g/s320/209202424_10159683663243735_8768701870245937144_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Scallops with roe</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p>Amongst many twatish requests from customers I recall a man who asked if the raw prawns were de-veined. They were all done prior to being frozen and packaged and distributed to the supermarkets. So, I told him they were definitely de-veined. He didn't believe me and went on and on about it and what a lazy liar I was for at least ten minutes but it seemed like forever. </p><p>We had a very nice pre-made fish pie mix on the fish counters which included some white fish, some salmon and some smoked. The fish types were fairly distributed in the mix but you would always get some idiot who didn't like the look of the smoked fish and wanted you to cut up some from the smoked section and replace it. Then they chose not to buy it or purchased some and then dumped it. By the way, taking fish from other parts of the fish counter wasn't right because it was all costed out per individual fish type. Again, there would always be some errant member of staff who would bend the rules for a customer because they didn't want any bother from them. Of course once one person does this it then sets a precedent for the customer to return wanted the same special treatment week after week. The same applies to those awkward to serve customers who wanted you to chop the pointy ends of the fish fillets simply because they didn't look neat, or as one 'knowledgeable' customer said "The pointy ends don't taste the same as the rest of the fillet.</p><p>The same customers would ask why the haddock loins looked a darker colour than the fluffy white cod loins or why there was a red or black mark on them. The latter dumb question was in relation to the blood line where the fish skeleton would have been. Many of them though you as the proud fishmonger was trying to flog them something that was infected or going off. This was especially so if they'd watched a scary food programme on the television the night before.</p><p>I have mentioned this in the book but the one aspect I really didn't like was when Tesco had a half price special offer on Whole Salmon. This is what our fridge looked when rammed with whole salmon boxes and other fresh fish items. Well, actually it be much worse than this. You could seriously call it rammed to the gills. The cream coloured plastic trays weren't the best for holding any fish when the edges of the trays started to break and it was a disaster waiting to happen if you tried to fill up any of these trays with whole salmon overnight.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSFf5MaMlpqDyfSv5OASKdrimenVzqhF8l4Q_u_nfTcMLpXfxvUS67GRWlWQMFi_0efbHtsc8GUUC0LI9SlPmf65OD_9GvmbDBidUz9_QXtVq_gkUnV9n4CnQLi1OxfeamUdnD8tgWyc8/s1440/IMG_20190418_100712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSFf5MaMlpqDyfSv5OASKdrimenVzqhF8l4Q_u_nfTcMLpXfxvUS67GRWlWQMFi_0efbHtsc8GUUC0LI9SlPmf65OD_9GvmbDBidUz9_QXtVq_gkUnV9n4CnQLi1OxfeamUdnD8tgWyc8/s320/IMG_20190418_100712.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>When we had swordfish loins on offer or on display a young man would buy as much as we had which often equated to another £50's worth. I must admit we had a our suspicions that he might be trying to steal the expensive swordfish so a few times we had him followed by security. But every time he paid for it! I wonder to this day what he did with all that swordfish. He was nice enough to serve unlike the man I often had the displeasure of serving who would make you go through all the tiny sprats and sort out the bigger (fresher) ones for him. Then he'd want them gutting and filleting.</p><p>There was another idiot customer who I have described in the book as Wally Wildebeest. This huge obnoxious man often came over to our fish counter. Not to buy anything but to plunge him beefy right hand into the ice and hold it there for a few minutes. "Look at that!" he'd proudly say "Look at that! I have the perfect circulation. I don't even feel the cold. That's because I go swimming everyday!" </p><p>One of the young students who appeared in academic holiday times was completely rubbish at any of the display and preparation jobs across the deli, meat and fish counters. He falsely claimed he'd passed all of the Tesco food qualifications to the top level. Yet, he'd make a right hash of things, especially on the meat and fish, the whole salmon being the worst example. I would feel embarrassed that such mangled products were sold on our counters. If any member of staff said anything, he'd look affronted and argue "Well that's how we were taught to do it in Coventry." The rest of the time he would rapid mumble and rabbit on about his brilliant sword fencing skills and highly educated numeracy skills. I used to dread him coming on to our counters.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSHWgI5zYUF5ZZ7441RlAC8VP4Ece50Mft8FDJcNTQotNVqeSF4Jrtv3R4V-sFz4LJO_o-8XWF5BGr4Lj7nWLEZcrZ6Gn8SEDy9fZFjuXHP-5bxMg4pz4z1tQ6-pxWZyNgsH7eUksGGc/s887/covers+supermarket+creatures.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="887" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSHWgI5zYUF5ZZ7441RlAC8VP4Ece50Mft8FDJcNTQotNVqeSF4Jrtv3R4V-sFz4LJO_o-8XWF5BGr4Lj7nWLEZcrZ6Gn8SEDy9fZFjuXHP-5bxMg4pz4z1tQ6-pxWZyNgsH7eUksGGc/w447-h296/covers+supermarket+creatures.JPG" width="447" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>I hope to bring you many more stories like these and if you wish to delight yourself with even more Tesco blunders and wonders from across UK then do order my book <a href="https://amzn.to/3joD5yG">Supermarket Creatures. Available on Amazon as Kindle and Paperback.</a></p><p>Phil Lowe.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7VLfdLeFjPJ8V1t_NLKfKfN0lTdctqh0vh-KUs64DFlVbuM94tUbIVwDWhMOsmED2pe3MUp74NS-9FTCcRjGAu4ZgWQdbOtPxNcvjKBEfI1gHZilJdD7dMCBdy7vZKD7nNCy2zFBFGP0/s1440/IMG_20190502_120837.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7VLfdLeFjPJ8V1t_NLKfKfN0lTdctqh0vh-KUs64DFlVbuM94tUbIVwDWhMOsmED2pe3MUp74NS-9FTCcRjGAu4ZgWQdbOtPxNcvjKBEfI1gHZilJdD7dMCBdy7vZKD7nNCy2zFBFGP0/s320/IMG_20190502_120837.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4576959142506128840.post-47640751253135909252021-05-04T12:47:00.000+01:002021-05-04T12:47:26.320+01:00Supermarket Creatures: a brand new 'laugh out loud' book from Phil Lowe.<p>Sorry there have been no posts since October 2020. I have been very busy writing and editing my brand new book <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Supermarket-Creatures-Phil-Lowe/dp/B093CKN9W2/">Supermarket Creatures</a> which was launched last week on Amazon. I am very excited about this latest project which has already been getting glowing <b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Supermarket-Creatures-Phil-Lowe/dp/B093CKN9W2/">5* reviews on Amazon</a></b>. Here is the back page blurb to give you a flavour of what <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Supermarket-Creatures-Phil-Lowe/dp/B093CKN9W2/">Supermarket Creatures</a> is all about. It is available as a Kindle e-book or as a paperback. Place your orders <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Supermarket-Creatures-Phil-Lowe/dp/B093CKN9W2/">HERE</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbvJkEhhhOQ4yys7TbnO02H0pusPWwRHlobsCvR0lz7twAlF8q0ES4JDom3wfCJKH8ttqIJFX3ocjwduGp0DWAr1yQ8B8Z4y3X4RcmvbJhhc8Xg6fnyaswPApYtFsiJrjnH5xTx69yEio/s2048/Supermarket+Creatures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1283" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbvJkEhhhOQ4yys7TbnO02H0pusPWwRHlobsCvR0lz7twAlF8q0ES4JDom3wfCJKH8ttqIJFX3ocjwduGp0DWAr1yQ8B8Z4y3X4RcmvbJhhc8Xg6fnyaswPApYtFsiJrjnH5xTx69yEio/s320/Supermarket+Creatures.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Humour, food and theatre writer, Phil Lowe, takes us on a
dizzying tour of what it can be like to work in a British supermarket and, more
specifically, behind the meat, fish, hot food and delicatessen counters. Complete
with real-life stories from ex butcher Phil and many other former Tesco Extra
Counters’ employees from around the UK, Supermarket Creatures will guarantee
anyone who has ever shopped in or worked at a major supermarket, a bulging
trolley full of laughs. The book includes more than a few juicy retail revelations
and some funny and no-nonsense tales about the fresh food supermarket world.
You can expect to find anecdotes about the habits of annoying customers; the
silly things they do and say; shocking stories of supermarket theft; and
expertly detailed descriptions of the day-to-day work on the counters. Phil’s
fascinating Tesco related food blogposts, include and reveal, how he became the
Tesco butcher in their television advert. Phil Lowe cleverly brings in his love
of theatre and irrepressible wit to make Supermarket Creatures a unique set of human
and relatable stories. Many of the supermarket counters may be gone now but
they live on in this highly readable book.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4576959142506128840.post-31828085990799901972020-10-07T12:24:00.000+01:002020-10-07T12:24:23.305+01:00A simple home-made chicken soup.<p><span style="><span style="color: #050505; font-family: Segoe UI Historic, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Home made chicken soup. Into a large tureen I put the cooked chicken bones of a previously roasted chicken with some cold water and I introduced a couple of bay leaves then boiled the carcass for three quarters of an hour. I sieved the liquid via a colander into a smaller saucepan and the cooked bits of meat were removed (picked off) once it had cooled. To the liquid and added the scraps of chicken and added more cooked chicken from the original carcass. I chopped some spring onions, shredded a small piece of ginger and three cloves of garlic. Earlier on I had put some frozen sweetcorn in a bowl of cold water to defrost. Once it had defrosted I added the sweet corn and a finely chopped chilli pepper. Now I seasoned the soup with plenty of salt and pepper and warmed it through. Delicious. I liked this so much I had two bowls!</span></span></span></p><p><span style=""><span style="color: #050505; font-family: Segoe UI Historic, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: Segoe UI Historic, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw2hfS48cVpRzF6szXAcwqgHLXz8HXKfbNd-ug51wC3oD4YPMmppCCl-CWHu_jprZsu8KioD1MO5byfmUEn8A0z_Yd7bs8GfpwsZgGD2bTwzi-3rgKG29Bxi4uQArHxNf6ET6jPQq-ZUs/s1440/120906745_10158957405458735_5364471579202152512_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw2hfS48cVpRzF6szXAcwqgHLXz8HXKfbNd-ug51wC3oD4YPMmppCCl-CWHu_jprZsu8KioD1MO5byfmUEn8A0z_Yd7bs8GfpwsZgGD2bTwzi-3rgKG29Bxi4uQArHxNf6ET6jPQq-ZUs/w435-h326/120906745_10158957405458735_5364471579202152512_o.jpg" width="435" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #050505; font-family: Segoe UI Historic, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span><p></p>Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4576959142506128840.post-14205687024186611492020-09-10T14:13:00.001+01:002020-09-10T14:13:13.609+01:00Spanish Pintxo. What are Spanish Pintxos? <p> If you love tapas then you will love these two videos made before lockdown about Pintxos in San Sebastian by our foodie friends James and Yolanda of<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/jamesblick78"> Spain Revealed on YouTube</a>.</p><p>Also if you love Spain, then do as we do. and subscribe to their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/605781186556246/">Spain Revealed Community Facebook Page</a> to get regular updates. So about those Pintxos. Venga. Let's go.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92BlsLUNMeaOAZrJA3l5nTKXQNEdD6Aa4GjcDVg9pFqsFSJqpBIJYr8nurdB5-nalmcZKfABLEEG3o5cyQR6c-u9Mipgbno0qhA_IDdR6FzyS0txH9pof1sVQBG0YrvHMM5wTfxJH6qs/s694/original_pinchos-finedininglovers-001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="694" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92BlsLUNMeaOAZrJA3l5nTKXQNEdD6Aa4GjcDVg9pFqsFSJqpBIJYr8nurdB5-nalmcZKfABLEEG3o5cyQR6c-u9Mipgbno0qhA_IDdR6FzyS0txH9pof1sVQBG0YrvHMM5wTfxJH6qs/w500-h276/original_pinchos-finedininglovers-001.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>
