Tried a full run through of today's recipes and program yesterday evening and I'm very glad I did because there are quite a few mistakes in the recipes that I've already passed on for printing.....OOPS.
Still the format worked and with a bit more preparation done this morning and I think it'll run well and most important the food will be goooooooood.
Couple of news items that have surfaced today firstly the news that Alberto Contador (winner of the Tour de France) has failed a drug test. Not entirely a shock because that sport is more corrupt than the average touring Pakistani cricket team.
What it does for me though is that it makes me laugh even harder at those middle aged muppets that clog up our roads each weekend by riding their midlife crisis machines three abreast while adorned in their favourite drug cheat endorsed Lycra.
Hahahahaha you fools.....Imagine the furore that will follow after Lance Armstrong gets pinged for cheating too......I can hear the snapping of Livestrong wristbands already.
Second bit of news that tickled me was that David Milliband has stepped down from front line politics after being completely sh*t on by his baby brother. There is only one decent thing for him to do now..............confirm and whistle blow on the Labour parties voting fraud at the last election as has been suggested by Baroness Wadi.
My friend has blogged about it here and it's quite a good read :-)
I do feel sorry for him though because if I ever got gazumpt on a senior role by my little brother I'd be positively suicidal.....fortunately my little brother is a right little herbert and the only job he's ever likely to reach the pinnacle of is senior B wing pin cushion at HMP Belmarsh! he can have that no probs.
Anyway that's it just for the moment. Another blog later to let you all (the millions of you) how the demo went.
Thursday 30 September 2010
Wednesday 29 September 2010
Crisis....
Apparently they say the mid-life crisis happens when you hit 35 !!!
Well I beg to differ because I was about 32 when I bought my 3.0l rear wheel drive Japanese male member enhancer :-D
Preparation for tomorrows demo is going well. I think I'll need to be right on the ball for the first 30 min section because it's quite involved so getting all the ingredients portioned out and ready beforehand will be essential.
Oh blooomin hell I've just realised that the recipe for the cheesecake I sent to the organiser had a typo in it! Be a pretty shoddy cheesecake when it doesn't actually contain any cheese!
One sec.............
Sorted
OK where was I?
So yes..second section should be much more relaxed so I'll have a slurp of wine while doing this bit. Small one mind you :-)
For Saturdays demo I'm getting a Podcast recorded so I better be looking my best. Also it'd be dead handy if there were actually some people willing to take part in choosing the ingredients otherwise it could be rather dull so if you are free and available at 8am on a Saturday morning then please do pop down and join in.
H'arriva Durky and all that xx
Well I beg to differ because I was about 32 when I bought my 3.0l rear wheel drive Japanese male member enhancer :-D
Preparation for tomorrows demo is going well. I think I'll need to be right on the ball for the first 30 min section because it's quite involved so getting all the ingredients portioned out and ready beforehand will be essential.
Oh blooomin hell I've just realised that the recipe for the cheesecake I sent to the organiser had a typo in it! Be a pretty shoddy cheesecake when it doesn't actually contain any cheese!
One sec.............
Sorted
OK where was I?
So yes..second section should be much more relaxed so I'll have a slurp of wine while doing this bit. Small one mind you :-)
For Saturdays demo I'm getting a Podcast recorded so I better be looking my best. Also it'd be dead handy if there were actually some people willing to take part in choosing the ingredients otherwise it could be rather dull so if you are free and available at 8am on a Saturday morning then please do pop down and join in.
H'arriva Durky and all that xx
Tuesday 28 September 2010
Off Track
Gonna start todays blog with a little mini rant and it's aimed, once again, at poor drivers.
I genuinely believe that everybody should have to retake the driving test every 10 years and pass with a high rate to be able to continue driving on public roads. A major part of the test should be devoted to having consideration for other road users.
This morning not just myself but several other tax paying road users were held up by people (mainly in Vans) blocking off a junction. Now I don;t know about you but whenever I am in traffic and I'm approaching a junction I always leave space for people to either come out or turn into that junction.....Anybody who doesn't do this should be given 3 points end of story.
Also people who after a certain amount of time and after passing certain tests should be able to report poor driving and be able to issue points themselves for instance this morning a qualified person should have been able to take note of the registration plate of the vans blocking the way and at the next convenient time get to a computer, logon on to the DVLA and issue a penalty.
Not just anybody should be able fill these position of course because it's then open to abuse but after a careful selection process and vetting procedure I think it's viable. I'd certainly apply to be one of those people and I wouldn't want paying for it if i knew that the money was being invested in the retesting of current drivers after a 10 year period.
But of course the government won't take such extreme measures because they'd be 50% less people on the road, 50% less cars being sold, 50% less fuel being consumed, 50% less insurance policies being taken out and 50% less Road Tax (plus the tax on the sales of the preceding 3 items)
This is why we need a revolution folks :-)
I genuinely believe that everybody should have to retake the driving test every 10 years and pass with a high rate to be able to continue driving on public roads. A major part of the test should be devoted to having consideration for other road users.
This morning not just myself but several other tax paying road users were held up by people (mainly in Vans) blocking off a junction. Now I don;t know about you but whenever I am in traffic and I'm approaching a junction I always leave space for people to either come out or turn into that junction.....Anybody who doesn't do this should be given 3 points end of story.
Also people who after a certain amount of time and after passing certain tests should be able to report poor driving and be able to issue points themselves for instance this morning a qualified person should have been able to take note of the registration plate of the vans blocking the way and at the next convenient time get to a computer, logon on to the DVLA and issue a penalty.
Not just anybody should be able fill these position of course because it's then open to abuse but after a careful selection process and vetting procedure I think it's viable. I'd certainly apply to be one of those people and I wouldn't want paying for it if i knew that the money was being invested in the retesting of current drivers after a 10 year period.
But of course the government won't take such extreme measures because they'd be 50% less people on the road, 50% less cars being sold, 50% less fuel being consumed, 50% less insurance policies being taken out and 50% less Road Tax (plus the tax on the sales of the preceding 3 items)
This is why we need a revolution folks :-)
Monday 27 September 2010
Good Monday to you all :-)
So Monday didn't really get off to the best of starts.
I did have something to do with that having not prised myself off the sofa until 1am because I just had to get my team ready for the new season on football manager. 3 promotions in 4 seasons and this time going up would mean making it to the football league.......As any hopelessly addicted football manager fan will understand this is a big season.
That I was in control of and take full responsibility for however next doors little one wailing at the top of it's voice for the next 5 hours was not something I could have planned for.
So my self inflicted late night twinned with devil child crying and a 06:45 alarm setting made me just a bit dreary today but it's most definitely picked up.
I have spoken to the regional manager of the pub company that we will be dealing with regarding the lease, unfortunately he was driving at the time but he's keen for a meet up to go over things.
I'm now of the opinion that it will be better for us if we can renegotiate a new lease and have it looked over with a fine toothed comb from a legal perspective so that we all know exactly where we stand and exactly how we can build the business going forward. It's a very positive move I think and the ball which had kind of stopped rolling will be getting back in motion.
Also had an idea about how my current work and the pub can work together for the benefit of both parties which I'm hoping, should the pub go ahead, will offer some security for us and a firm showing of commitment to my current employers.
Also looking ahead I have my first cookery demo coming up this Thursday (as previously blogged) and I'm actually feeling quite calm about it although there is some inevitable nervous excitement.
I'll be taking the advice of an experienced demo'ing foodie I know who informed me that I must just keep talking at all times to keep the audience otherwise they will drift........I'm not sure I've ever talked for an hour in my life but I do have a clear idea of what I'm going to be making, how I'm going to make it and I'll be thinking about timings etc etc so perhaps I'll have plenty in the memory banks to waffle on about.
Following that will be the demo at Reading Farmers market. Certainly going to be doing the proper Ready, Steady, Cook thing and getting the market go'ers to choose the ingredients but you know how us English have this reluctance to get involved in such theatre in public so I'll make sure I have something of my own in mind.
Had great fun over the weekend involving lots of champagne, oysters, music and buddies. Topping it off with a 7 hour DJ set at a private party was just the icing, such a great time with such a lovely and receptive crowd made me fall in love with it all again just a little bit :-)
I did have something to do with that having not prised myself off the sofa until 1am because I just had to get my team ready for the new season on football manager. 3 promotions in 4 seasons and this time going up would mean making it to the football league.......As any hopelessly addicted football manager fan will understand this is a big season.
That I was in control of and take full responsibility for however next doors little one wailing at the top of it's voice for the next 5 hours was not something I could have planned for.
So my self inflicted late night twinned with devil child crying and a 06:45 alarm setting made me just a bit dreary today but it's most definitely picked up.
I have spoken to the regional manager of the pub company that we will be dealing with regarding the lease, unfortunately he was driving at the time but he's keen for a meet up to go over things.
I'm now of the opinion that it will be better for us if we can renegotiate a new lease and have it looked over with a fine toothed comb from a legal perspective so that we all know exactly where we stand and exactly how we can build the business going forward. It's a very positive move I think and the ball which had kind of stopped rolling will be getting back in motion.
Also had an idea about how my current work and the pub can work together for the benefit of both parties which I'm hoping, should the pub go ahead, will offer some security for us and a firm showing of commitment to my current employers.
Also looking ahead I have my first cookery demo coming up this Thursday (as previously blogged) and I'm actually feeling quite calm about it although there is some inevitable nervous excitement.
I'll be taking the advice of an experienced demo'ing foodie I know who informed me that I must just keep talking at all times to keep the audience otherwise they will drift........I'm not sure I've ever talked for an hour in my life but I do have a clear idea of what I'm going to be making, how I'm going to make it and I'll be thinking about timings etc etc so perhaps I'll have plenty in the memory banks to waffle on about.
Following that will be the demo at Reading Farmers market. Certainly going to be doing the proper Ready, Steady, Cook thing and getting the market go'ers to choose the ingredients but you know how us English have this reluctance to get involved in such theatre in public so I'll make sure I have something of my own in mind.
Had great fun over the weekend involving lots of champagne, oysters, music and buddies. Topping it off with a 7 hour DJ set at a private party was just the icing, such a great time with such a lovely and receptive crowd made me fall in love with it all again just a little bit :-)
Saturday 25 September 2010
Saturday
If your slightly hungover like me then I promise you that turning the volume up and banging this out IS the way forward......
