Saturday Kitchen

Saturday mornings are special. The first part of the weekend, nothing urgent that needs doing – most of the time anyway. I usually sleep in a little longer, boil or bake an egg. And watch television. Some repeats, and, at eleven (here in the Netherlands – one hour later than in the UK) Saturday Kitchen Live!

The main presenter, for ten years, was James Martin. In February 2016 Martin announced he would leave the show a couple of months later. Since he left several chefs have presented the show. I enjoy Angela Hartnett the most.

The show follows a specific formula. Two chefs cook one of their dishes. A celebrity chef is a special guest. The presenter cooks a dish for him/her while (s)he talks with hime/her. In between the dishes several older items are shown. The kitchen is cleaned up in the meantime. The Omelette Challenge is a race between the two chefs. Who will cook the fastest omelette. The record holder is Theo Randall, with a time of 14.76 seconds, set on 2 May 2015.

The special guest has an food heaven dish and a food hell dish. People calling in with a question and the two chefs can pick either. The show ends with one of the dishes being cooked by the presenter and the two chefs and eaten by the guest.

First Ever Omelette Challenge – Saturday Kitchen (BBC – 24 Jun 2006)

I am not watching this show each week anymore. But a few years ago i did. And these days when i do watch it, i do enjoy it. So this is for an old favorite.

GENNARO CONTALDO AND PAUL RANKIN Omelette Challenge SATURDAY KITCHEN LIVE

THE OMELETTE CHALLENGE Alain Roux NATHAN OUTLAW Marcus Wareing SATURDAY KITCHEN

Thomas Keller Omelette Challenge on BBC Saturday Kitchen

ANTONIO BANDERAS LAUGHING AMUSED AT OMELETTE CHALLENGE Saturday Kitchen Live JAMES MARTIN

Ruthie Henshall Saturday Kitchen food heaven or food hell

Alfie Boe’s Food Heaven and Food Hell

400th FOOD HEAVEN OR FOOD HELL AT SATURDAY KITCHEN LIVE WITH JAMES MARTIN 2015

Samantha Janus Food Hell Part 1 – Saturday Kitchen – BBC

Samantha Janus Food Hell Part 2 – Saturday Kitchen – BBC

Saturday Kitchen – Part 7 (18.09.10)

PS. This post came about because of the food heaven and food hell choice. I like the option in the show, yes. But the words used, heaven and hell, are lessened in their meaning in this use. They are simple advertisement talk. I do feel uncertain about this. My mind is getting a bit sharper, and i do find myself listening with a clearer ear. The proper meaning of these words heaven and hell has got nothing to do with food. But i do think this needs its own post, or rather series of posts. And this is not the single use of a word out of its proper meaning. Hell no, advertisement is completely full of this. So i leave this comment as a postscript. To be getting back to later.

Published on April 4, 2017 at 6:00 by
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Fire

Last night the greenhouse of the Peace Garden burned down.

Someone on facebook told me about it on one of my latest posts about the garden. This morning, around half past nine, i walked up there to check. My first reaction was actually relieve. I had imagined the whole garden burned down. Luckily it was only the greenhouse. Then my reaction was sadness. And then anger. And then sadness once more.

I walked back home to get my iPhone. I did call the two maintainers then and told them both in their voice mail. Then i told the whole group in our whatsapp group. After a few initial reactions i walked back to make some photos to post in the whatsapp group. (I don’t have internet on my iPhone. I can only connect back home with my wifi.) Back home once more there were many reactions in the group. And even more after i posted the photos.

I made some tea and went back with it.

I could see the center of the fire was towards the back of the greenhouse. At the back stood the water tanks, which were melted. The inside of the greenhouse was burned and cracked, the plastic molten away, the iron fences bent and deformed.

Soon other people came by, Jorinde and Andreas. We were all shocked. But also thinking about what might have caused this, what to do next, what sort of greenhouse to make next, what of the chicken run, what of the seedlings we should be sowing again in the next two weeks. Questions tumbling over each other.

John, our homeless person residing in the greenhouse came along. He told us it was another group of people who had done this, while he was away to work. Jealousy.

