Has it really been that long?

It's been over a month since my last post and boy do I feel sheepish... but I do have an excuse....

After two years of working in my current job, recent events have led me to drag myself of a rather comfortable rut.... It's all well and good paying the bills, but there's a certain sense of loss when you feel that you're not doing what you're supposed to be doing.

Back in October, I lost one of my best friends. He was 23. It's one of those horrendous wake up calls that makes you realise, you could be gone tomorrow and you do need to take that chance. I've compromised for long enough and now it's time to think about what's best for me!

Wow! I should be a life coach or something (my secret weapon of inspiration- The Jurassic Park theme which I'm listening to right now....don't tell anyone!)


My first steps in the right direction have seen me apply for positions all over the country- I'm not going to limit myself any more. If someone will let me write for money, I'd pretty much move anywhere... So after painstakingly filling in all the relevant application forms, I'm just waiting to hear back to see whether I've scored an interview. Is that too much to ask?

In the meantime, I'll continue cooking up creations for Bookitorcookit.co.uk (note to self: never used dried apples to make a pear crumble more interesting- it just tastes weird and has the texture of soggy polystyrene.....) and of course, you'll see me behind the deli counter at work too- but hopefully, not for much longer.

What to do with a pumpkin....

The time to write is nigh. It's been far too long and too much stuff has gotten in the way of me picking up my pen (or keyboard) and scribbling down any food related thoughts.

The month of October was a dark one, I fell out of love with food, for a while. It was merely fuel to keep my engine running and I didn't want to cook (or eat) it...

But November seems brighter. I've begun cooking again for pleasure and have started to create more seasonal recipes, so all's not lost.

And with that in mind, here's my first post of the month....

How to turn this:


Into this:


And this:


First of all, start by purchasing a pumpkin that's considerably larger than your head... Carefully flip it over and cut off the bottom.

Using a spoon (and lots of elbow grease) remove all the seeds and pith and discard.

Now comes the fun part.... gouge all the flesh from inside the pumpkin, until you're just left with the orange shell.

Once you've recovered from the overexerted use of the spoon, put the flesh in a large roasting dish with a little oil and bake for roughly 30 minutes (until soft).

Carve the pumpkin shell into whatever hideous form you choose to take for the night and let the cooked pumpkin cool....

Once the pumpkin's cooled, blitz it in a blender or food processor and then sieve to get rid of any stringy bits. You'll then be left with a smooth orange pulp. Now it's time to make some pie!

William Peter, Pumpkin Eater Pie

For the pastry:
80g Chopped mixed nuts
350g Plain Flour (plus extra for rolling out)
20g Icing sugar
A pinch of salt
A little cold water
150g Softened butter
2 Large egg yolks

For the filling:
450g Prepared pumpkin pulp
2 Large eggs (plus 1 extra yolk, reserve the white)
1 Tablespoon black treacle
75g Dark soft brown sugar
1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 Teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 Teaspoon Ground ginger
275ml Double cream

Makes 2x 9" Pies

1. For the pastry, start by sieving the flour, icing sugar and salt into a large bowl.
   
2. Gently rub in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Then add the nuts, egg and water.
3. Stir these in with a knife, keeping hand contact to a minimum. Add more water if necessary.
4. The dough should have formed into a nice ball by now. Place this into a sandwich bag and pop it in the fridge for about 20 minutes to rest.
5. Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4/180 degrees. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and line the two greased tins, making sure to leave about 5mm of extra pastry around the rim to allow for shrinkage.
6. Once the tins are lined, prick the bases with a fork and brush with the reserved egg white.
7. Place the two tins on a flat baking tray in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes until the shells are crisp.
8. For the filling, lightly whisk the eggs (and extra yolk) in a large bowl.
   
9. Put the treacle, sugar, spices and cream into a saucepan and bring up to simmering point, whisking occasionally.
   
10. Then pour in the eggs, whisking lightly before adding the pumpkin puree. Pour this straight into a jug to avoid scrambling the eggs.
11. Once the pastry is baked, distribute the filling between the two cases and return them to the oven for about 20 minutes. You'll know when the pies are cooked, as they'll be puffed up around the edges and slightly wobbly in the middle.
12. Enjoy your pumpkin pie with a nice dollop of clotted cream!

