First day of sunshine

Sticking to the stereotype - Scones and Tea

Dad's podding broad beans at the counter, the roasted lamb is about to come out of the oven - I can smell the roasted rosemary and garlic as the particles disperse into all corners of the conservatory. The roasted tatties are sizzling away, the parsnips are getting crispier and the plates are warming up in the Aga (a big metal device that warms the entire house, can be used for cooking, heating clothes, whatEVER you can think of) perfect for a little cottage in the middle of the country.

I've been coming down here for 18 years, our family cottage. I look out at the estuary now, it's high tide at the moment and the light is dimming, the aura of the sun can just be seen above the clumps of trees that line the estuary and the bend of the trees that wind off to Salcombe (a nearby seaside town) is bathed in a pinky/ orange light. It's beautiful. I've spent years standing here with crabbing lines waiting for them to grab onto the chunks of streaky bacon on the end of the line. A tedious activity that does elicit great happiness and pride when it results in a bucket full of scrambling crabs. The activity that my brother is engaged in as I type. I would froloc in the squelching mud, thinking of an old childhood favourite 'We're going on a bearhunt' by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury. I'd look for Samphire (a delicious sea grass), crabs, swans eggs (that belonged to our lovely 2 swans.. well not 'our' but the ones that have resided infront of our cottage for as long as I can remember) and squelch into it until I got to the point of keeling over, pulling my wellies out with one hand and balancing on the stepping stones with the other.

Crabbing at dusk

We'd take trips to the local pub for some great cider and yummy pork scratchings, we'd kayak down the estuary, take boat trips, hikes along fabulous cliffs, swims in ice cold waters and gorge on the fabulous sweets sold by our local sweetshop (all the oldies you can think of - flying saucers, 1p cola bottles, shoelaces, sherbert lemons, bon bons, gobstoppers. The list would go on forever). Classic fudge, scones, clotted cream and jam, turkish delight, fish and chips, Kedgeree (look it up - an interesting dish of smoked haddock, rice, egg and curry powder.. labelled english but stolen from our time of colonization in India), drinking cream tea's and the likes. Ah i love it all

So back to the beginning. It's been raining for 94 days straight in England - that's not even a lie, it's literally biblicle. On the radio today i listened to the presenter talking about the multiple cases of SAD (seasonal affective disorder) a depression due to cold rainy weather, usually at winter but due to the miserably weather it's now happening in Summer. Great considering the Olympics is fast approaching. But today, my first day of proper holidays at our beautiful family cottage in Devon, the sun came out, blue skies ALL day, no clouds or streamlines, glittering blue waters, a light breeze and beautiful food. Chorizo, hummus, organic lettuce and cheddar cheese sandwiches with doritoes. Pork and apple pasties (made with spelt flower!! Amazing considering mum and I can't eat wheat .. how nutrition has taken off), donuts, chilli chocolate, apple cider and lots of water.

Summer

A deep brown glow has set in and we lie in the lull of the 9 O'clock energy.. 11ensies will come later with a glass of red wine and some chocolate digestives. I'm finally appreciating being home. A break from running between tables serving plates of Spanish tapas to ungrateful (and grateful) customers, keeping my fingers crossed for a good tip that'll see me through to the next day (considering most of my wage gets spent on my oyster car.. the payment method for London's public transport). My tummy's rumbling and in a slightly stoned state everyone's stirring, ready to sit down to a delicious Lamb roast and drink great wine - oh don't you just love summer?  A fantastic first day of sunshine.

Recipe of the day: Fresh Scones and Home-made strawberry jam (serve hot with butter, clotted cream and builders tea)

Scones: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/scones_1285

Home-made jam: http://australianfood.about.com/od/breakfast/r/StrawberryJam.htm