Insulted

During my day at the Market, as a guest of the West Country Deli, I had a chance to see the Great British public at their best and worst.

Jo, my host, was charm and professionalism personified, and never seemed to stop, giving 110% for her customers. Everyone who tried my bread was complimentary, and even if they didn't buy anything, they could not have been more encouraging.

One of Jo's customers, an obvious holidaymaker, spoiled the day by suggesting that the coffee was expensive "For a dump like Brixham." Not that it was bad coffee or a dirty cup mind, just that our town was a dump.

Well speaking as a native, born and bred, I felt insulted by that opinion, after all the price was not a secret, nor was it any more expensive than anywhere else in town. Something had upset her and her reaction was to rubbish her hosts. Jo however could not have been more polite (more than I might have been) in her reply.

 
So in case you have never been, here are some pictures of the "Dump,"

 

 

What do you think? I love it and feel lucky to live here.

Sunday Market Report

This is a copy of my Bread Blog entry.


After a long nights baking, we are ready to go, I have about 120 Rolls in 5 flavours and a few Focaccia to sell, my "Real Men Bake Bread" T shirt and all the gear to present my stuff.

There was a good response on Facebook to WCD's post and the sun is shining. I have to see Red Earth Kitchens and get some of their Millionaires Shortbread and Scotch Eggs for tonight's meal, apart from that I can man the stall from 10-4.

I'm taking the stuff down and bringing my car back, out of the way.

Some 'in progress' pictures.

I set up at 10am and made my first sale at 2 minutes past!

I had a pretty steady day, even though a few regular stallholders thought that it was slower than some. I passed the break-even point just before lunch and ended up making a good profit.

All in all, I sold 66% of what I took, the left overs will be used up during the week with soup or pasta meals, while some has gone in the freezer.

Strangely, the Chocolate Rolls didn't sell at all, only 5 went. On the other hand I sold all but three of the Beetroot and Onion, most of the Cheese and Onion and about half of the others. 9 of the 12 Focaccia went as well.

I also had plenty of positive comments, which was nice, and hopefully the whole thing will lead to a bit more business for myself and for the West Country Deli.

Big Day Tomorrow

Straight lift from facebook:

The West Country Deli

6 hours ago

We have a special treat for you tomorrow. Richard from Well Bread! An artisan baker from Brixham will have a 'pop up shop' in the deli offering you the chance to taste & buy his handmade bread rolls. Food miles less than 1.

 

 

 

Can't say more than that really, now all I have to do is get baking. It's going to be a long night!

Back to Work

Well that was a bit of a shock to the system! I drove to Work in Gravesend, more miles in 5 hours than I have driven in the last 6 weeks. I actually felt tired at the end of it. Mind you I had a good sing, or at least it sounded good to me?

Before I braved Gravesend, I went to see Naomi for a meal and to drop Easter eggs off, plus some stuff for Amy-Rose. Nice to catch up with her and Eamon, after their mini break in Prague, (thanks for the beer) and chill for a while.

Work wasn't too busy, just two ships to do, this one into Tilbury Lock (0.5m each side)

and this one up to Erith.

Then a nice early morning drive home through patchy fog. Now I have a few days off and Georgina's homecoming to look forward to.

But before that, it's the Market on Sunday, so I will have to start getting ready for that on Saturday evening. I hope I sell enough to make it worthwhile, maybe I can think about a regular presence.

Leg of Lamb

We haven't had lamb for a while, which is a shame as I do like it, and its pretty versitile as well.

I managed to get a leg, which for us means about five meals worth of meat, and I cooked it slowly, taking about five hours at 150 degrees, until the meat falls off the bones and the fat is rendered down.

 

I put two heads of garlic in the dish as well and it added to the flavour. Then you just throw it in the oven and wait, basting and turning it every hour or so.

After the cooking marathon, this was what I had left,

 

 enough there for our roast on Sunday, then three portions in the freezer and some left over for Monday, more of which later.

I have so many recipes, ripped from magazines and aquired in all sorts of places. I brought a folder to put them all in, it looked a bit plain, so I thought I would have a go at Decopatch, making it a bit more interesting.

As we had another rainy day, I set to work, it was actually quite theraputic and made me forget all lifes little niggles for an hour.

Then there was this, I'm pleased with it, and there's not another like it. (Whether that's good or bad I couldn't say!)

Back to mondays meal, I'm using the smaller pieces of the lamb,

but first, fry up some onion and garlic in Harissa Paste.

then add the lamb, make sure it's in small chunks to absorb the flavour of the spices, throw in some dried apricots and sultanas or dates.

 
keep stirring to combine, the lamb will flake a bit but that's OK.

Now prepare some cous-cous, then add it and stir in, meanwhile warm flatbreads.

When it's piping hot, serve, sprinking chopped mixed nuts if you like, a flatbread on the side.

Sorted!

The next item on the agenda is my return to work, I had leave for Yvonne's operation and recovery, but now that's all gone. So I must prepare to go back to Gravesend tomorrow. I will pop in and see Naomi and Eamon for supper and see how their anniversary break in Prague went.

Then of course it's my pop-up shop at Brixham Sunday Market, so Saturday will be a busy day.

One of those days

After all the bread I make for other people, I made one for myself yesterday, or at least I tried to.
Somehow it found it's way into the washing up (don't ask!) so it was a case of  'Bon Appetit Bin' or however they say it in France.

Anyhow, if you look on my bread blog, link on the right, you'll see that I managed to produce a loaf for my own use, using my new mixer,

It being Mothers Day today, my daughters in England, who are all too far away, sent me instructions to get Yvonne some flowers. I managed to get a load in bud last week,

and after a couple of days in vases they opened out nicely.

Georgina, who is in Australia, sent a card and a personalised mug, which was a lovely thought, she will be home in a couple of weeks for a month or so, we haven't seen her for a year except for Skype so that will be good.

Yvonne found a new friend on Thursday,

She's the one on the right LOL !!

I actually managed to get some cheap Rhubarb to add to mine and make my first load of wine this year

The great thing is that after you have made it,

the pulp can be cooked down and used in a crumble.

So you get a lot of enjoyment out of it.

There goes our day out

 

 

I thought I'd put up a picture of a rainbow, before I had a rant. Little things annoy me far more than they should sometimes and yesterdays was on the face of it a little thing, but on further examination became a bigger thing.

 

Since Yvonne's operation, we have tried to get out and about when she feels up to it, and the frequency is increasing. To stop her going stir crazy we went out yesterday afternoon for a walk and a cup of tea.

 

There was a parcel due to arrive via courier. Now I know that you have to wait in all day for most things, as if you had nothing else on, but a parcel? Well I spoke to the people next door and they said that they would be around all afternoon, until 1515. So I stuck a note on  my door and we went out.

 

We actually got back at 1520, and found a card to say that there had been no answer and the parcel would be redelivered. Slightly annoyed that we had missed by 5 minutes, I phoned and arranged delivery for today.

 

The neighbour saw me in the garden later, and I explained that of all the times it could arrive, that 5 minute window had been like a magnet, expecting a grin and a sage nodding of her head.

 

"Oh," she said, "there was someone here all the time, so he can't have knocked."

 

Annoyed barely covers it, hence our day out today has been cancelled, at least until the man has been.