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Showing posts from October, 2012

One of those Zeitgeist-y days: BCN Edition

How odd, when everywhere you look you see references to where you're off to next on your travels. Jess mentioned it in a Facebook post, someone else put their holiday snaps from BCN up and then I saw this: I'm off with Jess & Becky at the end of November to go see mam and do some Christmas shopping / soak up some sunshine and drink pick n mix beer. We're also off to  Fira de Santa Llúcia  - visiting which is fast becomming my favorite Christmas tradition.

App Review - Evernote Food

Ok, I've had this app on my phone for months and I've never used it.. Evernote Food I love using my phone, and I love checking in - my foursquare badge collection is testament to this, I just don't feel the urge to take detailed account of the food I eat, it seems to take away the magic of sharing a meal with someone. Lunching is my favourite past time after all. Maybe it's a generation thing, I know people complain I'm always attached to my phone, but really I try and check in at the start of the meal and then leave it alone to enjoy the experience or eating out. I'd like to think I'd have no issue getting a 5% discount here .

Pain Au Chocolat is Sad

Via (t hat's Nerdalicious )  (via  BF )

Making use of rubbish ingredients - Frosty Jacks

I work at a university - every year the freshers bags have a bottle of horrible Frosty Jacks Cider. Last year I made the mistake of drinking it. This year I've got 3 bottles to use. One I've out into a sausage casserole - and it worked very nicely. Any suggestions on using the other two in cooking? See also:  http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/oct/19/cooking-with-cider-recipes

Great British Bake Off - Final

Annoyingly, the winner has been spoiled for me, even though I had it on catch up to watch when I cam back from Poland - not by any of my friends, or from twitter for one, but buy the guardian online tv blog . Why they couldn't just leave off his name I'm not sure. Anyway - here it goes for the last time (unless there's a celebs GBBO this year) Contestants: All male Final, James, John & Brendan. I'm loving the slightly more indepth video bios on them all. Signature - can we all agree that that's a pasty - a big pasty, but they all look good. Technical Challenge -  OOh, fondant fancies, these are one of those things I feel are best left to Mr. Kipling. Wow, those really are super messy - bat least they are all impressively messy, and there's no where to hide on a glass cake stand. Show Stopper - These all sound fancy - I don't think I've ever eaten a chiffon cake. It's interesting watching this, I can see why John won. I also love that they all get

Great British Bake Off - Semi Finals

I'm a few days behind again, but I'm not 100% sure who left, I've an inkling. Contestants - Brendan, Danny, James and John are left. Brendan is still a little creepy, but I suspect he may be this years win. It will be well deserved, i just can't warm to him. Since when did John want his life to be a pastry based, isn't he studying law? Although I gather things like this are life changing. Signature - petit fours - small, exquisite, perfect, 3 baking elements I'm rubbish at. I don't even really like eating petit fours, I always get slightly bored with macaroons. No one makes 'proper' coconut macaroons any more do they? Gosh, Danny's look pretty though, but there does appears to be lots of hiding things under icing sugar. Technical Challenge - Frasier Cake - I don't think I've ever seen one, or eaten one. That all looks a nightmare to make.  Oh poor Danny, that doesn't look good. Even I held my breath when Brendan was moving his onto

App Review - gojee

I'm guessing they couldn't call this food porn, they should, that's what it is. gojee It collects recipes from blogs, but it works fantastically for suggesting recipes based on ingredients (handy if you have a veg box and no idea what to do with all the plums that keep arriving) - but it's so beautifully done,   all glossy and wonderful with mouth watering pictures. Of course, as we know from links from Pinterest etc, there's every chance the recipes wont work, but it's very inspirational to have a go at. It's also helpful recipes you want to try can get pushed to Evernote  - which is easily the most useful digital resource I use with cooking.

Hot Sauce Collection

I collect cook books, Mr Wearn collects hot sauces. this is perfectly normal right?

Slow Cooking One Week On

So, I brought a slow cooker - having turned to the internet for support last week. Admittedly, we had a busy weekend anyway, and the Pete was on holiday for a week - not necessarily the best planned time - but on the flip side we did have veg to use up. We have ordered 2 cookbooks -   (Numbers #277 & #278 on  NomBooks) I've also been tagging any tweets about it with #genericstew  - after something I read on a mumsnet page about slow cookers. So far we've done: Monday -  a Veggie Chilli - Using the only vegetarian recipe that came with the slow cooker. Getting home at 7:30pm to the smell of it cooking was really lovely. It also meant Pete got to go out to an Open Mic night. The leftovers went towards my lunch the next day. Tuesday - We had a rather large Butternut squash to use up so I found the recipe  - although I cheated and didn't saute anything, just chucked it in - I also suspect I over filled it, but we'll see. There is something strange about chopping veg whi

Great British Bake Off - Quarter Finals

Contestants - joy, no twitter spoilers this time, I'm only a day behind. Well, I have an inkling of who may be star baker, but I'm not sure. I'm a bit lost now, bar Brendan, who I still think is a little creepy, I'd be quite happy for any of the remaining ones win. I'm rubbish at biscuits. Without fail they are under cooked, or over cooked, misshappen or rubbish. I like cookie cutters though. I don't even really like making them, I get bored md way through making them. Signature bakes - crackers, ooooh, interesting. I've made savoury cheesy biscuits, but never a cracker. This one of those things I'm pretty sure big machines make better then I can. I could however put together a cheese board to go with them. Technical challenge - tea cakes are mean, especially in that heat. I'm amazed Brendan has never made marshmallow before in all of his cooking escapades. Also, how did they used to make tea cakes without a silicone mould? Also, shouldn't tea