Recipe and The German Lady

If you want a full proof recipe for a heart winter soup here’s mine for Broad Bean & Chorizo Soup 




 Chorizo and broad bean soup
Three large tins of broad beans
Vegetable stock
1 large onion.
2 cloves garlic
1 small chorizo ring
Large tablespoon low fat Creme Fresh.
Black pepper

This is the best of homemade winter soups!
Gently fry off the onion with chopped chorizo, 
The oil will ooze out of the sausage and stain the onions .
Add garlic and fry off.
Add beans with their tinned juice and stock and bring to boil
Then simmer gently for at least an hour
Liquidise, add creme fresh and season 

Bloody lovely
I’ve turned into fucking Nigella ....

After making soup I took the dogs for a walk and as usual bumped into Uber Couple and after them German Lady. 
I like German Lady
We only say hello, but I like her genuine smile, her jaunty terrier who is always ready for a row with Mary and her flared jeans .
Her hello is friendly and almost overwhelmed by her thick German accent 
Today she said Hello, then added “ Your old Bulldog? Has she died?” as she stopped.
I told her that she had and the woman nodded sympathetically 
“ She alvays made me laff” she said “ You must ave many good memories of her” 
I liked the fact that the woman immediately went for the positives of the situation.

Further down the lane my best memory came back to me and I almost turned to look for German Lady in order to tell her about it. 
It was just over two years ago.
Christmas day late morning 
I was sat on an empty Promenade by the sea
It was a grey cold day and I was newly separated from the Prof and grieving not only him but William, who had died in his sleep a couple of weeks before. I remember George and Mary were sat on my left pressed hard against the cold and Winnie sat on my right sulking.
Winnie was annoyed in a way only bulldogs get annoyed , 
She was livid .
I had not only brought her out for a cold walk on the beach and not her usual sheltered railway walkway, but I had made her walk, far too long along cold concrete , then made her sit with her fat face facing the wind. 
She wanted to go home and she “ Harumphed “ loudly when I started to play with my phone, in order to get the best of Christmas selfies 
Twenty minutes later she finally lost it
And grabbing my shoulders with her massive paws she heaved herself up and looked me square in the face.
Eyeball to eyeball
Her expression said it all
Now Fuck off ...Im Cold.....I want to go home”
I snapped the “ look” in a selfie
I miss those knowing looks and those quietly authoritative temper tantrums of hers.



 

68 comments:

  1. What a wonderful photo .... completely sums Winnies mood up. !!! .. and, the size of those paws 🙀 !!!!!!!! XXXX

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  2. This story made me smile and also broke my heart a little as I could feel your pain at missing her. She was certainly a character! xx

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  3. We all miss the old girl. Love this photo!

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  4. Tinned broad beans, that is a new one on me.

    One of my fav photos of the two of you.

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  5. Not enough tits and pretension for a true Nigella. Also fool not full, you fool x

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    1. PS Like yourself last week I am getting ready for the quiz tonight and have selected my outfit and overdue scent for the evening. All glammed up for the online queers.

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    2. Let me know how you get on, I shall be back next week x

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    3. Will you be suggestively channeling Nigella Mavis?x

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    4. I am more Mary Berry than Nigella. Not only did John get the brains but also more tittage than I.

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  6. She was a stunning good looking lady.

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  7. That is indeed a CLASSIC photo!

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  8. If I believed in angels, I would think that Winnie is still following you about and trying her best to tell you what to do.

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  9. I remember that selfie. Nice to know the backstory. Such a motherly warning, an "I'm getting tired of your crap" kinda look. LOL.

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  10. Who needs a partner when you have a dog to give you those looks!

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  11. I'm a lousy cook, but I may try this.
    And that photo!!!

    XOXO

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  12. I live with one of those, but in Scottie form. I’m assuming you left immediately since you’re still alive.

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  13. Well, I know I'd totally eat that! 🔥

    Btw, that last photo is super-sweet. 🤎

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  14. It made the perfect photo. Totally captured her personality.

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  15. I do miss winnie; she was one of a kind.

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  16. Winnie definitely had the ability to get her point across! Oh, if only her words were audible here. I hope you have this framed and hanging somewhere, it's classic Winnie. It makes me smile every time I look at it on your page.

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  17. I love that photo of Winnie! She was a woman who knew what she wanted and GOT IT. Haha. Such a good dog.

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  18. Yorkshire Liz3:02 pm

    I love that photo, of you both. It is strange how little things bring back such perfect memories. I lost my perfect sheltie the Easter before last. He was a very pretty sable,tiny, and looked like a stuffed toy, and everyone he met was convinced that a dog so pretty had to be a little girl. But beyond his sweet smile and pretty face he was tougher than old boots.

    His favourite thing was torrential rain that started in the middle of the night.

    He would wake me by gently patting my cheek with his paw, saying he needed to go out. He would then sit in the middle of the lawn, face upturned to the downpour, eyes closed in bliss with a big grin. While I huddled on the back step, freezing. A neglected rescue dog with an illustrious pedigree as long as your arm, he was nothing at all like his Kennel Club name - Rubeck City Gent. Better known as Rexie. I suspect he and Winnie would have been great chums and compared some wonderful stories!

