Scone time

Sultana scones with cream on a Calico Burleigh Ware plate for tea.

It was very tasty and filling. I decided not to have jam on them, it would have been to sweet. But I did butter them.

Burleigh Ware is a type of pottery made at Middleport pottery in Middleport, Stoke-on-Trent. Calico is one of many pattern types made by transferring the pattern onto the pottery with transfer prints. It’s a skilled job to line up all the prints. They are mounted on paper and stick to the pottery when they are wetted, the print sort of slides off onto the piece. If you turn over pottery it will usually have the makers name and other details printed on the base. People who do this say they are in the ‘turnover club’ .

Turkey in an air fryer?

Not for vegetarians or vegans

I’m currently trying to cook a turkey thigh in my smallish airfryer. To roast it the instructions say cook at 190 degrees in the oven wrapped in foil for 45 minutes, then unwrap and cook for a further 45. So that’s an hour and a half.

I don’t have any foil but I put it on a grease proof paper liner and put the metal grill on top of it to stop it from burning. So far it’s been in for two lots of 20 minutes  and I’ve just turned it over again and put it on for a further 20 minutes. after that I will see if the juices are running clear.If not ill put it on for a further 20 ish… .. It smells nice, but it is a big lump! I hope this works as I might try a small chicken next..

Hot cross buns for tea.

Traditional hot cross buns, soft sweet fruited buns marked with a cross. Eaten generally at Easter to commemorate Jesus dying on the cross. I like the normal ones but they have started coming up with chocolate ones, or even ones with a creme egg in the middle. I’ve also heard of ones with cheddar cheese! Might as well have a cheese scone.

Crumpet heracy?

Bored with crumpets toasted the with added butter I just toasted some then added grated cheese. Microwaved it for 30 seconds to melt the cheese. Then added a smidgen of brown sauce on the top. I have to say it was very tasty. Beware overheating and making the cheese hard. Also let them cool down so you don’t burn your hands and mouth!

Strawberries and Cream

It’s not Summer, not even Spring, but Strawberries are out in the shops and are quite tasty. I had some tonight for tea with cream. I did sprinkle a bit of sweetner over the top of them.

I did think of adding a few blueberries to the fruit but there was enough with what I’d already prepared.

What I do like is the way cream fills in the little pores of the strawberries, it makes a nice pattern and could be cropped and put together as a collage. I might do that. Red is a favourite colour and this with the contrast of black and white makes a fresh looking image.

Shrove Tuesday

Today is pancake day in the UK. The chance to eat something nice before Lent starts. Lent is a Christian tradition where people give up a favorite food until Easter. I guess in some ways it’s comparable with the tradition of Ramadan in Islamic culture, where people do not eat between sunrise and sunset until the end of the period of time when they celebrate the end fasting. I don’t know much about either religion, but it’s interesting that both are movable feasts (related to the phases of the moon).

Going back to pancakes. UK ones are bigger but thinner than the ones in America. The crepe suzzette in France is even thinner and served on a more regular basis. We tend to mainly eat them on Shrove Tuesday. Served with sugar or sweetener and lemon juice. Some people add blueberries or other fillings.

Purrs paws claws

Cat paw on my hand, he likes saying hello. Hello in the morning, when he comes up to me, assumes the “staring” position and waits to be fed! Then sometimes he will reach out with his paw to greet me. My other two don’t do that. One sharpens her claws on my leg, pulling holes in my leggings, the third likes to head butt my hand in greeting. Sweet.

Esther’s prompt this week. Sweet or Savory?

This is what I wrote :

I’m having trouble with  diabetes because of my love of that sweet stuff called sugar.
I was sad and upset because of a bereavement and found sweets and cakes became my comfort. Instead of the occasional cake I became obsessed with buying myself boxes of chocolates, or sweet pastries or cream cakes almost every day.
Meanwhile I stopped eating as many savory things. I’m not eating enough vegetables and this has impacted my blood chemistry. So the point I want to make is don’t eat sugary stuff to excess and try not to get addicted to it. I’m trying to be good now…

Staring at me

My Cat is staring at me, he’s been doing it for a while, I get the impression he wants something, maybe food or milk. I woke up from a nap and saw him just sitting there, so I took a quick shot of him. Cats have their own way of doing things, this cat is definitely unique.

Right, I’d better go and feed him and put the heating on it’s blooming cold!

Chocolate Brazil nuts

What’s your favorite candy?

Couldn’t find a photo of chocolate brazils.

My favourite candy (we don’t call it that in England). Is whole Brazil nuts with their shells removed dipped in a thick layer of dark chocolate.

I don’t have them very often, but I really enjoyed them at Christmas when I was a child. I think they are still for sale. The taste combination between the two ingredients is sublime. If you don’t have a nut allergy maybe try them?