#i dont Like winter - except when its like this. very very crisp

[aloneholy]

vibes❣️❄️

[j-loves-bts]

I found something

I just a draft for an original story I was gonna write like last year lmaoo.

Not that anyone cares but im gonna post it because I don’t think it was that badly written or that much of a bad idea.

Enjoy

Or dont whatever

Robert knew. He knew that trying to hide his children would not protect them forever but he had hoped. He had hoped that moving from a luxurious mansion to a tiny three bedroomed house on the outskirts of Wolverhampton would do something to stop them but it didn’t, it never would. They wanted his children, just like they had wanted him and his father before him. And he knew he couldn’t stop them.

Bee dee! Bee dee! Bee dee!

The alarm clock on the bedside table started its wakeup call. Charlie’s dirty blonde hair, the only thing visible from underneath her duvet, was sticking up in all directions. Ugghh. Her arm slid out from the warmth of the bed and hit the snooze button as her head slowly lifted to look at the clock. She could barely see out of her blurred vision.

6:30 am.

She slammed her face back down into the pillow, just five more minutes she thought to herself as she began to slip into sleep once again. She was startled awake by a banging on the bedroom door.

“Charlie come on! School!” Robert yelled.

She hated Mondays.

Charlie sat up in her bed, duvet wrapped around her petite frame, and huffed. If there’s one thing Charlie hates more than Mondays its January, winter was pretty, blankets of snow covering the ground and the smell of the fresh crisp air was all very beautiful to her but she was not too fond of how winter felt. The harsh coldness that made her layer up on clothing had never interested her, and the constant grey weather that never failed to put her in a bad mood.

Charlie sat in silence staring at the time as it went by, five minutes passed and Charlie was met with more banging and decided that it was about time to get ready for school.

“Okay I’m awake calm down!”

The room was full of darkness, another reason to hate winter she thought, she leaned over to turn her lamp on and with the flip of a switch the once black room was illuminated. She slid her feet into her bright red slippers and let the heavy duvet fall from her shoulders as she stood up. The drop in temperature caused her to shiver and run to the other side of the room to put on a dressing gown, she put on her glasses and opened the bedroom door.

She shuffled her way across the hall and down the stairs into the kitchen where her father and brother were eating breakfast.

“Good morning Charl” Robert greeted her but was given nothing but a grunt in response.

“Someone’s in a mood” Daniel sniggered.

“Shut it Danny” Charlie spat back at her brother as she made herself a cup of hot chocolate.

Daniel frowned at the back of her head and took a sip of his coffee.

“You’re the one who’s moody not me”.

“I am this close” Charlie brought her finger and thumb together “to pouring the contents of this kettle over your head”.

Charlie sat at the table with her drink in her hand and huffed at her brother.

“Guys it’s not even seven am yet, stop fighting” Robert looked at the both of them sternly before returning to his food.

Once Daniel finished his coffee he went to his room to get ready for school, he scanned the room in front of him until his eyes landed on his uniform that was neatly draped over the back of his desk chair. He took the clothes from the chair and began to get dressed while looking at his phone, checking messages and also the time. Daniel realised that his tie was nowhere to be seen and began searching the room for it but couldn’t find the piece of fabric.

“I do not have time for this.” He though aloud.

He went to the bathroom to fix his hair in the mirror, he combed his dirty blonde waves to one side while letting a few fall the opposite way and returned to searching for his tie.

Daniel ended up backdown stairs during his search and back in the kitchen asking for help.

“Can’t find my-“He began before being interrupted by his father who was holding the tie in his hand, not taking his eyes off of his newspaper.

“Ah thanks! Where was it?” He asked putting the green fabric around his neck.

“Where you always leave it, the Living room floor” Robert sighed. “Learn to pick your things up after yourself”

“Sorry, will do, bye!” Daniel rushed to the front door.

“Bag!” Robert and Charlie shouted after him.

He ran back into the kitchen, grabbing his bag from behind the door before leaving the house again just as quickly.

