Currently enjoying beef stew and dumpling with mulled wine at The Hawk Conservancy where I was treated earlier to a Great Grey Owl sitting by my side at a flying display in the woods. Today has dried up after a wet start and I didn't expect the owls to be flying in the rain (they aren't waterproof) but the audience of 9 had a fabulous display. This afternoon the African birds will be showing how well they've adapted - I'm particularly looking forward to the vultures, my favourite.
I think I would do online flour buying if I could control when it arrives: the disadvantage of working full time and commuting is I'm hardly ever in to receive post.
I've ordered some Christmas presents for my family from a friend in Northern Ireland, and unfortunately it's due to arrive today, so I hope the delivery bloke can find the bin-store beside the flat to leave it in (and that nobody else helps themselves to it!
I understand that spelt and other more ancient grains contain much less gluten than modern varieties. So some people who are gluten intolerant can eat older varieties of grain - I have a friend like this.
It does help explain why so many people seem to be gluten intolerant these days.
I understand that spelt and other more ancient grains contain much less gluten than modern varieties. So some people who are gluten intolerant can eat older varieties of grain - I have a friend like this.
It does help explain why so many people seem to be gluten intolerant these days.
Exactly so. It's been trial and error to find what Mr Nen can tolerate and what he can't.
I understand that spelt and other more ancient grains contain much less gluten than modern varieties. So some people who are gluten intolerant can eat older varieties of grain - I have a friend like this.
It does help explain why so many people seem to be gluten intolerant these days.
Exactly so. It's been trial and error to find what Mr Nen can tolerate and what he can't.
Many bought breads have preservatives which give me tummy trouble. I used to think I was gluten intolerant until I started making all my own bread. No more tummy trouble.
Also, a lot of bought breads are risen only once - not at all good for the digestion.
My friend has tummy trouble from my machine bread, hard flour, yeast, salt, sugar, butter, dried milk, and with three very long risings, overriding the machine processing, but not from floppy white sliced. Grr
My sister who has developed wheat intolerance cannot process spelt, or probably emmer - she had apparently had a string of us suggesting ancient grains before it got to me, and she was not happy about it!
Many bought breads have preservatives which give me tummy trouble. I used to think I was gluten intolerant until I started making all my own bread. No more tummy trouble.
Also, a lot of bought breads are risen only once - not at all good for the digestion.
Absolutely right about the preservatives, and the same goes for "anti-caking" agents in baked goods.
The one-rise Chorleywood Process is an abomination.
Bombay potatoes with baked salmon and boiled egg for tea.
My husband is now having his online work do, a cocktail party with games. I had cocktails sent for me too, the raspberry daiquiri was great but the negroni was so bitter I have replaced it with a gin and tonic. We were sent two cocktails each and I’m hoping he’ll make me an espresso martini at some point.
My work do is just going to be a get-together over lunch (bring your own - sharing food is Not On) on Tuesday. It suits me rather well, as I'm taking Wednesday and Thursday off, so it'll be a nice way of rounding off before Christmas - and a chance to chat and get to know my new colleagues.
Memo to self: get a Secret Santa present.
I really must Do Things this weekend (apart from the obvious, like laundry and housework) - get the Christmas cards written, addressed and posted, see if I can find someone to cut my hair (the place I went to along the road doesn't have any slots until after the New Year, which is un fat lot de bon), and possibly get festive nails (there's a nail place actually in the same building as the château).
Our team Christmas dinner was cancelled months ago as we need the time for screening clinics. I'm not even sure if the ladies who do it were even all in the same place today, and I don't think they will be next week.
I need to do the cards too, and tidy up and move things around to fit the tree in.
We managed to survive a week of remote lessons okay. Dragonlet 1 took advantage of non uniform to wear his Christmas jumper 3 days running! Dragonlet 2 wore hers on Wednesday for the Christmas lunch, and today, but yesterday was party clothes. Her jumper has actually been waiting a couple of years for her to be the right size: saw it in the sale and couldn't resist. Thankfully she likes it too.
Their video Nativity has been released. You can tell it's a Catholic school. She is quite noticeable for her enthusiastic singing of Twinkle twinkle, whilst he is a slightly blink and you'll miss him photo of three kings.
Sound a good way to end your first few weeks in your job @piglet. Days off seem so more precious when you're working. I never got beyond being the crowd in Nativity plays @Pendragon and neither did our son. He was a policeman(?) in his nursery school one, and a visitor to Bethlehem in his primary school.
