Thursday, September 19, 2019


I finished row 23 (was it?) of the Spring Shawl but got into mild trouble at the beginning of 24, and decided that it was wiser to leave it to tomorrow. This morning Archie and I walked all the way to Valvona & Crolla – a famous Edinburgh/Italian delicatessen – a distance (altogether, counting the return journey) of a bit over a mile. It has flattened me.

But was worth doing. Often, in the evening, I watch Youtube presentations by Italian chefs in the vain hope of improving my grasp of the language, and lately I have stumbled on a few involving guanciale. That’s what I was in search of, and indeed what I purchased. As well as a couple of Amalfi-type lemons, and some magnificent garlic. We sampled some delicious olive oil and balsamic vinegar – one of the perks of going to Valvona and Crolla.

Archie’s brother Mungo then came to lunch and a nice time was had by all. He is about to go back to university (Oxford/Arabic). He spent the summer mostly in Cairo.

Reading

Mary Lou, I, too, had a screen that looked as though I could buy the Kindle version of the new Lampedusa book – but when I clicked on it, it dissolved into one that said not-until-February. It’s all very odd. Tamar, I’m sure you’re right (as always) that no UK titles can pass by adoption.

There was a letter in the Times a few years ago from a nobleman who had only daughters. His question was, in these days of anything-goes, whether one of them could declare herself to be a man and inherit the title? As far as I know, the question hasn’t been answered.

I am nearing the end of “The Prime Minister” and a resolution is offering itself. Some of the political bits are a bit turgid, but it remains fascinating.

4 comments:

  1. So you can cook guanciale as well as pronounce it! I can do neither.i look forward to hearing what you make.

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  2. Anonymous7:22 PM

    My meat-eating friends love amatriciana sauce with bucatini pasta. That also uses guanciale.
    Enjoy!
    Lisa RR

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  3. I think the problem in getting the book is that it is only available for pre-order now, it won't be published anywhere until February, at least from the way I read the Amazon.com page. You can order the Kindle version now, but when I look at the free Kindle sample, it is just a couple of paragraphs telling what the book will be about, not really a sample of the actual book, so I doubt the actual Kindle version is the book yet, but instead, a placeholder until the actual book is released.

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  4. Hi Jean, so pleased to learn that you are still knitting away. Though I am sorry to hear that your husband has died. He must have been a good age. I have been seriously ill for 3 1/2 years, so there has been no overseas travel, but I still knit. I am Tassiek on Ravelry and I post my FOs on Facebook. Keep on clicking!

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