The Anonymous Widower

Cooking Gluten-Free Pasta For One

I haven’t cooked any pasta since I moved here nearly two years ago.  But after Saturday’s Times published a list of pasta dishes saying they were the only ones you’d ever need, I thought I had better. Getting the amount of pasta correct has always been a problem and today, I decided that I had better do it by volume. So i carefully weighed out the 100 grams I need for myself of Dove’s Farm gluten-free penne.

100 Grams of Dove’s Farm Gluten-Free Penne

I reckoned it would just fit into a standard John Lewis tumbler and the picture shows I was right. So the dial shows 98, but I won’t argue about 2 grams. As you can see, I find a letter balance much better for small quantities than a proper set of scales, especially if you can adjust them for the weight of the container.

I then put the pasta into boiling water with a bit of salt for 6-8 minutes.

If I have time, I do taste it, but generally a measured cooking time works.

The sauce I used tonight was pea, mushroom and ham. It required.

  • 150 g of shelled peas (fresh or frozen) – I used one of those little packets.
  • 30 g of butter
  • 150 g white mushrooms, sliced
  • 200 g ham, chopped
  • 250 ml double cream
  • 100 g grated parmesan

Firstly, whilst the peas were cooking, I sliced the mushrooms

150 g of Sliced Mushrooms

And chopped the ham.

200 g of Chopped Ham

after draining the peas, I melted the butter in a pan and then added the peas and the mushrooms, giving it a good stir.

After five minutes, I added the chopped ham and stirred it for a few minutes before I poured in the cream. I then added some salt and kept it warm.

Meanwhile, I started the pasta off and when it was cooked, I turned it into a serving dish.  I added the grated parmesan and stirred it rapidly.

Finally I added the sauce and mixed it all well.

Gluten Free Pea, Mushroom and Ham Pasta

It was rather nice, even if I say it myself. I have a feeling too that the peas compliment the texture of the pasta.

I shall be trying some of the other recipes from last Saturday’s Times.

August 28, 2012 Posted by | Food | , | 8 Comments

Both Ways By New Bus For London

I did a quick trip to the Angel and it was both ways on a New Bus for London. In both cases I saw the bus coming and waited a couple of minutes to catch it.  I wasn’t the only one either.

On the way up, I heard a rumour that another ten buses are on their way and they will be on route 73.

Whether this is true, I would have no idea, but it is another route like route 38, that is operated by Arriva.

August 28, 2012 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , | Leave a comment

Are Plimsoles On The Way Back?

At school in the 1950s we are wore plimsoles for gym.  Just like these.

Are Plimsoles On The Way Back?

Except that ours were black and sometimes they had laces. I took the picture on the way back from Blockley.  The feet actually belonged to a young lady from Poland, who gave permission for the picture to be taken.

August 28, 2012 Posted by | Transport/Travel | | Leave a comment

An Advantage Of A Freedom Pass

I have a Freedom Pass and one of the advantages is to go places, you’ve never been before. Today I walked to Dalston Junction station and took the East London line to Brockley station.

In a way it was just to have a coffee at Brown’s of Brockley. As you can see the cafe is just by the station.

Is this an example of how new transport links create employment?

At least the coffee was worth the trip, even if I did return soon after I’d finished my cappuccino.

August 28, 2012 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , | Leave a comment

A Real Takeaway Cappuccino

I needed a proper coffee, whilst waiting for my new washer/dryer to be delivered. So I took a cup over to EggsMilkButter and told them to fill it.

A Real Takeaway Cappuccino

So I ended up with proper coffee in a real mug.  They said, it was good for them, as they’d outsourced some of the washing up.

August 28, 2012 Posted by | Food | , , | 2 Comments

Marmite Fights MRSA

They’ve now proven that an ingredient in Marmite fights MRSA.  It’s all here in the Daily Telegraph.

C was a great eater of Marmite and never got MRSA.  I haven’t had it either, so perhaps sleeping with a Marmite eater for forty years is good protection.

August 28, 2012 Posted by | Food, Health | Leave a comment

It’s Grim Up North

The Campaign for Better Transport has just published their report on car dependency in England.

Wigan is the worst, with London and Brighton at the top.

I don’t agree with all their findings, but read the report and make your own.

My argument with their report, is that they don’t talk much about the information systems in the various cities.

To me, this is very important.

August 28, 2012 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , | Leave a comment