The first task of the day was to go to Rapid Hardware and buy a garden incinerator bin and a spade. £32 quid lighter and a £10 taxi ride away from t’allotment but hey ho all in a good cause. Day four was a gorgeous sunny day and my allotment gets the sun and no shade (note to self *create shady areas*), but we got stuck in. More long grasses and weeds were pulled up and some more areas were dug down to soil and covered with black and blue stuff to prevent weeds. It was scorching and we had new incinerator bin so,after taking careful account fo wind direction (which was in great evidence despite the sunniness) we decided to burn some of the tinder dry stuff I’d already pulled up.

Not being arsonists we discovered that getting a fire going is not necessarily as easy as one might expect. Eventually we got it going, and within about 5 mins the woman from the house behind the allotments starting yelling that we needed to “stop that bloody burning”.  Hmm.  I’m not known for keeping my gob shut, but this is a trial period with the allotment.  I get working on it all, and don’t piss anyone off and they let me stay.  It’s not a difficult equation really.  As it happens, I really don’t want to piss the neighbour off either but burning dry rubbish, in a correct fashion, on an overgrown, left to rot allotment is a necessary fact. I don’t plan to do it too often either but if I do I am well within my rights according to our nice allotment dude.  So that’s why I didn’t really bother posting about that day as I was annoyed and upset…..and I say stuff I might regret when annoyed and upset.  Woah, listen to me all done growed up!!!

In the interim the weather has confounded me often.  Three pretty bad asthma attacks also put paid to much (note to self *put prescription in for inhalers stoooopid*), as has work.  So I made an effort today and once the rain stopped I went down there.

My observation for the day is that nettle stings were surely worse when we were kids?  How are they just a mild irritation now compared with the absolute agony they were when I was young??  Has my pain threshold increased in a linear fashion along with my age?

Today I started my compost area.

It looks crap.  It looks like I didn’t do much.  It always seems like I’ve worked my ass off for little gain.  Oh and I moved some wood.

And everywhere is GREEN after a few days rain.

So I place a bed of salad leaves and shredded beetroot on the plate. On top of that went some Parma ham, and atop that sat some olive oil drizzled grilled goats cheese and grilled figs. But of olive oil and balsamic vinegar over it and some fresh ground black pepper Nothing to it at all but really delicious.

Tonight I cooked Sicilian White Fish and Pasta. The recipe is a Gary Rhodes one that he did with monkfish on skewers, but I cook with what I have in, so it was mixed cod and haddock, marinated in olive oil (5floz), 16 sage leaves, 1clove of garlic, 1tbsp each of parsley and basil and nearly all the juice of a lemon and yhd usual salt and pepper all balanced with a teaspoon if sugar.

Cod and haddock does not skewer well so it was cooked in a frying pan with few tablespoons of water so it didn’t overcook to dryness, more of a gentle poaching. Anyway, it was no Sunday roast dinner but it was pretty damn tasty.

I made a bit of a dent in the middle section today and did a bit of hard graft with a garden fork. Only lasted an hour, and as such can officially be designated a lightweight. Part of my problem is that as much as I love shoes, I HATE wearing any footwear that covers my feet. My boots are necessary at the allotment as the ground is so higgledy piggledy, and there are numerous obstacles like hidden-by-weeds bricks and logs and wires and crap. After an hour or so encased in boots my feet are crying out for fresh air. I even sleep with my feet hanging out of the bedcovers for gods sake!

Well that and the fact it’s Friday and I wanted my tea (pasta amatriciana). Sorry just got distracted by my iphone telling me it is 6:17 on Saturday. Patently not the case unless I missed a memo or fell asleep.

Where was I? Day Three pics.

You do realise that this is merely for me to show off to myself? I’m not doing this for anyone but me, it’s something that I’ve wanted for a long time and thus far it’s been me doing the work. All three days of it. Well, me and the little un, but I like her there for company She’s very entertaining.

PS the iphone is no longer distracting me.  Panic over.

