The Kilns

Today, with my weekend visitor Kitty, I journeyed by bus to the suburb of Risinghurst, just to the east of Oxford.  It's a modern, but appealing, neighborhood of two-story brick duplexes – somehow more homey and real to me than the grand ivy-covered mansions of Oxford.  There, tucked down a picturesque lane called Lewis Close, is an older house, built from local brick in the 1920s.  It's surrounded by a garden not yet in bloom.   This house, “The Kilns,” was the home of the author C.S. Lewis from 1930 until his death in 1963.  It's called The Kilns because it was located next to an old brickworks (that made the bricks for the house). Unfortunately the brickworks and its kilns are no longer standing.

The Kilns only does tours by appointment. Luckily we were able to schedule one.  It turned out that there was a large number of participants on this tour, including a group of students from Concordia College in Minnesota,  some Irish students, an art history student from Stanford and us (me and Kitty).

I have to admit I know nothing of C.S. Lewis.  I was too old for Narnia when it first came out.  I also never read any of Lewis’s theological writings.  Basically, I was just curious – and Kitty was very eager to take this tour.

And it was a good one – full of details about Lewis and the others who lived in the house.  Turns out Lewis shared the house with his soldier buddy’s mother and sister. He and his friend had vowed that they would take care of the other’s mother if one was killed in WWI; the friend didn’t make it home.  Lewis’s American wife Joy also lived in the house.  However she died 4 years after they were married.  Then there was Lewis’s brother Warren (Warnie?) who lived there too.  A full house.  The guide told us many interesting stories about these folks, including the fact that the Lewis brothers were very messy and that C.S. went for a swim every morning in the little pond behind the house.  There was also the rumor that he and his friend’s mother (27 years Lewis's senior) had a thing going on. (The guide didn't tell us this; it was something I read).

Anyway, here are some pictures I took at the Kilns – before my batteries died (again).  After the tour Kitty and I walked over to the church that Lewis and his brother attended and where he is buried.

I might have to read Narnia…

The Kilns -- back of house.



Dining room of the Kilns





Room that C.S. Lewis wrote in.





Needlepoint "kneelers" in Holy Trinity, where Lewis attended church.





Graveyard at Holy Trinity Church where C.S. Lewis is buried.



A grave at churchyard with snowdrops in bloom.



Sevres Porcelain at the Ashmolean

Today I went on a Lunchtime Gallery Tour at the Ashmolean Museum, one of the world’s most renowned art and archaeology museums.  The title of the tour was “Sevres and Other French Porcelain.”  I had heard of Sevres porcelain and seen pictures of Sevres ornately-decorated cobalt blue and gold cups and saucers, but I knew nothing about its history.

The tour started at 1:15, but I was in line for tickets at 12:30 (I was first in the queue).  About 15 people went on the tour  --  that’s the limit.  Our guide was a very knowledgeable woman in her 60s, who knew a lot about Sevres and the technical aspects of ceramics.  She made an interesting comment about ceramics design – that it was modeled on silverware, just as furniture design was modeled on architecture. Hmmm…

Manufacture of this type of porcelain began in Chantilly, but moved to the Chateau de Vincennes in 1738. In 1756 King Louis XV moved the operation to Sevres, a suburb of Paris. Sevres was also near the home of Madame de Pompadour, the king’s mistress, who fancied the ornate porcelain.

We looked at about 8 large cabinets full of Sevres porcelain.  The pieces included plates, cups & saucers, chamber pots, tureens, snuff boxes and cosmetic boxes.  All the pieces featured bright colors – not just cobalt blue, but turquoise, pink, green, etc. – with very rich gold trim.  I learned about a trembler cup and saucer, which has a well in the saucer with a built-up lip – to prevent the cup from slipping if you “trembled.”   Cups with a cover and a handle were called “pots a jus” by the French and were used for sauces/gravies; in England they were called “custard cups” and used for puddings.  The snuff boxes were very interesting: a couple in bed, dogs, sheep, a nun, fish.  Lots of tedious details. 