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Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4576959142506128840.post-48716152775280554352020-09-10T13:04:00.000+01:002020-09-10T13:04:05.079+01:00Ruddington Village Market. Adventures with smoked fish from Smith's Smokery of Linconshire.<p> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1630814810458344">The Ruddington Village Market</a> happens once a month at the beginning of the month and last weekend I had a mooch round and ended up buying some smoked fish items from a very pleasant guy running the <a href="https://www.smithssmokery.co.uk/">Smith's Smokery Smoked Fish stall</a>. He had come to our village all the way from Skegness and was doing a great trade. I purchased a whole smoked eel and a pack of two smoked salmon pieces that were close to their use by date of 9th Sept and on sale for a bargain £4 for the two. The eel cost me a fiver.</p><p>I filleted and skinned the <a href="https://www.smithssmokery.co.uk/products/smoked-eel.html">Wild Smoked Eel</a> and made myself a smoked eel salad on the day of purchase. Delicious.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkl96kz3kWkHBeMvdew5xUlxcceff-qdkVHNI3qJSIgeltsP8c5XPUlrACfHNxZ5UU1sTMBiZVIsvNFboqb1VOJiNqR1R3CsPWS2vWSzK_TQcNyPQOFcal7EfoY7P0m39tTPVrp64WGZA/s1555/118852597_10158867677788735_8644565685674339696_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="1555" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkl96kz3kWkHBeMvdew5xUlxcceff-qdkVHNI3qJSIgeltsP8c5XPUlrACfHNxZ5UU1sTMBiZVIsvNFboqb1VOJiNqR1R3CsPWS2vWSzK_TQcNyPQOFcal7EfoY7P0m39tTPVrp64WGZA/w500-h191/118852597_10158867677788735_8644565685674339696_o.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9PKW63GvVIVzR8IFTfjf2a0aJ0cwfavKtzIXF0V5TxuxfHoTA1bznTwvdnHOJfRMbQak0JFlpqlEXIMAqetHusW5U2NtUFqYR5JXYWDNg8OFzGNNg3jpeM6HVn24qC7UqQmyvVvGKsNI/s960/118854086_10158867677948735_2048088612612030245_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9PKW63GvVIVzR8IFTfjf2a0aJ0cwfavKtzIXF0V5TxuxfHoTA1bznTwvdnHOJfRMbQak0JFlpqlEXIMAqetHusW5U2NtUFqYR5JXYWDNg8OFzGNNg3jpeM6HVn24qC7UqQmyvVvGKsNI/w300-h400/118854086_10158867677948735_2048088612612030245_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The smoked salmon was refrigerated until the 8th when I decided to make a salmon and leek shortcut pastry pie. I did it all in stages by poaching the salmon and steaming the two big leaks. I made a pastry base and coddled together lid from a shop bought ready made pastry. The mushrooms were chopped up and gently fried in butter. To add some more flavours I raided my cupboard for a few salty capers and opened a small tin of anchovies. These were all quite random 'I wonder what would go nice with it?' additions and to finish I sliced a tomato and added a home made cheese sauce. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYCqBrvjQvf6BVtZ13gJIMQD1AVTY0wT8nuAYrImyCZ0e1lsejVjNLWBEq3r8ZF3wpgHUDl1aaPX94xVqbyr9P0hG-FrGYSlY43Q49llPO7rNZQYvQkm8zEmENMFg8s6pQr3k8hllgBuk/s600/119073273_10158876293743735_7490722717209575081_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYCqBrvjQvf6BVtZ13gJIMQD1AVTY0wT8nuAYrImyCZ0e1lsejVjNLWBEq3r8ZF3wpgHUDl1aaPX94xVqbyr9P0hG-FrGYSlY43Q49llPO7rNZQYvQkm8zEmENMFg8s6pQr3k8hllgBuk/w500-h375/119073273_10158876293743735_7490722717209575081_n.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQufH9RG31xnmwAojVHeJg5TV_EsMAo9lB0Oqgj6NM2nbKPMc8-RG-vjBYgtzEasSaxaZu2ty__QWX_TLFQedsPEb4GMW7R7I0Xl-TF41RTQRq8VtoyQo7bpkPZEpHSrKJTwbXSQB6fw/s2048/DSC_0012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2048" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQufH9RG31xnmwAojVHeJg5TV_EsMAo9lB0Oqgj6NM2nbKPMc8-RG-vjBYgtzEasSaxaZu2ty__QWX_TLFQedsPEb4GMW7R7I0Xl-TF41RTQRq8VtoyQo7bpkPZEpHSrKJTwbXSQB6fw/w500-h331/DSC_0012.JPG" width="500" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwozAhtAwqh_JLRgXsvcO1j2Dx2WDg3V2Xkf5UzPK_rtvEkp2Ki_rI6CwHtahTKXdubjbeP9asjbbAINk_yTvOmIlJIt5e_2dD5V4YY0MbhkyL2UeBjfPVnE1ZTxNwm9GJ7Pwgl5xdyfY/s2048/DSC_0014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2048" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwozAhtAwqh_JLRgXsvcO1j2Dx2WDg3V2Xkf5UzPK_rtvEkp2Ki_rI6CwHtahTKXdubjbeP9asjbbAINk_yTvOmIlJIt5e_2dD5V4YY0MbhkyL2UeBjfPVnE1ZTxNwm9GJ7Pwgl5xdyfY/w500-h331/DSC_0014.JPG" width="500" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With the pastry lid in place and the sides trimmed I popped the pie in a pre-heated oven at gas mark 6 for an hour. I don't know if I put too much cheese sauce in but when i checked to cooked about 30 minutes in there was some spillage. I whipped the pie out and transferred to pie dish into a low ceramic dish and washed the oven tray once cooled. I gave some of the finished pie to my elderly neighbour Betty and ate a good slice of mine with some new potatoes. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCBcCRbkoWQ_SdM7UhsozKw69sP-t2zBPptlMQFgt1_zKGMO66wvtaeUqdCOV4lwlECy8V7FKA6BhtYUmTJPHc29RNb3O_Ac9UUdFAd6vfFd_IOmR8qwkyzK2i66hA9XF0M4Nwwo2XOaI/s600/119048828_10158876293648735_2912834769701603613_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCBcCRbkoWQ_SdM7UhsozKw69sP-t2zBPptlMQFgt1_zKGMO66wvtaeUqdCOV4lwlECy8V7FKA6BhtYUmTJPHc29RNb3O_Ac9UUdFAd6vfFd_IOmR8qwkyzK2i66hA9XF0M4Nwwo2XOaI/w500-h375/119048828_10158876293648735_2912834769701603613_n.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-88DW7p45Zd8yhMxOiNq6p3f9BKMmD1QWzMZtBk6hw24TLvaJNTMKWuBgdvB8nWvoicbczSab7uEvW3qIVX6wJC7FmaDc-zTloVOgKKa2E1XpPwM8YwRE-HBnXk0eR9Q2lTEzjwPLlg/s2048/DSC_0015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2048" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-88DW7p45Zd8yhMxOiNq6p3f9BKMmD1QWzMZtBk6hw24TLvaJNTMKWuBgdvB8nWvoicbczSab7uEvW3qIVX6wJC7FmaDc-zTloVOgKKa2E1XpPwM8YwRE-HBnXk0eR9Q2lTEzjwPLlg/w500-h331/DSC_0015.JPG" width="500" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The next day I pigged out on the reheated remainder of the pie with some steamed and buttered asparagus. I can't wait to see what tempts me at the Ruddington Village Market in early October.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhXb1-CChkfTJUpZbenGtwLUTKIrDWE6kvW1KcWggbyQUDTZeLxUvYpCef_3XUNQobpGXQ4R2vJJSzmAQOSOrifrq9IxNc4VFK5TX7vZMitAbPbbSmRUW-TQTaV5cOG-6Vr4SLa1bX2c/s820/118997143_2752479278405791_5389875248769000760_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="312" data-original-width="820" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhXb1-CChkfTJUpZbenGtwLUTKIrDWE6kvW1KcWggbyQUDTZeLxUvYpCef_3XUNQobpGXQ4R2vJJSzmAQOSOrifrq9IxNc4VFK5TX7vZMitAbPbbSmRUW-TQTaV5cOG-6Vr4SLa1bX2c/w500-h191/118997143_2752479278405791_5389875248769000760_n.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4576959142506128840.post-9829964745870863502020-08-27T13:19:00.000+01:002020-08-27T13:19:04.715+01:00Garden overhaul that only cost time and effort. Goodbye lavender bushes. Hello clean space.<p> I do love lavender and I did love my lavender bushes in the back garden. Unfortunately they had been in situ for around eight years (if not more) and had got very woody and the weeds underneath them and around them were proving hard to control. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuN0NcVJbybYgZIRP2LnBh_6YPMY_KNXWcRENCWBkRDzGHoVREg4TRg-LUO5kL-YPdGX-uh-UP6qSo1VL2v3jY0hWqBDOc4h9TWDe05WV0Xvw0cKnIHeo6b0No1gU1KbnmZtEAvLr7jCI/s4160/IMG_20200705_130018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuN0NcVJbybYgZIRP2LnBh_6YPMY_KNXWcRENCWBkRDzGHoVREg4TRg-LUO5kL-YPdGX-uh-UP6qSo1VL2v3jY0hWqBDOc4h9TWDe05WV0Xvw0cKnIHeo6b0No1gU1KbnmZtEAvLr7jCI/w512-h384/IMG_20200705_130018.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>So, on August 12th and 13th (hot days) I set about chopping down and pulling up all five lavender bushes, I gathered in the the flower heads to keep and dry them but, other than that, the whole lot went into the green rubbish bin. I saved the woody branches separately with the idea of storing them and using them for kindling one fine and sunny day when I might have a barbeque. As Autumn approaches I think that plan may not come into fruition. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0wZnB7E_Ipoz9HDota8ip5hzJNZMZVL74gpxz_9CsXbEbL7zxqQBd8_45xxsLA1iPMLmxhxJMZxo9mBJb-cyFu1xae3CedxAD3MY72Uj388Vy4S2fXZ2RwWG3iKxnSBF3HL7iRLgmW0/s960/garden+four.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0wZnB7E_Ipoz9HDota8ip5hzJNZMZVL74gpxz_9CsXbEbL7zxqQBd8_45xxsLA1iPMLmxhxJMZxo9mBJb-cyFu1xae3CedxAD3MY72Uj388Vy4S2fXZ2RwWG3iKxnSBF3HL7iRLgmW0/w512-h384/garden+four.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ineli3cYMNslufcvdid1axGVlN3XJPnp03pGqvAyRksAuuO7fvmGQwo-pJYcKCQqS11mt4j_IVLLWXyMAKfxeJfjqDxQvKYYtQppzB7_TEXeVhex1hD2K9P25q87FCRES3CFHiCjM48/s960/garden+three.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ineli3cYMNslufcvdid1axGVlN3XJPnp03pGqvAyRksAuuO7fvmGQwo-pJYcKCQqS11mt4j_IVLLWXyMAKfxeJfjqDxQvKYYtQppzB7_TEXeVhex1hD2K9P25q87FCRES3CFHiCjM48/w512-h384/garden+three.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNF4-GLV1Mypq3fDdMo8tN-eH-L0B5t3IutM41p7dBFX0xQ2VlgPWIATnPMQfmV6iQM7TLy7yUl1htFUNz9j791T7uGNXucwPNmdO4F_Q2U_ml_M0KS16A1VXUL-R6ameOGSUA3_rH-Y/s960/garden+two.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNF4-GLV1Mypq3fDdMo8tN-eH-L0B5t3IutM41p7dBFX0xQ2VlgPWIATnPMQfmV6iQM7TLy7yUl1htFUNz9j791T7uGNXucwPNmdO4F_Q2U_ml_M0KS16A1VXUL-R6ameOGSUA3_rH-Y/w512-h384/garden+two.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The next stage was to uproot the actual roots (just visible in the picture below) and then take all the stones off by spade work and depositing them on some plastic bags at the side of the perimeter. I did all this quite back breaking work in the hot sunshine and then got on my hands and knees pulling up as much of the weeds and weed roots as I could find. I had no new membrane to put on top of the old black membrane but I utilised two old cloth throws that were about the dimensions of a king size bed and the luckily the area within the bricks.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg__3i6U_xW-DWEikzwf-j3t1fkb_a9hSpMwhIlytXcSbeyiy6p7TItV9yMs5x5Vzfj3ynOmm9g_XiO9Phk5ncOnPdKXj_ZZq3QB-yhouus5l1TbdD1GvydtIqElAs1u8qxELpnZW4gk7A/s960/garden+one.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg__3i6U_xW-DWEikzwf-j3t1fkb_a9hSpMwhIlytXcSbeyiy6p7TItV9yMs5x5Vzfj3ynOmm9g_XiO9Phk5ncOnPdKXj_ZZq3QB-yhouus5l1TbdD1GvydtIqElAs1u8qxELpnZW4gk7A/s640/garden+one.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">All the stones got a rigorous sieving to get all the little bits of soil and lavender wood from them. Then, sieve by sieve full. I put them on top of the throws I had tucked into the space. This took quite a long while. I was sweating buckets by the time the last sieve full got chucked into place. I left it as it was for that evening and the following day I returned to the garden. I pushed the stones around to do my best to get the throws completely covered around the edges to prevent weeds returning (they still came back!) and finished off the new design with my ceramic balls. The chair was loaned from a neighbour.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbKj0XDWBNA98_7vMdUowOotyuTF-xPXzi7_WmgEAKI7FqtsAMEVF2uqnVZ3waRde2o4ZypvPmftQkypiRmsDd4uS33oJRTWdx2lqwYajdGxv4jRj6W6C8rs-G0-U4kzufGWtlHFKiBLs/s960/tidy+garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="858" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbKj0XDWBNA98_7vMdUowOotyuTF-xPXzi7_WmgEAKI7FqtsAMEVF2uqnVZ3waRde2o4ZypvPmftQkypiRmsDd4uS33oJRTWdx2lqwYajdGxv4jRj6W6C8rs-G0-U4kzufGWtlHFKiBLs/w458-h512/tidy+garden.jpg" width="458" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtuGXtdmwPIYp4EVycxZLpJ8g3-qZpRLE9DRSIq1kXHC4j8vcrkglxPIHIqGn-rbi5tlHLVCVQQGsrR5CGtW188KLPUyxAvdov1YMMJC5xTALlcDZ-pZhib99vfIzGbDUCxXBGQBdwSo/s1440/garden+five.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtuGXtdmwPIYp4EVycxZLpJ8g3-qZpRLE9DRSIq1kXHC4j8vcrkglxPIHIqGn-rbi5tlHLVCVQQGsrR5CGtW188KLPUyxAvdov1YMMJC5xTALlcDZ-pZhib99vfIzGbDUCxXBGQBdwSo/w512-h384/garden+five.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkL5HNjJ1XxA5QOYT9SZEaREfQjBIQgXk5MxkrUFHwPMJwjOuXzkuPZO0HBvwfQ9vvYyRA4B2fGEBLOwlZ-LATnGnZlc0a1PbP3NwnRC0_QiPx1G5DnNBNemisd5MwdHVTPUSLcwjdiIA/s3365/IMG_20200805_162827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2657" data-original-width="3365" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkL5HNjJ1XxA5QOYT9SZEaREfQjBIQgXk5MxkrUFHwPMJwjOuXzkuPZO0HBvwfQ9vvYyRA4B2fGEBLOwlZ-LATnGnZlc0a1PbP3NwnRC0_QiPx1G5DnNBNemisd5MwdHVTPUSLcwjdiIA/w512-h404/IMG_20200805_162827.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4576959142506128840.post-48066571089193098642020-08-20T12:36:00.001+01:002020-08-20T12:38:11.405+01:00Love shopping or just mooching around supermarkets on holidays abroad? Check this out.