What To Expect From an AnxiousFoodie Summer

I may not have posted on here as often as usual lately, but that was down to exams. Now I am on my holidays and finally getting my energy back, here is a list of what I expect to post very soon!

In no specific order

1. Singapore reviews of food and everything travel related.
2. Notes on my upcoming mediteranean cruise.
3. More poetry and helpful eating disorder related posts.
4. Maybe some short stories, more book reviews, and imaginings. 
5. Reviews of The Wavendon Arms, and The Swan at Salford.

6. Reviews of anything else of interest I am able to do eg. more restaurants, foodie finds, foodie recipes, foodie day out recommendations. 

I do not promise that everything on this list will happen, but numbers 1, 2, 3, 5, and some of 6 are definite. I really hope I can find inspiration in a book to write a book review soon too, since I plan to read lots! (I hope to write something related to The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver soon, but it is such a big and interesting book - I don't know where to start!).

Yours,

G x <3 

Bones

(Aurdey Niffenegger, Topsy Turvy, 2010)

Bones

My hip bones for reassurance,

My toes for comfort,

My wrists to mark the time,

And my collar bone for vanity.

My shoulder blades to help me sleep, 

My spine for rhythmic rhyme.

And my buttocks to feel to pain,

And cheek bones to act as racks.

My pelvis, so perhaps I won't heal again.

Then my calf bones like ravines, 

where pain runs deep.

My jaw,

to prove there's more.

My fingers to probe my emotions.

And my nose,

To feel the shrinking skin,

And my eye sockets to dob me in.

Finally my ribs to prove the sin,

As there is where it did begin.

Anastasia Miandia Bularexi

Anastasia Miandia Bularexi

Some say she grew rich in the fashion trade,

whereas others believe she thrives on the necessity and dreams.

Rumor has it that she changes her appearance as often as the wind, 

Different at every meeting; brunette, blonde, Filipino, Nordic, Slavic, Black.

She rises to success on the whim of some unassuming passer by,

or she manifests herself in relationships,

leading both male and female, into adultery. 

But once she tastes sin - she's in. Bye bye

birdy.

She climbs the career ladder and fights aggressors with full force, 

roaring in her boardroom voice

and getting what she wants.

Tyrannical, she can distract every living sole around her, 

until she's too prominent to be noticed. 

But by then she's sunk into herself,

causing trouble from within her upper east side condo, or Kensington town house.

She really is a wild one - some

might whisper admiringly, while

those with any sense scream Away Away through experience...

         ...or simple logic.

When she falls from her position as CEO, her closest underdogs flail,

not knowing how to cope -

that is, 

until they feel the arms of the world around them,

trying to rebuild the fateful economy of a world she destroyed in her fleeting - or frightening - time at the top.

Translating My Head

I don't always write with a specific feeling or emotion in mind, and this poem is one of the results of one of those times. I feel that every time I reread it I find a different meaning in it, sometimes completely different to the last time. I hope that others will be able to find their own meanings and interpretations, instead of me giving you my own.
This piece is compiled out of many Latin proverbs, and I'm in two minds as to post my version containing Latin or the complete English one; so I have decided to post the Latin one, so you can either ask me for the translation if you want it, or do some Latin proverb research yourselves. I find it hugely inspiring, this ancient civilization with so many ideas and, in some cases, better ways of life. Times change, but thoughts remain.

Translating What Exists

Tempus fugit

But  veni, vidi, vici

Yet still ambulatio  memoranda,

 As luctor et emergo and Non omnis moriar

For amat victoria curam

(Although damnant quod non intelligunt)

 - But I know that cogito, ergo sum.

I'm not sure if benneficium accipere libertatem est vendere

Or whether castiget rigendo mores.

That said, I often ask "sed quis custodiet ipsos custodes?"

I am led to believe that rem nimium benere, in solitudo esse

But instead I know deep down that usus est magister optimus

So culpae poena par esto.

Or, in other words;  noli me vocare, ego ti vocabo.

Weepy Moods

For me, the possibility of a weepy mood is always likely, but like the waves of the sea you never know when you will encounter a particularly rough patch. Sometimes it is easy to sit in a boat and hardly notice the waves unless you consciously  pay attention. At other times there is no escape from choppy conditions. Some people cope, and others feel sickness beyond comparison. 

