What do you mean sporadic?

Well I did say that this blog would be sporadic and so it has turned out. I still do my other blog on Sundays where I blather about things which are either France related or France inspired but I like to keep this space for my special nonsense and streams of consciousness.

I'll try and update more regularly and perhaps add some other content that I've enjoyed elsewhere to try and get this thing off the ground properly. We'll see how it pans out.

First a tale of grisly murder.

About half an hour ago we just finished eating a beautifully cooked trout which, less than 24 hours ago was swimming in the River Ribble oblivious to the horrors that lay before it. I went fishing yesterday with my pal Paul. We decided to try a technique called trotting which involves standing in the middle of the river, wearing a pair of chest waders and holding your rod in one hand, letting your float drift downstream whilst you feed loose offerings with the other.

It is quite difficult to do well and consequently we didn't catch any of our intended quarry of Chub or barbel but as I was perfecting this technique (or at least becoming mildly competent) my rod suddenly arched over under the weight of a brown trout. At first it surged downstream but then for some reason decided to hare arse towards me at a speed which really took me by surprise. It nearly swam between my legs which would have been problematic but eventually it tired and I cradled a trout of just over one and a half pounds in my hands. Usually, I return fish straight back to the water but on this occasion the hunter in me surfaced and clonked it with a brick before sticking it in my rucksack.

I have to tell you, killing a fish doesn't sit easily with me but having just polished off every morsel, I think I may develop a taste for murder! Mel made a beautiful salad and fromage frais sauce with capers, gherkins, dill and lemon which was stunning.