I remember you mentioning them: I must see if we can find something similar and it might help to change my mind. My memory is of a grey, watery slop. Served, as is traditional for the Scots, with mince and mashed potatoes. All slop.

On the cooking methods - fascinating, hey? I recently bought a second hand cast iron pot, specifically to use for making stews on the braai and bread. "Pot brood" (bread) is made in the pot, lid on and buried in the coals of an open fire. I have memories of that from my childhood and a stay the seaside when it was turned out of the pot. Cut warm: huge, long slices, dripping in farm butter. I'm salivating at the thought. So wrapping pots in straws and then blankets: make perfect sense. I've been thinking that if loadshedding persists, I'll be investing in a Wonderbag. My challenge: space. Anyhow, let me not make my problems your problems.

Yes, a pressure cooker can be daunting and it is dangerous. Happily I've had no really major issues. I've just ended up with a lot of water being spat all over as I was anxious to get it cool and the lid off. Can't remember why, but I do remember that. I used to cook fish and rice to feed five cats at one stage: cooked the fish so that the bones were soft. It was a weekly thing. Urgh! Now I think about it!

Musings for a post...

Happy day.