Robin Ellis's Blog, page 13
September 26, 2016
Lily, the cat from over the way–RIP
Lily passed today.
She had made her customary but mysterious journey from the other side of the meadow late morning.
She was thin and breathing hard.
She’d not been well when we left for the book tour of the States.
While we were gone her right ear began to bleed profusely and house sitters nephew Dom and partner Deming had to clean up.
Julie, the traveling vet with a van, came at 2.45 this afternoon and said the tumer on her ear was metastasizing into her lungs–which was why she was finding it hard to breath.
The three of us were in unspoken agreement that this was the moment–the right time.
It is always hard to know.
I dug a hole and we buried her under the trees in the garden, next to Pippa and Lucien.
She was a remarkable mother–gave us three litters.
Meredith found homes for all of them except Blackie, her all black daughter, who preferred to stay close but outside–a chip off the old block.
She suffered in the heat of the summer of 2003; carrying her kitties across the fields in search of food and safety.
It burned her ears permanently.
We never learned where her home was or if she ever really had one.
You wouldn’t describe her as a companionable cat, she was too busy surviving–but she liked it here and knew there would always be something on offer to eat.
Lately she’d been happy to show us some affection and a disinclination to leave.
Indomitable is a word for her.
Filed under: other sides to this life
September 23, 2016
End of the tour
The END!
Full circle.
East coast to West coast and back–three weeks “on the road” and here we are in Washington DC about to fly back home.
It has ended brilliantly with two memorable meals–both cooked by others.
For three weeks I’ve stayed out of the kitchen–apart from making four omelets in Palo Alto.
JOY!
We have relied on the kindness of friends for places to stay–without their generosity this trip would not have been affordable.
New York City was the US launch and a lively pop-up event at a Scottish bar and restaurant called St. Andrews in the heart of the theatre district.
Enthusiastic POLDARK fans in the pub snug
An American version of Demelza!
Our friends Melanie and Bruce kindly lent us an apartment on West 22nd Street–a long stone’s throw from where the bomb went off last week.
Melanie sent us photos of the Malibu Diner where we had lunch together–now a crime scene.
Then on to Dallas–hosted by our friends Cindi and Jay.
It’s hot in Dallas–every day! Close to 100F–we duck in and out of air-conditioned buildings and cars.
Screening of the first episode of season two of POLDARK at a local cinema–over 200 in the audience and it looked fabulous up there on the BIG SCREEN.
Q & A afterwards with Bill Young–the Vice President in charge of programming at KERA, Dallas’ excellent PBS station.
Thanks, Bill, for your creativity, perseverance and organization.
Some of the Dallas folks had scrapbooks of my FIRST visit to Dallas with Angharad 39 years ago!
Poignant visit to Dealey Plaza and the Sixth Floor Museum in the Texas Book Depository, kindly hosted by the museum’s British executive director, Nicola Longford.
With Nicola Longford
The Texas School Book Depository on Dealey Plaza. The museum inside is the second most-visited site in Texas after the Alamo.
Brilliant audio tour helps bring some understanding to the tragedy.
Breathless we fly to Los Angeles and arrive late at the lovely little house in Los Feliz of Christy, widow of TV director brother Peter–who died suddenly ten years ago of a heart attack.
Christy helped make the original contact with the flourishing bookstore in Larchmont Village, Chevaliers, where LA Times TV critic Robert Lloyd moderates beautifully the next evening.
With Robert Lloyd, TV critic for The Los Angeles Times
Sold out of books!
The following day a visit SoCal (KOCE), the PBS station for Los Angeles to record some pledge material with Maura Phinney.
A short flight to San Francisco and on to Palo Alto I visit the Gates of Hell (!) in the Rodin Sculpture Garden on the Stanford University campus with our local host, Holly Brady.
Big turn-out at Books Inc— our third visit to this remarkable bookstore opposite the Stanford campus.
They’ve hosted us for all three cookbook tours.
I demonstrate that a diagnosis of Diabetes is not the end of convivial eating and drinking–in moderation, of course!
We sell out of books again.
We fit in a private tour of LucasFilms HQ in the Presidio quarter of San Francisco, close to the Golden Gate Bridge, thanks to Hilary and Yves.
It’s here that cutting edge special effects in films and animation are created. The halls are lined with artifacts at every turn.
We head back east for the final event at Arlington Library last Sunday.
We stay with our friends, Irv and Iris. Irv, retired Washington correspondent for The New York Times, agreed to moderate the event at Arlington’s Central Library. A double act is born!
The sell-out audience (over 180) enjoyed it enough to buy us out of cookbooks.
A good finish to a whistle-stop, heads down, no-time-for-shopping tour.
We spend a blessed 24 hours with our friends Ray and Ann in their waterside house on Chesapeake Bay–where I learn to breathe again.
Ray cooks a delicious meal of crab cakes with the local catch and pork fillet with clams–bliss it is.
Back in the D.C. last night Iris cooks up a storm for us.
Salmon marinated in soy, ginger and garlic preceded by an intriguing cantaloupe melon soup served chilled.