<p> I love mooching around foreign supermarkets to see how different they are laid out and what their cultural offerings are. For example one time when I went to Bordeaux I stood for ages at the dried herbs section just reading all the names in French of herbs and spices and was amazed that their fish counter and the different display methods to when I worked at Tesco. Then there was whole chiller sections dedicated to duck and goose products! I also love cured meats and get very excited when I see much bigger offerings from what I might see at home in the UK. Such was the case when I went to Leiden in Holland.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6PSvlf-E67CW4-XO9bulu4Z8q6eTJqfTvZnaAfLivWlw3EytLztakKRnLzirZpT0wevfs2vPiQQdS42q2tD67OzCOUWaG-U6v6HoUB_yzXkruOZLWQpK_xjKe3elpcARF6VYyaeBVEdI/s2048/DSC_0079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2048" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6PSvlf-E67CW4-XO9bulu4Z8q6eTJqfTvZnaAfLivWlw3EytLztakKRnLzirZpT0wevfs2vPiQQdS42q2tD67OzCOUWaG-U6v6HoUB_yzXkruOZLWQpK_xjKe3elpcARF6VYyaeBVEdI/w512-h341/DSC_0079.JPG" title="Supermarket meat counter in Leiden" width="512" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>As I mentioned in the last blog post I have recently come across <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo1HWB7bmrjpscWdZ5Xx3Xw">#SpainRevealed on YouTube</a> which is curated by James Blick and Yolanda Martin, a very enthusiastic couple based in Madrid. This video below in which they visit a big Spanish supermarket is eye opening and I learnt so much about the way the Spanish shop at supermarkets and what appeals to them. I have a friend who lives and teaches English in Barcelona and she told me that such supermarkets are often on the outskirts of the big cities and you really need a car to shop there. When I saw the Iberico hams on display in the Spanish supermarket I was in cured meats heaven. Do check it out.</p><p><br /></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dT_6y_EbFPE" width="560"></iframe>Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4576959142506128840.post-8704447309259646242020-08-18T13:13:00.002+01:002020-08-20T12:39:20.912+01:00Spanish food stories and life as shown by Spain Revealed on YouTube. <p> For the next ongoing blog posts I want to share with you all a regular stream of YouTube videos about Spanish life and food according to a New Zealander called James Blick and his Spanish wife Yolanda. I discovered them on YouTube almost by accident and I have become completely obsessed with their wonderful videos and have learnt so much more through these exciting and insightful videos than I have through many a TV chef. You genuinely feel like you are with them in the tapas bars and on the streets of Madrid, Seville or wherever. So as they say "Venga!" - "Let's Go!" Phil xx</p><p>James and Yolanda's 'Spain Revealed' YouTube channel is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/JamesBlick/about">HERE</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Fux_jFcIJco" width="560"></iframe>Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4576959142506128840.post-33958733128617357222020-08-13T08:09:00.003+01:002020-08-13T08:09:31.888+01:00Spinach omelette delight<p>By simply steaming a bag of spinach and squeezing the moisture out of the steamed leaves, then adding them to final part of cooking the omelette can make a plain omelette into something rather delightful. I gave this a go the other day and the results were delicious.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHafE7cHthdu_Kt6ZOdr_6xIAO6vVKJQfrsEqmJN_yE5N1Zf63imT1Uxp7XN-LL84PjUNHLrYk4jFUx6ctWXBndE-WlxxEfA2wV_WhqGYZmbOLPYU38896zhxp_VWZR1aA5vslSIL9i4Q/s1848/cooking+omelette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="1848" height="339" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHafE7cHthdu_Kt6ZOdr_6xIAO6vVKJQfrsEqmJN_yE5N1Zf63imT1Uxp7XN-LL84PjUNHLrYk4jFUx6ctWXBndE-WlxxEfA2wV_WhqGYZmbOLPYU38896zhxp_VWZR1aA5vslSIL9i4Q/w512-h339/cooking+omelette.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZn3V-wA7TxxqUyE5bB_K_Lv37aC5D6e1tB8dZSKw1aVJIxO0ZAfv1CuO1JMF9YIxihf7pF6Co2HyL3tyRaIB3Xq2G8Tjl7hEb-eX0T57ArmdxonWPH1XKJtZE7YpRC4qglbRwWps4Q-4/s1848/omelette+with+spinach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="1848" height="339" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZn3V-wA7TxxqUyE5bB_K_Lv37aC5D6e1tB8dZSKw1aVJIxO0ZAfv1CuO1JMF9YIxihf7pF6Co2HyL3tyRaIB3Xq2G8Tjl7hEb-eX0T57ArmdxonWPH1XKJtZE7YpRC4qglbRwWps4Q-4/w512-h339/omelette+with+spinach.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><br /></p>Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4576959142506128840.post-68720185117009589382020-07-30T14:49:00.000+01:002020-07-30T14:49:24.431+01:00The day water got into my boiler through the outside flue and fried the board!About a month ago Nottinghamshire experienced an excessive downpour of rain that caused floods in the streets, my neighbours kitchen to flood rather dramatically and unbeknownst to me, rain water to get in through my flue on the outside wall and then into my boiler. After the storm I was completely without hot water (the boiler had always been temperamental anyway) and after a bit of trial and error trying to get the pilot light thing to light I got in touch with my landlady and we called a heating engineer to inspect the boiler. It was then revealed what the damage was (a fried electrics board) and a decision was made to purchase and install a new hot water boiler system.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiID9_pB-HcyLgCDwu45YwcM11ma08GOMWaL8SFIgM0YfSmcSBrfaPD6zXx9OeXO-K_F0BTRAA_ysvidgAMbs8Ux162AMe-Lod2sco5YybFjRVwX75kyO_L2hfO6MH1uMDxq5HKPyOLoAo/s1848/downpour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="1848" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiID9_pB-HcyLgCDwu45YwcM11ma08GOMWaL8SFIgM0YfSmcSBrfaPD6zXx9OeXO-K_F0BTRAA_ysvidgAMbs8Ux162AMe-Lod2sco5YybFjRVwX75kyO_L2hfO6MH1uMDxq5HKPyOLoAo/w400-h265/downpour.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"> In the meantime my land lady's sister who lives in my village generously offered me her shower if I needed one. Eventually, after washing in cold water for a few days, I took her up on her offer and enjoyed a rather luxurious shower at her house. It reminded me of how nice a hot shower was and I looked forward to the guy coming round to sort mine out. It took him nearly a day. The pipe in the picture below is my old flue. Note there is no covering on the outside.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1j774_1TOxE8gxHapuEEJZiAISSNz4fD9wW6tkb7S3k9P__HD4GeRfXhGLoux4Y7jh1au3Wto5ZHvAqkNpbaEFURivxbtG8obM8Enlz3DF2UV_f6fMTagUpCaKRMM4ePIP3cLmJlkBNU/s1840/75462390_10158657667238735_6748258903670059669_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1840" data-original-width="1224" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1j774_1TOxE8gxHapuEEJZiAISSNz4fD9wW6tkb7S3k9P__HD4GeRfXhGLoux4Y7jh1au3Wto5ZHvAqkNpbaEFURivxbtG8obM8Enlz3DF2UV_f6fMTagUpCaKRMM4ePIP3cLmJlkBNU/w266-h400/75462390_10158657667238735_6748258903670059669_o.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The pictures below are the old boiler and the brand new one and the old boiler in the garden waiting to be taken away.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvjooU0lo3o3IE6W84Y-Q41Fa5CU9awTJwixixXkPWwexcA1HSbNHJAVZ7EYs1Iw255oe_kQ98JrO0AjwJRdyk7R78b4RcqUUHR0M1mXVkJ1DxjOEgJf96hTawEI6UAtVttAvi0NRgKs/s960/106292352_10158657663188735_260723764901133916_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvjooU0lo3o3IE6W84Y-Q41Fa5CU9awTJwixixXkPWwexcA1HSbNHJAVZ7EYs1Iw255oe_kQ98JrO0AjwJRdyk7R78b4RcqUUHR0M1mXVkJ1DxjOEgJf96hTawEI6UAtVttAvi0NRgKs/w300-h400/106292352_10158657663188735_260723764901133916_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH4dB6AY3GvrUElqXTO22M5NI1-f72q8TzNT3cBO1KltLqcCANpg8lX3GOsdQ6R6WEBrgxO7hDRQSZ87syVAwgjbtSZf_CLtASsENsxv3R4j8VdJPokWock-cmTMZdRKR9qc9Pps0YQsA/s960/106720673_10158657663023735_2976650507191512752_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH4dB6AY3GvrUElqXTO22M5NI1-f72q8TzNT3cBO1KltLqcCANpg8lX3GOsdQ6R6WEBrgxO7hDRQSZ87syVAwgjbtSZf_CLtASsENsxv3R4j8VdJPokWock-cmTMZdRKR9qc9Pps0YQsA/w300-h400/106720673_10158657663023735_2976650507191512752_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg869LGgGHMcb_iN5yTsKrpZznyXwTwCq_TsfyTRRqnuRsLOmtRIdPwhz57JCYnl4JyXyMLvsvY4eTDdJuz9D6czwXLwLLx2EYJl76VhoDDyGmONhB2IrOBKPelW9jl-7qfOEVMmu0_Za8/s1848/106396570_10158657667163735_1396646168491687276_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="1848" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg869LGgGHMcb_iN5yTsKrpZznyXwTwCq_TsfyTRRqnuRsLOmtRIdPwhz57JCYnl4JyXyMLvsvY4eTDdJuz9D6czwXLwLLx2EYJl76VhoDDyGmONhB2IrOBKPelW9jl-7qfOEVMmu0_Za8/w400-h265/106396570_10158657667163735_1396646168491687276_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0BuQ0Bq6cI0kWYL4iaTFgeC9JXmHDT8MMKb0JBYozqzjdGhmrRJEB7WhJKZDG59hGewICjSZnisTGw8JiwQ1xqrOjpygBqqOsFnr65eI1zq065GUVqGbLtyFOxw8oYneBCCErn6t6E24/s960/106594655_10158657662758735_8072508452091728833_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0BuQ0Bq6cI0kWYL4iaTFgeC9JXmHDT8MMKb0JBYozqzjdGhmrRJEB7WhJKZDG59hGewICjSZnisTGw8JiwQ1xqrOjpygBqqOsFnr65eI1zq065GUVqGbLtyFOxw8oYneBCCErn6t6E24/w300-h400/106594655_10158657662758735_8072508452091728833_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since the boiler was installed I have had the utter pleasure of hot showers and constant hot water for washing up. This is after years of me stoically putting up with the old combi boiler performing haphazardly, the pressure gauge dropping, and me washing up with the dribble of warm water and boiling kettles. Onwards and upwards.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><br /></div>Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4576959142506128840.post-21292282970099539122020-06-16T13:23:00.004+01:002020-06-16T13:33:29.555+01:00The day I nearly lost my right arm to an out of control butcher's bandsaw blade<div>I came across this piece in my document files and the observations I made over time about the dangers of working in a traditional butcher's shop still hold true today and are worth another visit.</div><div><br /></div><div>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The dangers of working
in a traditional butcher's shop</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">"I was doing an
interview in London today with a lady called Katie from the Tesco
'Real Food' magazine and I happened to mention the time, many years
ago, when I nearly had my arm chopped off by a rogue band saw back in
the days when I worked as a traditional butcher. Such is the
adventurous and somewhat perilous life of working in the butchery
trade. Prepare to feel faint as a dark vein of humour awaits the
unwary in the passages that follow.</p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3xwbUIdPQJSy3LA80HTJ9hWcypgOqRDxHwM94BJz_jOnJvmCy3DUuNYT2qQApe1aPKlv1-8nQ9WuLqKszaiVXLVJWtSDakV9L5pc7kW_WSzhwg6zabKva6FGhARLq7q424dHxYavBZU/s1155/x5039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1155" data-original-width="1155" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3xwbUIdPQJSy3LA80HTJ9hWcypgOqRDxHwM94BJz_jOnJvmCy3DUuNYT2qQApe1aPKlv1-8nQ9WuLqKszaiVXLVJWtSDakV9L5pc7kW_WSzhwg6zabKva6FGhARLq7q424dHxYavBZU/s320/x5039.jpg" /></a></div><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The band saw incident
came about when I was working for a butchery firm called Edward Ryde
and Son in the Cornmarket, Derby. I never trusted the accursed
machine in the first place and the fast spinning and shark teeth
beast had a reputation of breaking free from its housings at top
speed and then shuddering to a violent halt after a terrifying bang
and snapping sound of the circular band of jagged steel thrashing
around in the close proximity of one's arm or hands or face. One
false move and one's juggling days were over. Thankfully my years of
Kung Fu training and lightening reflexes meant that my body parts
weren't savaged on the dreadful day it decided to kick off with me at
the helm. Well that's my story. However, the smell of scorched bone
marrow has haunted me ever since!</p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxzo-AmXAEzj31XxuJpEQOiJPTUT_M_CGunhNshomyeEAxA4IY0iBIdL-YBA6ff1xERLNNJ1EAnVUtc0uAuaJseunpdsIcTBK0XaIAXFmKFtjLBVkvKt6J4_fB5ajRMHFHUca0P19R4KE/s770/5540_5+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="770" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxzo-AmXAEzj31XxuJpEQOiJPTUT_M_CGunhNshomyeEAxA4IY0iBIdL-YBA6ff1xERLNNJ1EAnVUtc0uAuaJseunpdsIcTBK0XaIAXFmKFtjLBVkvKt6J4_fB5ajRMHFHUca0P19R4KE/s320/5540_5+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">That's not all folks.
