All posts by Keith

I’m a controversialist and catalyst, quietly enabling others to develop by providing different ideas and views of the world. Born in London in the early 1950s and initially trained as a research chemist I retired as a senior project manager after 35 years in the IT industry. Retirement is about community give-back and finding some equilibrium. Founder and Honorary Secretary of the Anthony Powell Society. Chairman of my GP's patient group.
food+drink

The Feasts of Christmas

We’re not ones for huge 2, 3 or more course meals. A simple main course is sufficient even on Christmas Day — we do try not to stuff (or drink) ourselves stupid! But we do believe in good, wholesome fresh food. So over the Christmas period we’ve had some seriously good food, starting with a Pheasant stuffed with Partridge stuffed with pork forcemeat brought (ready prepared) from Elveden Estate Shop on the way back from our Christmas visit to my mother — we always stop at Eleveden and we always buy some seriously good home-grown meat.


Sunday 22 December, Evening: Pot-roast Partridge stuffed Pheasant; venison sausages; roast root veg; jacket potatoes. Bottle of Rioja Eguía.
Monday 23 December, Evening: Cold Partridge stuffed Pheasant; cold sausage; tomato & avocado salad; homemade bread. Bottle of Bardolino Naiano.
Christmas Eve, Evening: Roast Capon; jacket potatoes; steamed fennel & cabbage; homemade sage & onion stuffing; mushroom sauce. Bottle of Beaujolais Villages Blanc Domaine Matray.
Christmas Day, Lunch: Smoked Salmon sandwiches. Large Gin & Tonic.
Christmas Day, Evening: Roast leg of pork; garlic potatoes; roast root veg (carrot, swede, celeriac, Jerusalem artichokes); homemade onion & armagnac stuffing; apple sauce. Bottle of Roger Brun rosé champagne.
Boxing Day, Lunch: Cold roast capon, cold roast pork, cold sausages; sauté leftover potatoes; stir-fried leftover veg; cold stuffing; pickles. Aspall’s organic Suffolk cider.
And even after a few rounds of sandwiches we still have enough cold chicken and cold pork left to make a substantial meat loaf/terrine.

photography

Advent 25 – Happy Christmas

An Advent Calendar
Some of Favourite Images from Other Photographers on Flickr.
Happy Christmas
and a Prosperous 2014
Click the image for larger views on Flickr and details of the photographer

Note that these images are not mine and are copyright the original photographer who may be identified by following the link to Flickr

current affairs

Boris on Europe

There was an interesting article by Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, in yesterday’s Daily Telegraph in which he asks if “Europe” is going to turn out to be one of those things which we’re always told are necessary but turn out not to be.

KCM598
Click the link to read the full article

As always with Boris the article is well written and well argued, with rather deeper thoughts than may at first meet the eye.

photography

Advent 24

An Advent Calendar
Some of Favourite Images from Other Photographers on Flickr.
Click the image for larger views on Flickr and details of the photographer
Primeval Banknotes
Note that these images are not mine and are copyright the original photographer who may be identified by following the link to Flickr

photography

Weekly Photograph

Something different for this week’s photograph, and no, nothing Christmas-y either. This is a detail crop from an experimental shot of a collection of easels; taken some years ago at an evening class.

Click the image for larger views on Flickr
Easels Again
Easels Again
Harrow; September 2007

photography

Advent 23

An Advent Calendar
Some of Favourite Images from Other Photographers on Flickr.
Click the image for larger views on Flickr and details of the photographer
Symphony of Colours
Note that these images are not mine and are copyright the original photographer who may be identified by following the link to Flickr

history, ramblings, topographical

Christmas & New Year Traditional Events

This time of year produces a lot of traditional (and often strange) events around Britain. So many places seem to have their traditional event — some are relatively modern while others go back hundreds, maybe even thousands, of years.


I remember when I was a kid there was a relatively modern (started in 1908) Boxing Day tradition of a football match between the Bakers and the Sweeps which survives to this day. The participants, dressed and made up accordingly, paraded round the streets collecting money for charity before playing a fairly rowdy football match on one of the local recreation grounds. This tradition, like many others (both new and ancient) across the country, survives because it raises money for local charities.
I can’t hope to find out about and list here a tithe of the events happening across Britain — and there seems to be nowhere which lists them — so you will need to search out ones that interest you or that are happening near you. IanVisits lists a small number in his monthly “Things to do outside London” listings for December and January.
The most important dates to look for are:
     Boxing Day, 26 December
     New Year’s Eve, 31 December
     New Year’s Day, 1 January
     12th Day of Christmas, 5 January
     Old Christmas Day, 6 January
     Old New Year’s Eve, 11 January
As you see many of these traditions are tied to the old calendar and/or to traditionally important days. They deserve to survive both because they are a traditional part of the British heritage but also because so many do good work raising money for local charities.

photography

Advent 22

An Advent Calendar
Some of Favourite Images from Other Photographers on Flickr.
Click the image for larger views on Flickr and details of the photographer
Gossamer Wave
Note that these images are not mine and are copyright the original photographer who may be identified by following the link to Flickr

food+drink

Parmesan Biscuits

This is the year of the Parmesan Biscuit — small cheesy biscuity nibbles. I’ve just made three batches, two to take to Sue’s tonight after “Carols by Candlelight”. The recipe is from Simon Hopkinson’s The Good Cook.
Parmesan Biscuits
Makes: about 30-36 4cm biscuits
Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus time to chill the pastry
Cooking Time: 10 minutes


Ingredients
100g cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
100g plain flour
pinch salt
pinch cayenne pepper
1 heaped tsp mustard powder
50g finely grated mature cheddar
50g finely grated parmesan, plus a little extra
1 egg, beaten
1 fresh chilli, thinly sliced into rounds (optional)
Method

  1. Place the butter and flour into the bowl of a food processor with the salt, cayenne, mustard powder and cheeses. Process together to begin with, and then finely pulse the mixture in short spurts as you notice the mixture coming together – it will eventually bind without the need for egg or water.
  2. Wrap in cling film and leave to chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
  3. While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 180C.
  4. Lightly flour a work surface and gently roll out the pastry to about the thickness of a pound coin. Cut out the biscuits to the size and shape you wish — anything between 3cm and 5cm, depending on the occasion. Lay them out on baking parchment on a baking sheet 1-2cm apart; you may well need two baking sheets for this quantity.
  5. Carefully brush the surface of each biscuit with the beaten egg, optionally add a thin slice of fresh chilli, and sprinkle over a little finely grated parmesan.
  6. Bake for 10 minutes, or until they are a gorgeous golden-brown colour; the superb smell will also inform you that they are ready.
  7. Carefully lift the biscuits off the tray using a palette knife and place on a rack to cool. Although the biscuits will keep well in a sealed container for a few days, I have never known this to happen!

Notes

  1. The quantities are fairly critical. Do not over do the cheese or butter and do not over blend the ingredients otherwise the mixture goes too soft and is unworkable.
  2. The “mis-shapes” left after cutting out the biscuits can also be glazed and cooked and will make a bowl of party nibbles.