Of old books and a kedgeree

I’VE MADE and early start on the spring cleaning.

I’m pulling down all our collection of books and then dusting and polishing the shelves – a few at a time. While doing so, I glance at some of the titles and I wonder if I’m ever going to read any these volumes again.

And if not, why do I bother holding on to these dried, yellowing tomes?

I don’t know really. Just having them here, like this, is somehow reassuring and comforting. They are like discreet old friends, quietly sitting here and keeping us company.

And pulling them down once in while for an air and a dust is a small price to pay their companionship.

For dinner this evening I do us an old favourite, a salmon kedgeree. I’m very partial to these mixtures of rice, fish and hard-boiled eggs, and I’m quite good at them, though I do say so myself.

The recipe is simple enough. While boiling up some long-grain rice, I sweat off an onion, open a tin of wild red salmon – I always use the wild, if I can, it really does have a better flavour – and dice up the pre-boiled eggs. When the rice is done, I mix all the ingredients together, add some seasoning and a pinch of cayenne pepper and then serve with tinned plum tomatoes. Easy and very tasty!

It’s a somewhat subdued evening, this, we’re both a little tired. We watch Come Dine With Me (C4), the competition in which a group of strangers come to each other’s houses for a meal, then vote on it’s success or otherwise.

And I’m struck – not for the first time – while watching this programme by just how many people there are in the world who I wouldn’t even give the time of day to, let alone want for them to come to my home for a meal.

I suppose it all makes for interesting television.