Mizmoe

The weather is lovely and warm, though we have had quite a lot of rain recently, I am quite bored though there is plenty to do in the City, and I am looking forward to moving inland to a house where there is Sky TV and a telephone line which means I will be able to go online whenever the computer is free and also watch Big Brother which starts soon. I can´t wait to see what the new housemates are like and how they have designed the house this year. I am sure it will be a lot of fun and laughs. I just love “people watching” so Big Brother is the thing for me, as is sitting in a lovely square at a bar serving good coffee and doing what the Spanish do, ie watch the world go by.

I met a man today who reminded me how nice some of the Spanish men are, recently all I have met are Cubans and South Americans and I have to say that those I have become acquainted with are rather sexist and dare I say “lazy” doing absolutely nothing around the house even when their partner also works full-time, expecting their partner to run around after them, shouting “venga” over and over again until they get what they want. Why women put up with these men “God” alone knows, that is if “God” exists. Rant over. But then … isn´t “God” a man too!

I have never been inclined to write out my diary each day, my sister does, but for me it is a waste of time, a blog is anonymous but a diary can be read by anyone in the house! I have to admit it is a temptation to read, but I really don´t want to know if there is any mention of me in there! Always felt that listening at doors and reading someones diary is tempting fate, you may just find out what people “really” think of you.

Going to the bar for a coffee, TTFN.

3 tbsp olive oil
2 Spanish onions, sliced
8 skinless chicken thighs (or 4 chicken breasts cut into 2 pieces=
1 tbsp seasoned plain flour
½ pint chicken (or vegetable) stock
Grated zest of a Spanish orange
Juice of 2 oranges
¼ pint Spanish sherry
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
10 oz Chestnut mushrooms, wiped and sliced
2 tbsp fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large heavy frying pan, add the onions and fry for around 5 minutes until soft
Transfer to a plate
Toss the chicken in the seasoned flour
Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan, add the chicken and brown
Pour in the stock, add the onions and juices, orange juice, zest, sherry and Worcestershire sauce
Bring up to the boil, reduce the heat and cover
Simmer for about 30 minutes or until the chicken is tender
Stir in the mushrooms and cook for a further 5 minutes
Season to taste
Sprinkle over the parsley and serve with boiled rice or potatoes

1 lb lean pork shoulder
4 medium potatoes
1 lb fresh plum tomatoes, skinned and diced
1/2 red pepper
1/2 green pepper
2 tbsp white wine
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 cup of vegetable or chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 Spanish onion, skinned and chopped

Method

Cut the pork into large pieces
Peel potatoes and slice
Seed, core, and thinly slice the pepper
Heat the oil in a large frying pan
Brown the pork on all sides
Add the stock and wine, then bring up to a boil
Remove the pork and layer all the ingredients in a slow cooker (following the instructions for your slow cooker), pour over the juices, cover and leave to cook for about 8 hours or so
The meat should be very tender
Remove the bay leaf and serve

I do sometimes omit the potatoes and serve it with rice containing sweetcorn and peas!

I find apartment life quite easy, especially when there is a lift available, as having mobility problems does make life difficult. Unfortunately, there is a downside and that is the “community” who make the rules, only representing the Spaniards living in the block and totally ignoring all other nationalities. This, of course, only applies to the block in which I am staying at the moment, I cannot speak for others.

We have a small dog, clean and a good boy. This morning when we went into the lift there was a notice up stating that animals were not allowed in the lift which means I have to walk down 6 flights of stairs (and back up to return to the flat) to take the little tyke for a “winkle”. So to whoever put up this notice, in the full knowledge that I have mobility problems, “up yours”.

Yesterday we spent the day looking around Alicante, had a bus ride (both frequent and on time), went into El Corte Ingles (not sure about the spelling on that one) and it was quite an experience, had a juice in the cafe (mango - lots of vitamins and minerals), then went on the tram to Benidorm, very cheap as it was only 5 euros 40 cents return from Alicante. This gave us a chance to look at other areas as we travelled through. Benidorm has changed a lot since my last visit in 1984. Suppose all places change over time, improved though, not just changed.

We are going to visit the UK in June to visit family and friends, the first visit since February 2007 and I am looking forward to it. We are told that things are much more expensive than when we left in 2007, but that goes for Spain as well. When we arrived the petrol was just under 90 cents for a litre, now it is closing on the 1 euro 30 cents. Food is much cheaper than in the UK, though again prices have increased since our arrival. I find buying from the small Spanish supermarket and going to markets to be the cheaper option, though Mercadona is a good place to do a large shop. In our local one they sell good quality meat, fruit and vegetales. I also like Carrefour.

