(Mostly) Wordless Friday & a Blog Landmark

THANK YOU!

It has been a tino pai (really good) week in the land of Adventures of a London Kiwi. The blog has hit (unbelievably) over 20,000 views!!!!

My hubby keeps reminding me that when I started the blog, I wondered if anyone at all would read my little corner of 't internet, and I'm genuinely blown away that you have been so kind - and that you keep returning. I'm just thrilled that anyone wanted to stop by at all.

I've got a little kiwi themed giveaway for tomorrow to say thank you to all my lovely (UK) readers (I'm working on one for the International folks - Hello to Russia, Romania, Canada, Brazil, the Netherlands, Poland, New Zeland to name but a few! ). Please don't forget to enter the tickets to the awesome Foodies Festivals tickets here they will be drawn soon. Please don't worry, the blog isn't going to change and become sponsored by mega corporations with no soul (or little corporations with a bit of soul for that matter) - that's not how I am. I'm just enjoying passing on a little of the blog love I've recieved.

The blog & I can be found in a variety of places - subscribe with Bloglovin (a good replacement for Google Reader), Twitter, Instagram, GoodReads, on Google+ and follow my blog posts by subscribing to the right of this post by RSS or Email. I'd love to hear from you - drop me an email, or say hola on Twitter. Let me know what you think about the blog - I'd love your feedback.

You've voted with your mouse and some of the most popular blog posts have been:

Meeting a celeb: Bob the Cat

Waitangi Day Circle Line Pub Crawl

 London Living: "Bull's eyes and targets" say the bells of St Margaret's

Creamy Pumpkin, Chestnut & Bacon Pasta

Kiwi Cooking: Lolly Cake

Book & Theatre Review: Mort

...a real variety which heartens me. If there is something you would like to see more of, please holler in the comments below.

My last couple of weeks have featured;

 Still a little annoyed at how the weather was the weekend after our Shard fail.

It's been pretty fun in big bad London.

So, is there anything you would like to see more of on Adventures of a London Kiwi? I would LOVE some feedback - you're all so shy commenting...

Read More

Homemade Chutneys - Newton & Pott

Homemade Feijoa & Tamarillo Chutneys.

Have I managed to tickle your fancy yet? (most Kiwis reading this blog will be drooling already - you can switch to the bottom of the blog post for details on how to get your mitts on these delicious London babies).

Disclaimer: In this instance I was given samples to try by Newton and Pott, but my (many) opinions are only ever my own and I would never recommend something I didn't like.

Sunday brunch - Poached Eggs, Roast Beef,  grilled Asparagus and the star of the show, Tamarillo Chutney.

In a bustling Saturday market not far from Hackney, a Kiwi grass-roots business is making a name for themselves amidst the delicious hububb of Eel, Mash & Likker, Indian Curries and the whirr of coffee machines. Newton & Pott (with a very English name), is hand making some very exotic sounding Chutneys with a few ingredients that are more likely to be found in kitchens some 12,000 miles away (and much to my surprise, South America).

Nestled amongst the Red Onion and Tomato & Apple Chutneys holding their own, are some lovely takes such as their Beetroot and Blood Orange, Feijoa Chutney, and my especial (yes, I meant to write especial, oh the childhood memories!) favourite Tamarillo.

Originating from South America, Feijoas and Tamarillos are incredibly popular in New Zealand as they seem to love our climate, and in my opinion are delicious. Both are 'kind of citrusy' fruits and if I had to give parallel are sort of similar in texture to Guava's with Feijoas slightly more citrusy.

The Tamarillo Chutney is soft and ever so slightly tangy - and I decided to try them out as per the chefs suggestion of poached eggs. She really wasn't wrong. They made a lovely addition to my favourite brunch, their flavour adding a nice piquancy to the (slightly over cooked if I'm honest) eggs and saved the day.

