16.6.08 okay, too long

It's been too long since I've posted...too long for me in terms of thinking about what I'm eating. I mean, I've been thinking about it, but...

There was this wee trip to Scotland which involved a lot of carbohydrates and considerably more green in the landscape than on the plate. I loved it. Adored every last crumb of it. The steak pie from the local butcher's shop, the whisky by the fire, the scones here, there and everywhere. Yes, it was Scottish cuisine at it's crispy, crumbly, flakey best and all in the company of gorgeous new friends.

By rights there should now be some sort of juice fast going on, but I don't believe in culinary penance. Maybe I'll lay off the pain au chocolat for a little while. Maybe.

And this morning I started with half a ruby red grapefruit. That ought to balance things out...

6.6.08 before we begin

I hope this doesn't "jinx" our culinary efforts, but here's what's for dinner before we make it:

chicken marinated in fresh lime juice, tarragon and olive oil
skewered with cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and capsicums

big, big, big baked (jacket) potatoes

a friend is coming for dinner who must forgo the worlds' best thing on a baked potato - butter, of course - so we're making a caramelized onion sauce with fresh dill and chopped, roasted almonds and pepitas for the topper

fresh green salad

So that's very nearly a five (vegetables) in one as well as being a delicious meal with guests (we hope). Right...off to the kitchen.

P. S. my favorite french deli on the corner, L'Epicerie, was out of pain au chocolat...as was the coffee shop across the road, Venetia's. What is the world coming to when you can't buy a pAc after 10:30 in the morning?!

20.5.08 the dog ate my blog

Did I really not eat for a week?
Seriously, of course not.
Imagine a hunger strike for a good cause, though. I read on the net somewhere that "Gandhi never fasted for more than 21 days." Only 21? What a comment! I've been known to go 21 minutes without food, but never without thinking about food.

In the developed, western world we have the incredible luxury of connecting food with self-expression (the eating of it, not the refusal of it, I'm talking about now).

My mom told me last night that she went to her first vegan restaurant. It wasn't her cup of tea, necessarily. I find it interesting that I think I can picture the "type" of people she dined with. There may have been a few business suits, but I bet there weren't.

The reason I haven't been writing is that my food in the past 8 days has said this: I'm disoriented and, though not depressed, decidedly blue.

next time I'm in such a funk, I'll eat only blue food to match my mood, and perhaps lift it.

this has not stopped me from having at least 1 pain au chocolat - a certain spot of sunshine in cloudy week...

12.5.08 why is 5 so easy?

Eating five fruit and veg a day is suddenly easy because I've got a fruit&veg shop one block a way. It's just a few doors down from the pain au chocolat place so pretty much as long as I allow myself to divert in that direction every so often, the F&V place gets most of my attention now.

The budget has gotten a bit out of control lately (F&V not to blame) so I set two standards today: at least 5 and all under a fiver.

carrots
broccoli
okra
tinned tomatoes
and
um
red wine (grapes AND antioxidants...)
Okay, it isn't that easy, but it's fun to try.

I did it, with a cappuccino to boot. At least I would have done if it weren't for the chocolate covered halvah near the counter at the F&V shop. How can they do that? So I was .79 over.

The second standard was at least 5 glasses of water. I think I managed nearly 8, which is better anyway. Wait, that reminds me (water is a great way to boost your mental acuity) I also had raisins on my breakfast toast with peanut butter. Beautiful little golden ones. Yippee! She shoots...she scores!

10.5.08 it was his last meal

Or hers. I'm not sure. I didn't get close enough to the little mouse in our kitchen who we discovered this morning had, well, um, taken the bait.

Okay, that's morbid and horrible.

In other news. The vegetables and fruit to pass my lips today have all been of a distinctly distorted version. Raspberry jam, and apricot jam with an actual apricot in the spoonful. On a brioche, of course. I would like to point out that wheat was once a green, growing thing - does that count?

Let's see...ice cream in Battersea park from the Mr. Whippy van so not even any cream in that let alone green stuff.

Green stuff? Wait! There was pesto on my pasta tonight. Basil must most certainly count.

And the cheese, a fantastic hard, round ball of a thing from Whole Foods, was a orange as a carrot (but not because of some weird food dye like some countries like to put in their cheddars).

A cappuccino in St. Pancras station this morning with a friend we were dropping off at the train. I won't go back for another at the restaurant we tried, but there are half a dozen more in the new and improved gateway to Paris. Which makes me think that since I'm at the station already, next time I might just go to the source and eat my crispy, buttery, chocolately wonder in the shadow of the Eiffel tower. It will be more expensive, of course.

