This sounds like bliss - thank you, thank you for The Leopard tip.
My dream Friday night in - now I am no longer a bright young thing - involves watering my tiny garden and then sitting on my new garden bench, with a glass of decent white wine or one of those M&S mixologist cocktails (note that the glass must be a NICE glass), and engage in end-of-week desultory chit chat if I have a friend or my husband to hand, or read my book if not.
Perfetto! I have also watered our tiny garden this evening and had a negroni plus some decent white wine. Have not yet discovered M & S cocktails, but I clearly should. (Or perhaps shouldn't.) Hope you have a lovely weekend.
Wonderful prescription for a spaghetti carbonara - though I was told 75g of spaghetti for each eater, This may possibly have contributed to the death of one relationship!
The world is going mad. Thank you for your sane and balanced take on things. Lisa x
Interesting re the pasta water. I've read about that and will try it. I'm not sure about the fresh sweet red chilli. Anthony would love it (he likes chilli in everything) but I like my carbonara pure.
Thank you for recommending The Ballad of Wallis Island. Funnily enough, a friend also recommended it to me on Wednesday, so that will definitely be next on the list. xx
You’re right, and I think it is a pinch of dried chilli but that may be his take - we all have slightly different tastes. Pasta water makes a huge difference to any pasta sauce however! Here’s to sitting peacefully in our garden if we have one.
I have the Campari , a Spanish sweet vermouth and Hooting Owl signature gin from their distillery where I went on an extreme day out. Stanley Tuccis method is fab.
Best Negroni I had was in Florence in the roof top bar of the Westin. Views of Ponte Vecchio and Duomo!
If you can make your own great Carbonara you will never pay for it in a restaurant again imo.
Getting my way through Department Q. Some was filmed near my flat!
Ideal Friday after the happenings in India, Iran and Israel . ( that could have been a 60s pop group🤔)
Ooh, that's a tip. I'll clearly have to go to the roof top bar at the Westin in Florence. I imagine it will cost a bob or two, but I also imagine it will be worth it.
And you are quite right. I rarely order carbonara, since it's one of the few things I can actually make.
I didn't know about Department Q, but will now seek it out. Thank you for the tip.
emjoi
I hope you have a lovely weekend. You are clearly set up for one. 😘
Is this prescription available on the NHS, Christina? Because it really should be!
Negroni and The Leopard (though I love both the book and the 1963 film, so not sure if I’ll be able to watch this new series, as highly regarded as it is, without looking for Burt Lancaster, Alain Delon and, of course, Claudia Cardinale), I can agree with the medicine. But a carbonara without at least a drop of cream?
You go too far, lady! Ha-ha!
But cin-cin, Christina, and have a great weekend yourself!
How on earth did I miss this? Your prescription sounds divine. My Friday night will be slightly less sophisticated - wine, pizza (delivered), and 80s tunes with my honey. But I am bookmarking this for another Friday night when I have more energy and the correct ingredients on hand. 😉
Your Friday night also sounds gorgeous, Jamie! I love the fact that you call your beloved your “honey” and your “beau”. It’s so romantic! I hope you and your honey/beau enjoyed your pizza, 80s tunes and wine. xx
Skipped the Negroni. 1/3 Navy rum 2/3 fresh orange, 1 lump ice, wedge of lime, does nicely thanks.
Skipped the carbonara. Last had in Portugal 1989. Nobody wants to read an account of being delayed in a stiflingly hot Lisbon tunnel, standing in a rush hour train to Sintra, as the effects of salmonella were kicking in. Or the following 3 days. My mantra since – a runny egg is a raw egg.
But a big yes to The Leopard. Superb production, and an education for me.
I am now tempted to watch the 1963 film starring Burt Lancaster, Claudia Cardinale and Alain Delon.
And three reliable recurring themes to cover the prevailing moods:
In the Heat of the Night. My all-time favourite. Has the USA improved?
My Cousin Vinny. For the suit, the train horn, Fred Gwynne and Marisa Tomei.
Uncle Buck. Let’s hear it for Canada and John Candy.
