The Best Laid Plans

After leaving the stockpot on a slow simmer and this week's Chicken in the oven with 1hr 40mins to go I have been out to prep the bar for tonight. Christina (my landlady) is working, cleaning, in the studio below me. 45 mins later I come back to find the chicken in a cold oven and the stockpot shivering! With not so much as a by-your-leave, seeing me go out she's turned off the power for her own reasons, leaving me in the dark. What's wrong with the Spanish? Why can't they ASK first. Check, even, that their wants are in accordance with the rest of the world. I may be leaving this apartment soon and, to be quite honest, I wont miss her inconsiderations if I do.

We are in August. It's hot. Very hot. Daily we are suffering maximums in the mid to high 90s (and occasionally higher) with a high relative humidity. Not unusual for this time of year, no, but always uncomfortable nonetheless. Last year, and those before, I was able to put off cooking and eating until the cool of the late evening but now, of course, I can't because of my job. But you soon begin to understand why the Spanish "dinner" is always very, very, late into the evening.

On a lighter note....I had heard that 5 weeks ago an English Supermarket had opened in town and following Ann & Bill's directions I eventually found it this morning, not quite where I thought it was and not quite the size I was expecting, more a "corner shop" type of enterprise. Today's lunch is a proper Pilchard Salad, tomorrow's is a Kedgeree made with "boil in bag" kippers and in the cupboard is Malt Vinegar, Oxos, and Corned Beef, oh, and wait for it...one of your favourite Steak/kidney pie brands...you know, the round one you can't open but when you do you are greeted by luscious, soggy, flaky pastry, and all at prices not inflated by the "it's imported" excuse. And what's more, maybe, in the not too distant future, I might be able to buy Smoked Haddock - which I discussed with the shopkeeperess - she's already been looking at availability, must've seen me coming!!! I nearly didn't buy the malt vinegar because I've been pickling my beetroot in a 50/50 mixture of White and Red Wine vinegar (in lieu) with an added dash of Balsamic and the usual spicing. Trouble is that Malt is the only condiment for Fish and Chips and my newly perfected, awesome, homemade (double fried) chips absolutely demand it!