Tuesday 19 May 2009

Cornwall and simple pleasures


Over this last weekend I left Oxford and went down to see my mum in Cornwall for a break. I really wanted to get out of the city, of the infamous ‘bubble’ of college, and breathe a bit before exam season really starts. Sounds a bit cheesy. But it did me the power of good – and I had a kitchen! I would be lying if I said I hadn’t spent the majority of my break cooking. I did go on a few walks. And go out to the farmer’s stall and the supermarket. And do a tiny bit of my essay!



So during my little break I did cook fancier things – which I’ll be blogging about in the next few weeks – but it was often the simple things that really made me smile. Like the asparagus we bought from a local farmer which we blanched (no steamer in the Cornwall house!) and had with butter, black pepper and some fresh bread. Mum taught me the way she always cuts the ends off the asparagus – tapping them with a knife till it feels just right. That’s her hands cutting them. I made a lovely quiche with the rest of the asparagus, details to come…



Other fantastic simple things were having stewed rhubarb made from some local rhubarb, with my mum’s homemade custard (no matter how hard I try, I just can’t make it exactly the same). Or even just having museli with fresh fruit and yogurt, sprinkled with a little brown sugar.


I haven’t had time to sort out all my photos and recipes – and I now have two rather imminent essay deadlines – so I won’t leave you with a recipe... just a reminder to savour all those simple things you never think you would miss.


2 comments:

  1. Mmm! Custard with rhubarb sounds like a perfect pairing! And muesli and fruit is one of my faves. Was that a picture of a crumpet? Stop. It.

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  2. Thanks! I do love crumpets. Any idea how hard they are to make from scratch?

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