Bachelor boy...

...well, not quite. But Mary is in the 'Bridge at the moment, getting her CELTA (Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults), leaving me with all the downsides of singledom (sole dominion over issues such as cleaning, tidying, laundry) without the upsides (busy social whirl, venereal disease...). The situation has, however, allowed me to really get to grips with Crane Wife, The Decemberists' new album. I heartily recommend the heady mix of prog rock (The Island -- a 12 minute epic of Yes-style laser syth and allusions to The Tempest), Zepplin stomp (When the war came) and Talking-Heads-Groove (The Perfect Crime #2). And they're coming to Switzerland next February! All I have to do is ask Mary if I can go...see, none of the benefits of bachelorhood.

Additionally, I have been experimenting culinarily; I had my first try at cooking gnocchi recently, to great success, and also have been playing around with Jerusalem Artichokes. Tonight I'm going to stew beef with qunices and cinnamon. I hope it tastes nice, as I'll have enough for four or more portions...

In other news, I have been invited to Paris to give a talk at a workshop, which is exciting, but not as exciting as the 250 euros our host has allocated to me for meals while I'm there (for three nights).

Finally, since it's nearly Halloween:

Food update

• A couple of Fridays ago, we visited the Chästeilet; an annual festival where the farmers go into the mountains and divide up the year's cheese output, according to how much milk their cows produced. I bought a Kilo of some very nice Alpkaese, and is de rigeur on such occasions, I drank some beer and ate a sausage, as well as some raclette.

• I discovered quinces at our local market, which as all good food luddites know may be made into a paste (called membrilla, and oft served with cheese). I have made some of said paste, and very good it is too (quite easy to make, to boot). It goes quite well with my Alpkaese, but would go better with some Manchego.

• Passing through Paris on the way back from my England trip, I stopped off at one of Les Halle's crazier food equipment stores to get a Le Creuset Doufeu, which is just like a normal Le Creuset casserole, but you can put ice in the top and it starts self-basting. Made a great roast chicken/risotto thing in it, and also offset the slight gitty smugness factor of owning the thing by making an irish stew in it.