Sven Vath – Essential Mix Live Cocoon Amnesia Ibiza 02.08.2010 found on Minimal
The world is a better place with Sven :-)
Sven Vath – Essential Mix Live Cocoon Amnesia Ibiza 02.08.2010 found on Minimal
The world is a better place with Sven :-)
Thursday 23 September 2010
FB...
Facebook is down........OH MY GOD !!!
I just checked to see if the world was still spinning on it's axis and I think it is or did Twitter just make the clouds move ?!?!
Experimented some more on the Curry Spiced Pork, Pumkpin & Pea Pasties this evening and I think they are pretty bloomin sensational, just the soup to perfect next and then we are all go for the demo on Thursday.
For anybody wanting to come along and watch the demo or just to see what the Food4Families concept is all about it's being held at the Geoffrey Field Junior School
View Larger Map
The event will be kicking off at around 3:30pm and I'll be demo'ing for about an hour.
Right I'm off to bed. 10pm seems like an early night to me especially as I'm engrossed in a game of Football Manager 2010 but seeing that I'm 14 points clear at the top of the Blue Square North Division and performing well in the F.A. Trophy I think that Rainworth Miners Welfare FC can do without me for now.
I just checked to see if the world was still spinning on it's axis and I think it is or did Twitter just make the clouds move ?!?!
Experimented some more on the Curry Spiced Pork, Pumkpin & Pea Pasties this evening and I think they are pretty bloomin sensational, just the soup to perfect next and then we are all go for the demo on Thursday.
For anybody wanting to come along and watch the demo or just to see what the Food4Families concept is all about it's being held at the Geoffrey Field Junior School
View Larger Map
The event will be kicking off at around 3:30pm and I'll be demo'ing for about an hour.
Right I'm off to bed. 10pm seems like an early night to me especially as I'm engrossed in a game of Football Manager 2010 but seeing that I'm 14 points clear at the top of the Blue Square North Division and performing well in the F.A. Trophy I think that Rainworth Miners Welfare FC can do without me for now.
Yikes....
I didn't blog yesterday! Oh the shock of it. Twas a good day too with a couple of things planned for the not too distant future.
First up is another cookery demonstration this time being held at a farmers market to promote the Living Reading campaign which were the organisation responsible for organising the Reading, Steady, Cook! competition.
It'll be an early start and initially I was asked to decide what I was going to cook beforehand but I've just suggested to the organiser that we should let the people at the market decide at the time and I'll then make something out of whatever they choose.
Bearing in mind that I'll only have a two ring camping stove to cook on that could be fun !!
Second up will be a roadtrip to Amsterdam with my good buddy James. Plan is to drive from Reading down to Dover where we'll catch the ferry to Calais then drive up to Amsterdam, through France and Belgium, stopping for lunch in Bruges then onwards to catch Sven Vath at the Cocoon event being held during the ADE (Amsterdam Dance Event)
All exciting fun stuff I think you'll agree......perhaps ?!?!
Weekend is now looming large and I'm starting my preparations for DJ'ing at a private party this Saturday. I'm really looking forward to it too because it'll be good music and good people :-)
First up is another cookery demonstration this time being held at a farmers market to promote the Living Reading campaign which were the organisation responsible for organising the Reading, Steady, Cook! competition.
It'll be an early start and initially I was asked to decide what I was going to cook beforehand but I've just suggested to the organiser that we should let the people at the market decide at the time and I'll then make something out of whatever they choose.
Bearing in mind that I'll only have a two ring camping stove to cook on that could be fun !!
Second up will be a roadtrip to Amsterdam with my good buddy James. Plan is to drive from Reading down to Dover where we'll catch the ferry to Calais then drive up to Amsterdam, through France and Belgium, stopping for lunch in Bruges then onwards to catch Sven Vath at the Cocoon event being held during the ADE (Amsterdam Dance Event)
All exciting fun stuff I think you'll agree......perhaps ?!?!
Weekend is now looming large and I'm starting my preparations for DJ'ing at a private party this Saturday. I'm really looking forward to it too because it'll be good music and good people :-)
Tuesday 21 September 2010
Mecca.........
I've found a new shopping paradise in the heart of Reading, Berkshire......Who'd have thunk it?
Sitting at work yesterday...as I do, I was thinking about what to have to eat in the evening.....as I do. After contemplating nipping to The Mission for a tasty Burrito I began to think about Dim Sum. I'm not sure how I managed to link those two but seeing as Dim Sum seems to be my latest culinary craving I thought I'd have a go at making it myself.
To be able to to this I needed to find a specialist Asian supermarket in order to get the right tools for the job and the right ingredients.
Knowing that Reading has a thriving Asian community I was pretty sure that I'd be able to find something on Google and that I did.
The place I found is called "See Woo" and it's more of a cash and carry than a standard supermarket but anybody can walk in and buy stuff, there is no signing up to do and you don't have to be in the catering trade or anything like that.
They have got absolutely everything from my necessary Dim Sum ingredients to Fresh Vegetables to meat to sweets to beers to wines and even some Frogs Legs and Chickens Feet. It's just amazing !!!
Best of all for me were the banks and banks of freezers containing every Dim Sum item you can imagine, all ready prepared (handmade) and just in need of steaming (which is done from frozen............Bonus)
They also have all the raw ingredients you need to make them yourself which I will definitely do one day however making home made Dim Sum just for two people would be pretty expensive and pretty wasteful given the amount of ingredients you'd need to buy.
Of course to go with this I needed Chilli Oil, Soy Sauce, Chopsticks, Sauce bowls, and some Bamboo Steamer sections and I got the whole lot, including 6 different Dim Sum for £30.00 which I think is an absolute steal.
There is absolutely no doubt that I will go there again if not just for the smell as you walk in !!
It's located in the industrial area between the Madjeski Stadium and Basingstoke Road and opens until 6pm each day so get down there and see what my fuss is all about.
Sitting at work yesterday...as I do, I was thinking about what to have to eat in the evening.....as I do. After contemplating nipping to The Mission for a tasty Burrito I began to think about Dim Sum. I'm not sure how I managed to link those two but seeing as Dim Sum seems to be my latest culinary craving I thought I'd have a go at making it myself.
To be able to to this I needed to find a specialist Asian supermarket in order to get the right tools for the job and the right ingredients.
Knowing that Reading has a thriving Asian community I was pretty sure that I'd be able to find something on Google and that I did.
The place I found is called "See Woo" and it's more of a cash and carry than a standard supermarket but anybody can walk in and buy stuff, there is no signing up to do and you don't have to be in the catering trade or anything like that.
They have got absolutely everything from my necessary Dim Sum ingredients to Fresh Vegetables to meat to sweets to beers to wines and even some Frogs Legs and Chickens Feet. It's just amazing !!!
Best of all for me were the banks and banks of freezers containing every Dim Sum item you can imagine, all ready prepared (handmade) and just in need of steaming (which is done from frozen............Bonus)
They also have all the raw ingredients you need to make them yourself which I will definitely do one day however making home made Dim Sum just for two people would be pretty expensive and pretty wasteful given the amount of ingredients you'd need to buy.
Of course to go with this I needed Chilli Oil, Soy Sauce, Chopsticks, Sauce bowls, and some Bamboo Steamer sections and I got the whole lot, including 6 different Dim Sum for £30.00 which I think is an absolute steal.
There is absolutely no doubt that I will go there again if not just for the smell as you walk in !!
It's located in the industrial area between the Madjeski Stadium and Basingstoke Road and opens until 6pm each day so get down there and see what my fuss is all about.
Monday 20 September 2010
Catch Up....
Fairly busy day ahead I reckon. Bit of catching up to do after leaving early on Friday but nothing too out of hand.
Should find out about the pub lease situation tomorrow. Unfortunately we found that the copy we had was indeed the latest one as held by the current tenants solicitor which begs the question "How come his solicitor didn't spot all the mistakes that mine did?"
It's going to make the whole process longer because we absolutely need to find where we stand before we can even contemplate the business plan as the lease, it's contents and it's conditions are the basis on which it all stands.
Sales figures are irrelevant at this time because we have no idea what our goings will be each month because for instance if the lease is full maintaining i.e. we are responsible for any repairs then the insurances will be much higher.
If there is or isn't a loophole that says the brewery can take it back at any time given the right amount of notice even if the conditions have not been broken is certainly a bit ambiguous.
Anyway that's out of our hands for now.
Made a start on my Pumpkin experiments yesterday, that was until I realised we'd run out of sugar so I couldn't go much further than basic preparation for the cheesecake. I must say I was expecting pumpkin to be a bit sweeter than I found it, more like Butternut Squash but in fact they are quite non de-script just on their own.
Tried to few things in an attempt to bring the flavour out more and found that Ginger and Nutmeg really do a good job of that. The Purée I made out of the pumpkin has been mixed with a pinch of each and left over night in the fridge to infuse a bit more. The base is done and is also chilling in the fridge, the Lime zest I've put in this is really giving off a good aroma, on to a winner there I think.
Spicy Pork and Pumpkin Pasties tonight along with a big of hearty Soup.
Should find out about the pub lease situation tomorrow. Unfortunately we found that the copy we had was indeed the latest one as held by the current tenants solicitor which begs the question "How come his solicitor didn't spot all the mistakes that mine did?"
It's going to make the whole process longer because we absolutely need to find where we stand before we can even contemplate the business plan as the lease, it's contents and it's conditions are the basis on which it all stands.
Sales figures are irrelevant at this time because we have no idea what our goings will be each month because for instance if the lease is full maintaining i.e. we are responsible for any repairs then the insurances will be much higher.
If there is or isn't a loophole that says the brewery can take it back at any time given the right amount of notice even if the conditions have not been broken is certainly a bit ambiguous.
Anyway that's out of our hands for now.
Made a start on my Pumpkin experiments yesterday, that was until I realised we'd run out of sugar so I couldn't go much further than basic preparation for the cheesecake. I must say I was expecting pumpkin to be a bit sweeter than I found it, more like Butternut Squash but in fact they are quite non de-script just on their own.
