A lover is what I am. 35. Queer. Bookworm. Budding writer. Caring Sister. Devoted friend. Dancer. Feminist at the core. Keen Gardener. Bird Watcher. Star Gazer. Avid Newspaper and Magazine reader. Television addict. Traveller without borders. Art exhibitions enthusiast. Melomaniac. Dinner and Tea parties thrower. Fashion enjoyer. Die-hard Movie-goer. Gourmet. Crosswords doer. Masters of Arts collector. Redempted daughter. Director in-the-making. History lover. Mythology worshiper. Former Toronto resident. Hopeful Aotearoa dweller. Cordon bleu (as in pretty good in the kitchen). Pretty good in the bedroom also ;) Life celebrant.
Les Bleus’ captain suffered an injury in the home team game against Namibia (which they won 96-0, a record victory for France!) on Thursday!
Seeing him leave the pitch, visibly in pain, at the 46th minute, was heartbreaking. He, like most rugby players, are not the kind to show it when they hurt. Thus, it was nerve-wrecking (and I can honestly that I did not sleep much or well, in the night, because of this!)
What’s was also heart-breaking was to see the Welwitschias’ captain, Johan Deysel’s World Cup end there and then with a red card. He probably won’t be able to play against Italy and Uruguay. And waking up yesterday, and learning the torrent of abuse he’s received because of that dangerous but unfortunate action sickens me. Rugby is a contact sport, players get injured, sometimes seriously, it comes with the territory. And the other player never means to harm; it happens, it’s unlucky. But sending hateful messages and abuse is NOT Rugby. Rugby is a sport where respect between players is of the utmost importance, and supporters should know that.
Besides, of course, I hope that Toto can come back and plays the quarterfinal, the semifinal and the final, and lift the Webb Ellis Trophy, because by Jove, he’s the most brilliant player on the planet at the moment, I adore him, and he deserves it. So, if he is fit, I’d be delighted to see him return (see, his return seems likelier than Johan’s; absolutely no need to be mean!); but rugby is a team sport. Yes, Dupont has stunning skills, vision and power; but we are extremely fortunate, as French supporters, to have a team chocka with World-class players, some of whom returned to the pitch from injury: like Jo Danty (who scored a brace), Antho Jelonch or Cyril Baille, we have our former captain Charles Ollivon (who also scored a brace), our exciting young gem Louis Bielle-Biarrey(who also scored a brace) and our try-scoring machine Damian Penaud (who scored, guess what, a brace against Namibia, too!) And I haven’t mentioned Thomas Ramos and Melvyn Jaminet, who both kick like metronomes, Uini Atonio, Greg Alldritt, Gaël Fickou or Peato Mauvaka, Matthieu Jalibert and Baptiste Couilloud… All these amazing players know how to play rugby, too!
(Also, I’m the first person to “coach” from my sofa and cry: “Support! FUCKING SUPPORT, damn it!!!” at my telly (literally whomever is playing rugby on it!!) but those who say he Antoine shouldn’t have played this game, because it was “only” Namibia: first of all, we respect our opponents; and secondly, he hadn’t played since the opening game on the 8th of September, a player can’t be fit if he hasn’t played for a full month (Italy vs France is on the 6th of October). Also, if you look at other teams, Ireland also had their best players against Romania… Rugby players need to play rugby to be fit; sometimes they get injured, it’s sports, it happens. Don’t blame coaches or other players! End of rant!
This gorgeously soft and moist Lemon Yoghurt Cake brightens a grey, chill and rainy day, both with its flavour and its colour! And whilst it is light as air, it is deliciously comforting too!
Ingredients (serves 4):
½ tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon caster sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 large egg whites
a pinch of salt
¾ cup plain flour
3 tablespoons caster sugar
¼ teaspoon baking powder
a lemon
½ cup plain or Greek Yoghurt
1 large egg
2 heaped tablespoons Menton Lemon Marmalade (Confiture de Citron de Menton)
Preheat oven to 160°C/320°F.
Generously butter a cake tin. Sprinkle with caster sugar, shaking the tin, to coat evenly. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, melt butter over a low flame. Once melted, remove from the heat. Set aside.
Place egg whites in a medium bowl. Add a pinch of salt, and beat with an electric mixer, gradually increasing speed until stiff peaks just form. Set aside.
In another medium bowl, combine flour, caster sugar and baking powder. Grate in the zest of about half thelemon. Give a good stir.
Dig a well in the middle, and pour in Greek Yoghurt. Break in the egg, add the Menton Lemon Marmalade and stir, to mix, until just blended. Then, stir in melted butter. Finally, gently fold in egg whites until no white streak remains.
Pour batter into prepared tin, and place in the middle of the hot oven. Bake, at 160°C/320°, 45 minutes, until golden on top.
Remove from the oven, and allow to cool in its tin, about 10 minutes, before turning out onto serving plate. Dust with
Serve Lemon Yoghurt Cake, warm or cooled. It pairs nicely with a small glass of Limoncelloor a nice cuppa!
As I was waiting for the King and Queen to arrive on les Champs-Elysées, befriending people in the crowd (and being interviewed by many journalists –I think it’s the simple little bouquet I’d made for Queen Camilla which caught their attention!–; thus, whilst I wasn’t chatting or talking, Edward Elgar’s Jerusalem played in my head. It was, and felt, a momentous occasion. I cannot help it! Even if I’m a daughter of the Republic, I have a soft spot for (constitutional) monarchs, and I have sourly regretted never making it to a Royal Visit, a Jubilee or a Trooping the Colour when The Queen was alive… It was a nice occasion, too. Gathering to celebrate this special friendship, this Entente Cordial between the United Kingdom and France. Gathering for a joyous occasion, like this or our home Rugby World Cup, shall, I hope and believe lifts our spirits and remind us how to bond as fellow humans… (This is what Elgar’s music always does to me, too! Inspire kinship and Romantic feelings!)
