Ingredients:
For pastry:
250g organic plain flour, plus extra for dusting
50g icing sugar, sifted
125g good-quality cold butter, cut into small cubes (or a mix of butter and marg)
1 large free-range or organic eggs, beaten
a splash of milk
For filling:
1kg peaches
50g sugar
50g butter (or 30g butter, 20g marg)
75g ground almonds
1 egg
Method:
To make the pastry
Seive the flour and the incing sugar into a bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingers. Make a well and break in the egg. Add a splash of milk and bind together to form a ball.
Leave to rest in the fridge for about an hour.
Roll out and line a large flan dish.
To make the filling
Mix the sugar, butter, egg and ground almonds together. Spread the mixture onto the pastry base.
Peel the peaches, cut into slices and arrange on the almond mixture.
Bake for 45-50mins minutes at 190°C.
Sunday, 24 July 2011
Norway and Amy Winehouse – they’re both important
Saturday 23 July was a pretty grim day. We woke to horrific news from Norway. A bomb blast and a massacre by a cold-hearted, right-wing gunman; the majority of his victims young. Then at around 4.30 GMT Twitter rumours started that Amy Winehouse had died. Twitter’s rarely wrong about these things. The online community held it’s breath and, alas, the jungle drums were confirmed to be correct.
A pretty grim day by anyone’s estimation.
But then something strange happened. Some people started berating those placing RIP messages for Amy. Exclaiming that anyone who felt sorry for her loss was forgetting the victims in Norway. How wrong they were!
Here’s how I see it.
Whilst the two incidents both involve untimely deaths, the nature of the victims and the scale of the situations make them very different to deal with emotionally.
Amy was famous. A singer. Her best stuff was highly personal and will have spoken to many at a deep level. Fans, especially, will have felt a connection with her and the grief they experience will be similar to when someone you know dies.
Norway, on the other hand, is of a scale that is incomprehensible to most people. The number of victims and scale of the attack are still being understood. In the weeks to come victims’ names and stories will leak out into the media. The gaps in the story will be filled and people will start to be able to comprehend the full nature of the situation.
So, you see, it’s perfectly natural to feel emotional about both events – and in different ways. Sadness about the death of a troubled, yet talented, young woman and shock at a meaningless act of violence that took countless lives.
Grief is a complex emotion. It affects everyone differently and everyone deals with it in their own unique way. So to berate someone for expressing it, or to assume that because they have not said anything they don’t feel anything, is a harsh stance to take.
Next time – think before you tweet.
A pretty grim day by anyone’s estimation.
But then something strange happened. Some people started berating those placing RIP messages for Amy. Exclaiming that anyone who felt sorry for her loss was forgetting the victims in Norway. How wrong they were!
Here’s how I see it.
Whilst the two incidents both involve untimely deaths, the nature of the victims and the scale of the situations make them very different to deal with emotionally.
Amy was famous. A singer. Her best stuff was highly personal and will have spoken to many at a deep level. Fans, especially, will have felt a connection with her and the grief they experience will be similar to when someone you know dies.
Norway, on the other hand, is of a scale that is incomprehensible to most people. The number of victims and scale of the attack are still being understood. In the weeks to come victims’ names and stories will leak out into the media. The gaps in the story will be filled and people will start to be able to comprehend the full nature of the situation.
So, you see, it’s perfectly natural to feel emotional about both events – and in different ways. Sadness about the death of a troubled, yet talented, young woman and shock at a meaningless act of violence that took countless lives.
Grief is a complex emotion. It affects everyone differently and everyone deals with it in their own unique way. So to berate someone for expressing it, or to assume that because they have not said anything they don’t feel anything, is a harsh stance to take.
Next time – think before you tweet.
Sunday, 20 February 2011
Today's conversation with my 5 y/o son
How to shatter your kid's dreams.
Me "Do you want to drive down the seafront today?"
Son "Yes. Can I?"
Me "Can you what?"
Son "Can I drive?"
