Cooksister | Food, Travel, Photography

Food, photos & faraway places

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • About me
    • Contact me
    • Work with me
    • Legal
      • Copyright notice & Disclaimer
      • Disclosure
      • Cookies and Privacy Policy
    • Press and media
    • Cooksister FAQs
  • RECIPES
    • Recipe Index – by course
    • Baking (savoury)
    • Braai/Barbecue
    • Breakfast & brunch
    • Christmas
    • Dessert
    • Drinks
    • Eggs
    • Fish
    • Gluten-free
    • Leftovers
    • Pasta & rice
    • Poultry
    • Pulses
    • Salads
    • Soup
    • South African
    • Starters & light meals
    • Vegan
    • Vegetables
    • Vegetarian
  • RESTAURANTS
    • British Isles restaurants
    • Dubai restaurants
    • France restaurants
    • London restaurants
    • Montenegro restaurants
    • New York restaurants
    • Pop-ups and supperclubs
    • Serbia restaurants
    • Singapore restaurants
    • South Africa restaurants
    • Sweden restaurants
    • Switzerland restaurants
    • USA restaurants
  • TRAVEL
    • All my travel posts
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Canada
      • Dubai
      • Cruise ships
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Grenada
      • Hong Kong
      • Hotel reviews
      • Italy
      • Israel
      • Jersey
      • Mexico
      • Netherlands
      • Norway
      • Portugal
      • Singapore
      • Ski & snow
      • South Africa
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • UK
      • USA
      • Wales
  • PORTFOLIO
    • Freelance writing portfolio
    • Speaking and teaching
    • Photography portfolio
    • Buy my photos
You are here: Home / Recipes / Baking (sweet) / Nectarine & plum galette, and being remembered

Nectarine & plum galette, and being remembered

by Jeanne Horak on October 18, 2011 25 Comments in Baking (sweet), Dessert, Recipes

NectarinePlumGalette © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

Have you ever had the experience of meeting somebody and within minutes of parting thinking “what an amazing person- I want to see them again”?  I don’t mean that heady feeling of a romantic connection with your heart all a-flutter and everything seen through rose-coloured spectacles – I mean in a totally non-romantic context.  Of course, the opposite is also true, and after spending only an hour or two in somebody’s company you  may be glancing wildly around for the exit and praying you never have the misfortune of having to be trapped in a room with them again!  But there are definitely people you meet who make an almost instantly appealing impression, and more often than not they will have this effect on almost everybody they meet.  So what’s the secret?  I’ve been pondering what it is that makes me remember some people with affection and admiration and others not.

One of the characteristics that instantly attracts me to somebody is kindness.  If I go for lunch with somebody who is rude to waitstaff, receptionists and other “unimportant” people, I instantly assume that they are the same kind of people who hit their dogs and barge little old ladies out of the way to get a seat on the train.  But (as I recently did) I go to lunch with somebody who is unfailingly polite and friendly to waitstaff, I feel nothing but admiration (and they get better service too!). Most people are also instantly attracted to somebody who has a sense of humour – smart and witty, not bitchily funny at other people’s expense.  Making people laugh is an invaluable social skill and requires a degree of ability to read your audience, which in turn implies a degree of emotional intelligence – all good stuff. And I’m pretty sure everybody would agree that somebody who seems genuinely interested in other people will always be remembered with more fondness than somebody who shouts everybody down in an effort to tell THEIR story rather than listen to anybody else’s.

 

NectarineGaletteCollage

It seems that at this time of year with the turning of the seasons, my mind always returns to this question:  how are we remembered?  Part of the reason is the natural melancholy and introspection that accompanies the end of summer; but part of it is that I lost my mom in the Autumn.  Tomorrow it will be eight long years.  And I know I am not the only one who remembers her – I often speak to friends and her ex-students of colleagues who remember her and I am always amazed at the variety of stories they tell and breadth of the memories they treasure.  One ex-colleague told me how my mom had taken over the radiography department at her hospital in the 1960s and immediately mixed up all the carefully segregated teacups for white and non-white radiographers, saying “this is ridiculous – we are all colleagues!”.  “She gave us back our dignity”, the colleague told me later. A school friend remembers my mom as having a fierce intelligence which both scared and mesmerised her; while other friends of mine remember her best for her famous chicken curry and her chocolate mousse.  A lecturing colleague and fellow-language fanatic tells me she still misses my mom’s ability to quote reams of poetry with perfect accuracy. Many of her ex-students say she literally changed their lives, treating each one as if they had the potential to change the world, even when they were failing courses and bunking classes.