Tried to few things in an attempt to bring the flavour out more and found that Ginger and Nutmeg really do a good job of that. The Purée I made out of the pumpkin has been mixed with a pinch of each and left over night in the fridge to infuse a bit more. The base is done and is also chilling in the fridge, the Lime zest I've put in this is really giving off a good aroma, on to a winner there I think.
Spicy Pork and Pumpkin Pasties tonight along with a big of hearty Soup.
Saturday 18 September 2010
Isle of Eels..
Woken up this morning to a wonderfully sunny day in the lovely city of Ely up in Cambridgeshire and I'm just waiting for the better half to make her way up before we head off to see my nephew in hospital.
He says he wants to come home because it's too noisy there. I think there were a few restless kiddies on his ward that kept him awake, all that however is very good because it means he's more alert.
They've moved him from the Intentive Care unit down to a High Dependency ward and they are already thinking that he's well enough to be moved to a normal ward so all good there.
We thought it'd be a good idea to keep all his buddies updated via his Facebook page which has worked well and I'm so happy he has such brilliant friends. They seem like the kind of people that are going to be his friends for the rest of his life.
At his age (14) his friends are definitely the biggest influence in his life and judging by these guys he and they are going to have a very bright future together.
Thats it for now. Will do another update later. Not sure how the visiting hours work now that he's moved ward but I'm thinking that maybe we'll nip off for a bit and do some shopping in Cambridge, maybe get him something to cheer him up.
He says he wants to come home because it's too noisy there. I think there were a few restless kiddies on his ward that kept him awake, all that however is very good because it means he's more alert.
They've moved him from the Intentive Care unit down to a High Dependency ward and they are already thinking that he's well enough to be moved to a normal ward so all good there.
We thought it'd be a good idea to keep all his buddies updated via his Facebook page which has worked well and I'm so happy he has such brilliant friends. They seem like the kind of people that are going to be his friends for the rest of his life.
At his age (14) his friends are definitely the biggest influence in his life and judging by these guys he and they are going to have a very bright future together.
Thats it for now. Will do another update later. Not sure how the visiting hours work now that he's moved ward but I'm thinking that maybe we'll nip off for a bit and do some shopping in Cambridge, maybe get him something to cheer him up.
Friday 17 September 2010
Bloggy Break
Hey Folks. No big blog today as I'm at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge where my Nephew has been admitted after getting knocked off his bike on the way to school.
Just keeping out the way a the moment, don't want to get his room too crowded incase they need to get to him quickly so time for a brief check in with social network HQ.
Also want to highlight how important it is for people to wear a helmet when on their pushbikes. My nephew wasn't and although he's got some head injuries and few broken ribs that'll take time to heal this situation could easily have been a tragedy and not just a horrible accident.
When he comes round he'll be chuffed to bits that he got to ride in a Helicopter......not so chuffed of course that he won't have remembered a thing!!
Just keeping out the way a the moment, don't want to get his room too crowded incase they need to get to him quickly so time for a brief check in with social network HQ.
Also want to highlight how important it is for people to wear a helmet when on their pushbikes. My nephew wasn't and although he's got some head injuries and few broken ribs that'll take time to heal this situation could easily have been a tragedy and not just a horrible accident.
When he comes round he'll be chuffed to bits that he got to ride in a Helicopter......not so chuffed of course that he won't have remembered a thing!!
Thursday 16 September 2010
Hark at me.....
Blimey I almost forgot to Blog today. Shame on me !!
So anyway yesterday I got myself fully pumpkin'd up, got four of them to experiment with. They are on the small side but that is fine for the time being.
I've decided on three things that I'm going to make for the cookery demonstration.
The first will be a Soup, the second some mini pasties and the third will be a cheesecake.
For the soup I'm going to first roast the Pumpkin to intensify the flavour and I'll do that with some whole Garlic Cloves and some Rosemary plucked straight from the garden. I'll then Purée all this down with some Vegetable stock, add a swirl of Créme Fraiche and top with a few Almond flakes. I really think the marriage of these flavours will work brilliantly.
For the Pasties I'm going to mix the Pumpkin with minced Pork and give it a nice curried flavour using Cinnamon, Ginger, Chilli and of course Curry Powder.
I may also add some Peas into this to add some freshness and texture then I'll wrap this mixture into some light puff pastry. I actually think these will work better as big pasties rather than bite size ones but seeing as it's a demonstration and people will want to try them then small ones are the way ahead.
The Cheesecake will be normal kind of cheesecake affair with the biscuit base but I'm going to mix in Lime Zest with the base because this sharpness of the Lime should go really well with the sweetness of the Pumpkin. I think this could be a revelation if I can get the cheesecake filling to be super light.
All in all I think these are very nice dishes to do and should be very easy for people to recreate at home once they've seen the demo.
Having never used Pumpkin before I think it'll take some practice and I'll probably be sick of the sight of them by the 30th September when the demo takes place.
So anyway yesterday I got myself fully pumpkin'd up, got four of them to experiment with. They are on the small side but that is fine for the time being.
I've decided on three things that I'm going to make for the cookery demonstration.
The first will be a Soup, the second some mini pasties and the third will be a cheesecake.
For the soup I'm going to first roast the Pumpkin to intensify the flavour and I'll do that with some whole Garlic Cloves and some Rosemary plucked straight from the garden. I'll then Purée all this down with some Vegetable stock, add a swirl of Créme Fraiche and top with a few Almond flakes. I really think the marriage of these flavours will work brilliantly.
For the Pasties I'm going to mix the Pumpkin with minced Pork and give it a nice curried flavour using Cinnamon, Ginger, Chilli and of course Curry Powder.
I may also add some Peas into this to add some freshness and texture then I'll wrap this mixture into some light puff pastry. I actually think these will work better as big pasties rather than bite size ones but seeing as it's a demonstration and people will want to try them then small ones are the way ahead.
The Cheesecake will be normal kind of cheesecake affair with the biscuit base but I'm going to mix in Lime Zest with the base because this sharpness of the Lime should go really well with the sweetness of the Pumpkin. I think this could be a revelation if I can get the cheesecake filling to be super light.
All in all I think these are very nice dishes to do and should be very easy for people to recreate at home once they've seen the demo.
Having never used Pumpkin before I think it'll take some practice and I'll probably be sick of the sight of them by the 30th September when the demo takes place.
Wednesday 15 September 2010
Midweek ramble
Can it be Wednesday already? Time flies when you're having fun I guess.
This morning, under my new healthy eating regime, I decided that I would pop to the supermarket and get myself some Granola.
I first fell for Granola when I was over the pond in L.A. I was out there with work and staying at the rather splendid Sheraton Universal in the Hollywood suburb of Universal City.
The buffet breakfast included just plain Granola which I had with just plain Yoghurt and it was a revelation, I made a point of urging myself to locate this in the UK when I got back and have it every morning.
However...............Can I find just plain Granola anywhere ?!?! NO
It's either boxed up with Banana Flakes, Macadamia Nuts, Almonds or various dried fruits such a Strawberries, Raisins, Mango, Papaya etc etc all of course which vastly boost the sugar content. I'm guessing the have to do this because I should imagine that Granola on it's own is pretty bloomin worthless so by adding these "Exotic" ingredients they can get away with selling an Eggcup full for about £70.00 !!
Well anyway I found a compromise. I'm really not a fan at all of dried fruit so I thought that just Granola with mixed nuts would be fine.
So I pick up the environmentally friendly plastic pouch and look at the brightly coloured, fairtrade and organic labelling that's already making me feel like some kind of new age hippy that goes jogging in public places then I turn it over to read the label of it's nutritional content and what do I see..............?
28g of Fat per 100g !!! Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat !!
Also on the back of the label it tells you that not only does it contains these nuts it's also packed fully of nice sugary syrup, this snippet of info the decided to leave off the front packaging.
Absolutely disgraceful. So I went for good old reliable Weetabix with it's not so scale tipping 2g of Fat per 100g
This morning, under my new healthy eating regime, I decided that I would pop to the supermarket and get myself some Granola.
I first fell for Granola when I was over the pond in L.A. I was out there with work and staying at the rather splendid Sheraton Universal in the Hollywood suburb of Universal City.
The buffet breakfast included just plain Granola which I had with just plain Yoghurt and it was a revelation, I made a point of urging myself to locate this in the UK when I got back and have it every morning.
However...............Can I find just plain Granola anywhere ?!?! NO
It's either boxed up with Banana Flakes, Macadamia Nuts, Almonds or various dried fruits such a Strawberries, Raisins, Mango, Papaya etc etc all of course which vastly boost the sugar content. I'm guessing the have to do this because I should imagine that Granola on it's own is pretty bloomin worthless so by adding these "Exotic" ingredients they can get away with selling an Eggcup full for about £70.00 !!
Well anyway I found a compromise. I'm really not a fan at all of dried fruit so I thought that just Granola with mixed nuts would be fine.
So I pick up the environmentally friendly plastic pouch and look at the brightly coloured, fairtrade and organic labelling that's already making me feel like some kind of new age hippy that goes jogging in public places then I turn it over to read the label of it's nutritional content and what do I see..............?
28g of Fat per 100g !!! Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat !!
Also on the back of the label it tells you that not only does it contains these nuts it's also packed fully of nice sugary syrup, this snippet of info the decided to leave off the front packaging.
Absolutely disgraceful. So I went for good old reliable Weetabix with it's not so scale tipping 2g of Fat per 100g
Tuesday 14 September 2010
Post 2
So I've been asked to do a cookery demonstration for a local community project that involves people growing their own produce and sharing it around. Such a wonderful thing really and gets children involved too which can only be a good thing at a time when everything comes pre-packed and in a uniform shape.
Please if you can take time just to have a look at the wonderful things they do - Food4families
The next thing I have to do is think of what to cook !!
They would like me to do something with Pumpkins seeing as they are in season and their general use involves them being scraped out, given scary faces and filled with candles for a Jack'o'Lantern.
Well there is quite obviously so much more to them and given that I have an hour of demonstration time I think I might do a few dishes, maybe a Starter, Main Course and Dessert.....you can certainly do that with a Pumpkin because they are such wonderful and versatile things.
