tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40973546865939755022011-12-19T10:23:38.960-08:00A high maintenance girl's guide to cooking and eating out!alexthepinknoreply@blogger.comBlogger991100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-59633394437829113742010-03-02T14:27:00.000-08:002010-03-02T14:27:15.075-08:00

Yes folks, this is the last post on the Princess and the Recipe. After two years, I just don't have the time any more, and have decided to focus on other projects. I've come a long way since I first started the blog. It all started when I was living in Hong Kong and, with a miniscule kitchen and more restaurants than you could shake a stick at, I was eating out more than ever before. I started

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-49780718283802324532010-01-10T10:07:00.000-08:002010-01-10T10:07:11.421-08:00

Yes, I know. It's January. We all should be dieting, exercising or being otherwise virtuous to purge ourselves of our Christmas sins. But when the weather's this cold and wintry, all I want to do is curl up with some sickly-sweet carbs, and this soft and luscious fudge ticks my boxes.  If you're on a diet, cut them small and share them with your friends! Ginger & honey fudge (from Life is

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-7692561291742353662009-12-08T13:12:00.000-08:002009-12-08T13:12:22.695-08:00

I am not a sprout lover.  Over-boiled, cabbagey, dull little bullets are really not my thing, but a bag of them turned up in my vegetable box this week and I was determined to make something tasty with them. The internet yielded some interesting recipes, all claiming to convert sprout-haters to sprout-o-philes in the blink of an eye.  Heidi Swanson's recipe involved both frying and cheese,

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-58208191311067804662009-12-03T07:58:00.000-08:002009-12-03T07:58:40.596-08:00

What makes a perfect meringue?  In my view, it's a light crispy shell leading to a chewy, teeth-sticking interior.  If it can look pretty too, then that's a bonus.  Meringues are great for pavlovas, or just to ladle fruit over, and are the perfect way to use up any left over egg whites that you might have hanging around after making custard or mayonnaise from the yolks. Meringues are not

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-50987879017847735942009-12-02T08:00:00.000-08:002009-12-02T08:00:05.460-08:00

The view from the stage I trekked up to Birmingham for the Good Food Show last week, and spent the morning navigating the hungry hordes before having a delicious three course VIP lunch with the Miele crowd.  After a quick meet and greet with the Hairy Bikers, we were whisked off for a cookery experience with Mark Lloyd, head chef at The Cleave Inn.  What Miele had neglected to tell us was that

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-91451901688356644522009-12-01T11:33:00.000-08:002009-12-01T12:28:32.589-08:00

I am a huge Domestic Sluttery fan, so when they asked me for a guest post I couldn't resist.  Especially as it gave me the chance to develop (or should I say devour) a deliciously boozy hot choco-cocktail!

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-88346252942601143952009-11-18T14:12:00.000-08:002009-11-18T14:12:48.110-08:00

The blogosphere has been buzzing with Blaggers' Banquet talk lately.  In case you missed it, last Sunday 50 food and wine bloggers took over Hawksmoor restaurant in London in a huge charity blogging event.  We blagged and blagged til our slippery tongues could blag no more.  All the ingredients for the dinner, the wine, the goodie bags and a fantastic selection of auction prizes were blagged

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-86402908166803811962009-11-14T08:48:00.000-08:002009-11-14T08:49:24.321-08:00

The Westerly is a bit of a local favourite. With a bib gourmand under its belt since 2008, it is a modern British bistro run by husband and wife team Jon and Cynthia Coomb. Praise has been heaped on the Westerly since it opened in 2007, with even Jay Rayner and Simon Majumdar trekking down from London to review it. Jay described it as “stunning” while Simon pronounced it “almost flawless”. 

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-32305107469195391482009-11-08T11:26:00.000-08:002009-11-08T12:07:42.865-08:00

On November 15th, London's Food & Drink Bloggers will be taking over Hawksmoor, the revered steakhouse in Liverpool St, for the Blaggers’ Banquet.  The Blaggers’ Banquet will be an exciting 5 course dinner with matched drinks, created entirely by the bloggers, and using only food and drink that we have blagged. All proceeds will go to Action Against Hunger. Bloggers will be the cooks and the

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-46054412873260978592009-11-05T04:57:00.000-08:002009-11-05T04:59:31.100-08:00

Underground restaurants are definitely the latest big thing, although the trend actually hit British shores over 9 months ago when the mysterious MsMarmiteLover started her supper club in Kilburn. The scene seems to have really captured the media's imagination recently. Whether it be incompetent restauranteurs making a meal of it in their own homes or in front of Raymond Blanc, duff amateur

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-81658271325669501622009-11-04T04:43:00.000-08:002009-11-04T04:43:54.424-08:00

Gourmet San is the stuff of foodie legend. World class szechuan cuisine? Check. Gritty East London location? Check. Huge portions? Check. Rock bottom prices? Check. After a disappointing time at Polpo, it was a relief to find that budget food in London can be tasty and great value. Gourmet San is clean and simple, with service swift and as friendly as could be expected with little language in

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-16468458199456499682009-11-02T08:00:00.000-08:002009-11-02T08:00:05.935-08:00

Gordon Ramsay's latest book, launched to coincide with the new series of The F Word, is a whistlestop tour of ten of the world's cuisines.  The book starts in France (of course) and ends in the USA, via the Middle East, Thailand, China, India, Spain, Italy, Greece and Britain. It would be easy to dismiss this as the latest output from the GR marketing machine, 10 cuisines in 100 recipes is

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-41052905922935408962009-10-28T05:51:00.000-07:002009-10-28T05:51:22.880-07:00

