SO: enough of all that chit-chat; lets get down to the business of filling our freezer, so that we can invite people for lunch or dinner and be able to knock it together in no time at all. Of course it is possible! I live in the Holy Land ; would I kid you? I kid you not.

We now have in the freezer a large bottle of vodka, and lots of ice-cubes; must have those at the ready at all times! OK... so, I am an American and we love ice cubes and we use them a lot in everything we drink... Think of your poor flowers; do they not deserve a few ice cubes on a hot day? We do too. Lets try and use fresh veggies as much as possible, but frozen peas, beans and corn kernels are another must in that freezer; they will get mixed into those little flat packages of lentils, rice and wheat when we seriously start cooking... eventually! Yes, we will!

What meat you want frozen in there is really up to you; always good to have some steaks, good frankfurters and some chicken breast. Fish HAS to be fresh and if you do buy it fresh, why freeze it? An argument that I have with a friend who goes once a month to her fish monger, buys fresh fish and keeps it in the freezer... No sense at all...

A good sliced bread is always a good idea; look; I am just suggesting here; its really up to you what you think you must have in there, freezing away until you are ready to use it. If one night you feel like having poached eggs, what are you going to serve them on?! Right!

OK. Lets start with making the cheese roll. Years ago, when things were a bit more simple here in this part of the world, the girls in my supermarket used to collect odd pieces of cheese, end pieces, sometimes they just cut off too much; it was all good fresh cheese, sold for pennies, and was perfect for a mixed-cheese roll.

When the Russians arrived in this part of the world, they took over the service areas in my supermarket; I mean everybody, but EVERYBODY behind the counters now is Russian. They must have seen a good thing in 'them' cheese-bits, because they bits disappeared! Guess who enjoys those 'bits' today...Anyway: because it used to be such a mixed-bag of cheeses, I still buy about five or six different cheeses and mix them up; I am quite convinced that if you buy just one type of cheese, you will get the same result; but, where is the fun in that? So, you stand there, and face dozens of cheeses from all over the world; which ones to buy? Try to get a mix which you think will go together; you need about a kilo of cheeses; a smoked one, a more creamy one, a firm one...

Years ago we were in Zurich and we always like to have some cheese in the hotel room to have with drinks before we go out for the evening; so I went down to a store and asked for some 'brie', some goat cheese and then asked for some Swiss Cheese, thinking of that lovely cheese with all 'them' holes in it and the saleslady looks at me and said: "but Madam, ALL our cheeses are Swiss"... Ok; that is what I think of when I am buying a "mixed-bag-of-cheeses"...

So: now you dump the cheeses into the processor and let it run; they have to get to know each other well, so let them have fun running round! Add a clove of garlic, or two or three, depends how adventurous you feel! Add a good dollop of mayonnaise, about 1/2 cup, lots of freshly cracked pepper and as it¼s all mixing well and becoming friendly add some Aquavit. You do not have any? Not even a little bottle you pinched off a long haul flight? Ok, add some vodka, or second best ‚ GIN! We are hitting rock bottom! How much? Again, it is up to you... My opinion? The more the better... but do not make it too 'wet'; 1/4 cup should do it. OK; dump this mix, onto a baking sheet, make a roll of it with your hands; wrap it well in silver foil and freeze. Make sure you label it well!
You need small rolls; one should fit into the palm of your hand; if you have large hands, we are in trouble... Cut off the bottom of the rolls, place into a plastic bag and freeze; lovely toasted with anything! Dig out as much of the inside of the rolls as possible; do NOT tear the roll; place the bits into another plastic bag and freeze; one day you will need fresh bread crumbs, you dump that mess into the processor and hey, presto! There they are! How super it that? You put the 'scooped-out-rolls' into another plastic bag and freeze as well.

When you want to serve them for drinks before your dinner party, you defrost the rolls and the cheese, stuff one into the other, nicely round them off on the top, march them in a single layer into a pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 1/2 hour. Seriously delicious!You can decorate them with a leaf of whatever... Put them into paper cuffs, or do nothing and everybody will have two and tell you how incredibly clever you are.

If you suddenly need to serve lunch for 2, 4 or 6 people? You can do the same; bake the rolls, and serve them with a lovely green salad, cool-white wine, coffee and 'chockies' and you have this lovely lunch which was right there in your freezer. Brilliant, no? OK. You must admit that this is not difficult and really is fun. Told you; I kid you not.