A belated Happy Halloween to all!

The Providores Winemakers Dinner

Tonight's menu- a half melted Mars Bar served on a train.... a stark contrast to last night's 5 course cuisine.

The Providores nestled comfortably on Marylebone high street, seems unassuming from the outside, but is truly stunning on the inside. Expect a warm welcome from the members of Peter Gordon's team as they take your coat, pour your wine, serve your dinner and see to it that that warm feeling you get inside from all that wonderful food stays with you for days....

I wanted to thank my fellow Arvon comrades for a wonderful night, evoking the wonderful memories and inspiration from Devon. And finally, I just wanted to pay my respects to Peter and Yotam- two outstanding, down to earth men, who devote all their time and energy to food and ignite passion in everyone they meet!

I'm truly looking forward to our next encounter.

Back to normality

After travelling thousands of miles to the Indian Ocean, it's hard not to feel some sense of sorrow when the mundane reality of life kicks in....

I can only dream of eating my way through a buffet table of crisp French pastries still warm from the oven, of tucking in to slices of succulent pineapple as we plan the days events- sipping spiced rum from a coconut...

Banquet after banquet, followed by days of adventure on the island. Red, dusty trails, azure oceans, warm tropical rain. Stray dogs strolling down the beaches-like they own them...

My first time on a speedboat, island hopping. Fretting for my life, my tranquility restored by a rum and coke at 10.30am.

We make a pit-stop on an island where the blue sea laps the white coral sands. Where yellow birds make themselves known in the trees and we congregate for lunch.

The starter....a whole local fish barbecued on the beach. Served simply with a lemon wedge and coleslaw.

The main course... half a barbecued lobster and chicken drumsticks with fresh garlic bread...

The dessert... banana flambe, followed by more rum, wine and beer. Then back to the boat, Bob Marley blasting through the speakers as we made our way to Ile aux Cerfs.

These beautiful memories seem so distant, like a half-remembered dream that I'll never forget.

Back with a tan and a plan...

After a noticable absence on 'the scene' that is the internet, I can say (with some confidence) that I'm back and raring to go!

A blissful two weeks in Mauritius has opened my eyes to a whole new range of cuisine mixing different cultures and influences to create a truly unique taste experience. I can honestly say, the only thing I missed was fresh milk!

Anyway, just a short post to let you know I'm still here. I've got many a tale to tell of my island hopping, dolphins, whales, crocodile steaks and much, much more!

Plus.... today sees the launch of the first cookbook I'm featured in (as a credited writer) at Liverpool Food and Drink Festival- it's all looking very promising.... More to come when I arrive back in Liverpool and unpack!

Calm blue ocean, calm blue ocean

Excuse my recent lack of presence on the Internet- I've been busy!
That's not to say I've given up on Book it or Cook it (unthinkable!), I'm just preparing for the holiday of a lifetime... and it's happening in just 6 days!

To keep myself well adjusted to reality, I've been filling my hours with work (organising corporate canape events for 100 guests plus. Updating every single listing Delifonseca's mentioned on, baking cakes, cleaning basements... all in a day's work I guess!) I've also been trying to shave off a few pounds for the desired 'bikini body' by cycling in between the torrential downpours of rain... so wish me luck with that!

In between all that, I've been trawling the streets of Liverpool to find the elusive straw hat of my dreams, which I don't think exists, as well as stretching my bank account to it's limit, splashing out on forthcoming birthday presents... but these are special gals I'm buying for!

I did spot something interesting whilst attempting to find something pretty to give to my sister for her 23rd and I can't quite decide whether it's a stroke of genius or a complete load of rubbish....some kind of Breville sandwich toaster that makes cupcakes in 10 minutes.

Image sourced from Lakeland.co.uk

Is there just cause for the enthused saleswoman on their website to rant and rave? I'm pretty sure a conventional oven does the same thing in about the same time? Maybe it's just me, but I can see this gadget gathering dust with the juicer and the fondue set hidden in the darkest corner of my kitchen....or maybe I'm just a cynic...