What makes a great cupcake? Pink glitter and spangles or great-tasting all-natural ingredients? If you ask Bea, she'd say the latter. Bea's of Bloomsbury is built around the principle of taste over looks, although the cupcakes (just one of the many delicious treats Bea sells in her coffee & cake place near Chancery Lane) look pretty good to me. Last Thursday I tried a cupcake decorating class

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-31467882976571588122009-10-20T08:30:00.000-07:002009-10-20T08:30:00.054-07:00

After the recent excesses of London Restaurant Festival, the blogosphere has been buzzing with reviews of Koffman’s pop-up restaurant on the roof at Selfridges. However, your faithful correspondent here at Princess Towers decided to investigate the Gourmet Odyssey instead (or rather, couldn't get a table at Koffman's). The Odyssey consisted of a huge blow-out Michelin starred lunch, with each

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-5505637555813247582009-10-18T12:17:00.000-07:002009-10-18T12:17:46.572-07:00

It's autumn, and with leaves falling from the trees and the nights drawing in I felt compelled to spend a few hours over the stove, stirring something sweet and comforting.  Jam is pretty easy to make - in this case you just take equal quantities of plums and sugar, and optionally jazz it up with some spices.  I used about 10 plums and filled two 500g Le Parfait jars, with a bit left over to

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-18816723092947190182009-10-17T08:10:00.000-07:002009-10-22T00:37:37.230-07:00

The occasion: the award ceremony to distribute prizes from a disastrous food quiz way back in February; the attendees: Helen of Food Stories, Chris of Cheese and Biscuits, Su Lin of Tamarind & Thyme and yours truly; the venue: Polpo, the latest hot "Venetian tapas" restaurant opening in Soho. While Venice isn't exactly known for its food, our expectations of Polpo were high after its

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-10592630983549452752009-10-11T13:10:00.000-07:002009-10-18T13:49:23.806-07:00

When James of Back to the Chopping Board and Julia of A Taste of Cherry Pie came up with the idea of a blogging event to honour Keith Floyd, I had to join in.  Keith was an eccentric character who really put the fun into food, and my earliest memories of TV cookery were of him and his frequent "quick slurps" of wine whilst whipping up something homely and delicious. I decided to adapt this

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-54219007841771566612009-10-03T06:51:00.000-07:002009-10-03T06:52:19.520-07:00

After a hearty lunch at the Hind's Head in Bray, we continued our drive down the M4.  Well, he drove and I slept - I was full of grouse and treacle tart after all. Our destination for the weekend was Hunstrete House Hotel, a beautiful country pile with a 2 rosette restaurant, hidden away south-west of Bath. No dinner here for us, as we were off to a wedding for the evening, but I couldn't

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-1414183160169864722009-09-28T13:22:00.000-07:002009-09-28T13:56:37.416-07:00

We had a long and dull drive down the M4 to Bristol on Saturday, and what better way to break the journey than by stopping for lunch in Bray?The Hind's Head is a pub. Heston Blumenthal's pub to be precise. An expensive pub, but still just a pub. It is charming and quaint, with beams and smiley waitresses and awkward family gatherings and Japanese tourists and screaming babies. We were seated

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-19422118468598401422009-09-20T12:22:00.000-07:002009-10-18T13:50:23.276-07:00

Remember the Miele steam oven, which I raved about back in March after trying it out at their test centre in Oxfordshire? Well, it's now sitting proudly in my kitchen and helping me turn out dish after dish of perfect rice and veges. In order to test the oven to the max, Miele asked me to host a dinner party. A sort of steamy Come Dine With Me, without the snippy comments and £1000 prize money.

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-31269651941939637802009-09-10T13:34:00.000-07:002009-09-10T13:57:05.996-07:00

I was lucky enough to be invited to a pre-screening of Julie & Julia last week, along with heaps of other food bloggers. I really enjoyed the film, it's a combination of the book-from-a-blog "Julie and Julia" and Julia Child's autobiography "My Life in France". While Julie is a bit of a whingey, self-obsessed loser who doesn't deserve her angelic husband, the story of Julia and her lifelong love

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-41005100935488441552009-08-19T08:19:00.000-07:002009-08-19T08:30:48.846-07:00

This is a super-easy vegetarian dish that could work as a starter or as a main if you served it with a heap of brown rice or cous cous. It's healthy and tasty too, I love the combination of sweet pepper, salty feta and tangy pesto.Peppers with feta & pesto - serves 4 as a starterIngredients2 red peppers, halved and de-seeded1 block of feta cheese, cubed4 tbsps pestoInstructions1) Preheat the

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-30188848210127812042009-07-01T09:06:00.000-07:002009-07-01T09:23:40.893-07:00

I've always been a bit scared of spatchcocking, there's something rather violent about the way the word sounds. It makes me think of kneecapping, or knuckledusting. This Saturday though, I steeled my nerves and set about my chicken with new abandon. And I was relieved to find it wasn't even that difficult.To spatchcock, if you're not familiar with the term, is to remove the backbone of the

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-180031942772842622009-06-21T10:06:00.000-07:002009-08-19T08:31:19.604-07:00

They may look fiddly, but once you get going these tomato and goat's cheese canapes are pretty simple. I used an icing gun to fill the tomato shells, but you could use a traditional piping bag or just wodge it in with a teaspoon/finger if you're not fussy.Tomato & goat's cheese canapes(adapted from In the Mood for Food by Jo Pratt - a fantastic book)Ingredients30 cherry tomatoes (go for large

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-15525267008218719832009-06-03T01:24:00.000-07:002009-06-05T13:12:33.559-07:00

