She's Back

And about time too. I'm sick to death of wannabe cooks, especially that woman in the warehouse. I want the real thing. I want recipes that work. I want Delia. Thank you God.

From the Times Online today:

Culinary queen Delia Smith is returning to TV. Smith last appeared in the BBC's 2002 series How To Cook. Afterwards she announced she was hanging up her apron, saying: "I'm quite old now - I want to quit while the going is good." She complained that cookery shows had moved on.
"Now people want to be entertained, whereas I was trying to teach how to cook, that's where it's different," she said of the new breed of TV chefs. But the 66-year-old is back this winter with a brand new BBC2 series. The programme will give a glimpse into Smith's life.
And it will show Smith using ready-made products alongside her own techniques, revealing her shortcuts to taking the effort out of cooking. Nigella Lawson's latest series Nigella Express also focuses on fast and easy recipes, and features scenes from the cook's family life - although her 'kitchen' was revealed to be part of an industrial estate in south London.

Autumnal Brugge

I Shot These

There are three types of game; furred game, feathered game, and fair game. It's taken me 'til now to achieve the latter!

Early Winter Musings

I had intended this post to be an update of my clinker path restoration project, and the early winter clearing out of guttering and drainpipes. But then I logged into PostSecret, and nearly laughed my head off with their latest "Sunday Secrets." Now be quick, because the web page changes each Sunday. I've reproduced one of the postcards here, just to make you go out and buy the book (details at the bottom of the PostSecret web page.)

http://postsecret.blogspot.com/

First Frosts At Cauldwell's Mill, Rowsley

Up early and off over the mountains with Merci Beaucoup Enfant Deux on the coldest school run this autumn. Cold and clear and beautiful. Safely dropped to the hallowed portals of the slave drivers, I drove back to Cauldwell's Mill for a bag of jumbo oats and some multi-grain bread flour. The river was so low and the morning light bouncing off the water so enticingly, I grabbed the camera from the glove box and recorded these lovely pictures. Then a short drive to a nearby deli for the best of Derbyshire breakfasts, a full English of course, then up and over to Chatsworth. Didn't stop for the tour of the house itself, all done up for Christmas, as I'm saving that treat for next month when friends arrive from Ireland. This time it was a quick tour of the converted stable block for Christmas present ideas.

Remembrance Sunday

Call To Action, My Lovely Readers

There's this blog that I check each day, the author of whom entrances me with his prose and the quality of his photographs. Especially I like the green tiles in his kitchen. Now his partner also has a blog, just as beautifully written, and today she writes the saddest lines. Maths Chick's mum died yesterday, having carried the burden of working age dementia for a while. So, my lovely readers, will you join me in offering prayers on reading this, for Cara's mum, her husband and her daughter and all her family and friends?

http://mathschick.wordpress.com/

Canada's Gifts To The World

1. Canadian wheat that makes the finest bread flour

2. Snow, snow, and a bit more snow

3. People that say "a-boooot" instead of "about"

4. Michael Bublé

5. Michael Bublé in concert in Nottingham in December

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flfDuYuy6aQ&mode=user&search=

Another summer day

Has come and gone away

In Paris and Rome

But I wanna go home

Maybe surrounded by

A million people I

Still feel all alone

I just wanna go home

Oh, I miss you, you know

And I’ve been keeping all the letters that I wrote to you

Each one a line or two

“I’m fine baby, how are you?”

Well I would send them but I know that it’s just not enough

My words were cold and flat

And you deserve more than that

Another aeroplane

Another sunny place

I’m lucky I know

But I wanna go home

I’ve got to go home

Let me go home

I’m just too far from where you are

I wanna come home

And I feel just like I’m living someone else’s life

It’s like I just stepped outside

When everything was going right

And I know just why you could not

Come along with me

This was not your dream

But you always believed in me

Another winter day has come

And gone away

In even Paris and Rome

And I wanna go home

Let me go home

And I’m surrounded by

A million people I

Still feel all alone

Oh, let me go home

Oh, I miss you, you know

Let me go home

I’ve had my run

Baby, I’m done

I gotta go home

Let me go home

It will all be all right

I’ll be home tonight

I’m coming back home