We've won a box of veg in a charity raffle being organised by one of our local market stalls. Husband phoned last night to order what we wanted. It's a brilliant prize as I'd already made a list of what I wanted to buy from the stall anyway for our Christmas meal. As vegetarians we're so glad we didn't win a turkey!
I want Christmas nails like Piglet. I might do my own next week.
Husband is somewhat worse for wear this morning (neighbour’s son appears to be playing basketball against the wall in our alleyway, I hope it isn’t disturbing him!). I had an early night and am about to go for my morning walk before settling in to some marking.
This afternoon is church Zoomtivity. We have a goody bag, it contains:
Halo headband
Gold crown
Tea towel
Cow mask
Gold, frankincense and myrrh
A tiny torch! For the halo?
A sweatband! Presumably for the tea towel
A present
This evening I have a Christmas party with the people who I pulled together at the beginning of Lockdown 1 for weekly Zoom coffee mornings and dinner parties (although we’ve usually eaten by the time we get together so we’re at the “coffee and after dinner mints” stage). All but one live on their own, and for some it has been a chance to speak (that’s what my cats have been useful for!) which helps keep the voice working. Only 2 knew someone other than me, so it was lovely when we got together when that was possible, and since then we’ve met up regularly, even having a camping weekend.
So tonight it’s Christmas jumpers and hats, party games, poetry and stories. And mulled wine.
It took me a few minutes to work out what you all meant by Christmas nails. I was picturing you hanging your Christmas lights on the walls with nails with Santas and Christmas trees decorating the heads and getting squashed when you hammered them in. You can tell how often I get my nails done.
In other news, Mr Nen and I have just been on a hot date: we've had our flu jabs followed by a takeaway coffee and a walk home in the sunshine.
We've just been for a long walk which was lovely despite the occasional rain shower. It was made even more lovely by a stop in a train station for excellent coffee and cake and the use of their loo. We sat with our coffees admiring a bed of red hot pokers that are still flowering.
If happiness is a full fridge/wine rack, the Firenze household should be ecstatic. I think that's us victualled until 2021. Except for the black pudding. For some reason Waitrose had none. (To go with the scallops and bacon and champagne of course).
Ooh, scallops, bacon and black pudding with champagne sounds very good.
Today's marking is done. Just putting my feet up with a cup of tea prior to Zoomtivity.
Isn't the whole point of Brexit that we're all expected to live on "British" fare like black pudding (and that come January, we may not have much choice)? Don't get me wrong - a good black pudding is a Very Good Thing (and I bet done à la Firenze it's delicious), but you get my drift.
My Christmas cards are written, enveloped and posted and an Expotition has been made to Aldi and Sainsbury's. It probably would have been just Aldi, but when I got off the bus, I couldn't see where the returning bus stop on the other side of the road was, and thought I'd have to walk to the one at Sainsbury's anyway, so I didn't buy the heavy things (like WINE) until I got there. As it turned out, there is a stop across from Aldi, but I didn't see it until I was coming out, so I ploughed on (and got a couple of £6.25 bottles of NZ Sauv Blanc, which is always a Good Thing).
I also dropped in to the butcher's and got a lamb shank for tomorrow's supper, and it's rather huge, so it'll probably feed me on Monday as well.
Time to set some bread going now, I think.
eta: I did try and get an appointment at a couple of hair and nail establishments, but unsurprisingly they were booked up until after Christmas, so my hair will have to wait, and I'll have to do my own nails.
eta: I did try and get an appointment at a couple of hair and nail establishments, but unsurprisingly they were booked up until after Christmas, so my hair will have to wait, and I'll have to do my own nails.
I did manage to book a haircut for next week. Which is probably a good thing since the last time it was cut was early Feb, and I very strongly suspect that this is going to be a window of opportunity as I fully expect that life will become more restricted again early in the New Year.
Isn't the whole point of Brexit that we're all expected to live on "British" fare like black pudding (and that come January, we may not have much choice)? Don't get me wrong - a good black pudding is a Very Good Thing (and I bet done à la Firenze it's delicious), but you get my drift.
O quite - but my point was that the Waitrose Black Pudding was probably being imported from Some Forrin Place, and was therefore rotting in a lorry in a queue near Calais...
... the last time it was cut was early Feb, and I very strongly suspect that this is going to be a window of opportunity as I fully expect that life will become more restricted again early in the New Year.
