Jingle bells fiesta

This weekend we are all enjoying our village fiesta. There are flags flying and fun is on the programme.

When we hear another jingling of bells going past our house we know that a couple of horses, perhaps pulling a carriage full of happy people are heading down to the festivities.

As members of the neighbours´ association, which organises everything, we have our fat program, packed with times and activities and adverts for local tradesmen and shops. This fiesta really is local.

On Friday a big dance took place in the village hall, with announcements of the winners of the titles: Villager of the Year; village pensioner of the year; pilgrims of the year, both adult and children; helper of the year; and best couple. The cooks at the event took part in a competition to see who could rustle up the best migas – a favourite local dish made with olive oil and flour, and scatterings of chorizo and other treats. Bingo “with big prizes” provided spice.

Yesterday, there were board game competitions. An outdoor space was cleared to play caliche, which involves flowing metal discs at a single peg in the ground. A bouncy castle and snacks kept the children happy. There were prizes for the people who look after others throughout the year and another “grande baile” with Latin music and old time Spanish songs.

Today, the horses and carriages and all the villagers were out in the morning for the formal journey of a statue of The Virgin from a church a little distance away to the village itself. The image, garlanded with flowers, was carried on strong shoulders, with a band and everyone following behind in procession. Once The Virgin was safely installed in the hall, there were black puddings and soup with meatballs, followed by a giant paella for everyone. All free, of course.

Tonight the village beauty queen will be chosen, with singing and dancing, before The Virgin is taken back to the church. Celebrations will continue afterwards in the village and, of course, when it gets dark there will be fireworks.

We have to be sure not to lose our fiesta programme as it includes our numbers for the raffle draw on Christmas Eve – a “magnificent reserve-quality ham.”

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©Phillip Bruce 2009

Country dinner time

With friends arriving for dinner tonight came the perfect opportunity to enjoy
two of the large rabbits given to us by local hunters.

Rabbit does not seem to be a popular meat these days, at least in the UK but it was once a staple of the general diet. Rabbits fed the hungry farm labourers and their many children and graced the tables of stately homes. On great estates special warrens would be constructed to encourage the rabbits to breed. Rabbit has always been a favourite in Spain and one theory that suggests that the country's name is derived from some ancient form of “land of the rabbits.”

We decided to make a rich but simple rabbit casserole. Ask your butcher for rabbit, and it will come skinned and prepared. Take:

Two jointed rabbits
Three large chopped onions
One finely chopped red pepper
Two or three sliced carrots
400-500 grams of white beans, chick peas or lentils (it's easiest to use a jar or can so they are already soft but if you want to be traditional, use the hard dry versions and soak them overnight first)
One pack or jar of tomato frito (puree)
A handful of chopped fresh herbs, such as rosemary, marjoram, chives and sage. Or use dried herbs.
Salt and pepper
Bay leaf
About three quarters of a bottle of red wine
Water

Put everything in a large casserole pan and bring almost to the boil on the stove. Then remove, place tinfoil over the top to seal and put the lid on. Put in the oven at high temperature for 15 minutes. Then reduce the heat and cook slowly for four or five hours.

For a starter we made a cool and lovely chilled vichyssoise (which is fancy French for leek and potato soup) Take:

One pound of peeled and cubed potatoes
One pound of leeks, with green tops removed, cleaned well, and sliced
Water
Chicken or vegetable stock, use a cube
Salt and pepper
Cream

Put the potatoes and leeks in a big pot with water and boil. Add the stock and perhaps a bit of salt but not too much. Grind in some black pepper. When the vegetables are soft, take off the heat and allow to cool for an hour or so. Whiz everything in a food processor and pour into a serving bowl. Stir in single cream and put in the fridge for a couple of hours to cool. Serve with hot crusty bread and a dish of butter.

For pudding we served fruit crumble, made with apples, the sweet white plums given to Sharon yesterday, currants, four cloves, and brown sugar.

In case someone really didn't fancy rabbit, we also made a fresh quiche with ham and mushrooms.

To drink – Buck's Fizz at first, which we made with Spanish cava and orange juice. At the table there was red or white wine and cold beer.

Simple stuff and delicious in the cool of a summer evening.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009

So many wonderful people

Sharon has been talking about the kind and helpful people she meets.

“When I get into the car, Phil has to lift me out of my wheelchair and into my seat. This morning, we were parked on a slight slope in the village. So, I made sure the brake was on the chair and stood up. I bend my knees to do a little jump to help but my door was trying to swing closed. Phil didn´t notice and lifted me into the car. When he turned round there was a passer-by who had come across to hold the door so that it didn´t bang his back.

“These sort of events happen on more than one occasion every day when I am out. So many people are so thoughtful and helpful, holding doors, helping up and down steps with the wheelchair, and taking time to talk to me.

“This is just how people are where I live. They love helping and being friendly.

“Recently, there was a letter to a British newspaper which was about whether or not Spanish pensioners are entitled to free holidays. They are. The writer said that she and a friend had booked a last minute Spanish holiday. They knew it wasn´t on the beach but just wanted a break.

“When they arrived they were picked up and driven for ages until they arrived at a little hotel in the middle of nowhere. They thought a mistake had been made as it was full of elderly people. They went to bed and at breakfast the next morning everyone talked to them. Although they didn´t speak any Spanish, it became clear that these were a group of pensioners on their free holidays.

“From that moment onwards, she and her friend were included in every single activity. They learned how to flamenco dance, went on sight seeing tours and were included in all meals and social activities. They had the best holiday they ever had and spent the whole week laughing. Never mind the language barrier, it was unthinkable to the elderly holidaymakers that they would leave anyone out and alone.

“I have been living in Spain for about seven years and have noticed that Spanish people always include people who are on their own. Whenever you go into a bank, cafe or a shop you must say “good morning” to everyone. It´s just the done thing. If anyone knows you, or one of your friends or neighbours, you will be engaged in a friendly chat.

