Welcome to January's edition of The Castle Times



In this months issue:

1.    Castle of the month - A Short History - Castle Sant’ Angelo, Rome, Italy.

2.   Recipe Corner - Almond Omelette - Medieval

3.    Life in Medieval times - Wedding Traditions and Marriage Laws Pt4

4.   Travel Tips - How can I make our time together in the car more enjoyable for everyone? .

5. Readers Story - A Day in the Life of being Henry - A Date with Rolf Harris Pt2 - by Ray Irving

6. Pamela Seres - A Short Biography

Castle Sant'Angelo, situated on the right bank of the Tiber River in Rome, was initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian

Castle Sant'Angelo, situated on the right bank of the Tiber River in Rome, was initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. During the pursuing centuries, the mausoleum was converted into a military fortress, and included in the Aurelian Walls.

The popes converted the structure into a castle and since the 14th century; castle Sant'Angelo has been connected to St. Peter's Basilica by a covered fortified corridor called the Passetto di Borgo. The fortress was used as a refuge by Pope Clement VII during the sacking of Rome in 1527 by Charles V Landsknecht.

The papal state also used Sant'Angelo as a prison; with one of its famous prisoners being Giordano Bruno who was imprisoned there for 6 years. The prison was also the setting for Giacomo Puccini's Tosca, from whose ramparts the namesake of the opera leaps to her death.

Legend has it that an angle appeared atop of the mausoleum, sheathing his sword as a sign of the end of the plague of 590, thus giving birth to the castles name. Today an 18th-century bronze replica of the angel adorns the tomb. Castle Sant'Angelo is now a museum, Museo Nazionale di Castel

1 cup Ricotta cheese

8 tbl Butter

3/4 cup Slivered or coarsely ground almonds

2/3 cup Oats

4 x Hard-boiled eggs, chopped

1/2 cup Softened raisins

6 x Raw eggs

2 tbl Honey

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Fennel seed, crushed

2 tbl Oil for sautéing

Method

• Place ricotta in a large bowl.

• In a large, heavy skillet, melt half of the butter; toast the almonds and oats until golden. Pour off the almonds, oats, and butter into the ricotta and mix well. Reserve skillet, and any residual butter therein, for later.

• Stir chopped hard-boiled eggs and raisins into the ricotta mixture.

• Beat the raw eggs with honey, salt, and fennel.

• Stir the sweetened eggs into the cheese.

• Heat remaining butter with oil in the skillet. Pour mixture in to fry until golden, about 5 to 8 minutes on very low heat. Turn the omelette if you prefer the eggs well done. Cut into individual wedges and serve hot.

Eat, Drink and be Merry

Wedding Traditions and Marriage Laws Pt4

Some of the food that you may have found awaiting you included: Roast quail, turtledoves and partridge, goose, venison, roasted boar, fish, roasted peacock, mutton, cheeses, walnuts, fresh fruits, oysters steamed in almond milk, ale-flavoured bread, stewed cabbage, tarts and custards, fresh fruit preserves and spicy mulled wine.

If you were of noble birth, then you could find yourself feasting not only the above but dates and pistachio nuts.

Vegetables were grown during this period but a few if any were eaten on a regular basis and were seemingly scarce during the feast. If vegetables were on the menu then you could find yourself tucking into: carrots, cabbage, lettuce, leeks, cardoons, onions, shallots, parsley and asparagus.

Food was seasoned with herbs like basil, parsley, sage, savory, and rosemary. Sugar was becoming increasing popular during the Middle Ages, but it was expensive and only the wealthy could afford it in great quantities. Honey was still the sweetener of choice.

The refreshments served would include some if not all of the following; water, ale, beer, mead, milk, and wine.. Fruit juices made from cherries, sloes, and mulberries may have been available, but most of them would have been fermented. The wedding feast would then be followed by hours of dancing to the accompaniment of vocal or instrumental music and this was one of the chances young men had to meet damsels.

It seems nothing has changed down through the ages.

In Part 5 we find out about Bridal Gifts and Beauty Treatments

• Find some areas to take breaks along the way so your trip is less tiresome.

• Play games in the car to help shorten the trip. Hunt for different license plate numbers, see who can add up license plate numbers of the cars that pass you the quickest. Kids get a head start since they are in the backseat. Play "I spy". See who can find the most out of state license plates. See who can find the most models of cars.

• Bring along games or toys to help shorten the ride. Avoid items with lots of small pieces. • If your children are old enough, give them a map of their own. Have them keep track of your progress by making them the navigator.

• Schedule a quiet time for everyone in the car to enjoy. But, enforce the rules so adults are included and must also obey this rule.

• If your music interests are vastly different than your children’s, you might consider getting them a portable CD or tape player and bring lots of batteries. But, agree in advance about its usage times.

• Wake up sleepers a few minutes before you arrive at stops. This will give them time to adjust and be ready to get out as soon as the car stops.

I drove down with my wife Margaret, the train has complications of long late return times and the car with caravan would give me a place to be quiet and homely. We went into London on the Saturday to find our bearings and see the set, only we were so lucky because Rolf Harris was doing the same thing and we walked straight into him on the set. He knew me straight away from the film viewing he had been to; I had still not seen the film and was now getting excited.

Sunday came so quickly, we were on the set by 9am, in dressing room by 10am and then the green room to meet the stars of the show.

I was introduced to a lovely lady called Merrill, she was to be my Queen Ann Boleyn for the day, I must say she was a stunner and really did look the part. On the street we were mobbed by the Konichiwa camera club (Japanese tourists), it took fifteen minutes to get over the road into Trafalgar Square, and then it all started. Remember the live show is not until 5.45pm and it was only 10.45am, so there was 7 hours of being hounded by the press, the thousands of tourists and the producers, great eh!

Then it was 5.45pm, time flies so fast when you are working hard, enjoying it and nothing happens to spoil it.

Rolf Harris met us in the art tent before he was due to go on stage, a photo shoot for my family, he really is the nicest man you could meet, my wife fell for his charming manner and even now he is her favourite man after me of course (I think!).

The day ended, we all met for the last time in the hotel lounge and we left for home, tired, full of great memories……………..hang on it’s not finished yet!

On the way out of the Hotel, Rolf Harris thanked me for a fine job, and then he kissed my wife’s hand and gave her the most memorable smile. She was now totally smitten.

On the train my case in front of me with my silver handled stick attached to it became the focus of attention to the only drunk on the crowded train. “I’m a trouble maker” he said of himself as he tried to prove it by baiting my retort. I made friends with the drunk and agreed that the world was against him, and we left the train friends for life in his head, but relieved in mine.

Now did all my family see the film? Did they record it for me? Did the Henry clip look good? I had to wait until I got home the next day. Would people recognise me was a thought in my head at the motorway services, petrol station and chicken take-a-way. Nope, not a single person knew me as the King in the show. Anonymous again, thank God!

We are looking forward to Pamela's contributions and I would like to take this opportunity to welcome her onboard.

You can visit Pamela's website at www.pamelaseres.com

I hope you have enjoyed reading issue 11.

If you have an suggestions or comments about any part of the newsletter then please feel free to contact me.

As always, if you have a story, photos or questions you wish to ask or share with our readers then please email me and I will be happy to include them in our next edition.

All submissions should reach me by no later than the 20th of January