Oh look, I can see the pond now.  The pond I have to fill in cause it’s in the naffest place possible.  :-/

I found a frog under the white cabinet that has been dumped there. Froggy hopped away leaving me worried about where to stand in case I stepped on him.  Didn’t fancy squished frog on my Tims.

Clearing a path to the compost “area”. Again this is something that needs to be moved, and all that corrugated metal and scaffolding removed.  Such fun.

Bit more space revealed.

So…… A while back I applied to have an allotment thinking the wait would be horrendous and that my PhD would be over by the time I got one, but I was lucky enough to take the keys and complete the paperwork last Saturday.

It’s a bit of a jungle, no?

So that was Day Zero really….and Day One’s progress

I’m quite happy with the progress for Day One.

B & B

The B&B is a good place to start. Normally we’d choose self-catering but as this was just a short-break we opted for a B&B.  http://www.broadlandsbedandbreakfast.co.uk/ is reasonably priced,  spotlessly clean, room well appointed, small but perfectly functional bathroom, lovely hosts, and best of all a BLOODY DECENT BREKKIE!!! The sausages were really delicious, good touch of pepper and herbs running through nice meaty snogs.  Nothing was too much trouble and I would definitely recommend Broadlands as an excellent place to stay for a few days break.

The Restaurant

We spotted a newish looking fish restaurant near to Broadlands and had a nosey at the menu.  The restuarant was small but perfectly formed http://www.hookedwindermere.co.uk/ and the menu looked simple.  The hope is of course that the food lives up to the decor and the blurb!

The vino

Hooked has been in situ since November 2010 apparently and it’s ever so slightly off the beaten track…..one could be forgiven for missing Hooked as the location is just past Windermere centre heading towards the Lake. The owner was a cheerful bloke who one could immediately warm to and he set about recomending the wine of the month. Given that we were going to be eating seafood we opted for the recommendation which was a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.  The Cut was clean and crisp, all grapefruity with the ever-so-slight spritz on the tongue that I love.  You can buy The Cut from http://www.greatgrog.co.uk/wineonline/index.php and I would suggest if you like Sauvignon Blanc to give it a go (n.b. the mark up in the restaurant is typical, so don’t expect the same kind of price as the online store).

The starter

In the meantime the aromas coming from the other diners’ plates and the kitchen were mouthwatering, so expectations were running pretty high.  To begin with I had Tiger Prawns cooked in a lemony, parsley, buttery lovely light offering.  The prawns were cooked to perfection. The Mr had Cod Cheeks in a tomatoey, spicy thickish broth. Both dishes were really really good and did what a good starter should do….set you up nicely for the main course.

The main

Usually we’d choose different dishes so that we can do the swap and taste thing, but we really both wanted the same main…Grey Mullet with a fennel & roasted garlic risotto. OH MY WORD!! The risotto had that nice slight nutty bite with the flavours of the fennel and roast garlic subtly running throughthe dish but not overpowering it.  The grey mullet was beautifully crispy on the skin and the flesh was melt in the mouth perfect. Absolutely could not fault the main.

The afters

Following this, we opted for the cheese board to share, neither of us being particularly sweet toothed individuals. Three  (fairly) local cheeses  and an English Brie accompanied by some oatcakes, water biscuits and  a Spanish red.  Sadly I can’t remember the name of the red but it was a lovely soft, juicy but rounded effort which went very well with the cheese.

Our overall bill was less than £85 and I can assure you that this meal was worth every single penny of that. If you are going to the Lake District any time soon I’d recommend this place, but maybe leave it till your last evening there as you really will be spoilt for going to any other restaurant as I doubt anything will come close!

I could tell you about the pub dinner we had, or the other restaurant we visited, but realistically, as nice as they were they just didn’t come close to Hooked, so I feel I’d be doing them an injustice.

