Just like home...almost

A disappointing day to start with.  I got smartened up and drove off to attend the Exploring History Luncheon which was about one of the first African American families to own land in College Station.  There's been an archeological dig at the site of their homestead.  When I arrived at the church (lots of big churches here with auditoriums, meeting rooms etc.) the car park was suspiciously empty.  The nice young woman in the office was 'so, so sorry' is was yesterday.   So I was annoyed with myself and annoyed with the person who gave me the duff information! 

I decided to go and do my grocery shopping instead.   We have a couple coming for supper on Saturday night and the menu is:

Nigel Slater's flash fried Moroccan chicken

Jamie Oliver's marinated grilled vegetables

Persian rice

Ottolenghi's pears in saffron and cardamom

No, I didn't bring recipe books with me...it's all on t'internet!   

I made some more shopping discoveries.  You can buy almost any kind of dried fruit, but no sign of sultanas and the raisins came in small, expensive quantities.   They don't have creme fraiche - it doesn't seem to exist - but there are acres of sour cream.  Do you think that would have worked instead?  I decided to go for Green yoghurt.  No tender young leeks - just very big thick things - and no red chillies.  About 6 different kinds of chilli but none of them red.  

I collected Peter from work in the afternoon and we went to the opening of the Annual Faculty Art Exhibition, work by members of staff who work in Architecture and Fine Arts, one of whom we met recently.  We saw the refreshments table and made a bee-line but all they were serving drinks wise was a very sweet fizzy apple juice.  A definite contrast with our normal expectations of art show openings!  The art didn't disappoint though, there was some good stuff including some very appealing pen and ink drawings of Italian hill towns and of course the usual suspects drifting around and meeting and greeting!  Almost like home.