Thailand/Singapore Part 1

I just read this beautiful blog post on Enchanted Fig. She is so true in her writing, it inspired me to try and open up to you all. To try and hush my inner editor, or english teacher or whatever, inside me - it has inspired me, you mean. Let it just flow. Show my creativity. Show myself.

Candles and insense at a temple

Galangal

Na Muang waterfall

I just got back a few days ago from overseas. We went to Thailand and Singapore, my family and I did.  Everyday there was something new. In Thailand, it was colorful and elaborate temples the first day, waterfalls the next, and always, always seafood that had just been swimming when you ordered it.
Koh Samui, where we stayed, was frightening at first; I found it hard to trust the place, as if anyone would try and take advantage of me if I so much as looked at them. But after a few days, I relaxed. I learnt how to barter, to ignore the people outside restaurants and shops who were trying to beckon you inside, or to politely accept and scan their wares, without letting their eagerness bother you. When I smiled shyly at the shopkeepers, they warmly smiled back. Vegetable sellers would explain the cooking techniques of their produce, and I tried to keep up. The people were kind and lovely and helpful, and everything was different. But that is why we travel, isn't it? I left wishing that we could have stayed longer, to have more time to lie on the beach, to see more of the island, to learn more about the culture that is unlike anything I have ever experienced before. Powerlines are more like birds nests, and once I even found a string of fairy lights around a low hanging section. How did they even put those up with being electrocuted? It has a certain kind of feeling, not quite like beach life - although everyone has that kind of relaxed approach to things - but far from the electric air of a big city. It is perhaps a mix of the two - but then something else as well.

The Big Buddha and Surrounding temples 

A baby elephant we met

Na Muang waterfall

A local variety of eggplant

The most amazing 'pancakes' you will ever eat - more like a crispy crepe, but filled with any combination of sweet or savory centre. Ours was filled with banana and coconut before being slathered in Nutella and a drizzle of condensed milk to finish...

Lettuce Redeem Ourselves

I'll admit it. I had a very bad day today, food-wise. I started out innocently enough, but boredom and procrastination led me time and again to the kitchen, seeking out chocolate, lollies, meaty pasta and pad thai. It got to the point where I was making single portions of chocolate chip cookie in a mug. That was the bottom. After that I felt a little bit sick. So I got up, and did those jobs I was meant to do. It actually felt quite good doing something, because before then I had been feeling lethargic, disappointed and angry at myself. And dinner was another attempt at redeeming myself too.

Baked Eggs

You know what I love? Breakfast. Which is partly why I'm partial to these baked eggs. They have everything you need: perfect for when you feel like eggs, but can't really be bothered dealing with all the dirty dishes and the longer processes (measuring, mixing…) of what might be eggs benedict, or even scrambled eggs; but you want something a little more exciting - and healthy - than runny eggs and soldiers.

 Packed with about one serving of your daily veg, there is no measuring, no stresses about curdling, just chop, layer, done. Out of the oven comes this unassuming little package, it's top gooey from feta, crumbled there less than ten minutes before. The veggies retain some bite after being cooked, but are still hot and soft enough to meddle seamlessly with the burst egg yolk. This breakfast  really is the prefect balance between being seemingly indulgent and perfectly healthy. And who doesn't love that?

Notes: I said above that there is no measuring involved in this recipe, yet below I have included measurements such as "one tablespoon". These are all approximate measures, because this recipe won't end in disaster if you put a little more or less of each ingredient into the mix. Also, feel free to change it up a bit to suit your tastes or what you have in the fridge. I have included some variation suggestions below the recipe.

Baked Eggs

Serves 1

8cm piece (1 Tbsp) spring onion, finely sliced

small handful (¼ cup, firmly packed) baby spinach leaves

4 - 6 (1 Tbsp, firmly packed) basil leaves, roughly chopped

3 - 4 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 egg

1 Tbsp feta, crumbled

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease one small ramekin.

Spread the spring onion around the bottom of the ramekin, and place on top the spinach, basil and tomatoes. Keep each ingredient as a separate layer, and do not mix the vegetables together.

Crack the egg on top of the tomatoes, and sprinkle the egg with feta.

Place in oven for 10 minutes or until egg white is cooked and the yolk is just set.

Serve immediately on small plate.

Variations: Replace feta with slices of mozzarella. Add roughly chopped ham or prosciutto, or shredded  cooked chicken on top of the bail before adding the tomatoes.