The PS

PS We made a 3 mile walk to (and from obv!)  http://www.blackwell.org.uk/ and whilst the Arts and Crafts house is very pretty, it really was not worth the £7.70 (including Gift Aid) that was being charged.  I am all for supporting  UK heritage enterprises,  but I’d have liked to see a few more examples of A & C furniture and sundries, and far less of the contemporary artists items.  In all honesty the house is a bit bereft of furnishings and it’s no Speke Hall although the scenery from the terrace is beautiful.

Links:

http://www.hookedwindermere.co.uk/

http://www.broadlandsbedandbreakfast.co.uk/

I’m signing off from the project now. It’s been an enlightening experience as I’ve learned a few things. Primarily that there’s never enough time to actively listen to music. Devoting time to sitting and listening is virtually unheard of for me. My life has music as a secondary influence. It’s background. I’ve not travelled this week but travelling is probably the main time I actively listen.

I love music and I feel it’s part of my make up, my soul but modern life is rubbish and not conducive to actively participating.

I’m not sure I’ll make changes to my listening habits just yet. Family, work, home, PhD, and other hobbies kind of interfere with it. That said it’s been fun. Thanks sickmouthy for giving me this opportunity to consider the influence of music in my life.

PS yank croony stuff now in pub.
PPS hate nextdoornobheads music.
PPPS loud is not always good.

day 01 – your favorite song

There was always going to be a Manics song in this. Me & the Manics go way back. First time I got to see them live though was 1997 and then saw them about 13 times subsequently.

I give you Archives of Pain filmed @ the last gig I ever went to at Liverpool Royal Court.  It was an absolutely amazing send off to one of the better venues I have been to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzVe-n9DhwQ

day 02 – your least favorite song

This was a toss-up between two.  I detest Brown Eyed Girl equally, but years ago when my friend’s band played this I used to have to leave the room. So the dubious honour of least favourite song goes to

Thin Lizzy- Whiskey in the Jar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TehFZ38kt6o

 
day 03 – a song that makes you happy

This never fails.  If your heart doesn’t sing then you are dead inside I tell you.

Elbow – One Day Like This

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0wDYWyYRQo

One of the best gigs I ever went to was Elbow at Delamere Forest. I can be put right back there when I hear this track. Love Guy Garvey’s voice so much.

 
day 04 – a song that makes you sad

Embrace – Dry Kids

I have a recollection of being at the front at a Manchester Apollo gig and just crying my eyes out. Fucking love Embrace I do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Wer8BWMQvc

day 05 – a song that reminds you of someone

My daughter and I spent many a happy time belting this out and dancing round the kitchen. Fyfe is funny as fuck in the video.

The Guillemots – Trains to Brazil

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjrOVc8hYqU

 
day 06 – a song that reminds you of somewhere

Paris trip…the channels on the TV in the hotel room were really limited and the music channel was the only watchable one.  The Ting Tings were pretty much on each time we turned the tellybox on plus the dancing on the video amuses me. You gotta love the BPM.

The Ting Tings – Great DJ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FH6wpO66J4k

day 07 – a song that reminds you of a certain event

Music is intrinsically linked with gig experiences. I’m struggling to separate the two. I can’t, so here I present Mew. It was a gig. Manchester academy, here was me in my late 30s with Colin, Mat, Rizwan and Luke all very young men. I can’t even remember if Mew played this track, but it was a good gig and afterwards all the boys were going to a bar…..while my parents came and picked me. I felt like a 12yr old.

Mew – Comforting Sounds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uniMcprmVhk

 
day 08 – a song that you know all the words to

Too many songs, but since I’ve already picked some Manics, Embrace and Elbow I am opting for a track that features Thom Yorke who is a member of my fourth favourite band.

Drugstore feat. Thom Yorke – El President

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7Qyz3VnrZI

day 09 – a song that you can dance to

The Killers – Mr Brightside

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGdGFtwCNBE

When I say dance, I of course mean wobble about to…..this is a great song to dance to when slightly inebriated and inhibitions are lower.

day 10 – a song that makes you fall asleep

Pretty.

Brian Eno – Music for Airports

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9kPIp4MtX0

day 11 – a song from your favorite band

Yowch…how can I choose one song by my favourite band when I have four?

