Today, we mostly ate…

…leftovers.

There wasn’t much left – all the pork went and most of the chicken, and the only reason there was a fair bit of the veggie dish was because the recipe said “serves four as a main dish” and I knew there were at least three vegetarians, so I thought I’d double up to be sure – it filled my biggest 10 pint casserole.  It was a jolly good recipe though, quick and easy, not at all solemn or stodgy, colourful and tasty, and vegan to boot.  I had been told that one of the guests is coeliac, so made sure that the whole meal (that I was responsible for- I didn’t do all the puddings) was gluten free.

I’m pretty careful to bear in mind food intolerences and allergies – especially the latter.  I’d never put nut oil in a dressing, for example, unless I was sure it was safe to do so and I use no hidden ingredients that are likely to cause a problem.  One person can’t eat onions, and I find it almost impossible to cook without onions, but the chicken dish doesn’t have any.  Two of the dishes were low fat and there was a fruit salad for dieters and diabetics.  I can’t bear to think of someone who already has difficulty with finding suitable things to eat being fobbed off with something boring and dashed off at the last minute.

I’d been able to put out of my mind the awfulness of Friday’s meeting yesterday, but it (or rather, the result of it) has been weighing on me all day.  Tuesday morning will be not nice, when the person concerned will be told by me and the Head.  I feel pretty dreadful about it, in fact – it involves someone losing their job, not because of anything wrong they have done but because a department has become overstaffed.  One of the four had to go, and I chaired the committee which decided.  I know, lots of people have to do this sort of thing all the time, but I never have and nor has the Head (who took no part in the decision).  He feels bad too.

We’d had it in mind to start bricklaying again this week, but it isn’t going to happen.  The Sage is busy with the day job on Tuesday and Thursday, the sand is being delivered on Monday, Dave’s busy on Wednesday and I am on Friday.  Since each of us has two or three free mornings, you’d think that we’d be able to find one or two when we’re all free, but no.  I hope the wind drops and it doesn’t rain because then it will be a pleasure to plant out all the things that have been ready for quite some time, but which haven’t gone in the ground as chickens etc still were free to roam in the vegetable garden.  It’s been  fenced off now – the unwalled side and, temporarily, the side where the wall isn’t completed.  The rest is wall or greenhouses.

13 comments on “Today, we mostly ate…

  1. Sarah

    Nor me Dave….Z your dish sounds yummy.

    Are you sure Dave is well enough to start building walls again?….sounds to me as if he is on his last legs…

    Reply
  2. Sarah

    I meant to say I do pop over from time to time for a read, but don’t often have time to comment! Too Busy trying to sort Dave out…he’s such a worry you know.

    Reply
  3. Roses

    I like cooking for people with dietary requirements. I like the challenge. I have friend who is vegan and he’s always so apologetic, but it’s great to try out new stuff.

    My list of dislikes is a short one thankfully: turkey, fennel and anniseed. Bleugh.

    I don’t know how to cook without onions. Up until you said, I didn’t think it could be done.

    Reply
  4. mago

    What is so fascinating about brick laying? What kind of bricks by the way? Selfmade ones? I bet there is something like a Euro-norm for them today.
    Good luck for the Tuesday meeting, never easy.

    Reply
  5. Z

    Dave dear, it’s easier to compile a list of foods you both like and are allowed to eat and go from there.

    It’s up to Dave, Sarah – he’ll say if he wants a rest, or if he doesn’t feel up to coming at all. And thanks for keeping in touch.

    Peace, man. You’d look wonderful in a caftan with hair down past your shoulders (I mean the hair that starts on your head of course).

    My mother had a whole lot of health problems in her last years, Roses – I found the constant fat-free cooking a bit of a pill in fact, but at least she could eat onions. My friend can have leeks and garlic funnily enough, but onions give her the squits. I love aniseed. There’s almost nothing I dislike to eat, come to think of it.

    It was wanting a wall that came first rather than the bricklaying, but I like doing things with my hands and I’m not at all artistic. The bricks are traditionally made at a Suffolk brickyard and some of them are quite wonky, which is good because we can blame our imperfect bricklaying on the bricks.

    Thanks.

    Reply
  6. Sam R

    Sam’s Grandma is teetotal, so I quite often had to produce the same meal twice, one with wine included, on without. Complete pain in the arse, but you ought to respect people’s needs (definitely) or whims (grrrrr).

    Reply
  7. Z

    You should have cooked for my mother when she was ill, Simon. No fat, no alcohol, no fruit, nothing acidic, no sugar, no chocolate – actually, puddings were out, so that made it easier as she just nibbled a cracker, as I put cheese out at the same time as the pudding – oh, of course, until no wheat/gluten was recommended, when she nibbled a rice cake.

    She loved food, it was such a shame.

    Reply
  8. Gledwood

    Are you a part-time BRICKLAYER??!? I never had you down as the type… I’d have thought you were more into petrol-tanker driving or something of that ilk…

    My quiz closes 1 min to midnight tonight so ALL WILL BE REVEALED!!

    You know I used to live in Norwich many many moons ago… I worked at the Eastern Daily Press! And Norwich Union (who hasn’t worked for Norwich Union?!?)…

    Hey have you ever seen a Norwich terrier? You don’t happen to know anyone who breeds them? I really want a bitch puppy but they seem rare as golden eggs!

    Reply
  9. Z

    I’ve not tried a petrol tanker, Gled – I’ll have a go at anything though, so if anyone wants to let me loose…You’ve probably worked out that I’m quite staid and sedate on the surface.

    Everyone has worked for Norwich Union, or Aviva as they now call it – but most people have been made redundant more recently, unfortunately.

    I had friends with Norfolk Terriers (ears down) but I don’t know of anyone with Norwich Terriers (ears pricked) offhand, I’m afraid.

    I didn’t know you had Norfolk connections.

    Reply

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