Escape

January is, really, taking its time showing itself out. I mean there are still four whole days to go… but doesn't it feel like Christmas was an eon ago, not a mere measly month? It's been a long day, week and month and I'm literally itching for a little warmth, a little sun on my skin. Time, I think, to book a holiday. Life and routine has a funny way of tying us all down.. but don't you have those days, some days, where you crave carefree-ness, like when you're on holiday? Escape can be so tempting; escape to a different time, a different place, different people, a different pace. I promise to be back tomorrow with those long overdue reviews and perhaps a little more - but until then, here's wishing you all the best Friday ever.

xxx

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL6pNMeturw&feature=related

Review: The Waffle House, St.Albans

http://diaryofmissraj.blogspot.com/2012/02/to-eat-to-drink-to-see.html

http://www.wafflehouse.co.uk/st-albans.html

xxx

The Day I Died of Dessert

If there's any good that comes from arguing with someone close, it has to be the sweet, sweet making up that follows. When I fall out with mum, it's pretty easily fixed with a sweetcorn curry for me and a little piece of jewellery for her. Blowouts with the brother are resolved with an apologetic text for me and a Saturday-brunch omelette for him; dad, flowers and chocolates for me, an innovative pasta-bake of sorts for him. D’you catch my drift? When we can relinquish our pride and look beyond the battleground of right and wrong, what we find is something pure and very selfless; a desire to make up the hurt we caused to somebody who means the world to us.

Yesterday was one such evening; spent forgiving, forgetting and (reach for the sick bucket) perhaps falling in love all over again. To top it off, I (re)claimed the crown as Queen of Desserts (trust me, you don't want to challenge me) and I'm now awaiting a Swarovski tiara (the Swarovski was his idea, only the tiara was mine, before you gasp in horror at my demands) to commemorate, on the whole, a very special evening. That's all for now; though I know I still owe you a recipe and a review, I'm afraid I'm sort of running late for work right now. So. Erm. Laters.

xxx

In Pictures

For lack of words, I’ve just got just a few pictures that've put a much needed smile on my face. I’ll be back tomorrow with THE reason to visit St. Albans (if you don’t live there, that is), and some more ideas, rambles and recipes. ‘Til then, it’s over and out.

xxx

"Dyouknowhadimean?"

Do you find, that, when you spend a lot of time with someone, you sort of start adopting their habits as your own? Like little phrases that litter their speech or maybe even the way they answer their phone (not that I'd ever pick up my bf's style, "wha gwan famalam" is one variation, if I remember right)? You often won’t even realise you’re doing it, almost as though you’ve passively contracted ‘their ways’. As much as it will annoy him when he reads this (sorry!) I couldn't help but count how many times A (that’s my boyfriend, A for amazing) said the phrase, "do you know what I mean?" as we traipsed around London yesterday. A grand total of 12 times :0 And that too in his signature style; not "do you know what I mean,” but more like "dyouknowhadimean" all in one breath. And boy did I giggle. But only until I caught myself doing exactly the same thing! Annoyingly enough, three times as well. Oh dear! I s’pose though that a downgrade in the standard of my English is still a very small price to pay for the hours upon endless hours of laughing and cuddling and giggling and eating and gallivanting and relaxing he gives me.....dyouknowhadimean?

Yesterday was a rare occasion that we ventured out of our usual zones though - he was working in London, I was at uni = reasonable excuse for cake in Cafe Concerto, right near Piccadilly Circus underground. Try it out if you're in the vicinity, it's a cute and quaint little coffee and cake shop with awesome people-watching potential. That’s it from me for now so until next time, wishing you all a very Happy Friday. Keep safe, sound, and smiling.

xxx

P.S. What do you think of my 'instagram'ming skills?

the instagr.am effect

As I sat for one epic year in my glum iPhone-less state, I tried long and hard not to think of all the many wonderful, user-friendly, busy-life-organising, efficiency-facilitating functions, features and apps I was missing out on. I mean, what would have been the point in taunting, teasing and torturing myself unnecessarily? But there's one sneaky, cheeky little chap that, despite fighting nail and tooth to avoid, found me time and time again. If you spend much time in the blogosphere, reading random peoples' random rantings, you're more than likely to have come across an 'instagram'ed image.

