Just a moment too late

Today I worked to a deadline - I really had to finish the design of the printed programme for the next Walking Festival ready to print next week.

I celebrated finishing the task by cooking my version of the recipe for duck with prunes in Almagnac we loved in France. You can see the real thing by following this link to Vitou who cooked it for us last week. Start video at 0208. Vitou appeared in the Rick Stein French Odyssey on TV. (NB By the time the programme was put together, the director had forgotten that it was potatoes served with the duck, and said it was poached pears!)

I did not have the right wine, but I used a Bordeaux. I used brandy instead of Almagnac, but I did have genuine Agen prunes (courtesy of Waitrose). Our house smells amazing and I hope the aroma lingers for another day. Mmmmm.

Oh yes, to explain the image. I am making the sauce with a lot of red wine. After I set light to the alcohol in the pan, I stood and admired it burning. Then I thought about a blip, but I was too late......... You will have to imagine the beautiful flames.

Photo club annual exhibition guest evening tonight. Lots of people came and admired our work. Great day at the Olympics for Team GB. I applaud Rebecca Adlington for pointing out that a bronze medal is not a sign of failure.