One fine day, at the same shop. I narrowly missed being squished by a
speeding bus as I pulled out the shop window blind. This involved
tugging on a pole with a hook attached to the blind and bouncing
backward into the open road in order to secure the blind and thus
protect the meat display from the ravages of the midday sun. Alas on
this particular day the hook came maladroitly away from the pole and
I landed on my scrawny backside in the middle of a busy road junction
complete with oncoming traffic. Fortunately the alert bus driver
spotted me lying abjectly in the road before reducing me to a
screaming tyre print mess in a blood soaked butcher’s coat.
Gingerly, I got up, waddled precariously back to the safety of the
chewing gum patterned pavement, through the shop entrance, up a
flight of stairs and got on with the day's work! Two days later the
whole blind got violently smashed from the front of the shop by an
errant bus and the window pane undulated as in a mild earthquake but
thankfully, failed to shatter. Talk about a drama. The whole of the
shocked serving staff hit the deck and a red ring of polony died
amongst the temporarily fallen.</p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9cLAa6Emf8VfTpj1SyspGdmsfa5G5vFeCIakdnNJoBXWl1QUaGvPUEwTx8lDOrO-qWGt0lpCXVSvgbICUuc0aj8y37x-1JtWHR0milNQmGF5Xf5A6_zEsqVOYW3cm7-02xa9KoS4cldA/s678/2321437946_1f352d2de6_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9cLAa6Emf8VfTpj1SyspGdmsfa5G5vFeCIakdnNJoBXWl1QUaGvPUEwTx8lDOrO-qWGt0lpCXVSvgbICUuc0aj8y37x-1JtWHR0milNQmGF5Xf5A6_zEsqVOYW3cm7-02xa9KoS4cldA/s320/2321437946_1f352d2de6_o.jpg" /></a></div><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Another time, I myself,
fell down a full flight of, just mopped, stairs with a full to
bursting aluminium bowl of pig's liver in my hands. The liver went
skywards I clattered down the steps in a more earthbound direction.
That week I was also playing Puck in Derby Shakespeare's production
of A Midsummer Night's Dream and doing less than impressive
acrobatics on stage. A poorly limp and a forward roll was all I was
up to. The combination of the back jarring accident and the minor
acrobatics meant that I was off work for thirteen weeks with a
crippling bout of sciatica. Guess who neglected to fill in the
accident book. Oui, moi.</p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQ4btj1zQz-eMai4qbqUqFBwaASPpiOLTTaZdCHSBxmKTywXlaJuKAByQt7yFyUVYHQ40kwb0_tvuwGKw3mY4a3jdEynsJt6Sdh7ZVj6LRt04aKRYvqSh39MaZddN7P2HTUyiE6BMDog/s600/474067304_099.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="454" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQ4btj1zQz-eMai4qbqUqFBwaASPpiOLTTaZdCHSBxmKTywXlaJuKAByQt7yFyUVYHQ40kwb0_tvuwGKw3mY4a3jdEynsJt6Sdh7ZVj6LRt04aKRYvqSh39MaZddN7P2HTUyiE6BMDog/s320/474067304_099.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Then there were the
accidental and often brutal cuts that most butchers give themselves:
a deep stab into the thumb from boning a leg of pork and slipping;
various nicks on the hands and painful intrusions down one's nails.
Let's not forget the purple bruising and callouses that don't want to
heal at Christmas time from constantly stringing up the various
joints with coarse butcher's string that on each tug dig into the
hand even more. Who can neglect to consider the trick of stabbing
oneself with the threader, a large sewing needle type tool for
threading butcher's string through joints of meat to make the joint
compact and pretty or to string up a chicken. What a surprise when it
comes through the other side of – your hand. Oh how you giggle as
you attempt to find the empty first aid box.</p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nCbhGlYhpfpOBLlktgJP2VuW8jVsGUNQ7tmCs0yWC4zbr46roJjxJJBUjHmDDtf8XiqmjPAb_8ck9MiVb7Gq14tDEQcMteha35RmLjq2L9RJLySnRXFIczmdqQs7f_DZlCXApn7xUhw/s738/Phil+whilst+working+at+Rydes+Allenton.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="738" data-original-width="461" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nCbhGlYhpfpOBLlktgJP2VuW8jVsGUNQ7tmCs0yWC4zbr46roJjxJJBUjHmDDtf8XiqmjPAb_8ck9MiVb7Gq14tDEQcMteha35RmLjq2L9RJLySnRXFIczmdqQs7f_DZlCXApn7xUhw/s320/Phil+whilst+working+at+Rydes+Allenton.jpg" /></a></div><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Also, there is always
the possibility of dropping a knife or cleaver down onto your foot.
Woe betide you if you are foolishly wearing sandals, trainers or
tennis shoes to work as I often did in my 'foolish Philip' years
circa 1971 -1988.</p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8blGNMhu-AuUl0MrKajODgjngiqMYI55DUbaLmBuvJbJ5sMoWCuaeYaVIlcoUHc7APfOVjQF53cqLOBzhraig0XWvlsVTB6Z_Rs2dt_3vuPFToIZzgH1ca1D1N7wkZ5RHbluI5O4TfWY/s1019/DSC_0006+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="1019" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8blGNMhu-AuUl0MrKajODgjngiqMYI55DUbaLmBuvJbJ5sMoWCuaeYaVIlcoUHc7APfOVjQF53cqLOBzhraig0XWvlsVTB6Z_Rs2dt_3vuPFToIZzgH1ca1D1N7wkZ5RHbluI5O4TfWY/s320/DSC_0006+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Butchers shops need to
be scrubbed clean in all manner of places to prevent germs and flies
laying their eggs in the summer. Nobody wants maggots in a butcher's
shop unless they are into fishing. Then, as fishermen say, “sanitary
neglect can be an unexpected boon”. The wooden block would be
scrubbed with a block brush; a viscous implement that could easily
tip over during the scrubbing motion and lacerate the fingers with
its hard metal bristles. Believe me that hurts for weeks afterwards.
How much? Like a stinging reprimand but much more direct and involves
bandages. Plenty of bandages and deep sobbing in the middle of the
night.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Should you wish, you
could also scold yourself badly with sloshing buckets of boiling
water or slip on a wet shop floor and hurt yourself in various
degrees, pride included. Not interested? Perhaps you'd prefer to
simply get acutely incised (cut thee self) quite gravely by being
daft enough to recklessly plunge your vulnerable hands into a sink
full of soapy bubbles, hot water and cunningly hidden knives.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I had a manager once
who accidentally sliced himself very deeply on his hand whilst
cleaning the 14” incredibly sharp circular blade of a bacon slicing
machine. Luckily I was there to laugh mockingly – and eventually
phone for an ambulance. For me. He was an ex-boxer.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">'Breaking down' is a
term butchers use to describe taking an animal carcass apart and
creating joints or chops and steaks. To 'break down' a whole English
lamb we used to cut through the leg end of the lamb through the
spine, insert a metal spike for chopping guidance, and spread the
legs apart to attach to two hooks within a door frame and then
carefully and delicately use a large, long handled. cleaver to chop
downwards through the back of the animal to create two sides. This
involved a swinging motion with the large cleaver and should the
butcher not stand with his own legs apart the cleaver could easily
find its way into the butcher's thigh or leg. I can hear the sound of
an ambulance as I type. And screaming. Blood curling screaming.</p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6J51SrOifB5hffbWomexkcu-v7UddkZlw04ft5bLxojgSqswAQCh6dvgznUunhNRcc4Zbi5dJHl84sRwsBUJVylhp82pvaLtSJBtNSLGLH-fxSmTX0HzLq7VWOJgOBB_wmdXjCXli6w/s500/carcase.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6J51SrOifB5hffbWomexkcu-v7UddkZlw04ft5bLxojgSqswAQCh6dvgznUunhNRcc4Zbi5dJHl84sRwsBUJVylhp82pvaLtSJBtNSLGLH-fxSmTX0HzLq7VWOJgOBB_wmdXjCXli6w/s320/carcase.jpg" /></a></div><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">There are many more
tales of gore from yesteryears but I finish today with my favourite.
This was the steak tenderiser, a machine that had no point but many
sharp edges. It was electronically powered and had two roller blades
that were supposed to finely cut the steak that was fed through the
letterbox top of the machine. Most of the time it would chew up the
poor innocent piece of frying steak worse than a man with no teeth.
Invariably the expectant customer got given a piece of mush that was
once a decent steak. And the danger in this? The danger would come
from trying to clean the blades and make them free of mangled beef.
Here we are talking of sixty or more sharp blades each keen to dig
into delicate fingers. And they did!</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">And then there were the
ultra sharp blades on the mincer, the multiple needle points on the
bacon machine that grip the bacon joints and just love lacerating
unsuspecting knuckles; the life threatening slips as boning knife
connects with groin...</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Perhaps that's enough
for today."</p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Phil Lowe</p>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></div>Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4576959142506128840.post-91496408910797632332020-06-15T16:07:00.000+01:002020-06-15T16:07:59.238+01:00Basic crab meat salad idea. Perfect for a hot day.<div>I recently made this crab meat salad from crab meat and cooked prawns salad as a refreshing lunch. The crab meat and prawns were from Sainsbury. As was the blue and white crab plate. Aside from the crab meat the other ingredients were, cooked king prawns, radishes, mayo and lettuce.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5pDh65eJUTlDWKTtJAY5Wd-cFOM3_x5FAJGLYgJ5LrXEWCJCTGVlwJt9WK5pktQnFQ-uRGrpmCavcZ-lCn-DaDBSWEMzrLzlm7j0vzp7RpPuJ_TjpHlltuVG9bMTX2L_7nrpczx-0mc/s2586/crab+meat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2558" data-original-width="2586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5pDh65eJUTlDWKTtJAY5Wd-cFOM3_x5FAJGLYgJ5LrXEWCJCTGVlwJt9WK5pktQnFQ-uRGrpmCavcZ-lCn-DaDBSWEMzrLzlm7j0vzp7RpPuJ_TjpHlltuVG9bMTX2L_7nrpczx-0mc/s320/crab+meat.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyzzaRlKLjf2DNMQ8g6IK-lE27Y2EemdUC53kfMvER19DqKFWUzFvj01fsIe-Pl6O6Dnnn-F8DWqP1qYWo6t6SIDGwjzjf5gjO03MtZvdh-ibNBmAtOvGhWbvrfHQlhn6lzkiThjbLHI/s3441/crab+salad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3108" data-original-width="3441" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyzzaRlKLjf2DNMQ8g6IK-lE27Y2EemdUC53kfMvER19DqKFWUzFvj01fsIe-Pl6O6Dnnn-F8DWqP1qYWo6t6SIDGwjzjf5gjO03MtZvdh-ibNBmAtOvGhWbvrfHQlhn6lzkiThjbLHI/s320/crab+salad.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4576959142506128840.post-43424304613482988242020-06-11T16:20:00.001+01:002020-06-11T16:20:23.467+01:00Were you ever a butcher's boy in the 1970s/1980s? Remember Dewhurst The Master Butchers? Read on...<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><font color="#ffffff">Recently updated. <i><b>Tales From The Block</b></i> by Phil Lowe. </font></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><font color="#ffffff"></font><br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><font color="#ffffff">This book is full of amusing stories of the life of Phil Lowe as a 1970s naïve butcher's boy and a gullible 1980s butcher's apprentice. The book is also embellished with cookery extracts from this popular food blog along with advice on meat cuts and given plenty of mouth-wateringly photos by Phil.</font></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><font color="#ffffff"> Now available as £2.99 ebook on Blurb.</font><br /></p><div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 6px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> <a href="https://www.blurb.co.uk/b?ebook=427665" rel="" style="cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target=""><font color="#ffffff">https://www.blurb.co.uk/b?ebook=427665</font></a></p></div><div><font color="#ffffff"></font><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUg6_PNwd7JbAH-WGIQgeKCmsRNhmis_tajk_iZ1SKxJD838MwqNI8knTJLx79IHluBby1ADwz_DSI8WYwHJhOIV1evGOoldUCX1-RAcJIh-VO4RHLMdz-PZYO-fspzXVPScDJLeiJhWk/s320/tales+from+the+block.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUg6_PNwd7JbAH-WGIQgeKCmsRNhmis_tajk_iZ1SKxJD838MwqNI8knTJLx79IHluBby1ADwz_DSI8WYwHJhOIV1evGOoldUCX1-RAcJIh-VO4RHLMdz-PZYO-fspzXVPScDJLeiJhWk/w400-h400/tales+from+the+block.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4576959142506128840.post-88773283918348252342020-06-01T13:54:00.000+01:002020-06-01T15:16:31.152+01:00Rick Stein's Secret France. DVD review.
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07TVP64M6/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B07TVP64M6&linkCode=as2&tag=muofstteanach-21&linkId=d74bdb2bdebcd3b25e63caaf811b0c1f">Rick Stein's Secret
France DVD.</a></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Review by Phil Lowe.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">It will come as no
surprise to you regular readers that I am a big fan of Rick Stein and
I recently purchased his latest DVD <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07TVP64M6/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B07TVP64M6&linkCode=as2&tag=muofstteanach-21&linkId=d74bdb2bdebcd3b25e63caaf811b0c1f">Secret France</a> and the
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/178594388X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=178594388X&linkCode=as2&tag=muofstteanach-21&linkId=8c567349df2017e5731a30891c5ad383">accompanying book</a> to add to my already large collection of all of his
DVDs and most of his books.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Of late, I must have enjoyed the
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07TVP64M6/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B07TVP64M6&linkCode=as2&tag=muofstteanach-21&linkId=d74bdb2bdebcd3b25e63caaf811b0c1f">Secret France DVD</a> multiple times and being a lover of France and
French cuisine I have been in constant Francophile heaven. The two
disc DVD gets better and better as Rick journeys around France on his
new culinary adventure to search for France's best kept gastronomic
secrets. His route across the country and France's varied regions
takes us on his personal trip along picturesque and remote back roads
in his own open top car. He says that his late producer David
Pritchard suggested he do the whole series in a beat up Deux Chevaux.
