Category: Cooking

Experts are expressing concern regarding food supplies if Trump’s war carries on for much longer. Plants need fertiliser (we are told) and oil produces most of the worlds fertiliser. Why are we taking productive farm land out of production for housing, data centres and solar farms? Surely it would make sense to encourage organic food production and healthy diets with emphasis on local produce (although it is not always the most efficient! so a variable answer). Imposing price caps on essential foods is not supporting the supermarkets or the poor – but would benefit the middle classes where one partner can stay at home and cook! OK – i am confused! My local shop does a good trade in hot food and sandwiches for workers who stop on their way to work. Why not make your own sandwiches? Healthier and cheaper? Why is there a larger number of fast food outlets in working class areas?

Oh well the British public are thick – a report today revealed that most people thought migration to Britain has increased whilst in actual fact it has dropped by 75% since the General Election. When their doctors are unavailable due to non-existence, and food rots in the fields due to lack of workers, maybe then there is a small glimmer of hope that the majority of the public will see the sense in a sensible discussion regarding migration. Numbers have dropped from nearly a million to 250.000 – a substantial reduction. Latest stats today, show net migration to be the lowest since 2012 at 171000.

I was talking to my daughter about the overt racism of my youth with ‘Until death us do part’ and the “Black and White Minstral Show”, schools where children were regularly caned, homosexuals were referred to as ‘bum boys’ and ‘perverts’. Hopefully our society has moved forward although comments by Reform followers suggest a regression.

Meanwhile in dull Somerset we wait for the heat wave! It was dull, cloudy and a little cold this morning. However the garden welcomes the rain and late afternoon heat.

The USA has spent at least $15 billion so far – probably a lot more. It has the freeedom of the skies and has destroyed the Iranian Navy.. It has said it has blockaded Iran ports – yet 28 vessels have passed through the Strait of Hormuz after visiting Iran ports with at least 2 loading up with oil at Kharg Island. How did they do that? Apparently by switching off their tracking devices! WTF! We are not talking about kayaks or canoes but merchant vessels. So either the technology of satellites and reconnaiscance aircraft is not all it is cracked up to be – or America is turning a blind eye – perhaps to allow China to get supplies? Is this an uptodate example of the economics of war espoused hilariously by Catch 22. trump announced after a few days of the war that ‘America had won the war”. In conventional terms he may be correct, but as the Vietnam experience showed – military dominence is only a part of warfare. So the rest of the world will continue to suffer as Trump feeds his ego. Will petrol at the UK pumps hit £2 litre? And will this lead to higher food prices. Maybe the capitalist economies of the west need something as drastic as this to reintroduce an element of sustainability into the market economy?

Only with a reintroduction into the EU can this be feasible. The UK is too small and can suffer from climate induced hazards that affect farms. Within Europe it should be a case of swings and roundabouts. The same goes for solar and wind power – it is highly likely that, given the infrastructure, power could be routed around on calm cloudy nights.

And the papers are full of the increase in anti-semetic crime and Starmers call for a halt to pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Is he really that fucking stupid. A start would be with sanctions against Israel; then laws increasing punishment for inciting crimes of hatred. I would increase these crimes to include the press and internet companies. The press should not be able to pedal anti-migrant ‘facts’ without putting them in context. Of course there crimes committed by migrants, but as a proportion of those committed by white Britons they are likely to be proportionately fewer. These are not ‘news’papers – but pedallers of right wing bollox.

At home I have planted out cosmos seedlings and watered tomato plants – they should be able to go into big pots later next week. Greek basil is also sprouting. I am also making oat flour strawberry and lemon cookies.

Did Polanski have an error of judgement? In my view yes and no. The no relates to footage showing a police officer kicking the attacker in or near his head – this is American ICE style policing and not one that should be condoned. The Yes relates to the timing – a considered response rather than a retweet would have been sensible, but surely not requiring a full page in the Guardian which becomes more like a beacon for Israel and zionism every day! It mentions at length the 3 potential candidates that are accused of anti-semitism whilst ignoring the huge number of Reform/Tory candidates accused of racism and no mention of Islamaphobic comments .

Meanwhile Trump continues to be unstable. he claims that he no longer needs Congressional support and agreement for the war in Iran as there is a ceasefire! He has also raised tariffs on UE evehicles again citing that the EU had reneged on the deal struck at Turnbery. He has also said he will cut USA troops in Europe.

NO MOW MAY – is upon us. This is my fourth year of not mowing (or NO MOW EVER!)! Wallflowers and fennel and chicory are thriving in the driveway and pavements (and even in the gutter along the street. Despite my immediate neighbours waging chemical warfare on their gardens, insects continue to be drawn to my haven for insects. Birds are rarer, although I did have a hungry goldfinch on the seeds of evening primrose in the autumn. Sage and rosemary and thyme are thriving, as are 10 rose bushes.

However the Guardian did have an article about declining birth rates in developed countries – something that racists and Reform chose to ignore. With my generation (the baby boomers) getting old and infirm, there is the problem of both an ageing population and then a falling one to contend with. The immigration of young adults into the UK over the past 10 years has mitigated the effect in the UK (and probably the USA?), but still the negative rhetoric about migrants continues. Who is in front of you at the queue for doctors at the surgery or in hospital? What colour is the doctor? It is not just the qualified jobs that migrants fill, who is the person at the till, serving your meal, driving your bus or cab?

OK, I am retired, but still get the blues occasionally. Today it was learning that a brilliant friend had had a fall and broken pelvis and elbow. But the sun is shining and one should not be morose about these things. Shit happens!

Starmer has to face Parliament today to see if he can bullshit he way out of his predicament. Will he resign or wait until after the humiliation of the May elections? Miliband is likely to announce plans to further green energy projects tomorrow.. In Italy Silvia Salis may offer a decent alternative to the present right wing government.

Tomato seeds finally begining to germinate but it was near freezing at 6am this morning. Washing out. Recycling back in after collection. I might make some cookies with oat flour, lemon and raisins? Boring today – sorry!

First jamjam of the year underway with 3.5kg of finest cheddar strawberries just purchased. I also have some elderflower liquor to jazz it up a bit. Still too cold to start planting but I have the seeds and the pots waiting. I also got some rhubarb for a crumble!

Thunbergs meadowsweet along with a wall flower in glorious blossom and bluebells coming through.

Meanwhile back to the war. Trump says talks have been positive and is suspending air strikes for 5 days. Iran says not talks have taken place! Has he run out of missiles or ???? Two days ago he was going to obliterate their whole infrastructure.