Finally! The Easter Holidays are upon us. Two GLORIOUS weeks where I will sleep properly, watch Desperate Housewives, lollop on the sofa and read books that are not about Soviet Russia or politics (o.k. so I also have a s*** load of planning and nearly two hundred essays to mark, but hey, I'm trying to focus on the positives here...).
The first thing, I've decided to do during my fortnight of freedom is to try out a new suggestion from my friend, Elaine (of Auntie Nell fame) whom I caught up with last weekend (more on that later). She said that she made up scones with coconut cream and hawthorn jam. Now I still have some left from September when I made up my batch of hawthorn jelly (see: http://westernweeds.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/adventure-2-hawthorns-sloes-and.html) and I thought, "what the heck? This sounds delicious!" And here they are and dear Lord, they are scrumptious beyond belief - very sweet. If you don't like sweet things these are not for you (but luckily I have a very sweet tooth, so more for me....). So do try these out and thank you so much Elaine for a very enjoyable lunch today!
Recipe for scones here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/scones_1285
Recipe for hawthorn jam here: http://www.eatweeds.co.uk/hawthorn-jelly-recipe
So, as mentioned above I caught up with Elaine and a lot of old friends from uni at my MA graduation last weekend in Cambridge. We stayed with our lovely friends Matthias and Ronni who came along with the Mater and sister. It was a beautiful warm day, the ceremony went well (despite my knee, I managed to kneel down and get back up with no problems to receive my degree) and we went afterwards to a newish pub that I'd not been to before called the Pint Shop (http://pintshop.co.uk/) just off the Market Square in Cambridge. It had nine or ten ales on draft or keg from UK and Germany and twenty four different types of Gin. It also does really nice bar food - I had a real scotch egg with a runny centre with mustard whilst Levi had a freshly cooked sausage roll. Though not terribly atmospheric, I was very impressed with this new drinking establishment and recommend it to anyone visiting Cambridge any time soon.
Then the evening, my college (New Hall/Murray Edwards) put on a really nice meal for us. Wasn't terribly wild about the food but the red wine they put on was pretty good and I was able to catch up with lots of people I've not seen in the last three years. Clearly getting old though, as I was safely tucked up in bed by twelve.
Feeling rather worse for wear on Sunday, I met up with my Cambridge friends and we walked out to Granchester, a little village a few miles out of Cambridge along the meadows. My friend, Jo, and I had a long discussion about different flora and hurdy gurdys. Though we had a plastic bag at the ready, nothing much took our interest - it was mostly goose grass, nettles and cow parsley on the meadow which was a little disappointing.
Less disappointing was the Green Man in Grantchester (http://www.thegreenmangrantchester.co.uk/) where I had a couple of pints of a very nice mild done by Cameron's Brewery (http://www.cameronsbrewery.com/brands/) and met some chickens next door to where we were sitting that belong to two PhD friends, Sarah and Silva. They were very cute and one day, I would love to have some chickens of my own.
In the evening, we hit the Hopbine back in Cambridge (http://www.thehopbine.co.uk/) which if you're a foody, does the most marvellous chilli burger with spicy mayonnaise, and we did the pub quiz, which our friends won! Please take a look at this good looking brainy bunch - phrenologists would have a field day.
Lastly while I was in Cambridge, I popped in to Pembroke College to say hello to a relative of mine whose portrait hangs in the great hall. His name was Kit Smart: a brilliant seventeenth-century poet, debtor and possible schizophrenic who wrote great poetry about his cat, Jeoffrey (it seems that ailurophiles run in the family), a line of which is the title of this post.
For the English Cats are the best in Europe.
For he is the cleanest in the use of his forepaws of any quadruped.
For the dexterity of his defense is an instance of the love of God to him exceedingly.
For he is the quickest to his mark of any creature.
For he is tenacious of his point.
For he is a mixture of gravity and waggery.
For he knows that God is his Saviour.
- Excerpt from Jubliate Agno by Christopher Smart c. 1760
And indeed, I am inclined to agree. I own an English Cat, the wonderfully fluffy Stan-the-Man (also known as Athelstan Aetheling, Athelstan Rex, your highness, Stanley and Baby) and today is is second birthday. I have already sung Happy Birthday but I think it was a bit lost on him. Hopefully he'll find his kitty cake (made out of chicken, more chicken and kitty treats) a bit more exciting. Many happy returns you stinky ball of fluff. We love you and yes, I have bought you kitty milk, cos you're spoilt. Period.
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