Crikey! Mine's been cut three times since then, but it's in quite a short style, and doesn't "last" well, IYSWIM. Maybe I should make a booking for after Christmas, just in case, although it seems to be rather missing the point!
I'm happy enough to do my own nails, although they won't look nearly as good as professional ones, or last as well as gel nails would.
... the last time it was cut was early Feb, and I very strongly suspect that this is going to be a window of opportunity as I fully expect that life will become more restricted again early in the New Year.
Crikey! Mine's been cut three times since then, but it's in quite a short style, and doesn't "last" well, IYSWIM. Maybe I should make a booking for after Christmas, just in case, although it seems to be rather missing the point!
I'm happy enough to do my own nails, although they won't look nearly as good as professional ones, or last as well as gel nails would.
Mine is such that my ponytail just gets longer, so it can last pretty well. However, looks like I was right when I said it would be a window... Back into Tier 4 as of Boxing Day. Good thing I was planning on being home alone for Christmas.
The freezer at rouge heights is also full to bursting. We ordered a PHEASANT on the internet and yesterday a delivery man came round with it. Then later, a second delivery man came round with another one. We've only been charged once. So now there are two pheasants in our freezer.
This morning Captain Pyjamas and I also went on an expotition and went on the bus to Marks and Sparks. We are now equipped with SAUSAGES and STILTON.
[...] I also dropped in to the butcher's and got a lamb shank for tomorrow's supper, and it's rather huge, so it'll probably feed me on Monday as well.
The lamb shank redemption!
(Although, I believe, I have punned as much before, if my memory serves right. It is still quite good though, for the film fan in the know - if I say so myself! )
Inspired by a Facebook friend who mentioned that she had made SOUP and as I was in the process of making bread, I made bacon, lentil and tomato SOUP to have with it. Both are now ready, the bread being still warm, so it's supper time chez Piglet.
I might even accompany it with a piece of CHEESE.
La Vie, if you need any help with eating the pheasants ...
A trip to Hereford ensured we have plenty of cheese. Our favourite cheese shop has some Christmas cake cheddar which is actually very nice - quite a strong cheddar with currants and apricots. Darllenwr likes really strong cheddar (“unchain cheese number 6”) but he likes this as well. It’s from the same makers as the fig and honey cheese we love.
A trip to Hereford ensured we have plenty of cheese. Our favourite cheese shop has some Christmas cake cheddar which is actually very nice - quite a strong cheddar with currants and apricots. Darllenwr likes really strong cheddar (“unchain cheese number 6”) but he likes this as well. It’s from the same makers as the fig and honey cheese we love.
Oh, I love the Hereford cheese shop! I haven't been there in five years, but would love to go back.
I had extremely lazy, gluttonous but very tasty dinner. So lazy, in fact, that I re-used yesterday's burger pan without washing it. Added butter, diced chicken, curry powder, garlic powder, red onion and a home grown bell pepper (our window sill is still home to a dogged pepper plant), cooked for a bit then stirred in a packet of pilau rice. It was amazingly good for something I completely half-arsed.
Our Stilton supply will be delivered from Melton on Tuesday (the Dragon in laws are going and will drop some off on their way home). The veg box and turkey leg are being delivered tomorrow, whilst I now need to do an emergency present shopping run at the local Asian supermarket so I can post to my parents with an outside chance of it reaching them in time. The book for Mum has been ordered to be sent to Dad.
... an outside chance of it reaching them in time ...
I shouldn't hold your breath - the nice lady in the post office this afternoon cautioned that there was little chance of any of my cards reaching their recipients this side of Christmas - even the ones in Edinburgh.
The ones in Canada? I expect they'll be getting Easter cards with Wise Men on them ...
Are you sure your in-laws will still be able to make their trip? It looks to me as though travel for anything except work is pretty much verboten.
I hope you have the traditional pleasant time a-plucking of your pheasants, as pleasant pheasant-pluckers are supposed to have...
Don't forget to employ the services of the pheasant-plucker's son.
My freezer is not quite full to bursting but, as we went alcohol shopping yesterday thinking there would be six of us here for a couple of days over Christmas, Mr Nen has a lot of BEER to drink.
Today a friend mentioned in an email that she had just had her hair cut, which prompted me to ring for an appointment to get mine done, as it is just at the annoying stage. I didn't expect to get one until January, but they can fit me in at 9am Tuesday morning
This will be just half an hour after my 'slot' for the supermarket delivery of all my Christmas veg & other fresh foods. Going to be a busy morning!