Before anyone starts complaining, this is most definitely NOT a traditional bobotie! Bobotie is a traditional South African dish, a bit like a curried moussaka with a wobbly custard topping. I took my inspiration from the version in Galton Blackiston's new book Summertime.For my version I used chunks of rabbit rather than minced lamb, apricot jam instead of quince jelly and whiskey instead of

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-89847304877237168182009-05-31T04:37:00.000-07:002009-06-01T02:50:34.186-07:00

“That is one of the best smells in the world”, says Martyn, leaning over his saucepan of foaming butter and garlic. All five of us watch him avidly as he demonstrates just how long our garlic should cook for before we throw in the tomatoes.I’m at Recipease, in a lurid pink building in Western Road, Brighton, a newly opened cookery school – cum – grocery - cum - foodie community hub, and another

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-34992750781319259712009-05-24T10:58:00.000-07:002009-05-25T13:24:57.048-07:00

Thanks to a tweet from Niamh at Eat Like a Girl, I discovered that Waitrose are now selling pig cheeks amongst other "forgotten cuts" of meat. And a bargain they are too, with 300g setting me back just over a quid. They're best cooked slow and long, braised in wine or in my case, cider.Pig cheeks in cider (serves 2)Ingredients4 - 6 pig cheeksLarge knob of butter500ml cider1 onion, diced4 cloves

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-30866053272373323082009-04-12T23:46:00.000-07:002009-04-20T05:49:29.112-07:00

A Taste of McClements is a little bit off the beaten track, but I'm never one to resist a tasting menu. There are no difficult decisions to be made, no finding that you've chosen the wrong thing and really need to eat you partner's meal instead of (or as well as) your own. Everything's simple with a tasting menu, just pay up and tuck in. And at John McClements' eponymously named restaurant

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-35674121226660876312009-03-21T08:33:00.000-07:002009-09-20T13:24:31.793-07:00

Last Tuesday a lucky group of food bloggers was treated to a day in Miele's Experience Centre, to cook some St Patrick's Day fare and test out the technology. I travelled down to Oxfordshire along with Joanna of Joanna's Food, Joy of Almanzo's Belly, Sam of Antics of a Cycling Cook, and my namesake Alex from Just Cook It.The theme of the day was, of course, Irish recipes. After some coffee and

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-85762463661950688592009-03-14T10:06:00.000-07:002009-03-18T03:35:37.252-07:00

Yauatcha, Broadwick StTucked away in the heart of Soho lies London's second Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant. Formerly part of Alan Yau's empire, Yauatcha takes dim sum to a chic new level. Luxe ingredients like caviar, scallops and even gold leaf add some bling to the traditional Cantonese "little pieces of heart".The decor is sleek and sexy, with low tables lit by candles, fish tanks and

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-72447456710915130092009-02-09T10:24:00.000-08:002009-02-09T11:29:32.452-08:00

If, like me, you've been drooling over Helen's Pomegranate Duck with Caramelised Pears, then you'll need to get your hands on some pomegranate molasses. I trawled all my local supermarkets for this middle eastern ingredient, but my searching was in vain. Unfortunately Surrey doesn't seem to be quite cosmopolitan enough to stock such delicacies. However, a few minutes of internet research

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-6547805684185217782009-01-15T10:04:00.000-08:002009-01-15T10:40:06.059-08:00

Duck has to be one of my favourite meats, it's rich, dark, moist and tasty. According to Saint McGee, this richness is down to the the duck's abundant "myoglobin-rich" muscle fibres, a necessity when you need to fly hundreds of miles on the trot. It certainly puts the lazy old chicken to shame.When out on the town, I can be almost guaranteed to choose duck confit if available, and I really miss

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-69182894460088709182009-01-04T04:24:00.000-08:002009-01-04T05:37:57.496-08:00

Happy new year everyone! I'm back from my trip to Istanbul, and what a trip it was. Meatballs, baklava and fireworks were as fabulous as I expected. Snow and seagulls were less anticipated but no less spectacular.We stayed at the Ibrahim Pasha hotel, sadly more expensive than we originally intended due to the weak pound, a gorgeous boutique hotel right in the heart of Sultanahmet. We were

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-64532169295867585042008-12-23T11:26:00.000-08:002008-12-23T11:33:19.702-08:00

I have a huge blogging backlog, but thanks to the flu have got a bit behind on putting things up here. But in 2009 you can look forward to a review of Pearl restaurant and bar, a luscious Thai duck and green been curry, the bf attempting a credit crunching meal for two for 10 pounds and a write up of my forthcoming New Year trip to Istanbul.In the mean time, feast your eyes on my

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-21104777092767927822008-12-01T10:31:00.000-08:002008-12-01T11:04:54.175-08:00

On my way down to Hampshire to visit the Princess family this weekend, I took the opportunity to have breakfast at Little Chef. And before you ask, this was not just any Little Chef. The Popham branch has been made over by none other than Mr Heston Blumenthal as part of a forthcoming Channel 4 documentary.The shabby Little Chef of old has been refitted in a retro, fifties diner style in red and

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-3950628772969861462008-11-26T11:04:00.000-08:002008-11-26T11:21:12.855-08:00

It may not look like much, but I really love this strange fusion rub for salmon, courtesy of Nigella's How To Eat, who in turn took it from Neil Stuart's Pacifica Blue Plates.Nigella adapted Neil's original recipe to remove the cocoa, but I put it back in and loved the outcome. It's sweet, spicy and hot all at the same time, and super-quick so perfect for after a hard day in the office.Sugar

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-55150945319133380032008-11-21T08:36:00.000-08:002008-11-21T09:19:38.632-08:00

