This 'crossword issue' is for the benefit of a reader who wants to get into Telegraph type cryptic crosswords and asked if I would publish a before/after picture so he could see how the setters minds work. So, I would recommend clicking on the left-hand picture for the blank puzzle and clicking the other from time to time to check progress. The different handwriting in the nearly solved one is because Y and I each have a go at different times.
Thanks for the super comments everyone and what a brilliant idea of AnonymousRob's to vote for everyone in Strictly.... except for the one you want eliminating. It would, as he says, be the same as 'voting out' people. Great bit of lateral thinking ! But costly, and I guess over the series, not doing that would save me enough to buy a Sigma 10-24mm ! And you did miss a brilliant day on Sunday. Can't be helped. But, before we leave Strictly, I tend to agree with you Jill about Dominic and the show does raise strange passions. I'm longing for someone to take Alesha down a peg or two, and isn't Letitia a strange shape? I would like to see her naked, not for prurient reasons but just to see the different bits in relation to each other.
And good for you Jill. Eat your hot chicken just when the fancy takes you and what's wrong with a supermarket car-park? Much stranger things have happened in supermarket car-parks. Bungus is certainly, as he says, hitting form again and I'm relieved that he liked his idea of the photoshopped green logo. But fancy suggesting that I am a man of extreme opinions ! Most moderate, in my humble opinion !Picture 3 is about 15minutes before dawn this morning. If they get any darker I shall be publishing a picture when it is pitch-black or 'bible-black' as Dylan so beautifully described it in Under Milk Wood. An amazing piece of writing and although I was only 18 when it was broadcast, I remember it hitting me between the ears.
Today's quote:-
"As the poet said, 'Only God can make a tree' -- probably because it's so hard to figure out how to get the bark on"
Woody Allen, who else?
I am indebted to Wiki (or whoever posted it therein) for such a good summary of his life and work. Weekend Off being over we have a busy day tomorrow. Y's 'nails day', over to Long Eaton to see David & Co, and no doubt lunch at the Cheesecake Shop.
Our leftover chicken today was fine, with chips, sauerkraut, and chutney. Followed by Jelly and Greek Yoghurt. I had made carrot & coriander soup for lunch and it worked well. The freshly ground coriander made all the difference, and I didn't blend it completely into a cream soup because Y quite likes 'bits in it', and so do I. A little ladle of yoghurt in that too.
Please to see that, in Hannah's blog, she is using the 'smileys' programme I sent her. Love 'em or hate 'em, they liven things up and some of them are so damned clever and tell the story.
I am lost in admiration for graphics designers.
Sleep tight - catch you tomorrow
Our leftover chicken today was fine, with chips, sauerkraut, and chutney. Followed by Jelly and Greek Yoghurt. I had made carrot & coriander soup for lunch and it worked well. The freshly ground coriander made all the difference, and I didn't blend it completely into a cream soup because Y quite likes 'bits in it', and so do I. A little ladle of yoghurt in that too.
Please to see that, in Hannah's blog, she is using the 'smileys' programme I sent her. Love 'em or hate 'em, they liven things up and some of them are so damned clever and tell the story.
I am lost in admiration for graphics designers.
Sleep tight - catch you tomorrow
I did mean to say yesterday (and as you point out yourself in a roundabout way) that, as I am sure you all realise anyway, the reason programmes like 'SCD' and X Factor don't have elimination votes is because it would generate far less revenue.
ReplyDeleteSandra and I noted an incredibly simple apple pudding recipe that was highly praised by 3 well known TV foodies.
S made it and it really is a doddle. I found it too sweet but my taste is a bit out of kilter at the moment anyway(who said 'What's this "at the moment"?') so don't let that sway you. Well worth a try.
Pudding: Bramley apple crump (Janet Jones)
INGREDIENTS
• 100 g butter, at room temperature
• 100g sugar, granulated
• 4 heaped tablespoons organic plain flour
• 450 g Bramley apples
PRE-HEAT THE OVEN TO 170 DEGREES CELSIUS
METHOD
1. For the crump topping, place the flour into an oven proof bowl and add the sugar and butter.
2. Transfer the bowl to the oven for 10-15 minutes until the butter has melted
3. For the filling, peel, core and slice apples, place in another ovenproof dish and put in oven for 5 minutes.
4. Remove the crump mixture from oven and stir the ingredients together and spread over the part cooked apples.
5. Place in oven at 170 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes.
9. Serve a spoonful of apple crump in a bowl and serve with custard or cream.
Crossword - the two you hadn't done were the two I had most trouble with - I ended up with 'bats' (being stab backwards) and 'ogham' (no ideas, it fitted in!). Haven't got the papers yet so haven't checked.
ReplyDeleteI have copied the recipe, Bungus, we are keen on apple crumble (or any sort of fruit crumble, come to that) and this sounds like a sort of variation.
Anybody see Nigella last night - I have been doing the tinned pears/choc. sponge for years (with variations). But I do like the sponge bit cooked through.....
PS - I had a good day with crosswords yesterday - not only finished the big one, but the small one and the code words too....and then I wonder where the day went!
ReplyDeleteGraham, thank you so much for publishing the crossword. I've printed out a copy of the before and will be taking it to work with me tonight and try and have a go at getting at least one or two of the clues. Cracking photo again of the morning sky.
ReplyDeletetake care
pete
To us, the big appeal of the apple crump is its simplicity.
ReplyDeleteI tend to avoid other folk’s crumbles as the ‘pastry' never seems to me to be properly cooked. When I make my own I always use half flour / half porridge oats (see Delia) and cook it for at least an hour.
The ‘old gits’ book looks interesting. I have little doubt that I shall agree with most of it and disagree strongly with the rest!