It’s been a challenging week. My dad spent his 88th birthday in hospital after a heart attack. It’s his first as far as we know. He didn’t have the usual chest pains, just a pain in the shoulders, which at first he thought was due to sleeping funny. He has diabetes II, which means you are more likely to have what is termed a ‘silent’ heart attack. Even though his diabetes is well controlled, due to my mum’s ever watchful eye, your nerves are damaged. He’s waiting for a stent.
Food
Fig, walnut saffron risotto recipe
April 14, 2024 Leave a Comment
Here is a recipe for spring. I've been out in the garden this weekend, trying to mow the lawn after all the rain. I need to strim it first, which is such hard work. The lilac tree is leaning low ...
The trouble with Jessica film review and a recipe for clafoutis
April 8, 2024 Leave a Comment
The Trouble with Jessica just came out on general release in cinemas. It stars two of my favourite actors: Shirley Henderson (Moaning Myrtle in the Harry Potter films) with sickly sweet voice and the ...
Mini bagel recipe for party canapés
April 1, 2024 Leave a Comment
Two of the most popular foods are pizzas and bagels. So as well as the mini pizzette for my daughter's birthday party last week, I also made mini bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon. I ...
Birthday food: a giant caterpillar cake
March 26, 2024 Leave a Comment
It was my daughter's 30th birthday on Saturday. She had a party at my place. The theme was 'gold'. This turned out to be a great idea because everybody glittered. My son in law indulged his camp side ...
Travel
Recipe: Pumpkin seed mole
March 20, 2024 Leave a Comment
On the 16th March, after four days of travel by car, I reached the Mexican Dark Skies supper club in North Western Scotland, Assynt, Sutherland, (north of Ullapool) run by Monica Shaw and her partner ...
Villages and towns in Sicily worth visiting: Noto, Bronte, Trapani, Marsala and Erice
January 21, 2024 1 Comment
I spent time in Sicily just before Christmas. Flying to Catania, which I've visited before, I stayed in Paradise hotel (old fashioned, but lovely) near Mount Etna, which had an overnight splutter. ...
Italian pastry recipes: sfogliatelle, sfingi doughnuts and ricotta hotcakes
January 14, 2024 Leave a Comment
Sfogliatelle is a complicated recipe (and complicated spelling) but I guess once you've done it a few times, you get the hang of it and it's easier. The shell-like armadillo shape is created by making ...
Christmas in Naples: Struffoli recipe
December 24, 2023 2 Comments
For the last two years I've been in Naples just before Christmas. Struffoli is a honey drenched 'cake' in the shape of a wreath. I saw large versions in bakeries but also small versions at the ...