As for me, I remember her as having one of the most incisive minds and one of the sharpest tongues I have ever experienced.  I remember her for her sometimes totally infuriating intellectual snobbism. I remember her advice to treat adults as children and children as adults in order to keep everybody happy.  I remember her love for jewellery and clothes and our monumental shopping trips together.  I remember her for the tremendous courage and humour with which she faced the prospect of dialysis and all the indignities that renal failure brought over the course of 8 years. I remember her for her encyclopaedic knowledge of classical music and English literature; for her love of Stephen King novels and cheerful embracing of cathartic swearing at a time when my friends’ mothers simply did not swear; for her perfume (always Calêche); for her Ferragamo shoes; and for her obsession with Georg Jensen tableware.  I wonder if these are all things for which she wanted to be remembered; and I wonder what people will remember about me.

 

NectarineGaletteSlice

I hope they remember coming to my house for lunch and leaving at midnight, replete with good wine and good company.  I hope they remember that I made them laugh till their cheeks ached.  And I hope they remember the simple delights of this galette.  It was meant to be a “last gasp of summer” dessert with nectarines and cherries, but alas, no cherries were to be had.  So I substituted plums for the cherries  and this was the result.  One lunch guest who tried it said that what she liked about it was that “it actually tastes of fruit!”, as opposed to sugar – which was the look I was going for 🙂  You can make the pastry the day before – just take it out of the fridge about 30 mins before rolling it out. And you can try different nuts in the filling – almonds, pistachios or hazelnuts.

 

NectarineGaletteFork

 

NECTARINE AND PLUM GALETTE (serves 8) 

Ingredients:

FOR THE PASTRY:

250g plain flour
150g butter, cubed
3 tbsp caster sugar
1 egg yolk
1-3 Tbsp iced water (added one at a time – stop when dough forms a ball)

FOR THE FILLING:

50g ground pecan nuts (or nuts of your choice)
30g soft brown sugar
500g plums, stoned and cut into 1/8th wedges
400g nectarines, stoned and cut into 1/8th wedges
40g granulated sugar
icing sugar to serve (optional)

Method:

To make the pastry, either blitz together the flour, butter and sugar in a food processor or rub the butter into the flour and sugar mixture in a large bowl, until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.  Mix the yolk with the water and add that to the mixing bowl.  Mix again with the food processor or by hand until the dough comes together in a ball. Scrape out of the bowl, wrap in clingfilm and put in the fridge to rest for a few hours.

When you are ready to make the galette, remove the dough from the fridge about 20-30 minutes before you want to roll it.  Pre-heat the oven to 190C.

Roll the pastry into a circle about 24cm across and 2.5mm thick. Place this circle on to a metal baking sheet covered with baking paper . Mix the ground nuts and soft brown sugar and sprinkle over the pastry, leaving a rim of about 4cm all the way round.  Pile the fruit on top of the nut mixture – no need to be tidy about this! Sprinkle the granulated sugar over the fruit. Pull up the rim of the pastry and fold it over the edge of the fruit all the way round so that it seals in the filling (you may have to pinch bits together to secure).

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 45 minutes, until the pastry is turning golden and the fruit slightly caramelised. Allow to cool before serving: the caramelly sugar, nut and fruit mix will firm up as it cools – hot out of the oven, it will be a messy affair!  If desired, sift over a light dusting of icing sugar once cooled.  Serve with whipped cream with just a touch of Amaretto in it.

 

And with less than 10 days to go until the next From Plate to Page workshop kicks off in Tuscany, we are busy finalising menus and putting the finishing touches to our presentations and workshops.  We are also about to announce a couple of exciting new sponsors – and stay tuned next week when we announce the fabulous venue for Plate to Page 2012 – in the UK!   

P2PTuscanyBadge

 

More deliciousness for you!

