Since we don’t live by politics alone (I sincerely hope), what did people get up to this weekend? Join in, share some tales, regulars and lurkers all!
[Belated publication - apologies!]
Life, Culture and Politics from BrisVegas
Larvatus Prodeo was an Australian group blog which discussed politics, sociology, culture, life, religion and science from a left of centre perspective. more»
I went to a terrific birthday party on Saturday night, spent Sunday working hard at digesting all the wonderful food that the birthdayee’s mum had cooked for us there, and went for a couple of walks in the welcome sunshine. Also kept an eye on work. Was a good weekend.
Went to see my daughter performing in the Australian Girls Choir, and it was a good night without too much showbiz and some very nice choices of tunes. She was great, of course.
saturday – wrote 3 paras of my book. A very productive day.
Sunday, went out to friends’ place in the country for a roast chicken dinner. This has got a back story to it. Last pension day for the first time I had Homecare do my sahopping for me as its getting a bit beyond me now. It w3as, with the persaon they sent me, a complete bloody disaster. One of the items I ordered was a $10 chook, fresh to cook in my stockpot. Instead among the many items the person got wrong )he only brought me about six things I ordered, the rest were unordered, the wrong size, the wrong brand or just not bought at all – Anyway I got this huge $15 chook that one would probably only cook for Xmas or a similar event. I couldn’t fit it into the microwave to defrost, it was too large for my stockpot, I ain’t good at cooking roast dinners (I either overcook or undercook them but I never get them right) so I gave it to these very good friends of mine who are going to look after me when I have to have my cataract operation. And they invited me out to their country property for this scrumptious feast. The chook fed eight people. Got home in time to watch Who do You Think You Are? and George Fently.
My husband’s work had a weekend get-together to celebrate finishing a project. When you get to visit a hobby farm (owned by one of the workmates) where there are 20 alpacas, plus chooks, a goat, dogs etc, and have a barbecue in the gazebo on the island in their dam on a beautiful sunny day, life is pretty good.
And my MIL is also improving, though still in HDU.
Made 2 soups to eat with mates after watching Freo get flogged at the MCG.
Porcini and ham with cream, followed by salt cod and celery with saffron.
I think they were the best two soups I’ve ever made.
FDB did you whiz the salt cod and celery soup or leave it lumpy? sounds delish.
I hedged on that one Helen.
Method:
Sweat onions, garlic, saffron celery, carrot, potato until soft but not browned.
Rescue a few well-formed examples of carrot and potato just a little before they’re done, then chuck in the chicken stock you’ve had simmering, boil for a bit then process. Leave in fridge, go watch Freo get flogged silly. Come home, chuck the soup on a low simmer, and add the (overnight-soaked) fillets of cod along with the par-cooked vegetables. Once the fish is cooked, flake it apart, and top with some of the light green leaves from inside the celery, chopped.
The mushroom was pretty basic, but as I had an awesome ham stock in the freezer and a packet of dried porcinis it was like shooting fish in a barrel.
Hmmm, will definitely try the salt cod soup. When my husband was fresh off the boat from NZ and an enthusiastic young lad wanting to try everything new, he bought some salt cod from Iberica in Johnson st and made a hotpot out of it. Unfortunately he didn’t know you were supposed to soak the salt out of it. Even more beer was drunk that night than usual.
IGA in Brunswick has just recently pulled its finger out big-time. The baccala I used was $16/kg there, and Viking brand dried chopped porcinis were $5 for 50g. That’s equivalent to half a kilo fresh.
Do yourself a favour etc etc…
“Compulsory Book-Off” from work, where we’re understaffed to the tune of 20 people.
Learnt that I’m heading to Townsville on Wednesday for a job interview.
More luvly soups – Ain’t winter grand.
WInter would be so much grander, Fascinated, if it weren’t so [adj.] cold!
Gude Wantok, Yungaburra maket on Sarere. Mi laikim tupela kap kofi with fellow LPer.