look what I found while clearing out some old files :)
Dubstep bird
And the full commercial:
Things you never thought you’d say out loud…
Poley, you’re a gun dog for Christ’s sake. Stop eating flowers and go after the pigeons!
End of an era
It’s Bean’s last day at nursery today and his favouritest bus driver in the whole wide world juggled the rota to be sure that he’d be the one driving this morning. That’s just… fantabulous :) He’s really made an impression on everybody. Sally, his nursery key worker, was all choked up when he gave her a box of chocolates (and then proceeded to tell her off because she had to share them with everybody!)
I love my Bean.
Last chance to feed the fishies
We went to Scottsdales yesterday, for what will probably be the last time in a very long time. We had a nice lunch. I had a moment with the parrots, and then Bean fed the koi. They have some new really big ones and now there’s one that Bean named “Red Charlie” to replace the original Charlie, who now lives somewhere in a pub garden pond.
Good times, indeed.
[Recipe] Cornish Pasties
Ingredients
FOR THE PASTRY
125g chilled and diced butter
125g lard
500g plain flour , plus extra
1 egg , beaten
FOR THE FILLING
350g beef skirt or chuck steak, finely chopped
1 large onion , finely chopped
2 medium potatoes , peeled, thinly sliced
175g swedes , peeled, finely diced
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Rub the butter and lard into the flour with a pinch of salt using your fingertips or a food processor, then blend in 6 tbsp cold water to make a firm dough. Cut equally into 4, then chill for 20 mins.
2. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Mix together the filling ingredients with 1 tsp salt. Roll out each piece of dough on a lightly floured surface until large enough to make a round about 23cm across – use a plate to trim it to shape. Firmly pack a quarter of the filling along the centre of each round, leaving a margin at each end. Brush the pastry all the way round the edge with beaten egg, carefully draw up both sides so that they meet at the top, then pinch them together to seal. Lift onto a non-stick baking tray and brush with the remaining egg to glaze.
3. Bake for 10 mins, then lower oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and cook for 45 mins more until golden. Great served warm.
Sign you’re in england #27
The grounds team are mowing the lawn in a striped pattern while it’s pissing it down with hail.
Happy birthday pop!
[Recipe] Pickles
Dill Pickles
Yield: Approximately 8 pints (total yield varies depending on size of cucumbers)
Ingredients
2 overflowing quarts of pickling cucumbers. They can be sliced into coins, lengths, quarters or left whole.
4 cups apple cider vinegar
4 cups water
5 tablespoons pickling salt. Pickling salt is pure salt without iodine or anti-caking agents.
1 teaspoon dill seed per jar (8 teaspoons total)
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed per jar (4 teaspoons total)
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns per jar (4 teaspoons total)
Instructions
Wash and slice the cucumbers.
In a large pan, combine vinegar, water and salt. Bring to a simmer.
Arrange jars on counter and dole out the spices to each. Pack the cucumber slices firmly into the jars.
Pour the brine into the jar, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
Wipe rims, apply lids and rings and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
When 10 minutes are up, promptly remove the jars from the pot and allow them to cool on the countertop. When the jars are cool, check the seals (by pushing/tapping on the lid).
Pickles can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to a year.
If you want to skip the boiling water process, these pickles are also wonderful as refrigerator pickles. Just pop the jars into the fridge once they’re cool.
[Recipe] Pickled carrots
1 pound (450 g) carrots, peeled
1 1/4 cups (310 ml) water
1 cup (280 ml) cider vinegar
1/4 cup (50 g) sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel, dill, or anise seeds (See Note)
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
2 bay leaves
1. Cut the carrots into stick approximately the size of your fourth finger. Bring a medium-sized pot of lightly-salted water to a boil. (Use a non-reactive pot, f.e. stainless steel)
2. When the water boils, drop the carrots in and simmer for one minute. Pour into a colander and rinse under cold water. Drain thoroughly.
3. In the same pot, heat the remaining ingredients. Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for two minutes.
4. Remove from heat and add the carrot sticks. Cool until room temperature, then put into jars and chill.
Carrot sticks should be made at least one day in advance, and will keep for up to four weeks in the refrigerator.
Note: The original recipe called for 1 1/2 tablespoons dill or fennel seeds (in later incarnations.) I found the flavor way, way too strong and reduced it. But feel free to use their original quantities.