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 !?!?

Late on Parade....

Good day to all you fine beings.

I know that each and everyone of you patiently waits each day for my mutterings to appear and that some of you even consider the day to not have begin until you have read them.........of course that's not strictly true but I can dare to dream.

Well to be honest I've been a little bit busy today. Work has been stretched as one of my team has been off on holiday and she really is the work horse here, there can be no denying that.

Mainly though I've been off doing a radio interview for a local small community radio station regarding the Reading, Steady, Cook competition that I did. It's good fun still being part of all that even though it's been quite sometime since I took part.

The show was short and sweet, covered the competition but unfortunately I didn't really get the opportunity to slip in any key messages about the things I've been getting involved in since such as the Facebook group and of course the impending step into the professional world of food.

It was a pre-recorded show so it'll all be edited and I think be aired on Reading Community Radio on Sept 2nd. This is an internet radio station so I'll get the link and post it up. They'll also be putting a Podcast on the official Living Reading website so if you don't catch the broadcast it'll be available after.

There is more to come though because there is a food festival that we'll be taking part in which I think will involve dishes made from Christmas dinner leftovers as well as a "Nuit Blanche" event which is something that has taken off in other places around the world.

It's a "Dusk til Dawn" arts and entertainment event that will be making it's debut in Reading around October. I've been asked if I'd be interested in doing something more towards the "Dawn" part which I assume will be a cookery demonstration revolving around breakfast but I'm yet to know any real details. Should be great fun whatever

Must comment on the Dorset Naga Chilli episode last night when my beloved tried just a tiny bit fresh of the chopping board as I was preparing dinner. What followed was hiccups, deep breathing and quite a few "Phewwwwwwwwweeeeeee's" followed by the question....."They should have a bloomin warning on those things"....

As if "Dorset Naga Chilli"....."The worlds hottest Chilli" wasn't warning enough !! Bless you my love xxx

As for the weekend tomorrow I'll be heading back to my hometown of Watford to catch up with school friends that I haven't seen for around 20 years which is so exciting. I lost contact with virtually everybody from school from the day it ended but getting in contact with them again makes you remember the great times we had and how much you miss both the experiences and the people.