Murray, Daniel and Julien came along. We cleaned up a little bit.
Then Daniel treated us all to coffee and chocolate milk. And we talked a bit more, sitting on the benches outside the garden.

A week and a half ago i talked with Julien about my desire for someone special in my life. But i also said i didn’t want to date. Dating reminds me of bringing only the best parts of me. There is simply no way i will ever go in Tinder or some dating website and try to find someone there. It was hard to talk about this, to explain this feeling i had. I did say i was feeling happy. Really. Even though my money situation is extremely tight right now. I don’t worry about it. I’m not sure why. I know i should, really. I know a few years back i would be worried sick. But i am not worried right now. I trust myself, in who i am, in my work – this website. I know things could go wrong, but i feel they won’t. I don’t understand this, but this is a very strong feeling.

To me, this world we live in, the state of it, the way people live here in Western Europe, in Asia, in Africa, in the Middle East, in America. It just isn’t enough for me. There are so many people scared, worried sick, afraid for their lives. And here in the Netherlands people worry about the money they make. The money they set aside for their pension. The money they pay for their health insurance. The money they pay for their other insurances. The money they pay for their internet, and television, and phones.

Fucking hell.

I don’t want to live like this.

No

Way

Only now i slowly begin to realize how upset i am. How angry. Livid. Furious.

AAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH

So yes, i would love to fall in love. Have a boyfriend. Someone to talk with, sleep with, kiss with, have sex with. Of course. A friend. A true friend. Of course. But he is not around. And i’m not going to let that stop me from living my life. Fight for what i believe is right. Hell no.

OK Ellen

…. breath ….

…. relax ….

…. 🙂 ….

—- Adrenaline was streaming through my body. Bit more average now. Better! —-

The plan is to work tomorrow, Thursday, to get the greenhouse cleared, the ground around it cleared.

And me, i am writing this post Fire now. After i read a bit more in my Gilbert & George books. I will make a post dedicated to them soon. I leave you with one of their works from 1984, Death Hope Life Fear. I do want to get my head clear about their work before though. So yes, reading, learning.

One of their largest and most ambitious pictures, the quadripartite DEATH HOPE LIFE FEAR tackles the central themes of human existence. Its powerful compositions and luminescent colours make this one of the high points of Gilbert & George’s art of the 1980s.

Together, DEATH and LIFE suggest an ongoing cycle of mortality and re-birth, with the figures of the artists simultaneously rising and falling, growing and shrinking. In DEATH, they are embraced by the petals of a rose and a daisy, while in LIFE giant leaves behind their shoulders resemble the wings of angels. In FEAR, the figures of young men are isolated from each other, dispersed at different levels. HOPE, by contrast, presents an image of unity and strength, with the youths arranged into definite groups in front of a landscape reminiscent of the white cliffs of Dover.

Published on March 30, 2017 at 6:00 by
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Seeding

My balcony before. An old wooden tray all curling up from the rain. Old plants in one of the rectangular planters on the railing. I'll get those out this week.
I cleaned up my balcony. The whole one square meter of it! First i wiped the whole area with a brush. Then i used water to scrub it clean.
I did some repotting and seeding. I started with my old laurel plant. I have it for around three or four years. I never repotted it before. So i am hoping the new, larger pot will give it a boost and new growth this year. In the earthenware pot i seeded catmint. I had already seeded it in the Peace Garden, but i'm pretty sure my cat Muis will love some catmint too. In the plastic pot i seeded rosemary.
In this planter i seeded basil. Lots of it.
Done. Apart from the fact my door couldn't close, so i moved some pots to the railing. Looks much better! Still to do: get more compost. Then seed a pot with rocket, a pot with thyme and a planter with coriander.
Published on March 28, 2017 at 6:00 by
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A sunny Sunday’s walk

Today it was the Open Day at the Gandhi Garden. First i went to the Groene Passage Festival Market. I took home some self made compost from the Spirit restaurant. Also some magazine’s from the ecological Velt collective.

