Tuesday 15th August - on dressmaker's chalk, coleslaw, and associated things

 This morning I finally unearthed the failed dress I made a few years ago, and first thought I would turn it into a skirt, and then changed my mind and decided to use it for this that and the other. The first being another tray cloth. Do you use them? I thought not. But my mother couldn't bear to take a tray of cups or plates or glasses anywhere unless it had a tray cloth on it. 

'Why,' I asked.

'Because my mother insisted that whatever the circumstances we should always use a tray cloth.' Bearing in mid that she lives through the war in the Netherlands, where life was unbelievably tough, I guess the persistence of tray cloths was a stand against all the other erosions of decency.

So now in my turn, I can't help but use a tray cloth. Some things are hereditary.

So I took my tray and laid it on the fabric. 'I know what I'll use!' I thought. 'That lovely tailor's chalk Ang sent me as a flat present.' (Ah yes, that was quite some holiday, Ang! You'll have to go back a month or so on her blog to get the reference to the pavement.)

    

It was very reluctant to leave a mark on the fabric... after several goes I realised it is a pencil eraser, and a very good one too! So I dug out the real dressmaker's chalk which worked perfectly first time.

 It is not often we have coleslaw, because I so dislike shop-bought. I find it too gloopy and wet, and usually has too much onion for my taste. A day or so ago I made some using about 50/50 finely shredded kohlrabi and white cabbage, a couple of spring onions chopped small,and a handful of peanuts. This last is a throwback to school days; they used to serve us a salad of finely grated carrots, mixed with peanut and raisins and I loved it. Couldn't do it now, with so many peanut allergies on the go (how did all those allergies happen?) 

For a dressing I mixed French Dressing from a bottle (Newman's Own) and Shop bought mayonnaise, again 50/50. Excellent.

I took some out of what was left for the next day, which was still good, and sprinkled it with a little Hot Smoked Paprika. That worked! And I perked up the remains at the bottom of the bowl with a small amount of creamed horseradish sauce.  Kohlrabi Coleslaw three ways!

Lunch today was a bit odd. The baked potato didn't cook in time, and we were in a hurry, as Tuesday is the day we take my father to his Bridge Club. So we just had meat and veg.

Later I cut the offending potato into wedges, sprinkled them with salt and gave them 15 mins at 180 in the air fryer. So tea/supper tonight was a bit odd too; cold sliced beef, bits of salad and hot potato wedges. 

Both meals tasted fine. 

Now we shall watch those poor teams pastry cooks being driven to their wits end and sobbing into their mousses, by a combination of Benoit and Cherish's impossible challenges and demands, and the two co-presenters just getting in the way with endless witticisms. I mean ' Bake-off, the professionals' of course.