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  19. Barbara Anne3:44 pm

    Yum! That recipe sounds delicious and easy - ta!
    Oh, sweet and opinionated Winnie, how we do miss her. I've always loved that picture and am glad you were messing with your phone at that very minute.
    Have you had any more thoughts about what breed your next dog will be and when you might get him/her?

    Hugs!

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  20. All this time I thought she was so concerned about you in that photo, and it turns out she was issuing orders! I've only gotten to know one English bulldog. We used to joke about Ditka being a drama queen even though he was a male because he had very strong opinions and made them very plain.

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  21. I am a fan of soup in the winter with a good toasted piece of bread to dip in it. Because I am a no class low class.

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  22. I love knowing the story behind that photo. Bulldogs are very good at letting you know what they are thinking...and offering 'editorial comments' along with the looks (e.g. snorts, farts, harrumphs).

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  23. John, you had mentioned about getting another dog, would it be a bulldog again? You have such lovely memories of your pets. Thanks for the post!

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  24. What a brilliant photo. The old girl had a huge personality.

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  25. winnie was a pip from day one. i miss her too. i loved that dog.

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  26. Two different encounters - one a nod hello and the other friendly enough for you to want to turn back and continue the meet. How different people give off different vibes.

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  27. The German lady and her dog Roger I used to meet dog walking was very direct but I liked her-she did upset one man who told me they had a big disagreement about politics in the countryside.Her husband splashed water about whilst she was sleeping apparently-she was a fine arts teacher-I think she may be ill and he has disappeared too x

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    1. Oddly the annoyed man who I haven't seen recently-John too!told me he had a very heated exchange with the Polish ladies also-I know them and they are very knowledgeable about dogs-I've had an impromptu dog training lesson and free advice recently with a considered look at my lilys winter coat x

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  28. I also love the detail of saliva on your shoulder. She had Omar Sharif eyes!

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  29. That is a classic Keeper of a photo, and I’m not surprised at the backstory. Winnie didn’t take prisoners did she! I agree with her - playing with your phone while she’s freezing her butt off was not the level of service she expected! Darling Winnie, she’s a hard act to follow.

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  30. I remember that priceless photo. What an individual Winnie was, and I'm so glad you have lots of sweet (and hilarious) memories of her.

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  31. Yes they can't talk but do have a way of making their thoughts known xx

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  32. That's one of my favorite of online photographs.

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  33. I've always loved that photo of the two of you and I even remember when you took it. The German Lady is correct - always remember the positives, the happy times. Seven years ago we lost the two cats we had had for over 16 years. We lost them within a month of one another. I was crushed and I still miss them more than I could ever say. But after a time of grieving I decided that they deserved to be remembered for all the good they gave us. Every time the sadness of their loss came over me I forced myself to remember a good time with them. I now do that almost automatically and it is better for them and for me. We receive many gifts from our dear pets. xx

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  34. The photo says it all John. Nobody understands bulldogs better than you do

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  35. Dear Winnie, such a stunning girl. And such beautiful, big paws. She was certainly photogenic.

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  36. Chorizo and bean soup is such a classic but liquidising is a fresh take on it, looks amazing!
    And Winnie, gotta laugh at that expression, fabulous pic, fabulous dog

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  37. anyone know of bloggers in scotland?

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    1. well, great scot. what is his address?

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    2. https://andrewrscottphotodiary.blogspot.com/

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  38. I love that photo, miss the old girl,

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  39. It does look as though Winnie was saying just that...
    And for your second book, John Grey's Instant Comfort Cookbook? My mouth is watering already.

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  40. Winnie made many wonderful lasting impressions on many. What a girl. One of a kind.

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  41. I can see the whole story in that picture. So happy it's still on your sidebar.

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  42. I had to look up "liquidise" and "liquidiser", which are poorly explained but seem to mean puree in a blender. My question is, actually two, doesn't the sausage get lost in the pureeing? And is chorizo spicy hot?

    thx

    lizzy

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  43. nd do you use Mexican or Spanish chorizo?

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  44. That's the same look my daughter used to give her father.

    Love,
    Janie

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  45. I miss Winnie and I am happy I drew at the last second before I mailed the packet of all your furry wonderful loves and Winnie !
    xx

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  46. Bizarrely, one of the canned vegetables that are unavailable here in France is Broad Beans. I have often asked why! However, we do have them frozen, and I always have a bag in the freezer. Soup sounds delicious.

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  47. Sitting here with a bucket of coffee before work grinning madly at Winnies antics.

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  48. It's interesting that we often say hello to people we meet in passing, but very nice of the German lady to acknowledge the fact that she missed Winnie and that she left such a nice impression.
    I remember you were waiting for Mary to have a litter of puppies and planning on keeping one, I mention it because I'm getting the feeling I missed something that you are getting another dog??? surely not because Mary would love it if you kept one of hers.

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  49. And you do have beautiful memories of her. I'm glad you have people like the German lady to remind you of that.

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  50. Coming from the land where haggis is popular I was looking for lamb's heart in the menu...then I realised maybe you meant "hearty" in the first line. Get a pedantic proof reader for your book :)

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    1. Andrew Pedant2:23 am

      Oh... and "full proof"? Foolproof...

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  51. Anonymous3:29 am

    She was channeling her inner Winston Churchill! She loved and loves you still.

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  52. I love that photo of you and Winnie! She was certainly Large and In Charge!

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