I am really into toast (Spanish style). I like it with a little olive oil and lightly sprinkled with salt, though as a general rule I don´t add salt to anything. I also like it with butter and marmalade, I love Mandarin oranges and thought it would be a good idea to make some marmalade as they are quite cheap here in Spain.

I like it, try it and see if you do.

1/2 kg unwaxed mandarin oranges
Juice of 1 lemon
5 cups cold water
4 cups warmed jam sugar

You will need 2 ounces of rind - remove the rind using a very sharp knife, scrape off any pith and place on a square of muslin
Halve the mandarin oranges - squeeze out the juice and pour into a pan, put the pips from the mandarin and lemon onto the muslin square and tie loosely, suspend from the jam pan handle
Add the lemon juice and water to the pan
Bring to boil and simmer for 2 hours, remove the muslin bag after 90 minutes and discard
Strain through a jelly bag, return to the pan and add the sugar
Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to boil and boil rapidly until setting point is reached (use the cold plate method)
Remove from the heat, leave to cool for 5 minutes then remove any impurities, ie scum
Pour into hot sterilized jars, place the waxed discs on top and cover with screw top lids when cold
Label with contents and date made

I was approached by some UK bible bashers yesterday asking me (in Spanish) if I had found Jesus yet. Indicated in my best Spanish (still not good) that I didn´t understand, so they promptly switched to English. My reply, typical me, “didn´t know he was lost”. Did it go down very well - No!

I don´t mind what people believe as long as they don´t try and convert me thinking I need saving. I have my own ideals and firmly believe that we should be good and kind to others because it is the right thing to do, not because of fear of devine retribution.

As I have said many times when on my “bandbox”, I don´t believe in the after life, when you´re dead you´re dead, end of story. Some people cannot cope with this, I can. Do I try and convert people to my way of thinking, and the answer would be no. These are my own beliefs.

Nice on its own or with dumplings. Traditional and the best of British.

1 organic rabbit, jointed and cut into pieces
Seasoned plain flour
Good quality olive oil
1 tbsp butter
Salt and black pepper
6 slices of bacon, finely sliced
A sprig of fresh rosemary
5 oz mushrooms (whatever type you like, but I prefer a mixture)
1/2 of a smallish pack of baby onions (peeled)
4 fl oz beer
8 fl oz vegetable stock

Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit

Coat the rabbit pieces in seasoned flour, shake off any excess

Add the butter and olive oil to a deep casserole dish, approx 12″ in diameter, brown the pieces of rabbit cooking for 5 minutes until golden brown

Return the rabbit to the casserole, season to taste, add  bacon and cook for about 2 minutes or until the bacon is crispy, ensuring you keep the rabbit moving round the pan

 Add the rosemary, mushrooms and onions and continue frying for 10 minutes, the meat will be nicely colored and the veg will have softened

Mix in a tablespoon of flour, stir in the beer and stock, cover and simmer for half an hour

If you are having dumplings with the stew add them to the casserole and transfer to an oven preheated to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (leave sp/ace between the dumplings) for 45 minutes

Isn´t it strange that you long to live in a warm country with good food (vegetables and fruit and wonderful - cheap and fresh), meat and fish good quality, and the bread is beautiful, coffee fantastic, tea with lemon lovely and yet …

I yearn for the familiar, I find myself listening for anyone speaking English, suddenly yesterday morning I fancied a meat and potato pie (just like Mum used to make - comfort food at its best), and for the cold … yes I actually would love to feel cold, to get up on a morning and see frost on the window panes and in the garden, to see green grass, not the scorched grass we see here in southern Spain. But most of all I miss British televison and Sky (Spanish television - IMHO - is crap, many of the actors are not too good, in fact I could do better myself). I often describe myself as a typical northern european, and my description of that is somewhat cool, in fact in my case a little cold! I find many of the locals “over the top” ie they make lots of noise and try to convey how much fun they are having, but if you look at their expression and body language, they are bored. For someone like me who is quiet spoken, well you just don´t stand a chance of getting your opinion heard. Many of the Spaniards don´t listen to anyone else, it is a case of just waiting for their turn to speak, though not in all cases, sometimes they just shout louder. Having said that - many are lovely warm people, friendly and kind, others … not so.

