SPAIN’S PRESIDENT PEDRO Sánchez announced Sunday that our two-week lockdown has been extended to four weeks. This news wasn’t unexpected and we’ll do whatever is needed and what is expected of us. We may sometimes whine, but we will not complain. We have it easy in comparison to so many others. We’re proud of Spain and, especially, of the people of Andalucía.
Meanwhile, we try to keep ourselves busy and productive at home. I’ve taken up cooking in earnest. It’s the truth! To prove it, I’ve shared a pictorial recipe of my latest breakfast. If you need me to write it out for you, I’d be happy to. But, somehow, I don’t think it will be necessary.
San Geraldo continues to try and compete with my kitchen brilliance. He’s been cooking dinners that we can have as leftovers for two other meals (usually served in a slightly different way). Saturday night he made beef stroganoff. He was upset, he told me, because he had confused the proportions of milk and flour. As if I would notice. I do, however, know the difference between milk and flour. The meal was delicious. If he keeps at it, he might even reach my level (although I hope he never sinks that low).
I didn’t appreciate how difficult creating a pictorial recipe would be. I had to go back in the kitchen several times after the fact, to reenact portions of the preparation. And, after all that, I forgot to share photos of the heating of the water for the tea. Our electric tea kettle is deceased, so it’s been back to the microwave every morning. I know. I know. It’s not quite as good as real boiled water. Then again, it suits the rest of my meal perfectly, don’t you think? Oh! I also broke the walnuts into smaller pieces before adding them to the bowl. And, yes, as a matter of fact I am getting a little slap happy.
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EL PRESIDENTE PEDRO Sánchez de España anunció el domingo que nuestro encierro de dos semanas se ha extendido a cuatro semanas. Esta noticia no fue inesperada y haremos lo que sea necesario y lo que se espera de nosotros. A veces podemos quejarnos, pero no nos quejamos. Lo tenemos fácil en comparación con tantos otros. Estamos orgullosos de España y, especialmente, de la gente de Andalucía.
Mientras tanto, tratamos de mantenernos ocupados y productivos en casa. He empezado a cocinar en serio. ¡Es la verdad! Para probarlo, he compartido una receta pictórica de mi último desayuno. Si necesitas que te lo escriba, estaré encantado de hacerlo. Pero, de alguna manera, no creo que sea necesario.
San Geraldo continúa intentando competir con el brillo de mi cocina. Ha estado cocinando cenas que podemos tener como sobras para otras dos comidas (generalmente servidas de una manera ligeramente diferente). El sábado por la noche hizo stroganoff de carne. Estaba molesto, me dijo, porque había confundido las proporciones de leche y harina. (Como si me diera cuenta.) Sin embargo, sí sé la diferencia entre la leche y la harina. La comida estuvo deliciosa. Si sigue así, incluso podría alcanzar mi nivel (aunque espero que nunca se hunda tan bajo).
No aprecié lo difícil que sería crear una receta pictórica. Tuve que volver a la cocina varias veces después del hecho, para recrear porciones de la preparación. Y, después de todo eso, olvidé compartir fotos del calentamiento del agua para el té. Nuestra tetera eléctrica ha fallecido, por lo que ha regresado al microondas todas las mañanas. Lo sé. Lo sé. No es tan bueno como el agua hervida real. Por otra parte, se adapta perfectamente al resto de mi comida, ¿no te parece? Oh! También rompí las nueces en trozos más pequeños antes de agregarlas al tazón. Y sí, me estoy volviendo un poco loco.
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Haz clic en las imágenes a continuación para aumentar la emoción diaria.
Sunday’s outdoor adventure. About to cross the street with the recycling and rubbish.
La aventura al aire libre del domingo. A punto de cruzar la calle con el reciclaje y la basura.
Just before sunset. View northeasterly.
Justo antes del atardecer. Vista hasta al noreste.
View southwest to the Port of Fuengirola.
Vista hacia el suroeste hasta el puerto de Fuengirola.
Torrequebrada, Benalmádena
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Nothing but the sounds of the sea and the breeze. Very strange.
Nada más que los sonidos del mar y la brisa. Muy extraño.
Well done! That was a lot of prep!……..starting with ‘baby steps’ is always good.
Sure is quiet there by the looks of things. Things beginning to shut down here as well.
Take good care.
Jim:
Well, I now have the time for some fancy cook. It’s eerily quiet. Very strange to be out on the street. You take good care of yourselves!
We haven’t been on lock down as of yet but many places are closed.
Adam:
I’m sure you’re already being very careful. Stay well and don’t spread anything yourselves.
Celebrity chefs, beware! Mitchell has arrived on the scene!
