tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68275661112587001722024-03-13T01:36:58.685-07:00Annie's AppetiteIt's all about the food.AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6827566111258700172.post-84060138557926711182020-05-12T02:58:00.000-07:002020-05-12T03:07:04.150-07:00Attacking the jackfruit<div dir="auto">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">I’ve had a few vac packs of jackfruit at the back of the food press since I attempted Veganuary earlier in the year . I managed three weeks before throwing in the towel because I was really craving a piece of salmon (it was amazing).<span style="background-color: transparent;"> Jackfruit is an exotic fruit native to India which is now increasingly used as a plant based meat substitute due to its stringy texture which resembles meat fibres. </span></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">I found this brand in Holland and Barrett on sale for about a euro but at full price it retails at almost four euro a packet. </span></div>
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This wasn’t my first attempt at eating vegan for a period of time. I managed to complete six weeks a couple of years ago when I experimented lots with vegan cheese making and all sorts of fun stuff. I was much lazier this time, relying too much on convenience foods and bread and just never got around to playing with the jackfruit.<br />
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Jackfruit is most commonly turned into big fat fake pulled pork sandwiches in the vegan world but I decided not to bother with those as I'm just not a big fan of sugary BBQ sauce at the best of times.<br />
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Instead, I chose to make some peanut and miso jackfruit noodles which I figured would have enough punch to compensate for what I expected to be a pretty bland ingredient. </div>
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I have to say the jackfruit looked did look quite a bit like pork when opened. I tasted a piece raw and it was pretty tasteless with only a faint briny note detectable. It contained some weird knobbly bits which freaked me out a bit as they really did look like some of the less appetising parts of real pulled pork. </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">I broke it up a bit with a spatula before browning it in some oil which made it look even more meaty. You might believe this was pork when you looked at it but one taste would tell you that were very wrong.</span><br />
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I did enjoy this stir fry but the jackfruit just brought nothing to the party. The famed meaty texture wasn't even discernible amongst the other ingredients. I'll probably throw the two packets I have left into something or other but probably wouldn't bother buying it again. </div>
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<b>Jackfruit noodles with peanut miso sauce </b></div>
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<b>Peanut miso sauce</b></div>
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- 1 tbs miso paste</div>
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- 2 tbs peanut butter</div>
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- 1 tbs soy sauce</div>
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- 2 cloves garlic</div>
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- 1 tsp ginger paste</div>
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- 2 tbs rice vinegar</div>
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- 2 tbs sweet chilli sauce</div>
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- splash water</div>
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<b>Stir fry</b></div>
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- 1 packet jackfruit, drained</div>
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- 1 cup mixed chopped peppers (I used frozen)</div>
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- 2 spring onions, chopped</div>
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- chilli flakes to taste</div>
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- medium egg noodles</div>
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1) blend all sauce ingredients together to a smooth paste. Set aside.</div>
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2) Season jackfruit and fry in oil for 3-4 minutes until browned</div>
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3) add peppers and fry until softened.</div>
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4) add sauce (you may not need it all)</div>
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5) Finish with chopped spring onions and chilli flakes. </div>
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AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6827566111258700172.post-4520854000509412562020-04-28T23:13:00.000-07:002020-04-28T23:16:03.749-07:00Old fashioned brownies (cocoa powder only)<div dir="auto">
My mam baked only now and then when we were young, usually a tray of queen cakes which we would then be invited to cover with royal icing to hide the black spots (sorry mammy), eve’s pudding (remember that?) and the odd ‘cake' of soda bread which was round with a cross on top as distinct from a loaf. </div>
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Of course, there were also the obligatory Rice Krispie buns for parties (or more commonly in our house, cornflake buns which didn't seem quite as exciting at the time). Like most households, the baking centre-piece was the thickly iced Christmas cake which was adorned with the latest in 80s mini Santas and trees and proudly presented each year . </div>
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Brownies only came into my consciousness well into my teenage years and I was instantly a huge fan. This happened to be at the height of my chocolate obsession and their fudgey goodness seemed to offer the perfect antithesis to teenage angst, unrequited love and all the other desperate things I had to suffer.</div>
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Most brownie recipes today seem to contain a good amount of high cocoa percentage chocolate in replacement of some (or all) of the traditional cocoa powder. I've made (very nice) brownies like this on a few occasions but always half resented using up all of my black (70-85 per cent) chocolate like that. With most of the chocolate- heavy recipes requiring a minimum of 70 per cent cocoa solids in the first place, I figured I'd get back to basics for this week's treat for the Roses tub and see if my flittered packet of cocoa powder was up to the job.</div>
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It definitely was. These were just as nice as the chocolate-heavy batch I made a couple of weeks ago and I am definitely a convert to going old school on the brownie baking and saving my chocolate for emergencies (they happen!). The addition of a few chopped dates gave some caramel chew and this batch was optimistically cut into 1 inch squares in an attempt to enforce some discipline on this increasingly sugar reliant house.</div>
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I am learning slowly that under-cooking really is the key to a delicious fudgey brownie. If you happen to prefer a cakier texture in yours, I'm sorry, but we just can't be friends. </div>
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As I said already, we didn't have brownies in our house when we were small but if we had, we would probably have used this recipe which you <a href="https://www.rachelphipps.com/2013/04/recipe-super-simple-3-step-chocolate.html">can find here.</a>.</div>
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AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6827566111258700172.post-86519891158003860702020-04-16T07:45:00.000-07:002020-04-16T07:52:31.237-07:00My first go at sourdough<div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
Like so many others, baking is emerging to be a central theme of my lock-down. As housebound activities go it really is a good one, allowing as it does for some creativity as well as the obvious benefit of enjoying eating what you produce. Furthermore, baking smells are surely the most comforting of all and God knows we could all do with a bit of that right now.<br />
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I have made a good deal of naan, pizza bases and soda breads in my time but had only attempted a 'normal' white loaf on two occasions. I am sorry to say that both efforts were dense, tasteless and quickly fired in the bin. However, I am delighted to reveal that I redeemed myself slightly last weekend. </div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Sourdough is traditionally risen with what’s known as a 'starter' instead of yeast. This yields a slow rise which also gives the bread its characteristic chewy crust and distinctive tang. In theory, a sourdough starter can be comprised of only flour and water which is then left for several days </span><span style="text-align: center;">to allow for</span><span style="text-align: center;"> natural yeasts in the air to activate the fermentation process. However, my Google search taught me that there are also starter recipes which include live yogurt as an ingredient. This seemed to be a safer bet to me so I went with that option for my first attempt.</span></div>
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Day one involved the combination of flour, water and live yogurt into a paste which was then left loosely covered overnight (I read that sealed jars have been known to explode so played it safe on this). More flour was then added on day two and I was delighted to see that there was some definite bubble action going on. By day five it was looking somewhat more active but not nearly as much as I expected. A quick flick through my cookbooks showed me that Rachel Allen is ok with adding instant yeast to her sourdough. Having at last got my hands on some thanks to my friend Ann, I snuck in a precious sachet feeling like something of a fraud. That did the trick and I actually thought the jar would bubble over.</div>
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I am (very) early on in my bread-making journey but have learned a lot from just this one loaf mainly the fundamental importance of patience. The recipe advised that the bread would take between 4-8 hours to rise depending on the room temperature. After five hours, there was some definite growth and I could wait no longer. On reflection I should have. My resulting loaf was a bit flat and I knew even before I baked it that it hadn't fulfilled its potential. Though the end result was very tasty and sourdough-like with a fantastic chewy crust it was also rather close in texture and lacking those big distinctive air-holes.<br />
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However, I now have hope! After this (limited) success, bread-making doesn't seem to be quite as mysterious as before. My (yeast- enhanced) starter is now sleeping in the fridge and apparently all I have to do to revive it is bring it to room temperature and feed it with flour and water before using again (it should be 'fed' weekly). I will absolutely throw in another sachet of instant yeast if necessary to help it along. Sourdough snobs might not approve of that but if I get to have the satisfaction of taking a big fat perfect crusty loaf out of the oven I really couldn't care less. I'll just have to learn to have some patience.</div>
AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6827566111258700172.post-91327555265809800022020-04-06T00:32:00.000-07:002020-04-06T06:20:11.431-07:00A great naan bread for these yeastless timesI fell in love with Indian food the first time I visited a 'real' Indian restaurant. I especially love the way in which this particular cuisine lends itself so well to the concept of sharing and man, I really really love the naan.<br />
