Saturday 16 February 2013

Z's in the kitchen

Elle asked me to cook a proper English roast last night, so I did roast pork, because of the crackling.  Because it's one of those things that they tend not to do abroad (actually, I don't know if they do crackling in Germany) and it's marvellous.  I'd have done roast beef otherwise, but a good rib of beef for just six isn't easy unless you all like it cooked the same, more or less, and I like rare and the Sage likes overcooked, so we're stuck already.  Elle's mother, Vee, is mostly vegetarian so I did a substantial veggie side dish, courgettes and aubergines with chick peas, cream and pesto (if you came to the party last year you may have eaten it, it's one of my favourites) as well as roast potatoes and spinach, in case she'd prefer to avoid the pork, but in fact she did politely eat a small helping.

Then I made Queen of Puddings because it's such a very English pud and you hardly ever come across it in restaurants.  And I served English, French and German cheeses.  Vee remarked that she'd never eaten biscuits with cheese before.  I did consider the matter, but resolutely served cheese biscuits and served it after the pudding, not before.  Englishness was the point of the meal (I know the courgette dish wasn't very English, but the other point of being English is that we take good things from anywhere).

Elle also wanted a proper English breakfast, so we had bacon, eggs, sausages, mushrooms and tomatoes followed by toast with local honey and home-made marmalade.  Tonight, we are having fish and chips, from the chippy.  And tomorrow, they intend to head for the local cafe in search of brunch.  I've got to play the clarinet in church tomorrow, so i can't go with them, but I'll be back before it's time for them to head for Luton.

The birds really do think it's spring.  Maybe it is.

11 comments:

Wendy said...

Nathan did a 3 month exchange stint in Germany last year and the family he stayed with was vegetarian...he found it quite hard. Now, the German boy is taking his turn in France with Nat and they have had to adapt to his vegetarianism and make sure there is food he can eat. Must be tricky, when you've worked all day and have to think of that on top of normal cooking.

I find it odd to think of veggie Germans because I associate them with bratwurst and eisbein.

We had a proper English brekkie this morning too. No sausages though.

Unknown said...

The crackling sounds good, with apple sauce, I trust? I, too love my beef rare!

Z said...

As long as he's reasonably open-minded about what he does eat - it's when someone is vegetarian and doesn't really like vegetables that it's most difficult. Vee is French, in fact, but they've lived in Germany for some years - Elle's dad is German.

Unknown said...

Odd coincidence Z. Ann hasn't made a Queen of puddings for a year or so, but made one last Sunday. I'll put a photo of it on this evening's blog entry.

martina said...

I had toast...ho hum. Your breakfast sounds better.

janerowena said...

I thought of you today, because after a hurried early breakfast of porridge we went to the architectural salvage auctions in Diss, where I bought various garden oddities instead of the rose arch I had intended to buy, and missed buying the ugliest gargoyle I have ever seen by about £100. He looked just like Gollum, and I rather liked the idea of him lurking in the undergrowth. Such a shame, I wanted to make the postman jump.

allotmentqueen said...

Can we have the recipe for your "substantial veggie side dish" please?

janerowena said...

It does sound rather good, I would like it too please.

Macy said...

And fish and chips from the chippy! Another classic English meal!

Z said...

Hang on, you saw the ugliest gargoyle and thought of me? H'm...

Okay, I'll type up the recipe.

Exactly, Macy!

janerowena said...

Oh dear...