(Today’s recipe: Stinging Nettles)
I HATE THEM. Everybody says they only sting at certain times of the year and the sting is not that bad. Well, they haven’t met my vicious Nettles. Mine sting all year. Even the roots sting. I’m not kidding. EVEN THE ROOTS STING.

(Today’s recipe: Dandelions)

Now where does the word Dandelion come from, I ask you. This is like Red Mullet actually being a Goat Fish. I love discovering the origin of words and/or just enjoying the strangeness of words. Maybe lion comes from the fluffy white head it gets before it goes forth and reproduces itself a thousand times over in my garden.

(Today’s recipe: Wild Fennel)

I can't believe I haven't managed to post this since I wrote it in March, same time as the first one. Sorry!!! And thank you Peter and Ute for reminding to pull out my finger and get on with posting!!

(Today: Wild Mustard Recipe)

Not Weed, Weeds you silly people! I’m talking about the stuff that grows uncontrollably in your garden. Okay, so maybe some of you have this problem with weed too, but the rest of us just have problems with good old-fashioned weeds. Sigh. I’m not getting the upper hand here am I?!

Life does not exist without several hundred sunset shots. I basically take a couple every night, but I shall endeavour not to bore you with more than these three, but I ain’t promising notin’.

No, we haven’t moved to Australia, this is still Portugal. This section of the Algarve is home to many a Red Rock and I just can’t get enough of it! We’re near Quarteira and Falesia Beach, the home of many beautiful golf courses. I’m no golfer, but my mate Catherine says they’re good to play and she’s the local female champion in our small French village so she should know!

(Today’s recipe: Mão de Vaca com Grão, or Cows Hoof with Chickpeas)

I love languages and the fun one can have with them. When we asked our lovely waitress what the daily lunch special was, she said, “it’s Hand of Cow”. At first I thought I’d misheard, but no, we were having either Hand of Cow or something that was like cuttlefish, but not cuttlefish. We’ll have one of each, I bravely said.

Just in case you haven’t guessed, I’m a huge fan of Portugal. The Husband too, of course. We love the countryside, the seaside, the people, the food, the air, just plain everything. So I am going to post a few photos from around here so that you too can fall in love with Portugal.

We ate lunch at our favourite restaurant in Monte Gordo (see post http://www.acookonthefunnyside.com/content/lunch-ronaldo ) and the head waiter asked us if we wanted to try his favourite fish, “Salmoneta”. Speaking no Portuguese myself, I deduced that this must be a small salmon (needless to say, it isn’t) and said “Yes!” ‘cos I love salmon…

I finally realised today that I’m getting old. I know what you’re thinking, only today? Allow me to explain. I noticed that the local restaurant was preparing for a big event and I noticed lots of young men arriving at around half twelve, one o’clock. But instead of rushing over and stalking them, I decided to stay sitting in my sun lounger, read my book and let The Husband bring me coffee. Groan.