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I had intended to order a takeaway this past weekend but on hearing that the (best) local Indian had temporarily closed its doors, I once again turned to <a href="https://greatcurryrecipes.net/">the Curry Guy</a> for inspiration. Dan Toombs is a US native who now lives in the UK and has meticulously researched and documented how to create hundreds of authentic Indian and 'British Restaurant Style' curries. For my little curry night, I cooked his <a href="https://greatcurryrecipes.net/2012/01/31/how-to-make-chicken-tikka-masala-like-they-do-in-the-indian-restaurants/">chicken tikka masala</a>, <a href="https://greatcurryrecipes.net/2011/04/07/traditional-saag-aloo-recipe-packed-with-flavour-and-goodness/">saag aloo</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-XNK0iSpNg">chana masala</a>. The first recipe involves several stages and takes a good degree of effort but sure I had a bit of time on my hands and the end result was very good.<br />
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Then there was the issue of the naan bread. I'm all for a shortcut at the best of times but would honestly rather do without than eat that strangely sweet, rubbery pre-made naan from the shops. It's just offensive. However, with the recent surge in home-baking during this pandemic, yeast has become almost impossible to find either on supermarket shelves or online. The packet I had in the press was so old it was no longer active so I knew I would have to look for another option.<br />
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Luckily, Dan came up with the goods again with <a href="https://greatcurryrecipes.net/2012/06/30/a-yeast-free-naan-recipe-i-learned-at-sachins-in-newcastle/">this fantastic yeast free recipe</a>. What's even better is that, once proved, it can be made on a hot frying pan in just minutes. I was surprised that it needed proving at all given that it contained no yeast but it is still a crucial part of the dough making process. In place of yeast, he includes Greek yogurt, the bacteria in which raises the dough more slowly over a longer period of time but which gives a very tasty, chewy result.<br />
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I cooked up some of the dough after about 12 hours and the remainder 24 hours later. Both batches were delicious (especially when brushed with garlic butter) but I would say the longer proved naan had a slight edge.<br />
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I was so happy with this naan bread and would choose to make it again and again over a standard yeast dough. It's so good that I'm actually planning on using the recipe soon to make pizza (minus the nigella seeds). I'd better keep getting those (Government sanctioned) walks in or at this rate I won't be able to get out the door.<br />
<br />AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6827566111258700172.post-69889589493882577352020-03-31T03:12:00.000-07:002020-03-31T03:25:36.986-07:00Recalling my first date (and a tasty loaf recipe)I have to admit that my first date (of the edible variety) was a real disappointment . It probably doesn't say much for my priorities in life when I genuinely don't recall much about my first romantic one but remember the first one I ever ate with absolute clarity.<br />
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The main reason I felt so let down was that this particular scene in my childhood story was set for something really amazing. It was Christmas for a start and I was visiting my uncle's house where the brightly coloured and individually wrapped box of treats I was presented with was surely going to be something special. The four year old me lived in a sugar saturated world and knew well that this elaborate packaging was just bound to represent a superior treat in the line of a much loved Viscount or Penguin.<br />
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Its toffee hued appearance when unwrapped only elevated my expectations further but as I bit into it I was greatly let down by something that seemed bland and underwhelming. This was the source of great amusement for the adults present and I remember feeling at the time that I had been rightly duped.</div>
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Perspective, however, is a wonderful thing and many years later, I would come to see dates in a very different light when I gave up refined sugar for a six month period in my twenties. During that time, they sweetened up smoothies nicely and even meant that I could enjoy a (healthier) brownie or cookie now and then.<br />
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My opinion on them now probably lies somewhere between the two extremes but I do know they make a fantastic pairing with banana and banana bread is the obvious thing to reach to make when you have spotty bananas like this in the fruit bowl.</div>
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Because I am keen not to take too much solace in sweets during isolation, I refrained from buying any chocolate or junk in my last shop. However, I was struck by a serious sugar craving this weekend and decided to make a banana, date and walnut loaf (well, two to be precise).</div>
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I doubled up on <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/user/682620/recipe/banana-bread">this banana bread recipe</a>, adding in a handful each of chopped dates and toasted walnuts. The low fat content in this recipe gives a result that is more akin to standard bread than other banana bread recipes I have tried in the past but a bit of butter helps with that issue greatly. I think toasting would improve it even further. </div>
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Lots of my friends and family are also baking up a storm during this crisis and I'm really enjoying seeing and hearing about (if not tasting) their efforts. This is my little contribution for this week, a good solid recipe that can be modified very easily. (I think chocolate chips would be another great addition).</div>
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AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6827566111258700172.post-1119858526948758812020-03-25T12:48:00.000-07:002020-03-25T13:30:56.774-07:00Using up that quare stuff at the back of the press<div>
In these strangest of days, I have once again turned to food. While I haven't (quite) been polishing off biscuits by the packet, these incredible times have reiterated to me both the emotional role food plays in our lives and the fact that there really are few greater acts of love than feeding those we hold dear. And so, more than four years since it last saw the light of day, I am once again resurrecting this blog.</div>
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I'm sure I'm not alone in embracing any semblance of normality I can at this time when almost all that we know has been utterly turned on its head. Because of my failure to source Dettol and disinfect the place on repeat like the rest of you, I don't mind admitting that I have instead been washing and drying clothes almost constantly (and sometimes unnecessarily). For me, the hum of the machines has never been more soothing, symbolising glorious normality at its most basic. Similarly, as the hours spent at home have turned into days, the pattern of preparing meals has lent a sense of structure to my time in the house. </div>
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For very obvious reasons, I’m adverse to making unnecessary supermarket trips and mindful not to buy a second of anything for fear of leaving someone else short. Prior to this craziness, I was someone who unashamedly took full advantage of my shopping freedom, visiting Lidl most days (sometimes even twice) and throwing pretty much whatever I fancied for dinner that night in the trolley but with the planet having seemingly shifted off its axis, that can of course no longer continue. </div>
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I am trying hard to shop just once a week (for both my mam and I together) and also now feel a genuine moral obligation to try harder than ever not to be wasteful with the food we are lucky enough to have in the cupboards and fridge (purchased both pre and post pandemic).</div>
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Though it's also in a state of chaos, I have to say that I really love my extra large food cupboard/ larder. I am well aware that many houses these days have elaborate walk-in pantries, outdoor pizza ovens and many other amazing features but when I came to view our house a couple of years ago, the kitchen storage was probably the stand out thing that made me most excited about the prospect of living here. For context, I had just moved home to Mayo after 16 years in the capital which finished with a stint in a horribly overpriced, stinking bedsit in Dublin 8 where I had close to no kitchen or counter space and literally had to sit on my bed in order to chop an onion. To me this standard three bed semi and its abundance of storage was a veritable palace. I snapped it up and promptly began to fill it with food!</div>
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I’m lucky to be able to say that my kitchen cupboards and freezer are now quite full of all manner of weird and wonderful things because I have simply gotten lazy and unadventurous but I’ve decided that this is the ideal time for me to challenge myself by changing that and documenting the results here. Having once been a fairly adventurous and experimental cook, I have found myself in a bit of a rut, cooking the same old things week after week. There are so many items I need to use from tahini and miso to panko breadcrumbs and including some older items (that I will have to examine closely before consuming!). Now that we no longer have the luxury of flying down to the supermarket on a whim because we happen to fancy a roast chicken and with no certainty in terms of what still lies ahead, I figure that making do with what we have to hand might be a useful skill to master.</div>
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I have to say that I have the utmost of respect for all of the supermarket workers who are working at the coalface of this crisis with little money or thanks.The medical staff are quite rightly receiving high praise from all quarters, crowd funded meals and huge respect and of course that is all richly deserved. However, our retail workers are also doing a heroic and absolutely essential job for a whole lot less money and without the same levels of respect. I see that Aldi announced yesterday that they are to give all staff a 10% raise and hopefully others will follow suit. After all, if we can't eat we simply can't survive and we all owe those who show up each day in these uncertain times a huge debt of gratitude.</div>
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Though I ate plenty of the over-salted packet sort as a teenager (usually alongside a white bread cheese sandwich), soup wouldn't usually appear on my shortlist of favourite foods. Perhaps it was its 'hug in a mug' connotations that encouraged me make some yesterday or maybe it was its reputation as a good old staple at a time when things feel less than secure. In any case. it helped clear out the overflowing vegetable drawer nicely.</div>
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Soup really is the perfect vehicle to use up tired vegetables be they slightly withered with age or ice- burned from spending too long in the depths of the freezer. It is also very forgiving of adaptations. To make a simple vegetable soup, I started with one onion, gently fried in butter, adding about seven medium sized carrots, most of a celeriac (head?)half a packet of diced swede (that must have been in the freezer for a year), a few shrunken potatoes, a couple of handfuls of frozen peas, about 750ml of vegetable stock and finishing with a good glug of milk added to a basic flour and butter roux to thicken it a little further and add to the creaminess.</div>
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The lot then simmered on medium for about 25 minutes before blending and finishing with some extra peas. I also added a teaspoon each of garlic and onion powder (not salt! I made that mistake once!).Another mistake I made was adding in a very pungent Tesco herb and garlic stock pot towards the end of cooking.Though still very tasty to eat, I found it took from the gentle sweetness of the root vegetables a little and I will be wary of using these so liberally in the future. It still made a great lunch together with some soda bread I made using <a href="https://www.bordbia.ie/lifestyle/all-recipes/traditional-brown-soda-bread/">this</a> very simple recipe with the addition of a few chia and sunflower seeds. I am sorry that I don't have a picture of the finished soup but I'm simply out of practice. Here is one of the bread instead and I promise to try to be a better blogger in future. </div>
