Sorry for disappearing - but I'm back :-)

[Stravaig]

Hello again you lovely folks,

Sorry for my absence.

Unless you've been on another planet recently, you'll be aware that the Russians started a war and attempted to invade Ukraine. I'll not raise political issues here because this friendly place is about gardening, friendship - and food!

We were evacuated from Kyiv, and we've since been in various temporary accommodations in the UK. I guess gardening hasn't been at the forefront of my mind. But I got several pots of herbs from Sainsbury's and other supermarkets so I have a sort of mini indoor kitchen garden. Well, what the heck? You do what you can.

We were hoiked out of Kyiv quickly before the war actually started and dumped back in the UK into whatever could be found at such short notice. Keep us safe and we'll just have to see what happens to our home and possessions. Yeah, I can always buy another wotsit - but if our apartment gets a missile attack, at least we're not in it.

Some of our Ukrainian colleagues have been conscripted into the military - but they don't have equipment! We've made donations via the Red Cross and other fund raising groups. If you feel like you might want to help I'm sure you can find places online to do it.

The herb pots from the supermarkets really aren't bad for giving you a start...

[Shallot Man]

Stravaig. My thoughts go out to you and your family. Trust things will eventually return to some sort of normality.

[snooky]

Welcome back Stravaig.Good to learn that you and your family are safe and well.

[Westi]

So pleased to hear you are safe and sound Stravaig. If you end up somewhere a little more permanent let us know & with any luck someone might have a plot nearby that you could visit or help out - or they could push the committee to give you your own as a gesture of unity.

I sincerely hope all your friends & colleagues remain safe.

[Primrose]

Stravaig. It made my day to see your post and to know you were safe. I often wondered about you when the daily news has come on. It must be hard wondering what's happening to your flat and possessions and friends in Kyiv. We have donated and our local vicinity is organising regular lorry runs of supplies to Ukraine. At least you are safe but it must be hard feeling so helpless.

Keep going with the herb pots!. Lets hope that eventually sanity will eventually prevail.

[Stephen]

I'm glad you are safe.

[Diarmuid]

Stravaig, Thank God you are safe. Other than that I don't know what to say. It's all so insane.
Regards,
Der.

[Colin2016]

Great to hear from you and that you & your family are safe.

If you are any where near North Norfolk and want to get growing message me as I am sure something could be arranged.

[robo]

It’s good to know your safe ,if you are anywhere near Merseyside you could come and work part of my plot I’m struggling with arthritis in my knees , toes, shoulders but my fingers are not too bad

[Stravaig]

Thank you all very much for your lovely messages of support.

There are people much, much worse off than us so I'm not fretting too much about our situation although it's somewhat uncomfortable to be uprooted suddenly at a few hours notice and not know if or when we might get back. ("Family" is just husband and me.)

We usually live in Kent, when in the UK, but are now in Essex. Gotta take what's available. Our landlord is very pleasant and it's a nice little house, south facing at the back so plenty of sunshine. When you compare that with Ukrainian people fleeing and having their homes and all their possessions destroyed, it seems like we're pretty well off.

Some of the stories in the news, eg on the BBC, are just horrendous - ten civilians shot whilst queueing for bread... and so on.

Thanks also for the offers of where I might be able to do gardening - very much appreciated - but I'm very much on the kitchen side of the kitchenGARDEN forum. I do the gardening bit - ie growing herbs - because I need the stuff for the kitchen. If any of you happen to be anywhere near where we are (Romford) I'll happily cook for you.

Gotta go now because I'm getting my arm chewed off to go and watch the telly...

[oldherbaceous]

Really nice to know you are safe, Stravaig….testing times indeed!

Lovely to see a post on the forum from you….you were missed.

[retropants]

So happy to hear that you and your oh are safe and sound Stravaig. Keep on keeping on I guess.

[Stravaig]

It's been a bit busy again...

I went to the Billingsgate cookery school which is on the floor above the market. I did a fishmongering course. Dunno why, really, I just fancied doing it. Oh wow, it was a really great experience. It was a one day course from 6am till 4pm. It was very professional. The people - staff and students - were very helpful and friendly. Blimey, it was a full on day but the time flew past. I absolutely loved it. And I felt great afterwards. Yes, it was a wee bit exhausting, but it was a grand day out.

[Primrose]

Probably good to have the distracting experience Stravwig. Sounds as if it was full on and if it included filleting and gutting as well there was probably plenty to learn. What did you cook?

If you travelled there by train, did all the passengers leave an empty seat beside you on the way home ? My OH who loves cooking once attended the Waitrose cookery school in London for a fish culinary course. He had to travel home by train in a summer heatwave carrying a polystyrene case of fresh fish which was part of his attendance incentive.he was given a wide berth as after a day of working on filleting Rae fish and cooking it, he stank to high heaven and all his clothes had to go straight in the washing machine!.

[Stravaig]

Hi Primrose,

The focus was on knife skills, so it was gutting, cutting, and filleting. No cooking at all on this course but they did have a chef who cooked a lovely lunch for us all. (13 in the class)

What fish you work with depends on what's available in the market that day. I did trout, Dover sole, salmon, and gurnard in the morning. Not keen on gurnard. I had a lengthy wrestling match with it trying to twist its head off (which was what we were told to do) only to discover later that it's horribly boney and somewhat tasteless. If I have to deal with one again, to heck with twisting the head off, I'd just chop it off with a big knife.

The afternoon was supposed to be shellfish, ie scallops and shucking oysters. But we kinda ran out of time. I was a bit disappointed about that because I'd wanted to be elegant and sophisticated (just kidding!) and an expert on oysters. One of the B'gate teachers suggested I should just buy a dozen oysters and practise on them.

So I've chatted up our usual fishmonger (in Kent) and said I'll buy a dozen if he demos shucking one again for me. It's all arranged for tomorrow! I'm looking forward to it.

I didn't stink on the train. LOL. We had two overnights in London (Fraser Place serviced apartments - very easy walking distance to the market/school). The course started at 6am so it made sense to stay the night before and then I was sure I wouldn't feel like rushing back to Essex after such a long day so we stayed the night after the course as well. We did get to take home the fish we prepped so that was why a serviced apartment was important. It had a tiny kitchen including a fridge. UK hotels are so backward - they never seem to have a fridge in the room.

It was actually a City and Guilds course so I could've got a qualification if I'd done some paperwork. But I didn't really feel the need to. It's not as if I needed it for any kind of job. I figured that either I can prepare and cook fish or I can't. No one is ever going to give a stuff if I have the qualification.

https://www.seafoodtraining.org/