On Friday evening we went to see some very close friends that we have known for at least 20 years now. I was looking forward to it as K is a very good cook and we have had many a lovely foodie conversation over the years.

We met a new couple which is always lovely, and there were just the six of us, which is a good number as I can speak to everybody. I have found that with 8 or more, when I leave at the end of the evening, there is inevitably a person or two that I have spoken too only in passing.
K has two rescue bedlingtons, total softies, and the new couple have a rescue Norfolk lurcher, even more of a softie.
Unexpectedly, K served us lucky people with a 7, Seven!, course extravaganza. We started with a spiced carrot soup with crispy baquette pieces, then moved on to a smoked and fresh salmon mousse with Melba toast and gherkins, a wine sorbet to clear our palates, and then the main, and what a main. Two mini Yorkshire puds filled with a three mushroom ragout, cauliflower cheese, cabbage, stir fried with bacon, and new potatoes, crushed and roasted. After a suitable pause for waistband adjustment, cheese arrived. Lovely French ones. Then a passion fruit pavlova and a pineapple cake. Finally, coffee and petit four.

I was extremely full! The next day, I didn’t feel remotely hungry until very late in the afternoon.

I had asked if I could bring anything and was asked to take a pudding, so had done some Christmas spiced chocolate ice cream, stuffed with figs, dates and toasted pecans, and that was put in the freezer and forgotten. So K can use that another day.

Didn’t get home until one in the morning, and these days that wipes me out for a while, and what’s more, seems to reset my sleep cycle to stutter. Woke up at 7am as usual, was tired all day, went to bed and was asleep by 10pm, and awake again by 12, then just cat napped for the rest of the night.

We were up by 6 to drive up to Hackleton, which is near Northampton, to see my Mum, sister and her husband, which is where I am now. With any luck, I’ll stay awake all day!

Have been sitting down much too much, and eating too much, like many people. So will be dieting and exercising in the new year, again, like many people. Not enough exercise and too much food is something that can be indulged in no matter what your budget. So I thought that it might be helpful to have the nutrition information on the Recipe page. Over the last few days, I have been collecting the information together and putting it in a table. I have also been trying to write something that will make a small picture of the recipe pop up when you roll the cursor over, and do you think I can get it to work – NO, argh.

After a pause in which I have been fed and watered by my sister, I’ll finish this and post. I’ll post the nutrition information in a day or so, ready for our new diet regimes. In the meantime, hope you are having a nice time, and looking forward to the new year.