After a wild night out watching the Mighty Boosh in Brighton, the bf and I needed sustenance before our drive home. And we definitely found it at small-but-perfectly-formed Japanese restaurant Pompoko.Pompoko is very cheap, very cheerful and very popular judging by the amount of people eating at 10.30pm. It's the perfect place for a quick late night bite to eat and also does takeaway. We

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-43094935821725728952008-11-16T10:49:00.000-08:002008-11-18T10:35:13.426-08:00

Not to be confused with coconut macaroons…macarons are a sugary French delicacy, think little domed, almondy meringue biscuits sandwiched together with something sticky and decadent. They are a treat I'd tried in Parisian cafés but never been brave enough to bake before. However with some encouragement from Niamh of Trusted Places, moral support from a whole host of fellow food bloggers (Lizzie,

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-20969071918922753042008-11-08T02:43:00.000-08:002008-11-08T03:04:20.854-08:00

I'm back from the wilderness, the arctic tundra to be precise, where I've been spotting polar bears, braving blizzards and, of course, finding all the best places to eat.First, let me just say that Churchill, Manitoba, Canada is NOT a gourmet destination. With a population of around 900 people and no roads linking it to the rest of the country, Churchill has something of a captive audience. And

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-36166046156649597622008-10-20T11:13:00.000-07:002008-10-20T11:23:03.556-07:00

It was officially Chocolate Week last week, so to celebrate I made a batch of this easy chocolate and peanut "fudge". It's very addictive and I ended up feeding it to my colleagues to stop myself eating the whole box!Chocolate and Peanut FudgeIngredients200g smooth peanut butter250g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces (or buy chips)Two large handfulls of marshmallows1 tsp vanilla extract1

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-81333325992633401132008-10-06T00:25:00.000-07:002008-10-06T00:32:28.863-07:00

It was pouring this Sunday, but I still managed to find some tasty food and entertainment indoors at Spitalfields and the Brick Lane Upmarket...

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-53986573482206221482008-09-27T13:43:00.000-07:002008-09-27T13:56:31.338-07:00

I have been slaving away for three days this week on a Professional Chocolate Wedding Cakes course at the Barry Callebaut Academy in Banbury, Oxfordshire (courtesy of Squires Kitchen School). My classmates and I were ably instructed by the Academy's lovely UK head, Beverley Dunkley, who took us from complete novices on Monday morning to the proud parents of some very respectable two-tier

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-37842075193697978652008-09-20T05:59:00.000-07:002008-09-21T06:45:29.707-07:00

Ever since I saw Fergus Henderson demoing it at Covent Garden night market, I have wanted to have a go at making Trotter Gear. It's a simple recipe, just a traditional stew with trotters in, shredded, strained and cooled into a wobbly, gelatinous block of loveliness. It can then be used as an ingredient to intensify any slow cooked stew or casserole - if you're in need of inspiration, take a

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-8140497023446429342008-09-14T06:09:00.000-07:002008-09-14T07:46:08.802-07:00

I got up at a ridiculous time yesterday and made the 170 mile journey to Ludlow for the annual food festival. With 130 stalls, tastings galore and numerous other activities going on over the long weekend, it is a mecca for foodies all over the UK.Highlight of the day was definitely the sausage trail - we tasted five sausages from different butchers scattered around the town square and rated them

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-4093578974698201182008-09-07T10:26:00.001-07:002008-09-07T10:50:44.336-07:00

It's been a horrible, wet weekend in Surrey so there was only one thing to do - stay in and bake! I found this recipe on one of those free cards you get in the supermarket. I substituted yellow plums, although you could easily use the red variety, greengages or various other fruit (raspberries might go nicely).Moist Plum Cake with Vanilla Ripple - makes 10 large pieces400g plums, chopped

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-35234888102589533332008-08-31T10:41:00.000-07:002008-08-31T11:04:47.607-07:00

It was rainy all day today (with a bit of thunder and lightning thrown in) so I skipped the Chilli Crab Festival in Brick Lane and stayed in for an indoor photo session instead. And, once I'd podded the peas I had to make something tasty with them so here is the result...I have to admit to being terribly unhealthy and only really enjoying a salad if it contains bacon, cheese or chicken! This

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-26574535219371572702008-08-26T12:59:00.001-07:002008-08-26T13:21:43.521-07:00

It looks like sand and it tastes like...something fruity, sour and zingy. Sometimes substituted by lemon or lime juice, or even tamarind, amchur (or amchoor) is an ingredient made from dried mangoes and gives a delicious cheek-sucking tartness to North Indian curries and other dishes.Inspired by The Second Pancake's Chana Masala, I dashed out to buy some amchur from Delhi India to top off this

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-13878092679794962662008-08-17T07:52:00.001-07:002008-08-17T08:03:00.080-07:00

Tis the season for blackberries, and I was lucky enough to get to these beauties before the birds in my garden did! Sadly, I didn't have quite enough to feed both myself and the bf, so these foraged finds were bolstered with a punnet from Waitrose.Blackberry fool (or any fool, for that matter) is incredibly easy - just whip up some double cream, mash the blackberries and a couple of

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-87079683856062381142008-08-12T10:37:00.001-07:002008-08-14T11:27:01.643-07:00

Don't these look delicious? I just love greengages, but they never seem to appear in the shops very often, so when I saw a big punnet in Waitrose last week I rushed home with them and turned them into a delicious greengage sorbet. Greengages are a particularly sweet and tasty variety of plum, originally from France and are in season from July until the end of September.The recipe was inspired

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-54099371947509804722008-08-09T11:18:00.000-07:002008-08-09T13:44:38.778-07:00

