Chinese Folk Tales: The Three Rhymsters

Credits: Writing and Farmer

CGTN - Cao Xueqin and A Dream of the Red Mansions

Episode 1

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Episode 3

Episode 4

Episode 5

Episode 6

'cause I eats me Spinach

"I'm strong to the finich, ‘cause I eats me spinach, I'm Popeye the Sailor Man!"

It’s a refrain from my childhood … along with punchlines and catchphrases from all the children’s cartoons of the time. (Hong Kong Phooey, Scooby Doo, The Hair Bear Bunch, Tom and Jerry.).

Amazing how much one takes for granted growing up.

I was never quite sure whether I liked Popeye the Sailor Man. I certainly would watch it, and even had a 45 E.P. with his theme music song on it. But I wasn’t sure about the eternal love triangle with Olive and Bluto and the essential premise that eating spinach would make you grow strong.

In fact, I don’t think we ever ate spinach as kids. It was not on the menu. And if it did appear, then it was hideous over boiled straggly mass.

Now … as one gets older … tastes change.

I think my first forays into Europe changed things for me ... living in Belgium, and falling in love with creamed spinach which was a dietary revelation, along with most things to be honest.

It’s the magic of cooking isn’t it. Take random ingredients which together may not excite the taste buds and then create something fabulous from them.

Of course in this technological age, some pitfalls have fallen by the wayside.

Photo © Rob Jones

Frozen blocks of spinach are a big plus. They take away the possibility of waterlogging the spinach and turning it into a green smear.

For this highly enjoyable snack, I sautéed some onions and garlic, popped in the spinach and covered the pan to let it steam. Once all the blocks are melted, a good stir, then I swapped out cream for Greek yoghurt, with a little pepper and salt to season.

Some recipes talk of adding dill, or other Mediterranean herbs, but I don’t think it’s needed.

I added a topping of fried off lardons, garlic, celery and pine nuts. A squeeze of lemon.

I’ll leave you with a Popeye fact:

Popeye once told his nephews that he was descended from Hercules who originally got his strength from inhaling garlic.

Don’t try this at home.

R

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FOOTPRINTS: Painter Wang Xiaoyan

World Organisation for Animal Health

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China Plus - Footprints - Alai

CGTN - Tibetan Antelopes

Fasolada - Greek Bean Soup

After yesterday’s Coronation Quiche-Fest …

I was in need of something a little more exciting, and yet retaining a tenuous Royal connection.

Really enjoyed the Greek influences during the ceremony yesterday .. a tribute to the late Duke of Edinburgh. Brought back memories of walking around Corfu town, near Mon Repos where Prince Philip was brought up.

It was also a timely prod to use up my cannellini beans which had been haunting my kitchen cabinet for a couple of months awaiting ‘The Call.’

So here’s my take on Fasolada - Greek Bean Soup - with Bacon.

You’ll find it as φασολάδα on the menu.

Ingredients:

Standard pack of Cannellini Beans - soaked overnight, then rinsed and boiled till just short of soft to the bite.

The rest of the ingredients are really to taste, depending on your likes/dislikes,

Mine was as follows:

• Three roughly chopped red onions.

• Half a dozen cloves of garlic.

• Two celery stalks, fine sliced.

• Passata.

• A Pinch of Smoked Paprika.

• Pepper to taste.

• Optionally I added some ‘cook’s bacon’ chunks which I pre cooked in the Air Fryer.

• A pint of broth made from Miso paste.

• Optionally some diced Carrot, though I did not. The dish is orange enough.

• Obligatory Oregano

For the method:

Fry the onions, garlic, and celery in large pan. Add the wet ingredients and seasoning.

Add the beans and simmer till it begins to thicken.

Add the bacon at the last minute.

Serve sprinkled with Feta and with some crusty bread.

R

CGTN - Tanzanian Rail

The Minhall and Jones Podcast - Episode 35 - Coronation Special

People Profiles - Diana

Coronation Quiche

It had to be done ….

In answer to AMM’s Coronation Chicken … this year’s Coronation Quiche had to be made.

However …

A quick perusal of the ingredients and I decided it needed an upgrade otherwise it was going to end up rather bland … and we can’t have that.

It was heralded as, ‘"a deep quiche with a crisp, light pastry case and delicate flavours of spinach, broad beans and fresh tarragon.’ Created by the Chief Royal Chef, Mark Flanagan because it would be perfect for sharing. I think he perhaps played it safe.

And anyway … as a home bird with a teeny weeny social circle… this was never going to be for sharing. This was going to have to entertain my palate for at least … ooh … until it smells off.

So … ditched the ‘make my own pastry’ shenanigans. And got some ready made, ready rolled shortcrust.

Blind baked it in a pre-greased deep (about an inch) round tin for 30 mins in a 190C pre-heated oven. Then for another ten mins without the baking beans.

For the filling — I followed my guts, as that was what was going to have to eat it eventually anyway.

Fried off some mushrooms (not in the original recipe) and wilted some Spinach. Cooked up some broad beans.

For the goo … Three eggs, 125ml of milk, and about 200ml of double cream.

150g of Cheddar Cheese laced with leeks (He was the Prince of Wales after all).

In the Pastry case — sprinkled some more cheese on the base, then a layer of mushrooms, a sprinkling of broad beans, and some random spinach.

Pour over the eggy/milk mixture, and sprinkle the top with yet more cheese and some Tarragon.

Turn down the oven slightly and bake for about 30 mins… until it goes golden brown.

Once cooked, leave it to cool. Serve with some pickle or relish.

Long Live the Quiche

R

China Plus - Footprints - Ying Chao

Paul L. Centeno - Coup de Grace

The world has changed. Gone are the old gods. Nature withers and dies beneath the growing bane of machines and industry. Desperate to prevent their world from dying, citizens turn to science and sprawling cities of steam ruled by the Imperium. Kaimo de Morté has never known another life. He is an optometrist by trade but too poor to open an optical boutique. Forced to work in the mines, Kaimo has no idea how his life is about to change. A chance encounter with insurgents thrusts him into a battle for the very future of mankind. One he is ill prepared to fight. Kaimo uncovers hidden truths, forms alliances stretching to the highest halls of power, and becomes the catalyst for either saving the world or watching it end.

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Heidi Hi!

I’ve been skirting around cheese lately - probably along with half the nation who are either trying to bring their cholesterol down, or trying to lose weight.

Only … I passed that shop again in Menai Bridge.

There’s something about going into a store like that and getting a personal recommendation from the proprietor - same would go from a butcher or a baker (or a candlestick maker if they still exist.)

‘Good day to you fine Sir,’ is the usual opening gambit.

‘Can you recommend some cheese, please?’ with a slight enquiring cock of the head.

‘Yes,’ is usually the reply.

So on this occasion - I elected to try some Alp Blossom Cheese

It’s widely available in the UK, but it took a little digging to find their ‘folksy’ website, with some rather enticing other cheeses to locate and try.

So … it’s made in Austria with milk from Brown Swiss cows in the Allgäu region of Bavaria. Not overly sure if the colour of the cow makes a difference to the end product. I suspect not.

You can’t appreciate its beauty from a single slice, but the exterior is decorated with a mix of herbs and flowers which only adds to the fabulous flavour - almost honey like. Gentle.

Eating it made me feel like I was Heidi, running up into the high Alps to tend her goats - an image I am sure AMM would prefer to have razed from her mind.

Just off to locate some Lederhosen.

Maybe I should lay off the cheese?

R