Glorious summer and once again off away from the big city for a few days which despite delaying a lot of projects serves as a battery recharger after the past couple odd years and as such the hobby front takes a much secondary presence – or one would think.
In truth the wargamer mind is never at rest given the amalgamate of activities that border it. New books to read, museums to visit, battlefields to walk, AAR stories to write, campaigns to plan, research to do. It goes round and round and then we also engage, at least myself, with the very fringe oddities opposed from any martial representation but also drinking inspiration from the enjoyment of history such as cooking and engaging with Roman dishes or tracing back the origins of modern famous dishes to long forgotten wars.
Amazingly enough the present and past connects well through cooking and there’s marginal difference other than the instant availability of all the ingredients and seasoning spices; in the case of the Roman ( Republican ) cuisine.
Regarding the research of certain dishes it is quite revealing that many originated from times of strife and famine, not only wars but challenging sea voyages where resources had to be carefully managed.
I strayed a bit from the path but that’s Summer. A time for food gatherings that see family spread across the world come together in the hamlet of our “parents” and rejoice with today.
Plenty of history surrounds the area, mainly the Peninsular War battle for Fuentes de Oñoro but that’s only the tip of the iceberg given there’s plenty to see in most all hamlets and villages, with aspects, buildings, vestiges and architecture since the Iron Age.
Obviously, with a personal connection to the area and hobby interest I was deeply rejoiceful with Marcus Cribb historian sharing his adventures throughout and showing the principal locations of this battle – link to his journey , which I knew since a kid and never ever will cease to visit whenever I have the time.
Marcus keeps a blog so worth checking https://www.dukeofwellington.org/
Ah yes, wargames, almost forgot.
I broke the rule of three and acquired some titles that were burning through my “must buy” list.
Have a good weekend !!!
wargamer.coffee.break 