The Tomato and Apple Chutney was delicious in a white bread cheddar and ham sandwich and I think would be delicious on a ploughmans. The Beetroot and Orange I'm saving to accompany a steak, with chips and a crispy coleslaw.

They would also be delicious in a Toastie Pie (or straight from the jar as some of their clients like to eat them). Peter Gordon (of The Providores and Kopapa), and the chefs of the Modern Kitchen have been known to pop by the stall once or twice. Eat where Chefs eat is my motto...

 

My favourite aspect of the Chutneys are the real ingredients listed on the side - no E numbers and no weird preservatives but proper background spices - coriander, vinegar, chilli and cloves. Once bought they last kept in a dark place, unopened for up to a year, and opened in the fridge for 3 months - though I'm not sure how that could happen.

Don't just take my word for it. Pop on by their stall at Broadway Market on a Saturday (they are situated in the School Yard around the corner from the main market) and you can nibble before you buy. The only problem was deciding which one! I wasn't the only one - a lot of people who were visiting the stall walked away with 2 or 3). Flavours change with the seasons & good fruit and there seems to be no lead flavour as yet, people can't quite settle for just the one pot. There are rumours of a Mexican Mango Chutney in summer.

It's surprisingly easy to get to the market where 'barra' boys have been selling produce since the 1890s, the nearest rail stations are London Fields (a few minutes walk away, 10 minutes to Liverpool Street) Haggerston on the London Overground and Hackney Central near the Empire. The nearest tube station is Bethnal Green & from there it is 2-3 stops on the bus & a wander away. If you can't get to London, I believe that an etsy/mail order method is being developed. Watch this space.

They also occasionally have a bowl of feijoas for sale on the stall (dependent on availability, ripeness and demand) ... do you need any more reasons?



What is your favourite way to eat Chutney? In box, with a fox, in a house or with a mouse, here there or anywhere - no wait, that's Green Eggs and Ham, Actually, a bit of Chutneys would go really well with them... I wonder where I can get my hands on some green food dye.

Read More

Hackney Broadway Market

Tucked away on Saturdays in the midst of East London is a secret (well, to me) full of locals and deliciousness.

Flanked by a full variety of shops selling almost everything else you can think of, the Broadway is busy and buzzing with the hum of good foods and smiling stallholders. There is also a green not far away, where you can enjoy your spoils.

Have I piqued your interest yet?

Quality Specialty and Variety are the market's watchwords, and I for one can attest to all of the above. Coffee, olives, cheese, spit-roasted chicken and pork, fresh seafood, bread, fruit and vege, creole prawns, oysters, African jollof rice, mushroom risotto, samosas, eels with pie mash and likker, pastries, cakes, vintage clothes, records...

It's surprisingly easy to get to the market where 'barra' boys have been selling produce since the 1890s, the nearest rail stations are London Fields (a few minutes walk away, 10 minutes to Liverpool Street) Haggerston on the London Overground and Hackney Central near the Empire. The nearest tube station is Bethnal Green & from there it is 2-3 stops on the bus & a wander away.



But wait Kiwis stay tuned, there is more...

Ps. please check out the lovely Guest post and blog by my lovely fellow expat Kit, posted over the weekend!

Read More

London's oldest Gents Loos (or so it's claimed)

Sometimes within the rhythm of a normal life, I do find myself in the weirdest places. One afternoon it just happened to be in the (claimed to be) oldest gents toilet in London. (This is not an April fools joke, just random as!) Let me rewind slightly.

After a morning brunching at nearby Ozone, my friends and I said goodbye, and I wandered back towards where I thought the bus stop was. The below beautiful building and courtyard caught my eye, and in I strolled.

So far, so normal. A beautifully reserved Grade 1 listed Georgian building, the Chapel was commissioned and paid for by John Welsey a wealthy philanthropist & credited with founding Methodism. The chapel is open to the public, and really passionate guides who are happy to chat and show you around, look after it. They know all sorts of fascinating stuff about the building, for instance the pillars supporting the gallery were originally ships' masts donated by George III.

