Tuesday morning

Good morning all at touch warmer this morning and I had a better day yesterday less dizzy and sick so I hope it is on the wane.  The oxtail stew was worth the effort even if it was spread over two days and the thermomix made light work of making the polenta.  With the leftover polenta, I added loads of butter and cheese then set it aside to set firm and for my supper I had some of it cubed and then poured the remaining oxtail gravy over it, very tasty.  I did have a little chuckle when I thought about it, there are two fillets on a beast and that is why it is so expensive but there is only one tail and it is cheap as chips so it really doesn't make sense.  The real difference is you can flash fry fillet but tail takes lots of cooking. It seems to me that the longer it takes to cook something the cheaper it is.  While I was doing the oxtail I put some pork ribs in the oven with a homemade barbeque sauce over them so they are now ready for today and will just need reheating.  

Denzil ran around and went to the tip with his old curtains and all the dross from the airing cupboard so we are gradually filtering out the rubbish but it is taking time as I am not the full ticket.  Today Keith the gardener is due and I have a major task for him as the black bamboo [phyllostachys nigra] is due to get a haircut.  It has gone rather mad and is reaching next door gutters so we are going to take it down a couple or three feet and hopefully it will stay that height as it makes its full height in one year.  I will also get Keith to take out a few of the larger canes and those I keep for growing things up like runner beans.

As lunch is all but ready I think I might make some pickled ginger to go with the sushi I am hankering to make.  I also have a couple of offcuts of salmon in the freezer which will make a good filling along with some vegetables.  Before I get stuck into sushi I had better check that I have all the ingredients there is nothing worse than getting halfway through a recipe and discovering you are minus a vital ingredient.  I vaguely remember my domestic science classes which always started off with gather your ingredients then gather your equipment.  Good advice and something I would do well to follow.

Dan decided to have a panic last night with the fireworks but after he had commandeered my bed I tickled his tummy till he stopped shaking and fell asleep.  After that, there were plenty more fireworks but I had turned the TV up good and loud so I don't think he could tell the difference and finally agreed to let me into the bed while he snuggled in my dressing gown on the floor.  It is strange he was fine last year and Tubby is completely oblivious.  However, if there are any raised voices or a slammed door Tubby goes into a terminal decline.

Well, that is the plan of campaign for today I had better go and get dressed as Keith will be here soon and he will need some supervision with the bamboo.  Have a good day all......