Right.  This is fresh in my mind because it’s new and they played it on Comic Relief and it was stunning.

Elbow – Open Arms

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z093Q3r5zIQ

day 12 – a song from a band you hate

Sugababes – Freak Like Me

Sugababes aren’t really a band are they?  Sugababes is a concept.  I mean the line up changes more often than most people change their underwear. However the Numan aspect here wins out making for a class pop song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGSajAGg9h4

day 13 – a song that is a guilty pleasure

King – Love & Pride nearly made it as the “reminds me of somewhere” song.  While it really reminds me of the Ice Rink in Kensington when it actually existed and kids were allowed to have fun exercise that wasn’t competitive sport, it is also a very guilty pleasure as it’s so damn cheesetastic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlXtrnh-Ejo

day 14 – a song that no one would expect you to love

I wouldn’t call myself a Zep fan by any stretch of anyone’s imagination and I don’t think many of my friends would associate this song with me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73dvrir5kig

day 15 – a song that describes you

Echobelly – Great Things

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aplgV-0tlbQ

Never wanted many things,
except the chance to learn from my mistakes.
Funny how you never learn,
but know them when they come around again

day 16 – a song that you used to love but now hate
I’m struggling with this one.  I am going to revisit this maybe in comments when I think of one.

day 17 – a song that you hear often on the radio

I rarely listen to the radio but every time I get a taxi, if Talk Sport is not the journey soundtrack then I seem to hear ….

Katy Perry – Firework

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGJuMBdaqIw

day 18 – a song that you wish you heard on the radio

Embrace – Feels Like Glue

This was going to be a “song by your favourite band”, but as it is a B Side and I was struggling with this choice I swapped it about.

Sadly I don’t think there’s a good YouTube of this song as it’s a B side rarely performed live, but it’s up there as one of my favourite songs ever.  I saw Embrace play this live in Bristol Colston Hall I do believe it was.  Me and Debs were at the front as per usual, we got lost on the way back to Debbie’s….or rather the smartnav couldn’t find us near the biggest landmark in Bristol……

(what I was going to say about it for fave band was this…. I’ve four favourite bands. The reason I’ve chosen Embrace as my favourite in this instance is that this band have given me so many brilliant friends along with some amazing gigs in the mix too.)

day 19 – a song from your favorite album

Manic Street Preachers – Faster from The Holy Bible

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z75uaReMIQ

day 20 – a song that you listen to when you’re angry

I used to listen to the whole of The Holy Bible –Manic Street Preachers and I’d spend some time getting more & more worked up, and then somehow work out being angry with more anger.  Or something.  These days I am much more likely to put on something to put a stop to me being angry, as being angry isn’t a nice feeling.  It causes knots in the stomach and tension headaches…..so instead we will go with something that will make me move about and get some endorphins going in a good way.

Hadouken – Turn The Lights Out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRhuaTFNBUQ

day 21 – a song that you listen to when you’re happy

Polyphonic Spree – Light and Day

I’mnot  actually sure I need to say anything about this but I am going to. The second time I saw the Spree was in Liverpool Academy and I was alone, no other bugger wanted to go with me so I rocked up on my tod and was on the barrier. It was the single most energetic performance I have ever seen and I was elated to the nth degree for about ten days after.  I believe that the Spree is better than Prozac and having experienced both I can be confident in my opinion  Check them out doing Nirvana’s Lithium also.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAcjW2O9F88

day 22 – a song that you listen to when you’re sad

Lately this has been my stop-me-being-sad-song

The Phenomenal Handclap Band – You’ll disappear

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU09pf2Re3s

day 23 – a song that you want to play at your wedding

Jeez, not a clue.  I’m 40 and a bit, can’t see marriage being in my future, and it certainly hasn’t been in my past.

