Monday 8 January 2007

Z turns an Honest Penny

I was cooking dinner this evening when Ro came into the kitchen and stood behind me. After a minute I turned, having a sense that he didn't just happen to be standing there.

"Hug" he said. And we did. "I'm tired," he said "and I didn't work nearly such a long day as you."

I meant to close the shop at 5, but I was still busy and the last customer left at 5.40. By the time I'd taken the display in, cashed up, worked out tomorrow's order and phoned it in, a further hour had passed.

I had a great day. I have been given a recipe for Seville orange gin, given one out for marmalade*, explained why you cannot make pineapple jelly with uncooked pineapple, made a £10 fruit gift box, flirted delicately, made friends with several dogs, including a terrier who licked all over my face while my hands were full, carried a 25 kilo (55 pound) bag of potatoes to a customer's car, taken a huge order for Friday (the receipts will be impressive on Friday and not had time to read a word of any of the three books I had taken in to occupy my afternoon. I also ate a maple and pecan Danish pastry in the afternoon, to keep my strength up.

Tonight, I cooked a simple and encouraging supper of bangers and mash, with tomatoes and (close your eyes, Wendz) lots of small green fart-bombs. Followed by a few chocolates.

Tomorrow morning I will go in early to set up as I have a Meeting to go to in Norwich. I hope Eileen isn't as busy as we were today, as she will be alone from 9-1, although the Sage will go in to offer encouragement. He will also deliver Meals on Wheels for me.

*to a young man who made his first pots of strawberry jam in the summer and, fired with zeal, wishes to repeat the feat with marmalade now.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

marmalade is good, but meals on wheels makes me fall head over heels.

y.Wendy.y said...

I kept my eyes open...of course...so...brussel sprouts or flageolet verts? Whatever...glad I was not there during the night.

Z - reading about your busy life always makes me feel the urge to have a little nap.

The Boy said...

Seville Orange Gin? Pray, tell more, I like the sound of that. I usually put down sloe gin for summer (not)Pims, but we missed going the the cottage at harvest time this year.

That sounds a right busy day!

Anonymous said...

Are Sevilles around already? I've not seen any yet. As Evil T£$sco have closed all the local greengrocers, in every local town, I'll have to wait until MarketGreengrocerMen oblige.

Sebville Orange Gin - not heard of that one before... let us know how you get on with it.

Z said...

Do you have MoW in America, Jen? I am, of course, a WRVS (Women's* Royal Voluntary Service) member too, wouldn't you know it.

*men can join of course...

Wendz - sprouts, sorry.

They were a bit vague about the recipe. Cheap gin(!), the zest of one-and-a-half S. oranges, some sugar, shake every day for 3 days and it's ready to drink with tonic. I'm a bit doubtful about the sugar, can't think why you would want it as tonic has sugar in it so will try it without to start with. They were cheerily vague about quantities - 'you can always add a bit more sugar if there isn't enough...'

The Seville oranges came in last week, the season only lasts about 6 weeks so once I'm not on shop duty again, I'll have to get on with some marmalade making.

Busy yes, but I'm not tired as I've enjoyed it so much.

Pat said...

Sounds like a very productive day. Do be careful with the lifting heavy loads.

Z said...

Indeed, Pat, I do not want to risk doing myself a mischief. I'm careful with my back. It does me good to exert myself, once in a while.

Anonymous said...

Sounds a bit like lemon vodka. A German recipe from a chap Mr BW used to work with (now retired). That has lemon and honey in and is absolutely bloody lethal.

Even the most hardened drinker can't manage more than 2 glasses before passing out. i think the sugar and acid react with the spirit to create a volcano or something in your stomach.

Z said...

Really? I'm impressed. I certainly will try it now. Actually, I think Seville orange vodka sounds good too. Time to experiment and see if my stomach - and liver - live to tell the tale.