That's coleslaw, for those of you not raised in the South.

I can't claim to be the author of this, it stuck in the back of my mind after hearing an episode of Good Eats in the background while at my sister's house.

What's the problem with slaw? It always tastes like someone mixed dishwater with it...and that extra juice goes all over your plate. And that will ruin a hotdog bun, my friends.

Here's what you do:

1. Shred your cabbage.

2. Put it in a large bowl (with extra room for tossing).

3. Salt it generously. (Probably 2 teaspoons for a whole medium head.)

4. Leave to sit for 30+ minutes.

5. Squeeze out the excess water before introducing the mayo.

No really, squeeze it. Like you're wringing out a flannel/washcloth. If you do this by hand, instead of with a salad spinner (which is where I differ from Alton Brown), it will get more water out and will stay nice for longer.

There is some debate over whether one should use Miracle Whip, salad cream, or mayonnaise (light or otherwise). I will say that since I'd eat Miracle Whip directly out of the jar, I'll go with that on my slaw. My mother swears by mayo. My sister eats the shredded cabbage with nothing but Italian style dressing on it.
To each their own, and all that.

This is why I can never eat coleslaw when it comes along on a plate with a sandwich. I prefer my dishwater to stay where it belongs...in the wash basin.

Got any cooking secrets?

Thanks to bopeepsheep for bringing it to my attention.

Have one of my favorites, by a Scottish poet:

Strawberries

There were never strawberries
like the ones we had
that sultry afternoon
sitting on the step
of the open french window
facing each other
your knees held in mine
the blue plates in our laps
the strawberries glistening
in the hot sunlight
we dipped them in sugar
looking at each other
not hurrying the feast
for one to come
the empty plates
laid on the stone together
with the two forks crossed
and I bent towards you
sweet in that air

in my arms
abandoned like a child
from your eager mouth
the taste of strawberries
in my memory
lean back again
let me love you

let the sun beat
on our forgetfulness
one hour of all
the heat intense
and summer lightning
on the Kilpatrick hills

let the storm wash the plates

Edwin Morgan

Disclaimer: I'm not making a political statement with this, definitely not one against the present United Kingdom. Also, this is safe for work, provided your work allows you to listen to the Declaration of Independence being read.

This is pretty cool:



Edward Norton, you're so cool...as usual. Winona Ryder, you look a little crazy in this.

Ecumenical service was interesting. The sermon was in two parts which dismayed most of the choir. Luckily, he managed not to get too carried away. We sang some horrible key-signature-less piece in between the two parts about washing each other's feet.

The hymns included 'Belmont' again, as there was another baptism (twins, so cute) as well as 'Lasst Uns Erfreuen', something I can't remember, and another something I can't remember...but that had text including the word 'hobgoblin'. That almost put me over the giggle-loop edge.

We sang Stanford's 'Magnificat' for the anthem and the Kyrie 'Orbis Factor' for the introit. The men have a much more difficult time with plainchant compared to the women. Don't know why.

====

At mass, it was the Sunday of Our Lady of the Rosary.
In celebration of this, the chaplaincy gave everyone in the congregation a rose.
Dr. J and I sang 'Es ist ein Ros entsprungen' while Father J blessed the roses. When singing German with a native speaker, my pronunciation is laughable.

Usual music, though we used 'Lourdes' for the Gloria in honour of the day.
For communion, we sang the plainchant of 'Ave Verum Corpus'.

I was unfamiliar with the psalm tone, so I ended up having to have help with it, but I swear I thought I had them down better than I do. Ach.

====

All in all, a good Sunday.

Today is our first wedding anniversary.



Love you, dearest.

Should be feeling rushed today, but I don't. Odd.

You know, I am in possession of more than my share of root vegetables.

They're taking over my kitchen.

I will probably make soup, seeing as it is raining (but out of a blue sky, wth?) and quite brisk.

I usually make borscht, but I'm feeling like trying something new.
It doesn't even have to be with root vegetable, I can always have them on the side, roasted.

What's your favourite soup recipe?

