Newsletter September 2004
Modern Country Living - Domestic Bliss
Game On: Not that Old Chestnut!
It is a while since I have had a “rant” in my column
or a tantrum as my family call it. This is the age of disposal
and absolutely no service what so ever and I am sick of it! To
cut a very long story short, I am having the utmost difficulty
in getting the ebony handle to my husband’s favourite silver plated
teapot mended. The teapot is not worth anything but his parents
poured their early morning tea from it everyday for 54 years and
it pours well – and those of you who know the value of a good
pourer will understand this – and he is emotionally attached to
it so I thought I would have the wobbly taken out of the handle
and have a new knob put on to replace the bit of one that is left.
Well, have I had trouble – Is the Pope Catholic? It seems that
after 2 months of being in the hands of my local jewellers that
it cannot be done. I quote, “We are sorry Mrs Willcock but after
much searching all over London, (this I don’t believe) we can’t
find anyone who can mend your teapot.” Can you believe it! They
say skilled silversmiths are few and far between and that I will
have to go somewhere (where?) else. Now for the thing that really
got my blood boiling – I had to ring them! What has happened to
service or even just good business sense? In the next general
election I am voting for the party who are going to put good service
and old fashioned skills- apprenticeships into their manifesto
– hang the health service I just want to get my teapot mended
quickly and for them to be nice about it! End of rant.
Autumn Antipasto
This is an assembly job
1 jar very best black olives in olive oil
1 jar artichoke hearts in olive oil
Vacuum packed whole chestnuts
1 sprig of organic sage
1 organic lemon
300-500g- continental mixed salamis sliced very thinly
300-500g Parma Ham
Olive oil
Lots of crusty peasant style breads
Take the whole chestnuts and put them into a saucepan and cover
with olive oil and add the sage leaves. Heat up very gently so
that it is warmed through - do not let it boil and remove from
the heat and leave to infuse for about 10 minutes.
Drain the various things from the oil in their jars
and arrange on a platter. Take the salamis and Parma Ham and arrange
them next to the olives and artichokes. Drain the chestnuts and
arrange them on the platter. Take the lemon and peeling just the
skin off, squeeze the peeled skin over the platter so that just
the oils released form the skins spray over the foods.
Serve with a bowl of really good olive oil and the breads.
Tip: This month I have 2 books coming out Amy Willcock’s Aga Baking
£20.00 and for a great stocking filler Amy Willcock’s Aga
Know How – Lifting the Lid on your Aga £5.99 both by Ebury
Press. Well you know me by now how could I not give them a plug!
Also this month on October 23rd is the Marlborough College Feast
of Food phone 01672 861657. I’ll be there cooking at 10:45 am
in the dem theatre!
This article by Amy Willcock appears
in The Shooting Gazette September 2004, and is reproduced here
with permission.
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