 |
| Birthday tea towel, as sent to the luminous Alice Tynan |
If anything can help make the washing up better, this can.
I didn’t really clock when embarking on triple testing recipes for a book deadline just how much washing up would be involved.
I had a vague sense; in the way that night follows day, but just not an intimate understanding of it. Particularly in a kitchen where my fridge is sized for a hotel room and my dishwasher is a tiny, non functioning droid.
It hisses and spits and dishes for an hour. And then everything comes out dirty. If it was an employee, I’d fire it.
Like writing my shopping lists on A4 paper with blue pen, planning what to test for the day in red pen, taking notes in my black spiral book and getting my butt down to the gym, I’ve developed a way of doing things that helps me maintain my sanity. When it comes time to the washing up I reward myself by putting on a podcast (usually the Slate Culture Gabfest, or my new favourite, The Dinner Party Download) and try to convince myself how nice the smell of Fairy liquid is. I don’t bother with gloves. I should. My nails are ragged as an outgrown baby’s blanket.
Then the fun part is choosing the towel to use to dry ( I know, I really should get out more). One towel was sent to me from the recipient of the above film quote number. In bold print it says ‘Tea revives you’. It’s true.
The other favourite is a compilation of self portraits and names of the students in my godson’s kindy class. It’s also a pretty interesting sociological specimen; while drying the dutch oven and trying not to drop it on my toe I get the opportunity ponder what sort of people the Liberties, Wilburs, Taylans and Bondis in the Neptune and Jupiter room may turn out to be in 15 years.
But enough of that. There’s a pile of dishes in the sink. There’s some cracked crab recipes to test and some tomato keftedes that I should check, just one more time.
Back to it. Normal transmission to continue soon.
Ten points for anyone who can name all the films from the tea towel.
Five points for anyone who can point me in the direction of other, most excellent tea towels to brighten my day.
Hmmm – tough one! I'm getting…
Jerry Maguire, Notting Hill, Dirty Dancing, Casablanca, Titanic, Gone With the Wind and the rest are gnawingly familiar but my mind has gone blank!
Todryfor.com has loads of brill tea towels and this family favourites biscuit tea towel is one of my personal faves: http://www.pinchofsaltlondon.com/2010/10/friday-find-family-favourites-tea-towel.html
I love love LOVE my tea towel. (I shan't go for the points – too easy for a film critic).
But here's another great website: http://www.todryfor.com/towel.asp?id=143 (I got this Rob Ryan tea towel for Kato).
I hope Tea Revives You proves its worth through the triple washing up….eeep! xxx
Best of luck with the testing! I know exactly how you feel 😀 I love the teatowels too. I have some favourites of mine that make me smile when I use them 🙂
I love that tea towel with the famous movie quotes on it. I'm sure I know them all. xx
My friend gave me one for my birthday that was a chart of seasonal fruits and vegetables. I love it. I don't use my favourite towels though, because sI don't want to dirty them, though I think that's probably defeating the purpose of it..
I found a beautifully cheering teatowel with a bright yellow lemon on it, which said "when life hands you lemons, make gin and tonic".
Am afraid I can't remember who made it, and therefore can't direct you to a website. But it was a really good teatowel, I promise!