self-sufficiency | My Food Odyssey

Jul 23

Turning 40

It wasn’t as bad as I expected. Actually, I’m not sure what I expected. I’ve been doing a countdown to my 40th birthday for about 2 years, wondering what “luxury item” I’d treat myself to for the occasion. A car was top of the list for a while – either a BMW or a 4-wheel drive. A new watch also featured – one of those fancy ones you see the tennis stars modelling in the glossies. In the end I opted for something with far more longevity than any of those items – I chose this life. Read more

Jul 15

Old-fashioned Weighing Scales | www.myfoododyssey.com

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Relic

After several months of rows and hard graft, our house renovations are almost complete. Once we’re safely installed I plan to bring you a series of before-and-after posts explaining the changes we’ve made. To whet your appetite I thought I’d share a few of the relics we found in the house when we first bought it. They don’t feature in the new house just yet, but I might restore them over time and use them as decorative pieces. Read more

Jul 9

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Beelzebub, the Hero

Something is rotten in Toyland. I’m not getting any eggs. I haven’t quite figured out what’s happening but I suspect the hens might be suffering from post traumatic stress disorder after an intrusion incident. Read more

Jul 3

Lizard, Sydney Harbour National Park | www.myfoododyssey.com

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Contrasts

We spotted this guy on a walk through Sydney Harbour National Park on the north shore of the harbour. Arūnas walked right past him and it was only when he turned back to speak to me that he spotted him. He blends in very well with the path but stands out in contrast to the green ferns. I also love how the bush surroundings of the park contrast with downtown Sydney just across the harbour. Read more

Jun 26

Roquefort Village, France | www.myfoododyssey.com

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Between

The picturesque village of Roquefort in southern France, home to one of my favourite cheeses, is surrounded by the most stunning rocky mountains. I was very happy to see that the villagers had left decent gaps between buildings on the main street so that the view was not totally obscured. Read more

Jun 18

Baboon on car, South Africa | www.myfoododyssey.com

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Extra, Extra

While on our honeymoon in South Africa we went to visit the Cape of Good Hope, the most south-westerly point on the continent. In many ways it reminded me of the wilds of South West Ireland – parts of west Cork & Kerry look quite similar. With the glaring exception of the baboons, that is. We came back from our walk to find this guy resting on a car, taking in the view. Baboons can be quite vicious – I’m glad it wasn’t our car! Read more

Jun 13

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Friday Favourites: Cold Beer & Remote Control

Ok, so I’m knackered. My muscles ache, my leg is bruised, my fingernails are filthy and my hair is inexplicable. I really need to spend half an hour standing under a steady stream of hot water. Alas, our shower does not allow for such luxuries. For a start, it takes about three hours to heat the water. You then get about five minutes at a soft trickle before the water starts to run cold. Unless you move at lightning speed you will still be covered in suds by the time the hot water runs out, leaving you to dance about the bath as you do the final rinse with cold water. Read more

Jun 10

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Cock Whacking

It appears I have been mollycoddling my cock. I need to treat it a bit more roughly, apparently. To keep it in its place. Easier said than done. My cock woes began the day the fucker arrived. (Sorry, but my thesaurus had no replacements for “fucker”.) He escaped from the run and Arūnas had to wrestle the poor dog to stop him from killing him. In retrospect we should have just let it play out. We spent the next half an hour running round after him like eejits, eventually getting him back, tailless but otherwise intact, into the run. Read more

Jun 6

No-Churn Chocolate Chip Ice Cream | www.myfoododyssey.com

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Friday Favourites: 15 Minute Chocolate Chip Ice Cream [Recipe]

This ice cream is a cinch. An absolutely cinch. No cooking, no cooling, no churning, no icy lumps. It’s in the freezer within 15 minutes and ready to eat just two hours later. It’s incredibly soft and creamy while being rich and decadent from the dark chocolate. And all that with just four simple ingredients. This is a win-win ice cream. Read more

Jun 4

6 Comments

Split-Second Story

If looks could kill. I spotted this cat peering into some long grass, about to pounce on an unsuspecting mouse or frog. I tried to sneak a photo but she heard the shutter and spun round to give me her best cat glare. There was such evil in those eyes I actually felt happy for the mouse! Read more

May 30

Homemade Toffee Popcorn | www.myfoododyssey.com

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Friday Favourites: Toffee Popcorn [Recipe]

Friday night is movie night here in our house. During the week we each tend to do our own thing – reading, listening to music or watching YouTube videos relative to our areas of interest. Come Friday, though, we like to curl up together to watch something a little trashy. Earlier in the evening we treat ourselves to one of our favourite Friday dinners – burgers (which we had today), pizza, fajitas or such like. Then I like to make a big bowl of popcorn to munch in front of the TV. Throw in a few beers and I’m in heaven. Read more

May 28

Puerto de los Portillinos, Spain | www.myfoododyssey.com

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Twist

We encountered a number of twisty roads on our trip last summer. One of the twistiest, yet most beautiful, was the road through Los Portillinos, a mountain pass 1957 metres above sea level set in the Aquilanos Mountains in north-western Spain. Despite the blue skies it was freezing cold at the top, with patches of snow in sheltered areas. Read more

May 23

Homemade Fajitas | www.myfoododyssey.com

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Friday Favourites: Homemade Fajitas [Recipe]

I’ll never forget the first time I had fajitas. I was living in Texas and was brought to a restaurant by one of my colleagues to sample the local Tex-Mex cuisine. I had, of course, heard of fajitas but hadn’t tried them and decided to give them a go. The sizzling platter of meat and vegetables, along with a selection of cold toppings such as sour cream, guacamole and grated cheese, that was delivered to each individual diner fascinated me. I absolutely loved the idea of building my own fajita my way, with my chosen ingredients. Read more

May 21

Homemade Garlic Powder | www.myfoododyssey.com

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Homemade Garlic Powder [Recipe]

I absolutely love garlic as an ingredient. I use tons of the stuff – pretty much every savoury dish I prepare contains at least one clove of garlic, probably more. Garlic seems to add so much to a dish – rich aroma, warmth, luxury, a touch of heat and a depth of flavour that seems to linger on the palate long after you’ve finished eating. For me, no other seasoning comes close to garlic. Read more

May 19

Simpsons in the sand, Weston-Super-Mare | www.myfoododyssey.com

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Work of Art

I love spontaneous art. I love that people go to such trouble to make beautiful things, even when that beauty will be short-lived. This frequently occurs with fine dining, where chefs spend considerable time making food look beautiful on a plate, only to have it swiftly devoured. I took this photo in Weston-Super-Mare in England on our tour last summer. I love the fact that someone, possibly another tourist inspired by the large, blank canvas, has gone to such great lengths to create a beautiful picture in the sand, knowing that the tide will come in within a few hours and wash it all away. A work of art, indeed. Read more