Grumpy in Madeira

Bom Dia

It’s day at home today.

Maria has had to go with a friend to buy a car battery.

It was as flat as a witches tit this morning.

A mechanic told us that they rarely last more than 2 years anymore. Seemingly they are made that way.

Bastards!!!!

Maria has been accumulating more plant’s and guess who’s job it is to plant them. 🤔

So I have been “advised” as to where she wants them. I have to plant Parsley, Chocolate Mint, Lavender, Aniseed and a curry plant.

All planted!!!!! Hopefully in the right places.

We now have:

Fruit: Apple, Guava, Plum, Avocado, English Tomato’s, Normal Tomato’s Lemon, Red/Black and Blue Berries and Passion Fruit. Also 2 trees that we don’t know what they are yet.

Veg: Chive’s, Beetroot, Onions, Spinach, leeks and cucumbers.

Herbs: Rosemary, Thyme, Basil, Oregano, Bay, Normal Mint, Chocolate Mint, Curry plant, Parsley, Lavender and even Aniseed.

I’m on to her crafty plan.

She’s thinking of having me work on a market stall.

We could probably open one, what with the amount of fruit, vegetables and herbs that we have.

This afternoon I’m making a Quiche with Prawns and a Banana Cake.

Grumpy’s Quiche:

INGREDIENTS: all sold in Pingo Doce or Continente Supermercados

A glug of Olive Oil

Pre-rolled Pastry (Massa Folhada)

4 large eggs

177ml Milk

Half tsp Salt & Pepper

100g shredded cheddar cheese

2 tbsp chopped Parsley

Fillings of your choice, I used:

Red, Green and Yellow Pepper (Diced)

Small florets of broccoli

Small Onion (Diced)

1 tbsp Cubed Ham (Lardons)

500g Small Cooked Prawns

METHOD:

Heat oven to 180c (fan)

Spray flan baking dish with cooking spray

Line the dish with pastry and fill with baking beans

Put in a preheated oven for 15 minutes. Take out the beans and bake for 5 more minutes. Continue baking until it is not sticky or gooey.

Remove and set aside, reduce heat in oven to 160c (fan)

Put olive oil into small frying pan, add diced onion, broccoli and peppers

Fry until onion is translucent

In a jug or bowl beat eggs and add chopped ham, salt & pepper, cheese and parsley. Mix well.

Add onion, broccoli and peppers to jug.

Add prawns to jug/bowl and mix again.

Pour contents into pastry, place on a baking tray and return to oven

Cook for approx 30/40 mins, quiche should be golden but have a little wobble to it.

Remove and allow to cool for 10 mins

Serve warn with a nice salad and a bottle of vinho. 🍷🍷

Delish!!!!!!!

For dessert is my banana cake.

Banana’s in Madeira are a BIG business, they are grown everywhere. If there is a little bit of space then the locals will grow banana’s.

I’m surprised Maria doesn’t have any.

The local bananas are smaller than others we’re used to seeing in the supermarkets. However, they taste much better and are far sweeter.

Grumpys Banana Cake:

INGREDIENTS:

4 or 5 very ripe local banana’s or 3 big one’s

3 large eggs

100g soft brown sugar

150ml vegetable oil

275g self raising flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp icing sugar

100g Chocolate chips (optional)

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 160c fan

Grease a loaf tin with cooking spray

Peel and mash the bananas with a fork in a large bowl

Add eggs, sugar and oil. Mix with a fork or whisk

In another bowl mix flour, cinnamon and baking powder until well combined

Add dry ingredients (choc chips if using) to wet and mix well

Pour into prepared loaf tin and place in oven

Cook for approx 40 mins or until skewer comes out clean

Cool on a wire rack

Sprinkle with icing sugar

Enjoy with ice-cream, cream or custard

Whilst I was cooking a friend of Maria’s paid us a visit.

She was stroking our cat Cookie, who we have always thought of as a male.

She said “it’s not a male it’s head is too small”, she thinks it’s a female.

We got Cookie from an animal rescue place. They promised us, as we didn’t want kittens, that HE was a HE.

What do you guys think ?

We had a feel about. Can’t feel any titties or bollocks, so we’re still not sure.

Check out the tiles, the Madeiranese do like their colourful tiles. Sometimes you need sunglasses just to enter a kitchen.

I don’t know what I’m more disturbed by….the fact that car battery’s now only last 2 years, or that my male cat identifies as a she.

😏

I think I’ll need a second bottle of vinho tonight 🍷🍷