This might have been one of the best games to watch in this exciting Rugby World Cup so far (Fiji vs. Wales and the opening France vs New Zealand were also bangers!)
The Flying Fijians were dominant and focused, not flying so much; but absolutely brilliant in defence, and precise as from the tee. Simione Kuruvoli did not miss one kick. And what a delight to watch Josua Tuisova gound that try when they return from half-time.
The Wallabies were crumbling and if it hadn’t been for that try by Mark Nawaqanitawase (brought by a very dubious action from Richie Arnold and a somewhat lenient defence from Semi Radradra) they would have left the pitch without the bonus point.
But right now, mathematics is not what matters. My parents weren’t born the last time Fiji beat Australia in a game of rugby. So, to do it (22-15) on the biggest stage, with such control and poise, playing to strengths they are not best known for, is simply exceptional. I truly hope they will go far in this World Cup, watching them play is always a delight, and the crowd at Geoffroy-Guichart in Saint-Etienne was not mistaken!
“Darling, even if you danced like an elderly elephant with arthritis, which I assure you, you don’t; I would still say that I have waited all my life to dance with you, in that frock.”
–Lord Peter Wimsey (Edward Petherbridge) to Harriet Vane (Harriet Walter) in Have His Carcase.
I had watched the first episode of the series (Strong Poison) a while ago, and I’m glad I decided to return to this series. The acting is brilliant and you find the delightful eloquence and wits of both Harriet and Lord Peter, even better when they’re flirting!
When we were holidaying in Menton in August, we had lemon at every meal, and in every form, from tarte au citron, to cooling sorbets to a complimentary glass of chilled Limoncello, offered as a digestif in retaurants. Menton is the French capital of lemon, and it celebrates its citrus fruit generously! If you peer westwards from Boulevard de Garavan, you can see Italy! If you sit at any bar or café, you’re also bound to hear Italian being spoken! Thus, the cocktail menus, from Negronis to Spritzes has a delightfully Trans-alpine influence, and found us cheer to our last day with a Limoncello Spritz, whilst dining by the sea. It’s an easy cocktail to make, and on a sunny and warm Friday, you can sip, look up at the blue skies, and imagine you are (still) on the French Riviera!
I’m wearing all white today –Post-Labour dress codes, doesn’t apply to this French gal– in deference to Les Bleus playing Uruguay tonight at our home Rugby World Cup (I wore blue for their opening match against the All Blacks, and shall wear red for their next against Namibia!)
Now, if this was the inspiration; the result is a very Phryne-sque look (wide pants, sleeveless blouse, and what may have become my signature, a scarf, tied like a turban). Catching a rather glamorous glimse of my own self in the mirror, I immediately fancy dancing, preferably to a rousing swing, and thus don the sandals and twist my knees to Django Reinhardt’s Minor Swing (only minor in tune and name)! A very happy Thursday to you all, friends!
The 10th Rugby World Cup has begun last night with an electric crowd at Stade de France, in a 30°c heat still after 9pm, and with Mark Telea –whom I love with the Blues!– scoring the first try before the clock registered 2 minutes!
The All Blacks had led the challenge with a rousing Kapa O Pango, and Les Bleus were caught off-guard in defence with this supersonic start. But they regrouped, calmly, as is their habit, and tackled and turned balls over and provoked handling errors from the Kiwis, who gradually lost their discipline, enabling Thomas Ramos’ reliable boot to keep France in the game and even take the lead at half-time (9-8).
The second half was more of what we’ve come to expect from our Bleus, speed and pace in attack, a robust defence and a generous sprinkling of French Flair with gorgeous offloads from Dupont and Jalibert –which brought Damian Penaud’s 30th international try– that amazing run down the line by Peato Mauvaka, or Melvyn Jaminet’s acrobatic try minutes after he got on the pitch. It was a lot less what we expect from the mighty All Blacks; they had no answers, kept the foul tally running and even got a yellow card for wild card Will Jordan –who can consider himself lucky that a repeat of the very offence did not go further than a warning…
In the end, France became the first team to ever beat New Zealand in a World Cup pool game (27-13), Penaud entered the Top 5 of French International Try Scorers and Captain Antoine Dupont celebrated his 50th cap with a famous victory on World Cup opening night on home soil, in a hot and fired up stadium! Que demande le peuple?*
It’s hot and sunny, the skies are a cloudless blue, the ideal weather for a picnic! And this Spicy Prawn Sandwich makes a delicious, mouth-watering al fresco meal, whether it’s by the sea or in your own garden! And you can even bring it indoors to tuck into it whilst watching the Rugby World Cup opening clash between Les Bleus and the All Blacks!!! Happy Friday!
Finely chopCilantro, and spoon into a medium bowl.
Thinly slice chili pepper, and add to the bowl. Add olive oil, and squeeze in the juice of the lemon halve. Give a good stir.
Peel prawns, and add them to the bowl. Toss well to coat in herbs, chili and oil.
Place in the refrigerator, to marinate, a couple of hours.
Spoon Greek Yoghurt into a small bowl. Add Mango Chutney and Garam Masala spices. Give a good stir, gradually adding olive oil, until well-blended. Set aside.
Halve Baguette, without cutting through completely. Generously spread mango mixture on both sides. Arrange gem lettuce leaves onto the bottom side.
Remove marinated prawns from the refrigerator, and season with salt and black pepper.
Thinly cut a few slices cucumber, and arrange them on top of the lettuce. Finally, fill generously with spicy marinated prawns, pressing gently to close sandwich.
Enjoy Spicy Prawn Sandwich immediately, or wrap tightly in cling film if bringing as a picnic!