“Thanks!” He yelled as he shut the front door behind him.

Robert turned to Charlie as he began to get up.

“You need to get ready too before you’re late”

“I know, I’ll go now. What time are you home from work?” She stood up.

“Late, you better take your key” Robert grabbed his bag, bid a brief goodbye, and left the house.

Charlie returned to her room to get ready for the school day ahead, she enjoyed being in the house alone she found if relaxing and as though she could take her time with everything. Once dressed she brushed through her hair, making it tidier than when she woke, brushed her teeth and made her way to the school.

Charlie just made it as she entered the gates as the bell rang signalling that she needed to be in registration, teachers were dotted around the yard telling students to hurry up as Charlie entered one of the buildings. It was three floors high and extremely dull, the only colours visible being grey, white and a pale green. Charlie made her way up the stairs to the first floor, the maths floor, where her registration class was.

She entered the classroom and sat down at a desk, the seat next to her was empty and belonged to a friend whereas the desks surrounding where almost filled with students. Every desk except the one in front of her which happened to belong to her brother. She set her backpack on the back of her chair along with her puffy coat and took her phone out and messaged her brother to find out where we was, that was until he walked through the door seemingly out if breath and sat in the seat before her. He repeated her own actions with his backpack and coat before swivelling around in the chair to face her.

“Hey” Daniel rested his arms on her desk.

“You’re lucky sir isn’t here yet otherwise you’d be getting a late detention.” Charlie put her phone in her blazer pocket.

“You’re always late too!” He exclaimed.

“Why are you late anyway?”

“Got caught up in something”

“Fine don’t tell me” Charlie rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair.

Just as a second bell rang indicating that everyone should be in registration a tall black haired man walked into the room and sat down at the front of the room. He smiled to the class giving them a quick apology for being late and began to take the register.

Robert was home sooner than he had anticipated, it was 1pm and he had found himself sitting at the dining room table looking through some paperwork. All he could hear was the faint ticking of the clock perched on the wall behind him, it was almost irritating, he was used to noise and was hardly ever home alone so when he was it felt unnatural. To him natural was hearing music blaring from upstairs, it was having to listen to his teens bickering about who knows what. Natural was getting comfortable on the couch for a family movie night which would, sooner or later, cause yet another argument. He had lived with constant noise for the past 16 years of his busy life and wasn’t planning to sit in silence for the rest of it. Roberts thoughts were interrupted by a loud ringing echoing through the house, piercing the silence. Robert was hesitant on answering the phone as he did not recognise the number but figured it would be best to see who it was. He pressed the answer button and brought the phone up to his ear.

“Robert Manning?” A raspy voice asked through the speaker.

“Yes, who is this?” Robert questioned. He had heard this voice before but couldn’t pinpoint where or when.

“Well I am quite surprised you don’t remember me but I guess I have to take into consideration how long it has been, it has been a while hasn’t it?” The voice sounded amused at the fact he didn’t remember.

The voice sent shivers down Robert’s spine, who was it? Where had he heard the voice before? One thing he could interpret was that a man was speaking to him, he didn’t like how the voice was making him feel and was growing impatient.

“Who are you?” Robert asked more demanding and irritated than before.

“Its Johnathan, Robert, Johnathan Archer”

Robert’s eyes widened, his face ridden with fear. He froze in his place too terrified to move, he could practically hear the man smirking down the phone. That’s who it was, how could he not have known after all those years of answering to him. The name and the voice fit perfectly like pieces of a puzzle, the very same name that brought back so many memories for Robert. He was paralysed, unable to speak, unable to move.

“Are you shocked?” Jonathan laughed. “I thought you would be. Listen I haven’t got all day and I have several of these phone calls to make so lets make this as quick as possible shall we? I want them Robert.”

“My kids?” Robert swallowed hard and prayed to be wrong.

“Yes, your kids. Make this easy for yourself Robert, you knew this day was coming. I want them by tomorrow, tell me the flight they’ll be getting and ill have someone pick them up” Jonathan stated blandly as though he had no real interest.

