seventy-seven

chicken pie

 

I love chicken pie.  if I ever have to choose my last meal it will be chicken pie.  
But it has to be a really good one and only homemade will ever do.  
I have tried lots of different recipes and there are lots of good ones on my list.  

Some for leftovers and other with the chicken cooked from scratch.  
My favourite however is from my beloved Nigel Slater and you can find it here.

My own amendments (there are usually a few and I know Nigel would approve of tinkering)
are less mustard and no parmesan.  

this is just to say

 

Today Megan at the scent of water introduced me to the poet Mary Oliver and I am in her debt.  
In return I offer my favourite poem at the moment.  
May be not as profound as Mary Oliver on first reading but just as good.    

 

This Is Just To Say

I have eaten
the plums 
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

Willian Carlos Williams 
(1883-1963) 

 

/

when all else fails ...

There are days when I just can't settle to what I am supposed to be doing and nights when I can't sleep and there is only one answer - bake.  I had become a little lazy just baking the things I know well.  Making things I could do in my sleep - if only I could sleep.  Well I have a large collection of cookbooks - I buy some myself and it seems like it's the default for family who don't know what else to get me for Christmas and birthdays -  and so it seemed like a good time to start using them all and figure out which ones to keep.  

 
 I love carrot cake but never made it at home until the cookbook sort out.  I've tried several recipes from different books and this is the one.  It's from Rachel Allen's book Bake but the recipe is generously supplied on her website.  There is only one thing I disagree with Rachel about in relation to this cake and it's that if you don't ice it then it's nice spread with butter - no no no!  I tried it iced and not and all who tried it agreed no icing and definitely no butter.

My sleeping problem is not about getting to sleep it about waking at 3 or 4 in the morning and not being able to get back to sleep - my family have become accustomed to waking to the smell of cake!