Sometimes I feel like a boat being rocked, and ultimately, I have no choice where the tides take me. Sometimes it is all too much and a tsunami will destroy me, leaving the rest of my world to pick up the pieces. Its like I'm the insignificant boat, and all around me my world deals with me in different ways. As a boat, I may be one drop in the ocean, but investors in this boat care, whereas others care simply out of boat appreciation, and some others don't give a damn. Some people can't give a damn - they have enough trouble of their own. 

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that I'm always conscious of the actions my moods cause me and others to take, even though as an inexperienced boat, I cannot move the tides. 

But I can learn to negotiate them.

Weepy Moods

For the sea, they

Come and go

 as lapping tides

Influenced by the far yet not unknown

Starting so quickly

Receding slow

Accentuated by the dark

As the distant roaring turns to close moans

And blows boats down

Like the blustery sea breeze

Before waves rise up like a new

Life but the change is not for the good

As soon a tsunami will surge up and appear

to rock the boat so no longer it can float high

As it crashes down with an almighty splash as the sea

Realises its mistakes and tries to repent consuming all around it

Until it recedes sucking  all emotion and wealth from the lowly world

Until there is nothing

All the water has left

But  the tide breaks

heavily yet Alone

 the world stands

still bemused

By events

Beyond

 their control 

My Song

My Song

Shudder, shudder
Buck, buck
Cripple,
tuck,
Muscle lock
*Jaw ticks like a clock*
moan
Groan
Mumble mutter
Spit spat word clutter
Curl tight tight tighter
Push push heavy heave
Lift fall gasp splutter
Tears water dry running
Bolt straight stiff
Running!
Beat beat hit punch push fall,
Crunch crunch.
Exert exert tense
Snap!

("m" "mmM" "M"
"my?"
*rabid nodding*
"b" "B" "Baaaa" "ba" "C" "ccckkkk"
"your back?"
*grateful crying*)

Cripple straight cripple straight
Slowing slowing
*But just keeps going*
Crying silence
Out.

Soliloquy Of The Misunderstood

Soliloquy Of The Misunderstood

(how could it ever not be so?)

Bleeding, growing

Ribs not showing.

Less slow motion

More emotion

But still,

 there's the Commotion.

Banging in my head,

Tears running for the emotions still not put to bed

"It's recovery" they said.

But do I really want that, I questioned as you upped your stealth.

So, they tried to swap you for health -

I tried to keep you for wealth -

But you never do me right

And In the middle of the night

I'm less alone than in the day,

For you run around, come what may,

With your endless chat, still the start of the fray.

"not good enough for that" and "far too fat"

go hand in hand with

"just a brat" and "ruin everything like that".

So, its irregular, not right.

It's neither fight nor flight

This thing that bites and blights,

But shines so bright to guide me home,

But still I can't help but moan,

In a helpless tone,

Water, water every where,

Nor any drop to drink.

        /Think.

Hope

Hope

I want to shout, yell, jump from the rooftops, hilltops, mountaintops. 

I want to pour my emotions out to you like the torrents of a thawing stream.

Listen and you will hear my insides corroding, and they will bloom, raining down on you like a monsoon.

Only others can choose the Golden Hour of expression.

Being hopeful is to dream - but nobody realizes how many dreams are encased within these fragile bones.

Glimmers of hope shine through my ribs like the sun rays - the moment where I stand in the sun, raise my arms and turn around. When a laugh breaks out from my lips in the middle of the staircase. Looking up from the floor, my gaze peeps out from beneath black lashes. Did you miss me? Did you ever/will you ever know me?

Hope is being found in a maze, or finding your way out of a haze. Hope is imagining the greeting you will receive from him when you start to live.

Hope is telling people who you are without fear of rejection. Not necessarily by them.

Hope is Future. Future can be whatever you want it to be... if you break your boundaries. 

Freedom

Freedom

Freedom is a smile, slowly creeping from ear to ear and consuming all your senses, one by one, encompassing them in warmth - a glow of heat and a buzz of joy.

Freedom is the way you can dig your toes into the sand and let the sea breeze rush through the caverns of your willing, open lungs.

Freedom is happiness, but also found in the depths of your despair - the moment where you let go, give in, give over, lose control, set yourself free, break down.

Freedom is not easy; it does not come at the drop of a hat. You work towards it, but when you reach it, it tastes sweeter than the sweetest lychee or the bubbliest pink lemonade. 

Freedom is an achievement, but once you find it, you can always wind your way back to its comforting embrace. 

Foodie's Finds in London - A Little bit of Everywhere

As a welcome break from revision this Easter Holiday, my Father and I spent the traditional day traipsing gleefully around London, poking around in small quirky shops and alleys, while I snapped away contentedly with my camera. A couple of my finds from the other week are places frequented by my Dad and I (and not strictly food related), whereas the other two are places I have been chomping at the bit to try for what seems like eternity.

