My Saturday mornings are becoming a bit of a ritual. My wine class was cancelled today, which means we cannot go away next weekend but I am enjoying not having to rush off in the traffic.
After a slow start I have just finished at the organic market in the grounds of Talisman Restaurant. All you Niarobians who are out and about get your selves down there for some great buys.
My first find was beautiful rubarb that is going to go in the bottom of creme brulee (I get to use my kitchen blowtorch!); soup is heavy on the menu this week with carrots (and ginger with a touch of orange juice), potato and leek (trying to use up our abundant leek crop before they go woody, and tomato and basil which can be taken warm or cold. I use my own home made stock, vegetable or, if the dogs don't get to the carcas first, chicken (it means having roast chicken at least once a week but that is not so much of a hardship for us, it is one of our favourite meals)
I also found some artichokes which I love and have been trying to grow from seed for months now. The lady who had them is going to do the hard work for me and will bring the plants when they are ready. So exciting to think I will be able to have my own plants in the garden.
The pineapple is destine for the Christmas baking fest! I am going to try and do my own glace fruit so I can make my mother's beautifu stain glass window cake.
Not just thinking about my stomach, I also found a marigold plant that will be going into the veggie garden to distract the bugs from the fruit and vegetables.
I am now sitting in Dorman's drinking coffee having just stocked up on a weeks worth of amazing bread from The Bake Maker stand which is here in the Karen shop. The fragrance of fresh bread coming from the bags is overpowering and I am so tempted to start eating it now!
Getting back to Christmas, I have been thinking for a few weeks now I really must get started on my fruit mince, pudding and cake. They are so much better if they have time to mature for months (and benifit from a regular nip of brandy or sherry sprinkled over). Having lived in the tropics for so long and moving around with work, I have never been able to plan to far ahead with my Christmas cooking but now that I am settled in a climate that is condusive to keeping cakes etc long term without them going mouldy I am determined to get ahead and not be burning the midnight oil the week before Christmas. We have a lovely cool dry cellar which will be perfect for hanging the puddings.
Well, having had my saturday morning treat it is time to hit the traffic. I am so looking forward to seeing Helen this afternoon. She and the family have been traveling with her brother's family for the school holidays and just arrived home yesterday. Although it does mean no more blog readers in Cambodia or Thailand, hopefully there will be a regular reader in Dhubai now, Adele.
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