Oh man, look at the labels. Not the healthiest day I've posted, but the sun was shining and the Buddha in the Peace Pagoda was smiling, as were we when we visited the dogs at the Battersea Home for Dogs and Cats. In other words, there was a lot of walking involved today. We probably nearly maybe broke even...

9.4.08 follow the brick lane

It doesn't have the same ring to it as "follow the yellow brick road," but I do like the feeling of slipping into another world that I get whenever we go to Brick Lane for Indian. Something about the guys in suits who try to lure you into their restaurant. Are you supposed to look at the ones you are rejecting, say thanks but no thanks or see you next time. What is the etiquette here?

Going to BL was a treat because we've been so busy with work deadlines that I haven't even had time to write. I'm sure there were cappuccino's involved over the last couple of days. Made myself one at home today...not my best effort. No pain au chocolat that I can recall. But tonight we came across a well-known and fab bagel place (why is it spelled beigel?) and bought some challah bread (why is it spelled chola?) Also, why was every other customer in the place, and there were many, a short, balding, scabby older man dressed in black? Cabbies?

Elseways today I did the fast food thing, but consoled myself that for morning tea I very self-righteously bought myself an apple from the corner shop. And ate it. And only one slice of toast for breakfast. So that's good. Coffee, hot water & lemon, the usual. No cookies today. None. Not a one. Hard to go on living, really.

7.4.08 was that cider or beer

We're making our way through the polish beers at the local corner store. The ones in cans, nothing fancy. The one for a quid each. Tonight we came across one with no English on the label at all. And we think it's cider but we can't tell. Unless we absolutely positively must get drunk, we won't be trying to get to the bottom of that one.

more meat from the sausage stands at the borough
oddly dense, crumbly whole meal bread
butter and raspberry jam on top (sweet!)
lettuce with porcini olive oil
fresh cherry tomatoes
green olive oil spotted with balsamic vinegar and sprinkled with black pepper
homemade cappuccino (now if I could just master pain au chocolat - none today - bad day!)
doner kebab from the local shop topped with lettuce, cabbage, onion, tomatoes and garlic sauce (Yippee!) and fries as a treat because we got the STUPID visa forms in the mail today a week before my ticket to ride expires
parmagiano reggiano

and I think some cabury's is in order. P bought so it's fruit and nut. sigh. so unimaginative and yet I do love him. he has other qualities, obviously.

6.4.08 and this and this and this, again

I am not a fan of leftovers. Even though I ate things today that I bought and started enjoying yesterday...that doesn't make them leftovers.

First of all, since it was snowing, I walked to the corner French deli and bought pain au chocolat for breakfast. What else?

but that wasn't really first...I am doing well at having hot water and lemon in the mornings as I wait for the coffee to brew
coffee with milk and homemade cappuccino with decaf a bit later...I rate my cafe pressed frothing milk pretty highly
a ginger nut or two because they were there
that spicy soup I am newly fond of making
gorgeous cherry tomatoes
crusty brown bread with sweet butter
apple slices
saffron tea
fried rice with onion and chorizo sausage
chocolate digestive

5.4.08 I ate this and this and this and this and this

this morning was dedicated to visiting the borough market and although it was a bit chilly, we arrived before the crowds and before the stall holders had sore feet. everyone was friendly and we could have made breakfast out of the samples on offer, but still opted to buy a few things. I traded my usual pain au chocolat for a chocolate eclair with proper white fluffy cream in the middle. Apparently, according to witnesses, my eyes rolled back in my head at first bite. yes, it was love.

we found
a parmagiano reggiano that was sweet and crumbly smooth at the beginning, with a bloom of saltiness for a finish
rye bread
olive oil infused with porcini mushrooms
comte cheese
several sausages
chocolate truffles
and a Monmouth coffee, a cappuccino, of course

so we had two picnics when we got home, a little of this, a little of that and more for tomorrow!

At Neal's Yard Dairy, where it was necessary to try not only the Colston Bassett stilton, but also a lovely strawberry jam, I came across an interesting looking little journal...but I can't find the link. Yet. A reason to return to Neal's Yard (like I need one).

Our best find of the day was a beautiful seasoning called Sumac, the color of maple leaves and described as "lemon of the gods." it is absolutely gorgeous and I will be cooking with it soon...

29.3.08 12:01 a.m.

No, I'm not eating anything right now, but I just had a lovely vietnamese meal with some friends. everything was so fresh and light that I just had to top it off with a magnum ice cream. Some guys we passed on the street going home remarked on eating ice cream in the cold, but I tell you what - it didn't melt and I could eat it leisurely and enjoy it. so there. Did I mention that I had pain au chocolat for lunch?

28.3.08 not enough chocolate

It's 9:42 in the morning and I have definitely not had enough chocolate yet. If I could wish myself a pain au chocolat right now, I certainly would.

