He found an amazing place to stay - and was just, well, amazing, really.
I think we both struggle, on occasion, with the need for a bit of time to ourselves versus our responsibilities to the boys. But after a few great days in Manchester with Sherlock it was brilliant to get away from it all, way out in the countryside, just the two of us.
(This post now with added Hollandaise recipe under the break!)
He'd been a sneaky Doc, and bought me presents and everything - hot pink Aussiebums, and some chocolates in a box so fluffy and satiny and Valentines-y it was really quite...stunning.
Onto something rather more beautiful though - we went for a long walk yesterday, in the cold, partly along this river:
And finally, today, we made our way back to London and one very excited Sherlock, who's baked us internal-organ-shaped biscuits as a welcome home (technically Mrs Hudson's fault because she suggested heart shapes...)
And tomorrow is back to work. Seems like forever since I was last at work!
Hollandaise, the Lestrade way...
You need a blender or a food processor. A blender is best. If you need to make it in advance and keep it for a little bit, put it in a thermos or something. Rinse the thermos with boiling water first, to give it plenty of heat. But it's best fresh.
Take two egg yolks, put them in a small bowl, add salt and pepper to taste, then drop them in the blender. Blend for about 60 seconds.
Heat a dessertspoon of lemon juice and a dessert spoon of white wine vinegar in a saucepan until the mix bubbles and simmers. Switch the blender on again and pour the hot liquid in a slow steady stream. Turn the blender off.
Use the same saucepan, melt 4 oz butter over a gentle heat, careful it's not too hot. When the butter foams turn the blender on again and pour in in a thin, steady trickle. The slower the better.
Stop blending, use a spatula or something to wipe down the sides of the blender, making sure everything is mixed in, give it another quick blend, and there you go, easy hollandaise. It should be smooth, thick and very buttery.
86 comments:
so fluffy and satiny and Valentines-y
Took ages to find one horrifying enough. :)
Greg - As long as the color isn't radioactive neon pink... *coughs*
Even though John and you struggle, the point is that you are both aware of the need for "us" time and try to fit it in when you can. That's the important part.
I hope work doesn't slam you for the week away...
~A from NW
If that was what you were making Sherlock help you search for in Manchester I feel like I should call Social Services or something. Or at least buy him a present for suffering through it all :)
A - Yeah, it is. And...well I fear it will.
Danger, you working tomorrow? And before physio on Weds? And...the rest of the week?
Ha, he deserves baked Alaska at least, yeah. He was good at finding the worst ones though, once I explained the objective.
Working all week, except Friday, yeah. Why?
I...well. Those are some horrifingly pink pants, but the ah, presentation is quite nice. Ahem.
Glad you guys were able to get some time together. It is hard, sometimes, to ask people to help, but yeah, you just have to have some time alone. It's important for the soul, you know?
Hope you guys have a great week back, and well done on the biscuits, Sherlock! That was nice of you.
Just wondered. I'll call and see if my specs are ready tomorrow, if I can find time to pick them up.
Is it too mean to Sherlock to drag you out on a date tomorrow night? I feel like it is. And anyway, it's always a bit... I don't know. What do you think?
I promise we'll all have baked alaska during half term. And eggs benedict for breakfast.
Greg - (on the underwear's color) Ah.
Good luck with work tomorrow...Is Valentine's Day one of those "...and things just go wrong" days in the police field?
Re: Valentine's dinner... While it is tempting to skip it in light of your recent vacation, I think you should go for it. Yes, Sherlock is the center of both your lives, but he doesn't comprise the entirety of your lives. I think it would do him a little good to see that even when you and John take time out for yourselves, that doesn't mean he matters any less. It might give him a bit more confidence that he always has a place in your lives.
~ A from NW
Always a bit what?
I don't know. Forget I said it. Want to go out? Or stay in? Or...I don't know.
A - yes. Not as bad as Christmas, but yeah. Never know when someone's going to lose it over the meal/sex/gift and decide they'd like a romantic evening in a police cell for one.
I'm all right either way really. Do you want to wait till the weekend or something?
What A from NW said.
