Monday 20 December 2010

A Cold Front. And Back. And Sides.

Well, I’ve spent most of the last week skulking in bed with woman flu. Which is to say the real deal rather than the man kind. There has been lots of snivelling, sniffing, coughing and a marked decrease in my appetite - generally an absolutely sure-fire sign that all is not well.

So foodie adventures have been somewhat thin on the ground. I did develop a craving for cream of tomato soup last week, which was something of a cure all when I was wee. It tasted just as orange as I remembered it – lovely. And the last two Sundays on the trot we have had a very tasty oxtail stew. It’s the first time I’ve ever cooked oxtail and I absolutely loved it – so thick and unctuous. I think Santa (aka my Mum) is getting us a slow cooker for Christmas which I am extremely excited about – and oxtail stew will likely be making an early reappearance in the New Year, as that kind of cut is perfectly suited to long, slow cooking.

Christmas feasting is all planned out, and D ventured to M&S yesterday to stock up on some festive nibbles. I am particularly looking forward to trying the mini cubes of pork belly – which you may have seen Caroline Quentin waving about on the TV advert. What is it about Christmas and pork products? As well as my beloved sausage meat we’ll be eating quite a lot of gammon over the next few weeks as well, gorgeous with scrambled eggs for a light lunch or with roasties and pickles for something a bit more substantial.

I am making no advance apologies for going a bit OTT at Christmas (always assuming my appetite has returned by then) but I’ll be hauling myself up on the WWagon in the New Year in a last ditch attempt to hit beautiful bridedom.

4 comments:

  1. oh i can't wait to hear what you think of the mini pork belly cubes...i am considering trying them out for new years!! hope you are feeling better (my hubby has a legit flu...but i fear it will turn into man flu soon!) :)

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  2. Hope you are feeling better, I was also suffering the dreaded woman flu so I feel your pain.

    I have been lusting after those belly pork cubes too! Enjoy x

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  3. I too have the dreaded woman flu too. Yuck! Hope you are feeling better soon. Xx

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  4. I don't like fatty meat at all and have sworn off those belly cubes. BUT Waitrose does some delicious canapes of mini scones with shredded ham hock and mustardy dressing - delicious. And yes, we'll be having pigs in blankets, sausagemeat stuffing and devils on horseback. And we have the BEST slipper hams smoked out of a shed near us in Suffolk so will be having that too.

    Back to the wagon together in January - let us eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we diet. Sigh.

    Feel better soon.

    Px

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