Parkinson’s Law

This was so true today when it seemed to take all day to prepare and parboil potatoes and cauliflower and make the spicy bean sauce for the main course. Then the chopping of fennel, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, and coriander for the Hill Station Salad from my Meera Sodha Indian cook book took ages. I also had to prepare a dressing of chilli, yogurt and mint. Yesterday I made a smoked mackerel, quark and wasabi filling for the smoked salmon moulds so all I needed for the rest of the starter was to make pickled cucumber with some ginger, sesame oil, wine vinegar and sugar and leave it. The Zabaglione cherry panettone trifle I froze yesterday. I hope Linda, Colin, Carol and Phil enjoy it. I know Mr C is salivating already.

It has rained all day and continued to blatter down on the roof when we were eating. - not easy for those who have hearing difficulties. We had a really nice time covering holidays, families, politics, local gossip, books and art.

I have agreed to drive Linda and Colin to the train for their London trip. Mr C has given up offering as they never reciprocate. Ever optimistic, that’s me.

Here’s the food.