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????