I think I’d be perverse and choose something like …

The Buzzcocks – Ever Fallen in Love (with someone you shouldn’t have)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bif2q_Zo3-4

day 24 – a song that you want to play at your funeral

There’s an instrumental remix of the Stealth Sonic Orchestra doing A Design For Life.  Everything about it is right.  It has to be LOUD as well.  Libraries gave us power.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znhXDksnrjU

day 25 – a song that makes you laugh

You dress yourself up to the top of your knickers…. it’s not a funny song but I enjoy Kathryn Williams phrasing throughout the track.

Kathryn Williams – No-one takes you home

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGtlSvcpHv8

day 26 – a song that you can play on an instrument

This one is easy.  I can’t play any instruments.  At a push I can do the chorus of this on the recorder.  My repertoire consists of two songs…this and London’s Burning.  I’m really talented.

Tight Fit – The Lion Sleeps Tonight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cD9cBEaNBc

day 27 – a song that you wish you could play

Being able to play music doesn’t occur to me, I like listening to, hearing and singing along terribly to music, but am not inclined to want to play it.  So I am going to choose a song I love to sing LOUD and wish I had some kind of singing ability so as I didn’t sound like a cat being murdered.

McAlmont and Butler – Yes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJSaRw1vjxM

day 28 – a song that makes you feel guilty

I can’t think of anything. I’d be sad if I associated a song with guilt.

day 29 – a song from your childhood

You know you are not obliged to click these links don’t you? 1976.

Brotherhood of Man – Save All Your Kisses For Me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Szavq0lrFtg

 
day 30 – your favorite song at this time last year

I think it was around a year ago that Shazpot linked to this on Facebook and I really liked it a lot.  I bought some of their stuff off iTunes.  Quirky, and amusing.

Pomplamoose – If You Think You Need Some Lovin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9KMgg7T_sg

http://twitter.com/#!/bewildergirl

Day 3 brought me a kind of default playlist.  Like most people I have several iPod playlists some are very lazy….merely all songs by a particular band, others are bits of music to try out, and others are a bit more thought about.  The default playlist in this instance is a mixture of “things to try” and the odd old fave. It’s called Whatever Trevor and in terms of trying I’d say this playlist is now tried and tested.  Here we go.

Edith – The Hot Melts

Turn The Lights Out – Hadouken

Yes! -  Colourmusic

Dangling Threads – Howard Elliot Payne

Them That Do Nothing  – Field Music

Cheerleader – Grizzly Bear

Moneybox – Eliza Doolittle

Some Misunderstanding – Soulsavers

Since I left You – Avalanches

Go Jetsettter – The Postmarks

Alterstate – Delphic

The Consequence – You Me At Six

This Charming Man – The Smiths

I Know What I am – Band of Skulls

Ambling ALp – Yeasayer

Beautiful Amnesia – Visqueen

Dominos – The Big Pink

Hand in Glove – The Smiths

I Don’t Know – Pomplamousse

Other Too Endless – Polly Scattergood

Walking on a Dream – Empire of The Sun

Barcelona – Plasticines

Boat Song – The Miserable Rich

Maybe – Ingrid Michaelson

You’ll Disappear – The Phenomenal Handclap Band

March of the Dawn – The Mummers

Nightcall – Kavinsky

In Sleep – Lissie

Rising Tide – Chew Lips

In terms of how I listened to music this day, the above was blasting out whilst I was cleaning the kitchen.  On the crappy iPod dock that needs replacing pretty damn soon. I wanted fairly upbeat music as it motivates me to move and kitchen cleaning is not my favourite activity by any stretch of the imagination so it kick started me to get on with the task.

Day 4 to follow…………

I shall be travelling the loony bus again as per…..so will need a musical antidote.  I’m gonna be listening to some Martin Grech. I think I am in a Martin Grech kind of frame of mind.  Which might equate to being mentally disturbed but hey ho.

1. Delphic – Acolyte (album) (in work colleague being forced to listen unless he puts his headphones on I guess)

I long resisted Delphic for a stupid reason (something to do with bandwagon jumpers but we’ll not go into that right now). Then This Momentary was a free iTunes single so I downloaded it and loved it.  Bought the album off the back and actually play it quite a lot. Now I am frustrated cause my iPhone is syncing and updating the firmware so it’s cut out in the middle of Red Lights.