Books For Cooks 4 Blenheim Crescent, Notting Hill

First stop on our self conducted tour was this beautiful bookshop. If I could have a heaven on earth - a large percentage of it would look like this. Wall to wall, floor to ceiling, tabletop to tabletop; all covered in food writing. Food biographies, food fiction (yes, you heard right), food recipes, food guides.... everything foodie. 

I have to admit that I found the whole experience so overwhelming that I only came away with one book (my new treasure - a Lonely Planet book on Street Food) which jumped out at me from a counter top. I fear that if I had really started to browse in earnest I could have spent the whole day lost in the crisp freshly pressed pages, dithering for evermore. 

Books for Cooks also hosts cookery classes, supper evenings and demonstrations, and has it's own little cafe at the back, where they test recipes from the books on sale. We tried the rhubarb and ginger cake, and although I didn't catch which book it was from, it was one of the most deliciously moist cakes I have ever tasted. That said, I will warn you that cakes come served more like desserts, with a drizzle of chocolate sauce and a scoop of yoghurt on the side. 

Ping Pong Dim Sum, (Carnaby Street)

This wasn't on my original list of possible places for lunch, but we were walking past at lunch time and I had looked at their menu online before, so we decided to give it a go. It was only my second time in a dedicated dim sum restaurant, and it was an altogether nice experience. Dishes arrived as they were ready and were stacked in their baskets on top of eachother, so that we had the pleasure of lifting the empty basket to discover what was underneath. To order you tick the dishes you want on a checklist, and they recommend 4-5 dishes per person. Everything we had tasted fresh and was perfectly cooked, but what I really loved was the size of the ice cream portion I had for dessert - all too often you are faced with a mountain, but I was served a refreshing portion of three "ping pong" sized balls of ice cream; two honey and ginger, and one vanilla.

It was also my Father's first experience of jasmine flowering tea, which he declared looked like an alien.

There are plenty of seats, either around a bar or at private tables, and I thoroughly enjoyed sitting at the window and inspecting busy business men as they dashed past in the ever changing London weather. 

Duant's Bookshop, Marylebone Highstreet 

I love this place, and have returned many years since I first discovered it. I was so exited to arrive that I forgot to take my own pictures! 

Duant's is a travel bookshop - enough said. This is the second percentage of my heaven. 

At the front of the shop is fiction, childrens' books and cookery books. But further back is where the magic happens. At the back of the shop, spanning three levels, the books are organised by country. Travel guides, biographies, fiction and non-fiction books, all organised together by country. This is the perfect way to browse for something new, and I can loose myself for hours. 

The layout of the shop is not it's only selling point. Duant's is also beautiful. A large window lets light into all three levels at the back of the shop, and the colour scheme is relaxing too. 

This is a shop worth visiting, whether you intend to buy anything or not. 

Yours,

The Anxious Foodie <3 

Foodie Restaurant Review - Jamie's Italian

Jumping Jamie's!

 

I have recently re-discovered Jamie Oliver, and dusted off our old Jamie cookbooks in a sort of Jamie Revival. This may partly be due to my growing obsession with all things food and partly due to the ever-swelling popularity of his Jamie's Italian restaurants and TV shows, but also a large part of my new obsession is just due to the man himself. 

Jamie has an obvious passion for good food shared with good company which goes over and above the ordinary (- and possibly the healthy.) I love how he infects everyone around him with this love and devotion to gourmet pleasures, and this is something that I hope comes across in my writing too. 

I have been to the Jamie's in my local town quite a few times now, and I have never been disappointed. The pasta is cooked perfectly and the bruschetta is a fresh flavour disco for the taste buds. His bruschetta for two is a brilliant idea, and the perfect mix of scamorza and tender "beetroot ripple".

The only thing that I would advise is that I find that if you want room for the all important dessert, or just want to save your waste-line, a full portion of pasta or risotto is far too much. The smaller starter sized portion with a side of one of Jamie's carefully composed salads is perfect, and much more like what you would serve yourself at home.

Last night we popped in after a trip to the shops and didn't want too much, so decided to share a "Vegetable Antipasti Plank", some crispy squid and a bread basket.

Nothing in Jamie's left un-noticed. The antipasti plank was raised up on two full tins of tomatoes, a homely touch, to be at the perfect height for shared grazing. The squid was, as are many other dishes, served in a beautiful clay pot also with a wooden plank to rest on. 