I shouldn't let things like this keep my awake at night. I should be proud to be a tradionalist who likes her golden cupcakes fresh from an oven, not an adapted sandwich press... perhaps I should just let these issues wash over me like the Indian Ocean, tranquil and serene... we'll see!

Speech! Speech!

Well guys and gals, it's been a whole year since this whole thing began. From being bed-ridden with swine-flu and going out of my head with boredom, sprang forth Book it or Cook it.

In the following months, Book it or Cook has progressed and grown, as have I and I finally feel like I know what I want to get out of blogging. Sure, it's about opinion and objects of fascination, but I feel it's also an intrinsic writing tool.

You can look back at posts that you've written in a hurry, or ones you took time over and scrutinise and frown all you want, but to me, these are the little glimmers of ideas that can be developed later on, when viewed with a little clearer vision.

The whole ethos of Book it or Cook it began from a frustration of lack of freelance work and some bad restaurant experiences.... the idea was to review each establishment and produce my own recipes which would shame the chefs and hopefully inspire people to give them a whirl themselves...

The feasibility of this idea however, suffered due to that fact that I work full-time, plus I don't really have much of a 'disposable income'...

The branches of Book it or Cook it stretched out and enveloped other ideas as I looked into things I could source from home i.e recipes, book reviews and blog reviews. This wasn't just for filler though, I hoped this would expand the scope for this blog and turn it into something bigger and better....here's hoping!

So as for the next year, I'm tightening the reigns on my blog. I'm reading more, I'm dedicating more time to my writing and I'm happily gorging away whilst doing it all. So thanks for reading and I'll try and keep up the good work!

Inspiration or Inception?

Today was my day off and apart from having a driving lesson, I didn't have much planned. I knew I wanted to write something, but was a bit stuck for ideas, so instead spent a good deal of time looking at the colourful houses of Totterdown and daydreaming....

(Image sourced from BBC)

Feeling disappointed at my lack lustre approach to the day and with grey skies threatening to rain, I thought "To heck with it!" and had a nap......
But instead of this well and truly putting a stop to my creativity, I dreamt of beautiful poetry being read to the sound of violins and cellos, fields of lavender perfumed my dream, and I could still smell them when I woke up.

Then it came to me, one line of poetry (not lavendar related).... and here are the results:

I dream of runner beans
Creeping up canes In shades of green
Boasting red flowers and bursting pods
Twisted vines, strangling wooden rods

I dream of snapping stems
Creeping up canes And snatching them
A stolen salad in a bowl
Topped and tailed, blanching whole

I awoke to smelling salt
Bubbling water
And hunger pangs
A tender side, with a glass of wine
A meal thought out with a dream in mind


Perhaps I'm reading too much into this, but I think I might be on to something here with the old food/poetry malarkey. Poetry was something I'd always envisaged myself doing full-time and I think after doing this food writing course, I'm having something of a Renaissance period.... we'll see!

I'm still in heaven, although I'm not in Devon...

So it's been five days since I departed. Departed from that house, those people, that dog. Left Devon, left those luscious green fields, traded them for those grey high rise buildings of Liverpool...

I've been rained on, soaked through, worked my fingers to the bone, worn out and worn down, I've been through it all. But a glimmer of sunshine appears.

Like an enlightening experience that people only see once in a lifetime, my memories of Totleigh Barton are being kept alive.


Through baking, cooking, reading and writing, immersing myself in all that is food and through these mediums, I will keep my memories alive. These memories are motivation, stimulation, a way to escape the rut that was my life.

Now I write like I did when I first fell in love. I'm meeting my soul mate for the very first time, all over again.

Everything is fresh, vibrant and full of promise. But this isn't nostalgia, this is now. This is happening. I am awake, rediscovering a lost love and immersing myself in it's warm embrace.

Ingredient of the month- Gooseberry

Henry the 8th may have been a bit of a cad when it came to prenuptials and when it came to matters of the heart, it’s hard to picture the same man who ordered the execution of two of his wives, supposedly penning the fraught lyrics of ‘Greensleeves’.