“This morning I had to take some new trousers to the lady in a nearby village that does my alterations for me. She is the wife of a garage owner and is lovely. We had made two banana cakes, one for me and one for her. (See recipe in an earlier story). I gave her the cake and she was delighted. She rushed out into her garden and came back with a big bag full of delicious sweet white plums from one of her trees.

“Later on we went to our fruit and vegetable shop and, as usual, the shelves were overflowing with the colours of lovely fresh produce. We left with two brimming bagfuls of deep purple aubergines, a giant lettuce, red peppers, tomatoes on the vine, pears, peaches, bananas, courgettes, a big bunch of spinach, a cauliflower and other things. As usual, we were given a free bunch of fresh parsley.

“This little gifts form an essential part of every day life. If you buy something in a shop you will often get a little extra something as a thank you.

“Courtesy and good manners are so important in Spain. Saying hullo is essential. And talking to people is a normal part of life. You don´t say hullo and walk on. You talk about the family, how ´s your mother, how´s your children? Is your life good? These are all normal questions often from people you don´t know very well. But they are usually related to people who do know you, such as neighbours, and information is shared around. They are genuinely interested.

“Where else would you find the lady in the bank coming out from behind her counter to give you a big kiss and tell you about her recent holiday in Dublin? With nobody in the queue complaining about the delay but listening with interest.

“No-one seems to mind that our Spanish isn´t perfect and we make many mistakes. It´s the trying that counts and you need never feel embarrassed. You´ll learn new words every day.

“Each time I go out I seem to make a few more friends and learn a little more about how people should treat each other.”

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009

A.M. Albondigas

At 11am it is time for a café con leche and a bit of tapas and today meat balls, or albóndigas, looked very tasty on the counter of the café that we called at.
The rich meatballs were served with quickly fried shavings of potato and a delicious sauce.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009

Hot weather good for hot chilies

The chilies in Sharon´s huerta, or garden, are going great guns as the sun beats down. Regular watering and the hot weather obviously suits them.

These chilies are grown from seeds sent from a noted expert in hot stuff from Suffolk. When the little fruit (are they a fruit or a veg?) start to form they are yellowish. Then they turn a deep purple and gradually develop into the familiar deep red.

These chilies have been going for a couple of years now and they are ideal for making chili sherry. This was an old favourite in Gentlemen’s Clubs in the former British colonies Out East and it is very easy to make. All you day is take the hottest little chilies you can find and press as many as you can into a cut-glass decanter, or any bottle with a tight stopper or screw top. Then carefully pour in sherry until the chilies are drowned and the bottle is full. Leave for about three months and it will be ready, although the longer the better.

Then keep the decanter or bottle handy on the table so it is always handy. In the East, the correct drill was to scatter a few drops of the brew into your bowl of soup, holding the stopper so that the chilies themselves did not come out. However, chili sherry also goes well with noodles and rice dishes or anything that needs a bit of livening up.

The finest chili plant ever seen grew on the island to the southeast of Hong Kong out in the South China Sea – Waglan. This was originally a customs and weather station in Chinese Imperial times. It is shown on an 1810 map of “Macau Roads” produced by the East India Company. Many of the officers of this service were British. Later Waglan became the responsibility of the colonial authorities of Hong Kong. The station would, and does, feed meteorological information ashore and at night the powerful light sweeps for miles.

Today, sadly, everything is automated. But in the good old days the station was manned and one lighthouse man loved his work. He would stay on the island for about two months at a time, enjoying the peace, and then would be given a week´s leave ashore. He lived in the crowded Aldrich Bay typhoon shelter at Sai Wan Ho with his Chinese wife and a large brood of children. After a few days, the noise became too much for him and he would go off with his fishermen friends for some peace and quiet until it was time to report again for duty at Waglan.

Ten or fifteen years ago we visited the island. The old lighthouse man has his grave there and he rests in eternal peace while the waves of the South China Sea lap at the rocks below. The grave was shaded by an enormous chili tree. Not a plant or a bush, but a tree. The fruits were eight to ten inches long and we collected many of them. Later, the seeds were dried and then planted. For years we enjoyed these wonderful chilies each year until, sadly, the stock of seeds ran out, we moved, left Hong Kong.

Somewhere in our files are photographs of Waglan Island, and of the grave. When, or if, these every turn up it will be possible to give the name of the lighthouse man.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009.

Cress makes summer treat

Today we enjoyed home grown cress sandwiches in traditional English style with boiled eggs and mayonnaise.

The bread was crustless, of course, and cut carefully and the sandwiches were an unusual treat in the Spanish countryside. Some time earlier we had bought a cress kit in a bag, which included soil and seeds, and all it took was some sunlight and water for the seeds to sprout and grow quickly.

Harvest came today with carefully snipping of scissors, boiling of eggs and mixing with mayonnaise.

Many people will remember growing garden cress on blotting paper at school in early experiments in biology classes. This cress is not the big-leaved stuff that grows in water beds but, instead, consists of frail white stems with little green leaves at the top.

On June 2, 1953, the young Princess Elizabeth was crowned Queen and celebrations were held throughout Britain and in dominions and colonies around the world. Youngsters in Harringey, London, were given a special tea party to mark the occasion. Phillip, who was two, was one of the toddlers invited and the party is one of his earliest memories.

When he returned home, according to his mother, he was full of complaint. “Mum. They made us eat grass,” he protested. The grass was, of course, cress.

A few years older now, cress is a very special treat. The Latin name for garden cress is Lepidium sativum and it is related to the larger-leaved cresses. It is one of the most important of the mustard species. As garden cress can´t be dried it has to be eaten fresh – hence the grow-your-own packs. A hundred grams of cress contains 115 per cent of the individual daily requirement for vitamin C and many other good things.

Some people, it must be said, find the taste a little too strong and mustardy.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009.

Songbirds singing in the tree

A quiet knock on the front door signaled a neighbour who whispered to be quiet and come and look at something.