The antipasti plank was a joy - creamy mozzarella cheese in a portion just the right size with chilli and mint, "music bread" and pecorino with chilli jam, fresh crunchy beetroot and carrot salad, and seasonal vegetables including pepper, artichoke and courgette marinated and grilled, topped with fresh olives and caper berries. 

I have never tasted an olive so fresh in my life, and this was a real revelation to me, as was the bread basket which was a refreshing mix of different traditional Italian breads and breadsticks - and just the right size for two unlike most bread baskets I have been served.

On top of this, we were also treated to a mini version of one of their specials of the night, a bruschetta topped with a sweet mix of candied beetroot and carrot in a sort of relish.

The squid, as you would expect in any restaurant, was tender and not at all chewy. Heaven in a clay pot!

Next we had dessert. I went for the peach and almond tart as I most often do - topped with a drizzle of honey and usually whipped yoghurt although I substituted it for their divine vanilla ice cream.

The frangipane is the perfect strength and consistency, and the slices of peach nestled within are fresh and flavoursome.

Jamie's may not be cheap, but it is definitely worth the price for top notch food from a relaxed family-and-friends chain. 

Click here to find your local!

Foodie's Finds in Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire

Bank Holiday weekends and Easter breaks were just made for walks by lakes, drives in the countryside, and relaxing in tea rooms. This is exactly what I have been doing in my much needed breaks from revision, and I have found many delights in the local area.
Whether you're local or not, or even planning a trip from a far away, exotic place, I have some quintessentially English gems to share with you!

Tea-zels Cafe at Harold Country Park

Although a short stroll around the lake here is not too taxing, it is worth the promise of a visit to Teazels at the end. Service can be a little slow when they are busy, but the view of the lake from the terrace and the homely wooden tables inside the small cabin are a joy. There is always a wonderful display of cakes but I recommend the carrot cake, as it is a cut above the rest.

On my last visit I treated myself to a hot chocolate, and it may have been the best I have ever had. Creamy with a note of richness that wasn't sickly, it came with dark chocolate shavings as a topping instead of the traditional cocoa powder or whipped cream and marshmallows. This was a refreshing change, and made this childish treat seem much more grown up.

Pudding Parlour at Yardley Hastings

I have passed this place tens of times a year for most of my teenage life, but never gone in. Yesterday I was to discover what I had been missing. Before our walk at Harold we popped in to buy an afternoon snack and I was blown away by the quality of baked goods I was able to choose from. 

There were at least six different types of brownie, as well as a beautiful tart, pie, cakes, huge muffins, and a selection of cheesecakes in the chiller. Also on sale were ice cream, jams, and popcorn.

We chose the coffee and walnut cake, which was easily the best I have ever had (and the Victoria Sandwich looked just as good!). The coffee-butter-cream was the perfect strength and consistency, and the cake was neither too crumbly nor too cloying. 

This is the perfect place to pick up something for a summer picnic, or just to devour at home. They also have two small tables if you want to eat in.

Also, if you are looking for a typical English cake shop in a  village setting surrounded by luscious green fields, look no further, but I will warn you that there is not much else of interest in Yardley Hastings. Try popping along the road to Olney instead for a quaint small town experience with pleanty more cute shops, restaurants and the nearby Emberton Park. 

ARTea Room at Wakefield Country Courtyard

And finally, my most fantastic find. ARTea room is so quirky it is unreal. Outlandish tea cosies and delicate, mismatched crockery are the norm here, and as you sip your favourite brew you can gaze at the art and craft work for sale around you. There is also a small selection of cheap second hand books and slightly more expensive handmade jewellery.

Wakefield country courtyard also has some other little shops to poke around in, including a lovely farm shop where I made the purchase of some delicious smoked garlic.

ARTea room has an almost overwhealming selection of Tea, from which I chose the Vanilla variety, and my Mother the Lapsand Suchong. Tea is served at your table in your own teapot with accomanying tea cosy, and a shared pot of hot water for refills. 

The cakes were nothing to rave about, but were definately not bad. The expreience and surroundings is what I will return for though, and the chance to purchase more cheap books!

Yours,

The Anxious Foodie <3

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

A Comparison Of Two Splendid Novels that Soar Like Kites

Anticipation is a devil. You can spend an awful lot of time expecting something good, only to be knocked off your high with something less than miraculous, and left to wallow in the sadness of something that could have been.

