This and that

Another two inches of snow last night, but it's melting fast. The garden looked lovely first thing, all the weeds and straggly stuff hidden or festooned with white glistening baubles. The lawn looks at its best! I think I'll just keep it this way.

I haven't dared go out in the car for a few days, so am starting to run out of things (shopping list currently says 'snacks' and 'sherry'). So this morning I made a batch of cheese straws, from my mother's recipe. They are highly addictive.
Due to overwhelming popular demand, here's the recipe, annotated:
4 oz plain flour
2 oz Fat [I used butter]
2 oz grated cheese [I used cheddar]
good pinch of cayenne
salt
water to mix as with pastry
Sieve flour with pepper and salt. Rub in fat. Stir in grated cheese. Add water. [Obviously you mix it all till it's actual pastry; I use the Magimix]
Roll out to 1/8th inch thick. Cut into strips and twist.
Bake in medium oven for 20 mins. [on a greased baking sheet!]

I'm about halfway through 'Dreams From My Father'. That man missed his vocation, should've been a novelist ...