We walked to the pine tree at the front of our house and he pointed at a nest in a high branch. This is the first time that birds have nested in the tree and we are delighted.

The pine was planted about five years ago with a great deal of effort. The initial scheme to just dig a hole and pop a sapling in was frustrated by the fact that our old house is built on top of a big slab of solid granite. “Digging a hole” needed a road drill and hours of sweating work over a couple of days.

We wondered whether anything would grow in a hole in solid stone but the sapling is now about 15 feet high, strong, and reaching ever upwards with new bright green shoots. Worryingly, we now look at pine trees in the village that are 70 or 80 feet high but, never mind, it will be up to future generations to worry about that.

The little nest is full of baby greenfinches, according to our friend. These are “verderón” in Spanish and there are probably three to eight eggs in the nest. Of course, we haven´t disturbed it and are leaving mum and dad to feed the hungry brood. Apparently, greenfinches normally eat seeds but build up the babies with a nutritious supply of insects.

Our house is popular with birds. At the rear there is a hole in the outside of the wall of the kitchen. For years this has been full of the sound of happy babies chirruping throughout the spring and summer. Several broods are raised there annually and we haven´t the heart to fill in the hole.

Recently, lots of swallows have been darting around, particularly in the evenings, all fast movements, soaring and veering through the dusk.

Meanwhile, over at the salt pans of the regional park at San Pedro del Pinatar, on the shores of the Mar Menor, Europe´s largest inland sea, the birds of summer have arrived in great numbers. This is one of the most important points on the great migration routes of Europe and Africa and at this time of year there are tens of thousands of birds either passing through, or settling down for the summer.

Perhaps the most colourful are the flamingos, which arrive in the springtime and spatter pink across the salt pans. These move, as the summer gets hotter, even further north where they breed in places such as the Ebro River, but some hardier souls remain at San Pedro. They are best seen in the very early morning and, as visitors arrive to look at them they move further out into the salt pans to get away from the attention. At times there can be some 2,000 flamingos in the water.

Bird experts say that over the year more than 200 species of bird can be spotted in the 856 hectare reserve. In summer there are also terns, storks and avocets. During the winter other species appear, including kingfishers and birds that head south to avoid the cold winters of places such as Britain.

The San Pedro del Pinatar reserve is very important and ornithologists and environmentalists are working hard with the support of the regional government to make sure that this vital haven is protected and kept in an ideal state for the constant stream of feathered visitors throughout the year.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009.

Golden pineapples

In Hong Kong fans of pineapples can buy replicas made in pure gold but for the rest of us the pleasures of the fruit are much simpler.

When Sir Walter Raleigh arrived in the West Indies he found the juicy pineapple being used for food and making alcoholic drink. Columbus also wrote about the pineapple. The Portuguese, took the pineapple to Saint Helena soon after they stumbled upon the island in 1502 and then to their colonies on the coast of Africa. By about 1550 it was established in India. The pineapple then spread pretty much to everywhere that had the climate to support it.

From the 18th century onwards the aristocracy greatly valued pineapples and the distinctive form of the fruit became common as an architectural and design motif, appearing on stairs or on ceiling bosses and textiles. One nobleman even built a large folly building entirely in the shape of a pineapple. Generations of British people were brought up on tinned pineapple, packed in cloying heavy syrup.

Fresh pineapples are good and cheap in the shops at the moment and are delicious when prepared and served. Doing this is fiddly but practice makes perfect and at present prices now is a good time to start learning. Use a sharp knife.

Pineapple rice is easy to make for a summer meal. Cook some long-grained rice, drain and then put into the wok, adding some finely sliced red pepper, a few peas, chopped tomatoes and anything else you fancy. Cut the pineapple in half and scoop out the centres, throwing away the woody core. Chop the flesh and add it to the rice mixture. Then fill the pineapple halves and allow to cool before serving. Ideal for a barbecue.

The ultimate pineapple cocktail is, of course, the Piña Colada, which was invented in Puerto Rico. A recipe favourite with professional barmen calls for:

Two measures of white rum
One and a third measure of coconut cream
Two and two thirds measure of fresh pineapple juice
One teaspoon of whipping cream
Half a measure of caster sugar

Shake everything together until the sugar is dissolved. Add a glass of crushed ice and then shake again. Garnish with a slice of fresh pineapple and a cherry and serve.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009.

Good harvest ahead for almonds

Although our almond trees have received scant attention since Sharon has been sick they still seem to be reasonably well laden with almonds this year.

Almond trees don´t take much looking after – at least compared with crops such as lettuces and tomatoes. Almonds are hardy and about the only things practical on un-irrigated land such as ours.

This year the predictions for the almond crop in the Murcia region are very good and it may even reach a record. This will be very welcome after five or six poor years where crops have been disappointing, due to droughts, pollination problems and frosts at the key stage when the nuts are developing.

Experts are predicting that the crop could reach more than 12,000 tonnes, close to the previous record of 13,000 tonnes set in 1999. Murcia has some 69,000 hectares under cultivation for almonds with an estimated 15 million trees. There are large growing almonds with irrigation and small farmers without irrigation whose trees fill every spare corner of land. Plenty of rain earlier this year has helped the almonds a lot.

The almonds look like they will be big and fat this year and the production rate per hectare in Murcia is forecast to be 176 kilos per hectare, compared with the national average of 138 kilos. Murcia produces more almonds than any other region in Spain. The biggest player in the international almond market, however, is California where huge agribusinesses produce vast quantities.

Meanwhile, the outlook for peach producers is not nearly so good. Better than expected crops in Greece have meant that international prices have been depressed and Murcia peach farmers are very gloomy. Last year they received 33 cents per kilo of peaches from purchasers, many of whom use the fruit in jams and other preserves. This year, it looks like the price will be forced down to between 26 and 30 cents. Farmers are claiming that costs have rocketed and the production cost for peaches in Murcia is now said to be 60 cents per kilos.

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©Phillip Bruce 2009.

Remembering Africa

Sharon´s mother, Liddy, has been remembering her time in Africa in the mid-1950s around the time of Sharon´s birth.