The only details I have on the event so far is that it'll be held on Thursday the 30th September in a marquee in a big field in Reading, Berkshire where lots of people will be having a picnic :-)
I'm thinking perhaps these dishes -
Roasted Garlic and Pumpkin Soup
Pumpkin Ravioli with Sage Butter
Pumpkin Curry
Pumpkin Pie
Spicy Pumpkin Mini Pasties
Oooooh anybody else got some ideas?
Please if you can take time just to have a look at the wonderful things they do - Food4families
The next thing I have to do is think of what to cook !!
They would like me to do something with Pumpkins seeing as they are in season and their general use involves them being scraped out, given scary faces and filled with candles for a Jack'o'Lantern.
Well there is quite obviously so much more to them and given that I have an hour of demonstration time I think I might do a few dishes, maybe a Starter, Main Course and Dessert.....you can certainly do that with a Pumpkin because they are such wonderful and versatile things.
The only details I have on the event so far is that it'll be held on Thursday the 30th September in a marquee in a big field in Reading, Berkshire where lots of people will be having a picnic :-)
I'm thinking perhaps these dishes -
Roasted Garlic and Pumpkin Soup
Pumpkin Ravioli with Sage Butter
Pumpkin Curry
Pumpkin Pie
Spicy Pumpkin Mini Pasties
Oooooh anybody else got some ideas?
Changes....
I've awoken this morning with a strange feeling!!
I'm concerned buy the lack of movement on the pub front and also by my ever expanding waistline.
For the second concern I'm going to make an effort to eat a bit more healthier to start with and then I might start considering some form of exercise but of course nothing too vigorous because as my right knee showed me just a few weeks ago I'm not really of an age to start considering half marathons.
For the Pub I'll send a message over today asking if any progress has been made and if I don't hear anything back by the beginning of next week then I will consider that the end of the road for this project and I'll start looking at new ones. Infact I may even shelve it altogether unless there are opportunities abroad.
Definitely packing in the DJ'ing in early 2011. Until then I'm just going to do the regular work I get from it to fund my trip to Australia in March then I'll be focussing fully on all things Foody. Glad I made that decision.
Also glad that I bought some rather delicious looking Cod loins yesterday that I have salted and set aside in the fridge ready for cooking tonight. Was going to do it with Chorizo and Butter Beans as seen on TV by Glynn Purnell but given my new found zest for healthiness I might have to adjust that to make it a little leaner.
Bit disappointed that I couldn't find any cheaper, more sustainable but equally as tasty fish in Waitrose such as Pouting or Pollock but the label at the counter did say it was line caught which does suggest that some level of sustainability is enforced.
Everybody should look for this when buying Fish because low Fish stocks not only drive up the price of the produce but it also means that species are not allowed to thrive which has devastating effects on all sea life.
Next time you buy Fish look at the label of ask the Fishmonger about the catching methods and sustainability of their produce and be prepared to pay a little extra for the good stuff. Those extra pennies will reward you with better flavour which is what it's all about.
Have a great day folks :-)
I'm concerned buy the lack of movement on the pub front and also by my ever expanding waistline.
For the second concern I'm going to make an effort to eat a bit more healthier to start with and then I might start considering some form of exercise but of course nothing too vigorous because as my right knee showed me just a few weeks ago I'm not really of an age to start considering half marathons.
For the Pub I'll send a message over today asking if any progress has been made and if I don't hear anything back by the beginning of next week then I will consider that the end of the road for this project and I'll start looking at new ones. Infact I may even shelve it altogether unless there are opportunities abroad.
Definitely packing in the DJ'ing in early 2011. Until then I'm just going to do the regular work I get from it to fund my trip to Australia in March then I'll be focussing fully on all things Foody. Glad I made that decision.
Also glad that I bought some rather delicious looking Cod loins yesterday that I have salted and set aside in the fridge ready for cooking tonight. Was going to do it with Chorizo and Butter Beans as seen on TV by Glynn Purnell but given my new found zest for healthiness I might have to adjust that to make it a little leaner.
Bit disappointed that I couldn't find any cheaper, more sustainable but equally as tasty fish in Waitrose such as Pouting or Pollock but the label at the counter did say it was line caught which does suggest that some level of sustainability is enforced.
Everybody should look for this when buying Fish because low Fish stocks not only drive up the price of the produce but it also means that species are not allowed to thrive which has devastating effects on all sea life.
Next time you buy Fish look at the label of ask the Fishmonger about the catching methods and sustainability of their produce and be prepared to pay a little extra for the good stuff. Those extra pennies will reward you with better flavour which is what it's all about.
Have a great day folks :-)
Monday 13 September 2010
Catch up....
Well what a complete non event that weekend was !!
Friday was desperately disappointing for me in some ways but extraordinarily good in others. Was great to see some old friends out as well as some new and it was good that there was a fantastic party atmosphere down at the club to compliment all the effort JP & Martin made to put it on.
Disappointing in other ways, firstly not being able to concentrate fully or even get to my tunes due to......how can I put this nicely?....Overcrowding in the booth !! Blatantly asking people to get out the way and leave even with hand gestures and just being ignored and bumped all the time is not conducive to good floorfilling I'm afraid.
Perhaps I should have just risen above it or perhaps I should just chuck it in and get away from all these wannabe superstars.
Secondly, Brandon Block not turning up. OK you kind of expect it at times, especially when it's his last port of call for the night. He was probably about £2k up by the time he even thought about getting up to Reading and to be honest by the time he was supposed to be there it was thinning out anyway.
Thirdly and perhaps most disappointing was being asked by some girl if I was indeed Brandon Block !!! As much as I love the fella and as much as I know I'm never going to able to enter any Brad Pitt look a like competitions I'd like to think that there is absolutely no comparison in looks between myself and Mr Block. If there is then I'm saving for a surgeon :-)
The rest of the weekend was just pure rest and relaxation. Yes I had a bad hangover but I'm also still suffering a bit with the cough which seems to be relenting, oh and by the way I'm sorry if I gave anybody germs on Friday, I was trying to suppress any coughing but a certain Richard Sloman kept making me laugh which just made it worse.
So anyway I do feel a rather chipper this morning and already thinking about what to have for dinner....must be back on form.
I'm thinking something fishy.
Did my usual cookery program catch up over the weekend and there seemed to be plenty of fishy things being cooked up. Both Kenny Atkinson and Glynn Purnell (Whom incidental is one of my absolute favourite of the new breed of Chefs, he's such s breath of fresh air and his food is just like him, quirky, fun and even humorous) both made fish dishes on Saturday kitchen. Rick Stein also made a wonderful looking Salmon curry and Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall was making all kinds of things with a plethora of fish on his River Cottage gone Fishing program.
I think I'm going to follow Glynn Purnell though and try to use some salted fish. I'm thinking that just a simple pan fry with some seasonal veg and a nice buttery sauce with capers would be nice.
Mind you thinking about it it does take 24hrs for the salting process to work.........Bangers and Mash it is tonight then :-)
Friday was desperately disappointing for me in some ways but extraordinarily good in others. Was great to see some old friends out as well as some new and it was good that there was a fantastic party atmosphere down at the club to compliment all the effort JP & Martin made to put it on.
Disappointing in other ways, firstly not being able to concentrate fully or even get to my tunes due to......how can I put this nicely?....Overcrowding in the booth !! Blatantly asking people to get out the way and leave even with hand gestures and just being ignored and bumped all the time is not conducive to good floorfilling I'm afraid.
Perhaps I should have just risen above it or perhaps I should just chuck it in and get away from all these wannabe superstars.
Secondly, Brandon Block not turning up. OK you kind of expect it at times, especially when it's his last port of call for the night. He was probably about £2k up by the time he even thought about getting up to Reading and to be honest by the time he was supposed to be there it was thinning out anyway.
Thirdly and perhaps most disappointing was being asked by some girl if I was indeed Brandon Block !!! As much as I love the fella and as much as I know I'm never going to able to enter any Brad Pitt look a like competitions I'd like to think that there is absolutely no comparison in looks between myself and Mr Block. If there is then I'm saving for a surgeon :-)
The rest of the weekend was just pure rest and relaxation. Yes I had a bad hangover but I'm also still suffering a bit with the cough which seems to be relenting, oh and by the way I'm sorry if I gave anybody germs on Friday, I was trying to suppress any coughing but a certain Richard Sloman kept making me laugh which just made it worse.
So anyway I do feel a rather chipper this morning and already thinking about what to have for dinner....must be back on form.
I'm thinking something fishy.
Did my usual cookery program catch up over the weekend and there seemed to be plenty of fishy things being cooked up. Both Kenny Atkinson and Glynn Purnell (Whom incidental is one of my absolute favourite of the new breed of Chefs, he's such s breath of fresh air and his food is just like him, quirky, fun and even humorous) both made fish dishes on Saturday kitchen. Rick Stein also made a wonderful looking Salmon curry and Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall was making all kinds of things with a plethora of fish on his River Cottage gone Fishing program.
I think I'm going to follow Glynn Purnell though and try to use some salted fish. I'm thinking that just a simple pan fry with some seasonal veg and a nice buttery sauce with capers would be nice.
Mind you thinking about it it does take 24hrs for the salting process to work.........Bangers and Mash it is tonight then :-)
Friday 10 September 2010
Workin.....
Dagnammit I think these antibiotics are taking effect !! Certainly not as coughy as I have been the last few weeks and an pretty good nights sleep. Having said that I'm probably going to completely ruin it tonight by smoking about 5000 cigarettes and drinking copious amounts of beer for tonight is Brandon Block night :-)
I'm a bit sceptical about tonight actually. I really hope it goes well for the promoters but with so many people nipping over to the Isle of Wight for Bestival I'm doubtful as to whether it'll get a great turnout. Not that it'd matter one jot on the night because we're definitely going to have a good time :-)
So if you're at a lose end and fancy a boogie then please do pop down to The Venue in Reading and join us (My DJ slot is at 1am)
On the subject of festivals I'm not really sure why I'm not so keen to go to them myself anymore. I remember years gone by when the highlight of the summer was the Oxford Mayday Ball. When that came around it was the start of summer...Festival season had begun !!