I have a new office.




And it's freaking sweet.
*does victory dance*

We actually had the first Mass of the school year last Sunday, but I was busy and didn't end up saying anything about it.

We're still on the de Angelis for the Kyrie and as usual we have the Mass XVIII Sanctus. However, I apparently wasn't paying attention and sang the de Angelis Angus Dei instead of the ferial one. Blast.

I didn't actually discover that I'd flubbed that bit until this morning, but I'm not surprised that I did. I kept messing up the second half of the Alleluia verse because just before we started rehearsing we were told that the bishop would be there for Mass. Probably shouldn't bother, but with is presence plus the addition of the extra people he and the attraction of it being the first mass meant that I was a little more on edge that I probably would have admitted to on the day.

There was a midnight Mass on Thursday night and there was a sort-of last minute push for music there as well. I messed that up, in that I sang the Mass XVIII Kyrie, but the rest were as they were supposed to be. However, the priest asked up to sing the psalm antiphonally, which I'd not done previously and said to 'just make up something for us to sing as a response'. Easily done, and I was set to go. However, what I didn't count on was the tone-deaf person sitting next to me. I set them the response, did the first verse of the psalm and then started to sing the response so that people would join...and when she did it startled me so much I couldn't remember what I'd made up as a response. She's a lovely girl, but I'll know better than sitting next to her at any point in future.

Today was the first of the ecumenical services. We say the de Angelis Kyrie as an introit, which I must say seemed to really throw the chapel choir for a loop. We held it together well enough, I suppose. For the anthem we had Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, with the normal Amen and Dismissal. The hymns were 'Stuttgart', 'Coblentz', 'Belmont', and one other than slips my mind.

Tonight, I'm guessing will be a repeat of last Sunday's Mass as we are not yet into any sort of season. Hopefully, I won't mess up as much and will keep my nerves under tight control. It's honestly ridiculous that I get so worked up as much singing as I've done.

I'm sure everyone already knows about this but me, but I just discovered the show 'Mock the Week'. I've not actually been watching it on BBC2, but on YouTube.

Here's a sampling (both are work safe, but I don't promise that about any of the other clips if you go browsing):





Yes, I know...my sense of humour is a bit cracked. Like an egg.
Icon from an on-going joke about the Prince of Wales.

Fell out of the habit for a bit, here we go back in the saddle again.

The Old School Restaurant
Dunvegan
Isle of Skye
IV55 8GU
01470 521421
www.oldschoolrestaurant.co.uk

I think I've uttered the phrase 'this is the best restaurant ever' several times in my life. Each time I meant it...but recently the bar was raised sky high. Anything following will have a tough example to follow.

While my family was here, we took a drive in a wobbly sort of circle from Edinburgh through Fort William to the Isle of Skye then on to Thurso back to Inverness and finally to Aberdeen.

When we got onto Skye, we were so taken with the scenery and the random livestock encounters that we didn't even think about what we would eat. As we drove on to our B&B, we realized that we were quite a ways from anywhere and beyond that...what we would find that would be gluten free?

The lady at our B&B pointed us in the direction of Dunvegan which has two places to eat. As she put it, 'if you don't like the one, I hope you like the other'. The first was a bust and we tried the second.

We approached with trepidation, as there was a sign out front saying that reservations were recommended.
golfbisquit and I perused the menu, noting that the vegetarian main contained filo pastry. Not exactly coeliac friendly. In a fit of bravery, I asked one of the servers if they possibly had a vegetarian, coeliac main. What I took for the head server turned and spoke to a younger woman who went back to consult the chef. Very quickly she returned and told us that they could make a mushroom stroganoff.

I honestly didn't have much hope for that dish. I think I lived in dormitories for too long.

We decided to give it a go. Thank goodness we did.

The soup of the day was reported to be tomato basil, also gluten-free.

While we waited for our food, rice cakes were brought out for the two people eating gluten-free, while golfbisquit and I were spoiled with fresh made olive bread.

redthought and drjoan proclaimed the soup to be delicious, not too thin, but also not a heavy mix. The gluten-y starter was a brie and artichoke tart...delicious. The pastry was flakey and light while the combination of the creamy brie and the salty artichoke went down a treat.