As much as it pains me to admit it - The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini did exactly this to me. After having been blown away by A Thousand Splendid Suns, while his first book was very good, it lacked much of the shock factor possessed by his second novel. Perhaps Hosseini discovered after publishing his first novel that he could indeed get away with much more harrowing events and really reveal the truth about the state of Afghanistan.

I can't help but wonder, if I had read the Kite Runner first, maybe I would take a different view point?

It is certain that while both widely about the Afghan people and their troubled existence, both novels are very different. Whereas the kite runner is about guilt, friendship and atonement, A Thousand Splendid Suns centres much more around the atrocities of the Taliban and Soviet Forces and the effect that these two bodies had on the Afghan people, but also on the Afghan way of life.

If I had read the kite runner first, maybe I would be singing its praises for different reasons, but I feel that my judgement has been clouded by the splendour of A Thousand Splendid Suns.  Everyone I have spoken to who has read the Kite Runner sings its praises - woe betide anyone who claims that A Thousand Splendid Suns is the better of the two. But, they have not read the two.

Nevertheless,  The Kite Runner is a book that stealthily creeps up on you, and finally taps you on the shoulder in the last section of the book, to reveal to you its true colours. In the earlier pages I had a sense that something was going to happen, something momentous - and when it finally did I was underwhelmed by its occurrence.

It seems to me that Hosseini's writing  has definitely developed from one novel to the other - and although both books are pivotal in the world of historical and political fiction, A Thousand Splendid suns has much more power. The power to shock and move is contained within both books, but A Thousand Splendid Suns adds a little extra kick large enough to generate a larger feeling of astounding reverence and awe at the aptitude and boldness of a talented writer. 

Perfect Cookies and Picturesque Mixed Berry Muffins

I love waitrose. I especially love the Waitrose magazine which is released each month in store. Packed with delicious recipes and interesting articles, this is always my go-to choice for somewhere to quickly find an easy yet still scrumptious recipe. Imagine my joy when I found a recipe for Macadamia Nut and White Chocolate Cookies in their January 2012 issue! I have been looking forward to making these for ages and finally got the chance last weekend, and whipped them up quickly before breakfast on the Saturday morning (Yes, I am that sad - I just couldn't wait to make them!).

I prefer my cookies slightly soft and chewy - so from my point of view this recipe is perfect! I owe their perfection to the use of muscavado sugar, since it is so soft and gooey in the packet. Although you can't taste the vanilla essence, I still feel that it adds a little detectable something; another level of flavour perhaps.
These spread out alot during cooking, so be sure to evenly space them, because even they you may still have to slightly separate them with a palate knife when they come out of the oven.  

White Chocolate and Macadamia Nut Cookies

(adapted from Waitrose Kitchen January 2012)

Ingredients

170g unsalted butter

200g light muscavado sugar

100g (golden) caster sugar

1 egg yolk and 1 whole egg

2tsp vanilla extract

250g plain flour

1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda

pinch of salt

200g chopped good quality white chocolate

100g halved macadamia nuts

Method

1. Pre-heat your oven to 170C
2. Beat the butter untill soft and creamy, before beating both types of sugar. Beat in the egg mixture and the vanilla extract.
3. Stir in the flour and bicarbonate of soda and a tiny pinch of salt. 
4. Fold in your chocolate and nuts so that they are evenly distributed throughout the mixture, and then drop spoonfuls onto baking trays lined with greaseproof paper, and press down ever so slightly.
5. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until they are golden but still quite soft, as they will harden up as they cool, to give you that lovely chewy, gooey, soft texture.

On the Sunday of last weekend, I had some time set aside to bake for a cake sale at school in aid of Beat and Young Minds. I decided to start with something realtively easy from my Hummingbird Bakery book "Cake Days" as I wanted to ease myself in before attempting some of their more complicated creations at a later date. Despite the fact that I used skimmed milk instead of the whole milk they suggested, my Mixed Berry Muffins were moist and fluffy, although you must take care not to over-bake them - they will still be quite soft when they come out of the oven due to the fruit inside. 

The left over muffins after the cake sale were perfect for breakfast - and easily justifiable because of their fruit content!

Mixed Berry Muffins

(Adapted from Cake Days by The Hummingbird Bakery)

Ingredients

300g plain flour

155g caster sugar

1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda

1tbsp baking powder

a couple of grinds of salt

250ml milk

2 large eggs

1tsp vanilla essence

85g melted unsalted butter

100g blueberries

50g raspberries

(if you are using frozen fruit - be sure to defrost it!)

