Whimsical Wednesdays…with Carol…

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Good morning and welcome to this week’s Whimsical Wednesdays with moi…Carol, Caz whatever you want to call me as long as it is not too late for dinner…haha

Did you know? 

Prior to World War 11 more than half a million stretchers were produced in preparation before World War II even began. Someone had some foresight, didn’t they?  Stretchers, which were no more than two steel poles flanking a stretch of wire mesh, were quick to mass-produce. They were also easier to clean than conventional wood or canvas stretchers.

stretcher railings london

 

Photo credit: STML on Visual hunt / CC BY-NC-ND

During the war, many of London’s housing estates lost their original metal railings when they were manufactured into weaponry to serve the war effort. With a large stockpile of stretchers following the war, the London City Council decided to have the stretchers welded vertically together, fixed onto poles, sunken into concrete, and used to replace this missing fencing. The two kinks in the poles, designed so that they could be rested on the ground then picked up easily, can still be seen on the railings today.

Circular recycling at its best…

Time for a story…

This is a continuation of a short story started by author Steph Richmond with the offer to contribute …intrigued I took her up on this offer so as you will see I write the occasional chapter…Will this be finished who knows.?.. The girl as yet doesn’t have a name just an unknown past…Enjoy!

The Charade – Chapter 18

By  Dewin Nefol & S C Richmond

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The carriage picked her up as Mr James had said it would, she felt nervous but knew she couldn’t let Mr James down and once she met Mr Peasbody she hoped she would remember him and she would be able to relax. The journey to York took a long time and the journey wasn’t very comfortable but finally, the carriage pulled up in front of a very grand building on a fairly quiet road she couldn’t see much of her surroundings as night had drawn in. The driver unloaded her case and pointed to the door. At that moment she felt small almost like an orphan standing before the large front door. She was shown in but a maid and taken to her room, Mr Peasbody wasn’t there but they were expecting her. She was exhausted after her journey, the bed called to her and she fell asleep almost instantly.

She awoke the next morning feeling refreshed, she was also confused not really understanding which way she should turn, she was in a strange house and didn’t know her host yet or what was expected of her. She grabbed her coat and slipped out of the room and out through the front door, she didn’t encounter anyone on her way through the house. Even at this early morning hour, the city is alive with the pulse of a different beat to that resounding in her heart. She feels alienated in a strange place, alone and a little uncertain but yet a part of something far larger and far more expectant of her than she is of herself: expectant in ways both great and small. She walks along the unknown streets taking in everything around her, new sights and smells.  Turning into a small street she saw a sign that read ‘Astrological Society’ and below it ‘Open’ and even at this early hour the door stood ajar. Whilst deliberating on the doorstep trying to decide if she should enter the building she hears the sound of footsteps come running up behind her. Turning quickly she is startled to see a small girl run past her and disappear in through the open door. She remains rooted on the spot surprised by the small girl’s sudden appearance and even quicker disappearance when suddenly there’s a scream from inside the building…

T.B.C

 

January is National Soup month...For those of you who live in the Northern Hemisphere, the months of January and February are typically the coldest.

I love soup, most soups but my all-time favourite is tomato soup... Preferably made with fresh tomatoes but I also and this is a hankering back to my childhood love canned tomato soup and very occasionally I treat myself to a can of tomato soup…

Ingredients:

  • 8 or 9 tomatoes, cored and quartered
  • 3 red bell peppers, seeded and quartered
  • 2 small yellow onions, cut into wedges
  • 6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
  • 5 cups homemade vegetable broth
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • olive oil

Let’s Cook!

Tomato and Red Pepper Soup.

Preheat the oven 375F/190C

Grease two baking sheets and place tomatoes skin side down on one, then lightly coat the peppers and onions in olive oil and place on the other baking tray also throw the unpeeled garlic into the tray…Pop it in your preheated oven for about 45 minutes.

When the tomatoes and peppers are roasted heat your vegetable stock in a pan big enough to take the tomatoes and peppers. Add your roasted tomatoes and peppers to the vegetable stock and simmer for 15 minutes.

tomato-soup-482403_640

Allow your soup to cool slightly and then either using a stick blender or your liquidiser blend to your desired consistency… I prefer mine a little chunky. Taste and season.

Serve with a swirl of cream or natural yoghurt if liked…

Enjoy!

Did you know? On January 10th 1863 the World’s first underground railway service opened in London. It was the Metropolitan Line which runs between Paddington and Farringdon.

Time for a tune…

January 15th 1961 – The Supremes signed a worldwide recording contract with Motown Records.
Originally called the Primettes, they became the most commercially successful of Motown’s acts and are, to date, America’s most successful vocal group with 12 No.1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100.

This is The Supremes, featuring group member Barbara Martin. She was one of two other original members (the first being Betty McGlowan). She left the group because she got pregnant. The other three went into music history.

Then on 15th January 1983, Phil Collins had his first UK No.1 single with his version of ‘You Can’t Hurry Love,’ a hit for The Supremes in 1966. Collins’ version was the first track on the very first Now That’s What I Call Music CD.

I like both versions …but Phil Collins just has the edge for me…

For those of you who love pizza and bagels although I don’t know why they were put in the same category on Pizza Day…The bagel makers have decided they are having their own day so today has been designated National Beigel day...I haven’t had a beigel since I left the UK…I used to love cinnamon and raisin bagels, smoked salmon and cream cheese I am salivating now… I have thought of making them and got as far as reading a few recipes and it seems they are boiled first…Has anyone made their own and are they good and relatively easy to make or are they quite time-consuming?

