Uncategorized – Scribble & Scran

Sun and Snow

Ski Panorama - Grand Motte — Ski Panorama – Grand Motte

Absent for a couple of weeks on the blog, apologies, I’ve been on a small break, checking in barely with my writing. Feeling guilty, but at the same time I know it’s been well earned.

We’ve had 6 blue sky days in the French Alps, a small purpose-built village in the Tignes Resort that seems to have grown organically over the years. Val Claret, a mix of old and new self-catering chalet style accommodation. Literally ski to door. With lifts and a funicular that has had us whisked away to a mountain oasis of white and blue sky.

Each morning, greeted to a space blue, a 7am alarm sees the tip of the great rock that we can see from the window escape from the shadows. It starts with a silhouette of gold and gradually the rock face is golden. Its going to be a good day!

Although this is in the background, the new monolith of a super hotel sits in front of us. We can see folk dashing for breakfast along the corridor that joins the main building. Last year it was but a shell this year a fully functioning machine that’s part of the industry that makes the whole mountain resort possible.

I’ve new boots this year and as of day 6 and I can report that usual foot pain, and weird ankle muscle that I never knew I had, has made no appearance. The usual aches and pains of a fifty-year-old not used to solid exercise day in day out appear gradually. They are welcome and make me feel alive. The niggle in the back ever present. But The tonic of the blue, seeing my sixteen-year-old son and my wife ride the snow like they were born to do it is worth the pain.

We return home to so much growth in the garden, the shift in the light makes me feel like I’ve lost a lot of time, missed some opportunities. The guilt is there in terms of writing, that despite taking my iPad I made no use of the time I had away. The airport was not conducive to work and with 3am starts at both ends the brain really wasn’t functional so I was kidding myself that I might get anything done. I need to forgive myself, and remember I needed to step out of the race for a few days.

Monday morning and the routine begins again, looking at a different mountain, a different demand on my day. I’ve been missed, the projects are really starting to ramp up as we realise March is just around the corner. The professional, the learner in me want’s to dig deep and get into the new technologies. A reading list as long as my arm.

I reach to Notion to try and organise myself, it seems to be on it’s knees at the moment. My brain needs to work fast. A delay in loading pages to sort my actions and calm the panic isn’t happening. Last night I started looking for an alternative. Adding more to my angst. It’s manageable today but I now have doubts.

The doubts fester, they grow and I start thinking about everything I need to get my head round. The back bone of my system failing me is not what I need right now.

Friday, and the Notion delay is really starting to get to me. I feel I’ve spent more time trying to get it to work quickly than the value I’m getting from it. I think I will be resorting to my good old trusty BuJo jotter and OneNote. I can feel a click-bait kind of article coming on. Why I ditched notion for and improved my life by writing stuff down manually. Need to make that snappier 🙂

The weekend has some DIY planned for me, a job that I’ve been stalling on for months. My excuses run dry. It’s a job I don’t think needs doing, replacing a tap that’s already there for one with a shower head. It’s one of those jobs if it’s not broken don’t try to fix type things. I think I’ve been putting it off as I’m scared to touch it!

The #WeekendCoffeeShare is an informal weekly link-up hosted by Natalie the Explorer that serves as weekly heart beat and sort of of a mind-dump. Helps me reflect on my week, with a list of achievements, thoughts and rambles normally whilst drinking a beverage probably listening to music.

Nanopoblano Week 1

View from Arthurs seat to the pentlands

Woke to a strange sky this morning, Edinburgh enveloped in a shrouded mist with patches of blue. The sun was welcome as a source of heat, slowly working it’s magic. Inspired me to a long walk around Arthurs seat to take in a the fresh cold air. A welcome day away from the office and a chance to soak up the last of the Autumn colours.

Brunch out with the boss, a masked affair that saved us having to worry about making lunch, and then a few bits and pieces to supplement the menu for this evening.

Leak and bacon buckwheat pancakes, served with a rocket, sweet potato and avocado salad.
Hazelnut chocolate pots to follow.

With such an early lunch, there was time to crack open the fruit cake (we are not mentioning the C word yet) with a cup of coffee…..which I would gladly share if we were having coffee.

While we were having coffee I would tell you about WordPress and its constant need to tell me about my daily streak. I made it to 7 since last week, the start of nanopoblano regardless of quality! I’d tell you that a daily blog habit is quite hard if you want to provide meaningful content, at the same time as keep to the daily grind of a project that has a major milestone in the next week.