As they are close by, the chapel has a close working relationship with two of 'my' Oranges & Lemons Churches; St Giles & St Anne's both beautiful buildings with fantastic architecture.

We roamed around this rather beautiful and immaculately kept church and grounds.

We start chatting about local London history, and with a twinkle in her eye, the guide says "Well, I have a little bit of weird history for you, the Chapel has the oldest Gentleman's Toilets, and I know they're empty and are being cleaned at the moment if you wanted to have a look." How could I say no?!

So off we trot (sorry), and it turns out that the poor gents have to walk outside and down a little flight of uncovered stairs before entering their throne room (sorry again).

It's actually really beautiful, if you can call a wall of Urinals beautiful. What opulent surroundings in which to relieve ones self.

She told me that the flush-toilet was invented by a English gentleman called George Jennings, and revolutionised public sanitation. These particular toilets were designed by the infamous Thomas Crapper and are a "beautiful example of a public convenience" just after Jennings' time, but a style similar to his.

As I walked out I found myself humming "Ooooh I gotta have faith" I couldn't help myself (sorryimnotsorry).

Credit.

I never in a million years thought I would be living in London, typing a post on a blog about a men's toilet.

There is also a museum & house you can walk though full of well kept Georgian daily furniture and items.

Only in London.

Read More

Foodie Penpals - The Czech Edition

I love Foodie Penpals, it's definitely my worst kept secret. This month that adoration hit up a major notch when I was paired with a) one of my first and longest friends here in London and b) the lovely Jade at Wild Pickings whom I sent a box to (she runs a foraging walk business in Wales - why oh why don't we live closer?)

{Ps. London & UK based foodies, I've got a giveaway of Foodie Festival tickets in May, details here!}

When we used the box as an excuse to catch up, I also fell in love (sorry puss).

Forget Royal Mail, Puppy Post is THE BEST 

My first taste of proper Europe was spending 10 days in Alena's hometown of Prague, and it will always have a special place in my heart - between the history, beer, Svickova and friendliness (I've found the key in any country is taking the time to learn the phrases: Please, Thank you, and I'm from New Zealand hehehe).

Thank you again Alena, such a lovely and thoughtful foodie package!

  

My favourite meal whilst in Prague was Svickova; a Czech delicacy of Slow cooked Sirloin, Cream Sauce, bread dumplings and jam; closely followed by Pork Knuckle and Goulash served in a hollowed out loaf of bread that you eat with the Goulash. We've found a couple of pubs in London that do the above, but Alena kindly has included Svickova with Pasta (a quick alternative) and Goulash sauce mix. They have been a perfect antidote for the winter weather we are still having.

 

Did I mention the freshly baked Creme Egg cupcakes which may not have made it home, or even to the Shard later that night?

 

I received a plethora of goodies including snacks ready for eating; delicious Chocolate Waffles Tatranly, a Chocolate coffee bar Kofila, Kinder Easter Eggs (which lasted all of about 3 seconds) and Cocoa Pudding which I've not had a chance to try. I'm intrigued by the Cocoa Pudding as Alena says it has a tangy note to it (much like salted caramel I suspect?)

A few weeks ago they kindly hosted us for dinner, which included homemade cheese balls (below) that we ate with Czech Tartar Sauce Tatarska omacka which is delicious. Lighter than the UK version this is softer and lighter, going perfectly with fish fingers.

 

 

Savoury snacks were also on the menu; Smoked cheese that looks like baled hay with a lovely tang Parenica, naughty string cheese Korbacik and Tcinky which are similar to pretzel sticks.

 

To add to my spice cupboard Alena also included a 7 pepper steak sauce (black, green, white, red, cayenne, jalapeno & sechuan!) and Lovage Libecek a herb that I've quizzed her about several times, which she uses in soups. I can't wait to try them out!

 

On top of all of this was included a beautiful card, and recipes for the ingredients.