I have been told you make a lean dough which is a dough with little or no fat or sugar…Then they are cooked for 1 min each side in a beigel water bath…to which honey or barley malt syrup can be added and then they are baked…

beigel bakery-3254475_640

Mmmmm I am sure they would take a tad longer than it took me to type that…I do have very happy memories of eating a salt beef beigel the last time I was in the UK…very nice it was…If you are celebrating beigel day then post your pics with a #nationalbeigelday 

Beavers…Cute furry animals that build dams is what I think of if I hear the name beaver…Beavers are also known as a ‘keystone’ species because of their significant positive effect on the environment.

So much so that Beavers are being reintroduced to Cumbria after 400 years as it is thought that they might reduce flooding.

Beavers are to be reintroduced into Cumbria’s Eden Valley to see if they can thrive in upland environments. Fingers and toes crossed that they can thrive and help bring some balance to the environment.

beaver-1352439_640

 

Beavers are native to the UK and used to be widespread in England, Scotland and Wales, but they were hunted to extinction in the UK in the 16th century mainly their fur, meat, and “castoreum” – a secretion used in perfumes, food and medicine.

With similar efforts underway in Yorkshire and Somerset.

Beavers can help reduce the risk of flooding lower down in river systems by building dams and moderating water flow. Their modifications made to the streams can also raise the water locally, creating wetland areas and boosting biodiversity.

It seems very much to me when you read and look around that much of what is being done is to repair what man has undone…All of of our global warming and climate change has one cause…man…

It seems we find something which is useful or profitable or edible…and we hunt it until it is extinct we now are reaping the benefits and some of us are madly back peddling…

Anyway, this is not the post for doom and gloom I am happy that beavers are being introduced back into the wild and there are plans to introduce other animals back into the wild I do hope that they are left to grow and thrive and do what they do best…

Thank you for joining me for Whimsical Wednesday I hope you have found something of interest or that just made you smile xxx

About Carol Taylor:

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

The environment is also something I am passionate about and there will be more on this on my blog this year

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Thank you again for joining me for Whimsical Wednesday I hope you have enjoyed yourselves…If you have please leave a comment as I always enjoy hearing from you it makes my day xxx

 

25 thoughts on “Whimsical Wednesdays…with Carol…”

  1. Pingback: Friday in my kitchen…Fresh Dates, Jerk Fish and Tomato and Pepper Soup… | Retired? No one told me!

  2. Jennie

    Oh, I just love your Wednesdays. The serial is gripping, and I have no clue how to make bagels. How interesting that you spell it with an “i”. As to the beaver, the balance of nature goes both ways. When an animal is completely and legally protected, an imbalance can occur. Beavers are turning many areas into wetlands and changing the natural landscape in parts of the northeast. Many property owners are frustrated (that’s putting it mildly). On the flip side, the best example of bringing back the natural balance of nature is when wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park. It had far reaching effects, more than anyone realized, including plants that had disappeared. If you Google wolves and Yellowstone, you will find this story. It’s unbelievable. Thanks, Carol!

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    1. CarolCooks2 Post author

      Thank you, Jennie I must speak to Steph as not many chapters I think may need to commence writing …Yes nature has a very fine line to balance and it is dependent on other animals..Adele was saying that there are plans to reintroduce wolves in her part of the world…Yes, the success of Yellowstone Park proves that entirely…It’s true about the circle of life 🙂 x

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  3. Pingback: CarolCooks2…Weekly roundup…12th Jan-18th January 2020… | Retired? No one told me!

  4. Adele Marie

    Beavers have been re-introduced here in Scotland for a while now and there is also a train of thought and action to re-introduce wolves as they would bring back the natural ecology per the success from Yellowstone Park. I love bagels too, cinnamon and raison my favs too. xxx

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  5. petespringerauthor

    Great Whimsical Wednesday stuff, Carol. Half a million stretchers? It’s disgusting how companies profit from wars.

    I typically prefer the original music over the remake, but I’ll agree with you on this one. I like Phil Collins’s version better.

    Bagels are one of my weaknesses. Cream cheese, peanut butter, jelly—they all work for me.

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    1. CarolCooks2 Post author

      Thank you, Pete.. Yes, it is… wars are profitable for some and tragic for the many.. Ahhhh for a beigel I think I need to have a go at making some.. 😀

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  6. tidalscribe

    We love homemade soup and I like throwing in as many winter veg as possible. Then I throw in cheesy dumplings made with wholemeal flour – it makes a meal in itself – though my friend said ‘You can’t just give Cyberspouse soup for dinner! BUT we were just saying the other day, what is it about Heinz tomato soup that is unique and irresistible?

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      1. koolkosherkitchen

        The Boss is pretty good about it, though, to the point that he skips congregational bagel breakfasts that follow daily morning services. Instead, he comes home for his no-fat Greek yogurt and banana.

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    1. CarolCooks2 Post author

      Yes and chicken follows a close second…I do prefer tomato I don’t really like meat soups as much as vegetable ones although I like the Thai chicken noodle soup maybe because it has lemongrass and lots of herbs… Hows that gorgeous baby, Chelsea I bet he is growing fast and keeping you busy 🙂 xx

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    1. CarolCooks2 Post author

      I have a Borsch recipe as I had a Russian neighbour and she gave me the recipe and a lesson in how to cook Borsch…It is a lovely soup..If you want share your veggie soup, Darlene for Nat soup month I will credit back to you 🙂 xxx

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