Chinese chives omelette

My mum used to grow a perpetual patch of chinese chives. I think she used to find it a cheap and easy way to add a dish to the dining table. As the result, we had it rather often… to anttyk’s dismay.

When Mitch and I saw some for sale in Chinatown last weekend, we bought a bunch.

anttyk no likee?

Twinkle peas

The garden is doing very well. The early peas (Twinkle peas- grows to about 45cm tall) has started to flower…

… and the fruiting is not going too badly either!

Now, where is Mini sMapp when you need him, ey?

Lamb bones

Some weeks ago, we had roasted lambshank. Mitch and I quickly hoarded the bones (of course, we put them in the freezer and not under Mitch’s pillow) before Denty could throw them away.

The original plan was to use them to make rice porridge, but this fantastic idea struck me.

Useful pets

Stinky and Cupcake are lovely rabbits. They are both full of personality (sometimes a little too much) and they do amuse us endlessly.

At the end of the day, however, if you cast an objective eye over them… they really are not that useful!

The well-behaved Muks

It is surely not that difficult to believe that Muks has some ability to behave herself! In fact, Muks has displayed generally examplary behaviour throughout the duration of the trip to Dusseldorf.

We were fed just about every daylight hour, so there were no hunger related incidents. Other than falling into an entire plate of sashimi during the buffet lunches, everything went on really smoothly.

Dog dog in Dusseldorf

I had to go to Dusseldorf for five days, and obviously, as Denty would not fit into my hand carry, Dog dog came with me.

We landed in Dusseldorf at 10pm on Sunday night and Dog dog went straight to bed.

I read with him for a bit while waiting for our room service dude to come bringing our plate of sepiarisotto (squid ink risotto) with octopus and truffle foam.

Anyway, from Monday to Thursday, we were subjected to many lectures and discussions. The tedium was fortunately punctuated with a visit to a traditional beer hall, one visited by Napoleon some years ago…

The Amsterdam adventure

Yesterday morning, we went to Amsterdam for a day trip. We had to catch a 8.30am flight, so Mini Dog Dog and I had to leave the house at 6am. When we got to the airport, Mini Dog Dog demanded that I head straight for the coffee place, so that he can nurse his headache over a tall, white Americano.

An ode to home-grown tomatoes

This John Denver song has been running around my head the entire morning, especially my favourite part of the lyrics (in bold). Well, at least I managed to get the Hugh Jackman in Oklahoma doing the “Oh, what a beautiful morning… oh, what a wonderful day…” out of my head, if only for a while.

There ain’t nothin’ in the world that I like better
Than bacon and lettuce n home-grown tomatoes
Up in the mornin’, out in the garden
Get you a ripe one, don’t pick a hard ‘un
Plant ‘em in the spring, eat ‘em in the summer
All winter without ‘em is a culinary bummer
I forget all about the sweatin’ and the diggin’
Every time I go out and pick me a big ‘un

Home-grown tomatoes, home-grown tomatoes
What would life be like without home-grown tomatoes
Only two things that money can’t buy
That’s true love and home-grown tomatoes

You can go out to eat and that’s for sure
But there’s nothin’ a home-grown tomato won’t cure
Put ‘em in a salad, put ‘em in a stew
You can make your own tomato juice
You can eat ‘em with eggs, eat ‘em with gravy
You can eat ‘em with beans, pinto or navy
Put ‘em on the side, put ‘em in the middle
Home-grown tomatoes on a hot cake griddle

Home-grown tomatoes, home-grown tomatoes
What would life be like without home-grown tomatoes
Only two things that money can’t buy
That’s true love and home-grown tomatoes

If I’ve to change this life I lead
You could call me Johnny Tomato Seed
Cause I know what this country needs
Home-grown tomatoes in every yard you see
When I die don’t bury me
In a box in a cold dark cemetery
Out in the garden would be much better
Cause I could be pushin’ up a home-grown tomato

Home-grown tomatoes, home-grown tomatoes
What would life be like without home-grown tomatoes
Only two things that money can’t buy
That’s true love and home-grown tomatoes

Apple and rosemary cake

A friend at work gave me this recipe today. I need to try this really soon.

• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 1 large cooking apple, peeled and grated
• 4 1/2oz butter
• 4 1/2oz caster sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 6oz self-raising flour
• 2 tbsp skimmed milk

1. Preheat oven to 180˚c (160˚c fan oven).
2. Line 8-inch square tin with baking parchment.
3. Remove rosemary leaves from stalks and chop finely, toss with grated apple.
4. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
5. Add vanilla extract, eggs, 1 tbsp of flour and beat well.
6. Sift remaining flour and stir in grated apples, rosemary and milk.
7. Spoon mixture into tin and level with back of spoon.
8. Bake for 50 minutes.
9. Allow to cool for 20 minutes and turn onto wire rack.

sMisery in reflection

Goading a hungry sMuks is a wise as poking a lion’s infected eye.