2. Build a Rocket Boys! – Elbow

I gave Delphic up as a bad job due to technical hitches and am now Neat Little Rowing with Elbow.  I love this album. I’m also still frustrated as I have a monitor that won’t play nicely with a PC. I’m going to eat my kedgeree and drink my water and resolve to nopt be so frustrated when I return to the misbehaving monitor after lunch.  Jesus is a Rochdale Girl is too quiet with the windows open (you would not believe the stench on our corridor) and blaring sirens passing by outside.

3. Dog Days are Over – Florence and the Machine

4. Veckatimest – Grizzly Bear

Can’t remember how I came about Grizzly Bear but it was probably Sickmouthy’s fault in some way or other leading me to another free iTunes download. Probably. I’ve only got this album, are there more?  Two Week is lovely sounding.  Got bored about 5 tracks in and switched to…

5. She Said – Plan B

6. Some Misunderstanding – Soulsavers

7. Come on Feel The Illinoise  – Sufjan Stevens

Bit of Sufjan before I tackle the wayward  computer equipment.

I don;t have much music on the HDD at work so I tend to rely on my iPod and iPhone.  Today I was charging my iPhone and I have a playlist on it called “travelling the loony bus”, the loony bus is the Stagecoach no20. It can be an hilarious journey or torturous depending upon which particular loony is sharing the no 20 existence with me, so the playlist is a life saver insofar as it really does help save my sanity. This is actually pretty irrelevant given that I was listening in work……but the key thing is that the music on this playlist errs towards upbeat and loud, mostly just so as I can’t hear the loonies on the bus.

I actually only managed 3 tracks as I was so stressed about the cat that I just wanted to go home. I wouldn’t even say I listened to the music, I just heard it.  It was just there and then it was gone. Kinda white noise-y in a way.

1. Positive Tension – Bloc Party

2. Rebellion (Lies) – The Arcade Fire

3.  Wake Up – The Arcade Fire

I might just listen to Build a Rocket Boys! – Elbow after I’ve seen Waking the Dead on virginmedia catch up. But then again I might not.

Tomorrow is a new day.

I’m pretty crap about this kinda shit really to be honest with you.  I am lazy and forgetful but I’m giving this one a shot. I think Cath might fancy this one.  Must tweet!

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large red onion chopped
• 2 sticks celery chopped
• 2 small carrots chopped
• 500g pork fillet sliced
• 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
• good slug of strong flavoured olive oil
• tbsp ground cinnamon
• tbsp hot smoked paprika
• good pinch of saffron
• juice of 1 lemon
• good pinch sea salt
• 1 chicken Oxo cube
• Water

Optionals

• Black olives sliced
• Courgette chopped
• Chick Peas, tinned, drained

Method

1. Marinate the pork in the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, cinnamon, parika, saffron, and salt, for around 40mins.
2. Heat the other oil in a frying pan and add the onion, celery and carrot and cook for approx 10 mins.
3. Add to the pan the marinated pork and brown lightly.
4. When browned add the chicken oxo cube and cover the meat completely with water.
5. Simmer till meat is tender.
6. If you are adding any of the optionals put them in about 15 mins before serving to ensure heated right through.

Now the hot smoked parika really does provide some heat so you can use sweet smoke paprika if you don’t like a bit of spice in your life. Marinating the meat ensures that it’s both tender and full of flavour so it’s well worth taking the extra time to do this step. Serve with couscous that is flavoured with olive oil, fresh tomato, lemon juice, a touch of salt, and lots of parsley and mint for freshness.

Tesco *spits* came to the rescue in the form of some chicken, the rest was hoiked out of the fridge to make a concotion. It went a bit like this….

