The inevitable lockdown no.2

Hi everyone. As we are still processing news of our looming second lockdown in England (starting Thursday), life in the Waffle household continues to be busy.

My feeling of “oh no, how boooooorrring this is going to be” has temporarily left me as for the last couple of hours I have been trying to do a few too many tasks simultaneously at home. I have been cooking a roast chicken dinner, finishing the first stage of my home brew Grand Marnier, putting away the washing, receiving and putting away the Ocado food shop whilst also trying to supervise David doing some of my job from home to help me out. Wow! I suddenly got pulled in all directions and wondering how I was possibly going to squeeze a little blog in here too.

I’ve made many, many roast dinners in my time of course, but I have never made Grand Marnier before. I’m not really sure why I’ve embarked on this new mission. Pandemic boredom perhaps? It sounded like a really fun and easy project until I started peeling the 8 oranges. Have you ever tried to peel an orange getting only the orange bit and absolutely no white pith at all? I’ll tell you now it is super difficult. In the end I ditched the peeler and went for this rind grater gadget. Time consuming x 8 oranges (and an aching hand), but no bitter tasting white pith in sight.

The orange peel is now in my new big jar, mixed up with a LOAD of brandy. And it looks like this.

This is now sitting in the bottom of my wardrobe for the next 4 weeks, hopefully working some kind of orange infused magic. If you want to try this at home, the instructions are here. I have no idea how this is going to turn out, or even what I’m going to do with it all! I might give some to friends and family, or I might cook with it. I’ve seen some interesting recipes for Grand Marnier prawns and chocolate and Grand Marnier soufflé, sounds interesting n’est ce pas? Christmas is going to be interesting foodwise this year if nothing else.

I’ve had a nice weekend, much better than last. Pub on Friday night with David, Zoom yoga with Sue yesterday, coffee with Pat at the garden centre, walk around Boveney lock, dinner via bicycle with David at Don Beni’s Italian in Eton, then for today a big lie in, lunch at the garden centre, walk around Crowthorne/Wellington College, visit to my mother in law’s for tea and cake and then home for the simultaneous busyness described above. I’ve also been busy cancelling a few upcoming social events that are no longer allowed ☹️. Afternoon tea at Kew Gardens is off, dinners with both the Julies are off, night out with Sharon and Tina also postponed. Until when? Who knows? Our lockdown may finish on 2 December but then again it may not.

Boveney lock/Dorney pics to follow next time my Wafflers. For now I’ll leave you with some marvellous autumn leaves we’ve been scuffing our toes into and wish you a happy, healthy and productive week xx