Referring back to the mention of Soup, above: I watched one of Nigella's programmes on the TV yesterday in which she made a very simple Spiced Parsnip & Spinach Soup. Being short of something for lunch today I thought I'd see how that worked, but using chard instead of spinach as I had a bunch of chard in the fridge, washed and ready for use.
Nigella's soup was a lovely bright green from the spinach, but my chard was a dark red stemmed variety. Once whizzed in the processor the deep red stems and the dark green leaves produced a rather dark brownish soup. Not so delightful to the eye - but tasty and warming, nevertheless.
I could not possibly compete with soup making and other domestic god(desse)s' tasks, but I can say that the Harris Tweed tie from Edinburgh Wollen Mill, who are now accepting orders from overseas again, arrived today! We'll see how that goes, and what shirt with!
Also, as I'm feeling festively (feistily?) adventurous, I've purchased a pair of Harris Tweed gents' gloves from Harris Tweed and Knitwear, Drinishader, Isle of Harris, which will take a while to get over here. I'm not in any hurry though. Interestingly, they've got some nice products on their website, and not at all that expensive, which might make pleasant gifts; I shall have to consider this!
I thought the EWM had gone into administration - their shop in Princes Street, which I pass every evening on the bus, looks decidedly closed.
Wesley, you could easily compete in the soup-making stakes - soup is the easiest thing in the world to make, and very therapeutic.
I was well pleased with my effort, and ate far too much bread with it ...
If happiness is a full fridge/wine rack, the Firenze household should be ecstatic. I think that's us victualled until 2021. Except for the black pudding. For some reason Waitrose had none. (To go with the scallops and bacon and champagne of course).
We didn't have the scallops and bacon and champagne, but we did gave the black pudding, fresh from Morrison's meat counter, with apple sauce and chamomile tea.
... an outside chance of it areaching them in time ...
I shouldn't hold your breath - the nice lady in the post office this afternoon cautioned that there was little chance of any of my cards reaching their recipients this side of Christmas - even the ones in Edinburgh.
The ones in Canada? I expect they'll be getting Easter cards with Wise Men on them ...
Are you sure your in-laws will still be able to make their trip? It looks to me as though travel for anything except work is pretty much verboten.
Melton is sufficiently close it's in the name of one of the main roads out of the city and in the same tier.
The in-laws are about 15 minutes drive away and also form the other half of our childcare bubble, so that's not going to be a problem. I imagine that a lot of people will be rushing to put presents in the post on Monday now on the grounds that one ought to make the effort.
I thought the EWM had gone into administration - their shop in Princes Street, which I pass every evening on the bus, looks decidedly closed.
Wesley, you could easily compete in the soup-making stakes - soup is the easiest thing in the world to make, and very therapeutic.
I was well pleased with my effort, and ate far too much bread with it ...
Ah! EWM are indeed in administration, but their website still works, and you can now order from abroad again, after a break of a few weeks when they only accepted online orders from the UK.
Thank you for soup encouragment! I may give it a try and be ladle-y, not lazy!
Go for it! The one I did was dead easy - I even cheated and used a veggie stock cube (my freezer isn't big enough to accommodate tubs of frozen stock).
I'm afraid the housework I didn't do yesterday is beckoning for today, but as it's such a small place it shouldn't take too long.
In administration, companies keep functioning, but with a company trying to sell the business as a "going concern", in place of its original owners and managers. In liquidation, the company stops functioning (more or less) and is purely being wound down. This is when they stop issuing or accepting gift vouchers, for example.
I make soup in a 70 year old pressure cooker that was my Mum’s ...
I have an irrational fear of pressure cookers; I have a feeling that Mum had an exploding one once, which rather put me off.
Someone gave us one as
a wedding present; it languished in its box for about 20 years until we put it in a silent auction at the Cathedral in St. John's, where it was bought by a friend of ours. She said all it needed was a new rubber thingy, as the original one had perished, and for all I know she may be using it yet.
I make soup in a 70 year old pressure cooker that was my Mum’s ...
I have an irrational fear of pressure cookers; I have a feeling that Mum had an exploding one once, which rather put me off.
Someone gave us one as
a wedding present; it languished in its box for about 20 years...
