CRISP AND DRY IN A WARM SUNNY MANILVA ON TUESDAY;

TUESDAY 25^th/ FEBRUARY 2014.

Well I was up bright and breezy this morning and left Brenda to get a little more beauty sleep! After our tea and toast with Diet Strawberry jam I shot around to the butchers on another beautiful crisp sunny morning in Manilva; we have now sorted the menus for the rest of the week and also what we are doing! The shopping this week is going to be on Thursday morning as it’s a ‘Bank Holiday’ here for “ Dia de Andalucia ” on Friday 28^th/February with all sorts of happenings in the village as they celebrate the referendum from 1980 setting up the ‘Statute of Autonomy of Andalusia’!

NB; It’s also “Global Scouse Day”!!

This morning we went for a log walk around the village with dog as you can see in the pictures above;the work on the new passage way is getting there,the garage under 'Plaza Pozo De Rey' is also due to open at any moment and finally at the start of Calle Mar what was an estate agents is re-opening next Monday as a fruit and vegetable shop! 

Just seen an update from Australia on Facebook, Tim,Thea,Wes and Judith have just been along the 'Great Ocean Road' from Geelong to Warrnambool in Victoria below Melbourne,seen the '12 Apostles' ( rock's in the Bass Strait ) - 'Lock Ard Gauge' and then into the rain forest with the Koalas! Thanks Judith !! 

So tonight for our supper we having one of our classic simple meals; Flattened ‘Breast of Chicken’ cooked in foaming Lemon butter with finely sliced Green Beans and dry-sautéed baked potato sliced thick-cut. Then tomorrow it’s going to be one of our favorite dishes from the menu repertoire ‘Braised Steak & Onions’ cooked in a rich vegetable sauce with Brenda’s famous ‘Mashed potato’ and of course Cabbage with Alcelgas!

On Thursday we will find something from the fridge and then on Friday we having another old classic from the past for our ‘Fish supper’ – using our favorite Hake fillets instead of Sole (too expensive!) to make ‘Hake Bonne Femme’ – the classic Mushroom Veloute cream and White wine ( a slug of Brenda’s best!)  Sauce! Saturday night will be our usual ‘Steak night’ and then to Sunday, no roast this week, instead it’s going to be yet another great dish ‘Medallions Pork Fillet’ cooked on the griddle and served with my classic ‘Charcutiere sauce’ – one ‘Helluva’ week in the kitchen for the chef and his assistant!!

So this evening after supper there is some live ‘Champions League’ football in TVE 1 – I won’t say who but we watch it anyway – I will give you a clue they are from Manchester and it’s not ‘City!’The 'Reds' did not play well and lost 2-0 !

Thought for the Day’ See above.

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A WARM AND SUNNY MANILVA AT THE START OF THE WEEKEND;

FRIDAY 14^th/ FEBRUARY 2014.

We were up early this morning and after our tea and toast we shot out for the weekend shopping; I called into the surgery and made an appointment to have the X-Ray’s checked and update all my details. Sadly no fresh flowers down at the market, the flower lady was ill but we did pick up some lovely fresh local very cheap Strawberries.

Then down to Sabinillas to call at the bank, pick up the papers and a small shop at the supermarket; after un-packing and as the dog had come crashing in we went for a nice long walk around the village, the weather today as forecast is glorious with no breeze, clear blue sky and the sun is warm,20 degs! The new small ‘Plaza’ in Calle Mar is nearly ready; they have now put up the plaque as you can see in the pictures above, our butcher posed for his picture in the shop as we picked up our steak for Saturday nights “ Steak Diane”

Tonight I will cook our “Fillets of Hake Duglere” and make the sauce; Brenda has even ‘Turned’ the new Potatoes in classic style and cooked them with Saffron!  In today’s local newspaper their ‘Dish of the Week’ is “Lamb Boulangere” – they must be reading the Blog!

We relay enjoyed the 'Hake Duglere' - it was one of the first fish sauces that I learned to make over 50 years ago! - " Bonne Femme,Dieppoise,Bercy,Doria,Veronique and Otero" all come into mind - at that time all the dishes were served on silver flats with 'Duchesse' potatoes piped on the edges then browned under the Salamander !! Happy Days!! 

Last night we watched the kids edition of ‘La Voz – The Voice’ and then caught the late film – “ The Wrestler” from 2008 – it’s a brutal and at the same time heart warming story of an aging wrestler played by Mickey Rourke,he won many awards for his part and was nominated for an ‘Oscar’ – the love interest is played by Marisa Tomei and all the other wrestler’s in the film are all professional’s from the old school of American-style over the top ‘Bash Them’- anything goes, even a ‘Nail-gun’ wrestling!!

Thought for the Day; See above.

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