Easter Lunch

The kids are off school today so as we’re in a Catholic place, I asked Josephine my host if they were off for Easter.  She shrugged, fluttering the ruffles of her red Latino red dress, “No, off school for some Hindu thing, I donno, but it is Easter, this food is for Easter and there’s mass at six fifteen…”, she looked hopeful as if I might say “great I’ll come along” but it’s not my thing and my bland nod of a response probably said enough.

It was hot in the kitchen but Diu’s mosquito-obliterating breeze remained constant making it possible for me to frantically scribble notes while Josephine (with a little help from husband George and their nephew Alister) deftly threw together four huge, stunning dishes in under two hours colourfully representing the cuisines of Goa, Portugal and Gujarat.  By chance I had asked George last night if I could get a cookery lesson, he drawled back in his fascinating porto-indian accent “you can go in kitchen any time, but tomorrow there is a holiday, so go tomorrow, Josephine will show you, then you can eat”

It was delicious.  I have the recipes and all of the ingredients are straight forward UK purchases so those of you lucky enough to be in our come-dine-with-me club will be served Josephine’s Easter Lunch sometime in the next few months …I may even finish off with the cake she made for her daughter’s ninth birthday earlier in the week!

Lapping the sleepy shores of Diu

I am a creator of memorable moments, I always have been.  An idea takes hold and I try hard to conjure up the little details that will induce the optimal ambience.  It could be finding the precise time to walk the Corndon Skyline to maximise the summer sunset over Shropshire and Mid Wales.  It was once selecting the best drum and bass¹ tracks to accentuate sun rise from the smoking rim of Mt Bromo.  Sometimes it’s as simple as choosing the perfect wine to compliment my cooking.  This time, Diu is giving me an extended perfect moment all of its own creation.

I needed a few basics this week like a reliable internet connection to start my job search, a decent laundry to give my knuckles a rest, vegetables with less oil and somewhere to write outdoors.  Diu served these up with its laid back ease and threw in my quirky little church roof bedroom and a host of natural beauty for good measure.

Unlike the weekenders, drinking undercover on their rows of plastic chairs just a few hundred metres away, the evening beer on the church roof is unhurried, its 360 views are decorated by a dazzling sunset and it precedes a table full of George’s wife’s delicious home cooking.

 ¹ It was the 90s!



Diu's haunting memorial to 160 lives lost in the Tsunami



Hello ThinkingSpace Readers (yes You!)

ThinkingSpace was started hesitatingly for a handful of my nearest and dearest but these days there are hundreds of you lovely folk and I welcome you all wholeheartedly! I also want to thank you sincerely for the time you find to read this in your busy schedules.

This week's office is the roof of St Thomas' Diu, Gujarat!!

The commute

Please don’t be shy about sharing a ThinkingSpace link on Facebook or with any other of your networks that might be interested – there are still two months to go!  Owing to those who have already shared links, your numbers have swelled still further (over 100 views per day now) which is wonderfully encouraging.  I may not be earning but I am firmly employed carefully selecting ingredients and baking these quirky slices of India for your delectation.

From today I will trial a facility whereby all readers may leave comments.  Don’t feel obliged to comment, however whoever you are, your quips, jibes, kindness and feedback are heartening to receive.  I do aim to create a balance between observation, reflection and experience and would love to know if you want more of, less of or something different.  When commenting please be mindful of the fact that comments are public and that some readers are young and impressionable (Hello Fred and Barney xx)

NB Callum, Toby and Bea you are all way too grown up to be impressionable so I won’t send you kisses, I’ll just appreciate how cool you all are JJJ (but just in case …xxx)

Another day in the office on behalf
of my lovely readers!!