soop's kitchen

vegas, my dad always did the washing up too, everywhere he went.
He used to call it "bashing the pots", and unfortunately that's exactly what he did, much to mum's disgust!

Where has the time gone...have taken the usual leisurely walk through the wee village and blethered to folk we met hither and thither. It's heartening to hear that the kitchen has seen lots of coming and goings. The coffee pot refills itself...same with the tea pot. As if by magic, the crockery washes itself. Just how it should be . Mr soop wishes to read his emails. I shall return forthwith.

My Dad was obsessed with being tidy. He used to 'swill and stack' the dishes between courses - they were so clean that they hardly needed to be washed up (by him of course) at the end of the meal. He took so long that Mum used to call out 'we've finished the next course Leslie ....' He was also a good plumperer-up of cushions which he used to arrange until they were angled to his satisfaction. [OMG emoticon] I put it down to too long in the army or perhaps in retrospect he suffered slightly from OCD?

Popping in Quickly to leave a large Aloe Vera plant (I've just been repotting and potting up the baby ones). Gally this is for you, and anyone else who has been bitten, to anoint the bites with the juice. BarBQ at invitation of new SIL yesterday has also seen me covered in bites too.
Also brought a selection of jam - blackcurrant, raspberry, apricot and orange & Ginger Marmalade - need to make some space for the plum. Tree is groaning with fruit. Ho, Hum, Here we go again.
Must dash - 2 x DGC this afternoon, while their Mum marries 2 x 83yo, who were childhood sweethearts, both been widowed for a long time and have decided to move in together. At their wedding rehearsal they insisted on practising the 'You May Kiss the Bride' bit several times and Groom 2B announced that it was still not quite right but 'we have still got a week to practice'.

Note to self: This will be 11 days in a row when we have childminded at some point. Time to have a 'conversation'.

gally my dad used to hover about just as you where finishing your meal and hey-presto the plate had disappeared as if by magic his mum always told him loads of dishes in a sink made the kitchen look untidy so everything was put away pronto,I do not take after him Off to Dds will pop in later for a nice or two.

Custard tarts have cooled down enough to devour, so help yourself, everyone. Please don't leave any - I had one a few minutes ago, and daren't go near them, in case I lose control!

Has anyone got a tempting veggie dish that makes you want to eat it all? Must be calorie free!

This is fab When
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/dec/16/roasted-squash-stuffed-quince-recipes
(the squash one, not the lamb!)

I love custard tarts whenim thank you so much.

Like the look of that recipe, Jane. Presumably I can use a herb mix for the za'atar, which I don't have.

when Check out on for the za'atar mix - I've made my own and use it a lot. I'm a big fan of Ottolenghi's recipes.
Actually I've got the mix recipe in my book, I think - I'll go and have a quick look....

powdered dried za'atar leaves (hyssop) (You'll have to hunt for this)
Ground sumac
Toasted sesame seeds
Some salt.

Have just taken coffe walnut cake out oven do hope better thn my last cake which was dry have used 3 free range eggs home pride flour smells yummy hope taste good going ice when cool.

Thanks, finocchio what else have you used it with? Sounds like one I could keep in stock if it's used often.

Back again...a bit of not-such-good-news to share with you. Agent thinks that the couple interested in buying our wee hoos have changed their minds. Just as we were beginning to feel more hopeful. Well, if this is the case, we'll just have to rally our thoughts and prepare for more viewings. Mr soop hugged me. I hugged him back. Rory, being Rory, couldn't care less.

Now then, are there any custard tarts left? The baking smells are wonderful. Haven't you been busy. It's good to find so many lovely visitors having a friendly chat. Thanks for listening.

Oooh, I hate selling houses, soop! I hope it resolves itself soon and you can get off that 'will they, won't they' roundabout. The man I bought this house from kept telling me he'd had enough of being messed about by the first person in the chain, and might withdraw this house from sale (mine sold in a week). I was ready to murder him by the time I moved in

When The ingredients on my tin of Zatar are toasted sesame seeds 50%, thyme 30%, sumac(don't know what that is), salt.
I think I got it from Waitrose.
I think the thyme is the dominant flavour though so you'd probably be ok using just that.

Just seen your post finocchio - can't say I've ever seen hyssop leaves anywhere!
Soop commiserations - but probably better to know at an early stage, rather than later on

when Palestinians use it a lot with bread, but I haven't done that. I add it to a lot of salads; tomato, chickpea and shallot, roasted veg. for tabbouleh, grilled aubergines with feta etc.

The waitrose mix sounds good - wish I could get it here. My friends send me the sumac and hyssop.

Finocchio it's a Bart blends spice, so you could get it from other shops besides Waitrose.

Ah, if it's in Waitrose I'll seek it out. Thanks!

Israel has declared the herb an endangered species and banned picking it in the wild. It's now cultivated. Thyme is a good alternative, but doesn't quite have the lovely earthiness to it.
I use sumac a lot on it's own - great in all sorts of veg. dishes if you want to add a lovely Middle Eastern flavour.

Thanks jane.

Oh Soop what a shame - just as you were starting to think this might be the one. You never know - someone might see it, fall in love with it, make a stupendous offer and want you out in 6 weeks! Could you cope?

Have a nice piece of Bakewell tart - just made it and it smells soooooooo nice!

www.zaytoun.org/products/catalogue/zaatar-wild-grown-herb-mix/

I have zaatar on toast, good with lebneh (strained yougurt curd with salt and olive oil)

Sumac is a tangy, lemony spice, according to google,the fount of all knowledge.

soop, sorry to hear about your hoose, I think you will be allowed to have a very large G&T at 6pm.