Eek. I can see why you don’t like carbonara! I’m not mad about rum, but would be willing to try your prescription at a pinch. Thank you for the other recommendations. Will add them to the list!
Thank you! I don’t think I’ve ever written a recipe before (as you’ll have gathered, I’m not much of a cook) but I enjoyed writing it. Might even have to do it again…
We had a similar evening last night & you encapsulated it beautifully in words! Except ours was Prosecco, tinned olives & home made pizza (my dough finally rose because I wasn’t using old active dried yeast & got proper stuff). Homemade Italian food & drink really is the way to go to on a sunny Friday evening.
What a great post. I’m so glad I found you on here through a recommendation. Instant subscribe. Love how you bring the joy to Friday nights, as it doesn’t just arrive without some simple prep.
My son has just become an expert at making margaritas so last night I had one of those, plus a plate of chicken Marbella he’d also made (retro, delicious). We are it in the garden against an ochre wall (makes us feel as if we’re holidaying in Seville, not SW2). Then I watched the Edna of’Brien documentary on my own, as I breastfed the baby. It was a very pleasant, easy evening
Thank you for your kind words! Your Friday night sounds pretty damn great. Margaritas and chicken Marbella might just be my next Friday night. I’ve been dying to see the Edna O’Brien documentary. What platform is it on?
This sounds like bliss - thank you, thank you for The Leopard tip.
My dream Friday night in - now I am no longer a bright young thing - involves watering my tiny garden and then sitting on my new garden bench, with a glass of decent white wine or one of those M&S mixologist cocktails (note that the glass must be a NICE glass), and engage in end-of-week desultory chit chat if I have a friend or my husband to hand, or read my book if not.
I know how to live...
Perfetto! I have also watered our tiny garden this evening and had a negroni plus some decent white wine. Have not yet discovered M & S cocktails, but I clearly should. (Or perhaps shouldn't.) Hope you have a lovely weekend.
Wonderful prescription for a spaghetti carbonara - though I was told 75g of spaghetti for each eater, This may possibly have contributed to the death of one relationship!
The world is going mad. Thank you for your sane and balanced take on things. Lisa x
Thank you so much, Lisa. 75g may well be right. I always over-do the carbs. Hope you have a lovely weekend. Christina X
A carbonara (as taught me long ago by an Italian boyfriend) should use a little pasta water in the sauce, and also some fresh sweet red chilli.
May I recommend The Ballad of Wallis Island too? Because a) it's very good and funny and b) it will make you immeidately book a short break in Italy.
Interesting re the pasta water. I've read about that and will try it. I'm not sure about the fresh sweet red chilli. Anthony would love it (he likes chilli in everything) but I like my carbonara pure.
Thank you for recommending The Ballad of Wallis Island. Funnily enough, a friend also recommended it to me on Wednesday, so that will definitely be next on the list. xx
You’re right, and I think it is a pinch of dried chilli but that may be his take - we all have slightly different tastes. Pasta water makes a huge difference to any pasta sauce however! Here’s to sitting peacefully in our garden if we have one.
Absolutely! 🍷
Clearly Friday 13th holds no fears for you.
Enjoy your evening - just don't look at the news!
God, it wouldn't occur to me! So far, I've had a lovely evening, thank you. Hope you have, too!
I have the Campari , a Spanish sweet vermouth and Hooting Owl signature gin from their distillery where I went on an extreme day out. Stanley Tuccis method is fab.
Best Negroni I had was in Florence in the roof top bar of the Westin. Views of Ponte Vecchio and Duomo!
If you can make your own great Carbonara you will never pay for it in a restaurant again imo.
Getting my way through Department Q. Some was filmed near my flat!
Ideal Friday after the happenings in India, Iran and Israel . ( that could have been a 60s pop group🤔)
Ooh, that's a tip. I'll clearly have to go to the roof top bar at the Westin in Florence. I imagine it will cost a bob or two, but I also imagine it will be worth it.
And you are quite right. I rarely order carbonara, since it's one of the few things I can actually make.
I didn't know about Department Q, but will now seek it out. Thank you for the tip.
emjoi
I hope you have a lovely weekend. You are clearly set up for one. 😘
€25 including a buffet
Amazing!
