Thursday 25 June 2009

I Really Must Spatchcock a Chicken

Last night I made wild foodie promises to the DH (and foodie kiddies) about making marinated spatchcock chicken for dinner, accompanied by a Greek salad and new potatoes. Yes, the sun is shining in England, and I'm all of a Mediterranean vibe. However, I've been faffing around in the garden all morning, pulling weeds in a lackadaisical fashion and drinking coffee with real purpose and dedication. Frankly, I'm not in the mood for spatchcocking...I've told the DH time and time again, that I must be in the right frame of mind for such things (phnar, phnar). However, I've got to get on with it as I'm off to a yoga class soon. I haven't been to a yoga class in years, but I made the mistake at mentioning to a few friends a the school gates that I might attend a class and it all snowballed, so that my "might" became a definite social event. I'm sure I'll enjoy it when I get there, it's just the last time I went, back when I was a teen, the class was full of militant hippies who'd just eaten piles of mung bean stew. When they all bent down to do the "Salute to the Sun" ...well, the answer my friend was blowing in the wind, and it was enough to make my eyes water.
You know, I didn't come online to make fart jokes, honestly I didn't. It's just that I read something really great last night and I'd like to share it with you.
...that everyday, ordinary life lived faithfully is where the glory of God is best reflected - in our homes, communities, jobs, our art, charitable enterprises, and so on. Of course, the truth is told and believed first (truth has content), but after that comes the actual living, being and doing.
Ordinary home life matters for everyone. How we arrange children's lives matters terribly. Starve them physically, emotionally, or mentally; cheat or abuse them in their formative days, and we will throw away their opportunity to develop properly. We can and will destroy lives. And this is a most terrible thing. Not only will their personal lives be damaged, but if that damage involves enough young human beings, the culture will become distorted.
Most of us feel we live in distorted communities. Many people are already so scarred that they can no longer enjoy the simple things in life - such as nature, good conversation with friends with laughter punctuating thought-provoking discussion, a meal enjoyed in leisure, the company of a child, the peace and quiet of gazing at an afternoon sky as one rests after work, lingering over a cup of tea.

Taken from For the Family's Sake, by Susan Schaeffer Macauley

Wasn't that good stuff! Now, I really must spatchcock that chicken. Anon, fellow huswives!

9 comments:

monix said...

Yes, that really is good stuff. I'm off to research Susan Schaeffer Macauley now in the hope that she is connected to my Macauley ancestors. I would love to think her wisdom came from my Grandma Katy's family!

I hope you managed to spatchcock the chicken - just think of the lovely stock you'll get from the trimmings!

Anonymous said...

"Yes, the sun is shining in England, and I'm all of a Mediterranean vibe."

Me too. Two minutes of sunshine and I'm up to me neck in basil, tomatoes and olives. I did gnocchi for the first time last night (the recipe I shared on my blog). Lol, it was 7.15 before I fed the family due to my pile of gnocchi ready for the pan of boiling water had all melded into one.

Making lasgne tonight...the mediterranean vibe continues. You'll have to post/send me the spatchcock chicken recipe - not heard of that before.

Love the quote! Enjoying Hens pace book.
TTFN

xx

Angela said...

I started out INTENDING to do a healthy mediterranean meal tonight - but life got too busy - so I ended up buying pie'n'chips from the chippie on the way home. Is there any hope for me?
BUT the basil is growing in its pot, and there are tomatoes and olives in the fridge though - hey-ho, tomorrow is another day!
PLEASE post pics of spatchcocked chicken! I loved ther SSM quote too.

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

The quote is intriguing and makes me want to read more. Hits me right in the heart...

I'm glad the sun is shining in England!

And now, I must go look up what on earth "spatchcocking" might be.

Hope your yoga class is less fragrant than last time!


Sara in California

debbie bailey said...

What in the world is spatchcocking? Must be a British thing! For The Children's Sake is a very good book that I want to reread. Thanks for the reminder.

earthmotherwithin said...

I love the quote -brings us back to what is most real.
It is not very mediterranean in Western Australia today -winter storm approaching.

Dulce Domum said...

Hi Monix
I can highly recommend the Macauley book. You can order it from Christian bookshops, it's probably on Amazon as well. Wouldn't it be great if you and she were related! Yes, a mighty fine chicken stock is in the freezer thanks to extreme violence done to yesterday's chicken.

Hi Sarah (UK)
We have to take advantage of the few days of summer we get! I've made potato gnocchi, and I have to admit they were a bit of a lumpen mess, now lasagne, that's a diiferent story, love it in all it's forms. I'll post the chicken recipe, and I'm glad you're enjoying the Hen's Pace book.

Hi Angela
Mmmm, pie 'n' chips. Girl, I like a Pukka Pie. I have a Pukka Pie Joke with regional associations you may appreciate, however, to publish on t'blog may be defamatory! I'll email you. Glad you like the quote, will post re: chicken.

Hi Sara
The whole book is full of such gems, and even though Macauley has been living in the UK for around 50years now, the book is still easier to get hold of the USA. SSM is a BIG fan of Eliz. Goudge, as am I, and I always take a love of Eliz. Goudge to be a great indication of all round good egg-ness.

Yoga class was entirely pleasent and I feel sickeningly perky and limber today.

Hi Debbie
I shall post spatchcocking intrustions and perhaps start a new phase over the pond. You can spatchcock on a BBQ. Spatchcocking is an all round useful hobby.

Hi Earthmotherwithin and welcome
We too are getting thunderstorms today. Predicted to arrive just as I start out to pick the kids up from school. Again, I can highly recommend the book. It's written from a Christian perspective, but people of all faiths will find it inspiring, I'm sure.

Gumbo Lily said...

Ah ha! You're reading McCaulay! I'm so glad. Her books are loaded with good stuff.

Being an American, I don't know about spatchcock. Does it have something to do with frying a chicken? (turning with a spatula?)

Jody

Dulce Domum said...

Hi Jody
At the minute I'm Mrs Macauley's numer one fan. Every one of her sentences reflects my thoughts on family life and challenges me too! I'm glad I have enlightened you vis a vis spatchcocking.