This post isn’t really about an autumn menu. I just needed a title for the post!

I did a bit of travel this week and got to see some friends and eat out, too.

One of my friends I visited asked me about my current habitus[i] and approach to nutrition. She was interested in the fact that most of my food consumption is beef and lamb, and little else. I explained that, in many ways, it’s a restricted approach because it makes me feel better, and I no longer suffer from intestinal discomfort. My bowel movements are less frequent, and my stools are well-formed. I also no longer experience constant abdominal discomfort.

I also explained that, from time to time, when I experiment and go beyond beef and lamb, I notice changes in how I feel and in my symptoms.

While I was away, I found a restaurant that offered a buffet dinner with seafood constituting a good proportion of the fare. It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed a meal of oysters, prawns, and mussels. I couldn’t resist enjoying an open prawn sandwich with a slice of sourdough bread and some French butter.

On another night, I ate a rather tough piece of rump steak, followed by a passionfruit bombe Alaska[ii] cheesecake, which was most enjoyable.

To mix things up, I bought some pork chops and cooked one for today’s lunch.

As I was cooking it, the smell of pork fat had me drooling like a Pavlovian dog and mimicking Homer Simpson.

What have I been listening to this week?

I listened to an interview with Anthony Daniels, whose pen name is Theodore Dalrymple. He is well known as a medical practitioner (specialist psychiatrist) and author of the book Life at the Bottom, which compiles essays based on his interactions with thousands of patients, many of whom had attempted suicide and were victims or perpetrators of crime, particularly domestic abuse.

The interview covers the dramatic increase in crime rates since the early 20th century, which cannot be explained by genetics or economic inequality but is linked to changes in social attitudes and mental states. Daniels contrasts past policing methods, emphasising the decline in respect for law enforcement and the weakening of punishment. He highlights lenient sentencing practices and media silence on actual prison time served, noting public support for harsher punishments despite elite disdain for such views. The erosion of social order and the rise of permissiveness are cited as contributors to increased violence and crime.

The conversation touches on cultural influences such as the global spread of American rap culture, which Daniels finds repellent due to its violent and misogynistic content. They discuss the decline of social decorum, including the normalisation of vulgar language and informal dress, contrasting current trends with past societal norms of formality and refinement. Daniels reflects on the loss of intellectual and moral refinement in the working class and the impact of deindustrialisation and ideological permissiveness on these changes.

The interview with Louise Perry examines the social, cultural, and psychological dimensions of poverty, crime, and societal dysfunction in contemporary Britain, as seen through the experiences and observations of Anthony Daniels.

What have I been watching?

Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning (Part One)

Ethan Hunt and his IMF team confront a rogue artificial intelligence known as the Entity, racing across the globe to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. As shifting alliances and hidden motives complicate the mission, Ethan must navigate betrayal, relentless pursuit, and the moral cost of safeguarding humanity.

What will I be watching?

This weekend is the end of round one for the new National Rugby League season. Tomorrow the Dolphins play against South Sydney.

I’m hoping the Dolphins win.

Tonight’s meal

T-bone steak with blue vein cheese and mustard sauce with pomegranate arils

Tonight’s meal was delicious. I cooked the steak in a water bath and then seared it on a barbecue cast-iron flat-top.

I made a sauce with blue vein cheese and mustard.

I added some pomegranate arils for a pop of colour.

What else have I eaten this week?

I hope you enjoy your week ahead.

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[i] A person’s general constitution, especially physical build.

[ii] A bombe Alaska is an old-school dessert that combines ice cream, cake, and toasted meringue into one showpiece.