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 190C and line a muffin tin with muffin cases.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, and 115g of the sugar in a large bowl and mix together. 
3. Mix the beaten eggs, milk and vanilla essence together, and then incorporate into your dry mixture. To do this, make a well in the centre and add the wet ingredients a little at a time to avoid curdling. 
4. Pour in the melted butter and beat again.
5. Fold the berries in by hand, taking care not to crush them too much as you still want lovely whole bits of juicy fruit.
6. Spoon the batter into the cases. Be very careful as the mix will be very runny.
7. Sprinkle over the remaining sugar and bake in the centre of the oven for 25-30 mintues. Do not worry if they still seem very soft when they come out - it is because of the oozing fruit inside. 
8. Leave to cool for 5 minutes in the tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

I can't wait to try more recipes from this book. I will keep you updated on my attempts!

Vanilla Spiced Chai Tea Sponge with Cinnamon Frosting

A Foodie Original Recipe

I am very proud of my Lemon Drizzle cake. I have been using the same simple recipe since I was seven, from a children's cookbook, that I received as a gift and was really the start of my love affair with food. Don't knock it because its a children's recipe - it is one of the most moist, light and fluffy creations you will ever taste (not to blow my own trumpet or anything...)!

So, I decided to do something brave. Recently I have discovered Drink Me Chai's Vanilla and Spiced Chai Tea Lattes, and I thought - if you can have coffee cake; why not have chai tea latte cake? I took the basis for my Lemon Drizzle, omitted anything lemony, added vanilla pod, cinnamon and some iced chai tea and - voila - my baby was born!

This is the recipe for my first attempt. The frosting tastes just like the spiced chai, even though it has no chai in it. The sponge was less successful - it has a hint of vanilla but you may want to add a little more cinnamon or up the concentration of the chai tea. I suggest adding some of the chai tea powder instead of flour (maybe 5g?). 

All the same, this is a delicious cake, even if the flavours are very subtle (- and it made the perfect Mothers' Day picnic centre-piece!).

Vanilla Spiced Chai Tea Sponge with Cinnamon Frosting

Ingredients for the Cake

300g softened butter

300g golden caster sugar

4 eggs, beaten

300g self raising flour

1 cup of Drink Me Chai  spiced chai tea latte (made with cold milk, not boiling water)

2tsp cinnamon

seeds from one vanilla pod

Ingredients for Cinnamon Frosting

• I only used my frosting the sandwich the layers of the cake together, but this recipe makes enough to ice the top too, I found. Adjust the quantities by halving the icing sugar and cornflour, and only adding 1/4 cup of creme fraiche if you only wish to use it in-between the layers. 

2 cups icing sugar

1/3 cut creme fraiche

1tbsp butter

2tbsp cinnamon

3/4 cup cornflour

grind of salt

2tsp vanilla essence

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180C.
2. Beat the butter until soft in a large mixing bowl. Incorporate the sugar before mixing in the beaten eggs. Do this gradually so that the mixture doesn't curdle (although mine always used to curdle when I was younger and the result was exactly the same as it is today!)
3. Mix in the seeds from the vanilla pod, before sifting in the cinnamon and flour.
4. Make your chai tea latte as you usually would, but with cold milk instead of boiling water. Add 1tbsp of the milky chai to the cake mix at a time, until you have a dropping consistency. (I used about 3tbsp).
5. Divide the mixture between two greased and/or non-stick sandwich tins, preferably the sort with removable bottoms. Bake the cakes, swapping which one is on the top shelf half way through, for 40 minutes or until they are springy to the touch and a skewer or cake needle comes out clean when inserted into the middle.
6. When done, leave to cool in the tins for 40 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool.
7. Now, make your frosting. Sift together the cinnamon, cornflour and icing sugar. Cream together the butter and creme fraiche. Beat these two mixtures together untill smooth. Add the vanilla essence and beat some some, before adding some salt if it is too sweet. Don't worry if it is too sweet and runny - it will harden slightly as it sets and some of the sweetness will be balanced out in the process also.
8. When the cakes are cool, place one cake on a plate and spread half of the frosting on top. Place the second sandwich on top and decorate with a dusting of cinnamon and glace cherries or flaked almonds, or the rest of the frosting. 

Perfect with a cuppa on a sunny spring afternoon! 