I could have taken pictures in the Ashmolean, but, alas, my camera batteries were dead.  Sorry.  If you know more about Sevres porcelain go to http://www.worthpoint.com/blog-entry/sevres-porcelain-fit-king   Do a search on Google Images to see examples of this beautiful china.  And if you want to buy some, just type in “Sevres” on eBay.  I saw some pieces as high as $59,000!

Two Fat Ladies

I think I first discovered the Two Fat Ladies on BBC America.  Their TV cooking show intrigued me.  It features these two British women cooks, both overweight, who roam the English countryside on a motorcycle with a sidecar – visiting places like castles, boarding schools, hunting lodges, fishing villages, etc. and cooking for groups of people at those places.  They are always cooking in huge old-timey English kitchens, with wood-burning stoves and a lack of modern conveniences.  Their style of cooking is old-timey too.  They use lots of butter and even lard in their dishes.  And the dishes have such interesting names, like: Bubble and Squeak, Welsh Lamb Pie, Blini, Kedgeree, Barmbrack…  And the banter between them during the cooking is very entertaining.  One of my favorite phrases is Jennifer’s “easy-peasy.”

So anyway, Saturday I walked to town and found myself in the Oxfam bookstore on St. Giles. At  first  I was looking for Colin Dexter mysteries (Inspector Morse), but then something caught my eye:  the Two Fat Ladies on a bright yellow book jacket.  I had to have this book.  Much to my surprise when I got it home, I discovered it was autographed by both fat ladies.  A bargain for 3.99 GBP (around $7.00).

So who are these women?  Well the older one, in the big, black-framed glasses is Jennifer Paterson; the younger one, looking over Jennifer’s shoulder on the cover is Clarissa Dickson Wright.  The book was published in 1997.  Unfortunately, Jennifer died in 1999.

In real life, both women were characters (Clarissa still is).  Jennifer started out as matron at a girls’ school and went on to become a food writer for The Spectator.  At the end of each episode, she is sitting down smoking a cigarette and, sometimes, drinking.  Clarissa’s life was much more colorful.  She became an attorney while still in her 20s (but was later disbarred), inherited a fortune from her wealthy parents (which she apparently blew), became an alcoholic, was homeless for a while…  A very interesting woman. 

So google these gals on the web, and, if you ever get a chance, watch their TV show.  It was on the Cooking Channel at 10 on Saturday nights last fall.  Not sure if it still is.  So now which of the interesting recipes in this book will I try this week?  Bread and Butter Pudding? Warm Chicken Liver Salad? Rabbit and Beer Terrine?  They all sound delish to me – especially the chicken livers!

Dorchester on Thames

Yesterday my visitors, Susan and Louise, and I took a short bus ride down to the quaint little village of Dorchester on Thames.  This adventure was suggested by Tony, the I.T. guy for Spencer House.  He told us there wasn’t a lot there, but it was a cute village with a fantastic abbey and a couple of good restaurants for lunch.

So, at 9:36am we boarded the #106 bus in the drizzling rain.  It was probably a scenic bus ride, but we really couldn’t see much because the windows were so fogged up!  Nevertheless, we arrived shortly and were let off at the entrance to Dorchester Abbey.

This place was amazing!  Its history goes back to the early 600sA.D., when a missionary named Birinus came to the Dorchester area and started building churches.  The present-day abbey stands on the site once occupied by the original Saxon cathedral.  It is a huge stone edifice, with sections that were built in the 1140s, the 1240s, early 1300s and 1340s.

It was interesting being in the abbey all by ourselves.  We wandered down the middle aisle of the chancel, admiring the magnificent stained glass windows, the needlepoint kneeling cushions, the massive stone columns and sculpture.  The most interesting area was the shrine area, which contained what looked like sarcophagi.  These were stone-sculpted effigies of long-gone medieval knights.  One had his legs crossed; this indicated he had been killed in battle.

