Jan 27
Crispy chicken wings are one of those foods that seem to be universally loved. A hot wing, fresh from the frier or oven and ready for dipping into your favourite sauce, is a wonderful thing. The crisper the better for maximum crunch and all those little nooks and crannies to grab on to the sauce. Read more
I can’t believe it’s December already. The year seems to have just flown by. I squeezed a lot into the year but at the same time, there are more things I wanted to achieve. There’s still some time left, I suppose – more I can get done before the fireworks go off and the new year begins. But it looks like some dreams will be carried over to next year. That’s not a bad thing – chasing down dreams keeps life interesting! Read more
The sky is grey and the air is damp. The evenings are getting shorter. The storks are gone. Hay has been cut and is being brought in by the tractor-load. Around the village fires are being lit, the smoke from chimneys barely distinguishable from the grey clouds above. Almost without warning, summer is over and autumn is upon us. Read more
You never know who you’re going to end up sitting beside on a plane. You could be stuck beside some armrest-stealing leg-spreader who doesn’t understand the concept of either deodorant or earphones, or you could get a like-minded soul with whom you can chat effortlessly for the whole journey. Read more
Dear Weather,
What the hell is going on? Seriously – have you lost your mind? Snow in May? Frost in June? Monsoon rains in Lithuania?
You are playing HAVOC with my vegetable growing endeavours and I am not pleased.
Allow me to explain … Read more
It all starts with seeds. Sometimes tiny, sometimes large. Put them in some fresh earth. Water them, keep them warm, then watch the magic happen. Read more
I am delighted to announce that my Lithuanian recipes are now available in a handy cookbook. The recipes are explained in detail, with step-by-step photos provided where needed. Each recipe has been thoroughly tested and I have suggested alternatives for some hard-to-find ingredients. If you are new to Lithuanian cooking it is an ideal introduction. The book also contains a number of stunning photographs of the Lithuanian landscape and wildlife. Available in both paperback & Kindle formats from just US$2.99 here. The Kindle version is also available FREE with all paperback purchases! Read more
For our honeymoon we went to South Africa. We drove from Cape Town through the beautiful winelands Stellenbosch and Franschhoek to Oudtshoorn, where I sampled ostrich and crocodile for the first time. (Both were delicious!) While in Cape Town we drove south to the Cape of Good Hope. A small funicular brought us to the top of the point, where we found a signpost with distances to various destinations. Here’s a small selection of photos (taken with an old camera, so please excuse the quality), including one with my new name! Read more
India has been on my bucket list for many years, primarily as a food destination. I watched Rick Stein and Gordon Ramsay travel around India in search of authentic Indian dishes. I was enchanted by the diversity of both the food and the landscape. I felt I would never get true Indian food anywhere except in India, no matter how many cookbooks I bought or restaurants I visited. I would have to go there myself. Read more
I’ve been sitting here quietly for so long even I’ve forgotten I’m here. I had dressed snugly for the cold October weather and warmth of the sun on my dark down coat is having a soporific effect. I’m awake but not fully aware as I gaze out from the high hide on the scene around me, patiently waiting for wildlife to appear. Read more
The first signs of autumn – the browning of the leaves and a slight chill in the air – used to herald the end of fun and relaxation and a return to the grindstone of school or college. Mind and body were refreshed from summer adventures and pockets were heavier from summer jobs. It was time again to knuckle down to some serious work. Read more
I can’t believe it took until my early 40s to realise that we sleep for about one third of our lives. When this first dawned on me I was horrified – what a waste of time! I’ve been asleep for over 13 years – think of all I could have done with that time! But then I thought about how much I love my sleep. I love where my head takes me (most of the time) when I’m asleep. And I love the rejuvenation and reenergising that happens while we sleep. I awake refreshed and restored, ready to go again. Really not time wasted. Read more
There are a few condiments that I always have in my refrigerator. The first is mayonnaise – I don’t think a day goes by that I don’t need it for something, especially in summer. The other is half-sour pickles. Those tangy, crunchy pickles are so versatile, from adorning a burger to adding zing to tartar sauce. Read more
It never rains but it pours. It’s a phrase that has both literal and proverbial meanings, both of which apply to my life at the moment. After a total drought in May and just 10 days rain at start of June, the countryside was beginning to look a little parched and my vegetable beds were rock hard. Buckets of water were no longer enough – it was time to unravel my hose and do some deep watering, biceps bedamned. Read more
My Food Odyssey 