World Cup Diary - Day 1 Brazil Open Up

Yay! Feeling those Latin rhythms? 

Moving yer fat arse to the Samba beat? (Let's see how often the word 'Samba' gets mentioned over the next few weeks eh?) 

Well, great! Welcome then to the Blagg World Cup Blog - all the stuff you used to enjoy on the old Soccernet site brought to you on a yellow and gold platter, surrounded by gratuitous photos of scantily-clad young ladies.

Like this.

Or indeed this.   

All done in entirely post-ironic way, just like the cameraman at the BBC or ITV. It all starts today, so stick around and feel free to join in.

World Cup Heroes # 1

Pickles the Dog

Pickles was awarded £6,000 for finding the Jules Rimet trophy - that's one feck of a lot of Bonio's for one dog. What is often forgotten though is that poor Pickles met an untimely end just one year later when he throttled himself chasing a cat.

That six grand - worth well over £170,000 at today's prices - must have set his owner, David Corbett, up for life... And - No! - I am not suggesting anything at all. Awarded the National Canine Defence League Silver Medal for services to the dog world, Pickles went on to star with Eric Sykes and and June Whitfield in the 1966 film 'The Spy with the Cold Nose'.

Pictured is Pickles getting his cheque from 'Our 'enry' - Heavyweight boxer Henry Cooper for the uninitiated - I wonder if he opened an account at Barclays? (See what I did there?)

ESPN Blagg Blog

There was a Blagg blog on ESPN FC today too, asked to write a piece about Danny Welbeck's fitness, I looked online and was astonished to discover that Wayne Rooney was now an fully-fledged MD - Who knew? That sorts his career out post-football, I guess. Plus he can do his own hair transplants. Anyway Dr. Rooney has stated that Welbeck is 'fine' so we can all rest easy. 

So with not much to write about I decided to investigate the mosquito situation in Manaus and was surprised to note that the situation isn't that bad in the area as the River Negro has a high acidity quotient and few of the blood-sucking pests live there. 

With the summer we've had here in Blagg Acres in Essex - more bites, rashes and itches I've ever had in my life in any country I've visited (and that include the Florida Everglades); stop me and ask me about the Caterpillar form of the Brown Tailed Moth sometime - it's comforting to know that all I need to do is throw a few gallons of acid into the local pond and me and Lady B. can sleep in peace. 

You can find the blog here: Blagg ESPN Blog 12/06

Today I shall mostly be drinking...

Fausto de Pizzato Cabernet Sauvignon Vinho Tinto
from the Vale dos Vinhedos, Brazil
(from http://woodbridgewines.co.uk/) 

Today I shall mostly be eating...

ACARAJE - Black Bean Fritters

Ingredients

• 2 x 400g cans black eyed peas, rinsed, drained and dried
• 1 scotch bonnet chilli, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 onion, finely diced
• Approx. 2 tbsp flour
• Extra flour and polenta, for coating
• Oil to deep fry

For the filling

• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 300g jumbo shrimp
• Zest and juice of 1 lime

To serve

• Mayonnaise mixed with hot sauce and yellow mustard

Method

1. To make the fritters, puree the peas, chilli, garlic and onion until smooth.

2. Fold in the flour until the mix holds it shape. Add a bit more than 2 tbsp if necessary.. Shape into about 12 balls or ovals.
3. Roll in a mixture of flour and polenta. Deep fry for 3 minutes, drain, then cut in half.
4. To make the filling, gently fry the onion, garlic and chilli for 12 minutes until golden.
5. Add the shrimp and lime, then cook for another 3-4 minutes.
6. Spoon the mix into the middle of the fritters (like a sandwich) and serve with spicy mayo.

** Thanks to Simon Rimmer for this recipe. For more of this type of thing visit Sunday Brunch Recipes

AND  - Croatian Sausage from 'Taste of Croatia', 71 Crouch Hill End N8

Goes bloody well with the wine too - Result! 

Brazil 3  Croatia 1

World Cups come and World Cups go but some things remain the same. 

When Japanese referee Yuici Nishimura pointed to the spot after 71 minutes to indicate that Fred had been fouled by Djan Lovren despite their being barely any contact - at least none that would otherwise mean a penalty would be awarded every two minutes in every game in every league - we knew that controversy had again won over pure football and everything was as it has always been.

Neymar's subsequent penalty together with the 29th minute strike that pulled Brazil level after Croatia had been given an early lead by Marcelo, meant the Brazilian had got his team off to the start they wanted. But Oscar's late goal with Croatia pushing for an equalizer, gave the score-line a gloss it didn't really deserve. The Croatians had run the men in yellow close, and this might have been a different result but for poor decision making by the official. 

Still, the competition is up and running and we're all arguing over cheating footballers and incompetent refs. It's probably what we've been waiting four years for.