11th March
Simon is arriving lunch time, so I have time to go and check out the Alcoutim market and look for some more fresh meat to go with the lamb which was enough for 5 and might not be enough for 7. JC says it fine, but that's because I threatened to get a chicken as well.
The market is held in a part of a small building. Just fresh fruit, veg, nuts and olives and a crate full of fresh herbs. There is a small meat van outside with a large queue of multinationals leaning against the wall and looking quite miserable. They know they are in for a long wait bearing in mind none of this food is prepackaged so in true Portugese style every order is jointed, or cut and trimmed to order. And the Portugese women in the queue will be buying their meat for the week.
I go into the building and buy some more tomatoes and some grapes which will be added to the strawberries for dessert as well as a Papaya. There is one man in charge so again there is quite a queue to buy these items and we all wait patiently. He doesn't speak English but French, so we communicate in Franglais and I explain I want a small bunch of coriander, parsley and mint. How much? Une Cadeaux? Lovely Man.
Outside the queue hasn't moved but I spy half a leg of lamb in the so called truck window, so join the leaning brigade to wait.
Simon arrives on time and we chill out on the balcony catching up and then Paul arrives with new girlfriend, and at 6.30 Mike and Eve arrive. The oven has its own little way, but a good roast lamb dinner is served around 8.00 and we all get in the party mood. Mike and Eve were in advertising, and have a Westerly Konsort, Simon has his own advertising agency, Paul has a Westerly Falcon and I have a Westerly Fulmar. (Doesn't mean anything? They are boats!). another of life's coincidences..
Simon is arriving lunch time, so I have time to go and check out the Alcoutim market and look for some more fresh meat to go with the lamb which was enough for 5 and might not be enough for 7. JC says it fine, but that's because I threatened to get a chicken as well.
The market is held in a part of a small building. Just fresh fruit, veg, nuts and olives and a crate full of fresh herbs. There is a small meat van outside with a large queue of multinationals leaning against the wall and looking quite miserable. They know they are in for a long wait bearing in mind none of this food is prepackaged so in true Portugese style every order is jointed, or cut and trimmed to order. And the Portugese women in the queue will be buying their meat for the week.
I go into the building and buy some more tomatoes and some grapes which will be added to the strawberries for dessert as well as a Papaya. There is one man in charge so again there is quite a queue to buy these items and we all wait patiently. He doesn't speak English but French, so we communicate in Franglais and I explain I want a small bunch of coriander, parsley and mint. How much? Une Cadeaux? Lovely Man.
Outside the queue hasn't moved but I spy half a leg of lamb in the so called truck window, so join the leaning brigade to wait.
Simon arrives on time and we chill out on the balcony catching up and then Paul arrives with new girlfriend, and at 6.30 Mike and Eve arrive. The oven has its own little way, but a good roast lamb dinner is served around 8.00 and we all get in the party mood. Mike and Eve were in advertising, and have a Westerly Konsort, Simon has his own advertising agency, Paul has a Westerly Falcon and I have a Westerly Fulmar. (Doesn't mean anything? They are boats!). another of life's coincidences..
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