Tuesday 3 October 2006

300th Post

Ooh, I never expected to get this far. I didn't know what would happen, or what I'd write but what has surprised me with pleasure is how lovely you are. Sorry to be sloppy, but it's okay to be a girly as long as no one who actually knows what a hard-boiled, tough woman I really am reads this. And Ab and El (and Sh?) will just laugh at me whatever I say.

This evening, WI. Women's Institute. Jam and Jerusalem; except we don't do the Jerusalem bit. Once, we were coming up to a Big Meeting with outsiders, so we thought we'd better have a go at Jerusalem. I took along my clarinet for unmusical accompaniment, took a deep breath and some wag went ' One, two, a-one, two, three, four' and I laughed so much that I hyperventilated and nearly fainted during the second verse.

I was doing Food. Now, as you might expect, the WI I belong to doesn't go down the cup of tea and a Rich Tea biscuit road, but does nice food. It was a meeting to which we had invited Guests, so there were several of us doing food and I'd said I'd do savouries. Which I interpret as canapés. I think finger food is so much more tempting if it's pretty as well as tasty*.

Anyway, it was nearing 10.30 when I arrived home, so I took a bottle of wine out of the fridge and started to read and write emails, and catch up on blogs. It's going to take a day or two, there are loads of updates I haven't read yet.

Which brings me back to the start (look, I have Delivered a Sermon, I can do neat endings). I do like hearing from you, and thanks for reading this and commenting, whether it's regularly or occasionally. You make me happy.



* The food. Very simple, I didn't have time to be inventive.

I often use slices of cucumber as a base, as it looks pretty and saves everyone from eating bread and pastry with every bite. The other base I usually use is bread croutes, which are buttered (or olive oiled) on one side and baked in the oven until golden - far easier than frying and they don't absorb so much fat. They don't go soggy quickly as biscuits do. If I have time, tiny choux pastry balls are good with a savoury filling, but I don't bother with the sort of pastry that has to be rolled out, for individual bites. I also bear in mind food allergies and choices such as vegetarianism, so I try not to include hidden food ingredients such as walnut oil or non-visible shellfish.

1. Salmon, flaked with mayonnaise and a squeeze of lemon juice on cucumber.
2. Ripe brie on cucumber.
3. Chicken liver pate - v. simple, the liver cooked in butter with garlic, a drop of brandy added and a little cream, mashed with a fork - on croutes.
4. Mushroom pate - cook shallot in butter, add mushrooms, cook again, add white wine, cook until evaporated, add cream, cook until the liquid has gone - on croutes.
5. Garlic cream cheese on cucumber, topped with prawns
6. Chicken breast, cut into 1cm(ish) cubes, marinated in yoghurt flavoured with chilli powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground ginger, tomato puree and lemon juice. Soak cocktail sticks, put a cube on each stick, grill.
7. Tiny new potatoes, tossed in oil and then in a mixture of spices which I made up as I went along, then roasted, then put on cocktail sticks.

Each made about 25-30. Now I've written it down, it doesn't look very impressive, but I did say it was simple.

8 comments:

Monozygote said...

(look, I have Delivered a Sermon, I can do neat endings)

Umm...did you ever tell us how it went? I've been watching out for your sermon post for so long I'd forgotten what I was watching out for. Did I blink and miss it?

You are my most favourite blogger, so I'm glad it makes you happy. Here's to the next 300.

Anonymous said...

300 posts! Well done...here's to many more...*raises imaginary champers*

I had the most wonderful canapes on Saturday..absolutely mouthwatering. At The Fishermans Lodge in Newcastle - tiny little bites of heaven...smoked duck pate with tomato confit, creamed coats cheese in a crispy shell, and mini salmon beignets...yum!

Anonymous said...

Thats goats cheese - not coat cheese...Ew!

Z said...

Dandelion - thank you so much. You are a darling and such a very caring person that that means a lot to me.

Yes, I did the sermon, the day after the Harvest Supper, but I'd been thinking about it for so long that it seemed unneccessary to write too. I will.

Geena - I was surprised at the "imaginary champers" until I saw that it was 1.39am. The canapés sound gorgeous. Mine looked sophisticated but were simple as I had a lot to do. I reckon on about 5-6 per person and catered for 30. I had 3 hours, but there were other jobs to do too.

I'm mad. Barking.

stitchwort said...

Congratulations on 300 postings!
Don't know how you find the inspiration, or the time, to post so often, but keep it up - some of us out here enjoy the variety, and reading about other folks' lives that are so different from our own.

Monozygote said...

I'M A DARLING! It's official. I feel so great. I think I feel motherly and protective towards you, having seen your darling photo.:-)

Can't wait to hear the harvest post, now that all be safely gathered in.

Anonymous said...

Congrats on the 300 and I'm pleased there is another member of the Nice Ladies under 55 in blogland. We don't sing Jerusalem either. In fact, I don't even know the words, so don't ever go to group meetings wehre it is sung :)

Please can we have canape recipes if you managed 180 in 3 hours?

How do we know said...

CONGRATULATIONS ZOE!! I love your blog, really do.. partly bcs its so different from our lives, but mostly bcs u make it soooo interesting!

You once told me Sage doesn't read it.. its a pity.. he has no idea what he misses! :-)