Great little festival that was too, there were about 4 tents, all linked by tunnels and all completely decked out and carpeted. Even the toilets were pretty good. Of course it was full of students which is a downer but the plus side of that was cheap beer.
I think the next festival I would go to after the Mayday Ball would be Homelands down in Winchester. Absolutely huge event held in the Mattersley Bowl which was like a natural amphitheatre, this big crator in a field where everything was set up. At the start I loved this festival but then it got a bit too big, a bit too commercial and when I stopped going it turned all a bit chavvy.....Needless to say that was the final year and it is now defunct.
After Homelands I think it would be the Gatecrasher Summer Sound System. The first year they did it was on the same day as England were playing Germany at football (soccer) in either some big competition or it was a qualifier for a big competition and they had these massive screens showing the game. It was a terrific day, really sunny and of course England won which just made the atmosphere electric.
Throughout the night in one of the main arenas they had the England goals on loop continuously behind the stage on more huge screens. Alas though I think this festival too is now defunct :-(
So after that would have been Godskitchen which is held in the exact same location as Gatecrasher, some airfield in Stratford-upon-Avon if I remember correctly. Pretty much of a muchness however it always seems to rain when I go to this one and in fact I think it was the last of the "biggies" that I went too.
The actual last one was not such a biggie but it was certainly more for me these days and Cocoon in the Park is now the only festival that is firmly listed as a yearly must do and the others I think I could take or leave.
Then in between these there were trips to the biggest festival of them all......Ibiza.
Hmmm of course where the festivals are concerned they've not changed at all have they? I've just got older.......
I'm a bit sceptical about tonight actually. I really hope it goes well for the promoters but with so many people nipping over to the Isle of Wight for Bestival I'm doubtful as to whether it'll get a great turnout. Not that it'd matter one jot on the night because we're definitely going to have a good time :-)
So if you're at a lose end and fancy a boogie then please do pop down to The Venue in Reading and join us (My DJ slot is at 1am)
On the subject of festivals I'm not really sure why I'm not so keen to go to them myself anymore. I remember years gone by when the highlight of the summer was the Oxford Mayday Ball. When that came around it was the start of summer...Festival season had begun !!
Great little festival that was too, there were about 4 tents, all linked by tunnels and all completely decked out and carpeted. Even the toilets were pretty good. Of course it was full of students which is a downer but the plus side of that was cheap beer.
I think the next festival I would go to after the Mayday Ball would be Homelands down in Winchester. Absolutely huge event held in the Mattersley Bowl which was like a natural amphitheatre, this big crator in a field where everything was set up. At the start I loved this festival but then it got a bit too big, a bit too commercial and when I stopped going it turned all a bit chavvy.....Needless to say that was the final year and it is now defunct.
After Homelands I think it would be the Gatecrasher Summer Sound System. The first year they did it was on the same day as England were playing Germany at football (soccer) in either some big competition or it was a qualifier for a big competition and they had these massive screens showing the game. It was a terrific day, really sunny and of course England won which just made the atmosphere electric.
Throughout the night in one of the main arenas they had the England goals on loop continuously behind the stage on more huge screens. Alas though I think this festival too is now defunct :-(
So after that would have been Godskitchen which is held in the exact same location as Gatecrasher, some airfield in Stratford-upon-Avon if I remember correctly. Pretty much of a muchness however it always seems to rain when I go to this one and in fact I think it was the last of the "biggies" that I went too.
The actual last one was not such a biggie but it was certainly more for me these days and Cocoon in the Park is now the only festival that is firmly listed as a yearly must do and the others I think I could take or leave.
Then in between these there were trips to the biggest festival of them all......Ibiza.
Hmmm of course where the festivals are concerned they've not changed at all have they? I've just got older.......
Thursday 9 September 2010
Sleeeep...
Again not the best nights sleep I've ever had but I do feel a bit better today. Still coughing lots and sounding like Muttley from the Wacky Races cartoons.
Had a call from a very influential person in the catering trade yesterday (Private Chef to the future king of England for 11 years and founder of the Duchy Originals brand) who was thrilled that we'd found a business opportunity and that we are serious about giving it a go.
The call got off to a very bad start due to some crossed wires. I mentioned to them the premises in question and after what can only be described as a torrent of bad news and a firm warning to stay well away I suddenly realised that we were talking about two completely different places. The sigh of relief coming from the other end of the phone was all too apparent :-)
In the end the conversation turned to excitement and optimism with the promise that they'd be at the end of the phone if ever we needed anything and that they'd be glad to help in anyway possible in order to get our dream under way.
The studying is going well. I'm getting so involved and interested in this book that I just cannot wait to read the next page....I even learn't something about boiling water yesterday !! What may you ask is there that can possibly be learn't about plain old boiling water.............ERM..............A Lot :-)
More exciting news is that we've been given 4 freshly caught Trout (1 Rainbow & 3 Brown) which are currently in the fridge waiting to be turned into something yummy. My study book has a recipe in it for "Fillets of Sole Meuniére" which can be adapted for Trout methinks.
They are whole so should be fun gutting and filleting them later with Emily. She's mesmerised by all that kind of stuff. If she doesn't get involved in food in the future she'd make a wonderful Biology teacher or Veterinary Surgeon....Food Science or Science Science it's all the same to me....Science rocks !!
Picked up some Antibiotics this morning too and the information says -
"Amoxicillin capsules do not have known interactions with any food or drink. Alcohol may irritate your stomach if taken with amoxicillin, so use it with moderation."
I think that's a typo...Surely what it should say is -
"Amoxicillin capsules do not have known interactions with any food or drink. Alcohol may irritate your stomach if taken with amoxicillin, so use it with a couple of pints while in The Moderation."
For those not in the know "The Moderation" is a pub just round the corner from the Caversham house :-)
So once again I leave you fully topped up on my current affairs and wish you a wonderful day and .....ERM...Same time tomorrow.
Had a call from a very influential person in the catering trade yesterday (Private Chef to the future king of England for 11 years and founder of the Duchy Originals brand) who was thrilled that we'd found a business opportunity and that we are serious about giving it a go.
The call got off to a very bad start due to some crossed wires. I mentioned to them the premises in question and after what can only be described as a torrent of bad news and a firm warning to stay well away I suddenly realised that we were talking about two completely different places. The sigh of relief coming from the other end of the phone was all too apparent :-)
In the end the conversation turned to excitement and optimism with the promise that they'd be at the end of the phone if ever we needed anything and that they'd be glad to help in anyway possible in order to get our dream under way.
The studying is going well. I'm getting so involved and interested in this book that I just cannot wait to read the next page....I even learn't something about boiling water yesterday !! What may you ask is there that can possibly be learn't about plain old boiling water.............ERM..............A Lot :-)
More exciting news is that we've been given 4 freshly caught Trout (1 Rainbow & 3 Brown) which are currently in the fridge waiting to be turned into something yummy. My study book has a recipe in it for "Fillets of Sole Meuniére" which can be adapted for Trout methinks.
They are whole so should be fun gutting and filleting them later with Emily. She's mesmerised by all that kind of stuff. If she doesn't get involved in food in the future she'd make a wonderful Biology teacher or Veterinary Surgeon....Food Science or Science Science it's all the same to me....Science rocks !!
Picked up some Antibiotics this morning too and the information says -
"Amoxicillin capsules do not have known interactions with any food or drink. Alcohol may irritate your stomach if taken with amoxicillin, so use it with moderation."
I think that's a typo...Surely what it should say is -
"Amoxicillin capsules do not have known interactions with any food or drink. Alcohol may irritate your stomach if taken with amoxicillin, so use it with a couple of pints while in The Moderation."
For those not in the know "The Moderation" is a pub just round the corner from the Caversham house :-)
So once again I leave you fully topped up on my current affairs and wish you a wonderful day and .....ERM...Same time tomorrow.
Wednesday 8 September 2010
Short and Sweet...
Just a quick one today as I'm all grumpy guts because of my cough. Actually mamanged to pull something in my neck/shoulder just from coughing yesterday and it's still sore.
Don't worry Mum I'm going to the Docs later.
So the only real news I have is that I have the 1am - 2am slot for the party on Friday/Saturday down at The Venue in Reading.
Oh and I also got some advice from Heston Blumenthal....He says I should never lose enthusiasm and temper this with a solid classical foundation.
OK...........will do :-)
Don't worry Mum I'm going to the Docs later.
So the only real news I have is that I have the 1am - 2am slot for the party on Friday/Saturday down at The Venue in Reading.
Oh and I also got some advice from Heston Blumenthal....He says I should never lose enthusiasm and temper this with a solid classical foundation.
OK...........will do :-)
Tuesday 7 September 2010
Books....
I'm not normally a prolific reader by any stretch of the imagination but at present I have three on the go and I can't get enough of them.
I'm around 100 pages into "French Provincial Cooking" by Elizabeth David and I've not hit a single recipe yet, it mostly seems to be a massive rant at how poorly the English viewed French cooking at the time and of course vice versa.
I just love the way she writes. She comes across as one of those terribly posh but slightly squiffy women that you sometimes see in pubs talking the hind legs off a Donkey (or should that be "Ooooorf an Ass"?). Actually she reminds me of my Nanna !!!
I do miss my Nanna dearly. I miss the way she talked, she was brought up near Glasgow the actual place is etched in my memory but for some reason I cannot think of it right now. Anyway I'm pretty sure the area was not conducive to the accent that my Nanna had which was kind of a mixture of Robbie Coltrane, Billy Connelly and Queen Elizabeth.
"When" wasn't pronounced "Wen" it was "Whhhen", lots of emphasis on the "Wh"
I also miss her copies of Country Life magazine that she used to have my Polish Grandad go down to the Newsagents and pick up. Can you imagine that ?!?! My lovely Grandpops, quite obviously foreign because his grasp of the English language was never great, in his Brown cords, cardigan and flat cap buying a high society country living and lifestyle magazine and taking it back to a two bedroom council flat.
We'd look through every issue to try and find the perfect country house to live in. Of course Nanna always wanted a Castle in Scotland, she'd have made the best Lady of the Glen ever. Instead of fending off Marauders by tipping boiling fat from the ramparts she would definitely substitute the fat for Lentil and Bacon soup.