Covent Garden night markets are back and in full swing for 2008, from 3pm-10pm on Thursdays and 12pm-9pm on Fridays throughout August. My 3 top picks from last Friday are...1. Tasty pigeon and peach sausages from the lovely lady at Manor Farm Game - if you can't make it to the night market then they can also be found on Sundays at Marylebone and various other markets all listed on their

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-49549378071169527572008-08-04T14:27:00.000-07:002008-08-05T11:15:05.410-07:00

I made this gorgeously vibrant Harissa paste last night to marinate some chicken for this evening's meal, but it can be used in many ways, much like a curry paste. It originates from North Africa and can be used to spice up anything from vegetables to lamb. Mixed with yoghurt it makes a great marinade.I used part of a recipe from my favourite book of the moment - Ottolenghi - the cookbook. The

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-81269140358603291392008-08-03T13:22:00.000-07:002008-08-03T15:13:36.921-07:00

I'm thrilled to have received a Tree of Happiness award from Beth at Cloth and Fodder. Please do check Beth's blog out - she has some fabulous creations including an octopus cake and even a spider hunting wasp cake!6 things that make me happy:1. Dancing in the kitchen with my lovely bf2. When I bake a cake and it disappears in a flash3. The colour pink4. Growing my own herbs from

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-64947926198660672972008-08-02T11:33:00.000-07:002008-08-02T11:33:00.401-07:00

I love love love steak, and have been eating it regularly since being on the South Beach diet (it's a great diet!). All these ideas are meant to serve four, however I have used them for just the two of us and drizzled the spare sticky juices over the top.I have been using 28 day aged steaks from Waitrose lately. They are a bit more expensive than the standard variety but taste fabulous and I

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-18983745081225756112008-07-31T14:00:00.000-07:002008-07-31T14:00:01.010-07:00

This must be one of my favourite recipes of the moment - it's inspired by (and is a simplified version of) a recipe from the Cafe Paradiso cookbook. If you haven't tried this book, I would definitely recommend it, even if you're not a vegetarian. The recipes are beautiful, super-tasty and make great show off cooking if you're catering for veggies at a dinner party. I haven't yet been to Cafe

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-64628357298773483962008-07-29T12:48:00.000-07:002008-07-29T13:41:49.602-07:00

I may be high maintenance, but I also know how to save the pennies when I need to, and even Gordon Ramsay is feeling the credit crunch! Here are a few ideas for surviving the bleak financial times whilst still chowing down on something tasty at the end of the day...1. Grow your ownI've been growing coriander, basil and chillies - it's pretty easy, saves money and feels even more satisfying when

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-24911622965441234762008-07-24T11:01:00.000-07:002008-07-24T11:36:55.051-07:00

I'm just making my way through this month's Olive magazine, and came across a few YouTube classics for your delectation...plus a few of my own discoveries.Jamie's Rap from Harry HillGordon's food song (not for the easily offended)Vic and Bob do MasterChef (the Lloyd Grossman version!) I also found a rather apt Nigella impression, complete with melons, but sadly not embeddable.Enjoy!

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-82299506238663616282008-07-20T09:29:00.001-07:002008-07-21T12:54:59.500-07:00

I have made a lot of chocolate brownies over the last few years, but this recipe (thoroughly tested on my friends and colleagues) has been by far the most enthusiastically received!I made them without nuts, but you could add walnut pieces or even white choc chips or glace cherries.The interior should be deliciously fudgey, whilst the top should be crisp and cracked.Best ever chocolate brownies (

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-89080563951868794972008-07-17T13:48:00.000-07:002008-07-17T14:55:17.968-07:00

I am reliably informed that the fantastic Covent Garden night market is coming back to London this summer, starting on the 7th and 8th of August and taking place every Thursday and Friday throughout the month.Last summer, the market was open until 10pm each night, and was packed with goodies like meat from the Ginger Pig and tasty cupcakes from Violet.This year, the added bonus is the kitchen

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-30171516158515643882008-07-15T23:27:00.000-07:002008-07-16T00:40:52.742-07:00

Look up "cheap Mexican London" on Google and the first thing you'll find is a map to Wahaca, Thomasina Miers of MasterChef fame's budget eatery in Covent Garden. It's not your typical tex-mex and, although the ambience is somewhat school-canteen like, the relaxed attitude, low prices, tasty nosh and laid-back staff make it a fun night out with friends. In particular I would recommend the summer

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-36712045544879306082008-07-12T14:01:00.001-07:002008-07-12T14:38:43.693-07:00

I came home from the Knife Skills course at Leiths today and the first thing that I did was cut myself on my food processor...there's a lesson in there somewhere!But anyway, the course was great and we made a few tasty things along the way as by-products from our precise slicing and dicing.Tomato & basil salsa2 tomatoesA bunch of basil1 shallot1. Chiffonade the basil2. Cut the tomatoes into

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-40131953267953150622008-07-09T13:37:00.000-07:002008-07-21T12:57:40.980-07:00

Kate Coldrick over at A Merrier World is running a blogging event to publicise the very worthy cause of chicken welfare, so I thought I must join in. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's Chicken Out campaign really hit home to me, and I now always buy free range chicken. It really does pay off in terms of taste and texture, so the foodie in me is satisfied too.I used free range chicken breasts from

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-37996932636103916262008-07-06T13:10:00.000-07:002008-07-21T12:56:07.967-07:00

Yes, it's been a while. I've been spending the last six months buying a new house (with a fab kitchen naturally!), moving jobs, travelling the Baltics and losing weight on the South Beach diet.So, to celebrate my return, I offer you this slow cooked fabulousness...Serves 2-4 depending on appetiteLuscious lamb600g lamb shoulder1 sprig fresh rosemary or a hefty pinch of dried (I use Seasoned