But what is this Instagram, I hear you ask? Well, it’s a dreaded app that’s accessible to all those with an iPhone. But oh my is it worth while: a photo sharing network, the equivalent of a Twitter stream composed wholly of images. You simply upload a photo, choose a sufficiently retro filter from the ones automatically offered to you, and publish your photo to your Instagram feed. You can also choose to simultaneously publish to any or all of Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and email. What can I say, the Instagram bug has bitten. Expect massive overload of said edited images here.

xxx

omfg....I have an iPhone!

So I can't really work out whether I should be totally, utterly and legitimately fumingly furious with O2 right now, or absolutely besotted and grateful with every last inch of my being. Confused? Let me explain. I've been with O2 for as long as I've owned a mobile phone. That's.... Oooooh, 8 years+ if I've got my calculations right. Contract after contract I've chosen to stick with them, in part because it's just the easier and more convenient option, but in part due to their respectable network coverage and reasonable tariffs. Let's face it, at least O2 have more going for them than just Orange Wednesdays. My last iPhone packed it in almost a year ago though and unfortunately I didn't have insurance. At the time, I had bigger things on my mind and decided not to chase it up. Alas, I paid the price. Almost one long year in the company of my dysfunctional Nokia c300, and I was catting, I repeat, catting to get my iPhone back. For somebody who prides themselves on not being particularly materialistic, I’m shocked, if not somewhat ashamed at my reaction to finding out that I was actually due for a free upgrade one whole month ago. LIVID, that O2 hadn’t contacted me to let me know. But also disproportionately and unreasonably happy. My heart skipped a beat before promptly breaking out into triumphant jig. Enough said. Nawwwwwww look at the lil baby all black and shiny and new and smart and sweet. Nawwwww.

xx

Recipe: Palak Paneer

Paneer, or “Indian Cottage Cheese” as it’s known this side of the world, is about as Punjabi as Punjabi food can get; if you haven’t tried it you haven’t really savoured north Indian cuisine. And before you try, it’s NOT as abstract as it sounds; it’s rather readily available at many Asda and Tesco stores and is definitely well worth the hunt just for it’s versatility. You can cook it in a variety of curries and styles, I suppose a bit like potatoes. You can fry, saute or curry it, make it dry or with gravy, with butter, spinach, yogurt, coconut milk,..., I think you get the picture. Here’s the first of the variations that we (i.e. the boyfriend) love. Palak Paneer literally translates as Spinach-y Cottage Cheese; it’s a luscious, creamy spinach gravy studded with rich, bite-size cubes of sauteed paneer. Let me know what you think.

Ingredients:

500g fresh spinach

350-500g paneer

1tsp cumin seeds

1tsp asafoetida

Finely minced green chili (as per taste)

150ml double cream

1 ½ tsp garam masala

3 tbsp salt

2 tsp ground coriander/cumin powder

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee

How to make:

1. Remove the stems from the spinach and wash thoroughly in running water. Blanch in salted boiling water for three minutes and then drain immediately and refresh with cold water to ensure it doesn’t go dull in colour. Squeeze out excess water.

2. Chuck the spinach into a food processor and bring down to a very fine paste.

3. Dice paneer into one inch cubes and heat oil/ghee in a non-stick pot.

4. Add cumin seeds, chopped chili and asafoetida into hot oil. When they begin to change colour, add the paneer cubes and sauté for 5 minutes until they take on a light brown colour.

5. Throw in the spinach puree and stir. Add salt, garam masala, ground cumin/coriander, lemon juice, sugar and a little water if required. When the gravy comes to a boil stir in 100ml fresh cream and boil for further minute. Serve hot, swirled with an drizzle of double cream with rice and naan.

xx

To Eat, To Drink, To See*

To Eat - When spirits are low and time is short, this one’s a winner.