First day of autumn passes.
The prospect of walnuts and wood fires.
A bientôt, America and thanks!
Filed under: Diabetes, Food, other sides to this life, Poldark, Robin Ellis Tagged: KERA PBS Dallas, Malibu Diner, Poldark, rodin's gates of hell, SoCal PBS, the white house
September 9, 2016
The USA Tour continues….
Filed under: Diabetes, Food, Poldark, Recipes, Robin Ellis Tagged: Book Tour, Mediterranean Cooking for Diabetics, Poldark, robin ellis
August 24, 2016
Our American trip in September–hope to see you!
If our paths cross, hope you’ll come say hello!
In New York City:
In Los Angeles:
In Palo Alto:
In Arlington, Virginia (Washington D.C. area):
Filed under: Diabetes, other sides to this life, Poldark, Robin Ellis Tagged: Book Tour, diabetes, Mediterranean cooking, Mediterranean Cooking for Diabetics, Poldark, robin ellis
August 19, 2016
A letter from No. 10–the P.M. replies!
May Day!
Today, in the postbox, a letter from Prime Minister, Theresa May!
I sent her a copy of Mediterranean Cooking for Diabetics a few weeks ago.
She has Type 1 Diabetes and I’ve read that she is a keen cook–possessing over a hundred cookbooks!
(We have THAT in common!)
It could greatly benefit the campaign to fight the rise of Diabetes to have such a public figure as the new FEMALE Prime Minister of the UK, declaring so publicly, that she is Type 1 diabetic.
Filed under: Diabetes, other sides to this life, Robin Ellis Tagged: prime minister, Theresa May
August 11, 2016
Ralph Bates and Usain Bolt
On the face of it Ralph Bates and Usain Bolt have little in common.
For one thing Ralph died over 25 years ago and Usain is about to defend his Olympic titles at 100 and 200 metres.
So why on earth are they sharing the title of this post?
Ralph loved sport–but as a spectator. Together we once attended a Barry Macguigan boxing match at Queens Park Rangers Football ground and as a mover I never saw Ralph “bolt”. To the contrary, he swayed elegantly.
Well, he was half-French! The eminent scientist, Louis Pasteur, was his great-great uncle.
It’s a question of attitude.
The interview below reminded me of dear Ralph and his insouciant nature.
With his third Olympic Games coming up, Usain Bolt a.k.a. the Human Arrow–double 100 and 200 metros champion–says the key for him (about performing) is to actively avoid thinking too much.
“I’m in good shape and I’ve done all the hard work in training I know I’ll be good.
“When you’re waiting there, minutes before the race starts, it’s easy to end up staring down the track and getting caught up in it all; but when you know you’re in good shape then the performances come. Everything clicks and you just run the perfect race. You don’t need to think too hard, just execute–you are focused and ready to perform.”
As I read this, my mind switched locations to an over-lit corridor outside a BBCTV studio in Birmingham, where we were about to record an episode of the second series of Poldark–circa May 1977.
I was pacing up and down, “actively thinking too much“, worried about the next two-and-half hours of filming.
Ralph, dressed as the suave George Warleggan, spotted me anxiously pacing and quietly tapped me on the shoulder.
“It’s only a play, Robin!”.
He might have added:
“You know you ‘re in good shape, you’ve done all the hard work in rehearsal and you know you’ll be good. You are focused and ready to perform!”
That’s what he meant with his reassuring pat on my shoulder.
Yesterday I learned that the Reverend Dr. Halse–that admirable, upstanding, pillar of the Cornish establishment–would be making another appearance in the third series of Poldark. which starts filming next month.
I’ll try to remember– It’s only a Play!
An unusually insouciant Dr Halse
Filed under: other sides to this life, Poldark, Robin Ellis Tagged: Poldark, ralph bates, usain bolt
August 3, 2016
Published! in the USA–TODAY!
I am thrilled to announce that my new cook book,
MEDITERRANEAN COOKING for DIABETICS is published TODAY in the USA!
It comes with 250 beautiful photos of food and life here in SW France, taken by my in-house photographer–Meredith Wheeler!
Bon Appetit tout le monde!
This is a reworking of my first cookbook, Delicious Dishes for Diabetics–so if you have that, the recipes will be familiar but the format is completely different.
ALSO The Washington Post just published a recipe from the new book for hazelnut pasta, one of our favorites!
We are doing an American book tour (with a bit of POLDARK mixed in) during the first three weeks of September. Here’s the itinerary so far! Come say hello!
(Details of the NYC event still being worked out!)
Filed under: other sides to this life
July 24, 2016
Grilled sucrine (baby gem) lettuce halves with a topping
Years ago we had lunch at a traditional brasserie in Toulouse and I chose as a starter a salad that sounded a little different.
It was an assembly of baby gem lettuce (called sucrine here– and they have a sweetness to them) small dollops of tapinade, parmesan shavings and quail eggs.
It looked beautiful: green and black with the yellow of the egg yolks and parmesan lifting it into the sublime.
It tasted good too–and joined my repertoire of Starters.