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I dropped some soup to my mam and dad (from a safe distance) and, in the absence of real hugs, it seemed to to be something of a substitute. It certainly wasn't fancy but transformed a good amount of weary ingredients into something very edible (including some very questionable flour which I used in both the bread and soup).It was nourishing, simple and good for the soul because in these weird days here on planet earth surely that needs feeding too.</div>
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These are mad times and I believe they will change us all in many ways that are yet to be revealed. My own journey of change starts with tackling that food press. </div>
AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6827566111258700172.post-37542822817354981482015-08-22T02:43:00.000-07:002015-08-22T02:43:12.068-07:00Breadless Benedict with Smoked Salmon and 1 Egg Hollandaise.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--yZS2VJ79j4/Vdg0QdnVOCI/AAAAAAAABB4/NISy2D6tbn0/s1600/blogger-image--1181928451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a>
Ah Eggs Benedict - one of my favourite things to eat in the whole word and also one of the dishes I have been most frequently disappointed with in restaurants over the years.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RYogbZ3071c/Vdg0T_4WyLI/AAAAAAAABCI/4jr6KWDol4I/s1600/blogger-image-919323015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="293" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RYogbZ3071c/Vdg0T_4WyLI/AAAAAAAABCI/4jr6KWDol4I/s320/blogger-image-919323015.jpg" width="320" /></a>Like so many of the best things in life, it is this dish's simplicity which makes it so perfect, the double creamy hit of the runny egg yolks and the hollandaise together with the salty pieces of ham or smoked salmon, all piled up on something to mop it all up (traditionally English Muffins or in this case wilted spinach) but God, I've had some horrors with rubbery hard egg yolks, bland sauces and rubbish quality ingredients all too commonly served up. And considering Benedicts usually cost about 12 quid a pop and given that they contain relatively inexpensive ingredients, you really should expect to be right. Despite this, I keep ordering it because when it's good, it's so very very good.<br />
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Since I started eating properly, I have been getting regular cravings for different foods which I didn't really before (with the exception of sweets and rubbish). I'm not sure if that has something to do with my body getting accustomed to being properly fed and in turn really missing something that's not there or not. In any case, all last week it was canned tuna and last night it was smoked salmon.And I had some in the fridge. Whoop.<br />
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I have tried to make hollandaise in a blender before with just mediocre results. In theory it seems like it would be foolproof/ much easier but in practice it didn't thicken nearly as much as I'd like. Last night, I made this one the old school way, using a recent tip I picked up of using a sieve to keep the base of the bowl separate from the water. It worked very well.<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"><b>Hollandaise sauce</b></span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">1 large egg yolk</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">I heaped tbs butter</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">1tbs lemon juice</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">1tbs hot water</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">dash of cayenne pepper</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">salt and black pepper to taste</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">2 eggs</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">2-3 slices smoked salmon (I like Lidl's)</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">1 medium bag baby spinach leaves (yes, a whole bag, you will be left with a couple of tablespoons when it wilts down)</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">1tsp butter</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">6-8 asparagus tips, roasted in olive oil</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">1tbs vinegar</span><br />
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This isn't particularly tricky to make but it does involve the juggling of a few different elements simultaneously.<br />
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1) Having given the asparagus a 5 minute head start in a preheated oven, set up your double boiler for your sauce and a wide pan for your eggs, bringing some water in both to a slow simmer.<br />
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2) Slowly melt the butter for the spinach in another pan, adding it gradually until all cooked down (about 3-5 minutes only) Season well.<br />
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3) Whisk the egg yolk with the tbs of hot water and set over the sieve if using. You will have to whisk it almost constantly now for the next 5 minutes.<br />
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4) After about 3 minutes or so, add vinegar to egg poaching water and then the eggs.<br />
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5) When the egg yolk/ hot water mix has thickened to a point that it coats the back of a spoon, gradually add the butter and continue to whisk. At this point I was taking it on and off the heat like a mad woman but we got there in the end.Add lemon juice, cayenne, salt and black pepper to taste.<br />
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6) Drain as much water as possible out of the spinach (I tried my best but you can see that some remained...next time I think I'll wring it out in kitchen towel!<br />
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7) Pile it up high, feel smug that your hollandaise worked and enjoy. Who needs bread?!<br />
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AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6827566111258700172.post-44022312143874700012015-07-28T08:23:00.002-07:002015-07-28T08:23:32.026-07:00Thai Style Pork Burgers with Avocado CreamSo once again, I've been a bad blogger, having not posted anything in 2 weeks. Where did the time go?! I have no idea. And I resolve to do better. I made these last night for some buddies and they went down well so I thought I'd stick them up here.<br />
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Pork mince isn't something I've cooked with very much in the past. I think I always assumed it to be a bit bland and uninspiring but these spicy little burgers are neither of those things.<br />
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I am all about convenience and, though I always buy free range chicken I don't always look for a higher welfare standard in terms of pork and other meat. If it's there, I will buy it but I'm not sure where apart from Marks and Spencer carries such a range?Eating non- welfare standard meat does play on my mind to some degree......but I guess not enough to make me stop buying it for the moment. In any case, this was just standard mince from Lidl and very nice it was too.<br />
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We ate these in iceberg lettuce leaf 'wraps' with some carrot and pepper salad, for a tasty, quick weeknight dinner.<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5vnvOlrm0zw/VbeMZsAPqFI/AAAAAAAABA4/Hsp9wCQ7Bvg/s640/blogger-image--377547320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5vnvOlrm0zw/VbeMZsAPqFI/AAAAAAAABA4/Hsp9wCQ7Bvg/s640/blogger-image--377547320.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b><u>Ingredients</u></b><br />
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<b>Burgers</b><br />
<br />
500g pork mince<br />
2tbs chopped coriander<br />
2tbs chopped parsley<br />
2tbs thai red curry paste<br />
3-4 spring onions, chopped<br />
dash soy sauce<br />
2 cloves garlic, chopped<br />
1/2 tsp black pepper<br />
1tsp garlic powder<br />
1 tsp chilli flakes<br />
1tsp onion powder<br />
150g mushrooms chopped<br />
1tbs olive oil<br />
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<b>Avocado cream</b><br />
<br />
2 large ripe avocados<br />
pinch salt<br />
juice of 1 juicy lime<br />
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<b>To make:</b><br />
<br />
Fry the mushrooms in the oil until browned and any excess liquid is rendered out. Allow to cool.<br />
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Mix all other ingredients together until well combined using a fork if you're squeamish like me or your hands if not for a better mix. Mix in the cooled mushroom mixture.<br />
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Form into small patties(I used about 1tbs of mixture for each), flash fry in a pan to brown and cook through in a preheated oven.<br />
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To make the avocado cream, whizz the three ingredients in a blender just before serving (or it will go manky and brown).<br />
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Eat<br />
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AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6827566111258700172.post-441032033914978412015-07-14T14:06:00.000-07:002015-07-14T15:52:22.833-07:00Amazing Avocado Banana Chocolate PuddingThe word 'superfood ' seems a bit overused these days but I really think that avocados are worthy of that title. They're so tasty and versatile and you just know all that vitamin and mineral-rich oiliness is doing your body a world of good. I usually just eat them as they are with lime and salt or make them into guacamole and have it with fish but I am only beginning to discover the starring role that they can also play in sweet treats.<br>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-v1fcv-qo-SY/VaOI45SF6AI/AAAAAAAABAY/Zsl8JSq_X-8/s640/blogger-image--797594543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-v1fcv-qo-SY/VaOI45SF6AI/AAAAAAAABAY/Zsl8JSq_X-8/s640/blogger-image--797594543.jpg"></a><br>
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Avocados can also be a great source of frustration. It seems that one minute they are as hard as a bullet and hours later bruised black and inedible. But when you get lucky and cut into a perfectly ripe one like this it really is a beautiful thing. I think that chart below sums up the problem pretty well.<br>
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQcIUPv7gUCyTJGF2u64l9vbM8_arRScMaInhNE1hHmHsgeJoWH" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Image result for avocado ripeness chart" border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQcIUPv7gUCyTJGF2u64l9vbM8_arRScMaInhNE1hHmHsgeJoWH"></a><br>
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I used to crave and eat something processed,fatty and sugary pretty much every day before I decided to overhaul my diet. Most of it was unsatisfying, leading me to crave more rubbish and overeat. So I haven't been eating many sweets in recent months. And I really haven't missed them much at all. But on one particularly grey evening recently, I realised that only something creamy and sweet and chocolatey would do so I decided to have a play with my blender and to make an avocado based chocolate pudding .<br>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XMRXhzOMeII/VaOIzQyUAqI/AAAAAAAABAA/oKK4PlaFr08/s640/blogger-image--211348340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XMRXhzOMeII/VaOIzQyUAqI/AAAAAAAABAA/oKK4PlaFr08/s640/blogger-image--211348340.jpg"></a><br>