Yours,

The Anxious Foodie <3

Squid and Samphire: A Seaside Sensation

3 recipes, 2 super scrumptious ingredients stealing the position as star of the show.
Squid and samphire, to me, taste like the essence of the sea. Squid may stink the house out to high heaven when you are cooking it, but trust me, it has such a delicate and subtle flavour that you will keep coming back for more, again and again.
I must admit that I still have a little way to go before I can cook the perfect squid - eliminating all hints of rubberiness in favour of a smooth texture that hardly needs chewing - but I like to think that since these two recipes using squid have been my first and only attempts, that I am doing pretty well!

Asparagus and Samphire Risotto

(Adapted from the "Risotto with asparagus" in "Mama's Italian Cookbook")

Ingredients (serves 2)

125g thin asparagus

1/2 litre water

pinch of sugar

1 1/2 tbsp butter

1 small onion

150g risotto rice

75ml white wine

salt and pepper

enough fresh samphire for 2 people

Method

1. Remove the woody ends from the asparagus and discard. Cut off the tips and reserve for later. Cut the rest of the asparagus stems in half. Bring the water to the boil with the sugar, 1tsp of butter and a little salt. Blanch the asparagus tips for 30 seconds, before removing them with a slotted spoon and plunging them into iced water to prevent them cooking any further.
2. Cook the asparagus stem pieces in the water for 15 minutes, steaming the samphire above them for 3 minutes so that it takes on some the the steam's flavour. 
3. Pour the liquid through a sieve, and save. Puree the asparagus stems and set aside, keeping warm.
4. Heat 1tbsp of butter in a large sautee pan. Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter before deglazing the pan with the wine. When this has evaporated, use a ladle to pour in 1/3 of the reserved asparagus cooking liquid, and stir constantly until it has absorbed. Repeat with the rest of the liquid or until the risotto is creamy but not runny (I say that the creaminess should not be able to be separated from the rice with a spoon, but should still be noticeable - if anyone understands what I mean by this), or when the rice is cooked through. This should take around 15 minutes.
5. Next stir in the remaining butter, asparagus puree, samphire and asparagus tips. Season and leave to rest, covered, for 2-3 minutes before serving. 

Buon Appetito! 

Jamie's Concertina Squid

(From "Jamie's Dinners" by Jamie Oliver  - with my own additional of nutmeg spinach)

I must say that this wasn't perfect. It was my first time cooking squid and with hindsight I wish I had cooked it for a little less that I did - and made the cuts in the squid a little closer together so I got the wonderful concertina effect pictured in Jamie's book. That said; I am determined not to let this get me down! I am proud of my first attempt and it still tasted absolutely delicious. You never learn anything new unless you take a dive in at the deep end! 

Ingredients (serves 2)

500g new potatoes

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

a handful of mint leaves

mint stalks (tied together with some string)

a knob of butter

2 medium sized squid, skinned and gutted

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

1 red onion, finely sliced

a handful of flatleaf parsely, stalks and all, chopped

1/2 tbsp  finely ground white pepper

1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped

juice of 1 lemon + lemon zest to serve

spinach to serve 2 

a grating of fresh nutmeg 

Method

1. Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water with the mint stalks until slightly overcooked. Drain and steam dry while you heat up a large frying pan with some butter and 1tbsp olive oil. Add the potatoes and lightly crush with a pair of tongs. Toss around for around 5 minutes until slightly golden. 
2. Meanwhile, insert a large knife into the middle of the squid and make incisions of about 1cm width on top of the knife, so only one side of the squid is cooked. Coat the squid in the white pepper and a pinch of sea salt. 
3. Add the onion  and parsley stalks to the pan with the potatoes and toss until the onions are golden. Once you have achieved this, slide the potatoes and onions onto a plate. 
4. Put the pan back on the heat, add a little olive oil and fry the squid for a little under 2 minutes on each side. 
5. Meanwhile, wilt the spinach and grind over a little salt and fresh nutmeg.  
6. Add the remaining butter, garlic, chili and parsley leaves. Give it all a good shake to mix the flavours before returning the potatoes and onions to the pan for seasoning. Squeeze over the lemon juice.
7. Serve, and sprinkle with the mint leaves and lemon zest.

As Jamie would say - "Pukka!" 

Squid and Samphire Salad with Greek Potatoes

(From "200 Low Fat dishes" by Cara Hobday with my addition of the samphire)

Healthy, simple, easy and light - this dish has fresh flavours and would be perfect on a summer's day and can be rustled up in an instant! Try it as a side dish with a BBQ or outside dinner party. I get the feeling that it would be perfect for picking at.

