Unknown, Bowling, Pancake Day.

We seem to be getting more and more calls from “unknown Name” – the numbers are from all over the place and although I generally never answer them, they are becoming something of a nuisance. The trouble is, the odd time, they are from someone I know, like when my cousin called from California, as I said before, I don’t know what made me answer that one. Even my cleaner has a phone number with Unknown – I think it’s a cell phone. How many people do bother to answer calls from sources they don’t know. Maybe shut ins who are lonely and this is how they get caught in scams. Once in a while I do answer and I get someone selling duct cleaning, tough cookies Mr. I live in an apartment thank you. Wish I could get rid of this irritation. We are already registered for no advertising calls but presumably if they are Unknown, they can’t be stopped either. Don’t know how it works.

Today we are going to lunch and bowling with our Travel League. Missed last month, and afterwards were we glad as it’s the day our brakes went. We could have been out in the middle of nowhere when it happened, in fact, probably would have been. Today it’s all in town eating at Angel’s Diner and playing at Victoria Bowl. All of which are basically ‘just up the road’. I’d like to play well, but it doesn’t matter a damn because it’s just friendly stuff. Angel’s is a chain and seem to do pretty good food. There is one young man who often accompanies us and who often orders fish and chips. I frequently pinch a chip from his plate and this particular Angels has excellent chips, or French fries as they are known here. Not sure why. I don’t usually order any for me as they are not considered diet food, at least not on any diet plan I have come across.

I knew Pancake Day was fast approaching, Shrove Tuesday in case you don’t know. In England they used to have (maybe still do) Pancake races when people ran tossing pancakes in a pan whilst doing so. Diet or no diet I was planning to make some pancakes as I do enjoy them. Then I came across this recipe for one of my favourite foods. Tickled me, so very English to talk about elevating it to a “smart pudding”, dessert please. To me a pudding is something served in the nursery. This recipe comes from BBC Good Food. Do remember that caster sugar in the UK is very similar to the sugar we buy every day in North America. I see they give liqueur quantity by the tbs. well, if you like, we usually are more heavy handed when we make the sauce. We always used Cognac as well. My father used to say if you could bottle the sauce you would make a fortune.

Crêpes Suzette

 

Serves 4 - 6
This classic French recipe is a fine way to elevate the humble pancake into a smart pudding.

Ingredients

• 1 x classic pancake recipe See Jacques Pépin
• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 250ml freshly squeezed orange juice (2-3 oranges)
• zest 1 orange
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp Grand Marnier or Cointreau
• 50g unsalted butter

 

Method

1. Prepare pancakes following the classic recipe - see 'Goes well with'. Fold the pancakes into quarters.
2. Tip the caster sugar into a non-stick frying pan and set the pan over a low-medium heat. Allow the sugar to melt slowly without stirring and continue to cook until it becomes a deep amber-coloured caramel.
3. Immediately slide the pan off the heat and add the orange juice – be careful as it may splatter and spit as it hits the hot caramel. Add the orange zest, lemon juice, the Grand Marnier and return the pan to a low heat to re-melt the caramel into the liquid.
4. Add the butter to the sauce in small pieces, bring to the boil and simmer gently until glossy and reduced slightly. Add the pancakes to the pan and warm through. Serve immediately.

Have a great day.