Friday 9 December 2011

Around the candlelit kitchen table

After a wild day on Thursday which was described, in a tongue and cheek kind of a way, on the radio tonight, as a 'peedie bit of a blustery day' even for us up here in the windy north of Orkney - so I've decided to take the evening slowly and do a bit of cooking by candle light. I have electricity, unlike a lot of the other people in the UK after last nights storm, but I like candles they are cosy. Here's my kitchen table - bit wee, covered in flowers and in the heart of the house here. I'm happy I'm home as the winds up again and gales are due again, although not as bad as last night.
I'm cooking cabbage by candleight (what else, at the moment?) for tea, experimenting with a few of your recipes - thank you! Do you think they'll notice cabbage for every meal???!!!! I hope not, the age of the had cabbage arrived here rather unexpectedly afterall. However, can't moan too much, with the cold and the snow arriving - I like comfort food and keeping cosy.
I've been thinking about xmas too - how about you? The advent candle is lit and I'm feeling a bit 'chirstmassy'. When asked what I wanted for xmas today - I pondered. I'd love a whizzy ice-cream machine and I've been reading up about them, not that I really like too much ice-cream very much, but my family do and making it would be quite fun. But, I'm not really thinking that such a 'posh' present would be very likely!
Although to be honest I'd be really chuffed if I got a new apron, my old one is getting pretty worn but I love it, (um, I do keep wearing it in the potting shed, whoops!) but there are so many lovely colourful ones out there - who on earth could choose? (Google aprons and colourful I dare you!?

Mind on though - socks get my vote everytime! But as long as they aren't dull! Or maybe another dog - that ones quite fun, doesn't walk much though.
I wonder what your kitchen table is like and what you're dreaming about around it?

17 comments:

  1. I had to watch TV by candlelight last night ;-)

    Glad that you're OK and managed to keep electricity. It looks like most people on Lewis have power back now (we lost it for the afternoon and evening yesterday) and hopefully everyone there will be sorted soon.

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  2. Yes the weather has been blustery! I'm keeping the candles nearby, but have not had reason to use them - though I've noted the lighting on the streets has not come on today, its pretty dark out there.

    I am liking your flowery boots. Hope you get an ice-cream maker, a new apron and maybe a dog.
    PS I hope they don't notice the cabbage too.

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  3. Ah shaheen - I love my flowery recycled boots (Ebay - Dr Martins, wonderful and a steal of a price - although I looked for what felt like a year).

    I hope but its unlikely an ice-cream maker will land in my stocking - a new apron is more likely and the other dog might object to a new one - but who knows maybe one day. I should point out I'm being greedy I do have a 'basic' icecream maker - but I do find it a chore - and I'm trying so hard to reduce my own household waste that an ice cream maker suited to our needs would really help (less plastic containers into the house). We bought a 'soda stream' recently to reduce any plastic bottles coming in here and its just about got rid of it all (precylcing I think they call it, when you find a way to not need to recycle in the first place)

    Thus far there have been no cabbage comments - I think we're OK and the cabbage diversity is being taken on the chin.

    Luckily they understand about seasonal eating - the teenagers, therefore its now serious cabbage season in this house.

    The real dog on the other hand is far more picky, hence the wish for a new one.

    Keep warm and safe where you are, lets hope that's the worst storm for a wee while.

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  4. Tony glad you're OK too - man it was rough here - its the worst I think I've ever experienced it.

    Telly by candle light - divine!

    Too windy for telly here - but thats a different moan.

    Alot of Orkney out of power but not here thankfully - a fair bit of seaweed strewn along the roads - that's always a bit frightening looking!

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  5. I guess I need to point out that I live with a gang of serial ice-cream eaters in this house - its like they inhale it or something.

    Is there an ice-creams anonymous?

    Mr Flowers needs their number too.

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  6. Shock horror! We have no kitchen table. A compact kitchen with lots of counters, and we mostly eat on the verandah. Unless it's winter.

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  7. So glad that you still have power - the weather was certainly severe for you up there and I was wondering if you had been blown away.

    I love your apron - it looks so comfy and loved - I am off now to google aprons! I must follow your lead and wear one in the polytunnel next year
    K

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  8. Cooking by candlelight, how challenging that must be, but fun.
    I love making ice cream but I have never owned a machine. I never really thought about the plastic containers because I tend to use reuseable ones. Is icecream much nicer from a machine. Also I never had a sodastream. I think I need to get with the times.

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  9. PS so glad you have shrunk your header, it used to take ages to load, and I'd rather get straight into reading your new post.

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  10. Elephants eye, the photo, um wasn't me, but glad it's better for you. I may need to look and see what I've done.....no table, wow, but a veranda to sit out on, perfect!

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  11. Karen, it's been pretty noisy and scary, but all fine. Just don't ask about the garden. Who would have known fushia have a penchant for flying right out of the ground. I'm seriously depressed about my garden, comfort eating by candle light helps!

    I'd highly recommend an apron when potting up (if it has pockets too it's really handy), saves you getting very mucky.

    Keep warm and lovely to see you.

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  12. Cheri we use the recycled type of containers too. It's more the volume of them coming into the house I'd like to reduce or eliminate them if I can. I think decent ice creams taste like home made.

    The soda stream helps alot, we drink it with our elderflower cordial, generally when mr f isn't looking. He guards it with his life. The man child son love fizzy juice but I refuse to buy it. We use to buy fizzy value water 17p/ltr and keep a fair selection of squashes in the house, much cheaper and nicer. I got the soda stream to eliminate the fizzy water buying and subsequent recycling of those bottles.

    It's helped alot, mainly my arms, they now don't get stretched tring to lug 2ltr bottles home.

    Myself, I prefer tap water!

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  13. hey, i like the new blog set up. very cheerful with the mint green for a wintery time of year. love your wellie boots too and the flowery tablecloth.

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  14. Aw jts thank you, I was fighting with blogger in bed on an iPad, the two aren't necessarily compatible.

    Flowery table cloth the end of a roll at a continental Market here years ago. A bargain at £3

    Daisies are my favourite flowers, so utterly cheerful.

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  15. I'm with Karen, I feel a need to get myself an apron just for gardening in!! I never seem to get around to wearing one in the kitchen, which could explain the near constant presence of flour, dough etc on the sleeves of whatever top I am wearing... I am feeling very Christmassy as I made mincemeat yeasterday, and today will be making the Christmas cake and mince pies. Yum...

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  16. Glad you survived the appalling winds and storms up there. I love ice-cream but we have a maker of sorts that is just too much trouble to use! There's nought wrong wi' a bit o' cabbage oe'r winter! Here it's still sunshine and clear, blue skies for the most part with the occasional nippy night. J is in London on her final stint before retiring on 20th Dec, just in time for Xmas! I'm thinking of returning to law, and might look for a locum job in early New Year. The money'd be handy and it would keep me occupied a bit! I had a few discussions with an Orkney solicitor a few months back about the possibility of doing some online work for his firm, but so far nothing's come of it. Still, fingers crossed, who knows! Have a lovely Xmas and all the best for the coming year.

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  17. Having googled aprons - I have not seen one I like as much as yours (of course I am still thinking gardening here as I don't do much cooking) and I wanted to know how it went at the back :)
    K

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