We also were given a pressure cooker as a wedding present and I'd never used one, and never seen my mum use one, so I was scared of it. It may still be languishing in the loft along with children's toys and car parts (don't ask) but I have a feeling we got rid of it somehow, some years ago.
We took two pressure cookers with us to West Africa. They were great as (a) things cooked more quickly so we saved hard-to-get gas and (b) our meat was often tough and occasionally slightly suspect, so it got softened and sanitised.
Comments
Oooh.... dribble.... I've never seen that in my local Waitrose, but it sounds wonderful
I've ordered some Christmas presents for my family from a friend in Northern Ireland, and unfortunately it's due to arrive today, so I hope the delivery bloke can find the bin-store beside the flat to leave it in (and that nobody else helps themselves to it!
It does help explain why so many people seem to be gluten intolerant these days.
General thoughts only, I am not a nutritionist!
MMM
Exactly so. It's been trial and error to find what Mr Nen can tolerate and what he can't.
Carefully ransack the section of artisanal bakes - there are usually only a few.
Unfortunately/fortunately, as regards the Cider Apple bread, Mr F finds what I think agreeably chewy to be 'too tough'. More for me.
Many bought breads have preservatives which give me tummy trouble. I used to think I was gluten intolerant until I started making all my own bread. No more tummy trouble.
Also, a lot of bought breads are risen only once - not at all good for the digestion.
My sister who has developed wheat intolerance cannot process spelt, or probably emmer - she had apparently had a string of us suggesting ancient grains before it got to me, and she was not happy about it!
Absolutely right about the preservatives, and the same goes for "anti-caking" agents in baked goods.
The one-rise Chorleywood Process is an abomination.
My husband is now having his online work do, a cocktail party with games. I had cocktails sent for me too, the raspberry daiquiri was great but the negroni was so bitter I have replaced it with a gin and tonic. We were sent two cocktails each and I’m hoping he’ll make me an espresso martini at some point.
Memo to self: get a Secret Santa present.
I really must Do Things this weekend (apart from the obvious, like laundry and housework) - get the Christmas cards written, addressed and posted, see if I can find someone to cut my hair (the place I went to along the road doesn't have any slots until after the New Year, which is un fat lot de bon), and possibly get festive nails (there's a nail place actually in the same building as the château).
I need to do the cards too, and tidy up and move things around to fit the tree in.
We managed to survive a week of remote lessons okay. Dragonlet 1 took advantage of non uniform to wear his Christmas jumper 3 days running! Dragonlet 2 wore hers on Wednesday for the Christmas lunch, and today, but yesterday was party clothes. Her jumper has actually been waiting a couple of years for her to be the right size: saw it in the sale and couldn't resist. Thankfully she likes it too.
Their video Nativity has been released. You can tell it's a Catholic school. She is quite noticeable for her enthusiastic singing of Twinkle twinkle, whilst he is a slightly blink and you'll miss him photo of three kings.
We've won a box of veg in a charity raffle being organised by one of our local market stalls. Husband phoned last night to order what we wanted. It's a brilliant prize as I'd already made a list of what I wanted to buy from the stall anyway for our Christmas meal. As vegetarians we're so glad we didn't win a turkey!
I want Christmas nails like Piglet. I might do my own next week.
Husband is somewhat worse for wear this morning (neighbour’s son appears to be playing basketball against the wall in our alleyway, I hope it isn’t disturbing him!). I had an early night and am about to go for my morning walk before settling in to some marking.
This afternoon is church Zoomtivity. We have a goody bag, it contains:
Halo headband
Gold crown
Tea towel
Cow mask
Gold, frankincense and myrrh
A tiny torch! For the halo?
A sweatband! Presumably for the tea towel
A present
So tonight it’s Christmas jumpers and hats, party games, poetry and stories. And mulled wine.
In other news, Mr Nen and I have just been on a hot date: we've had our flu jabs followed by a takeaway coffee and a walk home in the sunshine.
Is Outrage (and probably Brexit)!
Today's marking is done. Just putting my feet up with a cup of tea prior to Zoomtivity.
Isn't the whole point of Brexit that we're all expected to live on "British" fare like black pudding (and that come January, we may not have much choice)? Don't get me wrong - a good black pudding is a Very Good Thing (and I bet done à la Firenze it's delicious), but you get my drift.
My Christmas cards are written, enveloped and posted
I also dropped in to the butcher's and got a lamb shank for tomorrow's supper, and it's rather huge, so it'll probably feed me on Monday as well.