 

It's just a shame I couldn't fit puppy in my bag too!

 

Alena and I have had quite a few adventures together, and I look forward to the next ones we have in the near future!



Camping during the Olympic Opening Ceremony

Fancy a lovely thoughtful box of goodies arriving on your doorstep? Foodie Penpals was created by Lindsay at theleangreenbean in September 2011, and is administered in Europe by Carol Anne from thisisrocksalt every month. You will get to know two lovely people and are assigned one person to send a thoughtful foodie parcel to and a different person will send one to you. It's a lovely way to try things you've never tried before, match up with some awesome bloggers (and readers too!) and it's so nice to receive something in the post that's not a bill. Join in today!

Read More

Guest Post Q&A with Kit, from What a Peach!

Hi, I'm Kit and I blog over at What a Peach! I'm a fellow ex-pat, but from America, and I moved here with my family when I was just turning 16. When Emma suggested a guest post, I thought a swap of interviews would be fun. Emma gave me some great questions and I had lots of fun trying to reflect on my life now.

When you first came to the UK, what did you feel was your biggest adjustment and is it still a big part of your life now? How do you know identify yourself nationality-wise?

When I moved here, I had just completed my Freshman year at a really fantastic high school where the students all wanted to learn. We came here and none of the schools knew what to do with me. I was at an awkward age for the education system and I was slotted in with a year group that was really below me but would mean I would be better prepared for taking my GCSEs. The way of learning was very different (we were very specifically learning for a test and no one seemed that interested in learning just for the sake of it) and we were treated like children. The school I had just left had treated us all as adults with respect and so I was quite taken aback by calling people 'miss' and 'sir'. I have no problem with respect at all, I always have respected my teachers, but it just felt really false to me. I guess it's still a little bit apart of my life because my schooling has affected my future, I think overall in a positive way though my gaps on both American and English history (they are taught at different stages in both countries which means I managed to miss out on quite a lot) are quite shocking! 

How is day to day life similar to Oregon (bar getting up for the daily school/work grind)?I don't think I can say my life now is really at all like my life in Oregon. Partly because I moved here when I was just turning 16, so in Oregon I was a kid- babysitting, doing a lot of dance classes, hanging out with my friends at the mall, working hard at school... Now I'm 28 and I work full time (6 days a week actually!). I work in the arts, so still have my links to the dance world, still hang out with friends- just not at the mall! I'm still really close to my parents, they're my friends, so I talk to them most days by phone or email so that link hasn't been lost (they're only 2 hours away anyway). But I do sometimes wonder what my life would be like if I had stayed in Oregon. 

What are your most favourite and least favourite aspects of London?I love London so so much. I think it is just such a fantastic city for culture (I'm a big theatre goer), it's great for getting lost in and I love feeling like I'm in the centre of it all. I really enjoy wandering around Barbican or the South Bank if I'm at a loose end. One of my favourite views in London is about 3/4 of the way across Waterloo Bridge. To the left is the OXO Towet and The Gherkin, to the right the London Eye, Southbank Centre and Parliament.

I'm not always a fan of the people- it's really easy to get grumpy and caught up in the rush of it all and my family have noticed that I can take on these traits, so I perhaps need to work on being nicer myself! There's all the pushing and shoving you get on your commute which is not pleasant.

What aspect of reading keeps you going back for more, especially the books that you re-read and want to delve into them in for more indepth reading?

I've always loved reading and was a big writer when I was younger too. I like interesting characters and situations that I can either relate to or that feel so different they provide an escape and a sense of 'ooh, that's new'. I'm a big screen head and so have found that a lot of the books that I enjoy feel quite cinematic. They have rich, lush descriptions, clear dialogue and are written beautifully but in an accesible way so that it's easy to read and get really involved in the story. Some of my favourite authors currently are Ian McEwan, Kazuo Ishiguro and Sarah Waters. I got really into Daphne Du Maurier for a bit as I loved the gothic and fantastical routes her stories take. I also keep meaning to read the new Mark Haddon as I loved his previous two books- he really seemed to understand the characters- and I've just got into John Green as well.

