I knit. You know that.
I knit a lot. I know that.
I knit and I knit and I knit… often to the exclusion of all else – witness the past couple of months.
Sometimes, I knit so much and so often that I forget that my primary creative focus is, and always shall be (I think), in the kitchen.
Knitting has slowed down a little now – I have one pair of socks to finish to a deadline, but I do now have space to breathe; to look about me, and to wonder what to do to fill my time (and to give my hands a rest, they are hurting rather much just now.) I thought I would be catching up on some much-needed housework but I find myself gravitating to the kitchen instead.
Gravitating kitchenward does not happen much these days, as I find a lack of fresh and interesting ingredients somewhat suppresses my creative culinary spark. There are some days when “What can I cook?” does inspire me to do wonders with virtually nothing – hence Monday’s Smoked Haddock Soufflé, made with a piece of fish I found lurking in the bottom of the freezer, and a small piece of mature Cheddar that came in the “cheeseboard” pack that Mr L bore triumphantly home from the local shop on Saturday (when I was at home, knitting.) I surprised myself entirely and made the best soufflé I have ever made. Bar none. I got a real kick out of that.
Overall I respond better to the “What shall I cook?” prompt of a well-stocked larder – and I have now been to town…
Yesterday we had a really scrumptious casserole of lamb’s liver and bacon – lots of onions, thick tasty gravy – with buttered cabbage and leeks and a heap of mustard mash, into which I beat as much hot butter and milk as it would hold. Mr L was most appreciative – it was real man’s food.
Today I have some Portobello mushrooms in the oven. I’ve stuffed them with a goat’s cheese and walnut confection, seasoned with olive oil, black pepper, lemon zest and lemon thyme. We shall sit them on a croute and have a lovely fresh salad on the side (be still, my beating heart!)
Tomorrow is a special day – Mr L has requested a Chinese style meal for his birthday. We are to have Salt & Pepper Prawns to start, followed by Sweet and Sour Chicken and finishing with a Stem Ginger Ice Cream. I shall probably add a few twirls and twiddles to that menu that he does not expect. I am going to make some home made fortune cookies, for one thing…
In short, I am having a blast and the knitting can go hang.
Normality will be restored once the larder has been emptied down to the pasta and dried bean stage. I’ll probably cast on a lace shawl in order to compensate. For now, I remain, yours faithfully, The Woolgatherer, pogged – and happy as a sandboy, up to my ears in lovely, fresh vegetable peelings.
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