Well, yesterday I was just a wee bit peeved. Having elected not to go to town due to the weather forecast, the weather turned out not at all as expected. In fact, we had the best day’s weather that we have had in weeks! We might easily have gone to town but as we were out and about early at the local shops, the opportunity passed us by.
As always, the shopping here was challenging and there are a few things that we are going without. However, there are often pleasant surprises and yesterday those included finding two trays of fresh figs on offer. I purchased four figs, with little or no idea of what I was going to do with them… especially when it turned out that neither shop had Goats’ cheese on offer.
Back in the days when I “did” Christmas, Christmas Eve dinner was always a light affair, usually of fish. This year we had planned a vegetarian meal for this evening, of a Barley Bake. That went ahead, but I introduced a non-veggie starter in the form of the figs. They were really ripe and as we are fasting tomorrow, it seemed unlikely that the figs would last until Friday. We needed to eat them today. I had some Feta cheese on the premises and decided that would stand in for Goats’ Cheese. I elected to add a honey, thyme and pistachio drizzle and recalled the Orkney Fine Meats ham in the ‘fridge. Well, when I checked the ham out, I realised (a) that it was loin and completely the wrong size and shape for wrapping figs and (b) was cured with Fennel – a flavour that I did not really want to add to my dish.
I ended up stretching some dry-cured streaky bacon to wrap the figs. It worked out pretty well, all things considered. The only thing that I felt was lacking in the final dish was a few croutons with which to soak up the juices.
Tomorrow doesn’t look too bad, in fact may be the warmest Xmas Day for a few years. The tide times could be better but we hope to get out and about with the dogs anyway. This year however we will not be taking a festive picnic lunch with us, as it is our Fast day. We’ll have a brisk walk then come home to braise the cabbage, roast the sprouts, and bake the chicken breasts en papillote. Not so very piggy tomorrow but I think we shall be satisfied.
The fig thing may happen again, but next time with forward planning and some Parma Ham.
The replacement routers arrived yesterday – a fantastic effort by Amazon, on the free delivery option and only ordered last Friday afternoon. They also delivered today Mr L’s gift to himself, ordered on Saturday. Awesome service and I can only conform that we shall not be in any hurry to join the push to boycott Amazon. They help to make life that little bit more civilised.
My recent yarn purchases have not arrived, I am sad to say – as I would have dearly loved to be playing with them over the holiday. I did however receive a surprise gift today – from my pension fund. A sizeable input to the bank balance, to cover the effects of inflation on my lump sum, which arrived earlier in the year. A nice surprise and a lovely Xmas pressie. That’ll pay for a few figs, I am sure. Or another kilo of yarn.
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