  • Sticky spiced plum upside-down cake and 16 years of bloggingSticky spiced plum upside-down cake and 16 years of blogging
  • Plum and peach flapjack crumble [GF]Plum and peach flapjack crumble [GF]
  • Cape brandy pudding (or tipsy tart) revisitedCape brandy pudding (or tipsy tart) revisited
  • Caramelised nectarines and cherriesCaramelised nectarines and cherries

Never miss a Cooksister post

If you enjoyed this post, enter your e-mail address here to receive a FREE e-mail update when a new post appears on Cooksister

I love comments almost as much as I love cheese - so if you can't leave me any cheese, please leave me a comment instead!

« Saturday Snapshots #164
Villa Sjotorp and a mussel safari in Lysekil (West Sweden, Part 1) »

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. SMITH BITES says

    October 18, 2011 at 11:26 pm

    i shall remember you for your laughter Jeanne (or how i imagine you laughing as we’ve not met in real life . . . yet), for your kindness, for your sharp wit, you intelligence, your grace, your beautiful photography, your luscious recipes and for your grace. i shall remember you as being generous as well as many other genuine qualities Jeanne . . . your mama raised a wonderful daughter . . . (((hugs))) to you this season . . .

    Reply
  2. Kavey says

    October 19, 2011 at 7:51 am

    If we are remembered with half as much affection as your mother is, we shall be fortunate indeed.
    x

    Reply
  3. ninatimm says

    October 19, 2011 at 8:08 am

    I did not know your mom, but I know you and from all the beautiful things I read about her, you are going to be remembered for many of those exact things. It is a pleasure knowing you.

    Reply
  4. Angela says

    October 19, 2011 at 9:23 am

    What a lovely post and a wonderful way of sharing your memories with others. Mums are very very special people and incredibly hard to lose. I’m sure your mum would love to read what you’ve posted here.

    Reply
  5. Jamie says

    October 19, 2011 at 9:30 am

    Jeanne, what a wonderful, beautiful, thoughtful, moving post. How I would have loved to meet your mom. But she would be proud of you because you obviously have inherited many of her traits. I won’t say how I’ll remember you because we still have many long years together ahead of us but, yes, the wild fun, the weekends at your house, the jokes and laughters but your cleverness, your courage, your intelligence and your beautiful, inspirational writing. For starts. And I love a great plum galette.

    Reply
  6. Denise @ TLT says

    October 19, 2011 at 9:45 am

    This post truly touched me. Your mom sounds like a very special woman and it’s beautiful she’s remembered in that way. I think it’s good to think about how we want to be remembered now and then, because it gives us perspective and reminds us of what’s really important in life.

    Reply
  7. Móna Wise says

    October 19, 2011 at 9:46 am

    Oh Jeanne,
    How sentimental. I hate how you even wonder ‘how’ people will remember you. Almost like you are ill and dying………you are not, are you?
    I tried to leave this comment last night but a cold laptop and slow internet speed kept kicking me out so I lidded it and went to bed.
    You will be remembered for your infectious laugh and your sparkling eyes. How could anyone forget meeting a person that lit up a room belting out the lyrics to every Abba song known, and possible a few unknown too. Unforgettable too would be the way a simple sentence could we twisted into a dirty joke with nothing more than a slight smile and wink of an eye or the way you make someone work in a workshop but they walk away feeling like the did not actually work…..they had fun. I could go on all day – but have only met you briefly for one weekend. Imagine how those that know you a lifetime would describe you xxx

    Reply
  8. meeta says

    October 19, 2011 at 9:48 am

    Cherished memories are always worth gold. I never met your mum but from all the things you have told me and from having had the pleasure of meeting her daughter I think she must have been an awesome lady. Glad I have the opportunity to make our own memories with you. Hang in there!

    Reply
  9. Móna Wise says

    October 19, 2011 at 9:56 am

    Oh – and I forgot to say – your pastry looks amazing. I know you mentioned you could ‘do’ either – but did you make this by hand or did you use
    the mixer/food processor? It looks amazing…..and I love Plums. The End.

