POWERLESS

Another night with no sleep at all and neither Pa nor my son fared any better than I, so it was a sleepy and rather seedy group who met at the breakfast table to eat lemon pancakes.
I had decided to bake and was in the throws of washing the breakfast dishes when we were visited by an electrician,off whet the power. Off went the lights and out of the window went my idea of baking.

Since the water heater needs electricity for the pump there was not even any hot water to finish the dishes,resigned I headed for the garden and as I did so it began to rain,heavily.

I passed the time by scraping some new potatoes which did not take long. Hooray! Having fitted a new metre the electrician departed and I hied me to the kitchen again....but not for long, as began the dishes there came another knock on the door and this time it was the gas man, to fit a new metre.
Now you may be wondering why all at once we are receiving all this attention from the power companies,the answer is simply this. Both the gas and the electric metres are under the stairs which is soon to be transformed in to a downstairs lavatory and so prior to the arrival; of the builders the metres must be moved outside to provide the required space,

No gas,no hot water not even a kettle as the cooker top is gas,once more I downed tools and left the kitchen,by now the rail was torrential so I stood on the steps staring out in to the r
curtain of rain cursing my luck and wishing myself a mile hence!

When at last the power was connected again, it was late afternoon and most of the breakfast dishes were still scattered about the kitchen and the whole house felt chilly and damp as the doors had been left open for most of the day. Wearily I finished washing the dishes and began the preparation for dinner.

CHICKE WITH TARRAGON SAUCE
6 chicken breasts
3 oz clarified butter
1oz flour
4ooml chicken stock
2 tablespoons of French mustard
2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon of chopped fresh tarragon or half if dried
3 oz English Cheddar grated
salt and freshly milled pepper
150 ml single cream

1.In a covered pan fire the chicken breasts in the butter until tender and golden brown approx 10 minutes each side turning once.
2.Put the remaining butter in a pan and heat ,stir in the flour and gradually stir in the stock and lemon juice.
3. Stir in the mustard,cheese and tarragon and bring to the biol then simmer for three minutes before adding the cream.
4. 4. Heat gently ,do not boil.

To serve Place a chicken breast on to a slice of hot puff pastry and spoon over the sauce. Serve with garden peas and baby sweet corn.
Butter sauté potatoes are also good with this dish as a change from the pastry.