My second post on this blog pondered on the rules of weekend working for a Domestic Executive.  More than three years on I’m pleased to b able to report that my beloved and I have settled on  the ideal solution.  At weekends, he cooks and if he hasn’t put his order in for ingredients before hand he also shops for those meals.  I can’t tell you how wonderful it feels to be released from the burdens of full time catering.

As much as I love to cook there is a limit to everything and it’s nice to have someone else to take the strain.  As a result of this arrangement MT continues to grow his culinary skills.  For many years he has cooked but for a while his chef mojo seemed to have disappeared.  In recent weeks we’ve enjoyed some great food which somehow tastes altogether better when someone else is cooking!

I don’t want you to have the impression that I sit around with my feet up with complete disinterest (ok, the feet up bit is true!).  As if. I’m happy to offer constructive suggestions for menu planning and indeed offer direct assistance when needed.

Take this weekend for instance.  MT put his order in on Friday for him to make a Shepherd’s Pie.  Without ingredients for Sunday I went for my fail safe purchase a chicken.  It wasn’t until Sunday that I thought, I’m not sure I want our tried and tested roast chicken dinner.  It would be nice for something different. But having different didn’t need to be that different as it turns out.

Seeking inspiration from our cook book shelves we settled on a new Nigel Slater treatment with the chicken roasted with lemon and a whole garlic.  There are few times when the recipe turns out quite like the pictures in the book but this time it did.

And what’s more this roast chicken tasted even better than my tried and tested delicious chicken.  MT has continued to surpass his catering standards as the weekends go by.  We’ve had a range of dishes none of which has disappointed.  This has ranged from duck with cherries, lentil curry and sausage casserole

In truth weekend catering has probably improved since MT took over as he has brought new enthusiasm and excitement to what we eat.  I’m delighted to help where it’s needed and happy to cater for the rest of the week.  But for weekends having a Domestic rest is perfect and long may it continue.