Oh what a weekend. On Thursday I prepared Americo’s favourite dinner – Oxtail. If anyone has ever cooked oxtail you will know that it is a very flavourful meat that is as tough as old boots unless cooked for endless hours. Usually I would do this in the pressure cooker which cuts the cooking time by half and is guaranteed eating satisfaction. However last week I thought I would be adventurous and experiment… on Thursday I cooked it for two and a half hours in the oven expecting that it would require only a further one and a half hours on Friday night. I was misled! By 11pm on Friday dinner was still a bit too much on the chewy side and my husband was looking decidedly grouchy. So it was with grumbling tummies and chastised attitudes we went to bed.
You will be happy to know that the oxtail, after a further hour in the pressure cooker, was salvaged and tasted very nice and tender the next day. However 6 hours in the oven and the extra hour seem a bit excessive for any meal. Next time (as Americo expressed on numerous occasions) I shall stick to the tried and tested method! You see sweetheart, I do on occasion listen to you!!
On Saturday, having recovered from our disappointments of the night before, we set out for a lovely day with friends. Storme & I went to Tori’s kitchen tea whilst Ian and Americo amused themselves by purchasing all the ingredients for our dinner. What was to be a quiet evening of just 4 ended as a drunken shindig with all the boys on top form. I cannot remember when I have laughed so much! As I was not drinking the mantle of designated driver fell to me. I have to admit to a certain gratitude that my charges were all slightly under the weather.. thereby unable to remember the trip or my driving home! Actually it wasn’t as bad as all that but I truly do not think I could have handled 4 extra backseat drivers making helpful suggestions.
Sunday dawned beautiful and sunny (possibly a little too sunny for Americo who, from what I understand, had a marching band playing in his head). Unfortunately there was no time for sympathies as we had to be up and att’em so that we could replenish our stocks at Costco then onwards and upwards to lunch with Pearl and Peter. We arrived at P&P’s with our 6 months worth of meat and promptly rearranged their fridge to accommodate all our food. After a lovely lunch in their beautiful garden we drove home for many a delightful hour of unpacking, wrapping and stacking.
Come Monday morning I was looking forward to the relative peace of going back to work! Now it is Tuesday and the shine of Monday has definitely been tarnished!
You will be happy to know that the oxtail, after a further hour in the pressure cooker, was salvaged and tasted very nice and tender the next day. However 6 hours in the oven and the extra hour seem a bit excessive for any meal. Next time (as Americo expressed on numerous occasions) I shall stick to the tried and tested method! You see sweetheart, I do on occasion listen to you!!
On Saturday, having recovered from our disappointments of the night before, we set out for a lovely day with friends. Storme & I went to Tori’s kitchen tea whilst Ian and Americo amused themselves by purchasing all the ingredients for our dinner. What was to be a quiet evening of just 4 ended as a drunken shindig with all the boys on top form. I cannot remember when I have laughed so much! As I was not drinking the mantle of designated driver fell to me. I have to admit to a certain gratitude that my charges were all slightly under the weather.. thereby unable to remember the trip or my driving home! Actually it wasn’t as bad as all that but I truly do not think I could have handled 4 extra backseat drivers making helpful suggestions.
Sunday dawned beautiful and sunny (possibly a little too sunny for Americo who, from what I understand, had a marching band playing in his head). Unfortunately there was no time for sympathies as we had to be up and att’em so that we could replenish our stocks at Costco then onwards and upwards to lunch with Pearl and Peter. We arrived at P&P’s with our 6 months worth of meat and promptly rearranged their fridge to accommodate all our food. After a lovely lunch in their beautiful garden we drove home for many a delightful hour of unpacking, wrapping and stacking.
Come Monday morning I was looking forward to the relative peace of going back to work! Now it is Tuesday and the shine of Monday has definitely been tarnished!
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