One of the other books is aimed more at the professional cook or student cook, it's origins are from the United States but as it's in it's seventh edition now it's very varied in it's use of ingredients and recipes so apart from other reference books of the same ilk which generally seem to be based on French food this one has a more Global/International feel about it.
It really does cover all bases and starts off explaining how a modern kitchen works and how that has changed from the days of Marie-Antoine Carême through Georges Auguste Escoffier right up to the present day. Not sure I'll ever be in a position to have all these kitchen stations in place but it's good to know how it all works.
Health and Safety, Food Hygiene, Stock rotation and Menu Planning are all covered in this mammoth book and I can't wait to get to each section.....Oh it's "Professional Cooking 7th Edition" by Wayne Gisslen if anybody is interested....it's hefty both in size and in cost !!!
Good day..
I'm around 100 pages into "French Provincial Cooking" by Elizabeth David and I've not hit a single recipe yet, it mostly seems to be a massive rant at how poorly the English viewed French cooking at the time and of course vice versa.
I just love the way she writes. She comes across as one of those terribly posh but slightly squiffy women that you sometimes see in pubs talking the hind legs off a Donkey (or should that be "Ooooorf an Ass"?). Actually she reminds me of my Nanna !!!
I do miss my Nanna dearly. I miss the way she talked, she was brought up near Glasgow the actual place is etched in my memory but for some reason I cannot think of it right now. Anyway I'm pretty sure the area was not conducive to the accent that my Nanna had which was kind of a mixture of Robbie Coltrane, Billy Connelly and Queen Elizabeth.
"When" wasn't pronounced "Wen" it was "Whhhen", lots of emphasis on the "Wh"
I also miss her copies of Country Life magazine that she used to have my Polish Grandad go down to the Newsagents and pick up. Can you imagine that ?!?! My lovely Grandpops, quite obviously foreign because his grasp of the English language was never great, in his Brown cords, cardigan and flat cap buying a high society country living and lifestyle magazine and taking it back to a two bedroom council flat.
We'd look through every issue to try and find the perfect country house to live in. Of course Nanna always wanted a Castle in Scotland, she'd have made the best Lady of the Glen ever. Instead of fending off Marauders by tipping boiling fat from the ramparts she would definitely substitute the fat for Lentil and Bacon soup.
One of the other books is aimed more at the professional cook or student cook, it's origins are from the United States but as it's in it's seventh edition now it's very varied in it's use of ingredients and recipes so apart from other reference books of the same ilk which generally seem to be based on French food this one has a more Global/International feel about it.
It really does cover all bases and starts off explaining how a modern kitchen works and how that has changed from the days of Marie-Antoine Carême through Georges Auguste Escoffier right up to the present day. Not sure I'll ever be in a position to have all these kitchen stations in place but it's good to know how it all works.
Health and Safety, Food Hygiene, Stock rotation and Menu Planning are all covered in this mammoth book and I can't wait to get to each section.....Oh it's "Professional Cooking 7th Edition" by Wayne Gisslen if anybody is interested....it's hefty both in size and in cost !!!
Good day..
Monday 6 September 2010
Snagged......
Good Monday everybody :-)
What a nice weekend that was. Been busy hence no blog so do forgive me.
Friday night spent in London at a very nice hotel with an epic view of Tower Bridge. We went out had a wander around St Katherines Dock in the evening and then grabbed some food but it was really quite late so we ended up in a smoke house for Burgers and Ribs. You have to indulge yourself in these pleasures every now and again. Not exactly gourmet but certainly much better than the god awful TGI Fridays !!
Saturday we awoke to a glorious morning, drew back the curtains and let the sunshine in showing off the beautiful skyline over the South Bank of the Thames. Full breakfast was ordered the previous evening so was duly delivered to the door at 9:30am and eaten without care for crumb spillage.
Originally we were going to take the tube over to South Kensington but given that is was a good day and that we'd not really seen too many landmarks we (I) decided that we should walk the 5 or so miles from Tower Bridge.
Glad we did too, not sure my feet and legs are too happy about it even now but it was very enjoyable.
First place we walked through was the Tower of London and we saw the Ravenmaster by the gates. Wouldn't have had a clue who he was had he not just been on some kids TV program we'd literally just turned off prior to leaving the hotel.
I have to stop to have a mini rant about a certain section of the community here because why oh why do people feel the need to go jogging right through these massive tourist hotspots ?!!?!? They could quite easily avoid it but they don't because these people see jogging as an essential accessory to life. You know the types....
"What did you do yesterday?"
"Oh well after my morning run....10 miles.....or was it 2000 miles...I dunno it's all the same when you are a jogger like me...well anyway after my run I just chillaxio'd to the maxio'd"
"So you ran pointlessly for miles, knocking people over along the way then did nothing remotely useful for the rest of the entire day?"
"Yeeeeeeeeep"
"WOW you really must be an amazing person.............."
Onwards we go to the smallest city in the UK..........The City of London. Now I have spent quite some time in London working, mainly north London but I also had a spell working in Bishopsgate just after that horrid IRA bomb was detonated. It's here where I found out that I have Vertigo.....in reverse !!!
OK I'm not the greatest with heights full stop but I also really dislike standing at the base of tall buildings. When I look up at the them I get all goose pimply because they seen to impose themselves upon me like some really tall person bending down to peer into my face.
I did find however that this is limited to rectangular shaped buildings because I didn't get the same feeling for the building at 30 St Mary's Axe....Norman Foster's "Gherkin" of course. What an amazing building that is.
I'm guessing that because of the curvy nature if this building those claustrophobic feelings I get from the more regimented giant structures such as the neighbouring Natwest Tower seem to fade away to other more pressing questions such as how do they clean the windows on a curved building ?!?!?
Perhaps the highlight of this part of the journey was stumbling across "Brassiere Blanc" in Threadneedle Street. Raymond Blanc's City of London restaurant and definitely the next place on the list for something to eat. I'm certain we'd have eaten there right there and then had it have been open but alas it wasn't no doubt due to the square mile being something like a scene from the film 28 days later over the weekend.
No doubt all these wheeler dealers off slumming it at some summer music festival or winding down after a hard week of betting with the countries future at Daddies Wiltshire retreat.
Such an amazing amount of betting shops in the City of London too.........More Coral's than the Great Barrier Reef!!!
Anyway we did eventually make it to South Kensington but we did have to give the feet a rest so got a train from Piccadilly rather than trudge the whole distance in Zag Zag form.
A long long time ago, when I was still a schoolboy the Mother of my good friend at the time Sharon used to own a quaint little Sandwich Bar in South Kensington called Cromwells so I was quite looking forward to stopping there for a coffee but the bloomin place had gone, replaced by another Sandwich bar which had taken over the whole row of shops that I vaguely remember being there. Still SK does hold some very fond memories for me during those impressionable teenage years so regardless of the shop it's still nice going there.
I suppose it was about 1pm by the time we were approaching the Museums so decided that today we'd just visit the Natural History Museum rather than try to cram in both that and the Science museum in a few short hours.
I've been to the Natural History museum a few times but I really remember the first ever time. It was with my Junior School and with my favourite teacher ever Miss Lloyd (Who later became Mrs Dance) but I don't remember it for any of the exhibitions or artefacts. Me being me I remember it only for the packed lunch that we ate while playing around the bases of the columns that support the buildings east side! Even at that age food was always the number one priority.
So anyway we whipped around the museum taking in all we wanted. I suppose it's one of the good things about being semi-intelligent is that you can gloss over things in Museums because you already know full well why the artefact is there and you just want to see it.
After the Museum we stopped along Knightsbridge for some lunch. Found this charming little roadside restaurant that pulled me in with the promise of Dim Sum. Carley had never had this before so I ordered a good amount of different dishes and a cold bottle of Prosecco and we sat there eating away contently while watching the people go by, many of whom had the obligatory Knightsbridge accessory............The Harrods Food Hall carrier Bag.
Well enough was enough and we got ourselves back on the train and headed back to the sanctuary of Berkshire in time to attend my Cricket Clubs end of season bash. Was all very nice and jolly as you'd expect that was until we headed back to a friends house and went through his entire vinyl record collection until 7am !!! Loads of old wonderful tunes from SKA to Motown....Randy Crawford is just the best !!
Yesterday of course was just junk food, TV and Football Manager. Pizza Hut, documentaries on the BBC iPlayer and Watford finishing 7th in the Premiership just behind Man Utd finished the weekend off nicely albeit in a hungover fashion.
The snagged heading refers to the pub situation. My legal guys have gone over the copy of the lease which I have and have found many key points that are very ambiguous and some that have not been updated to take into account the newest licensing act bought in in 2003. Hopefully these will get cleared up shortly and we can once again get the ball rolling.
Toodlepipions....
What a nice weekend that was. Been busy hence no blog so do forgive me.
Friday night spent in London at a very nice hotel with an epic view of Tower Bridge. We went out had a wander around St Katherines Dock in the evening and then grabbed some food but it was really quite late so we ended up in a smoke house for Burgers and Ribs. You have to indulge yourself in these pleasures every now and again. Not exactly gourmet but certainly much better than the god awful TGI Fridays !!
Saturday we awoke to a glorious morning, drew back the curtains and let the sunshine in showing off the beautiful skyline over the South Bank of the Thames. Full breakfast was ordered the previous evening so was duly delivered to the door at 9:30am and eaten without care for crumb spillage.
Originally we were going to take the tube over to South Kensington but given that is was a good day and that we'd not really seen too many landmarks we (I) decided that we should walk the 5 or so miles from Tower Bridge.
Glad we did too, not sure my feet and legs are too happy about it even now but it was very enjoyable.
First place we walked through was the Tower of London and we saw the Ravenmaster by the gates. Wouldn't have had a clue who he was had he not just been on some kids TV program we'd literally just turned off prior to leaving the hotel.
I have to stop to have a mini rant about a certain section of the community here because why oh why do people feel the need to go jogging right through these massive tourist hotspots ?!!?!? They could quite easily avoid it but they don't because these people see jogging as an essential accessory to life. You know the types....
"What did you do yesterday?"