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Having come across various healthy chocolate desserts online, I knew that many of them were based on blended avocados possibly with the addition of ripe bananas. I had both so I blended them up and added cocoa, cinnamon and a little bit of salt. I had also been prepared to add some sweetener but found that it actually didn't need it at all. However, this may be down to my heightened sweet tooth after eating so few processed sweets as my friend I fed it to enjoyed it but didn't find it to be particularly sweet. A word of warning however and that is that the stage of ripeness of your banana and avocado can be game changers here. If either are under-ripe, this could quickly become a bland, lumpy mess. With cocoa powder. (Yum.)<br>
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But when these are right this really is surprisingly indulgent, creamy and chocolatey whilst also being incredibly nutritious. It also has plenty of scope for adaptation - I think that peanut butter would be great, and I also fancy trying out a coffee version.<br>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ww2cz4yj1P4/VaOI3H0NNBI/AAAAAAAABAQ/egabviInL9A/s640/blogger-image-819379535.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ww2cz4yj1P4/VaOI3H0NNBI/AAAAAAAABAQ/egabviInL9A/s640/blogger-image-819379535.jpg"></a></div>
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<b><br></b>
<b>Ingredients</b><br>
<br>
1 ripe avocado<br>
2 medium ripe bananas(skin lightly spotted)<br>
2 heaped tbs cocoa powder (add gradually, you may need or more or less to taste)<br>
2 tsp cinnamon<br>
large pinch salt<br>
<b><br></b>
<b>Instructions</b><br>
<br>
Add avocado and bananas to blender and blend until smooth. Add the cocoa powder, cinnamon and salt gradually, tasting as you go. You may find it needs a little honey or maple syrup but so far I have been lucky with the sweetness of my bananas.<br>
<br>
Eat immediately or, if you can wait, chill in the fridge for a couple of hours and it will be even nicer.</div>
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<br>
Serve with some roasted hazelnuts and raspberries for a really yummy guilt-free treat.</div>
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AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6827566111258700172.post-37040809425575035482015-07-07T07:36:00.001-07:002015-07-07T10:12:55.796-07:00Cauliflower Crust Pizza - Round OneIt is said that if something seems too good to be true then in all likelihood it probably is. There are many examples of this - San Tropez in-shower tan, a very famous and handsome American actor contacting you via a dating website, - I could go on. Based solely on my results to date, I should add cauliflower crust pizza to that list. But I'm not ready to just yet.<br>
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If you have an interest in food, you will no doubt be aware that the internet is currently abuzz with all things cauliflower which has been hailed as the new super healthy, low carb substitute for a whole host of dishes. People are using it as replacement 'rice' (which I tried with good success), chopped up and roasted with parmesan into a (questionable) bite sized popcorn alternative (which I haven't tried) and, most thrillingly of all, as the main ingredient in a healthy, flourless pizza base.<br>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Wcyjwm_7WY8/VZvVzVHEG7I/AAAAAAAAA_Q/nBrkybVcxrs/s640/blogger-image--10770192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Wcyjwm_7WY8/VZvVzVHEG7I/AAAAAAAAA_Q/nBrkybVcxrs/s640/blogger-image--10770192.jpg"></a><br>
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I had been so excited to try this having seen some of the amazing results and reviews posted online. Pizza was my favourite food I (over) ate in my fat days so I wanted so badly to believe it was possible to eat it freely without an accompanying side of the dough-induced lethargy I am now glad to be without. After much research <a href="http://www.theluckypennyblog.com/2013/02/the-best-cauliflower-crust-pizza.html">I chose this recipe which had received loads of amazing feedback</a>.<br>
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To be fair it started (and ended) pretty badly as I think my cauliflower was gone off . As soon as I milled it up in the food processor it stank the apartment out to the point where I was embarrassed at the thought of passers by smelling it through the open window (and I live on the first floor). However, because I'm not a very regular cauliflower eater I foolishly overlooked this. It's only since I made some (nice) cauliflower 'rice' at the weekend with a non stinky one that I really realised it was probably off (ew).<br>
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These cauliflower crust recipes involve steaming or microwaving your ground up cauliflower for a few minutes and then (when cooled) squeezing it through a tea- towel until absolutely no moisture remains. This is, in effect, your 'flour' to which is added mozzarella cheese (I had none so subbed cheddar), parmesan (had none of that either so added more cheddar......), an egg and a few other bits. On reflection, having reread that last line, perhaps there were more factors affecting the outcome of this recipe than the dodgy cauliflower alone.<br>
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The above photo was taken after the base had cooked for 10 minutes in the oven (you have to do this before you add the toppings). At this point, it looked great and my flatmate and I were very excited at the thought of enjoying this amazing healthy pizza but it didn't quite work out like that.<br>
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I'm sorry I don't have photos but, you'll have to take my word for it that, despite my best efforts to squeeze all the water out of the cooked cauliflower, it definitely didn't hold up as a slice in your hand(as promised). In fact, it was pretty soggy. And it definitely didn't taste very nice either, a bit 'earthy' for want of a better word. Still, we got to eat some melted cheese so all was not lost.<br>
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However, I definitely believe that if I make it again with a fresh, non-stinky cauliflower, somehow manage to squeeze even more water out of it, and use the correct cheeses instead of lobbing in whatever I have to hand, it will be a thing of beauty. I believe it because I've imagined it now and it has to be.<br>
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AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6827566111258700172.post-50760033425047499962015-06-27T04:59:00.000-07:002015-06-27T05:51:31.820-07:00'Carrot Cake' Super PorridgeI know that we are always hearing about its importance but I'm really not much of a breakfast eater, mainly just opting for a piece of fruit or two on weekday mornings. This may well be down to my tendency to eat a bit too much at night but what can I say, I love a good evening-time munch.<br />
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At the weekends though I do like to have a little play with breakfasty things, even if I often eat them at lunch or dinner time instead of first thing. I had made <a href="http://paleomg.com/paleo-carrot-cake-pancakes/">these intriguingly titled Carrot Cake Pancakes</a> a couple of times recently and liked them a lot. They made me think that similar ingredients could work well in porridge form.<br />
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I am really a pretty new porridge eater. I think people react to oats differently and they never made me feel great when I just ate a big plain bowl of them in the past. I used to get that carby bloated feeling. In fact, even though I know it's long been renowned for its high satiety factor, I always imagined that eating porridge actually made me hungrier and even gave me cravings later in the day. Here, a smaller volume of actual oats and the addition of lots of nutritious extras like mixed nuts and flax and chia seeds ups the protein content and makes for an entirely more satisfying eating experience.<br />
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<img src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qG1WsmQOKdc/VY6JfwOjeXI/AAAAAAAAA-s/wh2N-PrpaiA/s640/blogger-image-1144166867.jpg" /><br />
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Apart from the odd packet of dry roasted in the pub, nuts and seeds are things I almost never ate in the past. Now, I have some almost every day, my favourites being pecans and hazelnuts (Lidl have amazing quality nuts at great prices). Another revelation for me was discovering that pretty much any selection of nuts and seeds make the most amazing snack when roasted with just a little bit of olive oil and soy sauce and sprinkled with chilli flakes - all the saltiness and munchability of crisps but with a welcome dose of goodness. Just don't make more than you plan on eating. You will not be able to stop.<br />
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But back to this porridge which sounds a bit mad but, believe it or not, really does taste a lot like carrot cake! I didn't add them but some raisins or sultanas would work very well here too. I don't eat much dried fruit these days as I find that even a handful has a similar effect on my blood sugar to eating a Mars bar. I'm all for a bit of sweetness though and I had intended to add some maple syrup of honey here but found that it (bizarrely) didn't need it. The only sweetness is from the carrots and desiccated coconut. However, I've found that the pinch of salt is an essential addition, making the natural sweetness much more pronounced.<br />
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I'm trying to replace some of the dairy in my diet with non dairy alternatives at the moment so I have used almond milk in this recipe. The dessert factor of this is upped with the addition of a dollop of (full fat) Greek yogurt and a few more toasted nuts sprinkled on top. My flattie even had it last week with ice-cream! Either way, this creamy, spiced, nutty porridge really is magically indulgent and virtuous all at once. What's not to like?!<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EiJjLdVWh3Q/VY6JdwkMv8I/AAAAAAAAA-k/T7Uhi5EXLTw/s640/blogger-image-1580185881.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EiJjLdVWh3Q/VY6JdwkMv8I/AAAAAAAAA-k/T7Uhi5EXLTw/s640/blogger-image-1580185881.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>'Carrot Cake' Super Porridge</b><br />
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3 tbs porridge oats<br />
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1 tbs ground flax seed<br />
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1 tbs chia seeds<br />
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1 tbs mixed seeds (sunflower, pumpkin etc, roasted)<br />
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1-2 tbs nuts(roasted) (walnuts or pecans are especially good. I used almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts today)<br />
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1 tbs desiccated coconut<br />
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1 - 2 tsp cinnamon (start with one and add more to taste. I like lots)<br />
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1/2 tsp mixed spice<br />
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1/4 tsp salt<br />
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1 American cup measure of grated carrot(about 2 medium or 1 large carrot)<br />
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250 - 300 mls milk (cows/almond/coconut etc)<br />
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Raisins (optional)<br />
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Full Fat Greek Yogurt to serve<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>To make</b><br />
<br />
To be fair the directions here are pretty basic.<br />
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Roast the nuts and seeds in a preheated oven for about 10 minutes.<br />
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Mix everything else together in a saucepan and cook on a low to medium heat for about 5 - 7 minutes until thickened and the carrots are softened.<br />
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Enjoy<br />