Promptly the mains followed. The aforementioned stroganoff was served with a long grain rice which met with much approval. The sauce over the mushrooms stumped everyone. We conjectured that it was mustard...or white wine...or vodka...or some combination of those and something else.

The main with the filo was a parcel of vegetables with a red wine and mint sauce and mashed tatties. I was skeptical about the combination of red wine and mint, but it had a sharp, fresh taste to go with the richness of the mash and the savour of the vegetables. The vegetables were leeks, baby corn, and my memory fails me on the rest.

After the silence we maintained as we made our way through the starters and mains, we were full of praise for the food, especially as the stroganoff was made on the spur of the moment.

Since we had still not solved the riddle of the stroganoff sauce, we asked the server if she knew. In the course of asking, it came out that it was her husband that was back in the kitchen producing this gourmet food. (Which also explains why she was the one to go back and ask him about the special mains. :) )

The secret ingredient to the sauce? Marmite.
Even the marmite haters had to admit that it could be good!

We couldn't pass up pudding after the delights we'd experienced. The wheat-free contingent had resigned themselves to ice cream and were pleased to discover that the pudding of the day, a mocha tarte, was made with almond flour instead of wheat flour.

golfbisquit had the apple turnover (or was it a crumble?) while I went for the lemon cheesecake.
After all my previous praise, you can imagine that I was not let down during the third course. We were all too busy enjoying our own puddings to do much sharing, so I can only really speak for my own. The cheesecake was served with cream that seemed to be mixed with lemon essence, as it was itself lemon-y. Cheesecake can go so wrong if it is stodgy, but this was light and creamy and very strongly tangy. My favourite.

I've eaten in Rome, Paris, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Athens, Cairo, and so forth and have never eaten so well, with such friendly and accomodating staff. Absolutely recommended to anyone heading to Skye. I should also mention that they had quite a variety of meat/fish/fowl mains for the non-veggies in the audience.

I didn't think to get my camera until it was too late, but there's always next time.

I hope to be able to get back there with my dear ybunny, possibly for an anniversary. (Though, if he keeps being in the nether reaches of the globe, it could be a while...)

Dear Men Going Bald,

I realize that this must be a traumatic time, though I personally cannot empathise. I imagine it must be like losing a close friend.
However, just as you would not keep a dead friend propped up at your dinner table or ride around with him in the car, you should not try to keep the corpse of what, I'm sure, was a prized crop of follicles around once there are only 4 or 5 members left.
Shave it off.
Look at Patrick Stewart, Arnold Vosloo, Bruce Willis, Samuel Jackson, Ben Kingsley, Stanley Tucci, and so forth.
Even better, listen to interviews that Patrick Stewart gave about being in the lime light and bald.
Ditch the combover.

Cordially,
Me

--------------

Dear Freshers,

I know it's just a whoop-it-up moment of excitement for you, all fresh and mentally squeaky clean coming to university for the first time.
I'm thrilled that you are seeking knowledge.
However, please refrain from:
-littering
-screaming causelessly just outside my office window
-puking on the sidewalks of Union Street
-urinating on the side streets
-asking if you are in X place when you are standing just under an enormous sign that says 'X Office'

Love conditionally,
Me

---------------

Dear National Trust for Scotland,

You have the bitchiest tour guides ever.
I've already sent you a note to the offending locale, but here it is for the world to see.
Thanks for confirming that I made the right choice in that Life Membership to Historic Scotland.

Absolutely, positively no love,
Me

--------------

Dear Me,

You are going to fail this PhD unless you learn to love writing.
The keyboard is not your enemy.
Reading books about the Crimean War when you're supposed to be writing about rocks is completely useless.
Cease.

Yours, etc.

--------------

Dear Office Mate,

Unless you're deaf, you should probably turn down your headphone volume.
It's really distracting.