As the Tudor King continued wooing his young lover, Ann Boleyn, academic and naturalist William Turner was busy discovering the wonders of the British hedgerow in shades of purplish red, blues, pale greens and straw yellows, classifying the humble European gooseberry in his late 16th century publication, Herball.

These small, bristly berries which pepper the thickets of ruins around the countryside, are often picked, topped and tailed, boiled in their own juices, sour faces are sweetened as they bubble away, their flavour bursting into flamingo pink syrup which engulfs them.

With that in mind, I have created my own take on the classic, using flavours from the orient to complement the sharp tang of the gooseberries. Do make sure you taste the fruit puree as it reduces to ensure you don’t strip anyone’s palate!

Love Fool- a tribute to Ann Boleyn

Ingredients:
225g Dessert Gooseberries
225g Red Gooseberries
50g Caster Sugar
2x Star Anise
2x Egg yolks
200ml Double Cream
150ml Whole Milk
50g Caster Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
3 tbsp Icing Sugar (sieved)
1 tsp Orange Blossom Water
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon (to decorate)

1. Top and tail the gooseberries, rinsing away any debris under the tap.
2. Place them into a pan with the caster sugar and star anise. Bring this gently to the boil and then simmer gently until soft and pulpy. Set aside to cool.
3. In the meantime, make the custard. Place the yolks, sugar, 50ml of double cream and vanilla in a saucepan over a medium heat, whisking the thick mixture to keep it smooth.
4. Add the milk gradually as the custard starts bubbling. Remove from the heat when the mix is thick and creamy.
5. Whip the remaining cream with the icing sugar and orange blossom water until it reaches stiff peaks.
6. Once the gooseberries are cool, separate the crushed fruit from the juices (keep this in somewhere safe!).
7. Gently fold the cream and custard together, adding the fruit a little at a time.
8. Taste the mixture for tartness. Add some of the reserved, pink gooseberry juice to add more zing, or more sieved icing sugar if the mixture is too tart.
9. Place the muddled mixture into a large serving dish and sprinkle with cinnamon. Drizzle a little more of the fantastic gooseberry ‘essence’over the top just before serving.
Serves 6

Total Immersion, Totleigh Barton

The antiquated walls of Totleigh Barton have seen me eating too much, cooking too little, detaching myself from reality, musing about Ukrainian cuisine and re-discovering my love of Cadbury's Hot Chocolate.

Under the watchful eyes of Peter Gordon and Yotam Ottolenghi, my style dissected and analysed beyond recognition. Good intentions, finally realised and given time to germinate, years after the smallest seed of an idea was sown, the lush backdrop of the Devonshire countryside acting as inspiration. Bountiful hedgerows boasting a crop of vibrant colour and more berries than you could ever pick.

Strangely enlightening discussions under blasting gas furnaces, the patchy roof of the barn whistling as another brisk gust rattles through the rafters.

Memoirs by AA Gill met with praise and repulsion, his witty overtones marred by moral anguish and the part he played in the shooting of a baboon.

The resounding disgruntlement at Tom Parker Bowles' attempt at food writing, his misogynistic, meat heavy meals. The nostalgic smell of the abattoir fondly remembered alongside the image of a small child clinging to their father's legs.

Totleigh Barton, a stream of consciousness, a thriving pool of ideas flowing into the cow fields. Ideas embraced and nurtured, the de-mystification of the elusive magazine editor setting countless minds at ease, the shaky start to a first attempt at making custard from scratch. Renowned chefs bonding with a Shepherd's Crook bought at the market.

Hatherleigh Farmers Market

Pulling into the dusty car park, metal corrugated roofs stretched out as far as the eye could see. A gaggle of locals congregated around the various gatherings of fruit, vegetables and brick-a-brack, some making polite conversation, others questioning the quality of a local pork sausage, much to the stall holder’s dismay...

But I wasn’t en-route to some life changing bartering experience on the continent; I was immersing myself in the Devonian delights Hatherleigh Market has to offer. From locally sourced Kurly Kale leaves, to the freshly picked scarlet Strawberries from Lifton Farm, we were spoilt for choice from a produce point of view.

