Do you love bread? I love bread. I really love bread. Because I am perfectly capable of eating an entire loaf of granary in a single sitting, we don’t really have much bread in the house. Mostly because I eat it before it’s barely been unpacked.
The problem is, when I do really crave a doughy hit, there’s never any around. This is where soda bread comes riding over the hill to the rescue Continue reading
I have it on good authority (that’s you @catty!) that what I made last night was quite definitely a fritatta. Not a tortilla. No sir. Defintely a fritatta. Still not sure of the difference, maybe it was the pesto? At any rate, this is one easy to make dish, and perfect for lunch the next day too.
And, y’know, it gives me another chance to play with my new pan. Not that I really need one. This pan has seen pretty much constant (culinary) action since I bought it at the beginning of March. Continue reading
Sometimes saturdays can be great. A day out perusing the enormous 6-floor Waterstone’s on Picadilly, followed by a happy stroll through the Japan centre. This yielded some salmon sashimi, udon noodles and a pack of interesting mushrooms (alongside all sorts of other exciting food).
Then, sitting at home watching the way the late afternoon light hits the slate roofs and brick below, and they just glow. Softly at first, but then with increasing strength until gently the light ebbs signalling the onset of dusk.
And right now, dusk means dinner time. Pulling together my goodies I set to work. Continue reading
This is going to be short and simple. Just like dinner. I love cooking – all that chopping, slicing, frying and grilling is relaxing and I get to eat the results. But sometimes (whisper it) I just don’t feel like it. Sometimes I just want to flop. Baked spuds are made for times like this. Continue reading
Boudin Blanc is a shrine to the French bistro as the English imagine it to be – all dark wood, big plates and hearty cooking. There’s no fancy fusion or haut cuisine. From poached fish in butter and cream sauce to snails by the dozen, it’s bistro classics all the way.
But just because it’s not full of surprises, that doesn’t meant it’s not good. The food here is classic, sure, but it’s classically good…well, classically great actually. Continue reading
Do you ever have one of those nights where you think: “hmmm, i’ll just do something simple tonight, I have some steak, some veg, perfect.” Are those famous last thoughts or what?
To spin an unsubtle, allegory, I remember my parents deciding to redo their bathroom. They did it, and in the process realised that if they did that to the bathroom, then they should do this to the bedroom. And so on. By the time they finished the winds of change had well and truly swept through the house leaving nothing untouched. Nothing.
This is what happened to my *ahem* “simple” steak supper. Continue reading
This is rib sticking food for when you’re in the mood for your meat to be red (well pink) in tooth and claw. When you have finished cooking, the leg bones stick out of a cabbagy nest like the remains of some knight who fell foul of a feathery dragon.
It most definitely isn’t a crowd pleaser, but if you like flavours to be bold, brash and in yer face then my word, you’re in for a treat. Continue reading
I’ve made Paneer before, when I lived in Islington where I could get hold of cheese cloth. But now, you would have thought the whole of North Lonon had run out of muslin. How annoying. Ever since I found out how easy it is to make Paneer it seems to be a waste to buy it. As Londis did have paneer, even if it failed miserably in the muslin stakes, shop bought would have to do. Continue reading
All over the place
http://www.fineburger.co.uk/
We had a mere forty minutes before we needed to be at the cinema. There wasn’t much time and some food definitely had to be found before we headed in to a two-hour plus film. When you have that little time you really shouldn’t expect to find anything resembling haut cuisine, and it’s definitely not long enough for anything resembling a civilised sit down meal. But burgers – the ultimate meal-in-one – they would be perfect, right? Right? Continue reading
I found myself wandering around Bicester Village last Saturday, at loss as to where to keep myself occupied among all the posh outlets, the likes of Vivienne Westwood, Jimmy Choos and Alexander McQueen. I’m not the world’s greatest shopper, unless there is something involving food, wine or books on the agenda. Or cooking gear. I really love my pots and pans.
Then, in the distance, glimmering like the promised land I saw a sign emblazoned with “Le Creuset”. In a retail outlet park (albeit disguised as an Oxfordshire village built by the Asda architect) no less. Rubbing my hands with glee I ambled in to marvel at the wonders within. Continue reading