"Oh well after my morning run....10 miles.....or was it 2000 miles...I dunno it's all the same when you are a jogger like me...well anyway after my run I just chillaxio'd to the maxio'd"
"So you ran pointlessly for miles, knocking people over along the way then did nothing remotely useful for the rest of the entire day?"
"Yeeeeeeeeep"
"WOW you really must be an amazing person.............."
Onwards we go to the smallest city in the UK..........The City of London. Now I have spent quite some time in London working, mainly north London but I also had a spell working in Bishopsgate just after that horrid IRA bomb was detonated. It's here where I found out that I have Vertigo.....in reverse !!!
OK I'm not the greatest with heights full stop but I also really dislike standing at the base of tall buildings. When I look up at the them I get all goose pimply because they seen to impose themselves upon me like some really tall person bending down to peer into my face.
I did find however that this is limited to rectangular shaped buildings because I didn't get the same feeling for the building at 30 St Mary's Axe....Norman Foster's "Gherkin" of course. What an amazing building that is.
I'm guessing that because of the curvy nature if this building those claustrophobic feelings I get from the more regimented giant structures such as the neighbouring Natwest Tower seem to fade away to other more pressing questions such as how do they clean the windows on a curved building ?!?!?
Perhaps the highlight of this part of the journey was stumbling across "Brassiere Blanc" in Threadneedle Street. Raymond Blanc's City of London restaurant and definitely the next place on the list for something to eat. I'm certain we'd have eaten there right there and then had it have been open but alas it wasn't no doubt due to the square mile being something like a scene from the film 28 days later over the weekend.
No doubt all these wheeler dealers off slumming it at some summer music festival or winding down after a hard week of betting with the countries future at Daddies Wiltshire retreat.
Such an amazing amount of betting shops in the City of London too.........More Coral's than the Great Barrier Reef!!!
Anyway we did eventually make it to South Kensington but we did have to give the feet a rest so got a train from Piccadilly rather than trudge the whole distance in Zag Zag form.
A long long time ago, when I was still a schoolboy the Mother of my good friend at the time Sharon used to own a quaint little Sandwich Bar in South Kensington called Cromwells so I was quite looking forward to stopping there for a coffee but the bloomin place had gone, replaced by another Sandwich bar which had taken over the whole row of shops that I vaguely remember being there. Still SK does hold some very fond memories for me during those impressionable teenage years so regardless of the shop it's still nice going there.
I suppose it was about 1pm by the time we were approaching the Museums so decided that today we'd just visit the Natural History Museum rather than try to cram in both that and the Science museum in a few short hours.
I've been to the Natural History museum a few times but I really remember the first ever time. It was with my Junior School and with my favourite teacher ever Miss Lloyd (Who later became Mrs Dance) but I don't remember it for any of the exhibitions or artefacts. Me being me I remember it only for the packed lunch that we ate while playing around the bases of the columns that support the buildings east side! Even at that age food was always the number one priority.
So anyway we whipped around the museum taking in all we wanted. I suppose it's one of the good things about being semi-intelligent is that you can gloss over things in Museums because you already know full well why the artefact is there and you just want to see it.
After the Museum we stopped along Knightsbridge for some lunch. Found this charming little roadside restaurant that pulled me in with the promise of Dim Sum. Carley had never had this before so I ordered a good amount of different dishes and a cold bottle of Prosecco and we sat there eating away contently while watching the people go by, many of whom had the obligatory Knightsbridge accessory............The Harrods Food Hall carrier Bag.
Well enough was enough and we got ourselves back on the train and headed back to the sanctuary of Berkshire in time to attend my Cricket Clubs end of season bash. Was all very nice and jolly as you'd expect that was until we headed back to a friends house and went through his entire vinyl record collection until 7am !!! Loads of old wonderful tunes from SKA to Motown....Randy Crawford is just the best !!
Yesterday of course was just junk food, TV and Football Manager. Pizza Hut, documentaries on the BBC iPlayer and Watford finishing 7th in the Premiership just behind Man Utd finished the weekend off nicely albeit in a hungover fashion.
The snagged heading refers to the pub situation. My legal guys have gone over the copy of the lease which I have and have found many key points that are very ambiguous and some that have not been updated to take into account the newest licensing act bought in in 2003. Hopefully these will get cleared up shortly and we can once again get the ball rolling.
Toodlepipions....
Friday 3 September 2010
Good Morning.....
You won't be getting any rants out of me today. No Sir'eeeeeeee!
I was thinking about going off on one about guys in their mid 20's who wear Polo shirts with the collar flicked up and how it was so sad that they feel the need at this tender age to cling onto their youth......but I won't.............I'll save that for another day.
Or I was going to harp on about people who play for pub football teams who think that by doing so they are akin to over priced professionals.....but I won't
Why?
Because today is a good day for two specific reasons.
1. I have had the most wonderful and beautiful morning with our little angel Emily. We sat in the kitchen and chatted about so many things over breakfast...Let see what we're they....
Can we get a Dog?
Can we go to the Park?
Cat Poo.
How excited we both are about the Pub.
Cold Toast.
Ibiza.
Mummy catching flies while asleep.
Packed lunches.
Oh the joys :-) Made me completely forget about the Chateauneuf Du Pape head that I've got going on!!
2. It's book day...Amazon assure me that my latest purchases will be arriving at my office before 1pm !!
This is my Christmas !!!
I'mm too excited to type anymore............Maybe an update later :-)
Ciao for now (<<<< I'll rant about how much I hate that saying soon too)
I was thinking about going off on one about guys in their mid 20's who wear Polo shirts with the collar flicked up and how it was so sad that they feel the need at this tender age to cling onto their youth......but I won't.............I'll save that for another day.
Or I was going to harp on about people who play for pub football teams who think that by doing so they are akin to over priced professionals.....but I won't
Why?
Because today is a good day for two specific reasons.
1. I have had the most wonderful and beautiful morning with our little angel Emily. We sat in the kitchen and chatted about so many things over breakfast...Let see what we're they....
Can we get a Dog?
Can we go to the Park?
Cat Poo.
How excited we both are about the Pub.
Cold Toast.
Ibiza.
Mummy catching flies while asleep.
Packed lunches.
Oh the joys :-) Made me completely forget about the Chateauneuf Du Pape head that I've got going on!!
2. It's book day...Amazon assure me that my latest purchases will be arriving at my office before 1pm !!
This is my Christmas !!!
I'mm too excited to type anymore............Maybe an update later :-)
Ciao for now (<<<< I'll rant about how much I hate that saying soon too)
Thursday 2 September 2010
Interview....
Well today is the day that the interview I did for the radio gets broadcast.
Firstly it's not a massive national radio but a small internet based community radio for the Reading area but I assume it can be listened to from far and wide.
It's going out between 12pm and 2pm on reading4u.org.
For my international readers -
10pm - Melbourne
5am - L.A. (I'll get a recording)
2pm - Germany
Helen Wright is the presenter of the local food show and she wanted to talk to us about the Reading, Steady, Cook! Competition that we took part in last year. It was all very nice and we each did a little chat on the things we cooked (or organised in Abby's case) and the whole experience.
I think the competition part and interviews are going to be covered in the first 30 mins of the show.
After that we did a bit of cake eating and reviewing. Pretty sure I made some rather silly comments because both the Apple and Walnut Cake and Chocolate Brownie we're fantastic.
I'll try and get the names of the companies that supplied them. They were both organic, small independents. They both do mail order I believe, infact I think one of them does a cake basket scheme pretty similar to the vegetable basket schemes from people like Riverford etc etc.
I'll try and get the names of both and links to websites and post them up later.
Also yesterday I did one of my favourite things to do in the whole world and that is buy cookery books.
I needed to get some about running a professional kitchen, I still need more of these, especially books that regard food safety practices but I also got a couple that I just know are going to inspire me.
Check them out if you like a good cookbook -
1. The Science of Good Food: The Ultimate Reference on How Cooking Works by David Joachim, Andrew Schloss
2. Professional Cooking by Wayne Gisslen
3. French Provincial Cooking by Elizabeth David
4. The Flavour Thesaurus by Niki Segnit
I absolutely adore all Elizabeth David books. The way she writes them is so personal and the stories told within the recipes themselves can somehow magically take you there to where she is making the dish...Such a wonderful woman.
The Flavour Thesaurus is one I'm eager to get reading. It lists pages upon pages of food combinations. I've only scanned through it quickly in the book shop and there are some classic ones as well as some very obscure ones that I'm keen to experiment with.
Gonna take while to get through them all but I'll let you know how I get on.
Anyway would lovely if any of you could get to listen to the radio show and maybe add some comments to the shows/stations messageboard.
The organisers of the competition are keen to get going on the 2011 competition and want to make it even bigger and better this time around so if anybody is interested in taking part please do let me know and I'll forward you the relevant contacts or have the organisers contact yourselves.
Hopefully I'll be ineligible due when it comes round again because of course I hope to be a professional by that time and the competition is only open to amateurs....Maybe I can be a venue for the heats ...... Now there's an idea !?!?
Firstly it's not a massive national radio but a small internet based community radio for the Reading area but I assume it can be listened to from far and wide.
It's going out between 12pm and 2pm on reading4u.org.
For my international readers -
10pm - Melbourne
5am - L.A. (I'll get a recording)
2pm - Germany
Helen Wright is the presenter of the local food show and she wanted to talk to us about the Reading, Steady, Cook! Competition that we took part in last year. It was all very nice and we each did a little chat on the things we cooked (or organised in Abby's case) and the whole experience.
I think the competition part and interviews are going to be covered in the first 30 mins of the show.
After that we did a bit of cake eating and reviewing. Pretty sure I made some rather silly comments because both the Apple and Walnut Cake and Chocolate Brownie we're fantastic.
I'll try and get the names of the companies that supplied them. They were both organic, small independents. They both do mail order I believe, infact I think one of them does a cake basket scheme pretty similar to the vegetable basket schemes from people like Riverford etc etc.
I'll try and get the names of both and links to websites and post them up later.
Also yesterday I did one of my favourite things to do in the whole world and that is buy cookery books.
I needed to get some about running a professional kitchen, I still need more of these, especially books that regard food safety practices but I also got a couple that I just know are going to inspire me.