I was however, a little concerned and bemused, that one of the vendors had a white transit van advertising: ‘Fruit, Veg, Tools etc’. I can honestly say that these four words do not sit well in a sentence for me. I’m still wondering what other services this jack of all trades offers to the general public ....

Perhaps it might explain why I was able to (if I wanted) pick up a feather duster from the same man that had just sold me a bag of apples.

The car boot-style product range reflected what I can only presume to be the markets ethos ‘something for everyone’. The site, which was originally built as a slaughter house has in turn, made way for the market, which has now made way for pet supplies, ice-cream vans and a livestock auction. Now that’s what I call progress!

Despite these glorified flea market stalls being fronted with local produce, providers were unashamed to admit their tomatoes were procured from places afar, such as Holland, but proud to proclaim their strawberries came from Mitchell, Cornwall, their west-country accents adding a seal of authenticity to their pitch.

The market culture still exists here and Hatherleigh has adapted and changed with the times in order to keep the locals tantalised. Where else could you meet characters like Dan the Fish Man who claimed ‘you’re in heaven when you’re in Devon’? These are the individuals that only the likes of Chaucer could describe with some level of accuracy.

Review- Matou

Well folks, it was my birthday yesterday and guess what? I felt like celebrating!
I'd heard great things about Matou situated at the Pier Head and decided it was well worth checking out seeing as it was a special occasion and all...

We arrived slightly early and were welcomed into the vicinity by a cheerful chap who directed us to the lift. With this in mind, my expectations had been raised somewhat, you know, start as you mean to go on etc...

When we got to the second floor, I was stunned by the architecture of the restaurant, as well as the views. But despite the restaurant being only half full, the waitress seemed exasperated and stressed when performing such a simple a task as showing us to our table.

But it was my birthday and I wasn't going to let anyone spoil it! The service continued to be chaotically disorganised as we waited about with our menus, our parched mouths getting drier by the second.

We decided to each have a soup course and share a tempura seafood platter and I decided to have the duck breast as my main course. But before the starters (and our drinks) arrived a gentleman who was very sure of himself approached with three steaming hot plates of Pad Thai and proceeded to clear our side plates... We kindly insisted that we hadn't ordered these dishes and he left for the correct table....

A waitress approached the table and informed us that the seafood platter was for a maximum of two people (even though it stated on the menu minimum 2 people), but by that point, I was so confused and hungry I just nodded and smiled...

Our starters arrived and all I can describe them as is mediocre... the soup was vaguely oriental flavoured, but nothing special. Then another waitress informed me I'd been misinformed about the duck dish I'd ordered... again, I smiled and nodded to avoid any further complications.

Once our soup bowls were cleared, our 'seafood platter' arrived... Now usually with Tempura, you expect a light, crisp batter simply coating the fish without impeding on the flavour. However, we received a mound of battered bits that looked like a blind child had been let loose on the deep fat frier and piled the greasy seafood tit-bits on our plate that simply slipped through my chopsticks...

A considerable amount of time elapsed before our main courses arrived, which provided a little breather. My father's dish arrived as a bland, flavourless plate of food drained of all colour and texture. When my dish arrived, I had to check that the correct meal had been delivered to me as my duck was so over-cooked, it was unrecognisable.

Despite the duck breast being sliced onto the plate, the chef failed to spot that there wasn't one pink bit in sight and decided to send it to my table all the same. Some people just don't have standards, but I do...

Needless to say, my birthday wasn't ruined as it's the company that counts... my advice, order in a takeaway, there's more flavour in a stock cube than all the food in Matou put together!

I'm back and bursting with ideas!

So, it's been a wee while since my last Goremet update and loads has happened which has inevitably stood in the way of me updating my beloved blog....

But rather than lay on the apologies, I thought I'd update with some fantastic foodie news and tasty tit bits of information.

Firstly, I'm re-thinking my relationship with food... It's what I love and am passionate about it, but it ain't doing my figure much good. I recently went on the look out for a bikini and found myself just about squeezing into my 'usual' size, but I'll admit it wasn't a flattering fit. I bought the bikini regardless and have given myself an achievable goal which must be reached before I go to Mauritius (at the end of August).... so it's bye bye carbs for a while....