“The Mau Mau were very much in evidence. My husband, Eric, had to join the Home Guard and one of his duties was to sweep the railway line from Nairobi to Voi. Actually, the danger there was more from wild animals than the Mau Mau, but, of course, sabotage was possible.

“One particular night when he was about to go on duty I felt particularly apprehensive and said I couldn´t stay alone. My friend who usually came to keep me company, complete with revolver and Great Dane, for some reason hadn´t been able to come. So I ended up going with him and staying in the back seat of the car. The two station askaris (guards) paraded up and down from midnight to 6am and never knew I was there, but I heard some very interesting conversation.

“Another time, while working in the Savings Bank, I remarked about a rough looking Kikuyu who had been coming in every week. ´Oh, yes,´ the boss told me ´That´s Jomo Kenyatta´s driver. He´s allowed to come into town from the prison each week and, whilst his boss is at a meeting, he comes to see how his two shillings, which the British government is paying him for being a prisoner, is getting on.´

“We had a memorable trip to the National Park. We had been often but had never managed to see the lions. For some reason they never seemed to be where the Rangers said they were. However, this particular time we were lucky and joined another half a dozen cars with passengers like us, enjoying the spectacle. One by one as it grew dusk the cars left but when we tried to leave we were stuck, well and truly. By the time the Rangers found us – there was a ticket to go into the park and handed in when one exited – it was dark and the mosquitoes had done their worst.

“The weekend we decided to go to Kilimanjaro, Nairobi had a torrential storm and our early morning start was delayed by the millions of wings from the flying ants which had to be cleared from our step before we could leave. They were everywhere and when the front door was opened they just fell inside. The poor things had battered themselves to death round the security light.

“The storm seemed to follow us to Tanganyika and the thunder and rain rattled round the mountain. Water gushed everywhere including the dining room of the hotel at the foot of Kili. It was quite a frightening experience as the water rushed down the dried-up river bed and flowed over into the hotel grounds. The plans my girl friend and I had made regarding dressing for dinner were ruined. We dressed but getting from the chalets to the dining room was disastrous. Still, I do remember bringing back to Nairobi a stalk of bananas and we had banana everything for weeks.

“When my mother came out for a holiday we took off down to Mombassa and had a wonderful time. We lived in a black chalet among palm trees which were home to lots of monkeys. Usually monkeys are inquisitive but these were not. We were very impressed. We were concerned when the baby monkey which had become a little friendlier than the rest fell from the tree and died. The mother came down to collect it, sat inspecting it for a while, then took it back aloft where she nursed it for two to three days before discarding it.”

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009.

Cold apples and cream for hot weather

With the temperature now hitting summer highs lunch has become a very light affair followed by a siesta.

Apples and cream is perhaps one of the greatest partnerships in cookery and here is a recipe that adds the flavour of leeks to provide a delicious cool dish that makes an ideal light lunch with fresh crusty bread from the baker, maybe a few slices of fat tomato in olive oil and finely sliced ham on the side. Or it could be served as a starter for a fuller meal. The following will make enough for about six people.

One kilogram of red apples
A couple of leeks
250ml of vegetable stock
One lemon
Olive oil
200ml of cream
Chopped white Spanish onion
Ground black pepper
Salt

Cut off the green part of the leeks, wash well to remove any grit and cut into thin slices. Peel and core the apples. Except for one, chop them into little cubes. Peel and core the remaining apple, rub it with lemon juice so that it does not discolour and set aside. Heat some olive oil in a pan and gently simmer the leeks for about five minutes until they are soft but don´t let them take on any colour. Add the diced apples, salt and pepper, and cook for another five minutes on a gentle heat. Add the vegetable stock and simmer for another five minutes. Take off the heat and allow to cool before pureeing in a food processor. Then add the cream, adjust the seasoning if necessary, and refrigerate for at least three hours.

Serve in wide-brimmed glasses with a slice of the reserved apple and the finely chopped onion on top.

Chilled Spanish cider is the ideal accompaniment.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009.

Recession hits Rioja

Recession hits Rioja

One of Spain´s most popular wines has been hard hit by the recession with tipplers watching their cash carefully.

The council that administers the Denomination of Origin for Rioja has reported that, in the first four months of this year, domestic sales of non-vintage Rioja fell only 2.4 per cent, to 34.8 million liters, sales of vintage fell a whopping 12.60 per cent to 53.9 million liters.

Sales of Rioja aged in the barrel fell by 20 per cent and reserve labels plunged 24 per cent. Exports have also been hard hit, falling 16.3 per cent.

Rally to Rioja open a bottle now.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009

Swimming in the sunshine

Sharon took a dip in a neighbour´s backyard pool today. The thermometer was registering 40C, or over 100F, and it was time for a cool off.

Floating around with her Tweety armbands and a support she took a rest in the warm water. Then it was time for walking around the edge of the pool with the water taking all the weight from her bad left leg. The big cheese docs at the rehabilitation unit say that exercising in water is the best thing possible to regain strength and flexibility.

So, more swimming is on the program, with a beach visit slated in the next couple of days.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009.

Is there anybody out there?

Sharon has been wondering whether anyone is reading her blog.

She said: “I´ve written over a hundred stories and only heard from a very few people, and no-one in the last month or two.

“If there is anyone out there who is reading the blog? I would be interested to hear from you. Have you tried any of the recipes? Have you any of your own favourites? Have you any comments on the other stories?

“I would to hear from you. The email address is – raxomnium@gmail.com

“I miss writing my Campo Kitchen column for my old newspaper, the Round Town News, and enjoy writing this blogspot but it would be nice to know that there are some people who are reading.”

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009.

Exploring China with the children

Sharon has been remembering trips to China some 30 years ago when foreign visitors were not as numerous as they are now. In those days we were living in Hong Kong and Sharon was the assistant secretary, or administrator, of the Royal Asiatic Society branch there.