Me "No, I meant I'll drive down the seafront."
Silence.
Me "Do you want to drive down the seafront today?"
Son "Yes. Can I?"
Me "Can you what?"
Son "Can I drive?"
Me "No, I meant I'll drive down the seafront."
Silence.
Sunday, 15 August 2010
Other people's holidays
So you’re an expat. You’ve lived in your chosen country for a couple of years. You’ve learnt the language, you’ve adapted to the local customs and you can even cook a couple of favourite dishes. So what’s to stop you feeling like you completely fit in? For me, it’s festivals and holidays. There’s nothing like another’s culture’s feast days to send me straight back to outsider status.
I’m thinking about this today, August 15th, as it’s one of Italy’s favourite holidays, Ferragosto. Celebrated since Roman Times (according to Wikipedia), families get together, usually at the beach, to enjoy food, fun and fireworks. I guess it’s the Italian version of August Bank Holiday, but much more important.
But it’s on festival days like these that you often feel like an outsider again. You may be lucky enough to be invited to someone’s home to celebrate (Chinese New Year in Taipei, for example), but however much you enjoy the food and the company, it’s the true meaning of the festival that is hard to grasp. You can understand that this festival celebrates the hottest part of the year, or that festival celebrates the first new moon, but without the cultural background, the spirit of the event can be frustratingly out of reach.
My advice? Shrug your shoulders and adopt the ‘When in Rome…’ approach. You may not be able to understand exactly what it is that people are celebrating, but c’mon – good food, friends and time off – surely these are enough reasons to celebrate anything.
Buon Ferragosto.
I’m thinking about this today, August 15th, as it’s one of Italy’s favourite holidays, Ferragosto. Celebrated since Roman Times (according to Wikipedia), families get together, usually at the beach, to enjoy food, fun and fireworks. I guess it’s the Italian version of August Bank Holiday, but much more important.
But it’s on festival days like these that you often feel like an outsider again. You may be lucky enough to be invited to someone’s home to celebrate (Chinese New Year in Taipei, for example), but however much you enjoy the food and the company, it’s the true meaning of the festival that is hard to grasp. You can understand that this festival celebrates the hottest part of the year, or that festival celebrates the first new moon, but without the cultural background, the spirit of the event can be frustratingly out of reach.
My advice? Shrug your shoulders and adopt the ‘When in Rome…’ approach. You may not be able to understand exactly what it is that people are celebrating, but c’mon – good food, friends and time off – surely these are enough reasons to celebrate anything.
Buon Ferragosto.
Wednesday, 14 July 2010
First ambitions
Last night I watched my son drive solo for the first time. A kiddie-car at the fair, granted, but a car, none-the-less. And he was doing it, on his own.
Many of the things he’s done for the first time have been things that we’ve been waiting for him to do. Walking, speaking, sleeping through the night (though, fortunately, not necessarily in that order). This driving thing had an extra dimension though – for watching him negotiate the track in a fake electric Ferrari, I was also watching him achieve one of his first ambitions.
At the time it felt like a big moment. In hindsight I realise that it was.
Many of the things he’s done for the first time have been things that we’ve been waiting for him to do. Walking, speaking, sleeping through the night (though, fortunately, not necessarily in that order). This driving thing had an extra dimension though – for watching him negotiate the track in a fake electric Ferrari, I was also watching him achieve one of his first ambitions.
At the time it felt like a big moment. In hindsight I realise that it was.
Wednesday, 12 May 2010
Driving in Italy
The roads may be pockmarked
But most drive like Monza.
Accelerate, break
Take the racing line
Overtake, accelerate some more.
In their hearts all men here are Felipe Massa.
Except the old drivers in their rustic three-wheeled bees that buzz through the back lanes.
Always ensuring they stay
In the middle
And when navigating a roundabout cause others to pray
‘Not my way. Not my way. Not my way.’
But most drive like Monza.
Accelerate, break
Take the racing line
Overtake, accelerate some more.
In their hearts all men here are Felipe Massa.