Secondly, it's my birthday next week and I'm trying to decide what kind of cake I should make myself (sad, I know!)- I thought I might make a healthy hoeny and rose cake or something.... You may scoff, or even feel sorry for me, but I'd sooner slave away and make my own little labour of love than have a shop bought cake. Plus, it gives me the opportunity to show off my creative flair to all those lucky people I'm going to share it with!

Also, I'm trying to decide where I want to eat on my birthday... Matou? Etsu? San Carlo? Red Perilla? Piccolinos? I just don't know! Somewhere new and exciting that doesn't break the bank, but is just that bit extra special...

Oh yeah and I've got to start planning and financing my trip around Europe next year as well as sourcing ideas for my wedding... It's all getting a bit much! I want things to start arranging themselves, but I know that ain't gonna happen...

And finally, the time has come... in exactly one week, I'll be travelling down to the South-West to partake in the Arvon Foundation Food Writing Course and I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!

And that's just my social life..... work's been very busy with canape events and a fully-booked restaurant and with Delifonseca Dockside on the horizon, it's sure to get even more hectic... but do you know what? I don't think I'd like my life as much if there wasn't a million things happening at once, I just need to take a step back, along with a deep breath and FOCUS!!!!!!!!!!

With that in mind and Book it or Cook it's first birthday just a month away, I have plenty in store to whet the hungriest of appetites!

Let the feast begin!

Goremet- A Mexican Meal in Minutes or Maggot-Fest in Minutes?

Housewives all over the world breathed a sigh of relief when this product sprouted legs and walked into their lives... a meal in a kidney dish.....

Now I don't know whether it's me, but these images put me in mind of the remnants of an autopsy... or perhaps someones been routing in the medical waste bin for body parts and presenting them in their sterile, silver segmented compartments just for show (see picture below for the raw ingredients)....

Oh and you can put your minds at ease, the meal's already cooked for you.... Rosarita's been slaving over a hot stove all day just to bring you these authentic 'Mexican Style' meals Mmmmmmmmm! I'll pass...

Book it or Cook it- Global Adventures

Well folks, I've decided I need to take things global.... At the moment, things in the UK are pretty bleak for graduates and I feel the need to move on to expand my horizons.

It's a sad situation for some, spending 5 years at University and struggling to get a job which uses their qualifications which they've worked so hard for... but I've decided to focus on the positives of working in the food industry, by taking time out to travel next year.

My partner and I are looking into design and cookery schools in Europe at the moment and I'm also toying with the idea of going to France and tying it in with some research for my PhD proposal... who knows what could happen?

So as far as things go, I'll just keep on going. I'll keep writing, keep creating recipes for work and play and most of all keep my chin up! Things aren't that bad! Book it or Cook it turns 1 this year too, so there's plenty to celebrate (especially considering I started this blog when I was bed-ridden with Swine Flu!)

You know what they say... there's always a cloud..... (I'm not going to complete this sentence, as this rant is already full of cliches as it is!)

I mean, I'm turning 25 this year, I'm not tied to anything in this country, I'm engaged to a talented, intelligent guy the world is my oyster.... and hopefully I'll be eating lots of them too!

So if any of you have any tips/locations/culinary expeditions you think I should go on, leave me a comment, I'd really appreciate it!

Blog of the month- res-o-puh-leese

I'm going to keep this review short and sweet, as time's ticking away and I've literally just got back from London...

I spent the weekend indulging in Eurovision, local ales, dinosaurs and Italian food, so needless to say, I'm shattered! But alas, deadlines must be kept and I thought, seeing as I haven't done a blog review for a while, I'd treat ya! So in the wise words of Coolio... "here it goes!"



res-o-puh-lease is a quirky blog following the escapades of recent graduate and prolific blogger, Kendall A. From the offset, this self-confessed, non-foodie admits, she's a woman on a mission to expand her palate, as well as her recipe collection.

One of the things I love about res-o-puh-lease is the casual tone. Kendall A is the Queen of adapting recipes, often naming multiple sources and providing the readers with results, whether they be good or bad.