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AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6827566111258700172.post-66101470334392619132015-06-19T04:24:00.001-07:002015-06-19T04:25:36.276-07:00The Joy of Aldi's Super SixI quite like getting older for the most part. I'm 32 now and to be honest the sense of just not giving a shit about many of the things I would once have agonized over that accompanied my transition into this particular decade was a welcome surprise for me.I genuinely wouldn't wish to revert back to my twenties and the insecurities that came with them, laughter lines or no laughter lines.<br />
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It's certainly true that, for me, getting older has brought a much deeper appreciation for the simple things in life - finding a parking spot I can drive straight into (and, better still, straight out of), coming across a forgotten fiver in an old jacket , and, rightly or wrongly, the rush of anticipation that accompanies the announcement of a new Aldi Super Six fruit and vegetable offer.<br />
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To be honest, I am much more of a Lidl fan and this is pretty much the only thing that brings me to Aldi (that and their amazing spicy chorizo....in my opinion the Lidl version has more than a slight whiff of donkey about it.) In terms of choice and quality, I think Lidl definitely has the edge in fruit and veg and overall but Aldi's amazing Super Six offer alone usually makes a trip well worthwhile.<br />
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One of the perks of my recent move to the wilds of Santry is having a massive branch of both nearby. And with the glut of 'save ten euro when you spend fifty' coupons in the papers in recent weeks, I have been unashamedly visiting both.<br />
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The offer involves a rotating selection of fruit and vegetables priced as low as 29 cents and as high as 79 and is, perhaps unsurprisingly, sometimes much better than others. Last week it was amazing, offering 2 packs of avocados and courgettes at an unbelievable 29 cents each. This week was a little less thrilling, involving a selection of more boring things like apple and pear punnets priced at a still very cheap 49 cents.<br />
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On a good week, this offer makes me feel like I imagine a looter would, loading up the trolley with wild abandon. But even on a not so good week it's still pretty good. I realise I am not painting myself in the best light here but I have recently been been dreaming of what my own fantasy super six selection might be (since you ask, avocados, courgettes, bananas, grapes, pak choi and asparagus, all down to 29 cents ). On second thoughts, however, that might just send me over the edge.... I certainly wouldn't be able to close the fridge door for a week.AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6827566111258700172.post-11916438826621327952015-06-13T04:06:00.000-07:002015-06-13T07:56:48.376-07:00Annie's New AppetiteWell blog-land, it's been a while. And a lot has changed over the past 13 months. I am now single and have lost over two stone (could I be<span style="font-family: inherit;"> any more of a clic<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">hé?!) </span> but, more than that, I have gained an understanding of the absolutely life-changing impact proper nutrition can have, not only on your body, but also (and so much more importantly) on your mood and general happiness. </span><br />
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My friend Jenny would probably tell you that I'm not on any healthy eating plan that she's aware of, given that our joint quest to find the best <span style="font-family: inherit;">chicken wings in Dublin continues every few weeks (currently heading up the leader-board if you're interested is the Oarsman in Ringsend) but I am increasingly gaining less enjoyment from big blow outs and more satisfaction from instead making healthier versions of my favourite treats myself......hence I have resurrected this blog.</span><br />
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Many years ago, I read an article written by radio presenter Gareth O'Callaghan in which he claimed to have cured himself of depression through healthy diet alone. I was skeptical then but, whilst I was certainly never depressed, eating a primarily whole food diet over the past eight months has honestly transformed both my mood and my very outlook on life to a degree I never thought possible.<br />
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I have grown to hate the term in recent years but I am a 'foodie' and I suppose I always have been. I was a little piglet as a child and was later torn between studying Food Science and English in college before eventually opting for the latter. I spend more time than most people would deem normal each day mentally planning my next meal. For years, I thought that my lifelong love of food and my overindulgence on things like sugary desserts and pizzas the size of car wheels just went hand in hand. Looking back, I mentally resigned myself to carry the extra weight as a pay-off for the privilege of eating delicious food. I now know it doesn't have to be that way.<br />
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I firmly believe that the food pyramid has a lot to answer for in terms of society's over-reliance on refined carbohydrates which offer so little nutritionally. I think the Irish version badly needs updating like Australia's recently was (thanks for that Anne:))<br />
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For me it's a no-brainer that instead of advocating a large consumption of flour and grains, the bottom shelf of the pyramid should instead be populated by totally unrefined foods such as fruits and vegetables which provide the body with so much goodness. One of the biggest changes I have made in terms of my day to day diet is replacing the pasta in my meals with vegetables. Wilted spinach or courgettes (spiralized if you wish, I just slice them) are particularly good replacements and this means that I can still enjoy bolognese, blue cheese and pretty much all my favourite pasta sauces and toppings in a much healthier, more energizing and equally tasty way.<br />
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In the past, I almost felt sorry for people who chose to eat a primarily whole food, protein and plant heavy diet like I do now. I thought that their food must be so boring and that they were somehow missing out or desperately depriving themselves. All I can say is I was very wrong. I now enjoy my food more than ever, even though I rarely or never eat a lot of the things I did before. The flip side of that is that my diet has expanded hugely in terms of what I do actually eat.<br />
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I'm pretty ashamed to admit this publicly but before last summer I often didn't know if I was genuinely hungry or not. I ate lunch every day because it was lunch-time not because my body told me I should. The way I eat now is not about restriction but instead about trying to give your body what it needs when it needs it. As 'new age' as it sounds, it's ultimately about listening to your body and feeding it correctly in return. I thought that was a load of rubbish but I have learned that (with some practice) it really works and the rewards are huge.<br />
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Like most women, I would be lying if I said weight wasn't an ongoing concern for me. And losing this weight has made me feel lighter and happier. But that absolutely hasn't been the only benefit of the changes I've made to my diet. The crazy daily cycles of cravings and energy crashes I had from all the white flour, sugar and other rubbish I was eating have totally gone. I feel invigorated and full of life, more confident, optimistic and better able to cope with stress. Let's be honest, if a tablet could do all these things, it would be an instant sell out!<br />
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I've probably eaten bread and refined sugar a combined total of five or six times in the last eight months. I'm not saying I never will again (I still pretty much eat whatever I'm offered at a wedding or if I'm invited to someone's house) but I've learned that, for me, the payoff from avoiding those things on a daily basis far outweighs any feelings of deprivation I might have. I used to have an unbelievable capacity for pizza. It really was my Achilles heel. Now, I honestly cant see myself endlessly eating doughy, bland Dominos ever again. However, an occasional, proper, delicious stone-oven baked one would be a quite a different story.<br />
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This has also been a process of trial and error. In the beginning,as I cut carbs, I overdid it on the dairy which in turn gave me horrendous spots, the likes of which I never even had as a teen. I'm still looking for the balance and I will aim to use this blog to hopefully challenge myself to learn more and to hopefully ultimately become a better cook, even if it only proves to be an online diary for myself. I am now enjoying my food more than ever and hopefully that will be reflected in this new <i>Annie's Appetite</i> focusing on a diet based on vibrant, healthy, living foods over processed, dead, unhealthy ones. </div>
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I started with one clic<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">hé so I may as well finish with another. Li</span>fe really is a journey and we are all constantly learning. I've learned a few things since I last wrote here and I am looking forward to learning some more. And you are all very welcome to join me!<br />
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AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6827566111258700172.post-53309975518209244132014-05-19T06:27:00.003-07:002014-05-19T06:31:22.325-07:00Review: An Bhialann, Ranelagh Village<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Restaurants come and go in the village all the time and we try to sample them all asap for fear we'd miss out on something really special.With the exception of the excellent tapas restaurant La Bodega, we haven't, but still the search goes on. An Bhialinn has been on the our list now for a few weeks and
we decided to give it a go on a particularly hungry Monday
evening when neither of us could face cooking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Located on
the old site of Eatery 120, the new owners don't seem to have changed much in terms of the restaurant's interior. Trying out the early bird menu is always
a good way to test a new place without breaking the bank and that is what we
decided to do. And, as early birds go it was good, offering a choice of 4 starters , 4 mains and a couple of desserts. It was also, thankfully, free of the supplements which too often blight such 'value' menus. This menu is actually available all evening Monday - Thursday and all day Sunday. with two courses costing €24 and 3 €27.50</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">To start, we each chose the selection of three deep fried cheeses - blue goat and brie - which came with tomato relish and a good amount of dressed rocket on the side. It was nice to have a bit of variation besides just brie and we both enjoyed this very much. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">The striploin steaks we both went for were also good, (albiet that mine happened to be juicier and tastier than K’s but such is often the way with steak). We received one side to share included in the price (chips) and also ordered a side of mash (€4). The c</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">hips were decent, well browned and cooked in what I would guess was oil not beef/duck/goose fat (you can get spoiled with that!) . However the mash</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">did however have a slight reheated tang off it. (I’m not sure how some restaurants manage to avoid this-I'd love to know myself.) Another plus about this place was their generosity with side salad on the starter and the main, much more than the customary garnish you often get in restaurants. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">Our request to substitute the peppercorn sauce on offer with béarnaise was also accommodated without a blink. (</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">though this turned out to be just ok and lacking a bit of the the characteristic tarragon/vinegar bite.)</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">All was fine, and then...we tried to get the bill. We had been the sole diners when we first arrived but at this stage there were three more tables occupied. (and 2 people on the floor). When we did manage to request it, it took a further 15 minutes to arrive at which point I had seriously considered just leaving what we owed there on the table and walking out. When it was all weighed up, we had eaten a good but not great meal and the lack of service at the end would probably help dissuade me from returning again. That might sound harsh but the food just wasn’t good enough for that to be overlooked. There's just too many other places out there to try. </span><br />
