Comfort food

Rosemary and garlic smashed potatoes

These alert-level-bedevilled times call for comfort food. We are told that the average New Zealander has packed on an impressive five-and-a-half kilos over the last year as a result of living through a succession of lockdowns. Had I learnt of this earlier I would have felt it my duty to bring you a recipe that would aid in the reduction of your waistline. This recipe, however, is only going to contribute to your waistline expansion and for this I do apologise. Carbs and fat aside, I know that when you sit down to eat these rosemary and garlic-spiked crunchy smashed potatoes, you’ll thank me! … Continue Reading

Careful on that pony

Researchers analysing hospital data have found that the likelihood of serious injury  from horse riding is higher than so called high risk sports such as rugby or skiing.

Despite the high risk rates, equestrian-related injuries are largely ignored as a public health issue they argue. Many rider were not wearing helmets and the researchers urge  more awareness of the risks

Book Review

V2  Robert Harris

V2 is the latest of Robert Harris’ successful history based novels. The genesis of the novel was Harris’s reading an obituary of Eillen Younghusband which described her work as a WAAF officer tracking V2 s during the WW2. A list of sources at the end of the book illustrates his thorough researching of the subject. In a forward he says ‘ I have tried to make the history of the German rocket programmes and the work of the WAAF as accurate as they reasonably can’.

The framework is factual and the sequence of firing from the woods around Scheveningen on the Dutch coast is as described.  The British counter-operation including at its heart a team of WAAF is also factually correct, as is the work of the WAAFs at RAF Medmenham . Well known historical figures such as rocket designer Wernher von Braun and SS General Hans Kammler’s part in the operation are included in the story  

 Are however, the author reminded that this is a novel.   … Continue Reading

Another plastic substitute

Eating takeaways with a flimsy plastic knife and fork may soon be a thing of the past. US researchers have developed wooden knives which are strong enough to cut through a well done steak. They use a process which removes the weaker parts of the wood while retaining the stronger elements – making the wood 23 times harder. The wood which is rust resistant has also been used in place of conventional nails.