
Perl is the evil spawn of satan, but sometimes you need it to get the job done.
Notes from a bemused canuck

Perl is the evil spawn of satan, but sometimes you need it to get the job done.


A colleague keeps pointing out the fallacy of trying to apply logic to an illogical situation.

A festive, paprika-seasoned version of the traditional sausage and potato pie.
Serves 4
onion 1 medium – large, thinly sliced
butter 30g
chorizo 500g
parsley 4 tbsp, chopped
sage 4 leaves, chopped
potatoes 600g
Line a heatproof, china terrine with clingfilm, pushing it well into the corners, leaving plenty overhanging the sides.
Peel and thinly slice the onions, then cook them in the butter in a shallow pan till they soften and turn pale gold. Skin and crumble the chorizo into the softened onions and continue cooking for a couple of minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley and sage leaves.
Set the oven at 180C/gas mark 4. Wash and thinly slice the potatoes. Cover the base of the terrine with slices of potato, season with salt and pepper, then a layer of onions and chorizo, then another of potato and so on, till all is finished, ending with potato. Cover the top with the overhanging film.
Place the terrine in a roasting tin, pour hot water in to come half way up the sides and cover with a heavy weight before baking for 1.5 hours. Leave to rest for 20 minutes before turning out and removing the clingfilm.
Astronauts on the station will finally be able to enjoy a decent brew thanks to the 20kg machine designed by famed Italian coffee makers Lavazza and engineering firm Argotec, which specialises in making space food. Samantha Cristoforetti, 37, who is a captain in the Italian air force, “will be not only the first female astronaut from Italy to go into space, but also the very first astronaut in the history of the conquest of space to savour an authentic Italian espresso in orbit,” the two companies said in a statement.

What is Cookie Monster supposed to do when he’s staying at the Furchester Hotel if there are no cookies? Is he supposed to just eat biscuits? John Oliver explains.