Re-reading books can be really comforting and exciting. When I re-read a book, it's interesting to see how my memories have altered the plot, but I love coming across favourite lines. Books I've enjoyed re-reading are: Pride and Prejudice (maybe a bit of a cliche?), Cold Comfort Farm, I Capture the Castle and all my old illustrated children's books when I'm back home and pulling through boxes!

Finally, Chocolate or Vanilla, and why?

A bit of both really! I have a dangerously greedy sweet tooth and generally will eat pretty much anything! I love really dark (85%) chocolate as well as super cheap milk chocolate. Love both flavours when choosing ice cream and same for cake too! I don't think I could choose...

Read More

Good Friday - A few Sailors, a drink and a Hot Cross Bun

Hot Cross Buns have a colourful and lengthy history. Amongst the superstitions, sailors would take Hot Cross Buns baked on Good Friday with them on their voyages, as it was said to prevent shipwrecks. Located not too far from the East End docks, the associations with the Widow's Pub in Bow in East London are incredibly strong.

The legend goes that in the early 19th Century a widow lived in a cottage with her only son. Her sailor son left for the sea but promised to be back on Good Friday, 1824. Awaiting his return, his mother baked him a hot cross bun, but he never arrived. Every year until her death she baked a bun on Good Friday, hoping to welcome her son home, but she never saw him again.

In the 1840's a pub replaced the cottages called the Widow's Son and the tradition has been carried on with a Hot Cross Bun baked every Good Friday and hung in a net above the bar. A service is held in the pub and a member of the Royal Navy adds another freshly baked to the net admist singing, a few jovial drinks and a lot of goodwill.

Another story says claims the Widow was the publican of a pub already on site - but we will possibly never know.

  

Thanks to a tip off by the lovely Miss Regula Foodwise, we couldn't resist popping along, and chatting with the friendly locals (proper proper Cockney Sparra's) - some who have been attending the service for over 50 years and Navy members - some fresh from a 6 month voyage.

 

 

 

Sadly there was a fire about 15 years ago in which many of the age-old buns were burnt, but a few were saved and have been treasured with their fresher counterparts.

It's a real festival atmosphere; everyone crowded in at 3pm glasses in hand, rock music pumping and the buffet kindly laid on (over the billiard table) and such a nice atmosphere.




The legend is such a heartbreaking tale, can you imagine what the Widow would have to say if she knew that the tradition is still being carried out over 125 years later? Maybe as the MC said “Another year, another Good Friday, another bun.”

We especially loved the sign hanging above the pub of the Sailor returning many years later to the pub, with the many buns hanging in their net. The old Facade can be seen here.


There are many superstitions surrounding Hot Cross Buns and Easter:

• Sharing a hot cross bun with another is supposed to ensure friendship throughout the coming year, particularly if "Half for you and half for me, Between us two shall goodwill be" is said at the time.
• Another encourages keeping such a bun for medicinal purposes. A piece of it given to someone who is ill is said to help them recover
• If hung in the kitchen, they are said to protect against fires and ensure that all breads turn out perfectly.
• Eggs laid today will not go off
• If a child is born today & baptized on Easter Sunday they will have gift of healing

The Hot Cross bun has very contested origins, with Pagan claims, some claiming a connection with Eostre (a Germanic god, the namesake to Easter), some to the Ancient Greeks but the most widely accepted seem to be the Christian origins, with the cross on the buns representing the Crucifixion.

Awesome fact: the London Clerk of Markets issued a decree forbidding the sale of hot cross buns and other spiced breads, except at burials, on Good Friday, or at Christmas. The punishment for transgressing the decree was forfeiture of all the forbidden product to the poor.

If you fancy joining in next year, the pub address is The Widow's Son, 75 Devon's Road, Bow, London, E3 3PJ.