Ingredients (Serves 2)

250g prepared squid

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp olive oil

1 chopped garlic clove

1 tbsp chopped flatleaf parsley

250g new potatoes cooked and sliced

100g halved cherry tomatoes

1 small bunch salad onions

samphire for 2 people

salt and pepper

lemon wedges, to serve

Method

1. Cut the squid bodies in half widthways, and then again lengthways so they open into large squares.  Score on one side and mix with the lemon juice and some seasoning. 
2. Cook the squid in a griddle pan for 1 minute on each side. Cut into strips, mix with the olive oil, garlic and parsley. Set aside to cool.
3. Mix the tomatoes with the spring onions and potatoes. Pour over the squid and dressing, season, and serve with lemon wedges. 

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Incredibly Intelligent and Extremely Emotional

A good book changes the course of time. It speeds it up, slows it down, and contorts it in so many ways that with each passing moment you sink deeper into its pages and become totally absorbed in its twists and turns. Every full stop hails a new masterpiece and every inverted comma welcomes a revelation of emotion.

Jonathan Safran Foer's Extremely Loud and Incredibly close is one of these books.

Many a critic has claimed that the principal character, Oskar, is a precocious young boy. I take a different viewpoint. Yes, he is extremely bright and isn't afraid to show it, but he also demonstrates compassion and understanding beyond what many nine years olds would be able to grasp.

Oskar's Father, Thomas Schell, dies in 9/11 and Oskar is left struggling to cope with the loss of his close friend and parent. When Oskar finds a key in his father's belongings in an envelope entitled "Black" he takes it as a challenge left by his father, in the form of the games they used to play around New York. After this, Oscar finds himself travelling along a path of education and disappointment as he reaches out to many "Blacks" along the way.

I can see why some may find the ending to this book disappointing, but I found it entirely fitting, as It revealed just how fragile our instincts can be, and how we will cling to anything of minute significance left by a loved one. Letting go can be the hardest thing.

At first I found the side plot about Oscar's grandparents disconcerting, although I soon realised that it was incredibly clever and extremely moving, as it illustrated the way every relationship is different and made me think about all of the ways that the people who died in 9/11 would have had their own relationships and life stories - each one incredibly different and extremely personal.

The contrast of 9/11 with the Dresden bombing was incredibly poignant, and served to help me understand how an act of terrorism and a seemingly different, but just as devastating, act of warfare can tear families apart and change the course of time just as much.

Not many books can make someone think about a subject in so much detail while still forming an attachment so strong with a character that they feel they could reach into the page and hug them, or want to wipe the tears from their eyes. Oscar will stay with me for a lifetime, in the same way that Jack from Emma Donoghue's "Room" or Mariam from Kahled Hosseini's "A Thousand Splendid Suns" will. Overall a beautifully written book, this novel will have you thinking and mourning for a very long time, but also smiling and jumping for joy at the revelations made about the human race between its pages. 

Breakfast Bars 2.0

I promise I bake other things other than just breakfast bars. I really do. I find it easier to eat what I have baked if its a whole meal - like breakfast. It's a start, I suppose.
My carrot cake and lemon drizzle cake, among other things as I gather baking momentum - will soon follow, but right now you will have to humor me.
These breakfast bars were adapted from a Nigella recipe, and it is very hard to compare them to my last attempt. While my "Get-up-and-go bars" took more of a buttery flapjack consistency, these bars are more crumbly (yet still hold their shape), and I can only best describe them as a "porridge bar" because of their use of condensed milk. Sounds discusting, but again - humor me.
Fresh and fruity, crisp and chewy, these are another perfect start to the day!

Nutty-Seedy-Oh-So-Fruity-Porridge-Bars

Makes 16 (original recipe here)

Ingredients

• 405g can light condensed milk
• 250g rolled oats
• 100g dried fruits (I used a "forest feast" mix called the "superberries mix" - strawberries, goji berries, blueberries, physalis, blueberries and cranberries.)
• 150g mixed seeds (I used a mix of sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.)
• 60g unsalted peanuts, chopped. 
• 40g hazelnuts, chopped.
• 65g flaked almonds

Method

1. Preheat an oven to 130C (110C fan) and grease a rectangular baking tin.
2. Warm the condensed milk, but do not let it boil, in a large pan. Mix all of the other ingredients together and then add the milk, which will be more liquidy and less gloopy.
3. Spread the mix into the tin and press down and level out with a spatula.
4. Bake for 40-50 minutes (I did 47 - a friend recommended the Nigella recipe and said that if you baked them for as long as she says you will need a saw to cut them - my 47 minutes turned out perfect!) and then leave to cool for 15 minutes before cutting into 16 bars.

Delish!