    Reply
  10. Colleen says

    October 19, 2011 at 10:07 am

    What a beautiful, poignant, moving and memorable post….and recipe! There are so many ways that I would remember you darlin girl…too many to post here. But one that stand out and touches my heart that I will mention….your caring and compassionate nature! You are a precious treasure in our lives and Don and I love you undendingly! You have brought a lot of joy into our lives and it is an honour to know you and be associated with you. The way you write about your mom brings a big lump into my throat. She sounds like she was just as amazing as you are…xxx

    Reply
  11. Ash says

    October 19, 2011 at 10:16 am

    I liked your stories about your mom Jeanne, she sounds like such a lovely person. I also sit and wonder about what people will remember me for when I’m gone and I hope that they remember lots of lovely food! You have such a nice way of writing, it’s so honest and clear, especially in comparison to all the market-ese and other ridiculously dressed up and insincere ways of writing out there! Thanks for this, and I will try your galette! 🙂

    Reply
  12. johanna says

    October 19, 2011 at 11:05 am

    I hope one day Caro will remember me as fondly as you remember your mum… I already have the Ferragamo shoes, if that helps?
    I am gutted I didn’t get a chance to meet her, but I love all the little tidbits you have been sharing with me over the years… and very soon i will see where she raised you, it’ll add another great dimension to the picture!
    Chin up for tomorrow, only good thoughts!

    Reply
  13. Alex says

    October 19, 2011 at 11:08 am

    Love it – you have such a great way with words of sentiment. You will be remembered fondly by all who cross your path my friend!

    Reply
  14. Baker Street says

    October 19, 2011 at 1:32 pm

    Oh Jeanne! What a heartfelt post!
    The galette looks sinfully delicious. the buttery pastry and caramelized fruit makes for a perfect dessert on any given day.

    Reply
  15. Elizabeth says

    October 19, 2011 at 2:22 pm

    This is lovely, Jeanne. Even though I have never met your mother, now I feel that I have. She sounds like a wonderful person.
    And this galette looks fabulous. Plums are just made to go into pastry, aren’t they?

    Reply
  16. Sukaina says

    October 19, 2011 at 4:01 pm

    What a lovely and heartfelt post Jeanne. I am sure your Mom is a very happy bunny wherever she is knowing that you have such warm memories of her as. She seems to have touched many people in her life. Your galette looks rustic- just what I’d like to see for dessert after a heavy meal.

    Reply
  17. Kayla @ La Cucina Del Bargello says

    October 19, 2011 at 5:51 pm

    You had me at plum. What a great fall dessert. I’m super stoked to try it!

    Reply
  18. Eggs on the Roof says

    October 19, 2011 at 7:23 pm

    This made me feel a huge sense of solidarity and empathy. My mum died 7 years ago tomorrow. Amongst a million other things, I remember staggeringly high heels, Mitsuko perfume, laughter, generosity and joie de vivre. I will raise a glass of champagne to you and your mum tonight. I know you miss her terribly, but that of course is the price we pay for having had wonderful mothers. Lots of love xx

    Reply
  19. Marisa says

    October 20, 2011 at 8:03 am

    Beautiful galette Jeanne and what a fantastic tribute to your mom – she sounds like a fantastic lady! PS: Now I know why you’re called Sweary Spice – must be in the genes. 😉

    Reply
  20. Ishay says

    October 20, 2011 at 5:17 pm

    Your amazing Mom – here’s to her. And to you, for the wonderful tribute you’ve written to honour her. How can they say the people we lose are not around anymore, even if you’re not a spiritual sort? Your Mom is around, in your smile, your words, your galette. Bet she’s extremely proud of you. Oh, and I am with you re kind, humourous people. The brash and self-centred have their place though- if only to remind us to be a little kinder, to take a little more time with others. Luscious looking galette that.

    Reply
  21. Ali says

    October 20, 2011 at 10:36 pm

    I’ve once met somebody with whom after parting ways wished the moment could be re-lived again, we all have that person 🙂 The nectarine and plum galette looks so scrumptious

    Reply
  22. Simone says

    October 21, 2011 at 4:28 pm

    I wonder the same thing often; how I can sometimes connect to another person instantly, chatting away as if we’ve known eachother for years and then the next time I meet another person I have absolutely no idea what to say to them… Weird how the chemistry between people seems to work. Yes it’s also their behavior towards others but sometimes there is no apparent reason for a like or dislike…
    I’m sure that the memories anyone would have of you Jeanne, whenever that faraway time comes, will be with nothing but fondness, love and respect!
    And that galette looks just totally awesome!

