Do you remember a few weeks ago I told you in “CRUSADER IN A LILAC DRESSING GOWN” about the trees that were cut down at the side of my cottage,well there has been a development!
I reported the incident to the relevant authority and they came out to see for themselves and agreed with me that there had been a breach of planning regulations and that the were taking the matter seriously. Today I received a letter from the afore mentioned body the gist of which was as follow.
While there had definitely been a breach of the law they did not find it expedient to take any further action! EXPEDIENT,there's that word again, the second time in a week that our local planning authority has not found it expedient to take any action in the face of a flagrant breach of the law.
This time I suspect it was due to the fact that the land on which the trees were growing belongs to a Duke who's employees carried out the felling of the trees. I will wager that If I went in to the garden and took a chain saw to even one tree I should be up in court “tout suite” any heavily fined to boot.
The moral here seems to be that if you wish to convert your house into an hotel or lay waste to woodland landscape it will be fine as long as you own a bank or have a title. Some might say that I am paranoid yet the course of events during the past month points only one way.
In the face of this evidence can someone tell me how the lot of the peasantry has really changed that much since feudal time! The motto of St Trinnians “Might is always Right seems to hold true here, not to mention the old saying “money talks”. If you do not believe me just look at what happened over the World Cup venues!
On a different note I am very sleepy today as I had very little sleep last night and I do not understand why? I collapsed into bed rather late and should have drifted off at once,but no, every hour almost on the hour I woke up and stayed awake for about half an hour. It was as if an alarm clock kept on going off in my ear all night. Strangely my son too had a similar problem and finally we gave up and made ourselves a hot drink and had a chat. I fell in to a deep sleep at around seven and slept like the dead for two hours.......it was not enough. The consequence of all this is that I have spent the day feeling as if I have a sponge in my brain and lead weights tied to my arms and legs, odd isn't it.
On the bright side breakfast, always a special meal with us was a lovely combination of oven bottom muffins smothered in butter and honey and hot buttered crumpets with orange juice and a very large pot of tea. It was a leisurely meal as even Pa was more drowsy than usual as he has spent most of the previous day going to and coming back from one of central London's well known medical establishment. Every three months he is obliged to make this trek, difficult for someone in his condition and heavily dependant on expensive taxis. To get there takes two taxis and a train ride. He waits for hours to see the consultant who gives him a prescription and says “See you in three months.” then he waits ages for the overworked hospital pharmacy to fill the prescription and then its two taxis and a train ride home. I am not joking when I say this ,last year on one visit he did not even get the prescription and was with the consultant for less that five minutes! Why?
I suppose for the same reason that earlier this week my G.P was going to send me for a scan at a clinic which is six miles from my home when the hospital is less than half a mile away. When I questioned her decision she said that there was no reason why I could not have my scan at the hospital”If I preferred.” If !
After all this moaning and complaining about the vagaries of those in authority I shall now regale you with a recipe.
Gammon in cider and mustard sauce with crusty dumplings
This amount will make four meals for two people.
3 1b gammon of bacon joint
I pint of cider
1lb onion
1 lb parsnip
1 lb swede
dessert spoon made mustard
salt and pepper
ground arrow root ( cornflower will do at a pinch, it just will not look as pretty.)
12 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs of fresh parsley.
Half a pint of gammon stock
1 place the gammon in a large pan, cover with fresh water add the herbs tied in a muslin bag and bring to the boil. You may need to skin the liquid
.
2 prepare the vegetables, cut to similar size pieces and leave the onions whole
3 when the joint has simmered for 40 minutes add the vegetables and cook for a further 15 minutes. As they will be finished off in the oven they should be a little under cooked.
4 Take the vegetables from the pan and drain, then place on a baking dish.
6 Take out the joint and remove the skin,then score the remaining fat in to diamonds, sprinkle with a little brown sugar and place with the vegetables.
7 Heat oven to 200oC.
8 Mean while mix the mustard, cornflour and cider with half a pint of the cooking liquid in a pan, bring to the boil then pour over the vegetables.
9 p;ace in a hot oven for 35/40 minutes
To make the crusties
8oz self raising flour
half a teaspoon of salt
4 oz shredded suet
water to mix
1 mix the dry ingredients with about 7 to 8 tablespoons of the water, be careful as you do not want it to be too sticky. Roll out to half an inch thick on a floured board and cut in to rounds or mark in to 8 pieces.
12 Place on a greased baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes at 200oC. They should be nicely done at the same time as the meat.
Serve the bacon and vegetables on a warm dish and set the crusty dumplings around the edge. Serve the sauce separately if you wish.
Reserve the remaining stock (it will freeze). Along with any remaining vegetables. I shall be making the soup on Monday and will give you the recipe then.
This is a good way of getting the most from a piece of meat and if done nicely can look very attractive on the dinner table.
I hope you enjoy it. Love Avie.x.
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