Wednesday 15 June 2011

A SUMMER LIST

Well I did it. It took 7 hours and 15 minutes to walk 26.2 miles. Everything hurt and I slept for most of the day on Sunday but I did it and so far have raised £616.20 so a huge thank you to everyone who sponsored me. Now the aches and pains have subsided and I'm just left to battle a cold and get through the last few days at work before we pack our bags and head off for 16 nights to see Seattle, Portland and New York.

But until then I've been meaning to share a Summer list, some things I want to do over the next few months. I'm leaving anything holiday related off because it would be far to easy to fill a list with Stumptown coffee, trips (yes, multiple) to Shake Shack, pizza from Delancey, and pork buns from Momofuku (though that sounds like an incredible list). No, it seems only right that this should be a list for Summer in the UK.


turn 32
sit and eat lunch outside as often as I can
make jam
visit Little Sparta
drive to a Scottish beach with a picnic
make homemade pizza because I can't remember the last time I did
bake a cake with strawberry icing
send postcards
wear sunglasses and sandals
make friendship bracelets
eat pancakes for breakfast
take lots of instant photos

Friday 3 June 2011

FARFALLE WITH ASPARAGUS AND PEAS

The first time I hard from Rachel she commented on a blog post.

For a while we went backwards and forwards. I read about her life in Italy, she read about my life in London. I'm not sure when we realised that we probably had, have, quite a lot in common. All I know is that we now have a long standing agreement to someday, one day, meet up for a gin and tonic (although that may recently have morphed into a negroni at St John).

I've been reading, and watching as her readership (quite rightly) grows, as she posts stories from Rome always with a recipe which always have me saying that I must, must, must make that. But, maybe because I am forgetful, or maybe just because of recipe overload, all those musts have never translated into anything tangible.

Until yesterday.

Until we had asparagus in the fridge and a plan for pasta.

Until I left the office at lunch and suddenly remembered a dish of farfalle with peas and asparagus that Rachel had posted before peas and asparagus had appeared here, before we had had even a whiff of Spring.

So, yesterday, Chris and I met after work and sat in the sun for a little while. We bought some shopping, got the bus home. We sat at the table and podded peas, sneaking a few raw peas here and there. We steamed some asparagus, sauteed the peas added asparagus to peas and let them cook with a little water for longer than seems right in this age of al-dente. We smooshed some of the peas and asparagus against the side of the pan and, after about 12 minutes, stirred them through farfalle. We added basil, pepper, parmesan and, when all that was left was a greenish hue to the plates, we decided that we would make that again. Soon. While peas and asparagus are still here.

Thursday 2 June 2011

CANAL HOUSE COOKS LUNCH

I just had to pop back to check that you're all reading Canal House Cooks Lunch? The idea of bacon and rocket on toast with a beer for lunch is killing me.

A FEW THINGS...

A top


To wear with nail polish,


lipstick,


these shoes,


and probably my current favourite jeans from here which used to belong to Chris and are now well and truly mine.