h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So I tried the recipe. As usual it was nothing I couldn't have thought up for myself. It was meant to be made with a powdered potato soup and the recipe was by the people that made it, but I didn't have any of their powdered potatoes, so this is what I did.

Cut a fennel bulb, or just half is enough actually and a couple of carrots into thin julienne strips (mine were far too chunky, must try harder)

Blanche these and set aside.

Chop the rest of the fennel (two small bulbs altogether should be fine) and three or four floury potatoes into tiny pieces. Fry for a bit, douse with a cup or so of white wine (100 ml actually) and boil, then add a litre of vegetable stock and leave to simmer.

In a pan, fry some little cubes of salmon or other seafood.

Puree the soup, add a slug of Pernod, serve up and decorate with the julienne veg and the chunks of fishy stuff. Top with some of the fennel leaves if they're in good enough condition.

It was quite nice and very filling. Nothing I couldn't have thought up myself, as I say - the Pernod is obvious really, to complement the aniseedy taste of the fennel. Not, of course, for those (and there are many) who don't like aniseed, fennel, Pernod or similar tastes.

bltec&o sandwich on dark rye bread with mayonnaise, 4 slices of bacon, an inch of lettuce, half a tomato, 2 fried eggs over well, a slice each of sharp cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack cheese and two thin slices of onion.

Friday, I got a little adventurous. A dozen fresh scallops, halved and stuffed with very fine minced crab, then egg-washed and breaded, and into the oven. Accompanied by a Caesar salad (with baby shrimps a-top) and common french fries. All very tasty.

A frozen dinner form the Dollar Store: beef with peppers and rice.

One of those rare dinners that she wasn't working, AND decided to cook. A very tasty and substantial "shepherd's pie" - cottage pie to the UK folks ... I love such left-overs.

We have shepherd's pie here too.

Minced lamb = shepherd's pie
Minced beef = cottage pie.

Or alternatively, you have a shepherd's pie after a hard day's shepherding....

I always thought the difference was that one is made from leftover, cooked meat, and the other from fresh meat, but I can never remember which. I only ever use fresh meat and call it shepherd's pie and the kids love it and I always had to do it when their friends came.

I was told of the shepherd = lamb, cottage = minced beef idea. Lamb is not at all common around here.

How far do you live from Markdale, Ontario?
http://www.sheepcanada.com/wooldrift-farm-markdale-ontario/

Sheep dairies are apparently a growing phenomenon in Canada.

About 200 miles - a bit much just for an experimental meal.

Alberta's another province with sheep dairies.

I rarely eat lamb, but when I do I use some reliable recipes.

Alberta? Cow country? That surprises me some. But then, I grew in beef county of Ontario, and a number of folks there have tried the very expensive emu idea ... Reguardless of barn and feed conditions, survival rates in this province are very poor. (Hence the exorbitant price per pound of meat products)

Some days, you just have to be lazy ... A phone call, and voila ! A bag of goodies from the Chinese buffet.

Honey and garlic pork ribs, sweet'n'sour chicken balls, the best Jar-Doo wings ever, mushroom fried rice, mushroom and veggie chow mein, a couple of spring-rolls. Enough for a couple of suppers for two - well, supper then some lunches.

"Alberta? Cow country?" [Rev Nick]

It was an ideal place to film a movie about two men who got a job looking after a herd of sheep on a mountain:

http://gocanada.about.com/od/canadawest/p/brokebackmounta.htm

Quite a lot of American police drama shows are filmed in Toronto and Vancouver too. Loads cheaper to make stuff on this side of the border.

Yeah, I had noticed that. New York and Chicago neighborhoods, but in Toronto. I think even Boston scenes have been shot there....

Grilled cheese sandwiches on double wide dark rye bread with onion slices and mushrooms grilled into the cheese, dill pickles on the side.

Hold the dill, one of those sandwiches for lunch please?

A casserole made from green beans, mushroom, tomatoes, potato, Italian sausages, and grated cheese.

Tempura vegetables, breaded and fried; chile rellano stuffed with Mexican cheese, 1 inch wedge of cabbage with a slice of the core to hold it together, seasoned with a dash of fresh grated nutmeg, zucchini cut lengthwise into six strips; all dipped and fried in a batter of arrowroot powder, mashed potato flakes, Rumford's baking powder, 2 eggs, beer for mixing water; a dab of tartar sauce for the zucchini.

I just have a thing about tempura vegetables.