Apercu.
My leeks are good this year; they seem to be free of the usual rust which spoils their appearance as well as stunting growth. They are one of my favourite winter vegetables, either sauteed in butter or in a soup with potatoes. Jacob grows them in deep holes which he drives with a metal spike but I just grow them in a shallow trench and earth them up a few inches. He gets longer blanched stems and I get thicker ones. You takes your pick. I don't mean the tool of course, that would result in curved holes.
The scuttlebutt in the polytunnel was about environmental matters and in particular on the need to increase petrol tax to restrict greenhouse gasses. It always amazes me how the, usually, left wing True Believers get away with their constant attacks on the simple pleasures of the poor. The middle class environmental activists can well afford a pound or two extra on a gallon of petrol, but that increase would price many marginal drivers off the road. Not that that would concern the True Believer. The same applies to the critiscism levelled by the Politically Correct at cheap flights; they don't use them so it's an easy sacrifice to make. Let others suffer to assuage their own guilt complex
I rejigged a well known aphorism and defined political correctness as the tribute payed to compassion by hypocracy; which was a kind of apercu for Jacob and Arthur. By the way I can't find the cedilla on this anti EU computer. It will probably be illegal next year.
Apropos of greenhouse gasses; we haven't heard much of the ozone layer hole recently. This, of course, is because the hole is now smaller than it was and closing fast. Very bad news for the doomdeviners.
Comments
In praise of Leeks. Instant, well, almost, Sour/Sweet veg. Trim and wash leek if necessary, and pat dry. Cut off all the green part, separate into individual leaves and cut into 2" lengths, then cut the white part in to thinnish circles. Using a potato peeler, shave thin lengthways slices from a carrot. Heat a little oil in a Wok and when hot enough tip in all the veg. and stir around for a couple of minutes. A few runner beans or mange tout could also be added. Tip the remains of a jar of Green Label Mango chutney in, stir it in well and there you are. The veg should be fairly crisp and a bright colour. Goes very well with barbecued bangers. The chutney can now be bought in a squeezy bottle - ideal for this sort of thing.
Posted by: Madeline Shaw | October 24, 2006 7:53 AM