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-25095268694138979892008-01-23T05:41:00.000-08:002008-01-24T08:33:54.202-08:00

Well done to the Westerly!Jon and Cynthia have done Reigate proud by achieving a Bib Gourmand in the 2008 Michelin Guide for their fab modern bistro, The Westerly.Other new Bib Gourmand entries in England were...AROUND ENGLANDThe Pipe & Glass Inn, Beverley/South Dalton, East RidingPascal’s, Birmingham, West MidlandsThe Royal Oak, Bray-on-Thames, BerkshireGinger Pig, Brighton & Hove, West

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-63583217986609574532008-01-16T09:45:00.000-08:002008-01-16T09:50:28.993-08:00

Word on the street is that the fiendish McDonalds is setting up shop in my lovely, sleepy market town of Reigate. I could cope with Starbucks, but not this. I thought Reigate was supposed to be the New Wimbledon? Thank goodness we still have a fantastic greengrocer, butcher and lovely restaurants!

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-47931220626309948712007-12-17T05:31:00.000-08:002008-07-21T12:56:30.163-07:00

If, like me, you're not a coffee lover but you've always been tempted by the creamy delights of tiramisu, then here is an alternative version using Earl Grey tea and zingy limoncello. This has all the calorific overindulgence but none of the coffee flavour of the traditional Italian dessert.Serves 4Ingredients150ml double cream250ml marscapone2 tblsps limoncello1 tblsps vanilla extract100ml

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-85837909215067022672007-12-04T23:26:00.000-08:002007-12-04T23:40:17.061-08:00

I had an absolute blast at the BBC Good Food Show on Saturday, Gordon Ramsay was on form (despite being hung over from birthday celebrations the night before), the stalls were fab and I really enjoyed watching the participants in the Gordon Ramsay Scholar - definitely some future stars in the making.My absolute favourite treat (after many, many tastings!) was from the Snowdonia Cheese Company -

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-29643387185400890522007-11-30T13:29:00.000-08:002009-07-01T09:28:39.090-07:00

Pomegranates can be tricky blighters, but not when you have the knack!1. Score the skin of the pomegranate from top to bottom, with a sharp knife.2. Submerge the fruit in a bowl of cold water.3. Peel it underwater, then pull apart the seeds.4. The skin and pith will float to the top so they're easily discarded, and the seeds will all sink.5. Drain and enjoy!And once you've done that, why not try

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-64303910349547444432007-11-13T13:21:00.000-08:002008-07-21T12:56:57.455-07:00

I must admit this was a bit of an experiment, but luckily for me (and the BF) it was a successful one second time around! Inspired by my latest book purchase, McGee on Food & Cooking, and being prematurely in the Christmas spirit but not quite ready for cranberry sauce, I decided to try and make some cranberry sorbet instead.McGee's is a fabulous book, especially for geeky science types like me.

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-43647686795641902452007-11-12T08:20:00.000-08:002007-11-12T08:38:23.148-08:00

I know, I know - more butternut squash! But bear with me, this really is a delicious, seasonal and healthy vegetarian after-work supper.Serves 4Ingredients1 butternut squash6 tomatoes, quartered1 bag of baby spinach1 onion, diced3tsps curry paste (I like madras, but choose any tomato based paste to your taste)Olive oilSea salt200g couscousA handful of coriander1. Peel and cut the butternut

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-6632406468963852052007-11-10T10:27:00.000-08:002007-11-10T10:34:03.527-08:00

As you would expect, the new batch of December editions are all about Christmas food. Here's the roundup:*Best for loads of content is Delicious with their biggest issue ever and input from Gordon (fave cookbooks) and Nigella (tasty nibbles).*Best for a traditional Christmas with all the trimmings is Good Food with either goose or turkey and a full time-plan*Best for young, free and singles is

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-25742040101759060002007-11-07T05:24:00.000-08:002007-11-07T05:26:47.945-08:00

Makes 36 mini-tartlets or one 12" tartIngredients - Pastry 250g plain flour 125g butter, pre-frozen 1 egg 2 tbsp iced water A pinch of salt - Filling 1 butternut squash, cut in half lengthways. Reserve the seeds - they are a delicious snack if you clean them off, toss in sea salt and olive oil and roast in the oven for a few minutes. 1 tbsp olive oil 4 eggs 3 egg yolks (don't

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-33720352565084238742007-10-28T10:20:00.000-07:002007-10-30T04:23:40.818-07:00

I am currently almost at the end of the Divertimenti Cooking With Confidence course and absolutely loving every minute of it. Our teacher Sarah Benjamin (a fabulously energetic chef, importer and now co-author of The Borough Market Cookbook - Meat and Fish) is an absolute star and has been imbueing us with a myriad of useful hints and tips over the last few weeks. One really useful one is how

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-36708345028001036402007-10-26T07:34:00.000-07:002007-10-26T07:34:10.337-07:00

I have been having a soup frenzy since being back in the UK, it's something about the delicious crisp weather we've been having that makes me want to curl up on the sofa with something hot, hearty and comforting. This recipe is inspired by an Ainsley Harriott number, with extra chillies for a bit of a kick.Ingredients8 vine ripened tomatoes, cut into halves1 red onion, cut into quarters1 head of

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-40666963596593981412007-10-24T06:37:00.000-07:002007-10-28T11:06:20.209-07:00

One of the places I have been missing whilst I've been in Hong Kong is the Arkle Manor, near Dorking in Surrey. It is a traditional looking and huge country pub, with a refreshingly modern menu. This is no gastro-pub though, more a reasonably priced and tasty modern restaurant that just happens to have a bar with huge log fires to lounge by after you've finished your meal. It is very family