* Chicken
* Onion
* Garlic
* Lemon Juice
* Olive Oil
* Tarragon
* Mushrooms
* White Wine
* Creme Fraiche
* Ground Black Pepper
* Frozen Peas
* Pasta

1. In hot frying pan cook the sliced chicken till nicely browned and set aside.
2. Chuck in some onion and garlic and saute gently for 3 mins, add the sliced mushrooms
3. Pour in about a 1/3rd of a bottle of white wine and cook gently for 5mins
4. While that is cooking down whizz up some tarragon, ground black pepper, juice of a lemon and some olive oil
5. Add the cooked chicken back to the pan along with creme fraiche and frozen peas
6. When that is thoroughly warmed through add in the tarragon mixture and heat through
7. Serve with pasta

I suppose this is a pretty easy recipe, but then aren’t most of the best ones simple?

* Pork Fillet
* 10 dried apricots
* fresh basil or sage
* 1 clove of garlic mushed
* freshly ground black pepper
* sea salt
* butter
* 1 chilli (optional)
* olive oil
* parma ham

* 2 fresh or 1/2 tin of tinned peaches chopped
* white wine
* 3 whole garlic cloves
* more fresh basil or sage

Directions

1. Cut off all the sinewy bits from the pork fillet, and I tend to cut off as much of the fat as possible too, but that is just cause I am fussy.
2. Slice the fillet down the middle but carefully so as not to slice it all the way through, then when you open up the fillet, slice it again each side to make it quite thin,
but not flattened.
3. In a blender whizz up the butter with the single garlic clove, the dried apricots, the salt and pepper, and the sage or basil and then smear this inside the pork fillet, leaving a border free to allow it to be wrapped and so the butter won’t leak out instantly. You may need a teeny bit of olive oil here to loosen the buttery mix a bit. You want it at the consistency of room temperature butter but this can be difficult to mix, and if it gets too loose then put it in the fridge for a short while to firm up slightly.
4. On a board lay out the parma ham so that it overlaps itself and will be adequate to wrap all aound the pork fillet to secure it, then wrap the fillet.
5. Brown the fillet all around in an oven proof hot pan with olive oil. This should take no more than about 4 minutes.
6. To the pan add about a 1/3rd of a bottle of good white wine and the tinned or fresh peaches and oven bake at 180deg till the pork is cooked….typically about 25 mins.
7. Remove the fillet from the pan and to make a lovelt sauce, reduce the liquid by about a quarter and add the remaining fresh herbs….season to taste.

Great served with chunky roast potatoes and salad or asparagus.

Ideas on the back or a recipe card please.

I’m fairly sure I am not the only person with a library of recipe books that are likely to cover all possible food eventualities. I remember visiting a friend in London and being fascinated by her cookery book collection. Looking at the commonalities and the differences between us foodwise. I also remember thinking “I really MUST buy that one….”.

I probably have around 50+ recipe books yet tend to rely on a few staples. This reliance stems from perhaps cooking one or two dishes and enjoying them, thus having a sense of trust in the recipes or seeing a chef on the telebox and liking, then buying, then trying…….and liking. I also really like being able to adapt recipes easily. Some books or styles of cooking I feel don’t really allow for adaptations, or ingredient compromise.

I’ve got a list of my favourite recipes books and I’d be interested to read about your favourites too. Not just the book/chef, but the best recipes and why they are so good.

I’ll go first and in no particular order..

Jamie’s Italy What I like about this book is arguably tangled up in the photography. As much as I like the photography, I love the recipes more and I cook things like the pizzas, and the slow roasted pork often. Jamie does my nut in at times but I think this Italy book is his absolute best and probably least “lifestyle” and pretentious of all his books and I own a few.

Food With Friends: Over 200 easy-to-follow recipes for stress-free entertaining What I love about this book is that Rhodes groups his recipes into meals, does a shopping list and has meal types for all occasions. I have three favourites from this book, the spinach and goats cheese tart, the Moroccan chicken with fatoush and the choc-cherry brownies. The key trick that sells this book is really how the reader is guided as to how far ahead one can prepare the constituent parts of the recipes in the meal block.