Is this prescription available on the NHS, Christina? Because it really should be!
Negroni and The Leopard (though I love both the book and the 1963 film, so not sure if I’ll be able to watch this new series, as highly regarded as it is, without looking for Burt Lancaster, Alain Delon and, of course, Claudia Cardinale), I can agree with the medicine. But a carbonara without at least a drop of cream?
You go too far, lady! Ha-ha!
But cin-cin, Christina, and have a great weekend yourself!
Absolutely agree it should be on the NHS. I haven't seen the 1963 film, but clearly must.
As for carbonara with cream. No. Just no.
Hope you have a lovely weekend.
And you, Christina!
That sounds like an amazing Friday night. Thank you.
Thank you!
How on earth did I miss this? Your prescription sounds divine. My Friday night will be slightly less sophisticated - wine, pizza (delivered), and 80s tunes with my honey. But I am bookmarking this for another Friday night when I have more energy and the correct ingredients on hand. 😉
Your Friday night also sounds gorgeous, Jamie! I love the fact that you call your beloved your “honey” and your “beau”. It’s so romantic! I hope you and your honey/beau enjoyed your pizza, 80s tunes and wine. xx
Skipped the Negroni. 1/3 Navy rum 2/3 fresh orange, 1 lump ice, wedge of lime, does nicely thanks.
Skipped the carbonara. Last had in Portugal 1989. Nobody wants to read an account of being delayed in a stiflingly hot Lisbon tunnel, standing in a rush hour train to Sintra, as the effects of salmonella were kicking in. Or the following 3 days. My mantra since – a runny egg is a raw egg.
But a big yes to The Leopard. Superb production, and an education for me.
I am now tempted to watch the 1963 film starring Burt Lancaster, Claudia Cardinale and Alain Delon.
And three reliable recurring themes to cover the prevailing moods:
In the Heat of the Night. My all-time favourite. Has the USA improved?
My Cousin Vinny. For the suit, the train horn, Fred Gwynne and Marisa Tomei.
Uncle Buck. Let’s hear it for Canada and John Candy.
Eek. I can see why you don’t like carbonara! I’m not mad about rum, but would be willing to try your prescription at a pinch. Thank you for the other recommendations. Will add them to the list!
When world events are so huge and so scary, sometimes the only solution is good food, good drink and a beautifully-filmed TV drama.
Exactly
And don’t forget to watch “Making The Leopard”. Divine.
Oh great! Is it on Netflix?
I tried making the carbonara tonight. It came out really well. So much so it’s been requested to go on the food rotation list!
Excellent!
With you every step of the way, from the Negroni right through to The Leopard. Love the way you write recipes!
Thank you! I don’t think I’ve ever written a recipe before (as you’ll have gathered, I’m not much of a cook) but I enjoyed writing it. Might even have to do it again…
We had a similar evening last night & you encapsulated it beautifully in words! Except ours was Prosecco, tinned olives & home made pizza (my dough finally rose because I wasn’t using old active dried yeast & got proper stuff). Homemade Italian food & drink really is the way to go to on a sunny Friday evening.
Home-made pizza sounds like heaven! I’ve never tried it, but perhaps I will. Here’s to (easy) Italian food and many, many cocktails!
What a great post. I’m so glad I found you on here through a recommendation. Instant subscribe. Love how you bring the joy to Friday nights, as it doesn’t just arrive without some simple prep.
My son has just become an expert at making margaritas so last night I had one of those, plus a plate of chicken Marbella he’d also made (retro, delicious). We are it in the garden against an ochre wall (makes us feel as if we’re holidaying in Seville, not SW2). Then I watched the Edna of’Brien documentary on my own, as I breastfed the baby. It was a very pleasant, easy evening
Thank you for your kind words! Your Friday night sounds pretty damn great. Margaritas and chicken Marbella might just be my next Friday night. I’ve been dying to see the Edna O’Brien documentary. What platform is it on?
It’s on Sky Arts Docmentaries. It’s wickedly good. There was no-one like her
I love how you live your life, Christina! Thank you for the detailed directions!! ☺️
What a lovely thing to say, Cathy, thank you!