Chocolate Framboise (Chocolate & Raspberry Cake)

It started with cake. Back in July, I had seen all these impressive, beautiful stacked cakes on Pinterest and I so wanted to make one of my own. But I knew that it would be a waste to just suddenly decide to make one which could serve more than ten people, and offer it to our household of three. So I needed an excuse - and what better than a party?

It's not my birthday and it wasn't a christmas party (though the party favors were somewhat festive). Instead it was simply a summer party. This gathering was reminiscent of birthday celebrations of my childhood, or at least of children's storybooks. I made a treasure hunt; we had egg-and-spoon and three-legged races from between one pair of hay bales to another; and the spread - well, how about I show you…

Summer Cake

It was a Saturday afternoon. We were all kind of bored, sitting in front of the TV watching River Cottage Everyday when Hugh walks into a pub, dessert in hand, and enters it into the establishment's pudding competition. The fluffy-haired program host was just telling of how all the regulars to the bar had formed a pudding club, which took the form of this such competition, when my sister piped up,"We should have pudding club!". The three of us - my sister, C; Helen, our nanny at the time; and I - looked around at each other for a hopeful hint of shared enthusiasm, eyes wide at all the possibilities. 

It was a spur of the moment thing. Cookbooks were flipped open, recipes googled, and by dusk  each of us had found a dessert to make, and had all agreed that, with Mum and Dad out for the night - we would have our puddings for dinner. And so the Pudding Club was born.

Flavor of the Month: November

How lovely it is to be back blogging, after (nearly) having finished all my exams - just one to go! I can't wait to get stuck into a summer full of baking, cooking, sunbathing and travel! There's a lot to look forward to.

While I wasn't studying this past month, I was daydreaming about these things:

Rhubarb

My rhubarb plant is overflowing, and in desperate need of a harvest. So I've done what any dedicated rhubarb lover would do: I researched. And what amazing inspiration I found! I'm thinking, as a change from the citrus combination that characterizes the winter months, berries are the way to go. With all the complementary red and purple colors, it's almost as if they're made for each other, right?

Rhubarb and Vanilla Cheesecake with Strawberry Jelly

Spain

source below

I came across this wonderful blog post from La Tartine Gormande the other day, and it makes me want to travel to europe now more than ever. I can't get over the bright contrasts in color, the sunshine, the blissful atmosphere coming through in her photos… not to mention the glorious food that comes out of the country, and the ancient traditions that accompany them.

Artichoke

Artichoke

Also in need of a harvest, before it goes to flower, are our artichoke plants. Dad planted these years ago, but they have never been harvested. Apart from him, the rest of us weren't that interested anyway, and Dad for some reason just never got round to harvesting and cooking them either. Year after year, they would flower, seed and grow a little bigger, but this year I'm determined not to let them go to waste. Does anyone have great artichoke recipes that they care to share?

The Kimono

I recently discovered internet shopping. Those of you who are converted are probably wondering why I didn't start sooner. And you who aren't in on the whole idea might be wondering what all the fuss is about (like I was). But now I get it. You can find exactly what your looking for in hours, not days, the range of clothes out there is so vast, and the best bargains are just a click away, if you know where to look. The most recent trend I've noticed - and bought in to? The kimono. Instead of the flowy, laid back style, I went for this structured 'boxy' kimono style top to wear with a pastel blue skirt while out on the town this summer.

Boho kimono; Original source unknown

DIY Advent Calendar

It's that time of year again! This time last year I was shipping off my version of this advent calendar to a friend as a christmas present. I painted some paper in water colors, cut them out, made them into little envelopes and filled them with treats. Every day my friend found in a little pouch a note counting another way she is awesome (up to 24 - one for everyday), and maybe a recipe she liked of mine, or a chocolate bar, or little gift. I threaded them on to string - they looked like bunting with all the colorful patterns on them - and delivered them just in time. She loved it!
This year, with my exams finishing so late, I may not have quite enough time to make another, but that doesn't mean I still can't dream… or even plan for next year! I was thinking it also might make a great gift for someone's birthday if they were born at the end of the month, or to celebrate another special day… new years? anniversary? end of exams? Meanwhile, here are a few ideas that have got me inspired:

DIY Advent in a Jar

Christmas Street

Hanging Tree Activity Calendar

A Colorful Advent

Toilet-Paper Roll Advent House

The Best Prawn and Parsley Frittata

Yesterday, at my school prize-giving, our Head Girl (renowned for her speech-making) delivered a speech about success, about its definition. Success, at least to me, does not necessarily mean driving a fancy car, nor even gaining a prize at prize-giving. As my head girl put it, success is 'setting out to do something, and then doing it'. Achieving your goals. But then going beyond them, doing what you never thought you could do. Surprising yourself.