Fish Pie and Freedom

Fish Pie and Freedom

Hi there

Thanks for popping in. It’s been a busy day. I think at the moment it’s best to stay busy, not to leave too much time free for thinking and pondering.

Went to see my parents today, and delivered a lovely homemade fish pie à la Delia Smith ! It’s an excellent recipe; never fails me. But I really must focus on the ingredients and quantities aspect of the job next time. Check this pie out!! Not one, but FIVE !!

I use an old cookbook from the 90’s, that my Dad gave to me actually! He loves Delia too!

It’s just about my speed, down to earth recipes, easy to follow. But you see, the kitchen scales are in the pottery studio (far more important to weigh clay!), so I was guessing how much of this n how much of that. Next thing you know, you’re cooking for the army, you’ve got every bowl, pot, pan and utensil in the kitchen out – and Dave is in charge of the dishes a-huffin and a-puffin! Tastes great though. And he’s getting it tonight! (Oi!! Smutty! The Fish Pie. He’s getting the fish pie tonight, Josephine!)

I asked my Dad, ““How are you, Dad? I mean, How are you really?” (he always says Fine)

His reply was profound. “I’m okay Barb. What’s happening in the world makes me very sad though. It’s terrible, you know. Very, very sad. Those poor people. Especially the women.”

And he caught me off guard, as he so often does. There was I, at Pacemaker and out of the Medway Hospital level, and there was he, in Afghanistan.

We talked about it. Well, he talked and I listened. Not that I don’t have an opinion, but I know mine. I wanted to hear his. We are singing off the same hymn sheet, which is no surprise.

So, now I shall go for a long walk with Dave across the Ashdown Forest, as we do most evenings, talk with him about Life and Freedom, catch a lovely sunset, and be very VERY grateful that I was born in this part of the world and not in that part of the world.

Be safe, be grateful –

Love always

Barb xxx

26 thoughts on “Fish Pie and Freedom

  1. How spooky – I had fish pie last night!! Looking forward to the pyjama party – got me stamp ordered yesterday. I guess it would be about now we would be thinking of the Leyburn Open Day being round the corner. Are we doing anything special-ler?
    Glad you are all well.
    Love
    Maggie (Bendy Yorkite)

  2. Maybe someone needs to buy you another set of kitchen scales for Christmas!! Lol. Maybe your dad is doing the same as you. Not pondering too much. Just focussing on what else is going on in the world. Hope you enjoyed your fish pie! You could be eating it for a while!!! Lol. Hope you and Dave enjoyed your walk. Have a lovely relaxing evening. Sending lots of love. Hxxx

  3. Oh Barbara you are so right. We have so much to be thankful for. So pleased your Dad is progressing in the right direction. Once again I’m giving the news a miss each day, it makes me very sad too. On a brighter note roll on Friday at 3pm xx

  4. What a lovely man your Dad, totally selfless. You too are the same. I couldn’t sleep last night apart from the pain, thinking of the world and then giving you a little speech somewhere – totally very nice. Lots of love

  5. That book is my cookery bible!
    Her recipes never fail.
    How lovely to have a profound chat with your Dad. I wonder what mine would make of the world today-he died in 1985.

  6. Think we should ban fine from the English language it means nothing my dad uses it all the time.
    Wonder what the world would be like with a matriarchy. Would we be kinder!

  7. Fish pie looks lovely. My husband tends to ask what concoction am I having today as I tend to see what’s in the cupboard and throw things together and see what happens. So far I’ve not had a can’t eat that. Hope you enjoyed your walk with Dave.

  8. Hi Barb,
    I have the same cookery book and I love it – Delia’s dauphinois potatoes and also the Boulangere ( not sure about that spelling! are gorgeous . It is a proper little cookery bible. Fish pie(s) look lovely. Been blackberrying today – unheard of up here at this time of year , it’s normally October – so going to try making blackberry jam tomorrow. Hope you had a lovely walk with Dave. Please thank lovely Jeannine for getting me sorted with the stickers – she is a treasure. Love and hugs, Alison xxx

  9. Hi Barbara your dad is a marvel. It must have been so good to talk to him. My parents have dementia we haven’t been able to talk to them for years. I also have that cookbook. I love it. There is many a recipe that we have enjoyed. Enjoy your walk. None of us know what is coming. Hugs xxx

  10. Pies look good. Looking forward to Friday at 3. Hope you enjoyed your walk and chat with Dave. As you say we are so lucky to live in this part of the world with all the freedom we take for granted.

