A Taste of Greece - Foodie Penpals January 2012

I asked my Penpal, Ioanna to send me the items that meant Home/Greece to her, and was blown away by what I recieved.I love Foodie Penpals.  And boy, oh boy have I got plans for these...The mastic Ioanna says can be used in baking (puddings, deserts etc) which I'm really looking forward to, but I really can't wait to properly try the Saffron out - I have a few savoury and sweet (!) recipes bookmarked, including Saffron Fruit Loaf. I'm very lucky that Ioanna included this in my Foodie Parcel, and I can't wait to...

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Glass Houses - Rachel Caine: Book Review

I came to this series late. In some ways it's a shame, in others it means I don't have to wait to read the subsequent books... "Welcome to Morganville, Texas. Just don't stay out after dark." They are seriously addictive of the Vampire persuasion. Clare, is a young brainiac starting University early as a transfer student in the town of Morgansville. On campus everything is fairly normal, there are the perfect groups and the off-centre groups, normal stuff, until is bullied into living off campus, and then the real fun begins. Glass...

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Dick Whittington: London Living

It strikes me that even though this folktale might be a bit hazy in truth, it does make the point that seemingly insignificant actions, reactions and decisions can take you places you never thought you would end up.Tales abound of Dick Whittington and his cat, but seem to basically follow the below pattern;Fortnum & Mason's Christmas Windows 2012He was a poor orphan boy, seeking his fortune in London town, whose streets were reputedly paved with gold. Disappointed once arriving, he falls asleep in from of the Fitzwarren...

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"I'm sure I don't know" says the great bell of Bow: Oranges and Lemons

To be a real, knees-up Cockney London Geezer, you have to be born within the sound of Bow Bells. Surprisingly, when the tradition was decided, the small (soon to be be encapsulated in the sprawling mess of London) village of Bow was not the site of Bow Bells, but a Church in London's Cheapside, called St Mary-le-Bow.In the 14th Century, the St Mary-le-Bow Bells rang out at 9am to warn the locals of their imminent bed-time. Surprising facts: They were silenced for two years in 1856 by an eccentric local woman who believed that the noise of...

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Baked Eggs: Brunch Recipe Share

The last few days, only one breakfast item has occupied my mind. Everyone that knows me in 'real life' knows that I adore eggs, and when I saw on quite a few blogs that you can bake eggs as a tasty brunch dish, I knew my next recipe exploration was sealed. Diving off from G-Ma's recipe, I honestly didn't make much of a splash in terms of changing things up as this was my first try, but I can certainly see several variations.They are really really easy. Chop most of the ingredients, brown an onion, add all ingredients & bake for 15-20...

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Sometimes, you just have to spoil yourself...

With this in mind, off I trotted to a local foodstore with the aim to try something new. Something decadent, something fun and overall something delicious!My Menu for the evening ended up being;Samurai Brown Rice Crackers, Raw Beetroot Hummus & Coulommiers Mon. The Raw Beetroot Hummus was delicious - normal Hummus doesn't last long in our house, and this was no exception. Much softer than normal Hummus, this is definately going onto my 'to make' list - I bet it's easy & I have beetroot on hand. Stay tuned! The Coulommiers Mon was delicious...

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(Mostly) Wordless Fridays

It's been a quiet week on the fun front, a busy week on the work front which is fantastic, but I'm yearning for that Friday 5'o'clock feeling. I do love Fridays' though. I wish the weeks could be filled with Fridays and Saturdays, with the odd Wednesday to mix things up a little.This was the week I;...rediscovered Lemon Curd. I think I could write a sonnet about it. Is it just me, or do they look like they're smiling?...uncovered some delicious Gourment Sausages...traipsed through a lota lot of Snowand defrosted with a good book or two.What's...

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How Foodie Are You?

I've just found this website "HowFoodieAreYou?" and it's really fascinating. I got 63% as a 'Taste Bud Adventurer' but really enjoyed the list and kinds of foods that they noted. It seems to have a fairly American slant to it, but nevertheless is really interesting.I think I'm going to add improving my score to my 101 in 1001 list. I would like to bring it up at least 15 foods - I definately want to try a Po'boy, Purple Ketchup, Biscuits and Gravy, a Philly Cheesecake, Dandelion Wine & Pistachio Ice Cream...Eggs Benedict, Nom.The...

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The Snow Child: Book Review

Sweet, slow, gentle, gorgeous. I found the Snow Child to be an intriguing read, it's definately not an action book, but is based around a Husband and Wife in Alaska in the 1920s, a stark unforgiving landscape on which their relationship and need for a child is laid bare.Jack and Mabel struggle, Jack with the weigh of responsibility and sheer volume of work nessecary to coax a living out of the harsh wilderness, and Mabel with the loneliness and depression of being so self-contained. In a moment of rare fun they make a snowgirl. The next morning...

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Home is...

Home/hōm/NounThe place where one lives permanently, esp. as a member of a family or household.AdjectiveOf or relating to the place where one lives: "your home address".AdverbTo the place where one lives: "what time did he get home last night?".Verb(of an animal) Return by instinct to its territory after leaving it: "geese homing to their summer nesting grounds".Is that it though? Can your heart and your head have different homes too? As an expat this is a question that comes up a lot - "Where do you call home?" Is it where your clothes...

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Taste Testing Sweets: The Gobstopper

I felt a little like one of the kids in Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. You know, the cool, crazy Gene Wilder movie (not the more recent Johnny Depp one, those Oompa Loompas were just creepy). A plethora of sweets to choose from, how does one pick?Disclaimer: In this instance I was a given samples to try by The Gobstopper, but my (many) opinions are only ever my own.In the end from their extensive online list I picked a couple of items that took my fancy - their Gobstopper (I've never tried one and couldn't resist) and Coal...

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Dessert Porridges

I love porridge. Quick, easy, cheap and filling, it's perfect for winters mornings, especially those that are going to be spent trekking through the snow.It can be a little beige on it's own though, lacking interest and at times tasting of wallpaper paste. You know it! We add Brown Sugar, Berry Coulis and Honey in order to mix it up, but I thought I'd take it one step farther after reading about Carrot Cake Oatmeal (Porridge) at Chef in Disguise. My scaled down version (due to lack of specialty ingredients and 5inches of snow,...

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Snow Survival Kit

I am a wuss when it comes to Ice. Snow I love - Snowmen, Snow Angels, Snowball fights, Sledding; I'm in. Ice? Not a chance. The Highways Agency have said anyone travelling in icy conditions should take a shovel, blankets, sleeping bag, extra clothing, including a scarf, hat, gloves, 24 hour supply of food and drink, de-icer, rock salt, torch, safety triangle, tow rope, petrol can, first aid kit and jump leads.  I propose an alternative. You will need:- A local home (your own or a family/friends is preferrable, strangers may not take it...

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(Mostly) Wordless Fridays

This weekend with a ridiculous amount of snow forecasted, I'm hoarding fellow bloggers recipes, hunting down a load of baking supplies and hunkering down in the house. I have no intention of going anywhere."Snow? What snow?"Oh, and PS. Breakfast rocks according to the BBC Good Food 'Olive' Magazine, it's going to be 'big' this year in Foodie circles. (Check the link out for a few healthily decadent ideas).What are your plans?...

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