“Tomorrow?! I’m sorry Jonathan but you know what tomorrow is, as much as I wanted to avoid it if I must send them I will but not tomorrow. Any other day but tomorrow” Robert Pleaded.

He heard a sigh from the man at the other end.

“Sorry Robert I know that you take them to Louise’s grave but you know how the boss is, I don’t make the rules around here and just make sure they’re followed.” The man’s voice seemed to soften at the subject but still held its seriousness.

“Fine, don’t expect them to be happy when they arrive though”

“Why would I?” With that said Jonathan put the phone down and Robert was left in silence once again.

The clock behind him ticked, but that wasn’t the only sound he could hear. His thoughts were racing with how’s? and what if’s? He didn’t know how he could tell them what was going on, everything he had kept hidden from them about his life, about their mother’s life, about their fate. The past 16 years of their lives he had kept so many secrets about who he really was and what he really did before they moved. The past 6 years he had been even more secretive, He had begged and prayed that this day wouldn’t come even if he knew it was inevitable, he didn’t have long to figure out where to start with the explanation there were only 2 more hours until they finished school…

It was 5pm and he still hadn’t said anything, he had a hard time finding the courage to tell them everything. He had no idea how they would react, would they hate him?

Robert creeped his was upstairs to ask the twins to come downstairs so he could tell them everything when he found them standing outside the bathroom, more than likely arguing over something stupid. He stopped at the top of the stairs for a moment and listened to the teens who seemed oblivious to his presence.

“Last time I did you a favour it got me into trouble so no” Daniel had an irritated tone to his voice.

“You won’t get into trouble this time though! I only want you to keep watch while I sneak out, please!” Charlie pleaded her brother.

“That will get me into trouble!”

“You can have my lunch money every day for like a month”

“Fine” Daniel rolled his eyes as Charlie had a pleased look on her face.

Robert wished he could stay in this moment forever, even if his children were bickering and up to no good as usual. Everything was about to change and he hated it, hated the thought of them not being around, hated the thought of them getting mad at him for keeping everything a secret but he had to do it. He didn’t have a choice.

“No one is going anywhere” Robert walked over to them. “I need to tell you something, downstairs.”

They nodded at him and trailed behind him as he led them into the dining room. They all sat down at the wooden table and Robert prepared himself. He took in a deep breath before releasing it and lifting his head to talk to his children.

“I don’t want any interruptions now, this is extremely important okay?” He made sure that his children understood the importance of the situation and how serious he was before continuing.

“I can’t explain everything right now but I’ll explain as much as I can. We can’t go to your mother’s grave tomorrow and it’s because I’m sending you somewhere, I don’t want you to get upset or angry with me although you have every right to…”

Robert sighed as he struggled to say what he needed to, his heart was pounding in his chest and his palm were sweating as he conjured up the courage to tell them what had been keeping from them for so long.

“I’ve been keeping some things from you but you need to understand that it was all for your safety. I used to work for an organisation, the founders of this organisation made it because there are bad people in the world, people that the police can’t control. I worked there from a young age but I didn’t choose to, I was forced there because my mother and father worked for them. I don’t have amazing memories from that place but I have no choice than to send you too. Never did I actually think this day would come but I got a phone call earlier today, they’re asking for you and they want you by tomorrow.”

The two teens in front of him had shock across their faces, they didn’t speak though they waited for their father to finish his explanation.

“It’s for your own good, I’m afraid that if… if I don’t send you what happened to your mother will happen to you. I’m so sorry I have to tell you this but she didn’t die in a car accident, she died because they wanted her and she refused because she refused the people the organisation is against killed her. I don’t want to send you there, trust me but it’s all to keep you safe”

“What….”

[the-coconut-asado]

Sand and Sandwiches

When I posted pictures of Clacton Pier from our road trip last month, alot of friends recalled fond memories of their childhood, whizzing down the helter skelter and eating whelks on the beach. How many of those friends returned to Clacton between puberty and the menopause? I’m guessing zero.

