Snow Day Soup & Frolics.

Since Sunday afternoon it's been snowing and snowing...and snowing. Not the usual grey mushy stuff we have here in the UK but bona fide snowy powder, perfect for snowman making. Much excitement ensues when you work in Education as there is a possibility school will be closed and it will be officially declared a Snow Day. To be honest by 4am on Monday morning while watching Hubby slide up the drive for a days work in Brum (& consequently being stopped by the police and being told he was mad to drive to Brum) I decided I wasn't going to work. The idea of sliding down the lanes filled me with fear. Instead I settled down to a day in the house. Not only Monday but today, Tuesday, was also declared Snow Day.

As I've mentioned before, the residents of this little row of cottages come out in force when something is cracking off. Be it floods, powercuts or being snowed in we come together and sort the problem out then recover with a cup of tea...even if it is made on the BBQ during powercuts. Most of us were up and about today and yesterday clearing the snow along the private road we all live off. As it is a private road and doesn't belong to any of us in the row (ah good old ancient boundary issues) it isn't gritted, so after having to push each others cars up the road while sliding all over the place we decided some sandbags had to be sacrificed.



The novelty of being stuck in the house soon wears off and with the snow outside I was itching to don the crampons and get out onto the hills. Not the cleverest idea considering I would be on my own so instead pulled on my funky wellies and a multitude of layers and headed up and out of the village. I really enjoyed my walk. The land looked so beautiful and peaceful blanketed in snow.



Mr Robin, the crazy thing, has been entertaining me (come on, he's far better than Loose Women!) and kept dancing behind the suet feeder as I tried to get his photo. This is the same robin who sometimes likes to hop/dance back and forth across the garden step while singing at the top of his voice. I usually hear him before I see him. He does have a lady friend, but I haven't seen her in a while.

Today we have no milk, but main thing is I still have cream for my coffee and a few Raspberry Brownies to keep me company. It's a bit of a hike to the nearest shop and it's down country lanes. Hubby only got out of the drive this morning by me and the other neighbors pushing him. In my little car, there isn't a chance of me getting out. I've taken the advantage to being snowed in by doing quite a bit of cooking.



A week ago I received my signed copy of River Cottage Handbook: Bread. Since starting to make bread last year I've become more interested in the science behind bread and what makes it work. I'm really impressed with the book and is full of great advice, without being patronising like some books can be. I'll be meeting Daniel Stevens himself on a bread making course in a few weeks time. I made focaccia a few summers ago and it was dire, however by following Daniel's recipe and advice I think I have just produced the best piece of bread I have ever baked. The bread was so good I had to go back for more. I've decided Dan is my new hero!

To accompany the bread I made some Snow Day Soup using the veg I could find languishing in the fridge. I don't really have a recipe for this but essentially gather all the veg you can find (in my case carrots, leeks and a small potato), gently fry off the leeks. Throw in a clove of garlic, the rest of the veg, a bay leaf and 800ml of veg stock. Simmer for 30 min then blitz in the blender.

Print this post