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<br />AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6827566111258700172.post-85123568391991503342014-03-23T06:01:00.000-07:002014-03-27T09:40:06.047-07:00Edelwise Swiss 'Raclette and Fondue' Restaurant, Ranelagh<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If it’s true that nine in ten new
restaurants close in their first year of opening, the site of the newly
opened <i>Edelwise</i> in Ranelagh village really seems to be a case in point. </span>There was a noodle place here for what seemed like just a couple of
months and the café before that didn’t seem to last much longer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>Edelwise</i> was a first for me, a Swiss "Raclette and Fondue” Restaurant. I think it might also be a first for Dublin? </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There was just one other table
occupied when we arrived on a Wednesday evening just after 7pm. It’s all about cheese here, with
several cheese heavy starters on offer as well as, raclettes (I would later learn what these were), a few main courses such as Chicken
Cordon Bleu and fondues. </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The front of house was run by a solitary
gentleman who I presumed to be Swiss with the 'new' interior pretty much as I remembered it to be in its former incarnation as the <i>Door 51</i> Café. It still gives out much more of a casual dining vibe than that of a fully
priced restaurant with the most obvious change I could see the placement of a big vase
of fresh tulips on each table. </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I'd honestly never even heard of a raclette before but, since it was a house speciality, we decided to order 2 starter sized ones and see what arrived. (We knew from the menu that it involved cheese but that was all)The maitre d/waiter seemed surprised that
we wanted to follow them with fondue deeming this to be “unusual”. I guessed by now that this
is because of their similarity. Anyway, lots of cheese was on its way and all was good with the world. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I went on to learn that a raclette is basically a
bowl of hot melted cheese served with with some bits and bobs to dip in it. Ours came
with some really lovely bresola, a few tiny pickled onions, gherkins and a bowl
of baby potatoes. It was nice and I ate it all, but it really wasn’t something
I’d order again. It just wasn't very exciting. </span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The fondues struck me as being quite expensive initially, priced around the
17 – 24e mark (per person) with a 2e supplement added for single portions. Variations included mushroom and tomato with the different flavours accompanied by different things to dip,
including different vegetables, bread and pickles. We went for one portion of the 7 cheese fondue
which was just served with bread so we also ordered some gherkins to break things up a bit.One portion turned out to be loads for 2, however. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I hate to say it but it was pretty disappointing. It looked great, a big pot of molten cheese served with lots of cubes of very nice
bread but the expected cheesiness....there was none!</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I was aware that authentic fondue involved the inclusion of Kirsch (cherry brandy) but Oh
my God we could hardly taste the cheese! It wasn't inedible but I kept thinking of those seven lovely cheeses obliterated by too heavy a hand with the old booze. My
instinct that this wasn’t how it was meant to be was confirmed I think by the
fact that we could hear our host loudly coaching the chef through the procedure of making
each dish step by step, from the little cubby/kitchen. That was pretty
off-putting. </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Despite the fact that we didn’t leave a lot of the fondue behind, we were also bemused to get
a little lecture before we left on the quality of the 7 cheeses and the restaurants reasoning for charging so much! I'll admit I was a coward, and didn't tell him that we could hardly taste these cheese partially because I wasn't totally sure
if that was how it was ‘meant to be’ .</span><br />
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I did like some elements of this restaurant and will probably give it another whirl in a few months when the new owners have 'settled in' a bit more. </div>
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AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6827566111258700172.post-55967632750058366932014-03-10T08:41:00.000-07:002014-03-10T08:41:59.033-07:00The Chophouse, Dublin 4<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The steak chips and bernáise sauce taster I had from <em>The Chophouse</em> at last year's <em>Taste of Dublin</em> event in the Iveagh Gardens was the best thing I tried on that pretty underwhelming day. For me, it was perfect, big handcut chips cooked in what tasted like beef fat, a fantastic little piece of fillet and probably the nicest bernáise sauce I had ever eaten. </div>
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I immediately vowed to visit the restaurant but didn't get around to it until Christmas when, though I enjoyed my lunch, the (ribeye) steak I was served was overcooked and a world apart from the beaut above. However, I put that down to the Christmas rush/ lower lunchtime prices and vowed to return for the full evening experience as soon as I could. </div>
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My birthday last month seemed the ideal opportunity and so we made our way into the bowels of leafy Dublin 4 once again with our hopes still high. It was a Sunday evening when we visited and the restaurant was very quiet with just a few tables occupied. (We had been warned that it actually closes at 8pm on Sundays and so decided to book for 6pm). My fishcake (above) was a little on the bland side but was crammed with fish (mainly salmon I think). </div>
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We both went for the special of the evening, a fillet served with a pulled pork topping. This was brought to the table with the pronouncement that we should get ready to enjoy the best steak of our life or words to that effect. Even if it had turned out to be the case, I found this attitude quite offputting; given that it didn't, it was even more so. <br />
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The dish wasn't a disaster or anything like it. The pulled pork was absolutely gorgeous and the celeriac puree super rich and moreish. However, the plate was cold and, more importantly, the steak wasn't great . It was soft to cut and cooked as I asked (medium) but if I had closed my eyes I would have sworn I was eating liver, so strong and metallic was the taste. <br />
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I happen to quite like liver so I could at least eat mine but K loathes it and abandoned his after a couple of bites declaring it 'disgusting'. I have purchased fillet steaks before that had a similar liverish quality but never as strong as this. I don't even know how this can possibly be detected before cooking but, overall, on the strength of my two visits here, this place is absolutely not serving the best steak in Dublin. <br />
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<span id="goog_1170792260"></span><span id="goog_1170792261">The chips too were poor relations of the ones in the top photo. They were much thinner and, I woud guess, cooked in oil not animal fat, lacking that lovely savoury flavour.</span>We left before dessert, pretty disappointed. <br />
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On the strength of what I ate last summer, <em>The Chophouse</em> is or at least has been capable of great things.But it's not maintaining those standards. <br />
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AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6827566111258700172.post-81165405957350392502014-02-23T05:28:00.000-08:002014-02-23T05:32:27.949-08:00The Unicorn, Merrion Row<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I was so sad when Il Segreto on Merrion Row closed. It had been my 'go to' bistro style restaurant with excellent food, a relaxed atmosphere and super charming service. But I have good news, it's back in all but name on the site of the famous Unicorn just a few doors up. I had visited the Unicorn a couple of times in the past, never by choice though and only when someone else was paying and had found the food pretty uninspiring and eye-wateringly expensive. The old Il Segreto website now directs visitors to the Unicorn and it does seem that they have taken most of their staff and a lot of their menu up the road, along with much better value.</div>
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The Unicorn looks a lot smarter since the Stokes brothers took over, more polished( a bit more like them really!) For lunch there this week, I chose from their 2 course set menu (€20) starting with a lovely goats cheese, pear and hazelnut salad. I wasn't so keen on the truffle-laced honey they had drizzled on top but that was my fault for choosing something with truffles when I know I don't really like them!I suppose I was hoping it would be a less pronounced flavour. I still ate the lot though.<br />
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My main of cod fillet with a shrimp and caper sauce was excellent, a big chunk of perfectly cooked fish on some gorgeous mash and some lightly cooked broccoli for good measure. (cancelled out all the butter in the sauce don't you know?!)</div>
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This is a picture of the bread which I can't comment on as I didn't taste it but it looked to be the same served in Il Segreto which was very nice indeed.<br />
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It is great to see the Unicorn now offering very good value and serving good decent bistro classics right in the heart of the city (though I did feel the supplement of €7 on the steak was a tad excessive for lunch. )I will be back!</div>
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AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6827566111258700172.post-91995070407221414882014-02-09T04:35:00.001-08:002015-06-13T01:47:00.677-07:00Peperina Garden Bistro, Dunville Avenue, RanelaghI've said on here before that Ranelagh really doesn't deserve its status as a culinary mecca. I like the place a lot, having lived here for 7 years but I really think there are a lot of restaurants in the area charging bloated prices whilst offering a sub-standard experience.<br />
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We actually gave up eating around the village for a while as we were sick of feeling ripped off but a Menupages offer for the fairly newly opened <i>Peperina Garden Bistro</i> was good enough to tempt us out into the rain last night. For the modest sum of €35 we were promised a 3 course meal for 2 with a glass of wine thrown in, a very tempting prospect, especially when a middle of the road sandwich with some chips on the side and a couple of soft drinks in most of the local eateries seems to cost that or more these days.<br />