  11. Today we had Tuna cooked by hubby with lemons and pepper. Delicious. We both like many kinds of fish but he will not eat fish pie, even my speciality Koulibiaka (a Russian dish my father loved). Hope you have enough room in your freezer for the extra pies. Like you, he has an old Delia book but my go to is a Good Housekeeping book from the 50’s. It has the best recipe for rich fruit Christmas cake I have found anywhere.
    How lovely that your Dad was able to have a good talk with you and that he is getting better every day.
    Fine and nice are such meaningless words as they don’t convey the real sentiment, they are just bland. Another thing that winds me up is ‘so’ at the start of every sentence, many of which are interspersed with ‘like’ and ‘you know’ until I want to scream.
    Spent the afternoon with some Christmas Poppets, they are adorable.
    Stay safe.

    1. I learned to make what was called ‘Russian fish pie’ at school in the early 60’s and it has remained a favourite to this day. X

  12. Ah yes, I’ve got that book! Well thumbed and the odd grease spot. Your Dad must be feeling better to be thinking of other things. I find the whole world a little depressing at the moment. Just come back from a few days in Wales, actually only had a few rain spots so think Linda W must have done a spell for us, still nippy and breezy though. Even had half a day at Barry Island and had my photo taken With Gavin and Stacey ! I’m just going to open my cheering up envelope now. Enjoy your fish pie and love to your mum and dad x x

  13. So many of us also have that book. It seems that the Clarity family all have good taste, if you will excuse the pun. Delia’s Turkey en Croute, in her Christmas book, is the only reason I cook a turkey every year!
    What a lovely man your dad is. So wise and unselfish. I am finding the news too upsetting to watch at the moment, but unfortunately that doesn’t help all those desperate people. My heart breaks for them. I hope you and Dave enjoyed your walk. Hugs. Annette X

  14. I love fish pie !! You now have some in reserve for those days when time runs away & a meal is needed in a hurry. Why is it we always say we are fine when anyone asks how we are ? Seems your dad is feeling well enough to be thinking of everyone else rather than himself. Seeing those poor people trying to get on the plane was heartbreaking, not sure where it will all end but it doesn’t sound good at the moment.
    Tools & pj’s ordered for the craft along’s so all set. Will you be giving us a list of what else we will be need nearer the day.

  15. I love that book, my things I make are crumble, with part oats, and lemon cheese. That all started when I visited my son and family in SF. He asked me to make some, I never had, it was my auntie used to. And of course the lemons are on their tree.
    I have no TV at the moment, new one is on its way, hope it is here for Friday. I have been watching news on my iPad, much better way. It’s so sad, so many people having to leave their homes. What a world we live in.
    Pleased to hear your Dad is doing well. Xx
    .

  16. Hi Barbara, it,s so nice to read you and your dad having a chat and really saying what you meant. Not enough people do that. Saying ” love you” to them is also important. It,s ok to show your feelings. Love to you and your family. Enjoy every day.

  17. Hello Barbara
    I haven’t purposely watched the news since 2006, when my lovely daughter-in-law was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Nikki stopped watching the news and anything upsetting. Surrounding herself with only happy, positive thoughts. I have tried to do that ever since. If I am feeling a bit down I watch Mamma Mia with subtitles and sing along with them. A sure way to lift my mood. Who can watch the funny Julie Walters singing ‘Baby I’m Still Free’ while pursuing a man around the party and not laugh.
    Love
    Roz.xxx

  18. Hi Barbra and Co. Miss K was saying a similar thing and about the young lady that was shot in the head a few years ago, just for wanting to go to school and learn. That everyone should be able to go to school, no matter if your male or female.
    I’m glad you dad is doing well and that you all enjoyed the fish pie. We had a lovely day yesterday, we went to Bodiam Castle and after tea, a walk on the sea front at Eastbourne and of course we had an Ice Cream. X x

  19. Hello Barb, you should have dropped one off here, we love Fish Pie. Your Dad is a lovely person and I share his thoughts as well as yours, we can be so thankful for what we have in this country. Hope you enjoyed your walk with the lovely Dave. Take care and stay safe everyone. Bx

  20. What a strange world we live in Barbara, sad to say it’s been created by men and like the Taliban fear that woman are better so shut them down and make them live in tent like clothes. I feel so for the Afghans in general but the women especially

  21. We must have all had a fishy calling……I did a pasta dish with shredded smoked mackerel! We are so lucky to have what we have, be free to do what we want, can’t imagine the fear in Afghanistan and what an awful price to pay and this is the end result. Shocking.

  22. Delia’s bible as we call it in our house. We even had her one, two and three books but they got so well used they fell apart so we bought the bigger version of all three together in one book. As my husband says ‘you can never go wrong with Delia’. I still miss her cookery programmes, who remembers Delia’s Christmas cookery programmes and the supermarket stampede she created with fresh cranberries 😊

  23. I have had that book since it was 1st published, sadly the cover has long since gone.
    The world is in such a sorry state so very sad 😢.

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