Friday 21 October 2005

RUBBISH!

This weekend

As well as making some cordage and making a start on carving a spoon I have a few other tasks to do. Next Saturday some friends are coming over for Halloween dinner so I want to get some preparations done this weekend, I’m going to experiment with cooking, puff balls. I don’t know how they taste so it’s probably best if I experiment on myself rather than serve up something “interesting” next week. I’m going to make a stew tomorrow; it makes sense in this weather. I found a big Damson bush last weekend (like a smaller more flavoursome plumb) and I hope that there will still be some left this weekend. I might try to make an oven to cook in for next weekend but I don’t think I will be able to find suitable stones, I’ll have a look.

A friend of mine is, allegedly, coming out to visit on Monday night so I’m going to have do the vacuuming and all that sort of thing to make the place look nice. At least the Hammock will get used.

I went shopping for food at lunch time today and realised that I have become acutely aware of how much packaging comes on products, I was even choosing what to buy on the basis of what had the least packaging. I guess this in part comes down to my having to cart around what ever rubbish I take with me until the next time I find a bin, the other part of it is seeing a pile of plastic waste stacked up against the backdrop of the woodland really does bring home the nature of the stuff. I ended up getting Covent Garden soup for tonight; it comes in cardboard containers and is therefore biodegradable. I have bought food in plastic containers before but only when I have needed them to store other things. Old jars are currently being utilised as candle holders, they keep them out of the wind and thus they last longer. I quite often eat the Wayfarer boil in the bag camping meals, they come in silver coloured packets inside their outer wrapping, I have discovered that putting these over tent pegs that are stuck in the ground is the perfect way of reflecting the light from the candles.

I’m also going to go for a long walk and find out a bit more about my local neighbourhood, have fun in your houses.

DM

3 comments:

Adam Kulim said...

This morning i turn on my tv , and i saw a lawyer spend his life in the woods..hmm..interesting..i just wanna wish u a gudluck in ur project...long live green world!!

ADAM
-Malaysia

rockmother said...

Here is a recipe for puffball fritters. Failing that - puffballs sliced thick sauteed in butter or olive oil, garlic and/or onion with arborio/risotto rice or even plain brown rice is just as nice and slightly more simple to create than the fritters! I"m not sure what sort of cooking arrangements that you have but I hope this helps. Good luck!

Ingredients
4 slices pancetta, or streaky bacon
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 large slices from a puffball, about 1cm/½in thick
2 eggs, beaten and seasoned with salt and pepper
100g/3½oz white breadcrumbs (from a day old loaf)
4 whole eggs
salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil for frying
a few salad leaves, lightly dressed

Method
1. Chop the bacon or pancetta into thick matchsticks and fry in a little olive oil until crispy. Throw in the chopped garlic and fry until it starts to take colour. Remove the garlicky pancetta and put on kitchen paper/a dry leaf!.

2. Bring the four whole eggs to the boil in a small pan of cold water and boil them for just 4 minutes to get soft-boiled eggs.

3. Dip the puffball slices in the beaten egg, then coat well in the breadcrumbs. Fry in the same oil left from frying the pancetta (with perhaps a little extra added), turning once until crispy and golden brown.

4. Drain each slice quickly on kitchen paper or a leaf, then place on warmed plates. Peel the soft boiled eggs carefully and cut them in half. Place two halves, yolk upwards, on each fritter and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle over the garlicky bits of pancetta.

Serve and enjoy.

Hugh Sawyer said...

I agree, those puff balls sound good.