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Peperina is very cute to look at, looking like more of a cafe really with lots of little wooden tables and pretty bits and bobs(kitsch storage tins etc) dotted about, many of them available for purchase.We were warmly welcomed and advised that we were restricted to ordering from the Early Bird Menu which, though not a problem, wasn't mentioned at the time of booking.<br />
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Strangely enough the deal I purchased was only available from Thursday - Saturday. Since restaurants usually seem to use these kind of deals to bring in customers on quieter nights, I thought that was a bit unusal. When we arrived, the place was about half full (including several pretty vocal children) but I guess that's what you get for going out to eat at 6.30pm.<br />
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From the list of 5 starters, I chose the chicken wings which came with the usual accompaniments of a blue cheese dip and a couple of stalks of celery. These were great, the skin nicely crisped and doused in a really nice, hot spicy sauce. There were about 6 decent sized wings and I would have eaten more but that is unsurprisingly chicken wings and pizza are the 2 foods my tummy(embarrassingly) seems to have no 'off' switch for, especially if they're as nice as these.<br />
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My rib eye steak carried a €5 supplement and came with a herby chimichurri sauce on the side, some strangely bland chips and a little pile of balsamic-dressed salad. It was small, but good and cooked perfectly medium as requested. I enjoyed it but left a lot of the chips as they tasted of absolutely nothing, even when extra salt was added.<br />
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My lemon posset was much more set than others I've had, more like a panna cotta in consistency really. but it was still light, creamy and really enjoyable, served with a scoop of raspberry sorbet, some biscotti and an obligatory drizzle of coulis.<br />
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I liked this place a lot and am looking forward to trying their brunch menu which seems to be exceptionally reasonably priced. And, though the waiting staff were all pleasant, the (I think Italian) waitress on duty last night (8 February) was as lovely, professional and helpful as you could hope for. Give that girl a raise!AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6827566111258700172.post-38481062443891447842014-01-27T10:24:00.002-08:002014-01-27T10:30:22.978-08:00Something fishy (or is it?)K and I generally love to eat the same things - takeaway pepperoni pizzas the size of tractor wheels when we've had a few (and sometimes when we haven't), a good fillet steak cooked perfectly medium, a doorstep of a burger with all the bells and whistles. We also both like to fool ourselves that the teaming bowls of risotto we put away on a regular basis are 'healthy' because they contain a bunch of asparagus each (perhaps even a few peas for good measure) therefore balancing out the mounds of cheese and butter they inevitably also contain.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I know which is which ok?</td></tr>
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But all is not always harmonious in our culinary world. I adore mushrooms and would eat them three times a week given the chance; he thinks they are the spawn of the devil. Same for avocados. And salmon. With the big three-0 now firmly behind me, I keep recalling that this magic fish is rumoured to do wonders for your face if eaten regularly (ie more than the twice a year when I find myself home alone and free to cook exactly what I want).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some olive oil, lemon and a spoon of most of the jars in top picture </td></tr>
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I often remind K that he thought he hated cheese until he met me 8 years ago (and had no option but to get used to it). And so, this weekend I bought some- four big fillets of it. With no option B readily available in the fridge and the wind howling outside I decided to see if he really hated it or was hanging onto the idea that he did.<br />
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I decided to help him out though and threw together a quick spicy marinade to negate the full on fishiness. (I think the paste contained 1tsp each of of dried mixed herbs, paprika, chilli flakes, all-purpose seasoning, and about a half of crushed black pepper, dried onion powder and garlic powder together with the juice of a lemon and some olive oil )<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before it went in the oven</td></tr>
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And he ate it! (You might say it was no wonder; (who could taste the salmon under that lot?!) but you still really could). We had it with some sweet potato cubes, red onion and asparagus tossed in some olive oil, salt and pepper and a blob of greek yogurt on the side.<br />
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Meanwhile, he is insisting he ate it simply because it 'wasn't a very fishy piece of salmon'.(I think he had a point - salmon does seem to vary widely on this score and I'm not sure it's only down to the width of the white fat lines?......any enlightenment welcome.)<br />
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Still, we've broken the salmon drought in no 2, yay!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roast sweet potato, red onion and asparagus</td></tr>
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AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6827566111258700172.post-11215272283328775252014-01-17T03:25:00.003-08:002014-01-17T03:25:38.874-08:00Another wedding cake and a couple of late resolutions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I have been a very bad blogger(but I resolve to do better). Mine has been a winter filled with a few too many hearty dinners and so I am looking forward to the challenge of making some healthier choices for Spring (and documenting them on here). </div>
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I made this wedding cake for my very good friend Anne for her New Years Eve wedding to the lovely Mike. I had planned on going to town and making something really big (5 or so tiers) but the practicalities of not having a car of my own at the moment and relying on the kindness of others for transport put that idea to bed. </div>
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<b>From the Top - Carrot Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream, Fruit Cake (made by Anne's mam Joan) and Chocolate Cake with Chocolate/Hazelnut Buttercream.</b></div>
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I generally don't make New Years resolutions but this year I have two , to blog here at least weekly and to pass my driving test by the end of the Summer. There, I've put it on here now I have to do it! </div>
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It's on! :)</div>
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AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6827566111258700172.post-37507519065609940372013-11-25T04:36:00.001-08:002013-11-25T04:49:42.502-08:00The TapHouse, Ranelagh<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was blown away by my first visit to the TapHouse a few weeks ago. On the site of the former 18 year old's mecca, Russells, in Ranelagh Village, it is now a much more inviting space with a heavy emphasis on craft beers and a vastly improved menu. Had I put this review up then it would have been flawless but my second visit, just a few days later was an altogether different and very much substandard experience.<br />
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I wish I had comparison photos but I don't, only of the first visit which was really excellent. The menu is quite limited (but of course that's never an issue as long as what IS offered is good). The menu has several light bites at 6e a pop (hummus with various bits and bobs, prawns Pil Pil etc, a selection of sliders (mini burgers), a few sharing platters and a couple of desserts. And that's about it.<br />
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Service on the first day was brilliant.We were hungry (aren't we always) and chose 3 sliders each (one lamb flatbread, a bacon and quail egg version and another pulled pork effort.) We also went for 2 sides, chips and onion rings.<br />
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The burgers on that first visit were incredible, two of them on a slightly sweet, buttered broiche bun. They came on a little wooden board which I am always slightly suspicious of hygiene-wise but were so nice I would have eaten them off almost anything! They were all uniquely sauced and flavored and each absolutely gorgeous.<br />
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The sides were also brilliant - crunchy onion rings and great chips with a very moreish malt vinegar flavoured mayonaisse - brill.We left full of the joys about this place and keen to return but what a difference a week made!<br />
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On what was bank holiday Monday the staff looked frazzled and overwhelmed. We were ignored for almost 20 minutes before we got the chance to beg for drinks, then menus and, later, cutlery). We were told they were 'out' of <b>all</b> of their speciality beers but 1(!) and also of onion rings (which would surely be very simple to batter up and fry?)We went for the chicken wings on this occasion which were the worst I've had -<br />
fatty non crispy skin dredged in salty seasoning (but after frying so there was a nasty powdered coating on them). Rank.<br />
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But the biggest disappointment of all was my beloved burgers! They had obviously ran out of the little broiche buns after the busy weekend and had instead sent someone into Lidl for a few packets of broiche finger rolls. The buns were cold and the whole thing slapdash and not a patch on the first time round.<br />
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I will return but cautiously so and really hope these are just teething problems and not complacency setting in so early.<br />
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AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6827566111258700172.post-64823913924022992002013-11-08T08:09:00.003-08:002013-11-08T08:09:55.146-08:00Making a Wedding CakeI know that my friends and family's hearts will sink to see this post appear on their social media feeds. I know they are sick to the back teeth of hearing about this cake. But I promise this is the end of the wedding cake talk, until the next one at least!<br />
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<b>The Finished Product - slightly right of centre but standing!</b></div>
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I had originally been building up to making a wedding cake for my friend Anne for her NYE wedding but when the lovely Patrea asked me about 6 weeks ago to make hers for 1 November, I was certainly not going to refuse!I did have more than a few moments of panic as I remembered I had only made 1 stacked cake ever before (2 tier, this was to be 4), never mind a wedding cake. The bride was incredibly laid back which helped a lot but still, this was someone's WEDDING and I didn't want it to be a mess. So I began to do research - a lot of research!<br />
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<b>Sugarveil Lace</b></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">One site I found to be invaluable was Cake Central, which, if you can get past the occasionally preachy tone of some contributors, </span><span style="text-align: start;"> is an absolute goldmine for info; how to dowel correctly, when to ice, what gumpaste is best, it was all there and I am honestly </span><span style="text-align: start;">indebted to the community there for helping me ensure the cake wasn't a disaster!.</span></div>
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I knew I wanted to take this opportunity to learn as much as I could in the process and in fitting with the bride's preference so decided to make gumpaste roses, handmade pearls and also to use my great (but expensive at 100e a pop) Sugarveil kit.<br />
