Shake

Tasty cupcakes and interesting drinks at Shake - I had a fry orange cream hot chocolate - I think they literally melted a bar into some milk. Very yummy but very sweet!!

Opus

Yesterday we had a rather fantastic afternoon - first seeing the new Harry Potter movie and then going out for dinner. Nick took me to Opus, with a little drinky at All Bar one first! The dinner was magnificent, as was the wine - a K-Naia verdejo and rueda from Spain.

saturday mornings

Party Food

We had a little party for Nick's Birthday and our engagement, and after many requests for the recipes here they are.

Aubergine Parmigiana
Put 25g flour in a bowl and add seasoning. In another bowl put a little evapourated milk. Then dip sliced aubergines (from 2 aubergines cut into 5mm slices) in the evapourated milk and then into the flour. Place the aubergine into a large lasange dish. When all the aubergine is in the dish, bake (175 C) for 30min. Then cover the aubergines with 500g passata. Mix 50g parmesan with 100ml evapourated milk and spoon this over the passata. Bake in the oven (175 C) for 25min.

Sausage stew
Brown 12 chipolatas and 200g smokey bacon lardons. Drain on a piece of kitchen towel. Fry a finely chopped onion and 3 cloves of garlic in a little oil until softened. Add the diced flesh of a butternut squash and saute for 10min. Add 200ml white wine and reduce by half. Then add in the browned sausages and bacon, along with 600ml stock and some fresh thyme leaves. Add 500g leftover roast chicken or turkey. Simmer for 30min. Add 2 tins of cannellini beans (rinsed) and simmer for another 10min. Stir in 4 tablespoons of creme fraiche and a handful of freshly chopped parsley.

Continuum

This evening we went down to the planetarium at Birmingham's Thinktank (the science museum etc) to see the showing of Continuum by Paul Grimmer. This brilliant piece of performance, made for fulldome screening, was mesmerizing. Born out of residencies at the MRC virology labs, Allenheads Contemporary Arts and Dance City there was also a tinge of menace which seemed perfect from the presumed viral inspiration. We also got to see a little of the usual space and astronomy presentation - I was full of wonder!

2011 Diary

I got feb up of trying to buy a diary with vertical appointments - which is very handy for planning experiments! - so I have made my own on lulu. It even turned out to be cheaper than a shop bought one. A proof is ordered, fingers crossed it turns out well!

Butterfly cakes

These are our first attempt at some gluten free cupcakes (using Nigella's Quadruple chocolate loaf as the base recipe). They are exceedingly chocolatey!! We may have to tone that down a bit! The edible butterflies are from Sugar Robot.