Apr 23

Apr 23 Exmoor Lockdown Diary 36 - Generosity: There's a Lot of it About During the Lockdown

Dark times always throw up little beams of light - and big clouds have silver linings. Human generosity is one big feature that we can dwell and and feel good about. From the enormous, selfless, generosity of those working for the NHS - right down to the little things in life.

For example, I’ve been deeply moved this week to receive a package from my dear brother Ralphie and my lovely sister-in-law Sarah. They live in Devon and one day saw an article somewhere that talked about British cheesemakers being set back big time like everyone else by the coronavirus.

So they ordered a Save British Cheese Selection box immediately in a bid to do their little bit to help this nations’ cheesemakers - and to make someone happy.

And that someone was me. Because Ralphie and Sarah had the box sent to me - and I am very happy to report that the contents are giving me vast amounts of pleasure.

There’s a Baron Bigod Brie-style cheese, a Kirkham’s Lancashire and a big piece of Stichelton.

Also this week my friend and neighbour Claire Sawatzki gave me half a dozen duck eggs - which look absolutely superb. I love duck eggs. So tonight I have a feeling a very very posh cheese shuffle is about to hit the menu…. If it works well I’ll put it up on a future Lockdown Dairy.

In the meantime thanks to my lovely young brother and his wife - and to Claire and the various ducks up the road..

By the way, last night the cheese package came just in time for me to add some of the Lancashire to a new invention - a kamado-cooked, deep crust, sourdough pizza. My own sourdough mix of course, and some Exmoor minced beef and lots and lots of pickled garlic tips ground into the topping… Very good, even though I says so meself…