Unfailingly in resignation,
The person just behind you

After all my running around recently, I'm pretty much chained to my writing desk for the next week. Or forever. Whatever.


A photo from shineyquarter's Flickr. (Well, this is my lj and I have no photos of myself in my own from the wedding.)


My photos of the wedding are available for my Flickr contacts only at the moment. I'll let the bride/groom decide when/if they want them made public.

Edinburgh was singularly uncooperative and was overcast and dim all day. *shakes fist at weather*

Congrats to the Christies!

Off to Edinburgh for the wedding of shineyquarter and percible.

:)

La Familia leaves tomorrow, so we drive to Edinburgh at 4am.

I am sad like a sad thing.

So, I'm back from the Highlands.

Everyone is in one piece. We are still doing things with drjoan and golfbisquit, though redthought returned state-side on Saturday.

ybunny is meant to go to Egypt shortly.

So, we're making the most of the time left. Will catch up. Yes. Later.

...family time.

That should explain some of the radio silence.

Two more arrive Sunday.

Huzzah.

The lovely metamorphic gave me the letter 'T' to prompt a list 10 things that I love.

I will give you ten food related things therefore knocking out both Food Friday and the list.¹

So, the ten things:

1. Tatties.
Yes, this is a bit of a cheat. But, I'm going to go with it since I hear 'tatties' rather than 'potatoes' at least three times more often these days. We get tatties with our farm share every week. It's been interesting to see how many varieties they grow up there. This week we've got some that look like they'll be great for frying, but I think I may make au gratin potatoes instead.
My favorite currently: mashed potatoes with pesto
Pesto recipe
-1 cup packed basil leaves
-1 cup grated hard cheese (parm or romano)
-6 large cloves of garlic diced finely
-1/2 cup pine nuts
-1/4 cup virgin olive oil

Blend all in the food processor. No, don't put any parsley in. No, no.

2. Tomatoes
I can't seem to be able to grow tomatoes here in Aberdeen, even though I kept the plants in a lovely warm kitchen in the winter time. They produced about 3 tomatoes and then died, slowly. Sad.
My favorite: eating cherry tomatoes off the vine during a really hot summer day

3. Tofu
I don't eat as much of this as I used to, I've been told that too much soy is bad for hypothyroidism. But, it's what makes a stirfry for me. Especially if it's been marinated in something beforehand.
My favorite: Five-hour tofu. I have no idea how to make it, but it was one of Peter's signature dishes.

4. Tortillas
These are so versatile. I had egg mayonaisse in a tortilla the other day and surprisingly, it was fantastic. I thought it would just end up a big mess.
My favorite: Fake turkey, fried egg, and swiss cheese in a tortilla. Too bad I can't stand Quorn's version of turkey slices.

5. Turnips
I think I probably like these better raw than cooked, or at least until I moved here. However, I must say that putting sugar on them is an abomination before me. Eww.
My favorite: as part of mashed potatoes. For every 6 medium potatoes, mash one small turnip. It gives the potatoes a definite kick.

6. Tangerines
I love citrus. It's in my favorite shampoo, perfume, and lotion. It's what I spray on my sheets to give them a fresh smell when they come out of the airing cupboard. Green and orange are my two favorite colours. However, I really dislike eating oranges as they tend to have a lot of pulpy bits. Tangerines don't seem to have that same texture.
My favorite: Christmas tangerines with A&C's kids²

7. Tapioca
My mother makes an incredibly good tapioca pudding. I have no idea how she does it, but it's the kind that makes you want to lick the bowl. I've been told that bubble tea is made often with tapioca pearls. I'd love to give it a try at some point.
My favorite: tapioca and blueberry pie

8. Tea
I know, I know.
And I think most of us would agree that a nice cuppa is always welcome. But, tea also makes a great additive to other things.
My favorite: blackberry and earl grey jam

9. Treacle
You can actually keep your maple syrup, this is what I prefer to put on my pancakes. I've discovered that I actually like treacle even better than I like molasses.
My favorite: as part of gingerbread

10. Tahini
Probably unsurprising that a paste made of sesame seeds would be one of my favorite things. I love sesame. We usually had some sitting around when I was little to add to various things. As good as it is in other dishes, it's just not great by itself. Too strong.
My favorite: in hummus, of course!

