Friday March 18, 2005

Dan Brown - Deception point

I have just read this book one of three my wife got in a book offer at WH Smiths . The story is better than the last one of his I read. The story grabs you a little bit more even if the idea is a bit far fetched. In a nutshell the daughter of the president's opponent ( a presidential election is looming) is sent to help validate proof of extra terrestrial life in a asteroid. Luckily for the authorities she is not close to her father else I am sure she would not go. The story twists and turns and soon the murky mess of a cover up appears, that leaves her in no doubt her time on this planet could be cut short. Luckily she has two James Bond characters to get her back to the US safely although one is a bit too keen on raiding the larder to be of much use to her.

It is not a bad read, it kept me interested but wether it gets read again remains to be seen.

Archangel on TV

As predicted by myself before this book by Robert Harris is to go on TV. The series starts tomorrow on BBC1. It has been turned into a two part programme. The Sunday Times did a review of the programe and suggested that using the smart and young Daniel Craig as Kelso who in the book is a historian down at heel and heading for professional oblivion seems strange. But I think we will watch it all the same even if only to discover who gets shot at the end of the story as they get off the train. It is either Stalin's son, Mamantov or both of them.

Shepherd's pie

This dish is easy to make and can be made in advance and put in the oven when you need it. The shepherd's pie means the meat is lamb mince which I brown in a frying pan ( deep one if possible ) I cook it and make sure it is broken up into very small pieces. I hate biting into large lumps of mince. Then add some flour to mop up the fat and juices. This will make the sauce nice and thick later on. Take it off the heat when you add the flour so it does not burn. Now add chopped onion, a tin of tomatoes cut up, mixed herbs, salt and pepper. Return to the heat. Add enough stock to cover the ingredients, not too much else it will be too watery. You can always add more later on. Now add carrots, and mushrooms. Simmer for an hour. I would then take off the heat cool and put in a dish like the one above and leave in the fridge for 24 hours. The dish above is about to be put into the oven.

The next day boil some potatoes and saute some leeks in butter. Make potato mash from the potatoes and add the leeks into that when soft. Do add milk, butter, salt and pepper to enhance the mash. Tip use a "ricer to make the mash. Put the mash mix on top of the meat sauce smooth over. Put in the oven for at least thirty minutes until the mash starts to go brown and crusty. Enjoy with peas or baked beans. Only Heinz will do.