04 June, 2007

Sampire & Ceramics

Friday, after our regular lunchtime visit to the fishmonger on the market, Lisa set to work to put together a very classy meal of tuna, salsa sampire and rice. The tuna steaks were marinated and then briefly char-grilled, the marsh sampire (also bought from the fishmonger) we blanched and tossed in butter and Lisa made a tomato and onion salsa. These elements were composed on the plate as you see, and served with a pot of basmati rice flavoured with fresh garden herbs and cooked in chicken stock. Quite a lot of work for a Friday evening but well worth it!

Saturday we were back on the art trail in Cambridge, this time visiting the small gallery at Kettle's Yard to see an exhibition of ceramics by Edward de Waal that had been featured in the national press. These were delightfully engaging and occasionally slyly humourous works each consisting of numerous ceramic objects (mostly plates, cups and bowls) arranged and placed in the various gallery spaces to wonderful effect. Far, far more rewarding than the disappointing Hodgkin paintings we saw last week. Even better, we learned that there were a few more de Waal pieces that had been installed in the Kettle's Yard House so we went next-door and spent an engrossing couple of hours there enjoying the house as a whole and the de Waal installations in particular. A very fine way to spend a Saturday afternoon!

Today (Monday) Lisa had a pre-interview "informal chat" at one of the research centres in the University where she's applying for work. Yes, she's on the job-hunting trail again as her contract in her current post isn't going to be renewed due to funding difficulties. We met up briefly afterwards and, over a coffee, Lisa described a pretty intensive one-to-one grilling by the place that left her feeling shattered; and this is before the panel interview in a few weeks' time. Whew!