This version takes that recipe further, adding the smoky edge that a little light grilling gives the lettuce halves.
Grilling lettuce? Sounds odd but these tightly formed little gems keep their shape and and are transformed into the main players on the plate.
It helps to have some tapinade* already made, although a scattering of juicy black olives-chopped would do too.
I use the anchovy vinaigrette–also from my cook book–which goes well with these punchy little lettuces–but you could keep it simple and stick with the vinaigrette of your choice.
For 2
3 baby lettuce hearts–halved lengthwise
anchovy dressing* or vinaigrette of choice
some tapinade dip (or chopped black oils)
parmesan shavings
4 poached eggs
a couple of anchovies–halved lengthwise and across (optional!)
Heat a grill pad (the kind that sits on the stove) to hot.
Brush the cut side of the lettuce halves with the dressing and a little more olive oil
Grill for two or three minutes while lightly brushing the other sides of the lettuces with the dressing.
The grilling should take long enough to soften and color the lettuce without burning.
Turn them over and grill for a further two minutes or so….
Plate them up and pour over a little more dressing.
Top with dollops of tapinade and some parmesan shavings.
Finish with thinly slice anchovy fillets (if you’re using them).
Add the eggs to the assembly.
We ate these under the parasol in the courtyard.
Sublime…
* recipe in my new book, Mediterranean Cooking for Diabetics and on this blog; it is a handy dip in summer!
Filed under: other sides to this life, Recipes Tagged: littlegem lettuce, sucrine, tapinade
July 4, 2016
The Somme
FRIDAY JULY 1st 2016
We spend the day at Thiepval–witnessing the centenary commemoration of the Battle of The Somme.
It is a brilliantly organized event, attended by the great and the good…
and 10,000 of the rest of us, sitting facing the enormous monument designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.
At 7h30 on the the first of July 1916–100 years ago this day–the first soldier went over the top in a battle that would last into November.
Close to 20 thousand British troops were killed that first day.
In all, the Battle of the Somme cost a million Allied and German lives–combined.
Slaughter on that scale–the morass of mud and murder in July 1916–is hard to grasp.
The full horror–the physical nightmare of being there–impossible to experience; viewable, but at once removed, in contemporary photos, in books and museums.
We can only gasp at the sheer scale of it.
Below is a map showing the cemeteries that are located in the area of the conflict–280 of them.
The vast monument at Thiepval was finished and inaugurated in 1932 in the presence of the previous Prince of Wales–and just seven years before Europe was again engulfed in flames.
The size of this elephantine, enigmatic building–(the finished version was smaller than he had originally envisaged) seems to echo the enormity of the disaster it represents. Was that Sir Edwin’s intention?
It can be seen for miles around beaming out its message of remembrance–“Lest we forget” over the now benign landscape.
On it are inscribed the names of the Allied dead–below, a part of the wall devoted to names of the 72 thousand soldiers missing in action.
As the ceremony came to a close and taking their cue from a heavy shower minutes before, poppy shaped pieces of paper, representing the fallen, rain down from high on the tower.
Blue for France; red for Great Britain.
We added a wreath of poppies to the many at the Memorial Cross.
Our inscription: When will we ever learn?
Inspired by Pete Seeger’s famous song:
Where have all the soldiers gone, long time passing?
Where have all the soldiers gone, long time ago?
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Gone to graveyards, everyone.
Oh, when will they ever learn?
Oh, when will they ever learn?
Where have all the graveyards gone, long time passing?
Where have all the graveyards gone, long time ago?
Where have all the graveyards gone?
Gone to flowers, everyone.
Oh, when will they ever learn?
Oh, when will they ever learn?
Filed under: other sides to this life Tagged: battle of the Somme, edwin lutyens, FRIDAY JULY 1st 2016, Thiepval, Thiepval monument
June 29, 2016
Brexit
This vote for Brexit has shocked me.
I’ve been trying to write something about it since Friday.
This blog has been carefully non-political (I’ve been tempted on occasion though!) but I feel I have at least to acknowledge that it has taken place.
Yesterday’s attempt was a bit of a rant–and my in-house editor took a red pencil to it!
It helped though, to have had a bit of a rant–like shouting in the car with the windows up.
AAARGHH!
I wrote to a friend yesterday:
We are devastated here after the result.
Still in shock–it’s hard to take in, like the death of a friend.
It’s the never-no-more part–the finality of it.
Working out the details will take years, but our withdrawal from the grand project that has kept the peace in Europe for 70 years is shameful and dangerous.
It is already unravelling in terms of delivering what the “leavers” wanted.
Well, it “remains” to be seen how it will play out.
The way people vote often has an element of self interest.
We live in France and are anxious to know how this will affect our situation.
(An added frustration was the fact that we did not have the right to vote–as we have lived abroad for over 15 years.)
This decision was too important to be decided by a simple majority vote!
Simple majority votes are fine for general elections–when the result can be reversed in five years– but this decision is forever.
I may have to get back in the car….
Filed under: other sides to this life Tagged: brexit, simple majority vote