We organised numerous visits across the border between the British colony and China, both with the RAS and with smaller groups of friends. Our children, James and Julia, were toddlers but they always came with us, causing quite a stir when we visited areas where few foreigners had been seen before.

Sharon says:

“I remember the Chinese were fascinated by the white hair of the children and their chubby cheeks. Everyone wanted to touch them and they used to get a bit fed up after a while.

“We used to eat whatever was on the menu but I used to take jars of Heinz baby foods for the children, such as jars of apple sauce and of carrots, which were their two favourites. They would always eat the fried rice at meal times but wouldn't touch the more exotic items on offer. And they always ate plenty of fruit.

“I can remember going on the train to Canton (Guangzhou) which was a big adventure. The train was luxurious with big comfy seats and staff to serve you with snacks and cups of Chinese tea.

“At Canton we usually stayed in the five-star luxury White Swan Hotel, one of the best hotels I have ever stayed at anywhere in the world. It's on the island of Shamian and had full facilities and a lovely swimming pool that the children loved.”

Shamian was created in the 1860s after the Second China War by the formation of an island in the Pearl River. This became an enclave for foreigners and many of their buildings remain today. This is an important conservation area, with fine trees and gardens as well as architectural gems.

“There were no cars on the island in those days and it was lovely to wander around,” said Sharon. “The boats on the river went chug chug and it was a nice restful weekend away. Of course we would visit places like temples, museums and the old French cathedral, but the children and I enjoyed the swimming pool most of all.

“James used to walk everywhere because Julia needed the trusty Maclaren blue stripy buggy that was easy to fold up with one foot and one hand. We must have walked hundreds of miles on our many trips. We were always stopping at cafes for pots of Chinese tea and a sit down.

“In the evenings there would be a special banquet and everyone would enjoy talking about what they had seen and done during the day. They are a great bunch of people in the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch and the society still organises lots and lots of activities and interesting trips. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in China and Asia. There is even a branch in London for people who used to be members of the Hong Kong branch which has lots of activities around the year.”

For more information about the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch, see: www.royalasiaticsociety.org.hk or email membership@royalasiaticsociety.org.hk.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009

Make a beautiful banana cake

Today we enjoyed a very tasty banana cake that brought back memories of days in New Zealand more than 30 years ago.

Sharon says: “No decent New Zealand kitchen was without a banana cake. So if a friend dropped in for a cup of tea there was always a slice of banana cake to go with it. I don´t know why they chose banana cakes but every New Zealand woman could make one without a recipe book.

“I, of course, need my trusty Edmonds recipe book, which is the NZ cookery bible, to make mine. It´s been so well used that it has lost its front cover and pages inside are taped in. But I did buy it back in 1974 when I arrived to live in New Zealand.

“Today we had some bananas that were ripe and needed to be used so a banana cake was the answer. I can´t remember when we last made one but we found the recipe in the book and got going. To make it even more delicious, we cut it in half and put in mashed mango slices with thick whipped cream. So I can count it as double in my daily fruit intake, with both bananas and mangoes.”

Here´s the recipe

Four ounces of butter
Six ounces of sugar
Two eggs
Two mashed bananas
One teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
Two tablespoons of boiling milk
One teaspoon of baking powder
Eight ounces of flour

Now, the original instructions are quite specific – Cream butter and sugar, add eggs, mashed bananas then the bicarbonate of soda dissolved in boiling milk. Then separately mix the flour and baking powder together and add to the rest of the ingredients. Bake in two sandwich tins for 20 minutes. Fill with whipped cream and sliced bananas.

We forgot to look at the instructions and just put everything in the food processor with the plastic blade and whizzed it all together. We didn´t have two tins, so just used one fairly deep circular cake tin. It took over 30 minutes in our oven until the cake was cooked. And, of course, we used tinned mango instead of bananas in the whipped cream filling.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009.

Sardine fun

A giant sardine has appeared in the middle of the Segura River in Murcia City. This is a monument to fun.

Murcia is an ancient and devout city and there are lots of processions and functions the year round which mark religious and worthy occasions. However, some years ago students at the university there decided that they also needed an excuse to have a bit of fun.

So they invented an entirely spurious fiesta “The burial of the sardine” which involved lots of partying, drinking, dancing, music and all round living it up. The main event was, not surprisingly, the ceremonial burial of a sardine. If there is any reason, it is not immediately apparent.

Each year the Burial of the Sardine became bigger and bigger with more and more people enjoying letting their hair down. Now the fiesta is a firm favourite in the city´s programme.

A huge metal statue of a sardine has been put in the middle of the river and spouts a fine gush of water that is a treat to see on a blazing hot summer day.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009.

Gypsy Stew

A favourite dish in Murcia is Olla Gitana, or Gypsy Stew. This is a nourishing and tasty dish and it is ideal for vegetarians.

500g of chickpeas (garbanzos) (if dry, soak overnight, if pre-cooked in a jar, rinse off the liquid before using).
300g of pumpkin
300g of potato
100g of green beans
One tomato
One onion
Two cloves of garlic
Two pears
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Saffron
Mint

If the chickpeas have been soaking overnight, rinse and put into a big pan to simmer for about 40 minutes. kim the froth from the top of the liquid. Or use the pre-cooked type. Then add the chopped pumpkin, a few mint leaves, and simmer for another 10 minutes. Then add the potato, pears and chopped green beans. Separately, chop the onion, tomato and garlic, and fry together in a little oil. When soft, stir in the paprika and then add the mix to the main pot. Season with salt to taste, add the saffron and more mint leaves and let stand a bit before serving.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009

Sharon and Sam

One of Sharon´s best tonics is Sam, the golden Labrador. She says:

“He has been my pal for about 10 years now. He never leaves my side and he always likes to keep me in view. He follows me when I am practicing my walking round the house and if I go outside and up and down the track. He comes up to me when I am sitting watching TV in my big comfy chair and he pushes his wet nose into the side of my leg and says ´Here I am. Just pat me. And I still love you, even though I know you can´t do anything for me.´ It´s as though he understands that I can´t take him for walks like I used to and lean over and give him big cuddles like I used to. But it´s as if he knows that I would if I possibly could. His big brown eyes are full of love and understanding when he stares up at me. It looks as though he is about to burst into tears.

