Alone in the kitchen
It is time to cook, for me at least. I have felt like attacking the kitchen and, like the alchemists of yore, coming out with something so different from the bare ingredients that I started with. I have been adventurous, and everything has been attempted. From lemon surprise puddings, to bacon, pepper and broad bean risotto - from Nigella to ad-libbed stuff from little ol' me.
[My take on Nigella's 'Pasta with meatballs in tomato sauce' which was heaven on a plate. Interestingly we don't have a pasta maker, which completely passed me by until I realised that it was needed. But fear not, if you don't have a pasta maker, all you need is a rolling pin, a flat surface and some very good upper body strength! Working on the principle that women have been making pasta in Italy longer than men have been with machines ;-)]
It has been a nice escape, and good to get back to cooking, something I enjoy passionately. I go through phases of not really wanting to be in the kitchen, then I get a spark of inspiration and I'm off. Which is nice, because it's taking my mind off the insanity that is wedding preparations. Talking of which...
So far, The Big Ol' Wedding Checklist (hummed to the tune of 'Big Rock Candy Mountain') is coming together piece by piece, but there is still so much to do. Shoes, wedding favours, and still people haven't RSVP'd (it's just a month away, is it too much to ask for a phonecall or a card in the post?!?!?!). Ugh. Not that I'm stressing (the lines on my face don't give away the wedding-related nightmares I'm having almost nightly, do they?) - much.
On a better note, I've just finished Du Maurier's 'Rebecca' which was as excellent as I'd hoped it'd be and more - my mother found me an ancient reading copy, with an old-book smell to it and foxing on its pages, the smell taking me every bit back to the old halls of Manderley. I heard the second Mrs. de Winter narrating it all from the gallery, or from the rose garden so beloved of her, those immortal lines 'Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again'. Having read Sally Beauman's 'Rebecca's Tale' first, it gave me a taste for Manderley, and I'm now onto Susan Hill's sequel to 'Rebecca' entitled 'Mrs. de Winter'. They are enchanting novels, and well worth reading, especially the original, it is tangy and has bite, which for its time was well ahead of itself.
Back to the kitchen for me, book in hand ;-)
[My take on Nigella's 'Pasta with meatballs in tomato sauce' which was heaven on a plate. Interestingly we don't have a pasta maker, which completely passed me by until I realised that it was needed. But fear not, if you don't have a pasta maker, all you need is a rolling pin, a flat surface and some very good upper body strength! Working on the principle that women have been making pasta in Italy longer than men have been with machines ;-)]
It has been a nice escape, and good to get back to cooking, something I enjoy passionately. I go through phases of not really wanting to be in the kitchen, then I get a spark of inspiration and I'm off. Which is nice, because it's taking my mind off the insanity that is wedding preparations. Talking of which...
So far, The Big Ol' Wedding Checklist (hummed to the tune of 'Big Rock Candy Mountain') is coming together piece by piece, but there is still so much to do. Shoes, wedding favours, and still people haven't RSVP'd (it's just a month away, is it too much to ask for a phonecall or a card in the post?!?!?!). Ugh. Not that I'm stressing (the lines on my face don't give away the wedding-related nightmares I'm having almost nightly, do they?) - much.
On a better note, I've just finished Du Maurier's 'Rebecca' which was as excellent as I'd hoped it'd be and more - my mother found me an ancient reading copy, with an old-book smell to it and foxing on its pages, the smell taking me every bit back to the old halls of Manderley. I heard the second Mrs. de Winter narrating it all from the gallery, or from the rose garden so beloved of her, those immortal lines 'Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again'. Having read Sally Beauman's 'Rebecca's Tale' first, it gave me a taste for Manderley, and I'm now onto Susan Hill's sequel to 'Rebecca' entitled 'Mrs. de Winter'. They are enchanting novels, and well worth reading, especially the original, it is tangy and has bite, which for its time was well ahead of itself.
Back to the kitchen for me, book in hand ;-)
posted by VintagePretty at 12:28 pm
4 Comments:
I've been wanting to read Rebecca. After I finish All Quiet on the Western Front (don't ask why I chose a war novel; it's sad, but good), I think I'll pick up Rebecca.
Speaking of cooking, I've just decided that I'm not going to use my microwave as much. I am concerned about how safe it is. I'll let you know how that one goes. Hang in there with the wedding. You can only control what you can control. Ultimately, you want to share this moment with your friends and loved ones. But when it comes down to it, if you're frazzled because of who may or may not show, that takes away from your moment. Take a deep breath and enjoy it.
Oh, how I love adventures in the kitchen! I am so inspired by you, making pasta without a machine.
Quite seriously, if there is anything I can do to help with your wedding, just say the word. Favours need crafting, anything. Just email me!
Oh, and if you have a chance, let me know your email address and I will get back to you about scrumptious scribblings (scrumptiouscribblings@yahoo.com)
So glad you enjoyed Rebecca- it has such a dreamy quality, I think. And I get so much more joy out of reading an older copy of a book- I am glad to find someone else who likes book smells too!
Not sure about the meat, but hey...
[new blog! custardsurgery dot com - come have a butchers!]
Rebecca is my favorite!! And pasta without meatballs second!!
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