Lots of new projects for the next few months

A few days post exam, when I have not been doing any explicit study, and my list of new projects is beginning to grow.

Short term, I have been catching up on our proposed building project which might be just a few weeks away from starting - fingers crossed. Lots of clearing up of the study has taken place and quite a few boxes are now packed up in the garage. Lots of little admin points have been dealt with. My CD listing on Amazon has been refreshed and has started to produce new sales. Some books have been ordered - mainly for Linda but one or two for me. I have also done a little exercise (but very little so far)

Some medium term projects have started. Various tax and accounting things, for instance. And I have made a couple of market trades for the first time in ages, so far resisting the temptation to "tick watch" during the day. I don't have a firm view on what this might achieve but am looking at it on an 18 month time frame. Given the capital at risk (relatively low) maybe a £1500 per month target would be possible - but a long way to go before that can be assessed. But at least implied vol is near the top end of its historical averages rather than the bottom, as tended to be the case a few years ago when trading this way was much harder.

My longer term plans are too loose at this stage for any actual progress. Maybe one or two will be ticked off by Christmas.

On the downside, my hay fever has returned post Spain. Indeed it is really bad at the moment - tablets appearing to make no difference. More worryingly, my main symptom is a heavy chest cough and I am producing gross amounts of phlegm. So I have been staying in most of the time. The few occasions when I do venture out produce an almost-immediate adverse reaction. As a result, little work is going on at the allotment and it is very overgrown again - amazing how this can happens in just a couple of weeks!

But also more time for cooking

Tonight I am cooking spanish chicken with chorizo, peppers and rice. To be followed by our current favourite treat dessert. So here comes this blog's first ever recipe!

Creme Brulee

It is only when you see the ingredients listed that you realise what a ludicrous dessert creme brulee really is

Serves 4

750ml double cream
250ml milk
10 egg yolks
175g caster sugar
60g demerara sugar
6 Strawberries for garnish

Preheat oven to 120 C / gas 1
Whisk the egg yolks in a mixing bowl until combined, then whisk in the caster sugar
Heat the milk until warm, then whisk into the egg yolk mixture with the cold cream. Keep whisking well.
Ladle the mixture into four bowls and cook in the oven for 90 minutes to 2 hours until the mixture has set. Remove from oven and allow to cool
Place three half segments of strawberries in the centre of each bowl. Sprinkle with demerara sugar to cover the tops completely in a thin layer
Light blow torch and caramelise sugar until bubbling
Leave to cool for 1 minute and then serve

What can go wrong? The mixture might not be whisked thoroughly and then separates. The oven needs to be pretty cool really and best to cook for longer at cooler. Can be hard to judge whether the mixture is set properly - but some people prefer creme brulee to be a bit runnier (that's a good excuse anyway)

Variations

Creme brulee can be flavoured with all sorts of things. Blueberries and raspberries can be very nice. Simple put a couple of handfuls of fruit in a blender, then whisk into the main mixture before putting into bowls.

A more subtle creme brulee can be made using lemon verbena leaves. Chop about half a dozen leaves and heat with the milk until hot. Leave to cool, then pass through a sieve to remove leaves. Milk will then carry forward the flavour.