I hope you are having a lovely Good Friday!



Read More

Top Ten Books

Inspired by Erica at The Sweet Life , I thought maybe a top 10 might be a cosy way to spend an hour or so over Easter (in between sneaking over to the lovely What a Peach! for a guest post and errands that never ever seem to finish).


Books can be amazing companions, always available in a tight and boring spot, they can create adventure when you are stuck in the day-to-say doldrums, they provide never-ending conversation with other bookworms and can change the way you think and view the world.

Our wee beastie loves curling up with a good book. In fact she likes to nibble new ones..

I've usually got a few different books on the go (and haven't quite managed to stifle the habit of using anything lying around as a bookmark - TV remote, socks, receipts. I've got beautiful bookmarks that sit in my pen jar, gorgeous but unloved, they seem to have a habit of shimmying our of sight when there's some real work to be done).

At the moment I'm reading:
- The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared
- The Crimson Petal And The White (R18, but the language and writing is sumptuous and some phrases and paragraphs you have to read it twice to really savour them properly)
- The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cakeis  newly started and looks promising

I try to vary what I'm reading, much like flavours of chocolate - your mood suits different treatments and temperings. Also, this way if I get sick of a book or can't find it because it's being used to turn the TV Channel over I can dive into another one. Ahh, a positive side to commuting!

After some lengthy consideration (aka. the most memorable, well paged or most recommended) my top ten, in no particular order, at the moment are:

- The Secret Garden (free on Kindle at time of writing) Beautiful tale of an incredible spoiltchild raised by servants, who discovers a secret garden and goes on a journey of learning to make friends and take joy in simple things. A timeless Children's tale.

- Twilight I know, I'm sorry, but I loved it. Bella is quite a bit spineless, but there is something spellbinding about the story that weaves a blatant suspension of disbelief.

- The Night CircusI simply couldn't put this down. It was fascinating, captivating, mysterious and funny. Two magicians are training apprentices, and have set the circus as a playing field for the apprentices, in a duel that, unknown to the duellists is one to the death. Reviewed here.

- The Longest CrawlWitty, informative and thirst-inducing, this is the authors journey both personal and researched, reflecting an integral part of British Life - the Pub. Reviewed here.

- I Am Ozzy"People ask me how come I'm still alive, and I don't know what to say." I don't think much else needs to be said, bar that hubby & I kept reading bits our to each other they were so insane yet matter of fact.

- The Flavour ThesaurusIt's a mixture of taste pairing information, science, experience and a few recipes accompanied by some lovely memories and restaurant recommendations. You could just read it cover to cover, forget the Foodie side! Reviewed here.

- EmmaClassic, she is quick-witted, beautiful, headstrong and rich and above all has a great name. My copy is well thumbed, and I can probably blame most of my worst traits on Jane Austen, except the rich thing. Must work on that.

- Almost anything by Terry Pratchett. I live for his footnotes. Mort, the book and stage show is reviewed here for your interest, featuring the Grim Reaper taking a working holiday discovering dancing, drinking, his new-found skills as a short-order chef and a love for kittens).

- Belgariad 1: Pawn of ProphecyMy favourite favourite series as a teen - when the horrendous hormones flew about and everyone started to slag each other off, I just retreated into this fantastic made-up world.

- The Little Book of LondonThe ultimate Loo Book - chock full of halarious and downright random facts of London.

When writing the above, it struck me as weird that there is a little bit of self-social pressure to look educated and a bit high-brow. I know I don't, and I'm cool with that.

via Google Plus through +Terry McNeil 

(Please note any links to Amazon are through my Amazon Associates account, which means I make a little money (less than 5%) from any purchases made after clicking through these links and it adds nothing to the price of your book. This helps support my book addiction, so if you are interested in buying the book, please click through the top link)
Any suggestions that you think knock out one or more of the above? What is your most paged through book?

Read More