Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Allotment News
August 29th.
I am now hopeful that I will get an allotment in a diffrent part of town from Fairyland which should put a stop to the remarks from StanandTel. It seems that there is an unused plot next to the very well tended and productive allotment of my former barber who is one of a group of Italian (mostly Sicilian) gardeners who would like me to take over this particular plot. The advantages are numerous; firstly they have a lot of experience and expertise; secondly they have a lot of plants between them to share out; thirdly, they would keep an eye on the allotment when I'm not around; fourthly they will be able to interpret the Italian recipes in Leon, Camilleri etc. and will possibly teach me Italian; and finally they all speak English rather like Chico Marx. I don't know how much influence they have with the authorities but I'm keen to start as there is quite a lot of work to be done to prepare the ground. For those of you who think that this blog is a bit food orientated, you are absolutely right; the aim of the allotment is entirely towards better and more fruit and veg.
There was quite a lot more meals in Norwegian wood.Page 235- Umeboshe in rice balls. Nori. Page244- Croquettes wuth cream sauce, potato salad,shredded cabbage, boiled vegetables, rice and miso soup. Page 252- Cucumber wrapped in Nori with soy sauce. Page 268- Hors d'oeuvres, soup, sea bass. Page 306- rice and miso soup, pickled vegetables and fried eggs. Page 342- rice, pickles,grilled fish and tempura and teriyaki chicken. Page 376- Sukiyaki-beef, eggs, vegetables and tofu with rice. I should point out that I did read the rest as well and it was quite fun but not as good as I had thought at first. I am sufficiently encouraged to try more of him.
Rounding the Mark was littered with descriptions of wonderful meals of which I will mention a small selection. Salted octopus, pasta in squid ink, mixed grill of mullet, sea bass and gilthead was one of the more substantial meals that Montalbana consumes. Squid ink also appeared in a dish of spaghetti, followed by crispy calamaretti. Pasta also appears with fresh ricotta followed by whitebait. Rabbit alla Cacciota was another main dish and on another occasion he starts with Ditalina in a salted ricotta sauce with pecorino and black pepper and goes on to Costi 'mbriachi ( drunken pork ribs). I have no idea what some of these are but I bet I'd like them. Maybe the Sicilians will tell what these dishes are like.
Well, its weigh day tomorrow and I feel that I've gained weight simply by reading about food and thinking about growing it. I have also eaten quite a lot and the plums sadly are almost over, as are the runners. An allotment will allow me to stagger the bean crops and also to grow the climbing French bean which was so successful last year but hopeless this year. Soon the pears will be ready and they can be really sweet and juicy. Although I am full of plans to take more exercise, I haven't done anything since last week. One positive thing - or rather a negative- I haven't had a drink either. Tonight there will be roast lamb for a change. I remember once being served hot baby beetroot as a vegetable - wonderful. I might have beetroot with the lamb but the ones I have been given are hardly Babies. When I have an allotment , or rather if I get the allotment I want , I'm sure that with the Italian advice I shalll be able to grow baby beetroot to be used as a hot vegetable. The ones I have in my garden have lots of leaves but hardly anything underground.
I am now hopeful that I will get an allotment in a diffrent part of town from Fairyland which should put a stop to the remarks from StanandTel. It seems that there is an unused plot next to the very well tended and productive allotment of my former barber who is one of a group of Italian (mostly Sicilian) gardeners who would like me to take over this particular plot. The advantages are numerous; firstly they have a lot of experience and expertise; secondly they have a lot of plants between them to share out; thirdly, they would keep an eye on the allotment when I'm not around; fourthly they will be able to interpret the Italian recipes in Leon, Camilleri etc. and will possibly teach me Italian; and finally they all speak English rather like Chico Marx. I don't know how much influence they have with the authorities but I'm keen to start as there is quite a lot of work to be done to prepare the ground. For those of you who think that this blog is a bit food orientated, you are absolutely right; the aim of the allotment is entirely towards better and more fruit and veg.
There was quite a lot more meals in Norwegian wood.Page 235- Umeboshe in rice balls. Nori. Page244- Croquettes wuth cream sauce, potato salad,shredded cabbage, boiled vegetables, rice and miso soup. Page 252- Cucumber wrapped in Nori with soy sauce. Page 268- Hors d'oeuvres, soup, sea bass. Page 306- rice and miso soup, pickled vegetables and fried eggs. Page 342- rice, pickles,grilled fish and tempura and teriyaki chicken. Page 376- Sukiyaki-beef, eggs, vegetables and tofu with rice. I should point out that I did read the rest as well and it was quite fun but not as good as I had thought at first. I am sufficiently encouraged to try more of him.
Rounding the Mark was littered with descriptions of wonderful meals of which I will mention a small selection. Salted octopus, pasta in squid ink, mixed grill of mullet, sea bass and gilthead was one of the more substantial meals that Montalbana consumes. Squid ink also appeared in a dish of spaghetti, followed by crispy calamaretti. Pasta also appears with fresh ricotta followed by whitebait. Rabbit alla Cacciota was another main dish and on another occasion he starts with Ditalina in a salted ricotta sauce with pecorino and black pepper and goes on to Costi 'mbriachi ( drunken pork ribs). I have no idea what some of these are but I bet I'd like them. Maybe the Sicilians will tell what these dishes are like.
Well, its weigh day tomorrow and I feel that I've gained weight simply by reading about food and thinking about growing it. I have also eaten quite a lot and the plums sadly are almost over, as are the runners. An allotment will allow me to stagger the bean crops and also to grow the climbing French bean which was so successful last year but hopeless this year. Soon the pears will be ready and they can be really sweet and juicy. Although I am full of plans to take more exercise, I haven't done anything since last week. One positive thing - or rather a negative- I haven't had a drink either. Tonight there will be roast lamb for a change. I remember once being served hot baby beetroot as a vegetable - wonderful. I might have beetroot with the lamb but the ones I have been given are hardly Babies. When I have an allotment , or rather if I get the allotment I want , I'm sure that with the Italian advice I shalll be able to grow baby beetroot to be used as a hot vegetable. The ones I have in my garden have lots of leaves but hardly anything underground.
# posted by Bob @ 3:25 pm 
