We hosted three of my old school friends and their families for lunch
on Sunday. This slightly rash invitation followed one of our regular
girls' nights out in London. The next morning, I woke up, did some
fairly basic maths and announced to Reuben that I hope he didn't mind
too much but I'd just volunteered him to cook lunch for 17.
Thankfully he is an optimistic soul and muttered something about it
being just like a normal Sunday roast "but, with a bit more food".
Along with many small children, interesting conversation, chocolates,
a few bottles of wine and some champagne, one of our guests also
brought us the object photographed above.
As Rolf Harris might say "Can you tell what it is yet?".
It is in fact a Brazil Nut, bought over (some might say "smuggled"
but let's not dwell on that) direct from its namesake. Yes, what we call
Brazil nuts are actually the seeds which you find, arranged like
segments of an orange, when you crack open the nut itself.
It is now, officially, my favourite present ever given by a guest
(and need I remind you that, as they also bought champagne, this is
praise indeed).
It is also a brilliant "horticultural show off" item which is going
to seriously up our ante at the school show and tell session (this is
not hard - Oscar's most recent item was a trophy won two years ago for
the village three-legged race).
Here are just some of the incredible things about Brazil nuts:
They are pollinated by long-tongued orchid bees
Brazil nut trees can grow 50 metres tall and, given these nuts are
both very hard and quite heavy, walking underneath them can prove fatal
The nuts are radioactive (I'm not making this up, I promise)
But most interesting of all is watching your slipper-clad husband try
to open them with a block hammer and chisel whilst guests look on and
give amazingly ineffective advice. That, as the advert says, is priceless.