Tuesday 28^th November, 2017 2300

OK, bedtime very soon as tomorrow is my only official working day this week.

Not long finished the Oxfam Relief charity meal for Yankee Peace Corps volunteers – rather gratifying was Annie's text earlier in the evening declaring she LOVED Tuesdays and Thursdays, the two days my soup kitchen opens at full scale.

This time however, Dariush was free and so attended. Luckily I had acted in character and organised plenty of food so there was ample to feed four from my beef stew. Sadly, although for China I have impressive amounts of kitchen equipment, catering for four with two courses represents a challenge and so I had to abandon my thoughts of producing suet dumplings with the stew.

I have no idea about anyone else's idea of stew but mine is herby, thick and hearty. I managed that with the aid of cornflour, necessary because when it was near to completion I suddenly realised I had forgotten red wine! Cue half a bottle and over-hydration. Cornflour it was, no way was I using more of my precious Bisto!

And yes, a lovely stew by virtue of simmering the beef for 3 hours. The same could not be said when I used it for steak. That beef is fit for braising or stewing, roasting or even mincing but little else.

Three transatlantic bellies were filled.

Then came dessert and the reason I abandoned dumplings.

Pancakes.

Not American but English Shrove Tuesday ones.

The only time I had ever had a hand in making pancakes before (honestly, these Septics because they actually really love my cooking, are driving me to attempt dishes hitherto unexplored) and it ended with my tossed pancake adhering to the ceiling. Honestly.

Fair play to Dariush, he volunteered to be the guinea pig and declared it lovely. In fact they WERE good barring burning in the centre due to the lack of control with the hob. Even I thought they were good and I am my worst critic.

I think 3 bottles of wine disappeared if you account of what went into the stew but a really good night with people talking in strange tongues but which I could almost understand. Believe me, they are four decades younger and they swear things they say are English but ….......

So our train tickets for Saturday are booked and paid for. We are off to Xining for our Indian meal but before then they want macaroni cheese on Thursday. No pasta in BHG but I have penne so that will have to do.

Dariush? Well I WAS jealous of his looks but not so now. He is the hairiest guy I have ever met apart from Richard Keys, he is a walking, talking gorilla. A chest wax would probably see his exterior ripped off to reveal a ribcage with a beating heart beneath. Seriously, if he laid face-up on the floor people would mistake him for a grizzly bear rug! See the photos.