After touring the abbey we wandered over to a very upscale antiques store (nothing under $150) and finally wound up at the White Hart for lunch.  It was also a very quaint building – a hotel and restaurant – parts of the building dated back to the 1400s (I think).  The restaurant had a blazing fire, which really felt good.  We each had the 2-course lunch.  For starters, Louise and Susan had a tower of tomato, avocado and shrimp, while I had black pudding (blood sausage) topped with a poached duck egg (really couldn’t tell it was a duck egg).  Then for the main course, I had fish pie, Susan had chicken pie, and Louise had pork.  The food was delicious – we all cleaned out plates (no room for dessert).

We caught the 1:43pm bus to Oxford, arriving a little after 2.  A very pleasant half-day outing despite the weather.  However, I think I will do this trip again in the spring, when it’s warmer and the roses bordering the abbey lane are in bloom!

13th century sculpture of a fallen knight, thought to be William de Valance, the younger, d1282.



Cemetery outside Abbey.





  

                   

                               A table grave in the cemetery. (That's what I'm calling it!).



A thatch-roofed house in Dorchester on Thames.







Louise and Susan at the White Hart.









East window at back of sanctuary. Some of the clear glass in the top 3 rows dates from the early 14th century.



Midsomer Murders

One thing I've gotten hooked on during my sojourn in Oxford is a TV series called "Midsomer Murders."  I had seen a few occasional episodes on TV back home and enjoyed them.  But here, the series comes on every weekday afternoon from 4 to 5.  It's also on today (Sunday, from 3:30 - 5:30).

The main character in "Midsomer Murders" is Chief Inspector Barnaby.  Actually, last week they aired the last show in which Barnaby is featured.  He retired on that episode, so now his cousin, also a Barnaby, will take his place.

The setting for the series is the fictional county of Midsomer, and it is the most murder-wrought county in the world!  Usually 2 or 3 people die in every episode.  Barnaby, of course, always solves the crime.  In truth, the plots are sometimes hard to follow -- but they always involve something interesting -- incest, transvestites, secret lesbian love affairs, etc. -- not the usual Miss Marple fare (although Miss Marple is still my favorite crime-solver!).

"Midsommer Murders" is based on novels written in the 1980s and 90s by a woman named Caroline Graham.  I will have to check these out.

Meanwhile, for more information on the show, visit:

www.itv.com/Drama/copsandcrime/midsomermurdersweekend/Abouttheshow/default.html

Cheerio!

Food for Thought

Today I started the day off with a lightish breakfast.  Light because there was no egg or sausage.  Of course it wasn't that light -- 2 slices of toast slathered with cream cheese and a little marmalade!

Lunched with fellow American librarian Susan, from Georgetown College in Kentucky.  We ate at Jamie Oliver's Italian Restaurant on George Street.  Tauted for its fresh, authentic food.  Not fussy -- no tablecloths; plastic chairs.  She had a giant hamburger and I had the duck ragu on reginette pasta.  I got the small lunch portion -- with a diet Coke.  All for 10.5 pounds (including the 10% tip).

In England, everything is ordered separately.  Occasionally a little salad might come on the side of the plate, but more frequently you have to order it.  Same for bread and all sides.  Susan's hamburger was about 5 inches high -- but it was all alone on the plate -- no french fries.  We both cleaned those plates -- the food was delish! 

http://www.jamieoliver.com/italian/food-menu/pasta

Now it's almost time for dinner, and here's what I'm having:

I'll just have one.  It's in the AGA now, warming up.  Probably not as tasty as Jamie Oliver's ragu, but, hey, it was 2 slices for 1.31 pounds. Maybe a few ginger snaps for dessert.

So that's my food diary for today.  Okay, I ate some ginger snaps while I watched my 4 o'clock murder mystery (Midsommer Murders) on TV.  Not a weight-watcher's menu for the day -- but definitely more European than I eat in Columbus.  Let's see, Tuesday night, I might be having Country's Barbequed Chicken -- all your can eat!!!