I shall not comment on anything else. It's enough that I am giggling like mad...
Those are very...interesting...pants. Yes, interesting.
As for the dinner thing--not that it's any of my business, but when has that stopped me before?--I can honestly see a good argument both ways. Yes, you only just got back, and Sherlock might feel it's a bit unfair...but dinner is not being away, you'll be there when he wakes up in the morning. You could even bring him back some dessert.
(Just so you know, I STILL ask my parents to bring me back some dessert when they go somewhere, even to a wedding or like that. My mom is very good about sneaking treats for me. :))
I've added the recipe, to those of you interested. It really is embarrassingly easy.
Easy, he says. When I add hot to eggs, I get scrambled eggs.
John, how about I ask Mrs Hudson if she'll have Sherlock tomorrow evening, and...either we'll go out or I'll cook. And then when Mycroft is back at the weekend we can go out too, so the boys can spend some time together. Something like that?
Sounds good - you never know, she might have a date herself!
Sorry I'm being crap. Weirdly last year was easier.
It's fine, love. You're not being crap. Are you all right?
Yeah. Post holiday come-down or something
Good pants. Not my colour, personally, but... yeah. Very nice.
*stares a bit more just to be absolutely sure*
Yep, definitely.
Sometimes I feel like going out for a meal or whatever on Valentines is a bit... I dunno, following a social convention that I only partially buy into? But then, our first Valentines my then-boyfriend (now husband) bought me ten roses because he felt buying a dozen was overly conventional and making a statement he didn't want to make :-)
These days we tend to try to do something nice, but don't often go out. Tomorrow we're cooking for each other (I'm in the process of making a banoffee pie for the first time ever, via the cooking website linked from John's blog), drinking something sparkly, and generally chilling out. Mind you, we have the advantage of not having to go out to get some alone time :-)
*checks the pants again*
Yeah, still good ;-)
Is there anything I can do? Hugs? Tea?
I've been given some half price Tesco's daffs. Who says romance is dead?
And yes the pants, I'm trying very hard not to imagine even brighter pink. But they do look good.
Nameless - wouldn't have thought they were my colour. But they are very comfy and nice.
John - yeah, maybe. We should get Sherlock tucked in first though. Then hugs?
As many as you want.
Post holiday come-down or something
A touch of what was bothering Sherlock last night, maybe, in its adult incarnation. Hugs should help. :)
Post holiday come-down or something
I know these. Isn't it weird? One's supposed to come back from holidays cheerfull and well rested and all I feel after I come back from holidays is dead-tired and ready to bite the head off of the first person who bothers me... Holidays are serious bussiness - true relaxing is hard! (And it looks to me like you relaxed quite... intensively) *nods*
Thanks for the recipe, I will try it. The spargel season comes soon! .-)
Nameless - LOL. Two years ago we bought each other a poisonous plant, because we liked them. I think that tomorrow we'll probably go to the town and have a cake and hot chocolate somewhere nice and comfy. As we like to do at least once a month. And then we'll do something this weekend (I was planning a LARP for this summer with our friends the last one).
Thought he'd never let us go :)
Sorry, I just need to give myself a talking to. Letting stupid things play on my mind that don't even matter now. I'm okay - more than okay - here, with you.
...All right. Just, you know, if there's anything you want to talk about, here or in private or wherever... I'm always happy to listen.
I know. I just...ah, need to just put it behind me. Move on. It's fine. I know you're here for me.
Some things are harder to leave behind than others. It's all right if you don't want to talk, too. Just... I love you, that's all.
I know you are. I really, really do :)
Saw a lovely doctory Valentine poem somewhere earlier. Remembered it just for my Valentine Doc.
Roses are red
Violets are too...
Everything's red!
Retinal haemorrhage.
Ha! Very romantic. :)
Possibly more romantic than last year's...
There was cake in a gazebo! How much more romantic can it be?
I meant last year's poem.
Although maybe I thought our young love was too fragile for my poetry and never gave it to you... I mean, you know I have a way with words, right? Sweet, sweet, lovely poetry trips off my tongue regularly, I think you'll agree.