Time to set some bread going now, I think.
eta: I did try and get an appointment at a couple of hair and nail establishments, but unsurprisingly they were booked up until after Christmas, so my hair will have to wait, and I'll have to do my own nails.
I did manage to book a haircut for next week. Which is probably a good thing since the last time it was cut was early Feb, and I very strongly suspect that this is going to be a window of opportunity as I fully expect that life will become more restricted again early in the New Year.
Found some.... Haven't yet managed to do anything about writing or sending Christmas Cards though. May resort to ecards....
O quite - but my point was that the Waitrose Black Pudding was probably being imported from Some Forrin Place, and was therefore rotting in a lorry in a queue near Calais...
I'm happy enough to do my own nails, although they won't look nearly as good as professional ones, or last as well as gel nails would.
Mine is such that my ponytail just gets longer, so it can last pretty well. However, looks like I was right when I said it would be a window... Back into Tier 4 as of Boxing Day. Good thing I was planning on being home alone for Christmas.
This morning Captain Pyjamas and I also went on an expotition and went on the bus to Marks and Sparks. We are now equipped with SAUSAGES and STILTON.
(Although, I believe, I have punned as much before, if my memory serves right. It is still quite good though, for the film fan in the know - if I say so myself!
I say it with a stammer / please do not use a hammer!
Inspired by a Facebook friend who mentioned that she had made SOUP and as I was in the process of making bread, I made bacon, lentil and tomato SOUP to have with it. Both are now ready, the bread being still warm, so it's supper time chez Piglet.
I might even accompany it with a piece of CHEESE.
La Vie, if you need any help with eating the pheasants ...
Oh, I love the Hereford cheese shop! I haven't been there in five years, but would love to go back.
The ones in Canada? I expect they'll be getting Easter cards with Wise Men on them ...
Are you sure your in-laws will still be able to make their trip? It looks to me as though travel for anything except work is pretty much verboten.
Don't forget to employ the services of the pheasant-plucker's son.
My freezer is not quite full to bursting but, as we went alcohol shopping yesterday thinking there would be six of us here for a couple of days over Christmas, Mr Nen has a lot of BEER to drink.
This will be just half an hour after my 'slot' for the supermarket delivery of all my Christmas veg & other fresh foods. Going to be a busy morning!
Referring back to the mention of Soup, above: I watched one of Nigella's programmes on the TV yesterday in which she made a very simple Spiced Parsnip & Spinach Soup. Being short of something for lunch today I thought I'd see how that worked, but using chard instead of spinach as I had a bunch of chard in the fridge, washed and ready for use.
Nigella's soup was a lovely bright green from the spinach, but my chard was a dark red stemmed variety. Once whizzed in the processor the deep red stems and the dark green leaves produced a rather dark brownish soup. Not so delightful to the eye - but tasty and warming, nevertheless.
Also, as I'm feeling festively (feistily?) adventurous, I've purchased a pair of Harris Tweed gents' gloves from Harris Tweed and Knitwear, Drinishader, Isle of Harris, which will take a while to get over here. I'm not in any hurry though. Interestingly, they've got some nice products on their website, and not at all that expensive, which might make pleasant gifts; I shall have to consider this!
Wesley, you could easily compete in the soup-making stakes - soup is the easiest thing in the world to make, and very therapeutic.
I was well pleased with my effort, and ate far too much bread with it ...
Melton is sufficiently close it's in the name of one of the main roads out of the city and in the same tier.
The in-laws are about 15 minutes drive away and also form the other half of our childcare bubble, so that's not going to be a problem. I imagine that a lot of people will be rushing to put presents in the post on Monday now on the grounds that one ought to make the effort.
Ah! EWM are indeed in administration, but their website still works, and you can now order from abroad again, after a break of a few weeks when they only accepted online orders from the UK.
Thank you for soup encouragment! I may give it a try and be ladle-y, not lazy!
I'm afraid the housework I didn't do yesterday is beckoning for today, but as it's such a small place it shouldn't take too long.
Each soup is different - I have no recipes. Some are spicy, some not. 🙂
Someone gave us one as
a wedding present; it languished in its box for about 20 years until we put it in a silent auction at the Cathedral in St. John's, where it was bought by a friend of ours. She said all it needed was a new rubber thingy, as the original one had perished, and for all I know she may be using it yet.
Never used one since!