British seaside holidays - especially those on the bracing North Sea coastline - are freeze-framed in our consciousness as an ice cream in a 10-force gale, or a sandy mouthful of picnic behind a wind break. That’s if you ever got out of the car to eat. My own holiday memories involve that great British institution The Car Picnic: cold baked beans on crispbread, washed down with a thermos of tea, watching the rain lash the windscreen before going to queue for Les Dennis and Dustin Gee at the Winter Garden.

When I was very young we would follow my half-sister (a dancer) around the seaside panto circuit, performing variously alongside Danny la Rue (the ultimate drag queen), Dickie Henderson (a comedian I announced I wanted to marry, aged 5) and The Clitheroe Kid (there would have been no Crankies without him. You figure out if this was a good thing). Any dreams I had of a career in showbiz were quashed by seeing the leading lady in Robinson Crusoe sitting in her dressing room in a candlewick robe drinking soup out of a flask and puffing aggressively on a Malboro��� Light . Cold soup did not signal glamour, and no amount of gourmet gazpacho over the years has made me change my mind.

But back to Clacton. We had come for the day from our glamping site near Colchester (Covid has done nothing if not made us adventurous), hoping to build better seaside food memories in a post-Jamie Oliver era.

It didn’t bode well that we couldn’t get warm. Icy winds blew from the stall selling an irresistible if confusing combination of ice cream and chips, right through the rat run of Vegas-adjacent slot machine arcades, where you could win anything you wanted as long as it was a baby Yoda.

But nestling in the back streets was a cafe called Tracie’s which, unlike those around it, was teeming with people. Its fogged up windows promised warmth, so we snapped on our face masks and dived in.

And we were rewarded. While Adam couldn’t think past a burger and chips (no blame there) I noticed a chalkboard with their special of the day: goat curry. I figured that restaurant which stakes their reputation on a goat curry has to serve a good one - and I wasn’t wrong. Dark, glossy and caramelised from long, slow cooking, with just the right lick of habanero chilli pepper and meltingly tender potatoes, served with a flavourful jollof rice.

From the gleeful expressions of our fellow diners it seemed that Tracie, the owner-chef, is turning out plate after plate of delicious and consistent food - including Adam’s burger and crispiest fries. But that curry, over and above all else, banished all my dodgy seaside supper memories for good and replaced them with a whole bowl of yum.

I went straight home and experimented, and here is the result. You might feel like an ice cream to follow (with or without a side order of chips) so my choc chip sorbet ice cream should fill the bill nicely. And if, like me, your childhood is sprinked with the crumbs of a back seat picnic, then I hope that my Pork Cholas will change the course of your summer outdoor eating.

Goat Curry

Unlike Tracie, I have developed this as an off the bone curry. Still full of flavour but less fiddly to eat. Serve with jollof, coconut or plain basmati rice. Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

2kg goat leg, off the bone and chopped into generous chunks

4-5 garlic cloves, crushed

1 red pepper, cubed

1 scotch bonnet/ habanero pepper seeded and chopped finely

1 in piece of fresh ginger, grated

2 tsp kosher salt

2 onions chopped

1-2 tbsp. Sunflower oil

Few sprigs fresh thyme

1 tin cherry tomatoes

3 tbsp plain yoghurt

250 ml beef stock

1 small tin coconut cream

200g potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped

Curry Paste:

2 tsp allspice

3-4 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp. Turmeric

½ tsp. Cinnamon

1 tsp ground black pepper

1tbsp. Reloja powder (this is a Puerto Rican mix of toasted ground cinnamon sticks, dried chillis, cumin, pumpkin seeds, bay leavesm sesame seeds and cocoa powder)

3 tbsp sunflower oil

How to make

Marinate the goat in the garlic, ginger, salt, thyme and chopped scotch bonnet. Leave the flavours to develop over an hour or two.

