Welcome to my blog, where I take pleasure in words and pictures, be they my own or those of others. I'm a creative individual, and the crafty side I explore on my 'other blog', Picking Up The Threads, which I hope you'll visit too. I'm sure you understand that I have sole copyright of my original work and any of my contributions, so please ask if you want to use them. A polite request is rarely refused. So, as they used to say on the BBC's 'Listen With Mother' radio programme, many years ago: "Are you sitting comfortably? Then we'll begin."

Monday 19 September 2011

Eat Up - They’re Good For You!

This week Carmi’s thematic photograph challenge, over at Written.inc is ‘Eating Our Vegetables’. He’s obviously thinking of our well-being, and encouraging us to take the healthy option. I’m also linking to Weekend Cooking this week, as this post fits in nicely with its foodie theme.
I couldn’t resist this quirky stone sculpture found in the Jardin de Cactus here in Lanzarote. As in previous posts I’m paying homage once again to César Manrique, for this too is his brainchild. The Cactus Garden was the last work he completed before his untimely death in a car accident outside his home. The island is dotted with examples of his creative genius and the cactus garden is just one more. The garden has over 1000 species of cacti of all shapes and sizes, complimented by Manrique’s sense of fun in his clever designs throughout. This giant stone face reminds me of so many different characters from folklore and children’s literature; but whatever that creature is, giant, troll or hobgoblin, he’s certainly eating his greens! To see one of his English cousins have a look at Broken Biro’s picture here.

These squashes and pumpkins were on display at Mancha Blanca local market. A stallholder had placed them on the wall, instantly creating a modern ‘still life’. I thought they looked wonderful sitting on the white wall of the marketplace, with the blue sky and a distant volcano in the background. Strictly speaking they are gourds, but so are cucumbers and melons. I’m taking the wider definition of vegetable here. The market, in the north of the island, is a Canarian farmers’ market, where most of the stallholders dress in traditional costume, and they will happily slice off as much or as little of the squash as you require. Nothing is pre-packed and covered in cling film, and all the produce is freshly picked. The vegetable aren’t washed and sorted into sizes to suit the supermarket; instead they appear as they do when freshly harvested, with earth still clinging to them in some cases. Don’t let this put you off, the taste is far better than anything bought in a supermarket.



And if you prefer to see your veggies already prepared and served up on the plate, try my very own spicy marinated aubergines, just one item on the menu we served to friends who joined us for Tapas recently.


And of course the famous Canarian Wrinkly Potatoes which we eat with Mojo Sauce, both red and green, and again very spicy and garlicky. To see some of the other dishes I served have a look at my previous post,Tapas Evening and wash it all down with a nice glass of red to make sure you get your 5-a day!




12 comments:

  1. Oh I just love it! Very cool, and your photos are making me hungry all over again...and I just at dinner! Great TP post again, thanks so much!

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  2. oh wow! those aubergines and potatoes look so delicious !

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  3. Now those are indeed vegetables. I shall be posting my own later in the week - nothing to compare with those however.

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  4. Those aubergines look scrumptious - as do the potatoes!

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  5. ok, i'd like to drop by to try those aubergines. i'll bring the wine...
    ;)~
    HUGZ

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  6. A great post showing that, although Lanzarote is an offshore bit of the Sahara, it is not a culinary desert! The Cactus Garden is amazing. I thought I'd be bored, I was entranced.

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  7. I'm positively drooling over this post.

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  8. So pleased you linked to Weekend Cooking -- this post is perfect. I love that sculpture -- how cool is that? I have eggplant to make tonight, and I love it roasted. Wish it were dinnertime already!

    I've been doing Wordless Wednesday for almost 3 years now, so I should really look for Carmi’s thematic photograph challenge -- maybe I'll try to play along.

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  9. Lovely pictures. Really wonderful.

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  10. That stone face is wonderful. I could look at that every day. thanks.

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  11. That is a very cool stone face :) The eggplant looks delicious, I'll have to try roasted, we usually just have it Parmesan. I bet the flavor is so good roasted.

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  12. I wish I could have met Manrique. What a way of looking at the world he had!

    I rather like the sell-it-as-it-was-harvested approach. Dirt and all, there's a delightful honesty to the process. When things look too perfect, I often wonder what's wrong beneath the surface. Here, no such worries!

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