Holy Hardwoods

We decided (now that the tenants are out) to renovate and move into the little terraced cottage my husband bought back in his bachelor days. It needs a lot of work, but it's got great vintage bones: fireplaces in every room, huge windows, brick, and...

You think it will never happen to you. And, then it does: you reach down and proceed to rip out the manky wall-to-wall carpet that's so old the underlay is literally disintegrating (so so gross) only to reveal ORIGINAL HARDWOOD FLOORING. What?!

Now. It's not in the best shape, it may not be salvageable, and we may have to carpet over it. But, I couldn't be more excited. This place is going to look amazing.

PS: Fun house fact/rumor #1) Our rear garden used to line up with the back of our house. But, during the war, the military commandeered the neighbor's garden (the one at the end of the building) to use as a shooting range. Then, all of the gardens behind our building were shifted over by one and reassigned. Thus, the neighbor's garden lines up with the back of our house, our garden lines up with the next neighbor's house, and so on.

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Runner Beans

I was given a few runner bean plants earlier this summer (thank you, Jane). I strung them up Grannie-style, and they are just starting to produce. See the little baby beans?

I'm not sure what to do with them yet—Grannie always grew string beans—but, I'm thinking something like this. Yum.

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The Butchers

This past weekend, I went to the local butchers—Chandler & Dunn—for the first time. It was so cool. They literally have cows out back, there was a great selection, and the gentleman who works there was extremely patient and helpful.

We decided on fillet steaks, and a rack of lamb. He showed me the difference between last year's aged lamb and what is fresh this season. He even asked if I wanted "those little hats" for the ends of the lamb bones.

Um. Yes!!

When we got home, I grilled the steaks with a bit of olive oil, sea salt, and pepper. Then, served them with Barefoot Contessa guacamole & Nicole Franzen's Roasted Corn Salsa (which I actually serve as a salad—no chips), and a nice bottle of red wine. It was amazing.

Then yesterday, I marinated the lamb in dijon mustard, rosemary from the garden, garlic, olive oil, sea salt & pepper, grilled it, and served it with roasted tomatoes in a sharp cheddar crust, and an arugula salad. It was my first time cooking lamb, and all we could say was "wow".

Very local and very fresh makes a huge difference. We will definitely be visiting the butchers more often.

PS: The tomato tart needed way more tomatoes. But they were so fresh and sweet—from the same place we got the avocados—we ate most of them beforehand.

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Love These Signs

  

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Public Rights of Way

Public rights of way over private land are everywhere in England. These tracks, trails, and footpaths are legally protected "highways"—from back when walking was the only way to get around—and everyone has the right to walk on them at any time. (Natural England) 

Personally, I find the legal aspects of this fascinating. Not only is it not trespassing, you have a right to be there. Amazing.

It's a great way to explore the English countryside, walking from town to town. And, I feel fortunate to have this degree of access. Side note: beware the animals—cattle have been known to chase, and farmers are allowed to shoot dogs that are "worrying" their livestock. Yikes.

Indy and I love walking the footpaths. We just discovered this loop along part of the Miner's Way Trail. Five miles long and three hours outdoors. Fantastic.

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Love These Doors

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The Wheat & Barley

Fields of wheat and barley grow quietly along either side of the footpaths I travel. Still beautiful, these grains no longer look grass-like; their identities now obvious.

The wheat is big and coarse; a bit prickly. The barley is softer, with long feathers called "awns"; the wind blows across it in spectacular waves.

Harvest is coming soon—early August. I am literally watching the seasons change. Amazing.

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Peanut Sesame Noodles & Grilled Chicken

I love this recipe. The minute I tasted it, it earned a spot in the regular rotation. It's the crunch of the green onions, the spice of the ginger, and the contrast of the savory and sweet ingredients that put it over the top.

Alterations: 1) The chicken. I prefer my chicken cut into strips, and usually marinate it in some combination of things before cooking it. Today, I cheated and used some pre-marinated (ginger and lime, gluten free) chicken skewers, and grilled them. 2) I (obviously) switch out the regular noodles for gluten free ones. 3) I leave out the cucumber. I didn't have any the first time I made it and ended up loving it that way. 4) I use extra ginger and red pepper flakes. Yum.

Try it. It's simple and delicious.

Seriously. What doesn't taste better with peanut butter?

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The Raspberry

I admit it: I'm a raspberry snob. Though, it's not entirely my fault. Growing up, raspberries were a Cape Cod summer novelty that we ate directly from the bush. And, I mean that literally. We would stand next to Grannie and Grandad's raspberry bushes for ages, eating them as fast as we could pick them. 

So, you may understand why I was never interested in the small, old (relatively speaking), refrigerated, grocery store version.

Until now.

I have officially discovered British raspberries. Look at these things. They're HUGE! They're from the shop. And, they're the real deal. They taste amazing. I keep thinking I'm going to make something with them. But, I just end up eating them.

I love raspberries. They taste like summer.

PS: It has to be said: "There's only one man who would DARE give me the raspberry..."

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Vocabulary Lesson(s)

Since moving to England, I have discovered that the same word can have a completely different meaning in American English versus British English. Very confusing. Also, hilarious.

For example:

Jelly:
American: What you put on your peanut butter & jelly sandwich. As in, Smucker's jam and preserves.
British: The fruit-flavored, gelatin-based product you add boiling water to, and cool into a jiggly shape. As in, Jell-O.

Grill:
American: What you light a fire in and cook meat on, outside. Also, a method of cooking meat over a fire. As in, at my tailgate party, I'm going to grill burgers and hot dogs.
British: The very top part inside the oven. As in, the broiler.

Pickle:
American: What you put on a burger, or have on the side of a sandwich. As in, dill pickle.
British: A pickled vegetable relish, often served with bread and sharp cheddar cheese. As in, Branston Pickle. (Delicious, by the way.)

Pudding:
American: What you whisk into cold milk and refrigerate until it turns into creamy goodness; in flavors like vanilla, chocolate, banana, and pistachio. As in, Bill Cosby, instant Jell-O pudding.
British: Often, an all-encompassing term for dessert. Usually bread-/flour-based. Also includes savory dishes like steak & kidney pie. As in, not gluten free.

Lemonade:
American: The drink you get from squeezing lemons, and adding sugar and water. As in, fresh squeezed lemonade.
British: Same flavor. Always fizzy.

Chips:
American: What happens when you thinly slice a potato, fry it, and salt or otherwise flavor it. As in, I would like a bag of Ruffles Cheddar & Sour Cream potato chips. (Seriously. I would.)
British: What happens when you thickly slice a potato, fry it, and salt or otherwise flavor it. As in, french fries.

Pants:
American: "An outer garment covering each leg separately and usually extending from the waist to the ankle". (Merriam-Webster) As in, jeans, khakis, etc.

British: Underwear. As in, my 5 year old British nephew giggles every time I refer to my "pants", when I mean "trousers".

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