    Reply
  23. Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen says

    October 25, 2011 at 8:57 am

    “treat adults as children and children as adults in order to keep everybody happy” – now that is brilliant advice! And quite effective I’m sure. lol

    Reply
  24. Bop da says

    November 5, 2011 at 8:42 am

    I remember it was a few months before I started blogging, when I bought, ate, and cooked with plums for the first time. It was awesome. I made a plum galette too! Following a Cook’s Illustrated recipe. This brings back so many memories, and it looks so much more substantial than mine! (Since I wasn’t blogging, I just dumped the plum wedges in the middle, no fancy arrangement.)
    Hey, how are the nectarines? I’ve seen white peaches on the shelves too but I’m hesitant to buy, in case the taste isn’t so hot.

    Reply
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Never miss a Cooksister post!

Get my latest recipes delivered by e-mail!

Search over 500 recipes

Recently on Cooksister

  • Masalchi by Atul Kochhar – Indian street food in Wembley
  • Barbecued salmon with blood oranges and capers
  • Roasted Brussels sprouts with feta, pomegranate and pine nuts [GF, V]
  • Love Yourself healthy meal delivery [Review]
  • Antillean
  • Festive roast lamb with pomegranate glaze
  • Rustic blood orange and pistachio galettes
  • Cauliflower steak Welsh rarebit

Archives by month

Archives by category

Popular posts

Peppermint Crisp fridge tart - a South African treat
Nigella's Bakewell slices & the Big Bakewell Taste-off
Oxtail and red wine potjie
Gem squash 101: how to find them, how to grow them, how to eat them!
A risotto masterclass with the Costardi Brothers & Great Italian Chefs
Roosterkoek - a South African braai essential

Featured on

Also available on

🌷🌷🌷 It’s tulip season in London! Every 🌷🌷🌷 It’s tulip season in London!

Everywhere you look, these long-legged floral supermodels are adding a splash of colour to parks and gardens and I just can’t get enough of them! It’s easy to see how they inspired a collective buying frenzy in 17th Century Holland, called “tulip fever”, but today there are less dramatic ways to enjoy them. Here are a couple of suggestions of where to see them at their best:

🌷 The ultimate tulipalooza is the annual opening of Keukenhof gardens outside Amsterdam where 7 million (!) bulbs burst into life each Spring. This year the gardens are open 24 March-15 May (click on the link in my bio for FAQs and my top tips for visitors)

🌷In London, Kew Gardens always has spectacular displays of tulips; but you can also see excellent and free tulips in most of the Royal Parks such as Regents Park. 

🌷The Hampton Court Palace tulip festival is on until 2 May and the Hever  Castle’s Tulip Celebrations until 24 April - both within easy reach of London.

🌷The Morges Fete de la Tulipe in Switzerland takes place every year against the spectacular backdrop of Lake Geneva - it is on until 8 May this year.

I spotted these spectacular red frilly parrot tulips beside St Paul’s Cathedral yesterday 🌹 Where is the best display of tulips that you have ever seen?
MASALCHI BY ATUL KOCHHAR - pan-Indian street food MASALCHI BY ATUL KOCHHAR - pan-Indian street food restaurant in Wembley

Remember to save this post so you can find it later! 🔖

[Invited] If you thought Brick Lane and chicken tikka masala or madras were all there is to know about the food of the Indian subcontinent, think again! In the shadow of the Wembley arch,  @chefatulkochhar has opened his first casual dining restaurant,  showcasing the rustic, spicy, diverse street foods of India. 

Highlights when I visited included:
1. Carrot halwa
2. Papdi chaat
3. Chicken 65
4. Tandoori broccoli
5. Smoky aubergine chokha
6. A snap of all our mains - you can read all about these and more in the full review on my blog - click the link in my bio or go to:
 https://www.cooksister.com/2022/04/masalchi-atul-kochhar-indian-wembley.html

What is your favourite dish from the Indian subcontinent? Let me know in the comments 🌶🌶🌶
🍒🌸 It’s cherry blossom season! 🍒🌸 T 🍒🌸 It’s cherry blossom season! 🍒🌸

There is no season in London that I love more than cherry blossom season! From March through to April, trees in various parks and gardens in London put on an amazing display of delicate pink and white blossoms - and everything in the city seems a little more magical. This particular tree near St Pauls must be among London’s most photographed, and it’s not hard to see why 💕

Did you know that...