Sensibly Rick declines, otherwise the whole series would have
possibly been littered with shots of the car breaking down on a
remote back road.</p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ICuewVCzYinihTmjHGn5q_q82E9IHgvyUmo7TFpfLLUQyafQAGypkESJ3VN2v-mLZ8zDd7tAEpPkJFJnZzpWG4WD4jzemWc3D25E9ulG0TvI2ygxtPHuhKdUHO7cC-AUMdWzHZ_7GnA/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ICuewVCzYinihTmjHGn5q_q82E9IHgvyUmo7TFpfLLUQyafQAGypkESJ3VN2v-mLZ8zDd7tAEpPkJFJnZzpWG4WD4jzemWc3D25E9ulG0TvI2ygxtPHuhKdUHO7cC-AUMdWzHZ_7GnA/" /></a></div><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">As Rick says in this
series “For the French, food isn't part of life, it is life itself.
It's that important to them. And what is slightly worrying is that I
keep hearing these stories about things not being what they used to
be with cooking in France. The point is I really don't believe if I
go off the beaten track to what I call Secret France that I still
won't find those lovely bistros and restaurants. It's always better
to travel hopefully.” Cue upbeat French style music.</p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnYA-wPM3b7uwAmws_G_6muSZmWdoDF84qbKwrS0URciVNsPLF6YNeYv9u476UTmMBYXuUMXER44LFYPVUZovfDCxXRDSLcklzxnjV9UsJyrDY72NOchWKyxLHNwrzXJdQI2I0-BjejMM/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnYA-wPM3b7uwAmws_G_6muSZmWdoDF84qbKwrS0URciVNsPLF6YNeYv9u476UTmMBYXuUMXER44LFYPVUZovfDCxXRDSLcklzxnjV9UsJyrDY72NOchWKyxLHNwrzXJdQI2I0-BjejMM/w400-h225/fe290b90-0f02-41e4-bb93-77482b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">This meandering quest
sees Rick Stein pick up inspiration from the various regions and
includes mouth watering examples like a rack of lamb with potato and
celeriac dauphinoise, a confit tomato and aubergine tarte tatin,
grilled bream with aioli from the Languedoc coast, chicken stuffed
with mushrooms and Comt<font face="Times New Roman, serif">é</font><font face="Times New Roman, serif">
cheese and the most divine raspberry tart you have ever seen. The
food looks so lush you almost find yourself licking the TV screen. On
the second disc there is the most wonderful coverage of a brightly
coloured and very inviting French market at P</font><font face="Times New Roman, serif">é</font><font face="Times New Roman, serif">rigueux
the capital of the P</font><font face="Times New Roman, serif">é</font><font face="Times New Roman, serif">rigord
region. The market is situated at the Place du Coderc and Rick revels
in the quality and beauty and freshness of the produce on sale and
confesses he may be becoming a caricature of himself as he expounds
yet again on the open market scene. He doesn't venture down to
Bordeaux as he does in his <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000VIRD4M/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B000VIRD4M&linkCode=as2&tag=muofstteanach-21&linkId=9e798830153e914f0bc451e1fbd3db18">French Odyssey</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01EN69SWW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B01EN69SWW&linkCode=as2&tag=muofstteanach-21&linkId=54b7587f85d7378f3f87f2edc7884667">Rick Stein's Long
Weekends</a> but P</font><font face="Times New Roman, serif">é</font><font face="Times New Roman, serif">rigueux
and its old town buildings and atmosphere looks a total delight. As
does all the food and the other destinations throughout Secret
France. If you loved French Odyssey you will love this series. Order
your copy <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07TVP64M6/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B07TVP64M6&linkCode=as2&tag=muofstteanach-21&linkId=d74bdb2bdebcd3b25e63caaf811b0c1f">HERE</a>.</font></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">“<font face="Times New Roman, serif">Bon
Appetit Ricky.”</font></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><br /></font></p>
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07TVP64M6/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B07TVP64M6&linkCode=as2&tag=muofstteanach-21&linkId=37f6355403ab0446a7594c6079416130" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&MarketPlace=GB&ASIN=B07TVP64M6&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL250_&tag=muofstteanach-21" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=muofstteanach-21&l=am2&o=2&a=B07TVP64M6" style="border-image: none; border: medium; margin: 0px;" width="1" />
Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4576959142506128840.post-64493337115082224542020-05-29T13:24:00.001+01:002020-06-01T13:37:35.058+01:00Book review. John Partridge. There's No Taste Like Home.
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Many cookbooks feature
a foreword by the author, particularly if the author is well known.
And that's nice – you get to understand what the author's
motivation is for writing that book. Then the usual format is to
carry on through the rest of the book by filling it with
appropriately chosen recipes and very often some beautiful
photographs of the cooked food and maybe some preparation stages. No
more stories, no more personal insights – just recipes and pretty
pictures.</p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Not so with John
Partridge's <i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07XHFZGDY/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B07XHFZGDY&linkCode=as2&tag=muofstteanach-21&linkId=9043d0d7954d1de4029eff09249a78aa">There's No Taste Like Home</a></i>. It's a fabulously
unpretentious cookbook which features not only a foreword but also
heart warming anecdotes with each recipe so you really feel you get
to know the man and how his cooking relates to his life growing up in
Radcliffe near Manchester. Partridge says “ This is my taste of
home. My pictures, my memories, my moments. Some old, some new, some
borrowed, some stew! All the dishes in this book have been cooked at
home in my kitchen – and some on the telly, too. Cooking the food
from my past has helped me to live in the present.</p><pre class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTpqXQCgoZWh3NR-xK8B-M2gpjUDcfKfNi5S0UUG7brg4BjuPRjgXc1ib6vldFXKOTPWi9bDO3Iup3ZT4eHzzAiI7OIjDnU6gCZU0BfgCNpLSrmBYbfzBB4R29ErRVWhm_S2r135GK3M/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3809" data-original-width="3078" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTpqXQCgoZWh3NR-xK8B-M2gpjUDcfKfNi5S0UUG7brg4BjuPRjgXc1ib6vldFXKOTPWi9bDO3Iup3ZT4eHzzAiI7OIjDnU6gCZU0BfgCNpLSrmBYbfzBB4R29ErRVWhm_S2r135GK3M/s320/jpnotaste.JPG" /></a></div><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</p>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></pre>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I am a big fan of
actor John Partridge having seen and reviewed him in quite a few
productions over time including, the fairly recent production of
Cabaret when it came to Curve Theatre in Leicester. We also had the
pleasure of interviewing John on the telephone before the set up at
Curve. He was fascinating and spoke about this book back then as well
as his times in Germany and the production of Cabaret playing the
Emcee.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">There's <i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07XHFZGDY/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B07XHFZGDY&linkCode=as2&tag=muofstteanach-21&linkId=9043d0d7954d1de4029eff09249a78aa">No Taste
Like Home</a></i> has us aching to try out some of the recipes like
Cheesy Mushroom Toast, Fish Pie Deluxe, Egg Custard Tart, Lancashire
Hotpot, Wings, Ribs and Slaw, Beef and Guinness Stew, Chicken and
Olive Tagine and even some of the 'for fancy' recipes including Pork
Chops with Hasselback Potatoes and one day (when friends can visit
again) go mad and make a Black Forest G<font face="Times New Roman, serif">â</font>teau.
The joy of these recipes and many more in the book is that they sound
totally straight forward and fuss-free and we love the design of the
accompanying photos which have a creative quirk to them as well as a
loving feel of nostalgia.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">If there is one honest
cook book written with lots of humour, reverence and love then
<i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07XHFZGDY/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B07XHFZGDY&linkCode=as2&tag=muofstteanach-21&linkId=9043d0d7954d1de4029eff09249a78aa">There's No Taste Like Home</a></i> is it. We love it! Order your copy now <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07XHFZGDY/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B07XHFZGDY&linkCode=as2&tag=muofstteanach-21&linkId=9043d0d7954d1de4029eff09249a78aa">HERE</a>.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Phil Lowe</p>
Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4576959142506128840.post-77170865055181978712020-05-27T17:14:00.007+01:002020-05-27T22:11:18.424+01:00Foreign meat cuts posters. Are you as interested in them as me?
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a name="goog_1050838936"></a><a name="goog_1050838935"></a>
A few years ago I was lucky enough to go to the city of Leiden in
Holland to visit my friends Emma and Ronald. I wrote several blog
posts about the experience and one of the most popular was about Emma
and myself going into a Dutch butchers' shop and ordering some
sirloin steaks. Having been a former butcher for a goodly portion of
my working life I am always fascinated by how the shops in Holland,
France and Germany look and display their products. Normally, if I am
staying in an hotel I wouldn't buy fresh meat but, as it was, I was
staying at their apartment and had promised to cook them steaks. If
you want to read about my meat buying experience you can
at <a href="https://mugofstrongtea.blogspot.com/2017/05/buying-sirloin-steaks-from-dutch-butcher.html">https://mugofstrongtea.blogspot.com/2017/05/buying-sirloin-steaks-from-dutch-butcher.html</a></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh5h0S_weSIbeOL_AzbWHXKM5d8NRRD9mRlDJ-dyEbUh9uc_TPdlq_ajVvsS6MgeN-gM_1AUEWAhyDhSgJFFGgNh4oc5L5dgZCHJ6IprQS00u8-C3ngXWD8w7IY23syci9POCDQ_PHn_0/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh5h0S_weSIbeOL_AzbWHXKM5d8NRRD9mRlDJ-dyEbUh9uc_TPdlq_ajVvsS6MgeN-gM_1AUEWAhyDhSgJFFGgNh4oc5L5dgZCHJ6IprQS00u8-C3ngXWD8w7IY23syci9POCDQ_PHn_0/s320/DSC_0001-001.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7uieYWE7qjeajXW6A1eYQMuqLWuKDOALTW5tJEFMEeTANxxeonwwkvbLmXlaPTOE2FiYMkJlAvHaQLev9YWj1WMOj6WHvB7847yM0qKvPPY0UM_AWyIJhQ8BvlgPz_JxMYztuKhxlD4/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1729" data-original-width="2296" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7uieYWE7qjeajXW6A1eYQMuqLWuKDOALTW5tJEFMEeTANxxeonwwkvbLmXlaPTOE2FiYMkJlAvHaQLev9YWj1WMOj6WHvB7847yM0qKvPPY0UM_AWyIJhQ8BvlgPz_JxMYztuKhxlD4/w400-h301/phil+with+the+steaks.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />The
different names of the cuts of meat on the foreign animals always
fascinates me and here are some from France, followed by more modern
Dutch versions.</p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2ucNw6GEPGngnkwX9PHIH7WTAKaoD7xIvhuH_4rPEWrVx8t3ZDcfR-N13-O1buaWbf6fmIHCdtNNr2Ve2upru0Jf5A1yL8kqGOxHsm6p4OuN1d9GH6P_80M40wyMzr_eVA-hgcOMIb0/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="637" data-original-width="960" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2ucNw6GEPGngnkwX9PHIH7WTAKaoD7xIvhuH_4rPEWrVx8t3ZDcfR-N13-O1buaWbf6fmIHCdtNNr2Ve2upru0Jf5A1yL8kqGOxHsm6p4OuN1d9GH6P_80M40wyMzr_eVA-hgcOMIb0/w400-h265/11312652_986387378046679_5326156715152768310_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6fq3NtfzTJm7xes98velBebypZq6R4bFJOlGgUMoSB8IzNqhHzttPEY7QF1t-718fu_8BdYXRyWXHWtthGfw1b_leKfG0YpPaxgB2g9eqmDNOV7xM8UIFUTvqVJWyCH-YVWCfrg7XUk/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1419" data-original-width="1630" height="349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6fq3NtfzTJm7xes98velBebypZq6R4bFJOlGgUMoSB8IzNqhHzttPEY7QF1t-718fu_8BdYXRyWXHWtthGfw1b_leKfG0YpPaxgB2g9eqmDNOV7xM8UIFUTvqVJWyCH-YVWCfrg7XUk/w400-h349/boeuf+new.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX7vrEKytDJKCvaWyHJmwhVpn2mP4nEEY_aI0dc7JwqfxC5ktDETe5kV4OCy1HCN-F3m9r8MHm4Nif0TnUdLG9Qwio-SkurEod-RCHTmFL3GlSD2-ybqHRn9zv1WZZl1Mmw2BfZk3qJ0E/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="647" data-original-width="900" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX7vrEKytDJKCvaWyHJmwhVpn2mP4nEEY_aI0dc7JwqfxC5ktDETe5kV4OCy1HCN-F3m9r8MHm4Nif0TnUdLG9Qwio-SkurEod-RCHTmFL3GlSD2-ybqHRn9zv1WZZl1Mmw2BfZk3qJ0E/w400-h288/cuts-of-pork-french-school.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxzF1iIs5EV0Q_2LpQ69u8ajjGvTl23q-6koeJzfJC157sScvJl_yGSo-jVXtb9X-hV6giud5d1yAYZlaWLKVaLaV5SVKtCpAOwRHloLolfXGlooPR_EBJ_14WwLmCpJU27NtVNvbCetI/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1485" data-original-width="2036" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxzF1iIs5EV0Q_2LpQ69u8ajjGvTl23q-6koeJzfJC157sScvJl_yGSo-jVXtb9X-hV6giud5d1yAYZlaWLKVaLaV5SVKtCpAOwRHloLolfXGlooPR_EBJ_14WwLmCpJU27NtVNvbCetI/w400-h291/mouton+light.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And now the Dutch ones.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj6rNA5kkMGxcfvTCFZW-BMHFhi8_SNloqbvRr3IlOWcO9QG60o5T_RexreOlQ6tjl6y8U3lPvpxguqKoJbOMGaXul66F733CRODO3zJirsKOIZgBKiReQ3l7Y1WFCqlRiZewurBHZJvs/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="571" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj6rNA5kkMGxcfvTCFZW-BMHFhi8_SNloqbvRr3IlOWcO9QG60o5T_RexreOlQ6tjl6y8U3lPvpxguqKoJbOMGaXul66F733CRODO3zJirsKOIZgBKiReQ3l7Y1WFCqlRiZewurBHZJvs/w400-h236/dutch+cow.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGzI5y8OEFjlDj3EpJAbZYsZj2GZCRKEcQV2aCY83nPxnd5zwamcK4EdT3ESHl54tgQgsrvG4gaByXIQv_02Xny8wVsVO8rcskrdOtD8lKuihhfb_4gf09A09-hb73OhkeAlTflf9eDd8/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="243" data-original-width="385" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGzI5y8OEFjlDj3EpJAbZYsZj2GZCRKEcQV2aCY83nPxnd5zwamcK4EdT3ESHl54tgQgsrvG4gaByXIQv_02Xny8wVsVO8rcskrdOtD8lKuihhfb_4gf09A09-hb73OhkeAlTflf9eDd8/w400-h253/dutch+lamb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Recently I was
