SOHO
St. Annes Court: A Meeting, A Stubby, Webbing and a Snap
A honorable mention to Fernandez and Wells, a lovely little spot in the newly yuppied St. Annes Court in Soho (in London, not the NYC alternative.) And while we all want to fight the good fight for over-gentrification in quirky mews and neighborhoods, the Court is still very quaint and remains home to the Barber Shop (The Wacky Barber, #9) that serves beer, and a Tattoo Parlor, so all in not lost. Now Fernandez and Wells; new, serving coffee (quel horreur), wooden seats and tables, “Another Le Pain Q knock-off?” one asks?? Simple answer,’No.” What makes Fernandez and Wells special is the adorable staff, the friendly, simple room and the food prepared by a loving chef – – not to mention that even this tea lover loves the “Stubby,” a delicious little coffee drink served in a glass cup. I will return to the shop for photos and a pic of the chef on my next outing and post.
I was at said shop to meet with my friend, Hilary Davis, the incredible and fab woman behind Bankside Films. So here is the working bit of my day…a meeting. Now that the person I am meeting with is wonderful, a woman in the male dominated flm business and someone I am hoping to work with in the near future, still makes it work…sort of? It’s a treat when the work life and living life merge like it does when meeting with Hilary. Meeting and coffee smooth and a pleasure. After a few moments cooing over Dexter, Hilary was off to another meeting and I was on my way home to write.
Now I was rushing through the streets of Soho, (and you might ask why rushing? Because it was freezing!!!! That is why.) my only thought was to get to the Tottenham Court Tube station and wind my way back to Primrose Hill. Suddenly, Dexter popped his head out of his super-duper flannel winter bag and reminded me we needed to find the bits and bobs to fix the shoulder strap on aforementioned super-duper bag.
That gentle nudge of his little black nose (nearly frozen off from the cold) got me stumbling into the oddest of shops full of rhinstone tiara’s, every known type of fake jewelry known to man asking a very surprised gentleman if he had buckles and webbing! He smiled, shaked his head and said “Kleins” second right.
One minute and second right later, there is was, Kleins. The man was right, was there any bit or bob needed for sewing, they had it…
The staff was sweet and within one minute of me asking for a snap-lock for a shoulder strap and showed her the bag, a drawer full of locking harnesses were at my fingertips. Next, webbing to make a new shoulder strap, (yes, I lost the original) for super-duper. Dexter was delighted and licked the nose of the sales girl.
Purchase made, we high-tailed it back to Primrose Hill, for now I needed someone who could work miracles and turn buckles and webbing into a new strap. Enter, Sew Much Fun. Roz, the owner can and does sew anything. Cute shop full of little flannel holiday ornaments, stockings for the hearth, pillows that look like Santa and snowmen…you get the idea….really cute. A Dexter kind-of-place. Roz took the webbing and snaps and promised Dexter a new strap by next week! And she’s going to velcro his bag liner so it doesn’t slip, what I do for this dog.
This brings me to home and Squash Soup. This is for my friend, Tom Wade, who said “How do you make this?”
SQUASH SOUP
BROTH
2 large leeks
2 parsnips
white ends of green onions 1 bunch
parsley – fresh – a big handful
thyme -fresh – a big handful
2 sweet onions
4 pay leaves
celery hearts – from one stalk all the yellowish leafy bits
PUT ALL OF THIS IN CHUNKS INTO A GOOD SIZED STOCK POT 3 qts or so
(of course wash everything first, get all the grit out of the leeks and celery) Peel the parsnips
COVER EVERYTHING WITH COLD WATER AND PUT ON A LOW FLAME
LET IT SIMMER FOR AN HOUR – STOCK IS DONE!
COOL AND STRAIN you can reuse the stock cookign pot for the soup
HOW EASY IS THAT?
BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
3 Squashes
5 shallots – diced and sweated
Butter – you decide start with two tablespoons
Salt – again to taste. start with a teaspoon of Maldon Salt that you crush in your hands. (MALDON SALT IS THE BEST SALT, PERIOD – – and I am not opinionated.)
ROASTING THE SQUASH
My favortie way to make the soup.
cut in half, scoop out seeds, coat with olive oil
Put on a cookie sheet lined with foil (easier to clean) flesh side down.
375ø for about 45 minutes
when soft take out and cool:::
Scoop the cooled flesh and put it into the strained stock
add salt
butter
cook for 10 minutes then
puree ( I use a hand blender – which I love more than anything else in the kitchen – Braun makes a great one that has all kinds of great attachments.)
add ons:
A little creme fraiche when serving
leaves of fresh thyme for color
some folks like a touch of molasses in their soup
MY SOUP THAT I AM ABOUT TO EAT!
with crusty sour dough toasted in a 375ø oven with olive oil and sprinkle of salt, yum
Enjoy
NOW THE WRITING PART
Okay, I didn’t do a lot of writing today, but I thought about writing a lot. I wrote a scene for the new script I am writing, and I looked at my edits for the Barrett script (how many drafts you might ask? Forget about it.) I treated myself and my friend Anne to butternut squash soup for lunch and then we went for a walk to Primrose Hill. We passed the house of William Butler Yeats…a wonderful poet and wordsmith.
Here is one of my favorite quotes:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams; I have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
William Butler Yeats
The walk was inspiring and tonight I will sit here and think of my dreams and the dreams of my characters and go on an adventure into that other place where inspiration lives and other voices call to us to bring them to life on the page.
JDJ AND
DOODLE
storytellerla 