🌸cherry blossoms are Japan’s national flower and are known as Sakura 

🌸In 1910, Japan sent the USA some cherry trees as a goodwill gesture… and the Dept of Agriculture inspectors nearly caused an international incident by burning them as they were carrying insects and diseases! But in 1915 Japan sent more cherry trees that survived the inspectors, and these marked the start of cherry trees in the USA.

🌸 Peak blossom season is usually only two to three weeks in March/April but is hard to predict as the weather and the subspecies of tree influence the timing.

🌸The cherry blossom capital of the  world is Macon, Georgia with 300,000 - 350,000 Yoshino cherry blossom trees.

🌸 There are over 200 different varieties of cherry blossom and some are purely ornamental (meaning they produce no cherries)

Where is your favourite place to see cherry blossoms in London or around the world? Let me know in the comments and happy blossom hunting! 🌸🍒🌸

#pinkpinkpink
Dyed Gwyl Dewi Hapus - that's Happy St David's Day Dyed Gwyl Dewi Hapus - that's Happy St David's Day to those of you who don't speak Welsh! 

1 March is the Welsh national day  and what better way to celebrate than surrounded by daffodils -  the Welsh national flower!

Did you know that:
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 The English name "Wales" comes from the Anglo-Saxon word meaning "foreigner" - but the country's Welsh name "Cymru" means "friends" in Welsh.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 The  Welsh language Cymraeg is the oldest language in Britain, at about 4,000 years old!

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 There are more castles per square mile in Wales than any other European country.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Mount Everest is named after George Everest, the Welsh surveyor who first mapped the peak on western maps.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 The beautiful Menai bridge (spanning the Menai Strait between the Isle of Anglesey and mainland Wales) was the first suspension bridge in the world.

Have you ever visited Wales? What did you like most about it?
*NEW RECIPE* Barbecued salmon with blood oranges, *NEW RECIPE* Barbecued salmon with blood oranges, capers and dill. Pretty in pink 💕

[AD] Blood oranges are a small obsession of mine - from blood orange posset to blood orange and halloumi salad to blood orange & Cointreau upside down cake, I am always looking for new ways to make the most of their short season. Barbecuing them with salmon, capers and dill is a perfect match in terms of flavour as well as colour (or you can oven bake the salmon if it's not barbecue weather where you are!)

When @grahambeckuk asked me to suggest some recipes to match their wonderful Graham Beck Brut Rosé NV sparkling wine from South Africa, this was a pairing made in heaven, and wonderfully colour co-ordinated with their silver-pink bubbly. Get the full recipe and find out more about Graham Beck's sparkling wines, made using the same methods as Champagne, on my blog - link in my bio above. 

What do you like to do with blood oranges? I'd love to hear in the comments!
💘"Love yourself first and everything falls into 💘"Love yourself first and everything falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world." - Lucille Ball

Whether you are celebrating with a partner, with friends, or by yourself today, I hope most of all that you love yourself, love your body, love your strengths, love your weaknesses, and love who you are (or are becoming). Because... you're worth it!

Are you doing anything celebratory today? Let me know in the comments 💘💘💘

(The beautiful street art is London Hearts by @akajimmyc)
📸: @girl_travelsworld
Would you believe me if I told you this is NOT a p Would you believe me if I told you this is NOT a picture of a Moorish palace, a castle or a cathedral? And that you can get to it from central London in under an hour?

This is Crossness Pumping Station @crossnesset , a Grade I listed heritage site and one of London's last remaining magnificent Victorian sewage (!) pumping stations in Abbey Wood near Rainham. 

Did you know that...

💩 You can visit the building on monthly open days - the next one is Sun 20 Feb. Book at www.crossness.org.uk

💩  It was only in 1856, after 3 major cholera outbreaks in 30 years and the Big Stink when the stench of London's sewage finally reached Parliament, that construction of an intercepting sewer system for the city was approved.  The system (parts of which are still in use today) was designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette, Chief Engineer of London's Board of Metropolitan Works at the time.

💩  At Crossness, all London's sewage from south of the river was was raised by 9-12 metres to large reservoirs so that gravity would cause it to flow further east and into the Thames estuary. (Yes, until the 1880s, raw sewage was simply pumped into the Thames!)