...I thought that said Valentine porn. What did you call it, SH? Lestradeitis?
There once were two men, both quite hot
An Italian Stallion and his cute Doc
They went to a mill
Snogged to fight chills
And will spend tomorrow night stroking Degus
Sorry, couldn't make the rhyme work. ;)
I remember you writing one to my stubble, but that was much more recently...
DW - ha, very nice!
Roses are red,
Violets are twisted,
Bend over love,
You're about to get fis...reminded that innocent, impressionable young minds read this blog. (yes, RR, I'm looking at you)
this one's more accurate...
There once was a very cute doc,
Who had a most pleasing ****.
His 'copper' was spared,
His DI well prepared,
But it was all interrupted by Sherlock...
I'm not laughing...honestly...
I think I can feel Mrs H's wrath at rhyming her youngest with...well, ****.
Oh god... Okay, now I'm laughing. If you get deported to Antarctica, I'll come and find you.
Greg is the man with the pouch
Who'll often be found on the couch
Snuggling there with John
Occasionally with pants on
But in the bedroom he proves he's no slouch
It's your fault! Why weren't you a ...vet, or something?
There once was a nanny called John,
Who looked amazing with nothing on,
But insisted on jimjams,
To the distress of his fans,
Who all wished they would begone.
John and Greg have all the luck
With cheeky grins and a bit of pluck
Lying under the covers
They both found each other
And each has a nice man to...snuggle.
Captcha says "cougheep" as in *cough*sheep*cough*
Don't wanna know.
And what would you rhyme me with if I were a vet?
Oh god... You two...
There once was a nanny named John,
Whom Lestrade thought may be a con,
But over the years,
And against all fears,
Realized was actually a Don Juan.
And I will leave off my attempts at poetry to wish you all a happy Valentine's day (a bit early) and for you boys to have a great time tomorrow, no matter what you do.
Brilliant, DW!
It's okay, captcha wants Danger to be a vet too, clearly.
Now, I must take him to bed before his cackling wakes Sherlock or Mrs Hudson.
Mrs H was a brilliant housekeeper,
But sadly a rather light sleeper.
She say's 'landlady to you!
Would you like a nice brew?'
(Say yes, or you'll be in trouble deeper)
Dear Lord, my mind is in a bad place. I thought that said "double deeper" which was just.... wow.
Sheep 'round the world have great fear
For their cattle friends they hold so dear
Are suddenly gone
Stolen by John
A rustler cops want far and near
There once was a lovely vet,
The sexiest you've ever met,
He was loving and caring,
And sometimes quite daring,
Dancing 'round the farmyard naked and wet...
Lestallions are grumpy beasts,
But when their eyes do feast,
On damp nude young men,
They become really quite Zen,
And not mardy in the least.
CzechReader - hot chocolate and cake sound good :-)
DW - "...I thought that said Valentine porn" - so glad it wasn't just me :-)
Beyond impressed at all the, uh, romantic poetry.
DW, I'm going to have to get John to explain that to Mrs H now! (who am I kidding... she'll know!)
Now, let me rustle John away...
There once was a commenter called Nameless,
Who thought the blogs were quite shameless,
But she knew all along,
It was the Doc in the wrong,
And Lestrade was really quite blameless.
"mardy" Lestrade? Double points for two!
Also, nice one, pip!
A horse with green hair tossed his mane
And drove his fellow pony insane
Lestallions don't bluff
And always have cuffs
It's a good thing John-ponies are game!
I come back to the greatest stuff! XD Greg, lots of hugs to you. John, you are incorrigible and I/we love that about you! <3
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
John and Greg are snuggling together,
Proving their love is true.
There's my offering :P Love you all!
There once was a doctor, who,
Chucked his boyfriend on the bed and knew,
A kiss on the lips
And a tweak of the nips,
He'd be ready for a good seeing to...
...right, my transfer papers to the antartic just dropped through the door. Must go and hide under the covers.
Thanks Tink!
Roses are white,
My boxers are pink,
Will I survive the night,
What do you think?