Having missed yesterday’s post I’m now wavering around the journey that I have put myself on. It’s something to add into the mental health stakes of both working from home all day on a computer to add in another item that I need to do. I’m trying to reframe it on the basis it’s something I want to do…..but with an active mind there are another million and one things I would like to do as well. On a postive, My Nanopolblano challenge has given me focus though, making me think daily alongside visiting some other great blogs.

The #WeekendCoffeeShare is an informal weekly link-up hosted by Eclectic Alli that serves as weekly heart beat and sort of of a mind-dump. Helps me reflect on my week, with a list of achievements, thoughts and rambles normally whilst drinking a beverage probably listening to music.

Friday

It’s all I can muster, it’s been a long week.

The cookies are freshly baked complements of the head chef. The smell amazing.

A cheeky one whilst watching the new episode of Star Trek.

Breathe….a day is dawning

Sunrise

Inspired to post this after seeing a post from Dina at withangelsandelephants : Being reminding us just be.

Some days I have a great motivation to get up and get out, breathe in the sunrise, and with it the amazing colours that creep up and can quickly disappear.

Apologies, so the post is short for nanopoblano2020……..It’s been one of those days….and it’s time to just breathe!

A little more organisation a little less conversation

Up early with a start at 5:30 am this morning, no turning over waiting for the alarm. The world in motion, I needed to know what was happening, needless to say it was still pole posturing.

What to do from a Nanopoblano perspective?…..I decided to add a dedicated page in order to list the content I was producing for the month.

I’ve updated the header from some of the early pictures I took Monday, keen to bring the blog more in-line with the season, the view from Blackford Hill out towards Arthurs Seat.

A short entry for the day, no doubt it’s going to a busy and thought provoking one.

Learn to cook through making soup

The word Soup conjures up so many feelings and memories. Just thinking about it, it probably was one of the first things I made for myself in relation to helping my mum out. ‘What would you like for lunch, why don’t you nip to the shop and buy a tin of soup?’ It was a treat, I got to pick the flavour and at the time I didn’t realise how I was helping my mum out. It was always a tin of Heinz Big soup, probably ham or chicken.

Then there was a year where Mushrooms seemed to be everywhere, and every meal seemed to consist of mushrooms, including a milky soup. I shudder at the mention of this, the taste is so unique it instantly takes me back in time. I can eat mushroom soup it just stirs something deep inside me, probably something I had no choice over.

As a student, I probably went back to my favourite tinned variety and then my best pal introduced me to Chicken and Sweet Corn soup from the local Chinese takeaway. At one point we tried to make it ourselves where whisked egg whites meets chicken stock became a complete disaster and we didn’t try it again!

30+ years on for me the humble tin of soup still lives on, both lunches over the weekend consisted of soup purely for convenience at the time. The boys can get it going and we all sit down with a loaf and some cheese. That said the boys can also reheat stuff we’ve made, pulled out the freezer.

I’ve bought many learn to cook books over the years. They usually start with eggs, or start with a cartouche or some other unworldly technique within a couple of pages.

I’m suggesting home made soup for the wannabe cook as a starting point. It’s an amazing place to start, a great way to learn about foods and simple techniques, it can be forgiving in so many ways. It really doesn’t matter how you chop your onion or your carrots if you’re going to blitz it. At the same time it can be healthy and tasty.

Over the next few weeks I’ll be posting various Soup recipe ideas, recipes to make your own, or just to fuel your ideas. I’ll add the links here, you can either bookmark this or click on follow so you get them in your in-box as they are added.

A great starting place Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
A Spiced Root Vegetable for those winter months

Would love to know your favourite soup, or whether this is a great place to start as a cook.

Tier 0 – Nearly Normal

Coffee and Notebook

It’s 6.15am, pitch black outside and that’s before the clocks change tomorrow. Saturday morning and I could be lying in, instead I’m keeping the bread machine company as it whirs and wobbles. I’ve gone for a peppermint tea when really I wanted a coffee, which means I can get one a little later!

The wind has got up, which will be stripping the trees of their amazing colours and I’m pondering how to face into the last 9 weeks of the year as the half term holiday comes to an end and the days become shorter and shorter.

To add into the pondering we are still in a strange kind of loch down here in the UK where it’s hard to know what is coming next instruction wise. I’m trying to stay away from the news as a way of controlling my mental state but it’s hard. There’s mention of a 5 tier system in Scotland, cited to come into place from the 2nd November and I’ve no idea what that will mean travel wise.

