Fish, Chips and Fireworks

Last night, November 5^th, England celebrated Guy Fawkes holiday.

Please to remember the

Fifth of November,

Gunpowder treason and plot.

And I see no reason

Why gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot.

A penny for the Guy! A penny for the Guy!

Over 30 venues throughout the city offered fireworks.

We were tempted to head to Wimbledon but decided to be neighborly and walk about 30 minutes to Southwark Park. The place was jam-packed, it had stopped raining, and the fireworks were spectacular!

Apparently it is customary to eat jacket potatoes then have toffee apples for afters.

We went for fish (red haddock) and chips instead!

Windy Day

Nearing the end of Autumn.

Running Around London

There are lots of ways to get around London. The train, tube, cab, bicycle, car (although you would have to pay a congestion charge, seriously, or you will be fined), walking and of course you can run. Not just recreationally running.

There is commuter running.

There are people. Brits I assume. That wear running gear and strap on a backpack and run to work. 

I see this every day and still shake my head in disbelief.

Ok, I guess this ensures that you get your workout in each day and it does show a tremendous amount of dedication to physical fitness but it just looks so uncomfortable lugging that backpack while trying to keep a reasonable pace and maintain an upright posture.

  

Is this popular in any other major city?

Tikka Masala

Indian food is very popular in London – curry dishes even show up on the pub menus.

At the spice booth in the Borough Market, so many choices, but zeroed in on the tikka masala (ingredients: coriander, turmeric, cumin, cardamom, annatto, paprika, ginger, garlic, chilli, salt, citric acid).

The vendor gave me a printed recipe and I headed back to break in my kitchen.

Our spotless kitchen (photo taken an hour after we moved in),

it hasn’t looked like this since.

For the marinade: 1 garlic clove, small piece of ginger, 1Tbsp tikka spices, 200g Greek yogurt, handful chopped coriander, 400g free-range chicken breasts, cut into chunks.

Blend the garlic, ginger, and coriander in a food processor to form a paste (you made need to add some vegetable oil). In a bowl, mix this paste with the spices and the yogurt to make the marinade. Rub all over the chicken pieces and leave in the fridge overnight.

Note: Needless to say my full service apartment is not equipped with a food processor so a somewhat sharp knife and cutting board did the job.

The next day, grill the chicken for about 5 minutes (turning them a couple of times to prevent them from burning), just long enough to give them a golden color but not cooked through.

Note: I cooked them in my one and only skillet, at least it was nonstick.

For the sauce: vegetable oil, 1 onion chopped, 1 red pepper sliced, 1 tsp tikka spices, 400g chopped plum tomatoes, 100ml yogurt, 100 ml double cream.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onion and spices. Cook slowly for 10 minutes and then add the tomatoes, peppers and the yogurt, stirring. Add the chicken pieces and simmer for 15 minutes until cooked. Just before serving, stir in the cream and add some freshly chopped coriander.

Whole grain basmati rice boiling on the back burner

while tikka masala simmers on the front.

Voila!

Tasted even better the second night.

Expectations and Weather

In San Diego, there is a consistency to the weather.

The sun shines.

Every day.

Locals get annoyed two months out of the year when we suffer through May Gray and June Gloom.

Over here, it is different.

I expect it to rain.

I expect to wear my new rain boots (or wellies, doesn’t that word just make you smile?) and I expect to put up my umbrella.

And I am surprised when I don’t.

You see, the weather here is consistent too.

I Met a Vicar

That sounds like the beginning of a joke but I really did meet a vicar.

Last night. In a church. The oldest church in the city of London.

All Hallows by the Tower held a special service on November 1st called Patronal Festival Evensong. The choir, special guests of the night (their regular gig is singing every Sunday at The London Tower), was magnificent!

During the service, we stood, and sat, and kneeled and eventually prayed for the Queen and also for our inheritance (I am sure it means something spiritual).

Afterwards we were invited to stay for refreshments so I meandered around the church with a glass of red wine and a cheese straw and wondered if it would be appropriate to snap a few pictures.

I was charmed by these individualized cross-stitched
kneeler pads that hung on pegs in front of every pew.

That is when I ran into the vicar’s wife who later introduced me to her husband.

We started off chatting about politics --- midterm elections (they brought it up), how thrilled they are with President Obama, unemployment figures, etc.

And then we got into personal stories...

Last January, the vicar (retired eight years) was asked by a major cruise line to be a chaplain-on-board for their Easter Services.

He turned them down.

Told his daughter about the conversation. She told him he was an idiot. He immediately called them back and said he would take the job.

Then he and his wife spent THREE MONTHS CRUISING AROUND THE WORLD. They said the experience was life changing.

I’m glad I met the vicar, he was a delight and it reaffirms my belief that when it comes to travel opportunities – always say ‘YES’.

Young Guard on Horse

Slight design flaw: chinstrap needs to be adjustable.