theme thursday - lunch

Dot's Diner, Shady Dell, Bisbee AZ

When our children were small, I was a Lady-Who-Lunched. As a full-time Mum it was good to get together with friends in a similar situation. Usually we went to one another's houses. It kept the cost down and was easier when the little ones needed an afternoon nap. Lunch was leisurely, if frequently interrupted.

Now my girls are grown and I work full-time, lunch is a snatched opportunity. A hasty coffee and takeaway sandwich in my car between visits or soup and bread at my desk as I eat with one hand and type with the other. (My keyboard had to be replaced last year due to irreconcilable differences between it and a bowl of Leek & Potato!) Lunch is still frequently interrupted, usually by the phone, and no longer leisurely.

An article in last Saturday's Daily Telegraph informed us that Gordon Ramsay has re-opened his famous restaurant Petrus in Belgravia and that lunch can be enjoyed for the paltry sum of £25. Of course that's for food only and doesn't include wine (there's a brave little Vérité Le Désir from Sonoma for a mere £195) or service charge, but it's probably the only way Himself and I are likely to eat there. The a la carte menu is a touch pricey. So we may give it a go.

Who, however, could resist this?? - Discover the thrill and emotion in the heat of the kitchen at the horseshoe shaped Chef's Table for up to six people. The Chef will create an exclusive menu for guests to enjoy in the calm, amidst the movement and subtle chaos.

Lest any of you should fear that diners will be put off their "Roasted beef fillet with braised shin, baked celeriac and Barolo sauce" or "Chocolate sphere with milk ice cream and honeycomb" by Gordon running around and screaming F*CK! at the top of his voice, be reassured that the head chef is Sean Burbidge, who seems a much calmer sort of chap. And does anyone know what subtle chaos is?

Today, however, is my day off. I have been shopping for clothes this morning, the full length mirrors in the changing room a shiny reminder that I don't eat as healthily as I'd like, and am now sitting at home in my study having lunch. I'm also blogging, of course. We women like to multi-task!!

There's not much of my lunch left to show you, but it was a very tasty homemade sandwich with wholemeal bread, cheese & coleslaw. Plus a crisp apple and a large mug of hot tea. There may be a piece of flapjack lurking around somewhere, too. One of the cats is asleep on the sofa nearby, the washing machine is spitting out its soapy suds into the drain outside and I can hear the sparrows twittering in the garden. It's sunny, which means I can hang out the wet towels to dry. All is well with the world.

And my lunch didn't cost £25!