💩 The incoming liquid was raised by the four enormous steam driven pumps, built to Joseph Bazalgette's design. The pumps were named Victoria, Prince Consort, Albert Edward, and Alexandra. They are thought to be the largest remaining rotative beam engines in the world, with 52-ton flywheels and 47-ton beams. 

💩 The pumping station was decommissioned and abandoned in the 1950s but declared a listed building in 1970.  Although all 4 beam engines remain in place, they were so damaged that today (thanks to the efforts of the Crossness Engines Trust) only Prince Consort has been restored to working condition and can be seen in action on open days.

💩 The exuberant and colourful wrought ironwork inside is the amazing work of architect Charles Henry Driver. My favourite detail is the fact that the pillars in the central atrium are topped with stylised figs and senna pods... two of nature's greatest natural laxatives 🤣
*NEW RECIPE* Roasted Brussels sprouts with feta ch *NEW RECIPE* Roasted Brussels sprouts with feta cheese, pomegranate and pine nuts

Ever noticed how you are affected by colours? 🌈

Maybe some colours make you agitated and some make you relaxed. Or maybe you find yourself inexplicably attracted to a particular colour (oh, hi teal and aqua!💙). On the basis that all colours have a wavelength, and that those outside the visible spectrum can affect us, it makes sense that the colours we see can affect our mood or even our physiology. Did you know for instance that exposure to red light can increase your blood pressure and heart rate? Are there any colours that you find yourself particularly attracted to or affected by?

The pretty colours of these roasted Brussels sprouts with feta cheese, pomegranate and pine nuts will be the first things that attract you to this dish - but it is the delicious combination of flavours and textures that will keep you coming back for more!

The recipe (and more about how colour affects us mentally and physically) is now live on my blog - click the live link in my profile and remember to like and bookmark this post to see more Cooksister in your Instagram feed ❤️
Perspective: a particular attitude towards or way Perspective: a particular attitude towards or way of regarding something.

Perspective is the one thing that the Covid-19 pandemic has given us plenty of. It has certainly made us re-evaluate what is truly important, and also what we did and didn't enjoy about our lives  before the pandemic and its associated lockdowns. It made me appreciate how much happiness my house, my job, my friends, my own company and my running bring to my life (and how fortunate I am to have all these things). But it also brought home how much I enjoy and miss travel, the theatre, and the luxury of reataurant visits at the drop of a hat. I don't think words can describe my joy at sipping the first coffee purchased from a coffee shop in summer 2020 as lockdown eased. It's the little things...

One of the things I have enjoyed and will not miss as the world creeps back to normality is the absence of crowds in what is usually a crowded city. On the occasions that I have been in central London since the start of the pandemic, streets have been blissfully empty and it has felt as if I were discovering my city anew. This glorious perspective (hah!) of St Paul's Cathedral normally requires a long wait while a queue of tourists and "influencers" ahead of you pose for photos - but on this glorious day last Spring it was almost deserted. I will miss that...

Is there anything you will miss as Covid-19 restrictions start to be lifted?
Load More... Follow me on Instagram

Follow Jeanne Horak-Druiff's board Recipes by Cooksister on Pinterest.

Cooksister

The South African Food and Wine Blog Directory

The South African Food and Wine Blog Directory

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Jeanne Horak is a freelance food and travel writer; recipe developer and photographer. South African by birth and Londoner by choice, Jeanne has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Jeanne has also worked with a number of destination marketers to promote their city or region. Please get in touch to work with her Read More…

Latest Recipes

Salmon with blood oranges dill and capers
Brussels sprouts with feta and pomegranate
Roast lamb with pomegranate glaze
Blood orange & pistachio galettes
Cauliflower topped steak with melted cheese
Plate of potted smoked salmon with slaw and a glass of champagne
bowls of pistachio pomegranate bircher muesli
Brussels sprouts with chorizo & hazelnuts

SITEMAP

Home

Contact

About me

Recipe Index

Restaurant Index

Copyright & Disclaimer

Cookies & privacy policy




blog counter

© 2004 - 2022 · Jeanne Horak unless otherwise stated - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may not reproduce any text, excerpts or images without my prior permission. Site by RTW Labs

Copyright © 2022 · Cooksister on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Cooksister cookie consent
We use cookies to ensure you receive the best experience on our site. If you continue to use this site, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions. Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT