One of the constants during our recent three week trip to Thailand was absolutely fantastic street food enjoyed at the many night markets we visited, paired with bottles of cold Chang Beer. Whether we were eating a huge bowl of noodle soup, a fragrant curry with rice, a pile of battered and deep fried seafood, ... Read more »
The Chinese lunar new year has just begun. Each lunar year is represented by an emblem of a living creature in a cycle which repeats every twelve years. This year, it is the rooster’s turn. A rooster’s handsome plumage and heroic air as it struts about makes it the logical choice as an emblem for ... Read more »
One of my food and drink goals in recent years (and certainly for the next few too) is to learn more about sake. Not just how it’s made (which I understand pretty well now) and the different categories of sake (which I finally have downpat) but – most importantly of all – working out what ... Read more »
The herb patch in our back garden has gone wild. Lemon balm is one of the winners of the battle for space and light, thrusting proud stems laden with aromatic leaves in all directions. We also have bold bushes of sage, rosemary, oregano and thyme. I think the pure and subtle flavour of herbs can ... Read more »
I was a lucky child. Neither my sister nor I experienced any major accidents, illnesses or health issues. Our occasional visits to hospital were brief and easily dealt with by our local hospital or local health services. But some families are not so lucky. Some families have to deal with serious childhood sicknesses that are ... Read more »
Two months ago, I spent an afternoon at Somerset House with Heston Blumenthal. I was one of the lucky group invited to his grand chocolate box restaurant, which meant a few happy hours giggling with delight as we tasted one clever creation after another. Most of the audience were chocolate specialists (producers, artisan chocolatiers, retailers…) ... Read more »
Call myself a foodie* and never been to the home of the pork pie? Shame on me! Luckily, an invitation to attend the Artisan Cheese Fair in Melton Mowbray gave me the chance to fix this oversight and Pete and I made our way North on the first Saturday in May. Held in the Cattle ... Read more »
I’ve written before about my addiction to Pinterest. I think it’s a super tool – fun to use and hugely useful too. Recently, Pinterest UK have formed a community of keen UK pinners and have been busy facilitating discussions and organising events to engage with the group. Recently, I attended a delightful evening with Paul ... Read more »
Chinese New Year falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, which this year is on the 31st of January. In Cantonese-speaking Chinese communities everywhere, people greet each other with a hearty Kung Hei Fat Choy! to bring prosperity to the new year. Chinese New Year is the most intensely celebrated festival in ... Read more »
Twenty one and a half years ago, Pete and I started dating. A few months later, I went down to Beckenham to meet my future in-laws. Of course, I had no reason to be, but I was pretty nervous all the same. Not only was I meeting his parents but three of his siblings and ... Read more »
The Place of Onions, in old Lille. After last night’s rainstorm the intense sticky heat has broken and today is cool, breezy, fresh… I love it! A drop of… [more]
We went to Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire at The Void this morning, an amazing VR experience where we got to be Rebel Alliance members going undercover as… [more]