My friend Marmoset hates fish. Not eating fish you understand, just looking at them, or swimming in any waters with positive sightings of them or in fact any evidence of their existence.
If ever she is naughty, the threat “Marmoset sleeps with the fishes” has been used… Continue reading The deep
I try really hard with sustainability of seafood and using seasonal local produce, I have a lot more success with the seasonal and local than with the ethics of fish.
The problem is it does change, so mantras from a few years back are not necessarily in line with current thinking. This is partly due to the success of the sustainable lobby, the Marine Stewardship Council not to mention Hugh’s fish fight and so on, so it’s not all bad news. Now some farmed fish is a good option in terms of sustaining stocks, but it must be from reputable sources. If you buy your fish in a supermarket then forget that, it might say the country but it rarely states the location or details of the farm. Let’s face it we haven’t all got a decent fishmonger on our doorstep – OH WHY HAVENT I MANAGED TO GET MY SEAFOOD DELI OPEN YET! Continue reading Good Fish, Bad Fish?
Also introducing, the former partner of Mr Vladimir Von Beaverhausen, Long John, and his current partner Vladi.
So we’re in the pantry at the shack, I don’t recall whether it was for an ‘occasion’ although that is a distinct possibility.
Someone has had the fabulous idea to make some ravioli stuffed with various fillings as part of a grand feast. I have now completely lost track of what else we made, because the pasta making was something of an epic. Continue reading Introducing Mr Vladimir Von Beaverhausen (Vlad for short)
I’m in the midst of a theme of wanting to eat more veg, as a bit of carb junky I need this and the early summer is a great opportunity to do that.
As part of a lunch on Sunday, we were really keen to spend time chatting to our friends and not slaving in the kitchen so we did a few different platters. This makes a change and takes away a bit of an issue in terms of making exact portions – it allows me to cater to a range of dietary requirements, as people can just help themselves. It also means we used some creativity and prep but also a few cheats for speed. Continue reading Simple feast for 10 – it’s not ‘Rocket’ Science…
Friends for lunch today!
Seemed like an opportunity to diversify from the roast dinner. High hopes of a warm day and the desire not to spend time in the kitchen instead of chatting to everyone led to a few ‘prepare in advance dishes’: Continue reading Broad beans and friends for lunch…the beans were nice but the friends were a bit chewy.
Rain seems to turn a bank holiday into a ‘normal’ Monday without the usual warm and fuzzy feeling…it often becomes a day for doing chores, clearing out cupboards, getting rid of old paperwork…the dreaded bank account, washing, ironing, you get the picture. Occasionally it’s for pyjamas, freshly laundered with thick socks, the addition of a comfy sofa, a cuppa and a film (or in my case a box set of something I’ve seen 100 times like The West Wing or The Soprano’s). Continue reading Rainy days and Mondays…don’t always get me down
Rocket and I are just about to start planning our summer trip to France– May begins and we see the summer slipping away, this year between weddings and special birthdays… Continue reading The DJ and The Tart…
I’ve been working as a temp in a managerial role for nearly a year now. This has been an interesting experience on any number of levels – none of which have anything to do with the work I do personally but at least there is some interest. All in all I’d like to apologise to any temp I’ve ever managed, for not recognising how under valued they are generally. I have, though, voluntarily entered this pathway and for now, it suits me just fine.
Now I can tell you about my teams – collectively called ‘the crew’. Continue reading The Crew
I’m not a snob about food, but I can be a purist at times. With a Risotto I’ve gone through something of an evolution and have listened carefully to the advice of a whole range of exponent’s from renowned chefs to your ‘genuine Italians’. So I’ve tried the whole bake it in oven method and the “there is no need to stir it”, and “you can use a stock cube” and they are all true I suppose. However, for me there is now a tried and tested route to the more delicious outcome and it does involve making some stock up (even if you partially cheat) and it does involve stirring so this is usually a Saturday evening ‘non time’ pressured activity for me. Continue reading Saturday night risotto
My brother Karl-Heinz is an epic cook and is probably responsible for having fired my interest in cookery when, as the older teen, he began his culinary journey worshiping at the feet of the legendary Keith Floyd. A really happy memory for me from years back is Karl-Heinz’s rendition of Floyd’s chicken cooked in beer served with tagliatelle….happy days…. Continue reading Karl-Heinz and The Minx
In Search of the Catfish Café... 