conversing online with my young German friend Thorsten and we were
both barbecuing or grilling a steak for our evening meal. It was an
enjoyable conversation with me on the outskirts of Nottingham and he
on the outskirts of the German city of Stuttgart.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9mjvoddiLQQY5ivgf0F4s5XUNVZgkpAakkCUPrUeMXlJWrHNH_KtYUnjgpI9iU0Pm_9HPDCFPrGIBdJqkL94zxeko4XBblNQhDz9KWGdPyKETsflaP2Wu6cA6AW_3We4gRmYsEm5DhI/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="255" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9mjvoddiLQQY5ivgf0F4s5XUNVZgkpAakkCUPrUeMXlJWrHNH_KtYUnjgpI9iU0Pm_9HPDCFPrGIBdJqkL94zxeko4XBblNQhDz9KWGdPyKETsflaP2Wu6cA6AW_3We4gRmYsEm5DhI/w213-h400/98330048_254826375626863_189122665766715392_n.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thorsten's hufte beef steak with sweetcorn, roast potatoes, bread and aioli.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPAJ9L_tFB0s0gB6LO7M7bfMdDLiNCW_CvitcU2_V6wivOsr8KSxdKNAIibxmUOdiykWdkfgEgG3lEjBSl8DSAX5S5XKsGqyY9bk0GmZsRKXBzcJskgcDq_VzP5y1hiMKnDg8c0Kj4Ds/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="4928" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPAJ9L_tFB0s0gB6LO7M7bfMdDLiNCW_CvitcU2_V6wivOsr8KSxdKNAIibxmUOdiykWdkfgEgG3lEjBSl8DSAX5S5XKsGqyY9bk0GmZsRKXBzcJskgcDq_VzP5y1hiMKnDg8c0Kj4Ds/w400-h265/DSC_0026.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My rib eye steak with new potatoes, peppercorn sauce and dandelion leaves.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He posted me some
German meat cuts posters and the white lamb one at the bottom is from Austria showing
some slightly different names for the cuts.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ3_b35Y1qIrhJldUcweFD9Wibr07xRBzn5mTAo-GMedB7ZgUJy3yL5OrEuaz7prJl_zzjM24v4hE52pQ8tZDbS0ZnivKhaV4fnqYYjI2g-ABClWXN1zAM3M_Z98nhumwH3CoIeX2Lpz8/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="500" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ3_b35Y1qIrhJldUcweFD9Wibr07xRBzn5mTAo-GMedB7ZgUJy3yL5OrEuaz7prJl_zzjM24v4hE52pQ8tZDbS0ZnivKhaV4fnqYYjI2g-ABClWXN1zAM3M_Z98nhumwH3CoIeX2Lpz8/w400-h274/german+cow.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYp-xTSWeexc4inn_x0JiQmzJp0bUFZFkQ4EIQP6yAtD79KpJUzHP1vn988784IPEZDMYeRn02bjdV-n61uMNXvfTCEeh_Hct7Q86T3en55ZjjOsZNP2gpP4hq_P9ZeuITXCA8rb6MHNk/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="960" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYp-xTSWeexc4inn_x0JiQmzJp0bUFZFkQ4EIQP6yAtD79KpJUzHP1vn988784IPEZDMYeRn02bjdV-n61uMNXvfTCEeh_Hct7Q86T3en55ZjjOsZNP2gpP4hq_P9ZeuITXCA8rb6MHNk/w400-h299/german+pig.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7186VXPgsibCVmjMJ41w87OPdsS-QRSGauVW6oqmMVhYyd4WZVKNfW_KUSr1lMZm2A7CPl1oqtq10qiAeG0JBjQrkfTgafOhNnpgjIEyVIRk6cM7zIpTAOEmisjCVjU_ExMkXJ7FonJg/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="421" data-original-width="285" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7186VXPgsibCVmjMJ41w87OPdsS-QRSGauVW6oqmMVhYyd4WZVKNfW_KUSr1lMZm2A7CPl1oqtq10qiAeG0JBjQrkfTgafOhNnpgjIEyVIRk6cM7zIpTAOEmisjCVjU_ExMkXJ7FonJg/w271-h400/sheep+green.jpg" title="Austrian lamb cuts" width="271" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh0v6DFD7eGH0baWJyURrBGIugHzOXl9St1wK4v6wl8iIhzn33sNcUmAX5OFrpmFM_gY5G7GLe0yj1-ZH4GqDKgozbWiDUwn984lMaQc48s9mQj-QWFKTZqn9mepEkwH_h8-x2bIAKuEs/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="850" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh0v6DFD7eGH0baWJyURrBGIugHzOXl9St1wK4v6wl8iIhzn33sNcUmAX5OFrpmFM_gY5G7GLe0yj1-ZH4GqDKgozbWiDUwn984lMaQc48s9mQj-QWFKTZqn9mepEkwH_h8-x2bIAKuEs/w400-h324/sheep.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
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Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4576959142506128840.post-40527466792181027952020-05-22T14:38:00.000+01:002020-05-22T14:38:42.868+01:00Cooking under lockdown. A delicious and unexpected rhubarb crumble treat.<div>A few days ago I put a few pictures on my personal Facebook page of foods I was missing due to my lack of funds or simply not being able to get to the places or even countries I would need to go to in order to purchase them. This was not in any way asking for food gifts but rather an expression of the foods I especially like. Things like continental dry cured sausages, sardines, mussels, rhubarb etc.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then out of the blue my friend Allison (Allison and her husband Steve were former neighbours) got in touch with the idea of them sending me some of their own rhubarb which they grow in Lincolnshire.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU8z8E3x0pAg8QjhXsxrsjCyhkX42qPmtD5zKYUXWjjYvApY50ECe56WkrmM_bdHTfN09qTKnDQ_lLFxPYQfKI9upR9vqQoZdGXurstr_NPNF-sKizr5_NZ0haSrQiAJ9PkoUEKQ53Pq0/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU8z8E3x0pAg8QjhXsxrsjCyhkX42qPmtD5zKYUXWjjYvApY50ECe56WkrmM_bdHTfN09qTKnDQ_lLFxPYQfKI9upR9vqQoZdGXurstr_NPNF-sKizr5_NZ0haSrQiAJ9PkoUEKQ53Pq0/s320/100101296_580580309229644_1205151420777496576_n.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><font color="#000120"></font></u><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Allison is a very creative person and runs her own business from home. Her craft products are superb. The business (business plug alert!) is called <a href="https://thecreakingdoor.com/">The Creaking Door</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Of course I jumped at the chance of fresh rhubarb and she cut and posted me some beautiful stalks. It was all done with a great deal of care and the box included a sweet little card.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbz_nsq6XwbNV5KeEq1ycmWP-KH0xAv1bkuyiDIYPlmw0dNyjQLAdmmgTCdsp60hE3DG11V1unsvs0yd_enPkaNqPLmAJzkjqmreLMGsHlc3PZbYtKfoTX8ItApsRzdV8hR69QEuUnTr8/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="4928" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbz_nsq6XwbNV5KeEq1ycmWP-KH0xAv1bkuyiDIYPlmw0dNyjQLAdmmgTCdsp60hE3DG11V1unsvs0yd_enPkaNqPLmAJzkjqmreLMGsHlc3PZbYtKfoTX8ItApsRzdV8hR69QEuUnTr8/s320/DSC_0018.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgifuiW-LvIHqhuNMLA4DYDvDPF4NlSZHV40KEs0HkNi0ynGZ8q329PUgd0MavNOYsvhpQZ441ZfP_pBNKqUZS8GLJveUFpd_hNQ7azLukJURyDlt6NnwxMwO2I5-tMNy_3HmshIh3ZZ0o/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="4928" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgifuiW-LvIHqhuNMLA4DYDvDPF4NlSZHV40KEs0HkNi0ynGZ8q329PUgd0MavNOYsvhpQZ441ZfP_pBNKqUZS8GLJveUFpd_hNQ7azLukJURyDlt6NnwxMwO2I5-tMNy_3HmshIh3ZZ0o/s320/DSC_0019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Within an hour of receiving the parcel I was all hands on deck/kitchen surface peeling and chopping the rhubarb along with two apples and got on with the brief stewing of the fruits adding sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgna3YWcyhmc53Gt-ygx87dDZAx7zTuzwsbDbnTNV_tKze_OgdJZCFc5XAWTB4IJX-IoVGl8a8-fj80O9_vpP-CeIH4M3r5yD49e7hImTca9axV19BIQc3_-DwYXSHbKVbJ4GxyKbczN1g/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="4928" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgna3YWcyhmc53Gt-ygx87dDZAx7zTuzwsbDbnTNV_tKze_OgdJZCFc5XAWTB4IJX-IoVGl8a8-fj80O9_vpP-CeIH4M3r5yD49e7hImTca9axV19BIQc3_-DwYXSHbKVbJ4GxyKbczN1g/s320/DSC_0020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHtUO2xlgiFaOph6HtYW3jz6i1xEgpsNbHk-KORKEP2ThxT5UN5bG6ev6_kT7AkpjtQHmPRsy9Ea3Z_gaYwvqO3lE_SFUWPPAMm2mk_WfYGcCg1EdA3_CW_Q7Y2wUdbDLWxx7l1pwl6Sw/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="4928" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHtUO2xlgiFaOph6HtYW3jz6i1xEgpsNbHk-KORKEP2ThxT5UN5bG6ev6_kT7AkpjtQHmPRsy9Ea3Z_gaYwvqO3lE_SFUWPPAMm2mk_WfYGcCg1EdA3_CW_Q7Y2wUdbDLWxx7l1pwl6Sw/s320/DSC_0021.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once stewed I drained the cooked fruit and discarded most of the cooking liquid. Otherwise the crumble would end up far too wet and sloppy. Next step was to put the fruit in a dish intended to house the finished crumble. Thus done I went into mad culinary creative mode and added some sultanas (or raisons), chopped uncooked banana and a fresh lemon's worth of wonderfully fragrant lemon rind.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0bJy1kqbUx98v1oS6uR0KRAEGqfYWxA3_AeOhcOffJo6D9XsGb7QOegcBmYBxGa4vzSJ15khTvGk9YcGapXbY8ADeMobYa8SZaxIADJsRqz15Vho4mUSqEIvoDiHtLKhatHSjlOwfvA/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="4928" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0bJy1kqbUx98v1oS6uR0KRAEGqfYWxA3_AeOhcOffJo6D9XsGb7QOegcBmYBxGa4vzSJ15khTvGk9YcGapXbY8ADeMobYa8SZaxIADJsRqz15Vho4mUSqEIvoDiHtLKhatHSjlOwfvA/s320/DSC_0022.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOMW1BswbvFt2hjyknKVTc6UpNdi7keMjbiF6SiKDLbt6135aXc_3ywmx-tMMo7B6VhOdFo1jkPZWBkHGigm8-xvfHgFfY3c63VH59tKKO4G3dWjTD24BXkBYCMYcxY5LbWUHGbAvLt9I/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="4928" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOMW1BswbvFt2hjyknKVTc6UpNdi7keMjbiF6SiKDLbt6135aXc_3ywmx-tMMo7B6VhOdFo1jkPZWBkHGigm8-xvfHgFfY3c63VH59tKKO4G3dWjTD24BXkBYCMYcxY5LbWUHGbAvLt9I/s320/DSC_0023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It ain't a crumble without the topping and I used a packet I must have purchased back in the Middle Ages at Sainsbury's. As a final touch before putting the crumble into a hot oven gas mark 5 for 45 mins I thinly sliced some unsalted butter and lay it on top of the crumble mix. It gives the finished dish a very buttery taste. Well, there's a surprise!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKnjMS21U2_ynWBYNQ4_0me3XGEh0EHSY33Rez0aGBAlySACv4xMn87SJYOfGuWmLLvlQuULfRBJwG3FUQwn8zQjQg5-JeXO5B6IatTFpBhEJrMllNiELAKeIclbN7z9fwuThx0y9ojsI/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="4928" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKnjMS21U2_ynWBYNQ4_0me3XGEh0EHSY33Rez0aGBAlySACv4xMn87SJYOfGuWmLLvlQuULfRBJwG3FUQwn8zQjQg5-JeXO5B6IatTFpBhEJrMllNiELAKeIclbN7z9fwuThx0y9ojsI/s320/DSC_0024.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOHLCG9Xqbt1bsdVAEUucf7LVAgXWn9_VmY1P9qjyO0wmHB6Ufl9O5LtKtS4uPsXYuyVelQFVsECCRgZnwm7UpAqpj2J7rIaTP_yYc3NjxuwEX92idDBRc-qwl0OnF4veCjieu0Ml_wJw/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="4928" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOHLCG9Xqbt1bsdVAEUucf7LVAgXWn9_VmY1P9qjyO0wmHB6Ufl9O5LtKtS4uPsXYuyVelQFVsECCRgZnwm7UpAqpj2J7rIaTP_yYc3NjxuwEX92idDBRc-qwl0OnF4veCjieu0Ml_wJw/s320/DSC_0025.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The finished crumble was totally scrummy but I did wait until at least an hour until had cooled somewhat! Thanks Allison and Steve.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJRY2FObt180BovI80GTKmrmdhwc3zHi7KJAu-WZvJXlb05SZKXtK2y3dE2QCkT0Pq_PVoM9Ti8xZR_X9ozLYkg7mV_9qyEtdN11vkkNqDeGiZqCCMTrvBLhYuC8PSCSYKpi1_CrV4wg/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4928" data-original-width="3264" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJRY2FObt180BovI80GTKmrmdhwc3zHi7KJAu-WZvJXlb05SZKXtK2y3dE2QCkT0Pq_PVoM9Ti8xZR_X9ozLYkg7mV_9qyEtdN11vkkNqDeGiZqCCMTrvBLhYuC8PSCSYKpi1_CrV4wg/s320/DSC_0028.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><br /></div>Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4576959142506128840.post-15492203921641021932020-05-20T17:32:00.001+01:002020-05-22T14:42:09.843+01:00Cooking under lockdown. Sausage meat ragu with tagliatelli inspired by Rick Stein.<div>As many of my readers know I don't really do recipes and in this particular case I was inspired by one of Rick Stein's programmes in the series <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01EN69SWW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B01EN69SWW&linkCode=as2&tag=muofstteanach-21&linkId=acc42e06ba85ad725973269722a01fe1"><i>Rick Stein's Long Weekends</i> </a>where he visits the Italian city of Palermo and speaks lovingly of a sausage meat based ragu. I love all his programmes but this series is especially inspirational even if you haven't been to any or some of the destinations. I must have watched it over and over and it comes highly recommended!