I can thoroughly recommend taking up podcasts or audio books and walking as solace. Getting out into the day light when you can. Movement is key and I can thoroughly recommend this podcast from Rangan Chatterjee : How to Keep Your Immune System Healthy with Dr Jenna Macciochi and The Surprising Truth About Exercise with Professor Daniel Lieberman

I hope where you are you are safe, thanks for joining me at the weekend coffee share.

How to Keep Your Immune System Healthy with Dr Jenna Macciochi

The Surprising Truth About Exercise with Professor Daniel Lieberman

A cheeky one

Coffee this morning is served in a flask, we are up 6am sharp to get a march on the day. The mountains are calling and in this case its Ben Vorlich one of the Arrochar Alps

We hit the car park around 8:30 and it’s already full to bursting of about 30+ cars. The car park used for a number of focus points not just our hill. I’m stumped for a few minutes at the pay point, not accepting cards today which is frustrating in contactless world of COVID. I haven’t had any coins for months. Our emergency supply in the van is flush for once and a blessing.

Breakfast is an overnight soak of muesli with raspberries and blue berries and we watch the excitement as people are getting their boots on. Good to see folk meeting with friends and there is a general jostle to get out on the hill. Amazingly the toilets are open with plenty of hand sanitisers on tap.

We are off, opting for our bikes on a part way in. It’s not far before we hit a steep bit and there is a friendly chap meeting my pace just walking. We discuss plans and how this his first hill this year, just wanting to start with a cheeky wee one. He’s heading up Ben Vane a neighbour to Vorlich. I wish him well and then I decide to catch the boss up.

It’s not long before we hit the juxta position for getting off our bikes and just as we start the long slog the rain comes in and goes out and comes back again. A brief glimpse of the magic that surrounds these hills, before it really came in.

After 2.5 hours we made the top with probably the quickest selfie in history. About an hour into the descent it dried up allowing us to get a sandwich. The bikes a welcome sight as we covered the last mile or so freewheeling.

With a nice kind of synergy, we passed the same guy we met going up. With a cheery wave, we were all pleased with the goal being met for the day.

The sun shining in the car park and I’m reminded of the quote ‘Better a bad day on the hill than a good day in the office’. My mind was taken to a different place of reflection and wandering.

Lockdown Escape

Coffee today is from a small village at the gateway to the Cairngorms, known as Blair Atholl.

The 5 mile Scotland radius lockdown was lifted on Friday and we couldn’t wait to escape. We’d managed to hire a small lodge in the woods for the week as a replacement to a usual summer road trip into Europe. In one way we were sad as the usual adventure had been cancelled and in another….just relieved to break away mentally from the confines and routines of home.

The view from the bedroom window is one of trees, an abundance of green….and rain, lots of torrential rain. The rain drops almost the size of golf balls, then with moments of blue sky and sun. To me though the rain didn’t matter we were going to get out to soak up the fresh air and absorb the life forces that just seem to emanate from the cycle paths, the trees and the hills.

Foodwise it was a strange one…..we really had to think ahead, put a weeks’ worth of a meal plan together. We knew there was a local village store, which we counting on for bread. The watermill (dating back to 1590) was only for pre phoned through orders for the Saturday….and it looked like the local chippy was coming out of hibernation.

The meal plan roughly:-

Friday – Chicken Stew, Rhubarb Crumble
Saturday – Chippy (Fish and Chips)
Sunday – Chicken Stew, Rest of the Crumble
Monday – Scrambled Eggs, Beans on toast followed by Chocolate Puddle Pudding
Tuesday – Bacon, Pasta and Crème Fraiche rest of the Puddle Pudding
Wednesday – Backed Potatoes, Smoked Mackerel – Pancakes
Thursday – Grains, Chicken Legs – Roast Apricots with a crumble topping
Roughly gave me the idea for the following post around a few tips for self-catering for the home cook.

We managed some of the mighty big hills (Munroe’s) in the area and my lungs and mind are feeling all the better for it. A break from the screen, the escape and that feeling of euphoria that you get by challenging the mind through excursion.

So home now and the weekend has flown by, with jobs in the garden to catch up on. Amazing how the weeds shoot up whilst your away. It’s like they were sat in waiting, for that moment when nobody would be looking!