“I got him as a rescue puppy when I lived in Worthing back in England and he has been by my side all these years. It´s uncanny the way I think he understands what I say to him, as if he is a person and not a dog.

“I know he is getting on now and it worries me that I won´t have him forever. It makes me very sad to think about it. He is well overweight but he is on diet food biscuits. But he gets tasty snacks from our neighbours. He also suffers from arthritis and he goes outside the front door to lie in the sunshine every afternoon. I think it is good for him to get sun on the bones. He always comes in puffing and panting but I think it does him good so I encourage him. Sunshine is supposed to be good for sore bones. He doesn´t limp as much as he did, so it must be helping. “

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009

Sharon´s walking days

The picture shows Sharon at the age of 15 months really getting going with her walking. Now walking isn´t quite as easy. Sharon has recently been able to take a bit of a break from her daily exercise with the crutch as her special boot has been in for repairs. “I´ve worn it out!” she says. The boot and its leg support allow her to walk, with a great deal of effort. Things are made more difficult by the fact that she can´t use her left hand for another crutch or to steady herself, so she likes a helping hand for stability.

Her goal is to walk alone. The physiotherapists and doctors say there is no physical reason why she should not do this but the problem is fear of falling. Still, she battles on and can walk about 200 steps holding onto somebody and with her crutch, with rests along the way, and her record for walking alone currently stands at 12 steps.

Let´s hope it won´t be too long before she is as confident as she was at the age of 15 months.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009.

Spanish cider punch

With the sun beating down refreshing cold drinks are excellent and here´s a recipe for punch using Spanish cider.

Spanish cider is first rate and it generally comes from the north of the country, with many fine bottles being made in Asturias. Though inexpensive, the cider bottles often look rather grand, being wrapped in silver paper at the top with a champagne type cork. On a hot day chilled cider is unbeatable.

One popular brand is Sidra El Gaitero, which features a picture of a bagpipe player on the label. The small pipes, which feature a bag pressed under the arm rather than blown, as in the big Scots pipes, are very popular in northern Spain. They are rather like the Northumbrian pipes.

Here´s a recipe for Spanish cider punch:

One liter of Spanish cider
15cl of dry white wine
Two measures of apple brandy, such as calvados
15cl of fresh strained orange juice
A good squeeze of lemon juice
15cl of apple juice
30cl of ginger ale

Mix everything together in a big punch bowl and swirl in lots of ice. Garnish with fresh soft fruit and slices of apple.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009.

Wild boar treat for village

Opening the door to a loud knocking produced the sight of a friendly neighbour waving us to come with him to see something interesting.

Sharon swung into her wheelchair and we went to his house. A tripod had been erected in the corner of a working area and from it hung a big dead wild boar. The animal hung by its trotters with its snout almost on the ground. This was a big treat for the village.

Wild boar is absolutely delicious and much sought after. Many roam the steep hills around Cartagena and elsewhere in Murcia. Strict controls limit hunting and it is only with a special permit that, occasionally, one can be shot. This is usually a part of a programme to keep the population in particular areas to levels that the environment can support.

Everyone was happy that one of our friends had been so fortunate as to obtain a boar. It must have weighed about 100 pounds, or 45 kilos, with huge front legs, shoulders and head, and narrow, speed-light, hips and rear legs. The hunter had shot it by lying in wait at night.

Another neighbour was sharpening his knife against a steel rod and he soon started removing the hide, setting aside the tail, which would be salted and dried and kept as a good luck charm. He is an expert butcher and would make sure that the meat was prepared perfectly.

The next day, there was another loud knocking on our door and there was our smiling neighbour, holding a large plate of wild boar meat that was fresh from the hot plate heated by olive logs. It was absolutely delicious. Our friend explained that it had been cooked “a la brasa” with wild thyme, wild rosemary, black pepper, salt and a bottle of red wine.

“You don´t get that in England,” he said as he wandered off.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009

Sharon´s brain exercises

Sharon had been sitting quietly for some time and was asked if she was all right. “Oh, yes,” she said. “I´m just doing my brain exercises.”

This was a new one but Sharon has come up with many surprising things since her almost-fatal stroke in February last year. “What are your brain exercises?” She explained.

“First of all you take the first letter of the alphabet, A, and the first of the vowels. You go through the alphabet trying to make up words.

“I don´t know of anything starting with double AA, so I go onto the next one, AE. Can´t think of anything there either. But with AI, I get aid, air – and so on. Then AO, AU. Then I try to think of straight old A with all the consonants, starting with AB, AC, AD right up to AZ. I try to make up many words as I can, the longer the words the better because if you were being scored you would score more for a longer word than a shorter word and it is a better exercise. Proper names are not allowed.

“It takes me about a fortnight to get through the whole alphabet. Sometimes it is difficult to remember where you left off. Especially when you start getting up to the LLs.”

Sharon is registered blind and can´t read, so it is impossible for her to make any written notes. She does this whole exercise literally in her brain.

“I just started doing it one day when I was trying to think of how to spell a certain word for some reason. This gave me the idea.”

Sharon never ceases to surprise.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009

Not quite gado gado

Not quite gado gado

Gado gado is the delicious Indonesian salad served with peanut sauce that is enjoyed across Asia.

At the weekend we needed a big salad to accompany a barbecue and we started remembering all the gado gado we had eaten during our many years Out East.

There was the usual problem, lack of ingredients. We didn´t have any sesame oil, papaya, prawn crackers and other items essential to authenticity. But, who cares, we decided to have a go anyway with what we could get hold of and the result was delicious. You will need a food processor, as the ingredients have to be efficiently shredded and grated.