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01EN69SWW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B01EN69SWW&linkCode=as2&tag=muofstteanach-21&linkId=9d72c24d6e6db0b506fdb00ccd2830c9" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&MarketPlace=GB&ASIN=B01EN69SWW&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL250_&tag=muofstteanach-21" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=muofstteanach-21&l=am2&o=2&a=B01EN69SWW" style="border-image: none; border: medium; margin: 0px;" width="1" /> </div><div><br /></div><div>I happened to have six big fat tomato sausages from the local butcher (Ruddington Village Butchers) and I thought they would be too much to cook all at once <i>unless</i> I took them out of their skins and made, for the first time, a ragu. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjJ88l1ihwxWB4HvY2El0J6abXfbAUOGyllcSccuz1pbEoH7WMB01gMvvc5rzabuEwGgY8auhYQ-tLhboV7PAnHkAA5hP63j1WDYALHpn6fohWwB2nH-b8VEVaJIMGrcsiJmfPg4RyuQE/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="4928" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjJ88l1ihwxWB4HvY2El0J6abXfbAUOGyllcSccuz1pbEoH7WMB01gMvvc5rzabuEwGgY8auhYQ-tLhboV7PAnHkAA5hP63j1WDYALHpn6fohWwB2nH-b8VEVaJIMGrcsiJmfPg4RyuQE/s320/DSC_0003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">Initially, I chopped up three small white onions and a similar amount of fresh tomatoes and added a small amount of chopped fresh rosemary and four chopped garlic cloves to the well mushed up sausage meat. Obviously I took the sausage skins off the sausages first.</div><div><br /></div><div>It became hard to tell if the sausage meat was cooked as I fried it in olive oil but I kept moving it around the pan and added a tiny bit more oil when it started to look a bit dry. Then I added the chopped onions as I wanted the flavour adding into the ragu not starting with onions as a base. My intention was to have the onions provide a flavour note but not get over-cooked or burnt. The tomatoes went in next as the onions began to wilt and smell fantastic.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUjxSIVywbwZyb1HWNboBSlIuxi6nOme-CJZnQHHzSSozADTRD2ozwlpA_gs4f4ygIcznv4rKCfUXRkBNhQL-4RSCtMGEjZX05uMtLe55GNb0mW0qtjKL4hDqrUzwWbzhNur9LH6DIDOc/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="4928" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUjxSIVywbwZyb1HWNboBSlIuxi6nOme-CJZnQHHzSSozADTRD2ozwlpA_gs4f4ygIcznv4rKCfUXRkBNhQL-4RSCtMGEjZX05uMtLe55GNb0mW0qtjKL4hDqrUzwWbzhNur9LH6DIDOc/s320/DSC_0004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk5WXjrHpAaPfbk1sG9fAHnmCAtVvEyqR4y1KRmOZxgPjA5FbJcUXo9pDqbpoeUvVXhnvBySgpzyDSrYV6VLk433KjE7W_y9Fiv9OfbvW61VgZ_evFs9MIUYJqUNabMQPOVG-LtA_eWqY/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="4928" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk5WXjrHpAaPfbk1sG9fAHnmCAtVvEyqR4y1KRmOZxgPjA5FbJcUXo9pDqbpoeUvVXhnvBySgpzyDSrYV6VLk433KjE7W_y9Fiv9OfbvW61VgZ_evFs9MIUYJqUNabMQPOVG-LtA_eWqY/s320/DSC_0005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After about 10-15 minutes of cooking in the frying pan I became convinced that the sausage meat was now properly cooked and from here I added a tin of chopped tomatoes, stirring it in and followed by adding a small jar of Lloyd Grossman Bolognese sauce, reducing the mixture and adding another. They were on offer at £1 each so the expense wasn't too bad and the sauce was of a high quality.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL_THcwjO6kw6eSmHJaUr1O341-c2nF3p99E8msdrQRl2eNxzVB241vk1ya_T41f6II_FjB8Y0bxJ5m8XEd20ImXJ2eFFl-2wVZrJzCxTco3lmzoiV5IpED30HfkU0OsV3Fqq6p1iDYjQ/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="4928" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL_THcwjO6kw6eSmHJaUr1O341-c2nF3p99E8msdrQRl2eNxzVB241vk1ya_T41f6II_FjB8Y0bxJ5m8XEd20ImXJ2eFFl-2wVZrJzCxTco3lmzoiV5IpED30HfkU0OsV3Fqq6p1iDYjQ/s320/DSC_0006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Time to put some tagliatelle pasta on the boil and, once it was al dente, I griddled a few thin slices of aubergine and added a few fresh basil leaves to the finished dish. As I had made rather a lot I shared some with my neighbours. They were very impressed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZCqRqgGolRWLbTBHQ2i0X28F60-hWVZxZYjCoCl15aeyZib4m2Gr3meSFrCfsarD_HTJgytBLqLtaTHycyeaDV-3M3PJVl8eZd93OGSvIfXvxwIjHlKWt5ny3gzFVj5mFdl9q7c2Xa8/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="4928" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZCqRqgGolRWLbTBHQ2i0X28F60-hWVZxZYjCoCl15aeyZib4m2Gr3meSFrCfsarD_HTJgytBLqLtaTHycyeaDV-3M3PJVl8eZd93OGSvIfXvxwIjHlKWt5ny3gzFVj5mFdl9q7c2Xa8/s320/DSC_0007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqD1Ik7YnwPOD1y2Iu887KHSJZWn8mx_5PC5hBrMTprOpVVDDAwINKVHwk8wI19uc0jwMSzNMK4HQxd4dczHWaIRlyGKSsWDqnkr_jt3bDJjDcPE0G_ooELPh0UdSRiHwBLMiiUNhSh3E/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="4928" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqD1Ik7YnwPOD1y2Iu887KHSJZWn8mx_5PC5hBrMTprOpVVDDAwINKVHwk8wI19uc0jwMSzNMK4HQxd4dczHWaIRlyGKSsWDqnkr_jt3bDJjDcPE0G_ooELPh0UdSRiHwBLMiiUNhSh3E/s320/DSC_0010.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Delicious!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4576959142506128840.post-18086928307969104382020-05-14T13:08:00.000+01:002020-05-14T13:09:12.574+01:00Cooking under lockdown. Making the most of things for meals. French style potato dishes.<div>Whilst not having a lot of money to shell out on food I have done my best to bulk cook or at least make some aspects of my cooking last a couple of days like with the pommes boulanger and pommes gratins I enjoy making because they are tasty and fairly cheap to make. Quite often I just had a plate of reheated potatoes.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8nYZmYChidC9hRV50JhuhyphenhyphenQPALQuli27vjoKJrOIXJqtqRz0gAUvc4xU5gNsiESDSd_7-KXPQlU6Q4Ir8jTMlD2ksT2yamoLufNfHA-UUjVMPaV6kLpdEfvjAANRBB2RFncnXWhEVlt8/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="4928" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8nYZmYChidC9hRV50JhuhyphenhyphenQPALQuli27vjoKJrOIXJqtqRz0gAUvc4xU5gNsiESDSd_7-KXPQlU6Q4Ir8jTMlD2ksT2yamoLufNfHA-UUjVMPaV6kLpdEfvjAANRBB2RFncnXWhEVlt8/s320/DSC_0009.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipN5uURM4P0fOy5BgTHXvn9mtG6DC51HJ1e0AQhQ988ucKBXvdu8IDFGpl7Knf0mF9wbgtrAyi4lhHu_PBd__NHkRgftkbWlA1lNevA6mDocwyQPRICqt7dXH3RGws7PnK70f9k4u4Kro/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5LXxJp_AwaPBkxNvRZ0p7jt8m6yWqC-hxQtQwV1k_KYDkH7bPjmhklOQVYAvByQ6oqFGORQKZ4Co3luGCO44PFi7x9f0jL0o72Hh0F2H0iOYIPBPu7TnmWCZWr-RnBCPf-7pABrDLiI/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5LXxJp_AwaPBkxNvRZ0p7jt8m6yWqC-hxQtQwV1k_KYDkH7bPjmhklOQVYAvByQ6oqFGORQKZ4Co3luGCO44PFi7x9f0jL0o72Hh0F2H0iOYIPBPu7TnmWCZWr-RnBCPf-7pABrDLiI/s320/95998397_10158443683588735_5650649211604041728_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYt2E8bOITcrU3vLUtMAxy1vn8T0TmTlzoMjfnXkUk667sq3oVJx01MdCwn5PijgCYt1hGrYUcz8XfLBl0fZCV1cMCPCf8OzhpWgIB46cDUBupiKJfPPEkLEjOvfo61A9tmWr-uLIAgRs/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYt2E8bOITcrU3vLUtMAxy1vn8T0TmTlzoMjfnXkUk667sq3oVJx01MdCwn5PijgCYt1hGrYUcz8XfLBl0fZCV1cMCPCf8OzhpWgIB46cDUBupiKJfPPEkLEjOvfo61A9tmWr-uLIAgRs/s320/93052300_10158333887338735_967168807619526656_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div>Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4576959142506128840.post-47417145723954197032020-04-29T12:33:00.000+01:002020-04-29T12:33:37.410+01:00Cooking under lockdown. Spicy marinated and steamed belly pork<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: white;">Here are some food photos from yesterday and today. Pork, garlic and red wine sausages from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Ruddington-Village-Butchers-1492292187665035/?__tn__=%2CdK-R-R&eid=ARCbAgwcOTvtLB5ND17n_xgmrRHXa7LtPuIWfrsrgN2JoRbhyDG9rWA66e7XATiCWMPknjnsulRz1Xls&fref=mentions">Ruddington Butchers.</a> Belly pork out of the freezer. The belly pork had been there since Dec 2019 (also from Ruddington Butchers). Chinese spice mix chosen and ground for the very first time! </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Cooking it tomorrow (Tuesday) and marinating the pork in a dry spice cure overnight. Dry cure is a mix of whole cloves, whole star anise, allspice berries, black pepper, ground cinnamon and sririacha spice. It took a lot of hand grinding in a pestle and mortar and sieved for fineness.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"> Plated items, pork, garlic and red wine sausage, spiegelei, (mirror eggs) fried brown English mushrooms and Branston's pickle with a smidge of parsley from my garden. Always have parsley to offset the creamy yolk of the Deliriously Happy Hen eggs don't ya know. Lol.</span></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4576959142506128840.post-3938648898075489802020-03-15T12:02:00.001+00:002020-03-15T12:02:22.384+00:00Your chance to have a good laugh with my new book, The Total Joy of Travelling On Public Transport. Ten five star reviews so far.Taken from my theatre promotion website. Please share and help me in my writing ambitions by purchasing a copy.<br />
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Many of you may have noticed a text and visual link to my humorous book <a href="https://amzn.to/2vdfhHx"><strong><em>The Total Joy of Travelling On Public Transport</em> </strong></a>at the end of our review pages. Like below:<br />
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Do you travel by public transport and come across annoying fellow travellers? Then check out <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B081ZDMRSQ"><em>Phil Lowe's hilarious new book!</em></a> below. Recommended age 16+<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B081ZDMRSQ"><img alt="" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-9683" height="121" src="https://eastmidlandstheatredotcom.files.wordpress.com/2019/11/total-joy-banner.jpg?w=780" width="320" /></a> <br />
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This book was published in December 2019 and has been progressively gaining in popularity with sales increasing every month. I am delighted to say that, so far, it has gained ten five star reviews. Here I what my readers/reviewers have to say about it.<br />
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<img alt="writer Phil Lowe" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10378" height="160" src="https://eastmidlandstheatredotcom.files.wordpress.com/2020/03/writer-phil-lowe.png" width="320" />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Rachael Young</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Witty, humorous and totally relatable.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I purchased this book on a whim and I am extremely glad that I did! The author's wit and constant humour shines throughout, as well as their total understanding for the pain that is (or can be) public transport. The book is a small read, but just the right length if you are after a bit of light-hearted fun. A thorough joy to read!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Kevin Morecroft</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Funny book with buckets of charm</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This book is a delight! The author colours a mundane subject with charm, wit and humour. I can’t wait for the follow up!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Liam Bucknell</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hilarious</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Fascinating read and very funny</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Natalia Wieczorek</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Laugh out loud journey</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I wouldn't normally pick up this type of book, but just fancied something amusing to read. I personally hate public transport, so thought I'd give it a go. I was not disappointed. Beautifully observed, anyone who travels on public transport will recognise these characters! From stroppy teenagers, to fractious children, drunks and people who squash you to death in your seat - all human life is here. If you are from Nottingham, even better, as most of the book is based there. Phil's observations and ability to make sense out of the absurd is very clever, and he has a real talent for description. I'm actually there, on the bus with him, wiping at the steamed up window and listening to such bizarre comments as: “White dog poo? Haven’t seen any in years. I wonder if it is to do with Brexit?”
