Lindsay, the honesty, beauty and rawness of this week’s newsletter cut deep. Thank you as always for your beautiful writing and for shining a light on the whole of life xx
Lindsay, all of this is compelling. Thank you for remembering and sharing that bit of writing, moving both for its vulnerability and its resolve. I wonder if you can recall: Did you know where you were headed when you started it?
Coincidentally, I was on a rabbit trail this morning thinking about Nightbirdie, the singer-songwriter from California who won a gold buzzer on AGT but passed away not too long after following a long fight against cancer. Anyway, apart from her music and disposition, she is remembered for this line: "You can't wait until life isn't hard anymore before you decide to be happy."
The lamb dish sounds scrumptious! I have a leg of lamb given to me by a friend who moved away. It had been in her freezer for a while, and now it's been in mine for too long. I wonder what would happen if I used the same ingredients but the meat was a hunk rather than cubes...?
Oh Nightbirdie, what a rabbit trail to travel down. She was the most beautiful human, and so wise. Don’t wait to be happy. I think the leg of lamb would be delish in this dish. I’d follow the lamb shank method… take advantage of all the flavour from the bone. Low and slow. Yum.
I had a beloved braised lamb shank dish, but I got a batch that were...old?...muttony?...too gamey to eat (though my mom, in her late 80s then, loved them!). I'm not sure I've cooked them since then. Maybe the lamb leg will ease me back in. Ha! Thanks.
Beautiful bicycle life time spooling out . Can see the shop, the hum of conversations, imagined aromas of recipes lingering in the air. Can smell the wafts of delicious dishes drifting out on the wind as you spin past the restaurant bundled together with hope and expectations. Then there's the anchor, a scent of home and familiar favourites in the kitchen bringing together past, present and future. Stunning piece of pungent writing.
As we've already troved the venison loin for tomorrow's weekend lunch the lamb is going to be put off til next week if I can wait that long. I'll have to spend the week imagining instead and can't decide whether that's pleasing or torture, maybe it's a bit of both. Ferlinghetti knows what I mean anyway when he says there's got to be a bit of hell in heaven.
Thank you for the beautiful thoughtful reading Inky (I love that name). The lamb will be waiting for you when the time comes, sounds like a pretty heavenly wait with venison in the meantime! let me know how it goes xo
Thank you Heather, it’s important to remember the growth isn’t it… even when you forgot the memory were there! Have a wonderful, enriching time in London ♥️
Question: I am hosting a dinner party on Friday- and thinking this lamb dish would be perfect. I love the idea of doing shanks, cuz it feels kind of special- but it also feels like there is more room for error there... so maybe the stew is the way to go? Then it can just bubble away until we are ready to eat (I am all about doing things ahead of time- so that I'm breezy when guests show up.) Thoughts?
This is such a good dinner party make ahead, especially if you have a tagine to braise the dish in... we love the lifting of the lid, ta-da! moment. I would go with the lamb shoulder, chopped and browned in batches. Easier and still so good. I serve it with a salad made with lots of chopped cucumber, red onion, mint, parsley and dill, and lots of feta (whipped with olive oil and lemon juice. So crunchy and fresh with the lamb. I'll see if I can dig up the measurements but that's the gist! Have fun ❤️
Ooooh... That very long sentence definitely carried a punch. Thank goodness life has continued to blossom. Sending so many hugs and best wishes.
Blossom is the best word. Thank you Beth. ♥️
Your long (slow cooked?) sentence has such a tender message. Thanks for this!
A long slow cooked sentence, that’s exactly it ♥️
This one brought me back to that time in life, to be lonely in a place full of people, and carving through a new identity. Beautiful writing ❤️
A lonely place full of people, that's exactly what it was. Thanks for this xo
Lindsay, the honesty, beauty and rawness of this week’s newsletter cut deep. Thank you as always for your beautiful writing and for shining a light on the whole of life xx
Thank you Karen, for reading and supporting the twists and turns in my writing. Means so much. xo
Lindsay, all of this is compelling. Thank you for remembering and sharing that bit of writing, moving both for its vulnerability and its resolve. I wonder if you can recall: Did you know where you were headed when you started it?
Coincidentally, I was on a rabbit trail this morning thinking about Nightbirdie, the singer-songwriter from California who won a gold buzzer on AGT but passed away not too long after following a long fight against cancer. Anyway, apart from her music and disposition, she is remembered for this line: "You can't wait until life isn't hard anymore before you decide to be happy."
The lamb dish sounds scrumptious! I have a leg of lamb given to me by a friend who moved away. It had been in her freezer for a while, and now it's been in mine for too long. I wonder what would happen if I used the same ingredients but the meat was a hunk rather than cubes...?
Oh Nightbirdie, what a rabbit trail to travel down. She was the most beautiful human, and so wise. Don’t wait to be happy. I think the leg of lamb would be delish in this dish. I’d follow the lamb shank method… take advantage of all the flavour from the bone. Low and slow. Yum.
Beautiful human, yes.
I had a beloved braised lamb shank dish, but I got a batch that were...old?...muttony?...too gamey to eat (though my mom, in her late 80s then, loved them!). I'm not sure I've cooked them since then. Maybe the lamb leg will ease me back in. Ha! Thanks.
Beautiful bicycle life time spooling out . Can see the shop, the hum of conversations, imagined aromas of recipes lingering in the air. Can smell the wafts of delicious dishes drifting out on the wind as you spin past the restaurant bundled together with hope and expectations. Then there's the anchor, a scent of home and familiar favourites in the kitchen bringing together past, present and future. Stunning piece of pungent writing.
As we've already troved the venison loin for tomorrow's weekend lunch the lamb is going to be put off til next week if I can wait that long. I'll have to spend the week imagining instead and can't decide whether that's pleasing or torture, maybe it's a bit of both. Ferlinghetti knows what I mean anyway when he says there's got to be a bit of hell in heaven.
Thank you for the beautiful thoughtful reading Inky (I love that name). The lamb will be waiting for you when the time comes, sounds like a pretty heavenly wait with venison in the meantime! let me know how it goes xo
Oooof. ..the rawness packed a wallop, sitting here at the airport waiting for my flight to London. A wee bit teary.
Purpose, identity, the love , the struggle to become.
So happy your life brings you all these things Lindsay x
Thank you Heather, it’s important to remember the growth isn’t it… even when you forgot the memory were there! Have a wonderful, enriching time in London ♥️
Honestly I struggle with hard growth, it paralyses me, but it is necessary I realize.
Thanks Lindsay, the inspiration I get here feeds and enriches my soul x
A wonderful read, as always Lindsay!
Question: I am hosting a dinner party on Friday- and thinking this lamb dish would be perfect. I love the idea of doing shanks, cuz it feels kind of special- but it also feels like there is more room for error there... so maybe the stew is the way to go? Then it can just bubble away until we are ready to eat (I am all about doing things ahead of time- so that I'm breezy when guests show up.) Thoughts?
This is such a good dinner party make ahead, especially if you have a tagine to braise the dish in... we love the lifting of the lid, ta-da! moment. I would go with the lamb shoulder, chopped and browned in batches. Easier and still so good. I serve it with a salad made with lots of chopped cucumber, red onion, mint, parsley and dill, and lots of feta (whipped with olive oil and lemon juice. So crunchy and fresh with the lamb. I'll see if I can dig up the measurements but that's the gist! Have fun ❤️
Not much of a meat eater but love very slow cooked shanks.
And love the very long sentence for its power. Thank you.
Thank you Prue, means a lot. I've been thinking of you during this tough time, I can't imagine. sending xo