Fish Pie

There should be no stinting on calories in fish pie. At least, I have no plans to stint on calories in fish pie. The one I made tonight had cream cheese in the mashed potato topping (we had cream cheese but no cream. Milk not rich and exciting enough) and sauteed button and shitake mushrooms in the filling. The fish pie was a celebration of actually having some fresh fish. It is now impossible to buy locally caught fresh fish in our town, despite the fact that fishing boats do dock at our port. So a friend who was down south further today got me some "deep sea cod" in exchange for the avocadoes I gave her from my latest co-op box. It was completely divine. I don't know if it is a naughty fish to eat - most likely given it's name (and the fact it is fish!). I used a Nigella Lawson recipe as my guide. That woman knows how to use a lot of pots. And butter.

Yesterday one chook escaped. One minute in the temporary enclosure, the next in the potato patch. So they went back in the Poultry Palace, a more secure enclosure, for the day and indeed ever since. I'd better buy some tent stakes to up security for next time I let them out into their portable run. I am leaning heavily towards getting rid of all the grass around the feijoas and having thick mulch closest to the trees and herbs around the outer circle. Using the chooks as indentured labour for the job of course.

Another thing yesterday. I stopped in to a see a friend whose husband is renovating their home. Steve had replaced the wooden corner window with a modern aluminium one. Would I like the old window for glass house building? Well yes of course I would. We have a house lot of windows already, waiting to be turned into a glasshouse. But this corner window could make a cold frame on it's own without much adaptation. I'll be sending Favourite Handyman out in the weekend to have a look. Then we can start planning how to best use it.

chook project BEGUN!

Favourite Handyman and I hauled out the huge wooden box from a friend who left town this afternoon. After much consideration of the best conversion-to-chook-house design by us both, FH began to build.

Words do not begin to express my excitement.

In other news, I'm enjoying Clarissa Dickson Wright's autobiography. Just reading her writing makes me feel like a dose of indulgence and cooking beans from scratch and other frugal vegetarian and goodly pursuits just don't cut it. Eventually, much buoyed by the chook house movements, I made pasta for, having found anchovies, red wine and parmesan with which to make properly indulgent food and drink.

I know canned fish are unethical. But I am just not prepared to give up anchovies. Just 1-2 times per month. Fire darts at me if you need to. Anchovies sauteed with mushrooms and thyme and garlic are too divine. I'd rather give up red meat.