After that i walked past my home and put on a warmer coat. On to the Gandhi Garden next.

It was busy! The Maja Fietsclub performed. The first time i saw them perform, I liked it. Wijnand and Andreas, who both work in the Peace Garden, are the singer and the drummer.

Walking back through De Savornin Lohmanlaan. There is a vegetable garden there. I found it!

Half past five i was home. The sun still shining. One hour later than a week ago. Yay!

Published on March 27, 2017 at 6:00 by
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The Hit Factory

In the late 80s, while i was studying at art school, i needed to be extremely frugal with my money. So i stopped buying many things. Records for one thing. In stead i went through the out of the charts box in the record shop. Singles were sold for one guilder. I also felt at the time my taste in music was changing. I was curious about many different music styles, especially the popular ones. Whitney Houston i was fascinated by. I knew she had a lovely voice. I knew she looked gorgeous. Not my taste no. But still. Lovely.

Stock, Aitken and Waterman were not my taste either. But i got into their music a bit. There is fun in their music. Of course. It is written mostly for young girls and boys. They could write a song in a couple of hours. And get a few girls of the street and make them sing it, record a video and yes, have a hit.

I did enjoy Kylie’s music a lot. I sang along with it. Danced in my house on it. And Especially For You, the duet between Kylie and Jason, was my favorite song. It still is.

Sometimes people can write a tune, write words which mean more than usual. I mean, it is more than I’d Rather Jack by the Reynolds Girls. Even though i always enjoyed that song too. Especially For You stayed with me for the last thirty years.

It was a bit weird that i listened to this music while i was at art school. Earlier, at high school and on the Delft University, i was into new wave – now known as post punk. It felt like i was looking for something opposed to the situation i was in. A small token of independence. I even bought the Smash Hits in that time. Reading it in the canteen of art school was not accepted.

The albums and singles i have are in this post. And at the end some youtube clips. One documentary to start with. A bit over enthusiastic of course.

Enjoy!

The Hit Factory Documentary

Kylie Minogue – Got to be certain

Kylie minogue and Jason Donovan – Especially for you

Kylie – Hand on your heart

Kylie – Wouldn’t Change A Thing

Kylie – Never Too Late

Kylie – Better The Devil You Know

Bananarama – Venus

Mel & Kim – Respectable

Mel & Kim – Showing Out

Rick Astley – Never Gonna Give You Up

Sinitta – “Toy Boy”

Donna Summer – This Time I Know Its For Real

Princess – Say I’m Your Number One

Samantha Fox – Nothing’s Gonna Stop Me Now

The Reynolds Girls – I’d Rather Jack

Published on March 24, 2017 at 6:00 by
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An early spring walk

A walk through the Kralingse Bos. The weather was good today. Sometimes the wind felt a bit cold, but i never closed my coat.

I loved sitting in the park for a while and listen to the birds. A meditation. The drone of the cars rushing by in the distant. Never absent, no. I would like to hear nothing, but here in the west part of the Netherlands that is a hard bit to find. I did close my eyes and heard all the different birds around me. Singing their hearts out. Lovely.

A small yellow flower
White flowers against a blue sky
Trees covered with ivy
Most trees are still bare. Only buds point at the upcoming leaves.
Tiny white flowers
A bit closer up
Cut off tree trunks covered with moss
For around fifteen minutes i sat on a bench. I listened to the birds. Lovely.
Directly opposite the bench i sat on.
Young growth. No idea what type!
Published on March 23, 2017 at 6:00 by
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Inward

Today i felt tired. Not as happy as i usually am. Walking slower. Not as talkative.

Yesterday, Monday, i brought Mieke to the vet. Her dead body. I walked up there with her in an old shoe box. It felt like walking a dead man’s march. After that i went to the Groene Passage and treated myself on a cappuccino and a carrot cake.

It will get better. For now the memories are still so fresh. This little white cat was a part of my life for the last twelve years. Mieke and Muis were pals. Lying together so many times. Me and Muis are together once more.

See you tomorrow.

*hugs*

Published on March 22, 2017 at 6:00 by
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