Teamed with well written, concise recipes and accompanying photos (and super-cute artwork), res-o-puh-lease is a charming and enjoyable read. I hope that Kendall A continues to keep us up to date on her gourmet adventures (as well as her wedding plans!)

Goremet- Onions that make me cry...

I bet you can guess what I'm thinking..... maggots in a can, perhaps? Maybe they've escaped a fate worse than ending up as bait, by landing on your dinner plate, acting as garniture for that strange orange mound, vaguely resembling a fish???

Or maybe this was some ad-man's idea of a joke... for women simply too busy to fry onions.... Do they think that by slapping the word 'French' in front of fried onions, that it instantly raises its credentials? Seriously, come on!

For me, this is the kind of food that you find in a museum, in the World War Two section, much like this:

© Richard Moss

Please note, I've just been on the Durkee website and their food looks as alien now, as it did back in the 60's....

Creativity kit? More like aquatic disgorgement in a can- the fish wouldn't take this bait, even if it was draped over that dry, cracked, brown log! Ugh!

Technorati

HJ78SDBAZT9D............Don't worry folks, I haven't turned into a code generator... just trying to get my blog verified on this Technorati thing....

Ingredient of the month- Asparagus

Whether it's griddled or steamed, roasted or blanched, Asparagus is an ingredient that takes centre stage between the months of May and June. We've all seen it in abundance at our local supermarkets, which is all well and good, but what on earth do you do with such a vivacious vegetable?

As a member of the Lily family, Asparagus is stunning in colour, often tending towards hues of green and purple and has been cultivated in England since the 16th Century, highly prized for its high follic acid content.

With its distinctive flavour and firm texture, Asparagus makes the perfect accompniment to fresh, vibrant flavours such as Salmon, lemon and hard cheese.

Upon perusing the selection in my local Marks and Spencers, I selected a good-looking bunch and decided to make a meal of them! So here I give you my recipe for my take on a Classic French Hollandaise sauce. I served this with some oven roasted Salmon fillets, new potatoes and steamed Asparagus... enjoy!

Holly's 'Hollandaise' Sauce
25g Butter
1 Tbsp Plain Flour
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar
1/2 Tsp English Mustard
250ml Milk
4x Peppercorns
1x Bay leaf
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Start off by melting the butter in a saucepan.
2. Stir in the flour and let this bubble and turn slightly golden for a minute.
3. Stir in the olive oil, vinegar and mustard, making sure the mixture doesn't split.
4. Gradually add the milk, stirring in between.
5. Place the peppercorns and bay leaf in the pan, allowing the sauce to thicken.
6. Season to taste. Serve with fresh Asparagus, new potatoes and Salmon.

FYI I want these in my kitchen NOW!

Cute sushi....

Various animal themed things to turn my kitchen into a culinary zoo....

A cherry pitter reminiscent of one of the most adorably tragic characters from the Coffee and TV video....

A pig nose bowl cover, just because, you never know who you'll have to entertain at dinner....

Vaguely rabbity hand mixers to make a light, springy Victoria Sponge Cake

And man's best friend supporting your fruit and veg in their time of need....

Time to crack out the good china????

Product of the month- Le Whif

I recently ordered an innovative product online in the hopes that it would blow my mind...

After waiting for approximately three weeks for delivery (due to such high demand) I heard the footfall of the postman and leapt to the front door.

I tore away the packaging, only to reveal a small, cigarette sized packet of Le Whif.
Keen to try them out, my fiancee and I cracked open the packet, cellophane went flying and we removed the 'inhalers' from their resting place.

The only way I can describe the Le Whif experience is an inhalator for chocaholics... not dislike those nicorette inhalators you see desperate 'addicts' sucking on desperately in order to get a hit....

As far as taste goes, the technology involving micro particles, simply administers a fine mist, much like the texture of a refined cocoa powder. And with less than a calorie per puff, I can see this trend catching on.... but i'm not sure we'll see hoards of people walking past the vending machine, compromising their favourite chocolate bars for the 'mist' experience.... we'll see...

Television Review- Iron Chef UK

I don't know about you, but I simply love tradition and culture, especially that of the Japanese....

