The Autumn Bluestocking - mist, mellow fruitfulness and hot chocolate!

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

Welcome one and all - as the nights draw in, pull up a chair to the fire, and the gerbils will be along soon with hot chocolate and Tunnock’s teacakes.

..even if Pangur Bán was Welsh...

Saint Patrick and Pangur Bán. You're welcome. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

I knew it was a Reichenau ms but was prepared for it to have been there. Though come to think of it, they didn't indicate Reichenau on any of the maps, just St Gallen, Bobbio, Rome, Jerusalem . . . . .

To go with the mentions of Lorrha and Banagher and Birr and Roscrea

Places of worldwide importance

I've never had a white cat - I've met a few and they are very pretty, though sometimes deaf.

okay, I have done my research, poring over the dusty tomes of Wikipedia, and St Gall (Irishman, don't mind those Germans trying to nick him) was sitting in over a little camp fire in a wood in Switzerland some time in the 7th c and a fierce bear turned up looking hungry.

The saint had a word with him, and the bear saw the error of its ways and went off to collect firewood by way of apology, and ever afterwards lived with the saint (who fed him, obviously).

So the little plaque, carved out of ivory in the 9th century, shows (top) the bear being fierce and eating a deer (bottom left) the bear collecting firewood (bottom right) the saint giving the bear a bun. Holy stuff with angels in the middle panel.

All very nice and good.

There is a white cat who lives on my street, and has gradually warmed up to the point of sometimes saying hello.

As opposed to the tortie who rushes up and gives a whole monologue about whatever is on her wee cat mind.

I love that story! A saint with a life-size living teddy bear🐻

I do not have a white cat (though I have had a black one and a grey one as well as the tabbies) but I do have a friend who has a white cat called Tallulah.

Yay, @Britinme, my calendar fell off the kitchen was last week and when I put it back I found a hand-written recipe underneath - headed 'from Britinme' covered possibly for a couple of years. I have just put chickpeas, cherry tomatoes and feta into the oven. I vaguely remember thinking it was nice and that I must keep the recipe the last time I tried it. I suppose I kind of succeeded.

Thank goodness induction only happens once a year.

I sympathise…I’m only supposed to work part time but I’ve only just finished for the day doing something which was both tedious but also required attention to detail.

Yay @DeanElderberry I hope it finds a space on your menu again soon! I am food shopping tomorrow and that's reminded me to buy the feta cheese. DH really likes that dish.

There's a lot to be said for being a lady of leisure. I could be a lady who lunches as well, but that would require clothes, and my pjs are far too comfy.

It was delicious - and there's enough left over for tomorrow.

Well for goodness sakes one of you tell us how to make this dish!

The way I did it - a finely sliced (not chopped) onion, a can of chickpeas (rinsed), a pack of cherry tomatoes, about half a pack of feta crumbled, some chilli flakes, a drizzle of honey, a drizzle of olive oil. 40 minutes in the oven.

@Britinme will have a more refined version, with actual quantities and things, but that did just fine.

Thanks, that sounds good. We’ve lots of tinned chick peas, DH never does things by halves when buying that sort of thing but we’ve not fancied the usual things we do with them recently.

@DeanElderberry 's version is exactly how I make it. The recipe specifies 6oz feta chopped into 1cm cubes, plus 1tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp honey and ¼tsp red pepper flakes. But honestly the quantities aren't that important - just muddle it all together on a sheet pan and bung it in the oven for around 30-40 minutes. I serve it with rice.

I thought a green salad on the side would be good.

That too.

I have never met a chick pea i liked, they are IMHO unpleasant round things dried or otherwise.

they have a habit of playing havoc with ones gut,

the only good thing about a chick pea is a crushed one in a pit of tahini sauce

down with chick peas

i speak as a vegetarian.

The only food groups that I recognise are onions and red chilli flakes. Do people really eat the other stuff?

I love chick peas. I use them a lot though from cans as I’m too lazy to soak and boil them. I use them in veggie curries too. I am not a vegetarian.

After taking out all the things I would probably never find in my cupboard or fridge I was left with cherry tomatoes drizzled in honey.

But then I tend to eat exactly the same meals every single day. I'll occasionally mix things up a little and have chicken dippers instead of chicken nuggets for tea. If I'm feeling really adventurous I'll add in a hash brown.

I can eat the other things (except the chick peas which are the work of the same wicked individual that created lemon drizzle cake) but, as I can't be arsed cooking when it's just for me, I'd rather not!

I mean what is the point of hummus?

Down with chickpeas.

Humush is the unacceptable face of chick pea abuse, for people who like raw garlic, which i confess is a secret indulgence of mine.

It is very kind of all you silly people to leave the delicious chickpeas for the rest of us. I've remembered I got a bag of gram (chickpea) flour recently to make onion bhajis. I might do that for lunch if I have any un-sprouted onions in the house.