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-19334045272678490992007-10-06T19:52:00.000-07:002007-10-06T19:52:24.692-07:00

This is it - after seven months living in Hong Kong we're heading back home to the UK today. In honour of our move I thought a list of the best bits of Hong Kong wouldn't go amiss. If you're planning a holiday here or moving over to work then these might just come in handy. So with no further ado, these are my top Hong Kong foodie experiences:1. Indulge in some high end dining at Hutong, Felix,

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-27526162452153268532007-10-02T16:38:00.000-07:002007-10-03T05:54:06.289-07:00

Our time in Hong Kong is drawing to a close, and for the grand finale what better place to dine than Hutong? The decor is dark and sultry, the view is spectacular and the food is contemporary Northern Chinese cuisine at its absolute best. This is my favourite restaurant in Hong Kong, and quite possibly in the world...so far!We chose our three favourite dishes from previous visits - first the

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-61960179327766711862007-10-01T04:18:00.001-07:002007-10-01T04:24:56.356-07:00

To celebrate National Day of the PRC (or, more importantly, the fact that we get a bank holiday because of it), the BF and I decided to head to Yung Kee. This restaurant prides itself in being the only Chinese restaurant to make the Fortune Best 15 in the World (in 1968!) and is famous for its roast goose.The restaurant is easy to find and, although it is just a stone's throw away from the ex-pat

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-61510098213618773072007-09-27T05:23:00.000-07:002007-09-27T05:42:52.522-07:00

It was Mid-Autumn Festival on Tuesday and I thought I would share with you a traditional delicacy that is everywhere in Hong Kong this time of year - the mooncake.First though, I must apologise for the atrociously out-of-focus photo. I have been suffering from the flu and for most of this week I've been shaking like a leaf, hence the ropey shot.Mooncakes have an unusual taste and are probably

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-80787041934275520212007-09-25T02:32:00.000-07:002007-09-25T02:36:13.820-07:00

A lot of people think using chopsticks is difficult but if you're visiting Hong Kong and want to try the authentic local food you will need to brush up on both your skills and etiquette. Here are a few dos and don'ts to help make life a little easier... DO have a go - most of my Chinese colleagues have been very impressed when I've tried to eat with chopsticks, however lame the attempt. DON'T

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-13393043047737760142007-09-22T05:25:00.000-07:002007-09-22T16:42:28.786-07:00

Niamh over at Eat Like a Girl has some beautiful photos of a Parisian food market on her blog, and this inspired me to visit the Central wet market here in Hong Kong.The wet market is full of stalls selling "wet goods", i.e. fruit, vegetables, meat and fish. Certainly beats Park 'n Shop anyday!The terrible thing is that the Central market is under threat from developers - currently there are

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-38984933905587459712007-09-21T19:58:00.000-07:002007-09-21T20:21:59.932-07:00

One of the big things I miss about the UK is cheese, and judging by recent press my fellow countrymen back home are enjoying it more than ever. Alex James of Blur fame has been posting The Cheese Diaries as part of the fabulous Observer Food Monthly blog.There's cheese tasting and cheese making galore at the Great British Cheese Festival, a two day extravaganza being held in Oxfordshire by the

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-7596351438673925092007-09-20T05:23:00.000-07:002007-09-22T16:42:12.409-07:00

It seemed fitting that I should share with you a few regal recipes from around the blogosphere so here are my top five of the moment: 1. The Culinary Princess, over in Oz, has some fantastically gooey looking brownies and a fab post about Bangkok seafood market on her site.2. Food Blogga is a girl after my own heart with her love of high quality ingredients, and she doesn't stint on her

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-15334002936470674342007-09-17T22:43:00.001-07:002007-09-18T23:17:47.330-07:00

I am absolutely in love with these Munchler's lunch boxes. they're oh-so-cute and perfect for kick-starting a healthy take-your-lunch-to-work (or school!) regime, sadly they're only available in the US though.

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-10161418342096942192007-09-17T22:15:00.001-07:002007-09-21T17:32:04.454-07:00

Some crazy guys and girls in London are getting together for the world's largest underwater dinner, held at The Park Club in West London. Seats are limited and are 100quid a head, all for charity, with ballgown (from Gharani Strok no less) or tux included. With expert diving instruction from the masters at The London School of Diving, a PADI 5* Centre, there's no need to worry if you've never

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-41640702080375205572007-09-15T23:33:00.001-07:002007-09-18T23:18:06.575-07:00

We've just got back from a fantastic weekend in Macau. Only 40 miles away from Hong Kong and easily reached by ferry, it seemed like the perfect getaway for our last month in Asia.Macau is another Special Administrative Region like Hong Kong and was handed back to China by the Portuguese in 1999. There are still a lot of mediterranean influences there, both architecturally and food-wise, giving

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-90964482554314176302007-09-11T05:22:00.000-07:002007-10-01T04:37:09.458-07:00

We had some delicious Peking duck at Spring Deer in Mody Rd, TST at the weekend. I highly recommend this place, but don't come expecting luxury. This is a proper, noisy, authentic Chinese restaurant complete with fluorescent lighting and lazy Susans. Think cheery and functional rather than luxurious. The service is good if brusque (they do speak English) and it is always splitting at the seams

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-77535693654000976702007-09-08T18:32:00.001-07:002007-09-21T17:32:58.848-07:00

