Preparing for Winter With Flame Grilled Peppers

Just like old times in my Farmhouse in Skalitsa, where surplus supplies at harvest time are prepared for the coming Winter. Today was one of the many reasons I am here in Bulgaria.

We only decided to do this yesterday naturally the excitement of the process was something I found hard to contain. Having seen many locals doing the same thing out on the streets of Yambol, in their garages, on the balconies and gardens, the aroma of cooking pepper fills the local air for weeks on end. It was out turn to create an ambience of smells from grilling peppers that makes your mouth water and your taste buds yearn for the results.

I used a Greek styled BBQ system that I imported nearly 12 years ago. The grate was formerly a drain cover and the metal plate (which would be the hot plate) was from an old camping table. the wood was gathered from land near to where I was fishing a few days ago and of course free. Finally the peppers unfortunately were not produced by me as in previous years. We arrive here to late to start up produce in the growing season, plans for next year will be different.

So all prepared to start with a big white sack containing 22 Kilograms of locally grown raw peppers. Once the peppers were cooked they were placed in a big metal saucepan with a lid where they continue to cook with boiling juices inside each pepper. I remember describing the process many years ago as the all dancing and singing peppers as that's what they do when being flame grilled.

The peppers are then de-skinned and placed in plastic bags and frozen once cooled all ready for Winter. we decided against putting them into sealed glass jam jars this year. Again maybe next year this form of preserving maybe opted for.

Three hours later the process had been completed. not all the peppers were de-skinned, that will be finished tomorrow. A shower and a change of clothing and we were all set for the evening of salad rakia and a meal of prepared peppers with egg and sirene Galia kindly offer to make. Can't wait!

Pomorie Mud Lark

This weekend we decided to go the the Black Sea. We didn't decide on this plan of action until just after midday on Friday. We arrived at our newly booked apartment in a place called Pomorie by 16:00.

No time wasted as we made our way to find the site which has the therapeutic mud. Once found we went through the process of smothering ourselves with the rich black mud, letting it dry in the warm sunshine, then rinse it off in the sea. a messy process but the results are great.

Not too sure about the compounds involved in the mud, rumour has it that it was created by some volcanic activity unearthing unique minerals in the harboured area. I do know some physics though which explains why our skin felt refreshed and younger. As the mud is applied it is full of water, as the mud drys the water evaporates and the mud contracts. This contraction of mud is sealed to the skin as it drys the mud pulls on the skin giving a kind of slow motion massage. Once the mud is washed off the skin returned to it's original state now unpulled. The result? Skin that has had thousands of minute massages and of course two stages of hydration form the wet mud and the washing afterwards.

After this we lie on the beach and sunbath our aches and pains away with an occasional dip in the sea to cool down. All this with a cold Bulgarian beer at hand. What more could you ask for?

I might add, that this is something we are not accustomed to and as with all things that are held back or you are starved from becomes even more special!

We don't go to restaurants here or pay through the nose at beach shops. Everything we do is on a self catering basis which means the cost is the same as it would be back in Yambol. the only additional overheads are the petrol and the cost of the small studio apartment, but we got that dirt cheap with a last minute deal on Friday online.

We planned to return to Yambol our home on Monday, but we are enjoying ourselves so much we are looking to extend out stay for another night, but only if the price is right of course......

Four Months in Bulgaria and Counting

The Safe Streets of Yambol

Well it was April this year we we arrived in Bulgaria now four months into the life here. Getting used to Bulgarian ways didn't take long as we had basically been living like Bulgarian in the UK in terms of lifestyle and habits.

Now retired from work the main issue is planning what to do each day. When working you know what the routine is 6 days a week. The only plan is what to do on the days off and that wasn't difficult, it was mainly catching up with things you couldn't' do on the days of work, i.e. go to the launderette, get groceries and housework. Working 6 days a week, it was not an issue knowing what to do. Here we have to plan 7 days a week and that is difficult.

Needless to say all is going to plan here. I have a car, so we can go anywhere we want although I tend to shy off using it as I don't enjoy driving anymore. But it does cone in useful as we are by the Black Sea in a place called Pomorie right now on a three day break - We decided to go on Friday at 12:30, by 16:00 that same day we have booked it up online, packed out bags and were in the apartment! How many years has it taken to be able to do that?

Many things here I'd forgotten about, the simple things such as not having to worry about being mugged when walking the streets. Going fishing and bringing home the evening's meal. Picture of the result shown here.


Next post will given more detail of our home and how a simple abode can give such comfort.