One lettuce, sliced finely
A quarter of a cabbage, sliced finely
Small tin of bamboo shoots, drained
Peeled, seeded and chopped cucumber
One peach, peeled, stoned and chopped
One apple, cored, peeled and chopped
Three carrots, peeled and grated
250g tinned coconut milk
400g peanuts
Two or three dessertspoons of sweet chilli sauce
Juice of half a lemon
Three hard-boiled eggs

Take a big bowl and put in the lettuce, cabbage, bamboo shoots, cucumber, peach, apple and carrots. Squeeze in the lemon juice. Whizz the peanuts with the coconut milk and sweet Thai chilli sauce in the food mixer, with the steel chopping knife. Allow enough time for the peanuts to be finely chopped with the coconut milk and chilli sauce. Mix the sauce well into the salad. Quarter the boiled eggs lengthways and arrange them on top of the salad. Scatter crisps over the top, or prawn crackers if you can find them, and serve. Of course you can vary the ingredients to match what you actually have but the peanut sauce is vital.

No doubt, this version of gado gado would cause gourmets in Javanese kitchens to groan at its lack of authenticity. But it tasted great and went very well with the barbecued food and big baked potatoes.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009

Murcia´s own meat pie

Murcia´s own meat pie

When Murcia people are feeling hungry there is nothing that quite hits the spot like pastel de carne, or meat pie.

These are best bought piping hot from bakeries and pastry shops where the experienced experts have often spent decades practicing their skills. The pies are round and just the right size for one person, or two people trying to slim. The wavy flaky pastry on top is attractively browned in the oven. The ingredients include tasty meats and boiled eggs.

As mentioned, they are best bought from the pastry shops but if you want to have a go at making Murcia meat pie, here´s how to make two pies.

Filling ingredients

Quarter kilo of finely chopped beef steak
50g of pork lard
Quarter liter of white wine
One clove
Two bay leaves
Salt
Hard boiled eggs
Slices of chorizo

Pastry ingredients

Half a kilo of flour
Half a teaspoon of salt
Juice of half a lemon
One teaspoon of butter
400g of margarine

Knead the pastry ingredients together, except the margarine, and divide into two. Make a hole in the centre of each and knead each lump. Set aside and allow to rest for half an hour before kneading again. Do this three more times. Butter two moulds and lay down a pastry base.

Meanwhile, cook the filling ingredients in a frying pan for about 20 minutes.
Then put the filling into the pastry moulds. Add slices of hard boiled egg and slices of chorizo. Add a pastry lid to each mould, brush with beaten egg and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009

A summer snack by the beach

There is nothing better than after a dip in the Mar Menor, Europe´s largest sea lagoon, than a bit of tapas and a cool drink.

Sitting ourselves down at a pavement café at Santiago de La Ribera, on the road that runs up to the beach rather than on the beach itself, we scanned the menu.

One of the specialities of the day, displayed on the counter inside, was a big haunch of pork roasted in the log oven, so a plate of that was ordered. The meat came carved into thin slices and with lovely rich hunks of crackling on top. Delicious.

Then there were a couple of earthenware dishes filled with small peeled prawns drowned in garlic flavoured oil, with plenty of garlic pieces floating around. A basket of sliced fresh bread was provided for dipping into the oil.

We ordered lomo, which is fillet of pork, served in hunks of a different type of bread, moist with the grilled tomatoes that sat on top of the meat.

A big baked potato had been excavated, mashed up with cream and pepper and re-stuffed.

Just a snack in the sunshine. And fresh frothy coffee to finish.

***

©Phillip Bruce

Best time for boqueron

Our font of all knowledge on culinary matters, Pepe of Murcia, advises that this is now the best time of the year to enjoy sardines.

You can either put them on a grill, with a bit of salt and fresh lemon, or sizzle them on a hot plate. Then eat.

Keep an eye out for the boqueron, which is a small sardine and particularly well appreciated in and around Cartagena.

***

©Phillip Bruce

Best wine by the barrel

What do you need at a motorway service café? Well plenty of good wine for a start.

At the Venta Garceran II, on the A30 motorway between Cartagena and Murcia, there are lots of tasty tapas, bocadillos, hams, sausages and other treats to choose from as well as a “menu del dia”, or set lunch which offers great value.

The café also has plenty of the famed local wine, kept in barrels above the bar. There is Vino Tinto Jumilla, which is the noted red from the town and area of the same name; There is Vino Jumilla Añejo, which is an aged red with rather a strong taste; Vino Campo Cartagena, which is robust; and even Vino Blanco, which isn´t drunk much in this region.

A pump offers the local beer, cool and on draft. This is Estrella Levante, made at a brewery in Murcia City. Of course, Asiaticos are available. Beneath the wine, fine home made sausages, or longaniza, hang and there are big joints of ham.

The Venta Garceran II is on the side of the road heading towards Murcia. There is also a large petrol station.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009

How to start the morning properly

Around Cartagena there is only one drink that goes with breakfast and that is an Asiatico.

This is a powerful concoction that is guaranteed to get the heart started and those wishing to be safe enjoy a couple each morning.

The origin of the local specialty is lost in the mists of history but one thing is certain – despite its name you won´t find it anywhere in Asia.

A plausible theory says that the name Asiatico originates in the hard days when Cartagena was a tough industrial city, with shipyards, mines and heavy industry. Work was also hard in the countryside with few machines to help with the back breaking daily labour. Sciatica is a very painful condition which affects the sciatic nerve along the back of the leg and it often results from unusual movements or injury. Sciatica is “ciático” in Spanish and the speculation is that the Asiatico was developed for ciático.

Anyway, today Asiaticos are enjoyed by everyone and they are available in all cafes. Usually, they are made in a special glass which helps the barman judge the quantities and they are made individually to order at the coffee machine.

An official publication describes how to make Asiaticos for a group of people.

One litre of expresso coffee
150g of condensed milk
Two sticks of cinnamon
Licor 43
Brandy
Ground cinnamon
Lemon peel
Sugar

Licor 43 is a famous local liqueur with a sweet taste made in Cartagena.

