We pause at the start of Week 23 to send communal love and hugs to Sally

Our Deepest Sympathies are with Sally and her family

I won’t be writing a proper entry this week just a brief note to let you know what’s happened.

The last few weeks have been pretty hectic for me and my family. My dad had a heart attack which was very serious but surprisingly he was out of hospital 3 days later.

I got some work which meant leaving London and staying in my parents' house, who I haven't seen for 6 months which was an exciting but very nervous time.

Then on Sunday we got told that my uncle had had a fit in his nursing home and had been rushed to hospital.

Due to Covid no one could visit him but we were told they didn’t think it was anything too serious and my mum was planning for him going back to his home in a few days time then at 3am on Tuesday morning the house phone rang and my mum and dad were asked to get to hospital ASAP.

Unfortunately my uncle had had another fit in his sleep and the doctors could not resuscitate him and he died before my mum could get there.

So that’s my shitty few weeks and hopefully you can understand why I haven’t written a full journal account!

As always, stay safe xx

Comments

A hearty entrée from Karachi

Edited BY G P Kennedy Qeema Matar by Tassy It's food week, so I am very happy to share a recipe of one of my go-to comfort foods. It is hearty, wholesome, and hugely satisfying. Not surprisingly, one of my favorite foods to cook while we live in uncertain times. The dish is called Qeema Matar in Urdu, roughly translated to mince with peas. It is a rich and aromatic dish that is cooked with a lot of spices. The dish originated at the time the Mughal dynasty of Turkic and Mongol origin ruled the vast Indian subcontinent from the 16th to mid 18th century. On average we have Qeema Matar at least once a week, usually with a "chapatti", flat bread made with unleavened wheat flour. It is pretty much a staple dish for us and also for a vast majority of Pakistanis. The dish is so popular that it is often prepared even as a festive dish on special occasions or at weddings. When I first learnt how to cook, this was probably one of the first recipes I wanted to...

A Turkish dessert for all to enjoy

Edited BY G P Kennedy AŞURE, NOAH ’s ARK TO SHARE from Gul This month you see an odd food traffic around, a dessert swapped continuously between neighbors. It’s called aşure (pronounced as aah-shoor-ey) , or Noah’s Pudding in English. Every year, Turkish women compete each other to create the best aşure while I wait fo r my neighbors whose names I don’t even know to bring one to me . Luckily, our summer neighbors are more generous than the winter ones. I have already received three different aşure so far. The other day one of our neighbors dropped a tray in his hand as he was walking 20 bowls on it. Luckily my share was in his wife’s hand. Yummy... ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE Aşure means one for all and all for one. It’s cooked in appreciation to God and the celebration of diversity and equal...

The finest coffee from the caffeine capital of the world

Edited BY G P Kennedy Coffee by Ellie If you have been following these stories for a while, dear reader, you already know that I have mentioned coffee in several of my coronavirus reports. That is because coffee is not just an important drink or ritual in Italy but an essential item, too. A marker of life, social standing and measure of sophistication even. Since coffee shops were closed during the lockdown, coffee was necessary sustenance that often went unfulfilled. Since we didn't make coffee at home (long story), we resorted to tea. And you might remember that once the prohibition was lifted, coffee shop bonanza opened and we could flock to the so called "bars" (that is, coffee shops), we were utterly disappointed to discover that coffee was now served in reusable cups. Blame it on the prohibition to stay inside. Luckily, it was only temporary. So, the irony is, once the clouds of the lockdown were lifted, we actu...

Coronavirus Stories - Reaching Out From Isolation

Search This Blog