Ching’s Chinese Food in Minutes Ching’s book is a very recent addition to my extensive collection and it’s rapidly becoming an essential. The recipes are easy to follow, simple, and taste (to my palate) how good Chinese food should taste. Simple, fresh, sweet/salty, with clear identifiable flavours and not just a mush. I’ve blogged a recipe from this already, with my own tweaks, but I can definitely recommend this book as great for anyone with a penchant for Chinese.

This next tome is an excellent basic cookery book for anyone who thinks that they cannot cook. Keeping it Simple by Gary Rhodes, and the first recipe anyone should cook is the Ragu. It may even be the only recipe (it’s not), but it’s the best Ragu in the world. Who knew milk was the key?

I was utterly seduced by the telebox programme of Rick Stein’s Far Eastern Odyssey as I enjoy Stein’s relaxed, almost catatonic delivery. These recipes are those that I feel don’t like adaptations. Maybe it’s a confidence thing? I can’t really answer that, but so far I have mostly followed the oft complex recipes to the letter and produced amazing food as a result. I am loath to alter something so damn good.

My last offering here is by a guy who runs Rasa Restaurants called Das Sreedhran who has, via this book given me a confidence with Indian food that I previously never had. I always found Indian food so difficult to get right. The spices tasted too dry or gritty, too much or not enough heat, not enough salt or liquid or too much of either. I’ve got more than a few Indian cookbooks but this is the one that made it click for me, and as a result the confidence now helps me out when using the other Indian books I have. I give to you Easy Indian. You absolutely have to buy this to make the garlic and chilli pickle, the kiwi pickle, the salmon curry, the Bengali chicken………the lamb with spinach, the samosas, the dahls………….oh lord am getting hungry.

Next on my list has to be a Nigel Slater book. I’m frequently enamoured by his Simple Suppers and a Slater book was the MUST buy aforementioned, only I’ve forgotten which one. Tell me which Slater book to buy…………..

Your turn.

• 600g strong white bread flour
• 1/2 tablespoon fine sea salt
• 7g sachet of dried yeast
• 1/2 tablespoon golden caster sugar
• 325ml lukewarm water

Method

Lop the flour and salt on to a clean work surface & make a well in the middle.

In a jug, mix the yeast &sugar into the water and leave for a few minutes, then pour into the well. Using a fork, bring the flour in gradually from the sides and swirl it into the liquid. Keep mixing, drawing larger amounts of flour in, and when it all starts to come together, work the rest of the flour in with your clean, flour-dusted hands. Knead until you have a smooth, springy dough. If you kind of push the dough with one hand and pull with the other it will start to feel silky to the touch. This is when it’s done.

Place the ball of dough in a large flour-dusted bowl and flour the top of it. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and place in a warm room for about an hour until the dough has doubled in size.

Wrap in clingfilm, in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.  Divide the dough up into as many little balls as you want to make pizzas and stretch and roll out.

Topping

for the tomato sauce

• olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
• a bunch of fresh basil, chopped
• 2 x 400g tins of  plum tomatoes
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil gently, add the garlic to the pan, and when that’s starting to colour lightly add the tomatoes and the basil. Allow it to cook down slowly and season to taste when the sauce has thickened. Don’t try to do this fast, you’ll just knacker the tomatoes, cook it really slowly and give it a mash now and again.

I made 5 small to medium pizzas from these quantities and topped them with

Pepperoni and yellow pepper and mozzarella

Smoked bacon and mushroom and  mozzarella

Parma ham and artichokes and mozzarella

Spinach, feta and egg

Cook in a hot oven till the cheese is lightly golden.

Don’t overload the pizza as the base will just get soggy, 4 or 5 slices of mozzarella is plenty, and if you can bake the pizza directly on to the oven shelf.  This can be a bit tricky as the pizza is obviously a bit flimsy once rolled out and topped so you can do it on a piece of tin foil then half way through the cooking shift it off the foil and onto the oven rack.