Things That Are Going Round My Head

[poliphilo]

I think I may have had enough Waugh for the time being. I have read Decline and Fall- which is The Perfectly Funny Book- and Vile Bodies- which is a transitional work, more accomplished than Decline and Fall but not nearly as good- and A Handful of Dust - which is a masterpiece and wonderfully sad.  Given Waugh's reputation- as a man- for being totally obnoxious, he's an amazingly sensitive and generous writer. I think he became a pig out of despair at the cruelty of the world.

I have discovered the casserole.  You collect your ingredients- basically anything that happens to be lying around the kitchen- bung them in the slow cooker- wait six hours and serve. It's like alchemy without even the pretence of science. Last week the results were heavenly; last night, disappointingly bland. I believe some people use a thing called a recipe book.

Sky Arts showed a documentary about Sinatra. On the one hand he was a sexist pig with links to the Mob. On the other he was a rebel who spent his life sticking it to the Man, championing Civil Rights and opposing the Hollywood Black List. One guy compared him to Madonna for (a) his intelligence and (b) his ability to work the system.

Comments

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

About recipes--I use them for reference, not to follow slavishly. And I use the internet, not a book.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

We have piles of recipe books- and hardly ever use them.

[ideealisme.livejournal.com]

Had a book of Evelyn Waugh's letters at home. He seemed like a pretty unhappy guy all right. But being Mrs Waugh must really have been no joke!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I don't believe it was much fun being one of the Waugh children either.

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

The casserole has often saved us from spending money eating out. There are loads of good slow cooker ideas on the internet and they're surprisingly simple and use "normal" ingredients for tasty results.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

It's a good way of using leftovers too. I try very hard these days not to throw away anything that's edible.

[petercampbell.livejournal.com]

Waugh's books are really sharp and amusing. Strange how he became such a twisted individual. Maybe it was all that pent-up resentment when everyone assumed from his name that he was a woman?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Could be. No, seriously- I think he had serious issues to do with sexual identity.

[silverhawkdruid.livejournal.com]

I miss my old slow cooker and must replace it. They are great for making the cheaper cuts of meat very tender, so that saves money too. Always a bonus to my mind. :-)

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

We bought a low-grade joint of beef for £1.00- slow cooked it- and it fed the two of us for two meals.