Except the old drivers in their rustic three-wheeled bees that buzz through the back lanes.
Always ensuring they stay
In the middle
And when navigating a roundabout cause others to pray
‘Not my way. Not my way. Not my way.’
Friday, 12 March 2010
Why I should write a Salento platform for BootsnAll
Dear BootsnAll,
If you’re reading this then it means you’ve received my application and decided to take a look at my blog. For various reasons I don’t blog much, so I thought I’d add this post to back up my application. So, to cut a long story short, here’s why I think I’d be a great fit for your platform project.
In the past I’ve written copy (online and offline) for a number of blue-chip clients and employers. I’ve produced travel copy for Air Miles, British Airways, Disneyland Paris and Beachcomber holidays. I spent four and a half years writing content for the East Sussex County Council website. It was awarded Best UK council website in 2008 by SOCITM (The Society of It Managers). I updated and maintained over 200 pages of content. I enjoy writing for sites that get traffic and for an audience that wants to read my stuff.
After all, why else would you give up a good job that you enjoy to move to a place with high unemployment and a poor future prospects? My husband and I fell in love with Salento on day two of our first holiday here and we always vowed that we’d move here some day. It’s not the easiest place to live, but as anyone who’s head-over-heels knows – the sacrifice is worth it.
Whether it’s on a marketing project team or as part of the web team that relaunched the council’s website, I’ve always enjoyed working as part of a team. After all, there’s no way anyone can be the best at everything. I know how to write and I produce engaging web content, but I can’t create a database or design a usable web page. And why should I, when there are other professionals who can? The chance to work as a team again and launch something like this would be an exiting opportunity for me.
I’ve moved to Salento long term, and I’d love to get my teeth into a project that I can work on for years. If that project can also help develop Salento’s much needed tourism industry then it’s a win-win situation for me.
After spending 10 years honing my skills, I need to keep writing. This opportunity would allow me to write about a subject I love and to stay in touch with today’s emerging web trends. I tweet, I use Facebook and now I would like to create content for a quality website again.
View my full CV on LinkedIn.
If you’re reading this then it means you’ve received my application and decided to take a look at my blog. For various reasons I don’t blog much, so I thought I’d add this post to back up my application. So, to cut a long story short, here’s why I think I’d be a great fit for your platform project.
I love to write great copy for quality websites
In the past I’ve written copy (online and offline) for a number of blue-chip clients and employers. I’ve produced travel copy for Air Miles, British Airways, Disneyland Paris and Beachcomber holidays. I spent four and a half years writing content for the East Sussex County Council website. It was awarded Best UK council website in 2008 by SOCITM (The Society of It Managers). I updated and maintained over 200 pages of content. I enjoy writing for sites that get traffic and for an audience that wants to read my stuff.
I love Salento
After all, why else would you give up a good job that you enjoy to move to a place with high unemployment and a poor future prospects? My husband and I fell in love with Salento on day two of our first holiday here and we always vowed that we’d move here some day. It’s not the easiest place to live, but as anyone who’s head-over-heels knows – the sacrifice is worth it.
I enjoy collaborating with other professionals to achieve a common goal
Whether it’s on a marketing project team or as part of the web team that relaunched the council’s website, I’ve always enjoyed working as part of a team. After all, there’s no way anyone can be the best at everything. I know how to write and I produce engaging web content, but I can’t create a database or design a usable web page. And why should I, when there are other professionals who can? The chance to work as a team again and launch something like this would be an exiting opportunity for me.
I want to work on a long-term project
I’ve moved to Salento long term, and I’d love to get my teeth into a project that I can work on for years. If that project can also help develop Salento’s much needed tourism industry then it’s a win-win situation for me.
I want to get back in the saddle again
After spending 10 years honing my skills, I need to keep writing. This opportunity would allow me to write about a subject I love and to stay in touch with today’s emerging web trends. I tweet, I use Facebook and now I would like to create content for a quality website again.
View my full CV on LinkedIn.
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