To Drink - If you’re looking for a quiet (n.b. not code for downright boring!) spot for a few end-of-week drinks, I think I’ve just the place. TGI Friday’s (can you believe, my first time ever!) has an impressive cocktail menu and (at the the one we went to) a wonderful bunch of staff. Apparently they’re willing to shake you up anything from a catalogue of 900 (yes, 900!) cocktail recipes. Pretty hard to go wrong if you ask me. Must Try: the Snow Bear.

To See - War Horse. Set in the first world war, the latest of Spielberg's productions tells the story of young Albert Narracott, played by newcomer Jeremy Irvine, who trains a thoroughbred horse to plough the family fields. However when his harvest fails, Albert’s father sells the horse, Joey, to the British cavalry; the film follows Joey’s journey through France where after a disastrous offensive he is captured by the Germans and changes hands twice more before he is found caught in the barbed wire of No Man's Land four years later. Though the happy ending makes for a somewhat unrealistic and unbelievable tale, if for no other reason, this one’s worth seeing for the breath-taking locations and beautiful cinematography, particularly the war scenes.

*As readership here continues to grow, I’ve decided I’m going to start making some regular features and updates. This is going to be one of them, a post weekend snapshot of what was good, what was not and anything I’d recommend as worth checking out. I’ll be trying to do this on Mondays (yes, today’s Tuesday, I know!) and as always, I’d love to hear back from you with ideas, suggestions and feedback. For now, that’s all.

xxx

Recipe: Creamy Potato Gratin

A good potato gratin is one of dishes that can comfort, cure and calm. If you’ve had a bad day, a long day or just a lazy day; this will be sure to sort you out. It’s miraculous and just so easy to make. Let me know how you get on.

Ingredients:

2kg floury potatoes like Maris Piper

150ml milk

284ml double cream (one small tub)

2 onions

Salt & Pepper, to taste

500g grated cheddar cheese

nutmeg

How to make:

1. Preheat the oven to 240°C.

2. In a jug of sorts, combine the cream, milk and seasoning.

3. Take a large over proof dish and begin layering up the sliced potatoes.

4. After completing your second layer, cut one onion into fine moons and scatter over. Then pour over about 1/3 of the cream mix and top with a generous layer of cheese.

5. Continue like so until you run out of potatoes, making sure that the top layer is one of thick cheese. Finish with freshly ground black-pepper and some ground nutmeg.

6. Put in the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is golden brown and crusty, the cream is bubbling over and potatoes are tender. Enjoy!

xx

Cause for Celebration

I’m back, one day later than expected and definitely one day happier too. It's been a tough week of sorts; a tough start to the new year. January can always be a bit of a downer; as much as it’s the month for new beginnings and fresh starts, it’s also one of the ‘slowest’ and coldest. All signs of festive cheer vanish and austerity kicks in too; how else can we make a four-week paycheck stretch six whole weeks? For me, personally, it’s been the last battle to relinquish all regret I carry and take every step to move forward, happily. And what a reward to come back to, to find I’ve crossed my first milestone; 100+ followers. To all of you; a VERY big thank you. You’ve really inspired me to carry on doing what I love.

xx

A Fudge Cake Fiend

So...rewinding back to yesterday's post. Cake. Why the random picture of cake I hear you ask. If you didn't already know, I'm a chocolate fudge cake fiend. In fact I'm probably THE second biggest fudge cake fiend in the world (my boyfriend occupies first place). It's rare for me to leave a fudge-cake serving establishment without having savoured (and of course ranked, in order) the taste. En-between leaving university and dashing home to cook yesterday, I managed to steal a quick coffee at one of my favourite coffee houses - (AFTER Caffe Nero, or course!); remember that time I told you about the "world's greatest chocolate cake" I couldn't quite bring myself to try? Well… yesterday, temptation sort of got the better of me. Now, having tried chocolate cakes far and wide, in many-a-restaurant, many-a-country, this one had quite a lot to live up to. I mean, "the world's greatest chocolate cake"; Presence, what were you thinking?! Pizza Express (served with a choice of cream, ice-cream or mascapone) Prezzo (milk-chocolate cake, layered and filled with an actual fudge icing) and Blue Zenzer (warm, with cold, cold, lusciously luscious vanilla ice-cream) all kick your ass. Oh dear. Pretty tall claim, calling yourself the best chocolate cake in the world, no?

