A couple of years ago I decided that I needed to get a couple of house plants. Oddly I didn't have any at all at the time and I'd only been just about keeping a few herb plants semi-alive indoors. So I chose to get a Aspidistra elatior or cast-iron plant as well as a couple of Aloe Vera. I put them all in the bathroom at the end of the bath and have been sort of keeping an … [Read more...] about Some House Plant Fun
rant
Getting Back to Outdoor Cooking and Living
The last week or so the weather has been moving in the right direction at last. The days are definitely longer, which in Ireland means that people talk about "the grand stretch". The sky has been lovely and clear some days! So it's only natural that I've started spending a bit more time outside and working on things that will end up outside when the weather improves. … [Read more...] about Getting Back to Outdoor Cooking and Living
Time to Grow my Own Ingredients?
Cooking is one of those things I do to keep myself busy. Over the past year it's become a very welcome escape, though at times I realise that I just don't have the motivation to cook and end up taking shortcuts. So yes I do order takeaway from time to time or just have something quick and easy. I've got a growing collection of cookbooks and while I've been cooking long … [Read more...] about Time to Grow my Own Ingredients?
Asian Cooking Experiments Update
As I said previously I planned to use the current restrictions as a time to hone my cooking skills. One cuisine that I've always liked to eat, but never been particularly good at making, is Chinese, so over the past couple of weeks I've been exploring it a little more. My sister gave me her copy of "Chinese Food Made Easy" and I also picked up a copy of Fuschia Dunlop's … [Read more...] about Asian Cooking Experiments Update
Adjusting the Coffee Grind
For the last few years I've had a very rudimentary coffee grinder. It "worked" in that it would grind coffee, but you had absolutely no control over how finely ground the coffee was. So I generally didn't buy coffee beans and would get the coffee ground for the coffee pots I tend to use - most often my French press. For Christmas, however, my sister gave me a really nice … [Read more...] about Adjusting the Coffee Grind