CLEAR AND CRISP IN SUNNY MANILVA ON TUESDAY;

TUESDAY 14^th/ JANUARY 2014.

A little lie in this morning as the sun was a little late breaking through the shutters; the forecast for today is cloudy but clear and the tomorrow the sun is out but by Thursday the rain is due to hit us in sunny Manilva; meanwhile over in Pori, Finland Brian & Lilli will need their thermals on as it’s the coldest place in Europe at the moment with the overnight temperatures down to -19degs! – during the day its -12degs!! See above. Over in Australia the family is reporting they are in the middle of a scintillating heat wave with the temperatures up to 44 degs!

After breakfast I was going to make another batch of my famous ‘Tomato Salsa’ but our local shop down the street did not have any of the Sweet Plumb Tomatoes that I use in my recipe; so we jumped in the car with the dog who loves going out in it and shot down to the supermarket in Sabinillas.

I then set too to make the Tomato Salsa on our return; lots of chopped Garlic and diced Onions are sweated off then de-glazed with a slug of White wine ( Thanks Brenda!) together with a dash on ‘Sarsons’ Vinegar and my secret ingredients that I let out yesterday! I roughly cut the Plumb Tomatoes and season them with salt and pepper and add them to the pan with lots of Tomato Frito( soft Paste) and another secret ingredient Heinz Tomato Ketchup!! A good strong Vegetable stock is also added and then it’s left to cook out and re-season to taste with some Mixed Henbs,Sweet Pimento Powder and SUGAR !! Brenda gets her ‘Blender’ out and the job is done.

I went around to the butchers and picked up a Breast of Chicken which he slices into Escalope’s for tonight’s simple supper; ‘Pan-Fried Chicken Breast Escalope’s’ in foaming Lemon Butter with a dash of Balsalmic Vinegar, finely slice Green Beans and thick-cut sliced Baked Potato dry sautéed. I also had the Chicken Leg and Thigh boned and will use it tomorrow night in the Chicken Curry along with diced Chicken Breast!

On the way back I called into the Town Hall and picked up the Council glossy 2014 Calendar; I appear in it twice, once when I was given the award back in April and then again in September when I was crushing the grapes with Mario & Diego in the Vendimia press – a ‘Star’ is born – that’s what I keep telling Brenda! See the picture above.

After supper this evening we will channel hop and find something to watch.

Thought for the Day; See above.

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