On that note, I think it's time to sweet-talk the boyfriend into going out for (at least) dessert tonight. We made a resolution to cut down on how much we eat out once we were the other side of Christmas, but I can't really be sure we're doing a very good job of it. After a long day at work (him) and uni (me), it's so tempting to forget being sensible (+ frugal). Plus I haven't quite mastered a recipe for the perfect fudge cake. Yet. I'm working on it but 'til then...Come on, don't tell me you're not drooling already? ;) That's all for now but I'll be back on Saturday and in the meanwhile, Happy Thursday, Happy Friday and Happy weekend to you all. Make it a good one.

xx

I'm still here!

As expected - it’s just the first week back after Christmas and it feels like we’ve all hit the ground running. So I’m basically here to apologise for neglecting this little space; but I promise I’ll be back soon with some recipes, ideas and updates. In between all the chaos, I managed to find a little time to treat myself. It’s always the simple things. More tomorrow...

xxx

That Friday Feeling (2)

Friday already. Week 1 of 2012 complete. This weekend is the last little stretch of freedom for me before being shackled into routine once more; guess it’s the same for a lot of us, it really is time to snap out of the holiday mode. Whatever it is you’re up to, hope you make the very most of it.

xxx

Love at First Bite

So remember that recipe I posted for cheesecake-marbled chocolate brownies? Yeah, THAT one (shame on you if you haven't yet tried it), the one that provides maximum pleasure for minimal effort? Well I think I just found its mama. I figured if you remove the cheesecake stage, double up on the chocolate ingredients and chuck into the oven, you've got an even simpler, quicker (and potentially even richer) brownie. A bit of measuring here, a spot of melting there and a lot of mixing everywhere. Done.

And what a week for some baking ey? Torrential rains and blustery winds are every reason to hole up in a cosy kitchen and bake (and then snuggle down under the duvet and of course eat). I find the week after Christmas is always a bit of a strange one; a lingering interlude between the end of one year and the start of another… with not a lot going on to fill your time. Let's face it, we've all overeaten (but exercising before the start of the new year is just… well, not done really), we've spent most of our money buying everyone's presents (so the sales are a no-go too) and it seems utterly pointless starting anything new before 1st January.

It's nice to have come out this side of it though; rested, relaxed and ready to go. Having had the time to work out what we want to achieve within the next year of our lives. So once again, to all of you, happy 2012. Be happy, make it count and realise that we never, ever get time back so we have to make every moment a memory.

xxx

Chin Up

When you're going through a tough time, I find one of the most humbling experiences is realising that practically everyone around you is going through something too. Though we're so diverse, essentially we all have the same hopes and dreams in life - the same feelings, reactions and aspirations. We all ride the same roller coaster, brave the same ups and downs and complete the same, timed, journey through life. When I first started writing here, I sort of hoped that I might be able to pen down something of relevance - a story, an anecdote, an experience that may be of use to others. It helps so much sometimes to know that you're not the first, the last or the only person who's been hurt. So today's message for a few very special girlfriends is that no matter how down and out you are, pick yourself up and carry on. It doesn't matter that you're not feeling at your best today, do it for the people that care about you. Somebody's missing your smile already. We've all been there; through the heart ache, the heart break and the absolute conviction that we'll never be the same again. But you will. And you'll be even better because you'll realise you're stronger than you ever knew. But just don’t give up for now.

xxx