Saturday 8 January 2011

Land of Poo

I've had a really busy evening.  It's only 11 o'clock and I'm tired out.  I had the bright idea of feeding the children at 5.30, with nibbles and wine for us, and then we having dinner at 7.30 when Zerlina was in bed. A good idea, but it needed a lot of rushing about.  It had all gone so well during the day too, because I'd got everything prepared, it was just a matter of putting things in the oven at the right times and keeping an eye on them.

And it did work.  Everyone started to arrive at 5, and in due course we opened Christmas presents, the children ate (I'd gone for easy options, sausages and baked beans, ice cream and cake) and I served the smoked salmon and little cheesy numbers.  Soon after 7, Zerlina asked to go to bed.  I know, it's true though, Weeza has a child who knows when she's tired, rather than getting irritable but denying it, and asks for her bed.  Dinner was on the table at exactly 7.30, by which time Squiffany and Pugsley were sitting together in an armchair watching a Nanny McPhee DVD on my computer (the DVD player is on the blink, I'll have to replace it).  But I'd been scurrying about in frenzied fashion getting it all ready by then.

Wink brought some splendid cheeses with her from her local deli, and Ro and I, in particular, tried each of them and compared notes.  One of them was splendidly smelly.  Unfortunately, Wink couldn't remember its name.  There was a ripe local (to her) camembert (Phil described it as "suppurating," and indeed it was oozing over the cheeseboard), a semi-soft goat's cheese, a Cheddar from Cheddar and a couple of others.  I am not sure how I'm going to finish them while they're still at their best, the Sage won't eat much of them.  She also brought a magnum bottle of Crozes Hermitage, which she'd won in a raffle, it having been donated by the local wine merchants.  It was on its way, past its best, but still a fine wine.

Everyone has gone to bed now except the Sage and me.  Ro and Dora went back to Norwich, but all the same, it's not often that six people sleep in this house now.

You have to have seen the film to 'get' the title of the post, but it could relate to the cheese too.

10 comments:

Z said...

Of course, being tired at 11 o'clock doesn't necessarily indicate that I'll be able to sleep, even three hours later. I should have gone to bed late as usual. Pah.

Marion said...

Oh, dear. Poor Z.
Glenda

Gledwood said...

What's pooze got to do with it?

I had a lovely cheese and apple salad with red onions and lettuce with my Chinese satay chicken and Indian yellow rice.

You microwave the satay for 2 mins, add the rice, microwave together for another 4 mins. Peel the lids off, add loads of yummy MSG, especially to the rice, two generous pinches per tub (prissy old Iceland do MSG Chinese food, what a travesty!)... stir very well indeed and microwave for a further 3 mins. Then the amazing Chinese dinner is ready all for just £1.50 Satay, £1 rice and £1 cheese and apple salad. I had to have salad with it as I'm fed up of a vegetable-free life. When a few years ago I started eating veggies again everyone said how much less SHIT I looked, so vegetables are most definitely good for you. The mixed tropical fruit mixer I add to my cyder is supposedly 2 of my daily fruit and veg portions but I'm highly dubious of this.... But anyway this Chinese dinner was sublime. I'd highly recommend it ;-)

PS have a look at my spanked bum pictures and tell me if you think the police deserve it.

Z said...

I fell asleep in the end, Glenda, for the last three hours. Thank you!

Sounds good, Gledwood. You have had a sleepless night as well, I think. I saw the photos but had to skip past hastily, can't cope with them.

Dave said...

I have tried many cheeses over the years (I'm not one to turn my nose up automatically, without having tried things - even vegetables) but have to admit runny cheeses don't do anything for me.

Roses said...

I lurve soft cheeses. Not so keen on Stilton and blue cheeses...they smell like feet to me. Certainly sounds like a gorgeous spread though.

Glad you had fun though.

Christopher said...

Smelliest here are Maroilles, Brie de Meaux and sometimes Limburg. However toasting - not too much or they just melt - them reduces the smell and intensifies the flavour. Worth trying?

Z said...

I'm having some for dinner stuffed inside a baked potato. I hope that'll have the same effect. Friends of ours, to bring out the flavour of a soft cheese, give it a few seconds in the microwave - the same principle as your toasting, Chris. Although probably you'd frown upon it, having French Ways.

Gorgonzola was one of the others, I now remember, and I think the sixth is a hard sheep's cheese. The cheese was hard, not necessarily the ewe. I don't mind the smell of smelly cheese at all.

It's not just trying something, one has to keep trying it to accustom one's palate. That's why it is called an acquired taste. Interestingly, sometimes one can try something a couple of times, not like it and then have another go years later and find it delicious.

Christopher said...

French Ways, indeed! This is a very bastion of Englishry.

luckyzmom said...

Never met a cheese I didn't like.