---

¹- If you'd like to make your own list, food related or not, just ask and I will give you a letter. I'll even give you a letter in a different alphabet, if you prefer.
²- They are always impressed if one can peel the entire thing in one long strip. :)

I realize that I am alone in most of my geek-outs about Aberdeen, but I'm coming to terms with that.

I walk by Marischal College occasionally. I went by there recently and noticed that, yes, indeed, we will likely not have graduation ceremonies in Mitchell Hall. I'm not sure of the actual circumstances, but I do know that major works are going on and the scuttlebutt is that the University was not keeping it up in the way a Grade A building should be, thus the government has taken it off their hands for a while. Where the truth lies, I definitely don't know.

Anyway, I decided to take some close shots of the arms over the entrance to the courtyard. I (and hundreds of other people) have shot the entrance gate previously, but I thought that I would post the photos along with the heraldric blazons for the fun of it. (marnanel may be one of the few to share my enjoyment of the language of blazons.)

There are seven coats of arms above the gate. Six are obvious: Mitchell for Mitchell Hall, Old Aberdeen and (New) Aberdeen for location, Keith for the Earl Marischal founder of Marischal College, Elphinstone for William Elphinstone founder of King's College, and a quarterly version of the two locations and two founders' arms.




The seventh, with quite a complicated blazon, is for Lord Strathcona, a Scottish-born Canadian. He was rector for a few years ending in 1902 and then elected Chancellor for life! This was apparently due to his large contributions to the University.

There is a book about him and a large portion is available for preview on Google Books. I think I may have to buy this.

I find it interesting that I've never heard anything about the man before, but apparently he was quite a big deal to the university not all that long ago.

Something new everyday.

Also, if anyone is better at blazoning than me, please let me know because all but the Aberdeen arms are my own muddle through trying to work them out. Specifically, should I say that the men in the canoe are vested azure as well? Surely that's not just assumed under proper?

We've had five days of gas central heating installation.

It's honestly taking its toll on me.

I have no idea how people can do this for a living, because having to hear the saw/drill going gives me a headache. If you do this sort of plumbing, my hat is off to you.

Have accomplished next to nothing this week. Lovely.

So, today we have people round to begin the gas central heating installation.

I wasn't sure what the start time would be so I got out of my lovely, lovely bed at 6:45am just in case they decided to arrive at 7am.

They did not.

After making myself some breakfast, I wandered about the flat doing odds and ends of things until around 9:30 when the company called to say that the engineer was out sick but they'd send someone round at lunchtime. Knowing that lunchtime in the UK is different than lunchtime in the US (and also, that lunchtimes seem to vary from person to person as well in either country), I continued pottering around.

At noon-ish, a guy arrived, who is here as I type, pulling bits and bobs out of boxes and putting things in one place and another.

I find that I loathe this process.

Yes, I want the central heating sorted, and no, I don't want to take a plumbing/engineering course in order to do this sort of thing myself. However, it drives me mad watching people work because I feel as though I should be helping and I have an inner monologue wherein I go between wondering if I should help out or whether I should ignore them completely or further if I should just jump out the window and end my neuroses in one fell swoop.

So, there's that.

Although, it is keeping me from freaking out about supervision...which I have in two and a half hours.
Goody.

Food Friday got a bit lost over time. I blame this most recent course of writing, plus, well, being away from LJ so much recently.

Back on track, I hope.

I noticed as the food meme¹ went around that many people were slightly unsure about whether they'd actually had 'clotted cream tea' or not.

For those uninitiated into this particular food cult, a cream tea is not a tea made of cream or with cream or really any different than a regular cuppa. The difference is that along with your tea, you will receive, at minimum, a scone with jam and the expected cream.

