Richard Freeborn

Fiction and Non-Fiction

Category: Cooking

Everything Expected and More

December 18, 2024 /

As I expected, the private viewing for Heallreaf 5 was everything I anticipated and more. In addition to the “regular” tapestries, there was Dancing Vessel 2 by Barbara Burns – weaving displayed on a ceramic pot, and Nostalgia by Magenta Kang – a four sided tapestry on a wooden frame. Both are hard to describe but you can see them here: https://www.heallreaf.com/heallreaf-5.html

As a visitor, you can select one of the pieces as your favorite. At the end of the exhibition series in Sedburgh in April the votes will be tallied and the winner receives an award. I’m already looking to see if my schedule will allow a visit in the Spring to see who wins.

And, yes, I did spend a morning browsing through Waterstones in Piccadilly, and it was wonderful. I was tempted by Ottolenghi’s Test Kitchen, but a quick online search showed I can buy that in the US – not the point of the expedition.

Finally, I walked out with a two volume biography of Oliver Cromwell which with the books my sister has for me, gives me plenty to read on the flight home, and a need for some careful packing.

Next week, I’ll spend some time on a retrospective for 2024.

Kitchen Experiments

April 16, 2023 /

This past week my wife was out of town catching up with some friends, which left the kitchen open and available to explore two dishes that have been on my let’s try list for a while. I do a lot of my experimental cooking while she’s away. And I make sure to be cleaned up before she gets home!

The first meal was Goan Venison Curry from issue 12.22 of the Big Green Egg Life Style magazine. The combination of fennel, cloves, chili, and cardamom appealed to me, and as I have stack of cubed venison in the freezer, it seemed a good choice. Except I must have missed something, because the generous spicing described in the article didn’t materialize. If anything the whole flavor was very bland, which was disappointing because I love a good curry.

With the curry behind me, the next experiment was Roast Chicken with Babylonian Spices from the book The Witches Feast by Melissa Jayne Madara. The dish is based on a translation of the recipe amusarnu pigeon with broth from tablet 8958 of the Yale University collection, dating back to about 1,700 BC.

After the not so great experience with the curry, I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into – especially as I made some changes – sesame oil instead of olive oil, and the roasting phase on the Big Green Egg instead of the oven. While the chicken cooled after poaching in the sauce, and before roasting, I tasted the sauce, and immediately knew I had something different.

I was really pleased with the chicken, and plan to try it again. Now all I need are the other recipes on tablet 8958.

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