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Mixed weather again bringing rain which has made the potager even more productive.  This week we were able to eat ratatouille made with all our own vegetables. Delicious! If you haven’t ever done this it’s hard to explain the pleasure that cooking and eating your own produce brings. It is also very pleasing to be able to give friends brown paper bags stuffed with delicious goodies.

Our friends Anita and Steve came to stay for a few days. They didn’t seem to mind that they had to ‘camp’ in a room stuffed with packing boxes, old furniture and the results of our preserving efforts. Liz and Anita lost touch thirty years ago after one too many moves but thanks to sheer chance and a random internet fluke Liz found her last summer and they renewed their friendship. This started on the train to London that they both caught daily, they always sat in the carriage next to the buffet so they had a table for all the treasures that other commuters brought in for Anita to take to her class. There were memorable things such as the large jar that had a living pond in it and the time that we had a stag beetle. Everything was always returned whence it came after thrilling a class of London kids that rarely noticed or encountered real wildlife. The stag beetle had its own adventure when unbeknownst to Anita it managed to push past the lid and strong elastic band securing it; it pottered along the top of the seat backs and then down a lady’s arm. Imagine the squeal and ensuing chaos as Anita, realising what had happened, leapt to recapture the determined escapee before some thoughtless townie squashed it. It was caught and eventually returned to a fellow commuter’s New Forest garden shed where it had originally been found.

Anita and Steve share our love of food and have had many food holidays and adventures learning about all sorts of international cuisine. One splendid morning, sunny with a light breeze, they cooked us a Kerylan breakfast. This comprised home-made dhosas which we used to mop up a spicy potato and coconut milk dish. Delicious! We hope they come back soon.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color=”custom” accent_color=”#deead0″][postgallery_grid id=”SS_G3_20170804_02″ data_source=”data-4″ null=”” slidesetid=”SS_G3_20170804_02″ content_type=”image” height=”200px” align=”aligncenter” lightbox=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Perhaps you would like to know…
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