Author: Wattle

Today we are Cherrymembering the Cullinary BFF (Best Friend Forever). We have obtained a deep boiling pan and have a collender-like basket which fits snugly inside the pan resting on the top. Over the top of the basket fits a dome shaped glass lid. Not only is the lid practical but we can admire the steaming vegetables. They look really pretty. Having a deep boiling pan means we can boil the water furiously for 25 minutes preferably, but the alternative is very forgiving, because as sometimes happens, the vegtables steam for a whole lot more minutes than that. The steamed vegetables are nicer if they are just cooked, but also we have found out that they quite edible if steamed for longer, they just have a softer texture.

As well as being great to cook food in, the Cullinary BFF is easy to look after. No soap powder gets near it. We only ever rinse out the pan, basket and lid with hot water and wipe them up preferably immediately, at meal serve up time. The best place to keep this kitchen treasure is in its own place with no obstacles to get it in and out of the cupboard. I like to keep it on a lower shelf so two sneaky “squats” exercises are done each evening meal.

Today and tomorrow we are Cherrymembering Aprilcot. If it is possible, one of the summer tasks is to freeze fresh apricots to eat in Aprilcot. They are very little fuss because they can be placed in the freezer in airtight bags in their raw state. In Aprilcot we get what we need out of the freezer each night and steam them in the same basket as the vegetables. If it is at all possible we also like to have a special activity outing to visit real apricot trees towards the end of Cherrymember. This is when the fruit is at its very best. Some years we have had commercially preserved apricots. Care has to be taken to drain off all the sugar filled juice.

Aprilcot is the month when lean lamb appears on the menu. We serve fresh chopped rosemary with it. A lot of chopped rosemary. Making sure there is a good crop each year is a small task in itself. Bought dry rosemary is fine if circumstances do not allow gardening. Rosemary is a nice indoor plant in the kitchen so another special activity outing to visit a nursery one afternoon in Aprilcot could be a good way to place some distance between myself and my refrigerator.

Today we are Cherrymembering the role of a small task to assist lose weight and then to maintain the smaller body shape. The task for Parch has been to drink a glass of soda water, instead of tap water with each evening meal. It is different and enjoyable. The task is so trivially easy that it may be difficult to actually remember to do it. Include the soda water on the shopping list if it is not possible to purchase it whilst out on a walk.

Today and tomorrow we are Cherrymembering Parch. During the month of March we have never run out of ways to cook low fat beef mince meat. A particularly memorable and delicious one one was with a cup of finely chopped rosemary.

For tonight’s meal we are having low fat beef mince meat and apple rissoles served with oven fries potatoes, steamed cabbage and carrots. For tomorrow night’s meal we are having low fat beef mince meat with Taco flavoured spices,corn chips, tomato, onion and lettuce. One slice of cheddar cheese will be allowed on the meal. Barbecue crisps are the indulgent food of this eating theme so we will definitely remember them, hopefully eating a few less than in previous years. Pancakes with chocolate ice cream and fresh peaches conclude the Parch menu.

Today we are Cherrymembering cheese. It is getting difficult to remember it too because whole months go by without eating any, or eating hardly any. However, the desire to eat cheese remains strong at all times. I am very happy to have allocated two eating themes to incorporate some cheese in them and have spaced them six months apart from each other so that although the wait is long, it is not interminable. As well as this there is always something different to look forward to in each eating theme, so there is not any strong feeling of cheese deprivation.

Realistically if I remove any thoughts of deliciousness from the word “cheese” what remains is a food which is composed of a tiny amount of protein and a devastatingly large piece of fat. I want to lose some weight, and what that really means is I want to lose some fat so it makes zero sense to eat a devastatingly large piece of fat. I will be much better off to eat a different tiny amount of protein from some other food source such as fat trimmed meat or from an egg. It also makes zero sense to never eat cheese. So we do: in Feburine, in Augrapes and in Cherrymember.