Hope your choice of beverage is both relaxing and refreshing and that you have a great week ahead.

Self Catering Tips for the Home Cook

Mainly written as an aide memoir post a rainy week away in north Scotland. A work in progress and hopefully something you might find useful.

For the home cook the prospect of a self catering holiday can be both exciting and daunting at the same time. I love the idea of being able to explore the local area and make up ideas on the fly, for others I sure there is a sense of dread about that prospect. There is also the challenge of an unfamiliar kitchen and the unknown that it brings. This is my brain dump for the essentials that help make cooking easier hope you find something you can adapt or share your thoughts.

What should you take?

There is only so much space in the car, and in my experience you need as much stuff for one night as you do for seven. Especially if you have young children. So the idea of taking a bunch of cooking equipment is a no no. I do think there are a few of essentials that can make life easier.

A peeler – typically there is one in the drawer, but it will have seen better days. Bringing your own will put a smile on the sous chefs face
A tin opener – If it’s yours you will most likely understand how it works, and that it doesn’t mangle up your tin lid so it doesn’t become a lethal weapon
A knife – create your own carboard sheaf and you’ll be glad of bringing your own tool of choice, especially if you’re a diced onion with every meal kind of cook. I have one that slots into the chopping board from joseph joseph, great for picnics and although not my first choice in my kitchen….it’s like night and day between the ones that will be on offer

Prep Up Front

For me self catering is about the adventure of the holiday and talking about it at the evening meal. Lunch is usually something on the run with the day being spent doing something busy. So evening meal needs to be easy to cook and cognisant of the unfamiliar surroundings. I like to make a casserole the night before travel day, slow cook with enough for two meals. Taking tubs to re-heat.

Sometimes though the run up to holiday is stressful, there is enough to do to get ready let alone think about the gourmet meals that you might need to prepare. If that’s the case….take a few tins. Pulses, Chopped Tomatoes and a good curry paste. Weigh out a couple of family portions of rice or pasta. Worst case you bring them home again.

The Treats

Then there is the magic to a self catering holiday food wise that I’d like to think adds a few memories to our time spent around the table.

Most places I’ve been to have some sort of oven to table ware, typically in the form of a Pyrex casserole dish

Chocolate Puddle Pudding. Really easy to take in two tubs dry ingredient wise, the sponge in one and the puddle in the other.

Crumble of some shape or form, again take the dry ingredients in one tub (100g oats, 100g wholemeal plain flour, 60g sugar). Just stir in 100g of melted butter nearer the time

A 250g block of butter will cover both desserts, and leave a little left for pancakes if you desire.

Help and Support

This is the time to rope people in, meals needn’t be fussy and dried pasta, doesn’t get any easier if your to combine it with say a pre-prepared Bolognese. Get the kids to put it together.

Spaghetti or tagliatelle pasta and Hot Smoked Salmon, Crème Fraiche, a little lemon juice with some tinned lentils can go a long way and my 14 year old pulled this together.

Does depend on the size of the kitchen though…..too many people in a confined space….has been known to create frustration.

Cookbook suggestions

Jamie Oliver’s 5 ingredients…..simple and effective meals with 5 ingredients just watch out for stock cupboard items.

The Camper Van Cookbook by Martin Dorey Life on 4 Wheels cooking on 2 rings…..a good ethos around cooking in different surroundings.

Washing Up

Partly why I do the cooking 🙂

Not really the fun part of self catering, you definitely need to rope people in. Put the Nintendo Switch down and agree a rota.

I don’t know what it is about self catering pans and this just might be me. There typically isn’t a non stick pan in sight and food seems to stick so easily. Take a pan scrub…it’s a definite life saver!

Research

This might seem obvious, Look up where your going on google maps, find the local food places. Clicking on the pin’s will bring up a brief description along with opening times. In times of lockdown knowing your favourite café is closed or has reduced opening hours can be a life saver if you’ve chosen to cycle there!

A Quick List

Mainly to summarise my rambles!

Kitchen Items:

Pan Scrub
Knife
Tin Opener
Peeler

Food Shop

Tinned Chopped Tomatoes
Tinned Chick Peas
Curry Paste
Crumble Fruit
Crumble Mix
Puddle Pudding (2 tubs)
Eggs
250g Butter
Family Rice Portion
Hot smoked salmon
Crème Fraiche
Pasta

Pre cooked suggestions items

Chicken Casserole
Slow cooked Lamb curry
Bolognese