Debra:
Don’t you think I could make a really fun cooking show?!? Maybe I should start doing videos. Our kitchen fits the scenario perfectly. Room for two butts. No kitchen island for demonstration. Now what would I call my show?
Points for breakfast creativity–if only for scintillating photography. 🙂
Must say–your balcony must be worth its weight in gold in these lock-down days. Those views. The sound of the water. Balm for the soul. But probably a bit of a teaser, too. So close and yet so far.
Mary:
The terrace and our location are definitely priceless right now. And, yes, when the sun shines, it’s a terrible teaser.
In time, this too shall pass. Keep cooking, when my grandmother married, she didn’t know how to boil water to make tea – at least that is how my great-grandmother described her cooking skills.
David:
My mother had her in-laws over for dinner as a newlywed, my father had to go into the kitchen to make the coffee. She didn’t know how to use a percolator.
the only cooking you did was heating your tea water. nice to recognize the special K box. I second mary about your views/sounds. SG may teach you some new mad skillz yet.
anne marie:
The ONLY COOKING I DID? Well, if you’re going to get picky! I really do know how to do quite a bit in the kitchen; I just don’t enjoy it. Oh, and knives are dangerous in my hands. But, SG’s mother’s best friend did NOT cook. She used her oven to store breakfast cereals. She was from South Dakota and said her Native American Name was “Cooks Without Heat.”
I had a friend who mentioned to me, “don’t you just love that smell on Thanksgiving morning when the oven burns off the dust on the coil.”
Cooking? Um, okay.
But in the days of the pandemic, I’ll give you props for finding the kitchen. =)
Bob:
I know full well where the kitchen is. I wash the dishes in there!
The breakfast I cooked was quite similar. I cooked iced tea, but I boiled the water on the stovetop to make enough to last all day. I cooked Special K with sliced bananas (that I peeled!) and milk. No tour boat traffic past our place this morning. One fishing boat went out. Eerily quiet.
Wilma:
Boiling water on the stove is expert cooking. I am also skilled at peeling and slicing bananas. Yes, the quiet is so eerie.
ohhhhh là là, those are some gorgeous photos!
Desayuno: ¡Impresionante! Me gustó ver las fotos de los varios elementos de la receta, en español… por ejemplo, no sabía la palabra para “skim” ni para decir “peaches”.
Judy:
So glad to help improve your Spanish… although I have a feeling you can help ME improve MINE in many more ways.
Oh Mitchell…come sit dear and let me fluff your pillows. Why you must have been bushed after such breakfast preparations
Bwahahahahahahahaha!!!!!! I ENJOYED YOUR PICTURES AS USUAL!!!!!!!!. I am taking my car for a drive later. It’s been sitting all week and hasn’t moved. Does anyone know if I have to re shoe the horse first?
Mistress Maddie:
Thank you SO much for appreciating my struggles. Yes, I am exhausted every morning after completing my breakfast preparations. AND I have to wash my own dishes! The horse will let you know if she needs new Jimmy Choos.
Thank goodness you have SG for so many reasons! Your version of cooking will keep you alive, his version will keep you sane 🙂
Cheapchick:
You’re right about that. We had crusted chicken, baby potatoes, and Brussels sprouts last night. Peaches, blueberries, and brownies for dessert. No way I could have managed that many different components. And the main course was COOKED.
Such culinary excellence, boiling water is an important first step for any great Chef! Ask Escoffier.
Larrymuffin:
Unfortunately, our microwave doesn’t bring the water to a boil… which is why the tea isn’t as good.
LOL!!!
Our lock down here in New Zealand starts at midnight Wednesday. Rubbish collections will continue but not those for recycling. Thirty seven years on my electric kettle still works!
Sending care and love to you both, with head scritches and cuddles to the two beautiful tuxedo lads, Michelle
Michelle:
We had little advance warning of our lockdown, which to me really made sense. So interesting to see how different places are handling it (i.e., specific rules). We have more recycling than anything else. So glad they’re still picking it up. Spain had said initially hair salons would be one of the vital services remaining open (they thought to help those who need it with shampooing their hair). Salon workers said, “What?!?” The government heard and immediately changed that. So everyone is letting their grow. Sending you love, too. Stay well and don’t go stir crazy during lockdown.
Very impressive, Mr. Kotter!
Walt the Fourth:
Thanks, Horshack. (I’m still doing those routines with The Kid Brother…)
OK, that recipe is waaaaaaay too complicated. LOL
I’m impressed with how quite your seafront is. Not even any cars. We’re on lockdown here but when I went out this afternoon with the dog I was surprised how many people I saw out — I guess we were all “exercising” at the same time. Or some people were ignoring the rules, which is far more likely.