clinging to the wreckage: Spider tennis.

Monday 26 July 2010

Spider tennis.

Here in the jungle there are LOTS of creepy crawly things, reptiles and insects and WORSE!
I try not to think about the WORSE stuff too often. We religiously keep the fly screens in place, day and night. And there is always a can of bug killer at hand. Makes me feel safe, sort of.

Now I am no shrinking violet and can cope with most things, exceptions being rats and leeches. Yuck. Just writing that sentence has made me squirm...

One part of the day that I love here is around 4pm. The relentless heat is beginning to subside and there's no sign of the dusk driven mosquitoes and other blood sucking lovelies of the Tropics. I usually take a break up on deck then. Sat in the corner of the cockpit with my current book and a long iced drink..

So there I was yesterday when something caught my eye, glancing up I look with horror at the Tarzan of jungle spiders swinging towards the boat on a thread of web that must have been made of steel to hold the bodyweight of this bugger. It was so big I could see it's eyes, and that's without putting my spectacles on! I swear I could hear it yelling "Ah A ah a ah"!! beating it's chest with all six of it's legs that weren't clinging to the thread.It even looked a bit like Johnny Weismuller.

Bloody hell! I grabbed TBH's abandoned flip flop, and with an almighty swing batted the creature back into the jungle. Yeah! Game, set and match to the middle aged matron with the devastating forehand!!

1 comment:

Cindy Bonham Miller said...: I feel just like you do about insects and crawlies. Good on you. One for our side.; 26 July 2010 at 10:47

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Cuban-style shrimps with rum

100ml rum
few drops tabasco sauce
zest and juice of 1 lime
2tsps worcester sauce
2.5tbso plain flour
pinch of ground cumin
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
24 large shrimp,peeled and deveined
10z butter
80ml olive oil
4 large cloves garlic,crushed
1tbsp chopped parsley
1tbsp chopped coriander(cilantro) leaves

Mix rum,tabasco,lime juice and zest and worcester sauce in a small bowl.
Mix flour with cumin,nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.Dip the shrimp in the mix before cooking.
Melt half butter with half oil in large saute pan, when hot add half garlic and half shrimp. Cook until prawns are pale pink and lightly golden. Lift on serving plate, keep warm. repeat with remaining butter,oil, garlic and shrimp.
Pour rum mix into pan and allow to bubble for a minute or two, stirring.
Mix with parsley and ciltrano.
pour over shrimp and serve with rice as a main dish or alone as a starter.

Delicious!

Caramalised Onion,Fruit and Nut Pilau

2tbsp Ghee
2 large onions, sliced
2tbsp Ghee, extra
1tsp hot chilli powder
1tsp ground black pepper
1/4tsp saffron threads
4 cardamon pods, crushed
4 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1tsp salt
2 cups basmati rice, washed and drained
4 cups water
1/2 cup currants
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup pistachio nuts, shelled

Heat ghee in large pan. Cook the onions until caramelized. Remove from pan.

Add extra ghee and spices to same pan, cook stirring, until fragrant. Stir in salt, rice and onions.

Add water, bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cover until rice is tender and all water has been absorbed.Stir in fruit, cover and stand 5 mins.

Just before serving stir in nuts.

Carrol Shelby's Chili Recipe.

1/4	lb suet or 1/4 cup cooking oil
1	lb beef round steak, coarse chili grind
1	lb beef chuck, coarse chili grind
8	ounces can tomato sauce
12	ounces beer
2	tablespoons crushed red chili peppers
2	medium garlic cloves, minced
1	small onion, finely chopped
1 1/4	teaspoons dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
1/2	teaspoon paprika
1 1/2	teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/4	teaspoons salt
1/8	teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4	lb monterey jack cheese, grated

Melt suet or heat the oil in a heavy 3-quart (or larger) pot over medium-high heat.
Remove the unrendered suet and crumble meat into the pot. Break up any lumps with a fork and cook, stirring occasionally. until meat is evenly browned.
Add tomato sauce, beer, crushed red chile, garlic, onion, oregano, paprika, 1 teaspoons of the cumin, and salt. Stir to blend and bring to a boil.
Lower heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
Taste and adjust seasonings, adding cayenne pepper.
Simmer uncovered 1 hour longer.
Stir in the cheese and the remaining 1/2 teaspoons cumin.
Simmer 1/2 hour longer, stirring often to keep cheese from burning.
I serve the chili with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese to garnish, and warm cornbread on the side.
The cookbook actually called for 1/4 cup of crushed red chile pepper, but unless you have a taste for fire, use less! I use half that amount, and I really like hot food.