Surviving's not really a chore
For we all know John isn't a bore
He's a generous sort
With la petite mort
In some places, they call that a "score!"
And Lestrade was really quite blameless
And just whom did start this lovely outburst of poetry? There's a reason most of us would vote you guilty in the court of the blog. :D
Also...it's not RR or Mrs. Holmes (or me) you need to be worried about. It's Sherlock, because he will ask all those questions that you'd wish he'd ask in about nine or ten years. And no foisting him off on John!
*ded from giggling at the poetry*
Happy Valetine's Day!
~ A from NW
A, I really don't mind Sherlock's questions. He pulls great faces, talking about this sort of thing!
I was neither ignoring you with dignity, nor recoiling in horror--I was, virtuously, at my t'ai chi class. (Possibly the only sentence here in which "virtuously" could properly be employed.)
Anyway... Innocent, perhaps, but alas that happens to be a word I know the meaning of. And also alas, I cannot unknow it..
(I don't know about young or impressionable, but I'll take impressionable if It means I get to keep young. :))
I really don't mind Sherlock's questions
We'll see how you feel answering the one you didn't finish in deference to me...
Hopefully, you're not still up, Lestrade...
Sherlock probably pulls faces because people have cooties. And you guys are spreading your cooties all over each other. Blech!
LOL, DW! (Because I quite literally did laugh out loud.)
I am.
I have absolutely no idea what cooties are.
But feel I should deny having them.
Heheh. It's a (just USA?) kids' taunt. The opposite sex has "cooties" - which was a slang term for nits/lice but now just refers to invisible bugs - that you will catch if you fraternize.
I'm very sorry to hear that. I hope your "breathe with John" trick works soon. :)
HS is quite right--cooties are undefined ickies. :)
And what DW said.
A+. Bonus for using "fraternize" as the perfect description.
Thank you kindly. ^_^
Mmm. Sadly pretty much time to get up for work.
The 'not getting annoyed' thing wasn't really working.
Happy Valentine's Day to my two favourite lovebirds. And to the rest of you - the poem writing was excellent, now all we need to do is find the cards to put them in ;)
SH - Do you think we could get Hallmark to sell them? Or are we better off going the boutique/custom-made route?
Greg, John - Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you do get some time to get all sappy with each other.
~A from NW
Nice one, DW.
*giggling*
(captcha says "panst" 0_0)
Wonderful poetry, all. *is impressed*
NWA - I'm not sure Hallmark use the sort of pictures I had in mind ;)
My contribution:
Arteries are red
And veins are blue
The body may be battered
But my heart belongs to you.
Happy Valentine's Day! I just got back from watching "Weekend" (a film about two gay guys) with a gay (male) friend. On Valentine's Day. I think that means I've given up! (Really good film, though - highly recommend it to everyone!) Now I'm going to slob all alone on the couch and watch Miss Marple episodes.
This... This is the most awesome way to start my workday: hot tea and all the jokes and poetry!
Unfortunately followed by an all-staff meeting about things that I don't really need to know as a secretary, only have to be there. I think I've said two short sentences in two hours and picked up a phone twice... :-( And our boss is probably cross-bred with a polar bear and his office is COLD...
Thanks, everyone. Hope you all have great days too.
SH - brilliant! And quite apt.
Sherlock did have questions this morning. I think I answered them... I hope Mrs T doesn't get further cross examined!
Did you have to explain cooties? You can get a shot for those you know... :P
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_Circle_Dot_Dot
Hope everyone's has a loveely day!
I'm sorry you had a short night, L.
Sherlock did have questions this morning
I bet that got the brain cells moving! (Did he pull great faces?)
Have a lovely, romantic Valentine's Day, all! Being footloose and fancy-free, I rely on your stories for my warm fuzzies today!
Heh, DW. We did that all the time as kids "Circle Circle Dot Dot, now you have your cooties shot!" And if you were mean, you did it in pen on someone's hand, and made it look like boobs. :D Of course, I never did that. Ever.
Also:
Aussiebums are pink
So roses can go hang
I hope your Valentine's Day
Goes out with a bang.
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