Last night was the community meal at the Round Chapel where I work as a community worker. It's part of my job, in other words, to be involved in the meal. I got a bee in my bonnet to make a big pot of something and I found a great recipe for dal on the web. I've made it before, but never with black mustard seeds in ghee as the start to the spice mixture. What I like about dal is that it is flavorful, rich and creamy without any cream, warm and satisfying without being heavy. Perfect winter meal, perhaps? It did go over well and I have my friend Catherine to thank - we worked together in the kitchen at Iona two years ago and she happened to be flying in from Thailand yesterday. She arrived from Heathrow straight into the kitchen...nice one!

today's list so far is tiny, but I am looking for a great deal of expansion. Today is a food-as-comfort day. My feet and back hurt from cooking and serving til 10 last night; it's another grey and cold day in London town; it's Friday. Comfort, comfort, comfort.

so far:
lemon and hot water
coffee and milk
1/3 of an apple
tiny bit of muesli and milk

boring, though of course I'm grateful to wake up to food at all in world where so many have none...

6.3.08 Not Boring at All!

Yesterday, S's 25th, was decidedly not boring in the food department.

First stop, the best coffee shop in the known universe, Monmouth Coffee at 7 Dials.

Here's why I like Monmouth, in addition to the fact that I consistently enjoy the richest, creamiest cappucino I've ever had anywhere there:

When we find a coffee that we like, we want to know where it comes from and who grows, picks and processes it. We then look to establish a relationship with the grower and exporter of that coffee.

This month's coffee list.

Monmouth is reviewed enthusiastically by a fellow coffee lover on a cool site called WeLoveLocal.

Then it was over to Neal's Yard Dairy, for cheese tasting, drooling and spending too much money (everyone should have a "cheese" line in their household budgets).

Words cannot describe...hence the picture at the top.

This was all before 1:00 p.m. and remembering it is making me hungry. I'll have to come back and fill in more details later. Yet to come - more pain au chocolat!

4.3.08 today's pain au chocolat

Yep, it's going to become a habit, buying a pain au chocolat from L'Epicerie on Chatsworth Road (about a block away from the house...definitely not a safe distance). P is convinced that this is not the best p au c, but I think it's pretty darn good. We picked one up on our way to pick up the bus to the Bromley-by-Bow Centre, a fascinating place. But first I was deeply enchanted by walking along Chatsworth Road, taking big crackling bites of buttery pastry in search of the snap of chocolate somewhere within. Layers. Life is better in layers. I think I was skipping, golden flakes of heaven fluttering off me as I passed. It was a dream of city living, a moment to say, "Why London? This is why..."

Now beside my cup of Twinnings Earl Grey is a brazil nut, a bite-sized piece of Green & Black's 70% dark chocolate and a bit of candied ginger. A nice little tidbit after a tea of fresh homemade vegetable soup. I'm rather proud of my secret ingredient in the soup, another joint effort between me and P. I'll say what it is: Pastis de Marseille, an anise aperitif. Also a steeped tea of anise, lemon and fennel. It worked, giving some depth and a bit of sweetness and raising the hint of a question, "what is that flavor, I wonder..."

We had a lovely cheese from L'Epic, too. More research is required in order for me to say what it was. I lost touch with the name right after I tried it. It's a very sharp Gruyere.

cheese and chocolate, a very good day.

somebody else likes chocolate for breakky

breakfast and pain au chocolat was a long time ago. i've made the bold claim that talking about food is nearly as good as eating it. i found someone else talking about chocolate for breakfast on "passionfruit." i must admit it crossed my mind this morning that chocolate was probably an okay thing for first thing in the morning, but maybe the butterfat in the croissant portion of the treat would have to be an occasional indulgence rather than a daily ritual. sure enough, the author of this great blog about the love of food confirms that there are other ways to keep the chocolate, drop the fat. so i lead you to this idea of hers, which sounds fab...i am so going to try it. first i have to work up the energy to cook rather than ramble up to my favorite little deli. hm, could be trouble there.

27.2.08 proper pain au chocolat

Ah, the joys of a proper french pastry...skipped everything else and went straight for the good stuff this morning.

but first, i must report on last night's pleasures!

went to a board meeting, which normally can we say yawn, but this was nice and easy, complete with
red wine
and chocolate digestive biscuits

then on to a friend's house for a nibble around 10:30 p.m.
two or three plain cashews, and a couple of chilli ones
a beer - maybe a Stella? too tired to pay attention
fresh ginger tea

okay, so this morning so far:
a good long walk followed by a warming
cappuccino
pain au chocolat

is there anything better than a neighborhood deli with actual wonderful treats? find the one in my neighborhood at l'epicerie @ 56 delicatessen