Lunch today was four lamb cutlets from Edge’s the butchers in New Ferry on the way back from picking younger daughter up from Cheshire oaks.

After the red wine of last night I needed something spicy and meaty to eat. I made a rub by crushing a teaspoon of cumin seeds with rock salt and pepper corns. This was massaged into the nuggets of meat whilst I cleaned off the bits of squid from the griddle. As I did this the kitchen was again filled with the smell of scorched squid.

A bit of oil then went on the griddle and I cooked the lamb so there were black ridges on both sides and it was still pink in the middle. The salt cumin and pepper had just the right kick.

The afternoon was spent in the garden. Things are starting to grow in the greenhouse despite the recent cold and there was time to lie flat out face up to the sun and doze for a few minutes.