The BF's parents are in town this weekend so last night we took them for dinner at Felix, somewhere I have been wanting to revisit since I first started this blog. It is the perfect place for taking out-of-towners, with good quality (if slightly unadventurous) food, a fantastic view of the harbour, a very pleasant ambience and unobtrusive staff.After a somewhat underwhelming harbour light show,

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-24071386034658948522007-09-04T05:07:00.001-07:002007-09-18T23:19:11.380-07:00

As a Brit living in Hong Kong, I decided to make a recipe from Kylie Kwong's Simple Chinese Cooking as my entry for the weekend cookbook challenge over at I like to cook. This is a great book with some fantastic pictures and it helps you to achieve an authentic Chinese flavour without breaking a sweat.The recipe I went for was on p154 - Soy Sauce Eggs. I chose this as it's Kylie's slightly

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-4160185508105472362007-09-03T05:48:00.000-07:002007-09-21T17:34:27.753-07:00

We had dinner at M at the Fringe at the weekend and, unlike the first time we visited, we were rather disappointed. Food excellent, service leaving a little to be desired.We arrived slightly early and were seated at our table. The decor in this place is gorgeous and we were tucked nicely into a corner which was great. I started with a "head to tail" terrine of ox-tongue and ox-tail and the BF

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-74647434089576608852007-08-31T16:48:00.000-07:002007-09-18T23:19:00.753-07:00

Thanks to Pim, I have discovered a couple of new tasty food blogs:Ms. Glaze's Pommes d'Amour - the French write a lot of food blogs, but luckily for me this one is written in English. Ms. Glaze is an ex-teacher who now graces the kitchens of a 3-star restaurant in Paris. She has some fascinating stories from behind the scenes and the recipes are pretty good too.Foodbeam - a beautifully stylish

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-6847124494258681102007-08-30T22:28:00.000-07:002007-09-21T17:33:25.949-07:00

The Ebury in Chelsea has a new summer lunch menu. I really like this place...great food and only a stone's throw from London Victoria. Unfortunately the lunch menu doesn't include the divine chocolate fondant with peanut ice cream and honeycomb that I have previously sampled there, but it looks pretty good all the same! I will definitely be paying a visit when I'm back in Blighty.

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-17632945015776359522007-08-30T16:35:00.000-07:002007-09-18T23:19:33.961-07:00

La Favorita Fish, an Italian company specialising in gourmet products is now being stocked at Harvey Nichols foodhall in the UK. I don't think it's got to Hong Kong as yet but I'd be very intrigued to try some of their ingredients, particularly the Strawberry-Barolo Tagliatelle and the Tasty Sauce.The website also has quite a few unusual recipes, so I would recommend checking it out!

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-595775257564998832007-08-27T16:47:00.001-07:002007-09-21T17:33:46.351-07:00

I promised you a recipe, so here it is! At Martha's cooking school last weekend I learnt a delicious Tom Yam Koong recipe which I'd like to share with you. This is the traditional recipe with no cheeky short cuts. Did you know that the reason the restaurant version is often milky rather than clear is because they add milk to disguise the bitter taste from the herbs where the soup has been made

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-91821099644982061932007-08-25T20:21:00.001-07:002007-09-22T17:20:51.732-07:00

I am exhausted, wiped out, knackered. You see, I'm still recovering from a hard day's chopping, pounding and stir frying with Martha Sherpa.I enrolled on the one day Thai intensive course - now that my time in Hong Kong is coming to an end I really thought I should learn some Asian cooking whilst I'm out here. If you fancy something more authentically Hong Kong, Martha also teaches Chinese

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-7544479581128321672007-08-25T19:56:00.000-07:002007-09-21T17:34:43.073-07:00

It was our 1st anniversary this week so we decided to splash out and try the tasting menu at Gaddi's. The dining room was similar to Toscana at the Ritz-Carlton, very traditional and glitzy, with the addition of a sultry jazz singer and band. The ambience was just perfect, the music lovely but unobtrusive, the service attentive without being obsequious. I was already impressed and so far we had

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-62157650564722709582007-08-19T04:48:00.000-07:002007-09-21T17:34:56.258-07:00

Linguine with Lobster & EggplantOcean Trout on Green Vegetable, Parsley Sauce, Chanterelle MushroomWe finally did Toscana yesterday...it was absolutely divine and very refined. The BF has been here several times with clients on the expense budget recently, but I've never been as I have frequently been pointing out! The only way to stop me from sulking was to treat me to sample the cuisine,

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-78915547463244528802007-08-16T05:24:00.000-07:002007-09-21T17:35:11.356-07:00

A rather surprised looking sweet & sour fish!Last night I ate out with the office at XinJiShi Shanghai Restaurant in Causeway Bay, it was pretty tasty but you'd have to go there with someone who speaks Cantonese. I was none the wiser to what we were eating but it was all pretty tasty...

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-24167802539542134472007-08-13T05:22:00.000-07:002007-09-18T23:16:49.864-07:00

I am so looking forward to an intensive one-day Thai cooking course at Martha Sherpa's cooking school. Watch this space for some recipes and tips once I emerge as a newly-minted Thai cookery goddess! Such delicacies as Pad Thai, Tom Yang Koong (that's hot and sour shrimp soup to the rest of us) and green chicken curry are all part of the package.

alexthepinknoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097354686593975502.post-60513719117507380362007-08-13T05:04:00.000-07:002007-08-13T05:16:07.522-07:00

Welcome to my blog! I don't know what else to say really, I've been meaning to get around to this for ages.I'm a British girl living in Hong Kong, and hating it so much that the only thing that can cheer me up is to sample the delights of Hong Kong's high-end restaurants. So far I have been to Felix (I seem to like this a lot more than other people do), Spoon (somewhat disappointing from a 9

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