Check them out if you like a good cookbook -
1. The Science of Good Food: The Ultimate Reference on How Cooking Works by David Joachim, Andrew Schloss
2. Professional Cooking by Wayne Gisslen
3. French Provincial Cooking by Elizabeth David
4. The Flavour Thesaurus by Niki Segnit
I absolutely adore all Elizabeth David books. The way she writes them is so personal and the stories told within the recipes themselves can somehow magically take you there to where she is making the dish...Such a wonderful woman.
The Flavour Thesaurus is one I'm eager to get reading. It lists pages upon pages of food combinations. I've only scanned through it quickly in the book shop and there are some classic ones as well as some very obscure ones that I'm keen to experiment with.
Gonna take while to get through them all but I'll let you know how I get on.
Anyway would lovely if any of you could get to listen to the radio show and maybe add some comments to the shows/stations messageboard.
The organisers of the competition are keen to get going on the 2011 competition and want to make it even bigger and better this time around so if anybody is interested in taking part please do let me know and I'll forward you the relevant contacts or have the organisers contact yourselves.
Hopefully I'll be ineligible due when it comes round again because of course I hope to be a professional by that time and the competition is only open to amateurs....Maybe I can be a venue for the heats ...... Now there's an idea !?!?
Wednesday 1 September 2010
Still there.....
Damn this bally coughiness I have. Damn and blast and damn again.
It's not going to beat me, too many things on my mind to be bullied into submission by some nasty chest gremlins.
So this morning I realised that I'll not be able to make another trip to Ibiza this year due to other expenditure requirements. Still I've already been once this summer and I had such a wonderful time that I really don't feel too perturbed by not going again.
Terrible that the people in the news have to once again focus on the stories of drug misuse and supply on the island and not the fact that 1000's upon 1000's of people go there throughout the year and manage to have a wonderfully magical time completely away from this one road in one resort that these stories emanate from.
One report says that 97% of the visitors to the island are taking drugs !!! What a complete load of rubbish. Whoever grabbed this number out of the sky quite obviously has never been there and if they have it was to the "West End" of San Antonio which for anybody non familiar is just one street and a few bars off it. 300 Yards long at most!!!
The name "West End" conjures up an image of a sprawling metropolis of flashing lights, Theatre and Cabaret however this "West End" is merely a haven for juvenile delinquent binge drinkers and to be honest I am quite pleased it is there because it keeps the horrid oiks that populate this area well out of the way of the other quite fantastic parts of not only that resort but the whole island.
Take these propaganda reporters to Sands or Ushaia over in Playa Den Bossa or perhaps take them up for a stroll around D'Alt Villa followed by a shopping trip in Ibiza Town then let them decide if it's a drug fuelled haven of sex and shame. Maybe take them around the wonderful beaches at Benirras, Calle Comte, Salinas or take a boat trip over to Formentera.
Take them up to the round family resorts of Santa Eularia and Portinax and let them watch smiling children swim in the crystal clear waters and build sandcastles on the beautiful award winning beaches.
Have these people ever sat down to a lovely meal at Villa Mercedes by the port only a minutea walk away from the "West End"? Have they sat amongst friends with a nice ice cold jug of Sangria and watched the sunset by Café del Mar? Have they had traditional Paella over at Calle D'Hort while looking out over the sea to the magical rock of Es Vedra?................Maybe they have but it's just not news is it?
Yes people there do take drugs, not 97% of people though !!! It shouldn't be encouraged in anyway, shape or form but irresponsible reporting isn't going to do anything other than antagonise the problem.
It really winds me up how these stories are manufactured by people just desperate to get their names in print and forgetting what a detrimental effect it has on the lives of the people living and working there.
Apart from the exporting of Salt Ibiza relies solely on Tourism and with the season approaching it's end some dimwit journalists decide that there is not enough easy news to comment on so they jump on the first bandwagon they see, grabbing numbers out of the air.
Makes me laugh that these people spend years and years at university to gain journalism degrees thinking that they are going to be the next big reporter but ultimately what they end up doing is searching the gutter hoping to pick up on one scrap of news that might earn them enough to fund there next purchase of baked beans.
These are probably the same people that 5 years ago, on their summer year out, we're the exact same people the are reporting on. Harbouring a grudge because just like so many people who go out there each year in search of a dream they too came back with nothing but a big student loan and very angry parents.
Oh my I've gone off on one again................
Where was I................?
Right............ERM...........OK.........Pub stuff.
I think too that this whole pub malarky is going to cost quite a bit to get going even before we've got to a stage where we can approach potential investors. Lots of legal things to set up and lots of paperwork to pay these guys to mull over prior to making a full commitment so it still could be good money going nowhere.
Still there is absolutely no point going in feet first and making a mistake that could ultimately cost a hell of a lot more.
There is also the added value it gives to our business plan showing that we've deliberated fully and have taken very diligent steps towards ensuring that it is concise and achievable. All these things should stand us in good stead when looking for backers.
I'm going to make a start on designing a full menu during my spare time this week including complete costings, price breakdowns and profit margins etc etc. I need to make it pretty simple but also take into consideration the stock that'll be being used and how I can get maximum usage out for absolutely everything I buy.
Need to also make considerations for shelf like and storage conditions as stock rotation and ensuring that there is absolutely no chance of the food becoming contaminated by any nasties. I'm pretty good with things like that anyway but I think I'll enrol myself in food safety course all the same. These certificates are necessary for anybody wanting to serve food to the public so just as the NCPLH award it'd just be sensible to get it done right away.
Will be speaking to a lawyer later who has been recommended to me as a specialist in the licensing trade. I'm hoping that he'll be able to assist us right through this opening stage and then for all things necessary going forward.
Never spoken to a lawyer before, quite daunting really. Mind you most people I know who have been in contact are for negative things and not for such a positive things as this.
It's not going to beat me, too many things on my mind to be bullied into submission by some nasty chest gremlins.
So this morning I realised that I'll not be able to make another trip to Ibiza this year due to other expenditure requirements. Still I've already been once this summer and I had such a wonderful time that I really don't feel too perturbed by not going again.
Terrible that the people in the news have to once again focus on the stories of drug misuse and supply on the island and not the fact that 1000's upon 1000's of people go there throughout the year and manage to have a wonderfully magical time completely away from this one road in one resort that these stories emanate from.
One report says that 97% of the visitors to the island are taking drugs !!! What a complete load of rubbish. Whoever grabbed this number out of the sky quite obviously has never been there and if they have it was to the "West End" of San Antonio which for anybody non familiar is just one street and a few bars off it. 300 Yards long at most!!!
The name "West End" conjures up an image of a sprawling metropolis of flashing lights, Theatre and Cabaret however this "West End" is merely a haven for juvenile delinquent binge drinkers and to be honest I am quite pleased it is there because it keeps the horrid oiks that populate this area well out of the way of the other quite fantastic parts of not only that resort but the whole island.
Take these propaganda reporters to Sands or Ushaia over in Playa Den Bossa or perhaps take them up for a stroll around D'Alt Villa followed by a shopping trip in Ibiza Town then let them decide if it's a drug fuelled haven of sex and shame. Maybe take them around the wonderful beaches at Benirras, Calle Comte, Salinas or take a boat trip over to Formentera.
Take them up to the round family resorts of Santa Eularia and Portinax and let them watch smiling children swim in the crystal clear waters and build sandcastles on the beautiful award winning beaches.
Have these people ever sat down to a lovely meal at Villa Mercedes by the port only a minutea walk away from the "West End"? Have they sat amongst friends with a nice ice cold jug of Sangria and watched the sunset by Café del Mar? Have they had traditional Paella over at Calle D'Hort while looking out over the sea to the magical rock of Es Vedra?................Maybe they have but it's just not news is it?
Yes people there do take drugs, not 97% of people though !!! It shouldn't be encouraged in anyway, shape or form but irresponsible reporting isn't going to do anything other than antagonise the problem.
It really winds me up how these stories are manufactured by people just desperate to get their names in print and forgetting what a detrimental effect it has on the lives of the people living and working there.
Apart from the exporting of Salt Ibiza relies solely on Tourism and with the season approaching it's end some dimwit journalists decide that there is not enough easy news to comment on so they jump on the first bandwagon they see, grabbing numbers out of the air.
Makes me laugh that these people spend years and years at university to gain journalism degrees thinking that they are going to be the next big reporter but ultimately what they end up doing is searching the gutter hoping to pick up on one scrap of news that might earn them enough to fund there next purchase of baked beans.
These are probably the same people that 5 years ago, on their summer year out, we're the exact same people the are reporting on. Harbouring a grudge because just like so many people who go out there each year in search of a dream they too came back with nothing but a big student loan and very angry parents.
Oh my I've gone off on one again................
Where was I................?
Right............ERM...........OK.........Pub stuff.
I think too that this whole pub malarky is going to cost quite a bit to get going even before we've got to a stage where we can approach potential investors. Lots of legal things to set up and lots of paperwork to pay these guys to mull over prior to making a full commitment so it still could be good money going nowhere.
Still there is absolutely no point going in feet first and making a mistake that could ultimately cost a hell of a lot more.
There is also the added value it gives to our business plan showing that we've deliberated fully and have taken very diligent steps towards ensuring that it is concise and achievable. All these things should stand us in good stead when looking for backers.
I'm going to make a start on designing a full menu during my spare time this week including complete costings, price breakdowns and profit margins etc etc. I need to make it pretty simple but also take into consideration the stock that'll be being used and how I can get maximum usage out for absolutely everything I buy.
Need to also make considerations for shelf like and storage conditions as stock rotation and ensuring that there is absolutely no chance of the food becoming contaminated by any nasties. I'm pretty good with things like that anyway but I think I'll enrol myself in food safety course all the same. These certificates are necessary for anybody wanting to serve food to the public so just as the NCPLH award it'd just be sensible to get it done right away.
Will be speaking to a lawyer later who has been recommended to me as a specialist in the licensing trade. I'm hoping that he'll be able to assist us right through this opening stage and then for all things necessary going forward.
Never spoken to a lawyer before, quite daunting really. Mind you most people I know who have been in contact are for negative things and not for such a positive things as this.
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