Cooking for one (Mark Three)

[Deleted User] · 18 March 2018 at 7:56AM

yes definitely lethal outside and glad for the workers that it is a sunday, not much snow here but it looks treacherous

small breakfast earlier granola/hemp/walnuts

mid morning, boiled eggs and a first slice of my experimental peasant bread

lunch ricotta/spinach/pasta/peas then lovely berry/apple crumble

I hardly ever feel like another full meal later so will make a carrot/kale/ginger/lemon/celery juice and have two pieces of thin peasant bread toasted, one spread with peanut butter and one with cherry spread and then it will be another 12 hours to breakfast

I definitely am doing seed sorting and planning of seed sowing later. Got to wash my hair and will instinctively do a large flask of boiling water just in case of a cyber power cut

PasturesNew · 18 March 2018 at 8:04AM

I don't think "it's that bad" out there, having had another look.

I put my finger into the snow on top of the bin and it comes up to the joint half way up my finger, so 1.5-2" max. It's about 4-6" where it's drifted onto things such as fence panel horizontal bits.

Each individual leaf on all the bushes has its own tiny 1" high pile of snow atop.

A lot of the path that's protected from it has no snow .... and it doesn't appear to be slippery or icy underfoot.

Not going out .... just saying

Fine snow falling now.

EDIT 7.22: It might be a 2 minute wonder, but, suddenly, the snow was huge and really coming down... bigger flakes, almost a white out for a bit... now it's just big flakes falling fast.

moneyistooshorttomention · 18 March 2018 at 8:22AM

Looked out window and thought "All very pretty" - but shudders at the sight of a light dusting of snow on the ground (as I'd anticipated). But I'm due to head off to do a bit of voluntary work (indoors thankfully) today. Shudders again at the thought that it's only a couple of fires there/no central heating in the place.

Casting my mind in the direction of wondering about soup for one meal today. Now I've got a cauliflower in and I've got a carton of that Oatly "cream" I like - I wonder whether it would make a cream of cauliflower soup that would be similar to what I'm used to?

Can't see me going for a walk per se in this weather today - just a quick "belt to and from" the voluntary session. Thinking "Well that YouTube 1 mile walking exercise session wasnt too bad yesterday - perhaps I should head straight for doing a 2 mile version today..."

Roll on spring - particularly as I want to see what these plants I've been getting here by post are going to be like (duh...particularly with a couple of them still dormant at the moment). You can tell I'm a newbie gardener can't you - for not anticipating that:o. I'm assured that what looks like earth in one of the pots is going to turn into the nice tall plant I thought I'd ordered...ahem...

[Deleted User] · 18 March 2018 at 8:39AM

Its belting big flakes now and the reason that they are not sticking on concrete and tarmac is because of the heat stored in the mass but as the snow melts, it draws the warmth out of the mass and the base will turn into an ice rink fairly quickly, the air temperature, here, is -2. Snow is sticking on the likes of open soil and wood, so decking and wooden steps will be lethal.

I am cosy in my dressing gown, no inclination to wash my hair, yet and am drinking a special oolong (loose leaf) made in my tiny special clay tea pot, only used for oolong here

I am not seed sowing until the ground warms up, no point as I am mostly only growing native basics this year, the hardy old fashioned veg that will survive erratic temperatures. Butternut squash too but that is my gamble

pineapple · 18 March 2018 at 9:45AM

Deep snow outside and still snowing heavily. Only farm traffic moving. The DIY 'goggles' have been invaluable. I think the dog could have done with some too (now THAT would be a sight

).
On the subject of eating insects, I've heard it said that they are the protein of the future.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/apr/08/the-worm-has-turned-how-british-insect-farms-could-spawn-a-food-revolution
I've eaten deep fried grasshoppers in Uganda. They said they tasted of crispy prawns. They lied.

In fact they didn't taste of much at all. Also on the shores of Lake Victoria you get clouds of lake fly. Eating outdoors can be tricky if a swarm of lake fly comes in. In the morning the windows are crusted with dead fishy smelling lake fly. In some African countries they make 'lake fly cake'. https://kristatanzania.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/lake-fly-cake.html.
Yum.... :rotfl:
I'm out of bread and no going anywhere this am so going to try making some soda farls on the lounge stove.
https://delishably.com/baked-goods/Irish-Soda-Farls

PasturesNew · 18 March 2018 at 10:30AM

I didn't actually expect to see any snow, due to being in the super-south by the sea.... no matter what the weather tells you it's usually rarely right re snow.

I am therefore probably in a position where I actually have "the wrong food" in the house.... I could make a chicken casserole, but I won't. I think I probably fancy a giant yorkshire, but I've no milk.

The trouble is, it's all about "what do you fancy?" and until the moment you don't know

Freezer contains chicken breasts, peas, cabbage .... fridge has a parsnip/cabbage bubble/squeak I made yesterday .... fresh stuff is onions, spuds and a whole swede. Cupboard/dried has stuffing and gravy.

But I don't really fancy any of that.

I fancy ...... sausage rolls.

Snow's stopped, there's definitely some 4-5" on the garden. It looks like it's thawing a bit as I can see snow that was on the patio door handle is dripping ... but that will be heat transference through the handle, rather than air temperature.

[Deleted User] · 18 March 2018 at 10:41AM

I have eaten a slice of peasant bread money, quite thin and buttered crust. The wait was definitely worth it, the crust softened so that my teeth were in no danger and the bread has matured. As expected the bread tastes like itself, not like any shop bought or normal hm bread, I like it a lot and it is very satisfying. The small extra amount of yeast,1 tsp in my 300g flour plus the longer rises, lifted the dough so that there are lots of small holes in the crumb. It was not an attractive loaf when made, very flat top but that isn`t the point, it is protein rich, fibre rich, tasty and I like it

So I have eaten my egg and bread and am now drinking my highly expensive anji bai cha tea, a green tea very very high in beneficials and this is my second brewing. I will get another 2 brews from the same leaves. Cheaper than a pint, bag of sweets or glass of wine to get it into context, Not as beneficial as matcha according to my tea tome

Berry/apple crumbles, I have more fruit defrosting to make another 3, can`t be having the oven on just for one small crumble. I have resorted to cups again

PasturesNew · 18 March 2018 at 11:24AM

I found crumpets! Forgot about those. And I had a new jar of marmalade to dip into.... so breakfast has been 2 crumpets & marmalade

indigowarrior · 18 March 2018 at 11:30AM

Hello I would like to join in if thats okay. Currently a lodger and cook for myself. Want to get into the habit of eating less ready meals and home cooked meals but, get put off cooking for myself. I live with my landlord and do occasionally cook for him as well.

bouicca21 · 18 March 2018 at 12:04PM

I wish PN would stop talking about sausage rolls. It's set off a craving but although that white stuff looks pretty, it's too cold to go out, so today's planned walk is cancelled.

Indigo, I reckon a once a week joint meal with your LL would be a good way of starting your new cooking regime. Maybe you should wean yourself off ready meals gradually? Just keep adding another 'proper' meal in to the week over a month or two? That way you will accustom yourself to the extra work involved in buying and prepping (???)

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

Cooking for one (Mark Three)

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free