But to take a Japanese concept and bring it to the UK without adapting it to suit our culture is just madness!

I've been following the first week of Iron Chef UK and was frankly astounded! How can someone like Olly Smith (the epitome of an English man) be made to sound like a bad Japanese stereotype speaking broken English?

With three people 'presenting' the show in kitchen stadium and two so-called food experts on the judging panel, there's little room left for any contestants amongst the ever-inflating ego of Olly Smith....

This show is dramatic and dark and I'll admit I enjoyed the intensity of it, but I'm not sure if it works with the British.... Martin Blunos looked particularly uncomfortable at the long, drawn out silences, which I suppose were meant to add tension.....

I'd say avoid this show if you're not keen on drama and 'honour' overkill.... but if, like me, you don't take yourself too seriously, go and watch the show!

Now if you don't mind, I've got the next episode loading on 4OD, I bid you goodnight!

Promises, promises...

My efforts to keep up to date with this blog have taken a bit of a back burner lately, but I sincerely hope to change that in the coming weeks. Things seemed to have dried up on the freelance front for me, so if anything I should be more constant with Book it or
Cook it, but alas, I've been neglectful...

I've got lots of exciting things coming up- after struggling through with Bronchitis, I managed to 'crack' the recipe for Pecan Pie. When I say 'crack', I mean this in the sense that after coming home from 10 hour shifts at Delifonseca, I've attempted to make these seemingly cursed pies for Dafna's Cheesecake Factory.

Recipe after recipe failed to deliver on taste, texture and appearance and I made a few expensive mistakes (Pecans ain't cheap!) But after my toil and worry, my efforts were rewarded when I received a message telling me my third recipe was delicious- thank God!

A friend at The Liverpool Echo got in touch with me this week about contributing to a cook book too! So that's very exciting for me! I'll be writing a short piece on Delifonseca and getting some recipes in print and I can't wait!

I think I'm getting itchy feet though, I'm meeting with various aficionados in the city but am still looking at possible London ventures to kick start my career. At the moment I feel a bit too settled, I work all the hours that God sends and I feel like I'm not doing myself (and my five years at University) any justice.

Turning 25 this summer is going to be a wake-up call for me I think, as it's been two years since I graduated, it's about time I put my knowledge to good use! I've opened lots of doors for myself and my passion for food in Liverpool, but I can't help thinking that I need to move on.... perhaps it's time I bid farewell to the Liverbirds?

Meh...................

So I'm bed ridden, on anti-biotics and feeling sorry for myself.... but the show must go on!

Whilst you're all outside enjoying the sunshine, I'll be stuck inside, dusting off the Book it or Cook it cobwebs and adding some updated material (finally!)

Think of me when you're having your picnics in the park, I'll be shackled to the oven testing out recipes (and trying not to cough into them!)

Goremet- You'd have to be a plank to eat one...

This months Goremet simply screamed at me from the Google search page... funnily enough we'd been talking about Spam in work today.... but by no means were we singing it's praises!

We were explaining to a young college student, what a foul and unhealthy addition it was to any kitchen cupboard.

I completely agree with the opinion above, realising it to be an outdated and unpopular product, but I didn't find it as offensive as I do now.

Overt thine eyes if you have baneful thoughts, as you may want to walk this plank, rather than
chomp on it!

Planked Spam? Planked Spam?! Is this meant to encourage excitement and adventure? A bright pink mass smothered in sugar and tarted up with tomatoes with piped potatoes as a border....? It would be greeted with tears, rather than cheers, if someone brought this to my table, they would no longer be welcome in my household!

I mean, I'm not being funny, but I'd rather drown myself in a bowl of cold, lumpy custard than face the harrowing task of carving up and eating this 'mother'....

The concept of placing a whole slab of spam in an oven proof dish, like some sort of sworded centre-piece just baffles me... and low and behold the relentless Spam-fest continues:

What's festive about this? I can't say it's traditional fare in my book. An upside down PIE which says to use biscuit mix???....perhaps they had it in mind when discussing ideas for the annual Monkey Buffet Festival in Thailand? I think these poor primates might be the only ones that could be impressed by this meat-flower, wheel of doom.....ugh!