Brew up the coffee and drop the two sticks of cinnamon into it. Put in the rest of the ingredients and whisk together. Pour into glasses and sprinkle the ground cinnamon on top.

An ideal way to start the day.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009.

Doradas del Mar Menor

The beaches of the Mar Menor, Europe´s largest sea lagoon, are starting to draw sun worshippers who enjoy taking a dip in the warm salty water, doing a bit of work on their tan and then enjoying the fine local cuisine.

One favourite is Doradas del Mar Menor. A dorada is fleshy white fish which is much appreciated by local gourmets. With the fish eaten fresh only the simplest of cooking is required.

To make Doradas del Mar Menor, you need one fish per person. Cut off the tails. Clean and cut along the bottom discarding the contents. Remove the seeds from four large green peppers and chop. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and before it gets too hot add the peppers. When cooked, put the peppers inside the fish and then fry gently until cooked. Drain and serve while still piping hot.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009

Handy sprays for mouth and ears

Sharon suffers from a very sore tongue and has tried all sorts of sprays and tablets, some needing prescriptions. However, she has now discovered a new, non-prescription spray, which she says is great.

One of her specialists speculates that Sharon´s tongue pain stems from the fact that the part of the brain that controls the tongue is very close to the area that was burnt out with her big cerebral hemorrhage. Maybe the signals are getting mixed up and, as well as the pain, the left side of her tongue is numb. He is trying her with a neuro pain blocker.

On a happier note, her favourite ordinary tongue and mouth spray can be found in chemists here in Spain and it doesn´t need a doctor´s note. The name is Fluocaril Spray Orale. It is made by Proctor and Gamble, so should be widely available in other countries as well as Spain. Well worth a try if you need it.

Sharon also suffers from blocked ears. A helpful chemist at Boots at Stansted recently recommended she try a nasal spray – as all those tubes in the head are connected. Again, Sharon finds this very useful and no prescription is needed. The name is Otrivin. When her Stantsted purchase ran out we went to the local chemist and were delighted that it was on sale there. Otrovin is made by another giant pharmaceutical firm, Novartis.

Sharon said: “It´s a big relief to find these sprays. I keep them with me all day long, especially when I go out.”

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009.

Home of Hannibal

Sharon was out and about in the ancient streets of Cartagena this morning.

“I was following up the last bits of my paper trail at government offices near the main Post Office and Phil pushed me up a side street in the wheelchair to have a look at the archaeological dig going on there.

“Apparently, this is the Molinete Hill and it is stuffed with ancient remains, from the Carthaginians to the Romans. It was an important part of the city in Roman times, with bits of the forum and other public buildings there.

“But, more interestingly, is the belief that it was where Hannibal’s family home was. Hannibal was a member of the Barca family, a powerful Carthaginian clan. It was the Carthaginians who founded Cartagena, Spain, about 200 years before the birth of Christ. Hannibal was brought up here and gathered his armies and elephants to go off and cross the Alps to attack Italy. The Barca´s also founded Barcelona.

“The archaeologists are hoping to find remains of the family palace but they have been at it for a while and they know they have got many years to go. Let´s hope they find something interesting like treasure and jewels and not just piles of old stones.

“My friend Viv tells me that the next Hollywood blockbuster is due out in 2010 and it stars Vin Diesel as Hannibal. Should be a right ripping yarn and a real adventure film, with plenty of swords and sandals. I´m sure there will be moans and groans about its historical inaccuracy but I bet it will be a great adventure film. I can´t wait to see it. I wonder if they filmed my house? I shall be looking eagerly for places I know.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009.

World´s healthiest breakfast

Scientists have recently announced that tests have proved that the world's healthiest breakfast is probably the toasted bread with grated tomatoes that is so much enjoyed in and around Cartagena.

Apparently, the calories in the bread, the cancer-fighting and vitamin properties of the tomatoes and the heart-friendly, olive oil that is poured over the top all combine to give mega health benefits and start the day off with an ideal amount of oomph.

The beloved “Full English” breakfast of eggs, bacon, tomatoes, black pudding, fried bread and so on doesn´t get a look in when it comes to the health scores – except at the top of the list of what is bad for you.

So, next time you are sitting down to breakfast in the sunshine at a pavement café, order a tostada con tomate. You will feel good all morning.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009

Beach and tapas prescribed

Sharon visited her rehabilitation consultant last week and received an unusual medical prescription – beach and tapas.

A year and a bit after her near-fatal stroke she has learned so much from her physiotherapy, and worked so hard, that the expert is opinion is that she doesn´t need any more instruction, just practice.

Walking and staying active is vital to her recovery and she can now walk 10 steps on her own with her crutch, although still a bit nervous about doing so. She can walk a lot farther with a helping hand. “It´s all about developing confidence,” said the consultant. “Practice, practice, practice.”

He is a great enthusiast for water therapy and said that she must take every opportunity she can to go swimming. Apparently, just walking in the water is also terrific exercise.

Soon, Sharon will have finished all her tablets and medications. “The only prescription I can give you now is Beach and Tapas,” said the doc.

Sharon said: “Now that´s what I call a sensible medical man.”

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009

Kind people

Sharon says:

“I’ve been thinking about how nice and thoughtful people are. They so often help us when we must look as if we need a helping hand. Since I have been in the wheelchair I have noticed how so many people have been so helpful to me, offering their assistance whilst I have been getting in and out of the car, opening doors for me, helping us up and down steps and with other obstacles.

“Just this morning, I was getting into my wheelchair from the front passenger street of the car. Because we were parked on a slope the wheelchair wasn´t too steady and a passing man came over and held the wheelchair while Phil swung me round and into it from the car. He was just someone walking by and, obviously, saw us struggling a bit. It was good to feel that my wheelchair was held securely and would not roll back.

“So many people are like this and it means the world to me. I try to remember if I was as helpful to people before I became disabled. I only hope I was.”

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009