I find that clotted cream is to the British Isles as sour cream is to the US of A. You can get decent versions elsewhere but nothing is quite like the real thing, as it were. British sour cream is too fluffy in my mind and US clotted cream is too liquidy.

Still with me?

I love cream teas, honestly. Early on in life, we made a ritual of a Friday night tea party that occasionally included cream teas.²

When golfbisquit and redthought and I toured the British Isles during the Great Bisquit Odyssey of 2001, we spent a great deal of time walking or driving through areas with a small population. We learned to carry our own food so that if we didn't find a pub, we'd still have some nosh.

While driving through the wilds of Ireland, we realized that not only had breakfast ceased to succor us, but also that we hadn't seen a town...or even a house for ages.

As we continued, however, we found an isolated house with a small sign saying 'Afternoon tea served'. We immediately stopped and approached the house.

A woman ushered us into her kitchen and plunked down a plate of scones in front of us. She returned with cream, jam, milk, and sugar and shortly after a pot of very strong tea. She left us alone with the food which we devoured. It was my first go with 'real' clotted cream and while redthought declared it disgusting, golfbisquit and I slathered our scones with this new-found ambrosia.
After we finished, the woman came to take away the tea service and after leaving with the first armful, the table contained only our empty tea cups and the small dish containing the dregs of the cream.

While she didn't say anything to us, I think she was a little surprised to see that we'd eaten the remainder of the cream by the time she returned. And were grinning like Cheshires.

I'd not had a cream tea in the British Isles since then, but before ybunny left for Vietnam, we drove down Deeside and stopped to shoot pictures of a church in Kincardine O'Neil, the oldest village on Deeside.

When the rain forced us out of the kirkyard, we ducked into the cafe next door where I had a lovely cream tea.

I can see how this wouldn't make a great summer treat in the blazing heat of US summers, but here in Aberdeen, where the summer temperature has averaged 15C/59F, it's perfect. :)

---

¹- The one that asks which of 100 odd foods you've eaten. However, I find that most of them are not odd, or at least are not in my estimation.
²- And other times all it contained was silliness. Unsurprising, I know.

So, I'm editing.

All of a sudden a wisp of smoke floats across my field of vision.

The powercord of my laptop has lit itself on fire.






No harm to self or computer, but I believe cord is dead.

I think I'm caught up with LJ. I've tried my damndest, that's for sure. Let me know if you've not gotten a comment from me. (If you have, I've read through your recent entries. :) ) I should also say, some may not have, yet I have read your entries, but didn't see an obvious place to jump in.

So, Mel (the flatmate) and I went South.

It was a little scary. I must say there is something in the water in Scotland that makes you love Alba and feel at least a twinge of loathing for the land south of the Wall. Mel and I were a little sad to leave Scotland and happyhappy to return.

So, here goes.

( The week of 28 July to 3 August )

And I'm done. Whew!

So, I'm back from England.

Tom's gone to Vietnam.

Super.

One month until family arrives.

Sweet.

So, we cycled out to Drum Castle yesterday.

The Castle was lovely and the cycle out was great. Lots of flowers, bright sunny day with blue skies, and I didn't get tired like I used to.

The cycle back, however, posed problematic.

I managed to faceplant into the ground while coming down a hill. I now have a beaut of a bruise on my leg along with two skinned knees.
Ouch.

I'll not include photos for those who don't want to see, but there are some pictures of the castle and the cycle out that might be of interest. If you'd like to commiserate with my wounds, there are some of those as well. If you want to avoid, stop at the photo of me holding a map.

Tomorrow I'm off to England, I'm trying to get caught up with LJ, but I'm sure that won't help...

ybunny is finally home. I can return from Mopesville!

ybunny and I finally got our act together and joined the organic box scheme from a farm in Aberdeenshire called Bridgefoot Organic Farm.

I was worried that I'd end up with a lot of stuff that I don't want, since the first few boxes are potluck while they get to know your preferences.

However, I have been pleasantly surprised with the boxes thus far.

