Thinking and cooking.

Not all midlife crises happen in middle age and a recipe for cherry pie

I started this substack, in a wave of optimism about two years ago. I thought how lovely it would be to write what I like, when I like, sharing my ideas and experiences with you the reader without the iron hand of an editor or a deadline.

And for a very few weeks this is just what I did, but then some how I fell out of the habit of it. Having no whip to chide my laziness, there seemed no pressing reason why I could not finish the novel I was reading, or indeed the whole eleven part series.

My substack is free, I wasn’t tied to subscribers , so I answered your questions on Malaga, updating my posts each time I went but little new work appeared.

I was at an impasse, I couldn't think what to write about, everything I tried seemed not to be quite what I wanted to say.

To put this into context I've written for a living for the last 30 years. I've written books television programmes, I've written speeches, I've written introductions to other people's books, I've written about my family, about food, about restaurants, about every single thing I could think of but now I couldn't think of anything new to say. 

So I did more lessons in Duolingo, read all the books, had a nap in the afternoon deciding that, post cancer treatment, I deserved it. I had battled through and was now nearly well, but I mustn't overdo it. All the excuses…….

Then I went to an industry party, it was very glamorous I had a new dress, saw lots of old friends, drank far too much champagne and then came home feeling oddly discombobulated.

 

I didn't feel I belonged. Oh everyone knew who I was, I've been involved with food for so long, that anyone over a certain age at least knew my name, I'm also lucky in having a very memorable name and there are no other Thane Princes writing, but I didn't really belonged there.

I wasn't doing the work that the other people who were there were celebrating, and it's taken a while for me to take this on board, to analyse how this makes me feel and put some thoughts together.

So just in case any of you have wondered about stuff like this here goes: 

First up sometimes the thing we have been doing has run its course. That's not our fault, that’s not the fault of whatever we do , it's simply done, our role in it is over and it’s time to move on.  

Secondly if we more mature people, I’m 76, don't move out of the way what chance is there anyone younger stepping up and taking our place. They need the breaks that we had and if we still try and hog the limelight we might well be stopping other people succeeding, people who have new and more relevant ideas, plus the drive to follow them through.

Thirdly while I have a wealth of experience and, I think, lots to offer I don't have the hunger anymore: the hunger for new dishes, the hunger to search out that outré cafe in Dalston, that everyone's talking about, I don't like natural wine, I refuse to put yet another “twist” on mince pies, so many, many things and possibly it's okay that I don't, but there are people that do and can write about those better than I can.

So I'm hoping that having got this off my chest I will be able to go back to what I enjoy most, which is just talking to you, writing the odd recipe, telling you about what I’ve been doing, promoting my beloved Malaga and answering your questions.

I'm unbelievably lucky, this is not a “be sorry for me” post, it's simply that sometimes you just have to sit down and think and try to understand that it’s not only in midlife that you can have a midlife crisis.

Thanks for reading I'll see you soon and do keep your questions coming.

Cherry Pie

Anyone who remembers the cult series Twin Peaks or Gilmore Girls will be excited by the idea of cherry pie. I’m not sure why I only make fruit pies in the summer, in winter crumbles are more likely to grace my table, but show me peaches, blueberries or cherries and only a flakey crusted pie will do.

I like to make a rich shortcrust using my food processor. I use a high butter to flour ratio adding a little lard for extra flake.

The most important and frankly tedious thing you will have to do is pit a kilo of cherries, either sit down and listen to a decent radio play or get a child/partner/friend to do it for you!

Pastry

300gm plain flour

Pinch of salt

200gm cold butter, diced

50m lard, diced

6-8 tablespoons iced water

In the food processor whiz the flour and salt. Now add the diced butter and lard and using short bursts of power, mix in the fats. The mixture will look like ground almonds.

Add 6 tablespoons of the water and continue to process in short bursts maybe 4 or 5 bursts, if the mix still looks very dry add the next 2 tablespoons.

Tip the pastry, it will still be in chunks onto some film and form into a rough round. Wrap in film and chill for 30 mins

Filling:

1 kilo black cherries, pitted

2 tablespoons castor sugar

1 teaspoon cornflour

A few drops almond essence

½ teaspoon vanilla essence

To finish

Beaten egg and castor sugar

Place the cherries in a saucepan with 2-3 tablespoons of water and the sugar.

Bring up to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes. Mix the cornflour with a little water and add this “slaked” cornflour to the pan, simmer for 2-3 mins till the mix is thicker. Add the 2 essences and leave to cool.

Line a 9” pie pan with 2/3 rds of the pastry and spoon in the chilled filling. Roll out and top with the remaining pastry adding whatever decoration you like. Brush with beaten egg and dredge generously with castor sugar.

Bake in a hot oven 180 C until golden brown.