It's been a while ....

So, 18 months since I last blogged … It’s not that I haven’t had time; more about the inclination, really.

I’m starting to feel ‘properly’ retired now – I finished work in September 2013, but did quite a lot of contract teaching during the first year (also learned how little my ex-colleagues were willing to pay for my expertise, and how willing they were to steal my teaching material!). So, I’ve only taught one short course this year, which has been a delight.

There are plenty of other interesting things going on in my life. Obviously, I’m still cooking (and eating)- and I think I’ve made some progress (with the cooking). Have been wanting inspiration, though and I think that may have arrived through the latest series of Masterchef. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such talented cooks.

We’ve been away a lot over the last 12 months. Last November was spent in Australia where we ticked a number of places off the bucket list, but found that the country was, essentially, a culinary wasteland! They have good steak (and cook it well) and kangaroo and emu are nice to eat. Enjoyed Baramundi, but the best place we ate it was Alice Springs which is a far from the sea as you can be in Australia! I ate some at Cairns (where they claim it’s caught locally) and it wasn’t good. Other than that, the Asian/English fusion food is fine if you like that sort of thing, but there wasn’t anything to write home about and the most expensive lace we ate (Est in Sydney) was really a waste of money.

Locally, Buonissimo  in Harborne, remains a firm favourite and there’s no doubt in my mind that Adam’s is the best restaurant in Birmingham.

I’ve been cooking, often with cheaper cuts of meat and offal. Recent dishes have included stuffed lambs hearts, liver/potatoes/onions/bacon as a stir fry and pig’s kidney a la moutarde. I’ve been enjoying having the time to do old-fashioned slow cooking and making stocks (I made a leek and potato soup with duck stock this week – yummy!).

I’ve no idea if I shall keep blogging, but I’ll try.