Murphy's Law: also applies to fruit, around here

Living as we do on Murphy Avenue, in a town pretty much founded by the man his own self (or at least a man of that name), it should come as no surprise when the eponymous Law strikes again. Living as we do in what used to be called The Valley of Heart's Delight before it had silicon injections, on account of all the orchards hereabouts, it should come as no surprise that fruit has no immunity. Except that surprise of course is almost inherent in the process: you have to have the oh, blimey! before the oh, of course...

Anyway. Last night I fired up the grill again, in a get-back-on-the-horse sort of way. Just for Karen and me, and keeping it simple: a marinated chicken thigh each, and a burger, and a mushroom. Om-nom-nom. But I also took advantage of the coals to smoke another couple of chicken thighs for a salad today. In applewood smoke, because apples are nice in salad and we get a fruit box that always has apples in it, so.

So this week's fruit box? Of course it doesn't have apples in it. First time in living memory. I am ... stubbornly reluctant actually to buy an apple. Which leaves me madly trying to think of something else - that I will also have to buy - as a substitute. Hey-ho.

This grill thing, though: it is stunningly nostalgic. Back when half my Newcastle friends lived on the same square, and any sunny evening one of them was sure to light up the old oil-barrel barbecue, and people would gather on their steps and open bottles of wine and bring out whatever could be grilled, and... Yeah. After many a summer comes the swansong. I miss those days.

Reminder! Win a free e-book!

Go to Book View Cafe's new bookstore - here - and browse the selection, pick a title that you'd like for free.

Then go to my free-draw post - here - and leave a comment, saying which book you'd like and why. Tomorrow, somebody gets to win. It really is that easy.

Another law frustrated, to its probable chagrin

There must surely be a law which states that whenever a person is chopping potent chillies, their eye will start to itch.

Fortunately, I still have enough sense of self-preservation - even with these denatured habaneri* - to resist that particular impulse. (Tho' I do still sneer at those packeted chillies that demand to be handled with rubber gloves. Um, no. Naked fingers, and remember to wash your hands after, if they were seriously hot. That's all it takes. How could you cook in rubber gloves? Food is for feeling, inter alia.)

* Yes indeed, I am trying to grow my own habaneri, now that I can no longer trust the name on produce shelves. It's not as easy as I thought it would be; those I planted out are still alive, but ridiculously stunted. Even those I held back until May. I have one in a pot in a window, but the window faces east and come noon it's falling into shade. Mostly I either forget to bring it out into the sun's heat, or else I forget to put it back as night falls. I am not a good shepherd, me.

Ow. Ouch. Stop that!

In other news, I apparently cannot get used to pan handles too hot to, y'know, handle. In the UK we solved this problem decades ago. Seriously, it's more than twenty years since I had a stovetop pan I couldn't just pick up without thinking. Here I am having to learn to think, to remember don't do that, and it's taking too damn long...

*wafts scorched palm, and dances like no cat is watching*

Thanks, Mr President

“For many Americans, the news of Ray Bradbury's death immediately brought to mind images from his work, imprinted in our minds, often from a young age. His gift for storytelling reshaped our culture and expanded our world. But Ray also understood that our imaginations could be used as a tool for better understanding, a vehicle for change, and an expression of our most cherished values. There is no doubt that Ray will continue to inspire many more generations with his writing, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.” - Barack Obama

The first note is a little sour, perhaps - it's not just true of Americans; I don't think it's anything to do with being American - but this is an election year, so of course he's going to thump a patriotic drum if he can find one within reach. That apart, I think this is unexceptionable, and entirely appropriate, and actually delightful. I'm still touched, that there should be an unashamed geek in the White House. I hope you voting types can keep him there.