Yummo! 3rd May

Lockdown Mooring 4A

With some gluten free bread on board, eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes etc and it being Sunday, there was only one thing for it…. a cooked breakfast!

Because of us having a potato mountain on board I decided to have a go at making some hash browns. This turned out to be a very good idea. I grated up a few small potatoes and a half onion left over from a few days ago into a t-towel, then I squeezed out as much water as I possibly could, a surprising amount. Then in a bowl I added a good amount of salt and pepper and about half an egg, enough so that I knew it would help bind everything together without becoming a potato omelette. This was then handed over to the breakfast chef for cooking. Cooked in rapeseed oil for about 3 minutes on each side until golden.

Lockdown Breakfast.

They were certainly worth the grating. As Rick Stein says, ‘Yummo!’

I decided to stretch my legs in the late morning sunshine and see how the fields up towards Stoke Manor were doing. I walked this route a while ago when the footpaths were hard to make out across recently sewn fields. Today I set out to do the route in reverse.

Walking along the towpath up to Stokehall Bridge you could see the effect of the recent rainfall. The towpath plants have shot up, cow parsley reaching for the sky. The well trodden path a curved dip between the green edge of the canal and the trees. Normally this would have been mowed by now, but C&RT are only mowing near locks and moorings, places where you need to be able to see what you are doing. I wonder what they’d look like if there wasn’t quite so much footfall?

A Speckled Wood

I crossed over the canal at the bridge and climbed over the stile. From here the green field had a very well marked footpath straight across towards the manor. The crop now sprouted by around 8 inches in little tufts above the earth.

A well marked path

Where the two paths meet I could see which was the more popular route, the other route ending with a 12 ft quagmire. But the path was marked, was the yellow colour from feet brushing through the crop, or has the farmer sprayed or rolled the line to mark the way?

Follow the yellow grass path

Approaching the manor the trees now in leaf framed the building well.

Stoke Manor

The footpath becomes a narrow channel through the friendly cover of cow parsley and grasses brought me to the farm yard and back onto the road. I was glad to see the footpath sign has been revealed again, shame the one at the top of the road still had it’s black bin bag wrapped around it!

The whole sign visible today

Returning by the reservoir the cocky cockerel had escaped again and was strutting his stuff around the garden. A couple of boxes of eggs his good ladies had laid sat waiting to be bought. I’m still holding out for some duck eggs.

Escapee

Tilly spent much of the day out in the fields, we don’t get to see much of her at the moment. She returns for a few biscuits and the occasional drink during the day. An odd restorative kip and then she is back out hunting for friends. We have turned into a B&B for her. At least with the stove out this evening she curled up on my knee for some warmth. I wonder what she’ll make of it when we get to cruise properly again?

£1 a box

The ability to draw had returned this afternoon, so I worked my way back through my sketches, removing gurning chins, improving hands. Sadly I was missing a good photograph of the movement director to add to the portraits on the last sheet. Hopefully Dark Horse will be able to provide me with a better image of him, then the pencil stage will be done, unless I get notes from Amy.

500500Bonfire night

Thank you Ann for the link to the National Trust bird song. Sadly the PPe bird doesn’t feature. Mick has down loaded an app BirdNET to see if we can identify it with that. He’s tried several times to catch it’s call , but when he does get it it is upstaged by other bird song. We’ll continue and hopefully managed to identify it.

This evening we have worked our way through a few more potatoes and enjoyed a large roast chicken and fresh veg to accompany them. We didn’t eat the whole bird, the left overs will last us most of the week. With still half of our veg box left to consume I’d better look at buying some new jeans the next size up!

Time ticking away

0 locks, 0 miles, 12 tomatoes, 4 rashers bacon, 4 hash browns, 8 mushrooms, 3 slices toast, 3 eggs scrambled, 4 slices black pudding 1 hours walk, 2 bridges, 1 field, 2 paths, 12 eggs, 1 cocky ‘un, 15 sketches complete, 9 portraits, 1 still to go, 1 cat B&B, 1 elusive bird, 2.1kg of chicken, 1 bag of potatoes completely eaten!

13 thoughts on “Yummo! 3rd May

  1. joamungoanddog

    Those has browns look great (minus the onions for me). When we go to the States, we always visit Waffle House, a really cheap and cheerful fast food place. It does ‘scattered hash browns’ and they are the best thing since .. well, anything!
    They don’t use egg to bind it, they just pop a handful of the gratings into a shaped ‘thing’, leave on the flat griddle for a while, then remove the shape thing (sorry!) and turn over. They do scatter a little but OMG they are the best. Add a cheese and mushroom omelette with some red sauce and we’ve pretty much got the best breakfast ever!
    Glad to hear you’re all keeping well – I’m intrigued with what the couple and their shopping trolley are up to!
    Best wishes to you all

    1. pipandmick Post author

      I considered doing the hash browns freestyle, but wanted to see how they faired with an egg. If my belly wasn’t expanding I’d have added a little cheese too! If you ever join us for breakfast Joa I’ll leave out the onion.
      Best wishes and head nudges all round. Pip

  2. woodburygardengirl

    Have a listen to this

    – it’s a reed bunting and there are lots along the canals. Trouble is it’s singing PPEbleurgh!
    Must try those hash browns they look yum. I did chelsea buns yesterday, must put more filling in …..
    Debby

    1. pipandmick Post author

      Chelsea Buns now you’re talking! Sadly the Reed Bunting is not the PPe bird. Hope you are staying well
      Pip

      1. Debby

        Sorry forgot to switch the user to chuffed – I will get around to posting a lockdown blog one of these days, rather busy with selling plants at the moment!
        I’ve got the PPe burd faintly knowcking at the back of memory, I think I know the one you mean but that’s as far as my memory goes. Good like with getting a recording
        Debby

        1. pipandmick Post author

          We’ve not heard it so far today. Still hopeful of a recording as i’m getting bored of working my way through birdsong websites.
          Happy plant selling.
          Pip

    2. joamungoanddog

      If you like Chelsea Buns, try goggling ‘Clone of Cinnabon’. Very sugary, but an absolute must if you’re ever having a down day. The sugar alone will perk you right up!

  3. Dave (Scouts)

    Those hash browns do look good, something to add to my camp cooking repertoire.
    Have you tried pitta pockets/pitta pizza. They are a cross between a pizza & a very flat panini but great as lunch at camp as the Scouts can make them themselves choosing the fillings they like.

    Take one pitta bread (white/wholemeal/GF any works), slit it open on one side, spread tomato puree inside, add whatever sliced/diced filling you like eg onion, ham, tomato.
    Add grated cheese or thin sliced cheese.
    For adults season to taste (not supposed to add salt to YP meals)
    Wrap in two layers of foil and place on BBQ for 5 min turning halfway (or put unwrapped under grill)
    Unwrap and enjoy – but beware they will be very hot

    1. Anonymous

      OMG they sound delicious! I’ll add the ingredients to my shopping list – thank you!

      1. adrian2013

        Certainly am Pip, 4 weeks working from home I was sent home when it started! Then 3 weeks of furlough up Thursday! Though another 3 weeks likely. House and garden never had so much love given to it!
        Do our daily exercise without fail.
        Looks like you two are managing.
        Stay safe.
        Cheers

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