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“If you want an angel, it’s going to cost you”

So says our dear Swedish friend who right now (along with many others in the bar and restaurant industry) is spending most of her waking hours working like a bat out of hell seven days a week. No sinister message at all. She’d love to spend time talking to all her friends who come into the bar, but at the height of the tourist season, this sometimes just isn’t possible. She still loves you all, and will love some of you even more if you manage to provide her with the home delivery laundry service that she requested in February.

Recipe: Cream of Seafood Soup
At first glance this might seem to be an odd choice for the height of summer, but even with the cream it is surprisingly light. It also tastes good chilled, and is quick and easy to prepare. Most of the posh books will tell you that anything with cream in it doesn’t freeze well because it goes all weird. Pay no attention to this. When you defrost it, shut your eyes, stir the damn thing and it will taste just fine. Curdle? Shmurdle.


There are two ways of making this soup. One way is to make it using a Magi-Mix Blender type thingy with a lid that hasn’t been broken in a fit of pique. The other way is to make it ‘sans blenderising’ as a chowder (there is probably a third way, but this will more than likely involve a potato masher, and is likely to be tediously political). Regardless of technique, the ingredients are the same.
Ingredients
Prawns (essential), Crab (not essential but highly desirable)
Other shellfish as required, Fish Stock (don’t panic)
Onions, Garlic
Tomatoes, Herbs and seasoning, including tarragon
Dry white wine, Cream
Butter and olive oil

Your fish stock will probably come from the prawns and / or shells— one way or another—use your judgement and imagination, don’t overcook the beasts and don’t tip the liquid down the sink. Slowly sweat the onions in a mix of butter and olive oil, garlic and fresh herbs (including TARRAGON) for longer than you ever thought was humanly possible and go and write your definitive novel (Hint: 90’s soul-searching is out, as is ‘chick-lit’: detached observational cynicism and unintelligible doom-ridden prophecy is probably in. Failing that invent a cuddly creature that rivals a 70’s Womble or Smurf). Blanch the tomatoes, peel and chop them and whack them in with the onions. Add your fish stock and wine. If you are using a whizzy machine you can fling in all the seafood except for a few prawns for garnish. Put the whole lot on ‘pulse’ for a bit and return the ingredients to the pan. If going down the “I’ve knackered the blender” route, you’ll have to leave the seafood out until practically the last minute (unless you want it all to go really rubbery) and rely on your fish stock for flavour. When nearly ready, pour cream into a big jug. Ladle by ladle, or little by little start adding some of your fish soup to the cream. Once your cream mix has warmed up enough, add it to the pot. Turn down the heat so it doesn’t boil, and serve with pride.

Turtle-y Obvious Gift Ideas? Not So!

Thanks to Kath Walls for this suggestion. Many of our readers are already aware of the important conservation work carried out by ARCHELON in order to try and stop the Mediterranean Loggerhead Turtle from becoming extinct. And here at Bugle HQ we would urge those who don’t already know about this organisation to click onto the www.archelon.gr website. Being brutally pragmatic, though, turtle conservation also has the potential to help one out of a gift-giving bind—especially when it comes to finding presents for the young relative who has got just about every computer toy ever invented. The ARCHELON site doesn’t have a huge gift selection, but what they do have is unique….

Cocktail of the Month: Venetian Sunset

Great place to watch the sunset…. Lousy place to buy a cocktail

At first sight the title of this cocktail seemed ideal. Here we are in a Venetian town with great sunsets, so what could be better for summer? Then we read the recipe, which goes as follows: “2/5 Dry gin, 1/5 Grand Marnier, 1/5 Campari, 1/5 Dry Vermouth. Stir, add a cherry” No ice mentioned. Ouch, brutal.
We see a few flaws with this one. Firstly, if you actually want to be capable of seeing the sunset, we suggest you don’t start drinking these until 7.30 p.m. at the earliest. Secondly, if you have any intention of being awake for sunrise, don’t even go there — stick to Sprite. Finally, in Rethymnon at least, drinking the cocktail and watching the sunset at the same time is going to be a challenge. The best known places for sunset watching are the imaginatively named ‘Sunset Taverna’ - a traditional Cretan restaurant known for ouzo and mezedes— and the Fortezza, which has a small refreshment stand selling beer and soft drinks. And as for the bars which we think are best at making cocktails…..yes, you’ve guessed it.. .

    Mrs. Beeton Groupies