My place has an Aga, which takes an age to heat up and if you want to fry or boil anything it needs about a week’s written notice. Hence, I do the vast majority of my cooking using one of these things. And as I’m a single man, I also use a single pan, or rather a big rectangular non-stick thing with a handle at each end that I bought from Aldi, upon which an entire meal can be conjured in a matter of minutes. The only time I really use the Aga is when roasting a joint for the dog (who eats like a prince) every few days and the girlf also uses it occasionally to bake a cake when she comes over.
Insane, you say? I used to drink 4 or 5 mugs (yes, that does say “mugs”) of espresso strength coffee with 4 sugars per day. There have been studies which found that mice who are fed a very high caffeine diet live 25% longer than those which were fed a normal diet. And it obviously works, because once when I was 42 and going through a very brief clean shaven phase I got asked for ID on the door of a bar with a “Challenge 25” policy and given the rakish reprobate lifestyle I used to lead, by rights I should look like Keith Richards. Since I grew my (increasingly grey) beard back though, I’m more likely to be asked if I need help crossing the road or if I find the new 5p coin a bit fiddly. I make my coffee with one of these beautifully simple contraptions, which IMO, brews the best cup of cafe ever.
Ha, yeah, it must be about a year ago young people had been stepping aside, respectful and generally helpful enough that I finally twigged. Around about the time I was shocked to find I didn't have to pay for prescriptions any more. I'm aware of pro-coffee stats. As far as I can make out I drink at leasr twice as much as the upper level supposed to confer benefit. Still an unknown, I suppose. We're pioneers!
I’ve just had falafels with a dollop of jalapeño guacamole on the side. My mouth is on fire currently
