Miscellany
My job on Games Day is to provide the tailgate picnic. Last year there were more than 20 people, and, wafted by a favouring gale as one sometimes is in trances, I did brilliantly. Chicken drumsticks, sausages, three salads, lots of crisps and beer. Trouble is, I didn’t keep proper notes. Where did I get the drumsticks? What salad recipes did I use? There will be far fewer people this year, but I’m in a bit of a tizzy.
My sister has seen – bought – Wineapple’s Higginson book. She is alarmed. The publisher repeats on the dustjacket the misstatement that this is the "first book to portray one of the most remarkable friendships in American letters". Neither the publisher nor the New Yorker has acknowledged my emails. I think maybe I’d better buy the book myself. This would be a good week to have it on hand, with Helen here who has a considerable critical intelligence and was very fond of my mother.
My sister points out that our mother’s book (which was in fact the first) will still be in copyright, although she doesn’t know whether we or Houghton Mifflin own it.
I didn’t get the second skein of beautiful blue yarn wound yesterday. I hope I can fit it in before this evening’s knitting session, so as to get started on that swatch. I will be basing my pattern on the Poet’s Coat in “Boho Baby Knits” and so will swatch in linen stitch.
We went out and saw some Festival Art yesterday. We were particularly impressed by Cardiff and Miller’s installations at the Fruitmarket – intelligent and unsettling. We’ll leave “Impressionism in Scotland” – the big show – until after the Festival. Edinburgh was appalling, but as we battled our way past the tatty stalls beside the National Gallery, I found one of the items I need for presentation with the swallowtail coat of a beautiful blue – namely, a ring that looks like a ruby. So that’s something done.
Full explanation eventually.
Kate, I've never tried cooking courgette flowers, although I know it's a thing one does. But can it be done without deep fat? We try to avoid that.
My sister has seen – bought – Wineapple’s Higginson book. She is alarmed. The publisher repeats on the dustjacket the misstatement that this is the "first book to portray one of the most remarkable friendships in American letters". Neither the publisher nor the New Yorker has acknowledged my emails. I think maybe I’d better buy the book myself. This would be a good week to have it on hand, with Helen here who has a considerable critical intelligence and was very fond of my mother.
My sister points out that our mother’s book (which was in fact the first) will still be in copyright, although she doesn’t know whether we or Houghton Mifflin own it.
I didn’t get the second skein of beautiful blue yarn wound yesterday. I hope I can fit it in before this evening’s knitting session, so as to get started on that swatch. I will be basing my pattern on the Poet’s Coat in “Boho Baby Knits” and so will swatch in linen stitch.
We went out and saw some Festival Art yesterday. We were particularly impressed by Cardiff and Miller’s installations at the Fruitmarket – intelligent and unsettling. We’ll leave “Impressionism in Scotland” – the big show – until after the Festival. Edinburgh was appalling, but as we battled our way past the tatty stalls beside the National Gallery, I found one of the items I need for presentation with the swallowtail coat of a beautiful blue – namely, a ring that looks like a ruby. So that’s something done.
Full explanation eventually.
Kate, I've never tried cooking courgette flowers, although I know it's a thing one does. But can it be done without deep fat? We try to avoid that.
In the evening, I worked on the scarf.
Jean,
ReplyDeleteI saw a post recently about cooking courgette flowers, perhaps it will appeal.
http://klosekraft.typepad.com/klosekraft/2008/08/the-cobblers-child-flower-power.html
all the best,
Dawn
How about a "Shooter's Sandwich" for the picnic? My Mum made this a few years ago, and added pesto and something else (bacon?); my mouth is watering just thinking about it:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&client=opera&rls=en&q=%22two+fat+ladies%22+shooter%27s+sandwich&btnG=Search
Yummm
Dear Jean,
ReplyDeleteHappy to provide my failsafe Ginger Plum Chicken Wings and sesame pasta salad recipes for the tailgate party. Drop me a line if you're interested. Shall research non-frying options re the flowers. Baking after spraying with oil my be a good lf option...
Perhaps an email to the competition (of both the publisher of the book and The New Yorker) is in order. After all, they may not be willing to admit to making a mistake if you're the only one who noticed. However, I'm sure their competitors would love the opportunity to show them wrong.
ReplyDeletePotato salad? I know you have the potatoes. My grandmother's potato salad dressing is the "Cooked Salad Dressing" from the Fanny Farmer Cookbook, now available on-line. Since it's cooked, it travels a bit better than standard mayonaise based dressings.