If you fancy a lovely, light-heated book to pick up and read - maybe on your own bus journey - this is for you.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Steve Toplek</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Very amusing book. Very easy to read in snippets whilst travelling</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A very amusing collection of anecdotes about the people Phil has encountered on our wonderful public transport system, from the bizarre to the downright obnoxious, some of who may be yet encountered, some who may be only too familiar A very easy read that will help break the monotony of any journey, or maybe just fill an idle moment or two. Very enjoyable.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Avtir</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is a must-have book for anyone who has ever travelled on public transport</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A laugh aloud and sad but, a true and honest observation of our fellow commuters. Phil, a commuter of many years has compiled these hilarious pictures in words, of the 100’s of different individuals we share our mode of travel with on our daily trials and tribulations on public transport. You will be surprised, disgusted, happy and pleased at the behaviour of some of his fellow travellers, I most certainly was!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Helen</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This was a very amusing book and I recognise many of the character traits in people - maybe even some of them in myself! I highly recommend this book as a quick read.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Jo McLeish</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Anyone who has the 'pleasure' of public transport, needs to pick this book up! Witty, and cleverly observed, Phil Lowe takes us on a journey, literally a journey! Trains, trams, buses.... the foibles and idiosyncrasies of the human-being laid bare, as Phil takes up his back seat on the bus and takes stocks of the British public. Read it on the bus, read it on the loo, but read it you must.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Shane Ginty</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Joy indeed</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Having travelled on public transport for many years I couldn't resist this book. To my delight all the different characters I have encountered inhabit these pages. Buy this book and you will recognise many of these people yourself. A great book to have a chuckle to. While travelling on public transport of course.</span></span></div>
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Copies can be ordered through this <a href="https://amzn.to/2vdfhHx">AMAZON TOTAL JOY LINK</a>. Order your great value copy today. Support a local independent writer and have a good chuckle. Please share.</div>
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Thank you. <strong><em>Phil Lowe</em></strong></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Total-Joy-Travelling-Public-Transport/dp/0244235511/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1583921949&sr=8-1">Paperback: £6.99</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Total-Joy-Travelling-Public-Transport-ebook/dp/B081ZDMRSQ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=YFO2SXZOUHSR&keywords=the+total+joy+of+travelling+on+public+transport&qid=1583921949&sprefix=the+total%2Caps%2C183&sr=8-1">E book: £2.99</a></div>
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Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4576959142506128840.post-32117553148765454952020-03-13T12:53:00.003+00:002020-03-13T12:53:33.006+00:00Practical way of saving money on food and drink purchasesI admit I rarely go through bank statements to check my bits and bobs spending but of late, due to unemployment, I find myself watching the pennies more than ever. After forcing myself to add up all the food and drink purchases over a month on the bank statement I was shocked to see how much I was spending.<br />
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So I have cut out any bottles of wine purchases which will save me around £140 per month based on one a day for a £5-£6 priced bottle. After three weeks without wine I don't even fancy it anymore. The savings and my health feel more beneficial. I treat myself to the odd bottle of beer though.<br />
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Instead of throwing away receipts without really looking at them (as if I am made of money) I have been saving all my receipts in a clear plastic envelope and at the end of the month I will add them up.<br />
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I have also been paying for items with cash when I have it to hand and this really makes you think about what you are spending rather than just banging the purchase on a card.<br />
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Also, I have been shopping around to get the best value deals and recently discovered that one of my faves, pain au chocolat are only 49p each fresh from the Lidl bakery! In my local Co-Op store they are £1 each.<br />
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<b><i>Phil </i></b>Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4576959142506128840.post-82840445079648171602020-02-12T15:53:00.003+00:002020-02-12T15:53:17.525+00:00Do you prefer to spend Valentines Day dining at home or in a restaurant?With many people watching their money - flashing the cash - in a restaurant for Valentines Day can be a spend too far. Would you prefer to have a nice meal at home? What would be your choice to eat? Yes, many people like a steak and nice bottle of wine but also there will be vegan and vegetarians for whom meat is a no no. I would love to know what floats your boat in terms of a romantic meal and would be delighted to read your comments.<br />
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My local butcher Shane (Ruddington Butchers) is promoting his steaks for Valentines Day and I have created this advert for him.<br />
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Do you travel by public transport and come across annoying fellow travellers? Then check out <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B081ZDMRSQ"><em>Phil Lowe's hilarious new book!</em></a> below. Recommended age 16+<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B081ZDMRSQ"><img alt="" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-9683" height="151" src="https://eastmidlandstheatredotcom.files.wordpress.com/2019/11/total-joy-banner.jpg?w=780" width="400" /></a>Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4576959142506128840.post-75251342182256275752019-12-02T13:12:00.002+00:002019-12-02T13:12:47.787+00:00My new book of travelling humour published on Amazon<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As promised in the last post I am letting you know of the exciting publication news of my book <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B081ZDMRSQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B081ZDMRSQ&linkCode=as2&tag=muofstteanach-21&linkId=9acbdeb9fc9a59dc709256b8ad52ada9">The Total Joy of Travelling On Public Transport</a>. It is now available to purchase as an </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">e book on Amazon for only £2.99.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A paperback version is available from <a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/phil-lowe/the-total-joy-of-travelling-on-public-transport/paperback/product-24333010.html">www.lulu.com</a> for £6.99 </span><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=muofstteanach-21&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=B081ZDMRSQ&asins=B081ZDMRSQ&linkId=1ed475d028d6016e71f5b7731e9d6cf4&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It has only been online for a few days and sales are starting to happen already. It seems that annoying fellow passengers is a hot topic which lots of people are enjoying having a giggle at. I would really love my mug of strong tea readers to give it a try.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Today I was delighted to receive my very first FIVE STAR review for the book. It read.</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B081ZDMRSQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B081ZDMRSQ&linkCode=as2&tag=muofstteanach-21&linkId=88b68b8f24d1ccf93580c049dcbc9f29" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&MarketPlace=GB&ASIN=B081ZDMRSQ&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL250_&tag=muofstteanach-21" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=muofstteanach-21&l=am2&o=2&a=B081ZDMRSQ" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
wouldn't normally pick up this type of book, but just fancied
something amusing to read. I personally hate public transport, so
thought I'd give it a go. I was not disappointed. Beautifully
observed, anyone who travels on public transport will recognise these
characters! From stroppy teenagers, to fractious children, drunks and
people who squash you to death in your seat - all human life is here.
If you are from Nottingham, even better, as most of the book is based
there. Phil's observations and ability to make sense out of the
absurd is very clever, and he has a real talent for description. I'm
actually there, on the bus with him, wiping at the steamed up window
and listening to such bizarre comments as: “White dog poo? Haven’t
seen any in years. I wonder if it is to do with Brexit?”</span></span></span></span><span lang="zxx"><u><br /></u></span><span lang="zxx"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">If
you fancy a lovely, light-heated book to pick up and read - maybe on
your own bus journey - this is for you.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Natalia Wieczorek. London</span></div>
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Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4576959142506128840.post-49679322785087949932019-11-04T10:43:00.001+00:002019-12-01T20:58:00.846+00:00My great book (The Total Joy of Travelling On Public Transport) publishing news. <div style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: white;">Some of you may recall that I said that I was going to use my redundancy money to allow me to take six months off to complete a writing project called The Total Joy of Travelling On Public Transport. It's a book of humour. Well, I finished the project a few days ago and the manuscript (all 60 A4 pages) has now been emailed to my publisher. I am hoping that it will be on sale on Amazon (Kindle download and paperback) late November or early December. I am relying on it selling for my future income. Any support from you guys would be much appreciated. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Here are the first couple of pages to whet your appetite.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Ah, the total joy of travelling on public transport. Do you love travelling with the delightfully varied public and their dubious electronic gadgets and often odious habits? Do you mind when the person behind you has a full blown argument on their mobile phone with the speaker positioned at extra loud, just so you are sure to get both argumentative sides of the mutual yelling? Is it OK for someone to apply their nail polish on a hot bus, thereby nearly choking the other passengers to death with the toxic fumes? Would special mobile confessionals built into modes of public transport ease the congestion of verbal diarrhoea from total strangers? Do you balk at getting up close and personal with the great unwashed? Are you the kind of person that finds the joys of travelling on public transport highly amusing or, would you rather just throw yourself under a bus?</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Many thousands of people in Great Britain travel to work and back on public transport. We commuters use the buses, trains and trams, on average, around five days of the week. We endure the pleasure of other passengers talking loudly on their mobiles. Season after season, we delight in strangers coughing their germ clustered spittle all over us, almost to the point where we wonder if it is actually raining inside the vehicle. Some other passengers sit crunching sweets like a starving deaf horse and some salivate wildly as they delve into endless bags of stinky squid and blue cheese flavoured crisps. And, quite often – well, let's just say it - it gets much worse! I know. I have been there. I mislaid the tee shirt and bought an annual travel pass.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">I used to work for a major supermarket as a butcher and fishmonger. During my eight and a half years of working there I made twenty combined bus and tram journeys a week to work. That’s four a day, five days a week, totalling approximately a thousand minutes or sixteen and a half hours sitting on public transport in order to get to work. That's proper commitment for you. Most days the commuting necessitated early morning travel and late afternoon returning home in the rush hour traffic. On a Thursday and Friday it was midday travel to work and then I'd be travelling home at night with a bus load of excitable half naked and semi pissed young folk heading into Nottingham to go clubbing. Or whatever young folk do these days. Half naked and pissed Bible study perhaps.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Occasionally I read whilst travelling, but mostly I just people watched. It was fascinating. As a writer and observer of life I was making notes and sometimes recording my observations onto a Dictaphone and trying not to be obvious about it. My inner comedian regularly found himself seeking out comedy gold in the habits and relationships of my fellow travellers. When the chance came I would write my wry observations down in a notebook or on scraps of paper at work. Little did I realise how useful they would be as aide memoires in eventually writing this book.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">It was just a writer's habit to document things and to amuse myself at the time. Like many people, I love to people watch but less (first joke alert) through high powered binoculars these days. Often events were funny or disturbing or even both and I assumed I would definitely remember them without recording them in some way. Even an hour later I would be trying to tell a quirky travelling incident to a mate at work and I would struggle to recall what had made me smile or nearly throw up on the journey. Try doing those both at once. Or better still, don't. Eventually, once this book seemed like it was going to be a reality, I made it a rule to make sure I documented.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Most of the stories in this book are focussed on my travels around Nottinghamshire. Some of the stories occurred at the time when the Broadmarsh shopping centre bus station existed. It has since been demolished and now the massive building site is slowly being re-developed into a new travel centre with a new bus station. No doubt, the poorly looking black foot pigeons that made their crude razor wire edged homes, in and around, the old bus station will return to re-home themselves in the future pigeon friendly, steel and glass palace of bus travel. In the meantime they will be putting their crippled avian feet up in sunny Spain and knocking back the Spanish beers whilst topping up their suntans. Who can blame them? Sometimes, I wish I was a pigeon.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Critically, a few years ago, a new tram line was built and I made full use of it to convey me from Nottingham to work in the small town of Beeston. I was delighted by this as it often meant less bus travel where it felt it was like travelling in a mobile doctor's surgery where all the travellers violently coughed and sneezed throughout the journey. Or as I half jokingly called it – the voyage of the eternally damned. Life can be as random as getting on the wrong bus twice in one day and believe me I have done that.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Reflecting that, the nature of this book wryly meditates on my travelling life in the following non-chronological and I suppose, rather random stories, of the total joys of a daily bus and tram commute to work. So, lovely readers, please dip into my amusing retrospective tales and enjoy my surreal humour. Like most forays into the public arena of life one encounters a degree of bad language and references to sex. Shock horror! This book has its share of these but my main reason for writing this is to share my experiences and daft flights of fancy. Enjoy the ride and hold on tight! Ding ding!</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Phil Lowe</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><b>I will let you know when it is published on here</b>.</span></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="color: white;"></span><br />Phil Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.com0