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<b>Flower Detail</b></div>
I had made roses before in a one day class but they certainly weren't at a standard I would have been happy to put on a cake. So I practiced - a lot. The pearls were a pretty tedious process but I discovered the best way to get them all the same size as to use marzipan spacers to make sure the paste was all the one thickness before cutting with round icing bag tips, rolling and dusting in lustre powder.<br />
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I have a loooong way to go in my cake journey and am certainly no expert but here are some things that might make a first-timer find the process that little bit more managable.<br />
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<b>1) Let go of the search for perfection</b>. If this is your first wedding cake, you are probably not a professional cake baker/decorator. Cut yourself some slack. That's not to say you shouldn't try your best but having a breakdown over a crack in a broken sugarflower or a crack in the icing (in my case!) won't help anyone. Remember, ribbon hides a lot.<br />
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<b>2) Think about how early you need to start your decorations etc and start a week earlier.</b><br />
Even though I did 'a bit (of varying lengths) pretty much each day for 3 weeks, I was still up against it as the date apprached (not to say I didn't enjoy it but it WILL take longer than you think, especially if making anything involving gumpaste decorations.<br />
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<b>3) </b><b>Do not be afraid to freeze ahead</b>. This was one of the many tips I got on Cake Central with many of the (American) professionals in particular saying they freeze all their cakes as a matter of course,<br />
not to save time/get ahead but instead to lock in moisture. I baked mine 4 days ahead and froze them wrapped well in greaseproof paper and cling film and I think they were as moist as if id baked them that morning. You can also freeze your buttercream ahead.<br />
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<b>4) </b><b>Don't scrimp on the sugarpaste</b>. There are a lot of cheaper sugarpastes on the market at the moment (from Aldi etc) and I have used them with varying degrees of success but I'd definitely recommend buying one of the professional brands for such an important cake and definitely one which you have practiced with before. You want to give it and yourself the best possible chance of not cracking under pressure or tearing as you life the big sheet from the table.I used Regalice.<br />
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<b>5) Use tried and tested recipes</b>. Now is not the time to experiment! It can be tempting to try out new things but its probably best to save that for a rainy Saturday afternoon when the stakes aren't so high!<br />
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<b>The face of relief</b></div>
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<b>6) If using, lay a sheet of kitchen roll over your dried gumpaste flowers</b>. I freaked out about a week before the wedding when I saw the fruits of all my hard work start to droop slightly as a result of the high humidity!(damn you Irish weather). I am convinced doing the above helped minimise the damage (that and placing them in a breathable cardboard box).<br />
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<b>7) Do it for the right reasons</b>. I took on this challenge on the first hand to fulfill a request for a friend<br />
but also looked on it as the chance to improve/develop some of my skills. Don't take on a request to make a cake if your heart isn't in it because the stress that WILL follow just won't be worth it and you may start to resent the whole thing!<br />
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Wedding Cake talk is OVER my friends!(now on to Anne's for NYE!;)<br />
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<br />AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6827566111258700172.post-40548631815790193422013-10-13T07:12:00.004-07:002013-10-13T07:12:43.136-07:00Review - Punjabi By Nature, RanelaghI adore Indian food and had paid a visit to <i>The</i> <i>Punjab Balti</i> in Ranelagh an average of about once a month since moving here almost seven years ago. It closed for several months during the summer and has reopened with a new name, new menu (complete with newly increased pricing) and a new look.I had been apprehensive about returning as, for me, it was perfect as it was but finally went for it last Sunday.<br />
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My first impression was that the actual transformation inside doesn't really seem to have justified the long closure. The chairs appear to have been coloured in jewel - tones and there is some nice mosaic detailing around but, apart from new bar area and snazzy purple exterior, it felt very much the same. As before, we were given some poppadoms on arrival.<br />
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I was very disappointed to see that the menu in the new restaurant has been shortened dramatically and a number of the old classics (including my beloved Lamb Saag) taken off or replaced with more Western/Indian fusion dishes. I chose the Goan style scallops to start and they were pretty bland, five of them on a mild sweet 'jus' and with a mint and yogurt drizzle.<br />
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It became really obvious from my main that they must have shed their old kitchen team/ head chef. The Pilau Rice was not a patch on the old recipe and the curry sauce that came with this 'Rib Eye Steak'(read 'Tough Piece of Beef)distinctly lacked the old Punjab magic.(Noo!!!)This was like something I might make on a good day and lacking the Xfactor of old.<br />
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We finished with some Gulab Jamun which were enjoyable but we both agreed (AGAIN) not as nice as before! . This Indian used to stand head and shoulders above others in Dublin. Now it's just 'meh'.</div>
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It wasn't broke but they decided to try to fix it anyway. And it failed. And I am more than a bit sad.AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6827566111258700172.post-54306990563759568652013-09-26T12:08:00.002-07:002013-10-04T04:40:05.390-07:00Dining on P&O's Azura<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I recently returned from a 7 day cruise to the Norwegian Fjords on P&O's <i>Azura</i>. And it was utterly amazing even if the food wasn't always.</div>
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This was my first time on one of this company's ships and I hadn't been expecting a huge deal, it's title evoking images of crammed ferries and an altogether lower grade experience. I couldn't have been more wrong.</div>
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The cabin, for a start, was by far the most spacious and comfortable of any ship I've been on (which are to date RCI's <i>Oasis of the Seas</i>, MSC's <i>Splendida</i> and Celebrity's <i>Constellation</i>). It's difficult to get a sense of it from this picture but it was more like standard hotel room than a ship cabin, including as it did a large walk in wardrobe area and an abundance of storage.</div>
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We made the mistake of going to ship's premium restaurant <i>Seventeen</i> on the second night, a mistake as it was so good the perfectly adequate dining room seemed lacking in comparison. It really was was exquisite; a proper old world dining experience and a real treat (at a cost of £28 per head but worth every penny). However its extremely dim lighting meant that I got no pictures worth posting.We actually went twice, enjoying chateaubriand, prawn and crayfish cocktail and other classics done very very well.</div>
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<i>The Glasshouse</i> is all about wine but they also serve British style tapas dishes and a few mains at an extra charge (for the lunch in the picture above we picked three little dishes each at the reasonable cost of £5 a head. They included mini scotch (quails)eggs, ham terrine with toasts and other lovely things.)</div>
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Michelin chef Atul Kochhar's Indian restaurant <i>Sindhu </i>was what we had been looking forward to the most but actually turned out to be the main let down of the week. There were never more than 9 tables occupied in this huge room any time we passed and it is clear why.</div>
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This was a spiced beef salad which was ok( if a bit fatty.)<br />
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My main was lobster with 'kedgeree' and a sauce that tasted strangely old and stale, like it had been made with out of date spices (perhaps not so unthinkable when you consider the incredibly slow trade they seem to do). This restaurant tries to deliver a British -Indian fusion. I say 'tries to' because curried mushy peas are not something that should ever be served anywhere!Awful! They were one of the sides we got together with some naan bread which seemed to be from a packet (strangely sweet and hard and definitely not authentic). Apparently the main man himself was due on board for the next cruise so perhaps he whipped them into shape....<br />
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In addition, the main dining room was way more hit than miss and the buffet was consistently good - so much so that I found it very hard to break my newly acquired four meal a day habit on my return home. P & O is now right up there with Celebrity as one of my favourite cruise companies. I loved it.<br />
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(And PS Norway, I had absolutely no idea how beautiful you really are!.)</div>
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AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6827566111258700172.post-18923990710472490702013-09-12T02:30:00.003-07:002013-10-04T04:40:29.285-07:00Making Gumpaste Baby Shoes <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I had never used a paper cake decorating template from the internet before but when I saw this one for life-sized little girls' Mary Jane style shoes on the brilliant Cake Central site I knew I had to try it out for a special Christening cake I was making.</div>
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I already have the Jem bootees cutter which gives a pretty good result but I think these take cuteness to a new level. The template is available <a href="http://cakecentral.com/g/i/1688585/a/1689585/hi-guys-finally-heres-the-template-for-the-mary-janes-ive-added-some-pics-of-the-process-and-im-adding-the-written-instructions-as-a-separate-template-if-you-need-any-help-with-these-just-pm-me-and-ill-try-to-help-have-a-safe-and/">here</a></div>
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The base - this was cut out with a craft knife and left to harden slightly whilst the other pieces were cut. It is then flipped over to make the other shoe. </div>
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The other segments must be kept covered though as I have discovered to my detriment that gum-paste hardens - fast!</div>
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The various pieces were fixed together with edible glue but most of the work went into ensuring there was a solid join and that the edges were tucked and curved under the sole and not too 'blunt'. </div>
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I then used a stitching wheel to create a criss-cross effect.</div>
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A little white button finished them off.</div>
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All in all I was really happy with the results and chose to use these on the cake over the Jem bootees I had also made. Here they are on the cake - daisies for a little Daisy.</div>
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AnniesAppetitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656327034637718142noreply@blogger.com6