The first came with-
a head of lettuce
a kilo of potatoes
two onions
five medium tomatoes
a butternut squash
four stalks of white asparagus
six eggs

The second came with-
a medium bag of mushrooms
three large tomatoes
three onions
an avocado
a head of lettuce
a kilo of potatoes
a red bell pepper
six eggs

(I may be forgetting some contents, unfortunately...)

Each box costs £10. Everything tastes so nice. Lovely.

We're going to continue with it. I can tell that it already has changed the way that I think about grocery shopping. Instead of wondering what dishes to make, I wonder what will go with the vegetables that came in the box. It's also meant that I've eaten more salads since I normally wouldn't buy lettuce that often.

I'll share one recipe that I basically winged the other night.

Potato-Squash Mash with Parmesan
1 butternut squash
8 small potatoes or equivalent
1/3 cup grated parmesan
2 tablespoons butter
salt/pepper to taste

Cut the squash in half down the vertical axis. Scoop out the seeds. Place on a baking tray and put 1 T of butter in each half.
Bake at 180C for 40 minutes, basting the neck and sides with the melted butter two or three times.

Remove from oven and scoop out the roasted squash, preserve skins.

Mash the potatoes along with the squash pulp and most of the parmesan cheese. Spoon back into the squash skins. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan.

Bake for another 5 minutes to melt the cheese.

A side salad of onion, lettuce, tomato and balsamic vinegar goes along nicely.

Rest in peace, you oft-twisted funny man.

Today, Mel and I went off to see the re-opening of the Lemon Tree and to get a glimpse of Alan Cumming, the Scottish actor.

There is a very limited number of people that I am willing to stalk wait to take photos of. Alan Cumming is on that list.

So we waited.

And lo, there were photos.



More at the photostream, here's the starting point.

He's a wee little manlet and makes me feel about 8 feet tall. Pocket sized Scots. Fun for the whole family.

This week, something I've meant to post about before but keep overlooking.

The Bread Maker
50-52 Rosemount Viaduct
Aberdeen
AB10 1NT

The Bread Maker is an Aberdeen cafe/shop that has been around for the last year at least. Its parent company is Aberdeen Day Project, Ltd. The ADP, itself established in 2000, is a charity that provides work opportunities to Aberdonians with mental disabilities.

I'd stopped in for coffee a few times over the last year, but only ever bought their pastries. I made a point of buying some of their bread yesterday.

It exceeded expectation.

I'd mourned the loss of the Blue Moon Bakery in Asheville when I left the area and especially their wheat-walnut bread.

The Bread Maker doesn't make wheat-walnut, but they make a whole grain that is delectable, plus its organic.
It makes excellent toast with butter and honey. :)

I'm going to make a point of buying my bread there from now on if I can.

The Aberdeen Day Project is definitely a worthwhile project to sponsor.

ybunny really needs to come home. I miss him desperately.



In other news, there will be a proper entry (or 3) tomorrow.

It's always amazing to me the gadgetry that is invented (or perhaps rediscovered) each year for cooking.

I like browsing through the shiny new things, especially at Kitchen and Co. in Asheville. (Love that store!)

One gadget that I found indispensable, but have learned to live without is a microwave. We do not have one and mostly reheat things in the grill which is something I never used before moving to the UK.

But, I realize that most would consider both a microwave and a grill intrinsic to a kitchen.

So, farther down the gadget spectrum, we have a panini maker. I love paninis. However, we only ever use the thing once every two months or so. We'd probably use it more if we had the counter space to keep it out on the counter on a regular basis.

I tried using it to cook pancakes, in order that it might have a multi function. It worked, but it was terribly slow. Just doesn't get hot enough and there is quite a bit of wasted energy when it stays open, since pancakes don't do well with the top down over them. :)

I cleaned out the kitchen today and realize that we have several bits and bobs that don't get used. In fact, some of them haven't been used in almost a year.

I know I'll use them again, but it seems a waste of space to have them hanging about. Catch 22, I suppose.

I am the Clean Fairy today, so I must trot back to the cleaning.

So, I'll leave you with a questions, as usual:

What's hanging about, unused, in your kitchen?