So christmas is really over... it may have been over for all of you for a long time, but i recieved my last present just a week ago, and today i finally took the 4m monster down.. the pile of needles reached my knee, and it took 4 trips to the recycling bin to clear it.. and now there is a big space, that will soon be replaced by the huge, but thankfully, un-tv like tv. It shows neither terrestrial, nor plays videos, it does play dvd's but there are only 6 in the house, so it rarely goes on, it just sits in the corner like a relic, as everyone bounces, banters and blogs on their laptops...
Spring has shown its head a few times this week, we've had some barmy sunny days, but interspersed with chilly winds that keep you on your toes.
My last present was from Graham, and it was the Fry chronicles by stephen fry, a lovely book, full of at least 5 words a page i've had to look up, he calls himself fatuous and says he likes to lucubrate, i know now what he means...
I have been baking a lot of cookies recently, the pinnacle of which were brandy cherry and toasted hazelnut cookies, a full batch is about 40 or so, and i managed to get them to last 4 days, which i was impressed with.
Especially delicious with a spreading of blackcurrant jam on...mmmmm.
I may have a job for the summer on the beautiful maltese island of Gozo cooking for yoga retreats throughout the summer, which looks incredible, it has the oldest known man made structures on the island, and is a great place for diving and general water merriment. watch this space, it may become a what food i have dived for today blog...
Apart from this life is pottering along nicely, i have taken up coffee again with a vengeance, i am loving each morning a jam filled brioche with a machiato, an espresso with a bit of frothy milk on top. Being english we obviously dont have it quite as espresso as the italians, but we're still there only ten minutes (compared to an italian's 45 seconds..) We're the loiterers..
Dancing classes are great, been bumped up to the advanced class.. which is more fun, but more energetic, and makes me realise i am not as fit as i could be..
I'm greatly looking forward to seeing all my little nieces and nephew again, i imagine they will have changed a lot more than me of late..
I'm not sure if the novelty of italian food has worn away, or i just think noone is interested in my thoughts on it... i am still loving it all, porchetta is the stuff of my dreams, and pizza is my favourite bedfellow, but rest assured i am still enjoying them all as much as ever..
And there will be plenty of novel food to be tlaked about in the next two months as we visit Rome and goto a food tasting festival, be warned...