Then there is the racism. Many years ago I was told that whatever else the Spanish are, they are not racist. Is this true? I think they are like many other races, ie not racist until the problems with other races arise in their country. For instance, on Spanish TV I have watched many programmes where they discuss the problems with the Brits who live here cultaral problems etc. Unlike the UK, the people who “guest” on these programmes are not “PC”! Many of the Spàniards I have met do not like the Cubans, Columbanians, Rumanians, Gitanoes and needless to say, us Brits.

I love Spain, I love the food - wine - sun - sea - storms, but I love my cold cold United Kingdom just a little bit more. It has taken me over a year to know that my heart and soul (if not my body) are firmly based in my homeland.

Where will we go next? Eire possibly? Or … I may just stay here and pay regular visits home.

There are lots of lovely lemons and limes about at the moment (at least here in Spain - LOL) so I decided to have a “bash” and make some marmalade! I think I mentioned before that I do not like the Spanish verision, the one we tried didn´t have any sugar in it! Sour, oh yes! Can you imagine Seville oranges without any sugar or sweetener! 

6 large lemons
6 limes
3 lbs granulated sugar
3 pints cold water

- Pour the water into a preserving pan
- Using a very sharp vegetable peeler, remove the skin from the fruit, then slice into thin shreds, add to the water
- Cut the fruit in half, squeeze out the juice
- Add the juice to the water
- Put the pips onto a square piece of muslin laid over a bowl
Quarter the fruit, then slice, add to the muslin bag and tie loosely, fix to the jam pan handle so the bag is suspended in the liquid
- Place over a gentle heat and bring up to simmering point, simmer gently - uncovered - for about 2 hours or until the peel is completely soft – test a piece carefully by pressing it between your thumb and finger (tip - when you put the sugar in, the peel hardens, so make sure it is completely soft before adding it)
- Towards the end of the simmering stage, preheat the oven to 170° Celsius, pour the sugar into a large roasting tin, lined with foil and put into the oven to warm - gently - for 10 minutes
- Place the saucers (or small plates) into the freezer
- Remove the muslin bag of pips and leave it to cool on a saucer
- Pour the sugar into the jam pan, stir until all the crystals have dissolved - check as this stage is important (dip a clean wooden spoon into the liquid, run your finger along the back, you can feel any crystals of sugar)
- Increase the heat to high and gently squeeze the bag of pips over the pan to extract the jelly like substance containing the pectin then discard the bag and contents
- Stir the marmalade thoroughly
- When the mixture reaches a fast rolling boil, start the timer, after 15 minutes remove the pan from the heat and spoon a little of the marmalade onto a cold saucer, place the saucer in the fridge. The marmalade is ready if - when pushing the mixture with your little finger - it crinkles. If it isn’t ready, continue to boil the marmalade and test at 5 minute intervals until setting point is reached (I admit to testing more often when I think it is coming up to the ready stage)
- Take the pan from the heat and remove any impurities or scum from the top
- Leave for 20 minutes before potting into the prepared jars - these should be washed in hot soapy water, rinsed in hot water, then warmed thoroughly in a medium oven for 5 minutes, sterilise the lids also - put a waxed disc on each jar and leave to go cold, then seal with the lids, label with contents and date made

After spending nearly 8 months in Aguilas, have decided to move on the pastures new. While the area is lovely, it is unsuitable as there are insufficient facilities within easy reach - for me!

We are currently spending a little time in Alicante (away from the ex pat and tourist areas) and I am suitably impressed. There are lovely facilities within each reach, ie bars selling fantastic Spanish coffee and breakfasts, doctors, dentist, numerous shops and large shopping centres and lots of lovely friendly people of all nationalities.

We are looking for an apartment in a residential district as they tend to be larger and more suitable for year round living, lots of new ones are being built.

On a sadder note, since the last post we have lost two of our closest friends, Andre and Madalin, in a cave house collapse in the town. We met Andre shortly after moving to the area, a charming French man, kind and considerate. He came into my life and helped me through a difficult patch and I loved him from the first (as did most other Brits in the area). Somehow the world isn´t as bright any more. I feel for his girlfriend and family. Madalin was a lovely Rumanian, a fantastic man with a wonderful novia, truly young love at its best. No matter how hard you try, often you have preconceptions about people from other countries. In the area I lived in before coming to Spain, Rumanians were not well liked (and for many who emigrated to Britain, there was just cause), but Madalin was a wonderful man and in his case the saying that “only the good die young” was so true. I have met other Rumanian men and women who are lovely caring people, rather over qualified for the jobs they do in many cases (but that is another story).

The whole community was (and still is) in mourning for these two young men, and I shall miss them greatly. I felt honoured to have known them both. RIP.