Heat the oil in a large, deep casserole, then fry the onion and pepper until brown. Add the curry paste and fry until the oil starts to separate and the aromas hit you. Add the marinaded goat meat and stir until coated.

Add the tin of cherry tomatoes, the beef stock and the coconut cream, stir well to combine then reduce heat and simmer, covered for about 3.5 hours.

Add the chopped potatoes, then simmer, uncovered, for a further 30 mins until the potatoes are cooked but still holding together. Test the goat for tenderness - it should be meltingly tender - and serve.

Choc Chip Sorbet Ice Cream

How can you have an ice cream and a sorbet all in one? Simple - by using my friend Sam’s Chocolate Sorbet recipe (see my Last Kitchen Show blog) as a base, then adding whipped egg white, double cream and of course chocolate chips. An ice cream maker will make this effortless, but don’t despair if you don’t have one. Just remember to take the ice cream out of the freezer a couple of hours after freezing and whisk thoroughly before returning to the freezer. Serves 4-6

Ingredients For the sorbet mix:

200 g caster sugar

50g cocoa powder

50 g 70% dark chocolate, broken into pieces

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

600 ml water

To finish:

1 egg white

300 ml double cream

30g dark chocolate chips

How to make:

First, make the sorbet mix. Bring the water to the boil, then whisk in the sugar and cocoa powder. Simmer for 5 minutes, then take off the heat and stir in the chopped chocolate and vanilla extract until smooth. Cool (you can make this the day before and refrigerate over night)

Whisk the egg white to soft peaks, and in a separate bowl, whisk the double cream until just holding its shape. Fold the egg white and cream into the sorbet mix, then mix in the ice cream maker.

Five minutes before it is ready, add the chocolate chips to the ice cream as it mixes (or if you are not using a maching, add the choc chips after you have whisked the mix out of the freezer). Transfer to a plastic container, cover and freeze. Bring to room temperature for around 20 minutes before serving.

Pork Cholas

This is the national sandwich of Bolivia - probably getting its name from Cholitas, Bolivia’s indigenous women. You can just serve this with the traditional salsa verde but I also like to add a small dollop of Stokes Jalapeno Jelly for extra zing. I made my own crusty bread rolls for these photos, but sandwich making shouldn’t be a morning-long process, so just buy 6 of these and off you go. Makes 6 Cholas.

Ingredients:

1.5kg pork shoulder off the bone, skin removed and aside

1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed

1 tsp salt plus extra for salting the skin

1 tsp garlic salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp chilli flakes

2 tbsp. Olive oil

300ml cider

6 crusty white bread rolls

Lettuce

Salted butter

For the salsa verde:

3 tbsp. Flat parsley

1 tbsp. Mint leaves

3 tbsp. Capers

6 anchovy fillets

1 clove garlic

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

Juice of ½ a lemon

120 ml extra virgin olive oil

How to make:

First, roast your pork (you can do this the day before). Mix the fennel seeds, salt, garlic salt, pepper and chilli flakes in a bowl. Add the olive oil and stir to combine, then rub this all over the pork shoulder. Set aside. Rub salt all over the skin (which should be scored) and then pop, uncovered, in the fridge.

Heat the oven to 240C. Put the pork shoulder into a roasting tin and pour the cider around it. Pop into the over, uncovered and immediately turn the oven down to 180C. Pat the skin dry, salt again and put onto a rimmed baking sheet. Slot into the top shelf of your oven and roast skin and shoulder for 2 - 2.½ hours. The pork should be tender and the crackling super crisp. Set both pork and cracking aside to cool.

To make the salsa verde: put all the ingredients except for the olive oil into a blended and pulse. You dont want this mix to be super smooth. Tip into a bowl, add the olive oil and whisk. Cover and chill until needed.

Split the rolls and butter, then layer with a lettuce leaf, slices of pork, a tbsp. Salsa verde and a dollop of jalapeno jelly (optional) before sandwiching with the crusty top. Serve with shards of crackling on the side.