Category: Jeantopia

Old Skool Xmas 2012 – The Wonderbag

Old Skool Xmas 2012 – The Wonderbag

Well contrary to popular belief, apparently I was very good this past year! I have been itching to share my excitement over the lovely things Santa brought me this year and have finally found a quiet moment to do so, so sit back & relax as this is sooooo cool!

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From left to right let me introduce you to the super exciting Wonderbag, a new 9 cup (Stovetop) Espresso Maker, and my 5 Level Food Dehydrator with adjustable temperature controls. Can you tell I might have made my Christmas list during Hurricane Sandy when many of my nearest and dearest were without power for up to 10 days?  For the sake of brevity (my signature strength) I am only going to focus on The Wonderbag in this post, but fret not as subsequent adventures of espresso on the BBQ and home-made jerky will follow soon.

Now, onto the Wonderbag.

Metro Article

I first heard about this marvel just about a year ago when my husband brought this article home from his commute (he’s good like that).  This write up told the story of very enterprising woman based in South Africa named Sarah Collins, who after experiencing a frustrating round of power cuts and subsequent half-cooked meals in 2007 remembered her grandmother packing cushions around her pots to keep them hot.  She tried it, it worked and once she partnered up with friend and poverty activist Moshy Mathe in 2008, *SHAZAM* the Wonderbag was born.  At the time of my reading the article these were not yet available in the UK (as it is now) but my interest had been piqued.

Wonderbag

The Wonderbag itself is basically a super-insulated bean bag that acts as a slow cooker.  You cook your stew, curry, casserole, chowder or pasta bake up to a boiling temperature for anywhere between 5 to 15 minutes depending on the dish, you remove it from the heat, cover securely and place it in the bag with its hat and pull the drawstring tight.  The food will continue its cooking and stay hot for up to 12 hours without any additional energy,  allowing you to create deeply flavoured, healthy meals that are flat-out impossible to burn!

instructions

Not only is this just great kit but depending where you are in the world (such as Africa), it can help reduce the average family’s fuel consumption by up to 30%, which is not nothing when you consider many families need to spend up to a third of their income on fuel.  Worst still the fuel available to those same families is often in the form of paraffin or dung which may require huge amounts of time to gather and often forces them into places that are not so safe.  When burned these fuel sources can produce nasty toxins in the home for all to breathe.  The Wonderbag actually works on the same principle as burying a pot in the ground as humans have done for thousands of years (think cowboy baked beans &  New England clambakes but with portability) and in more modern usage in the ‘hay boxes’ in Britain during WWII.

According to Oliver Thring writing in the Guardian newspaper, “Collins calculates that a family of four using the Wonderbag two or three times a week will save $80 a year on fuel. (Zimbabwe, for example, has a GDP per capita of $471.)”.  For every Wonderbag purchased in the UK, another is donated to a family in Africa, so the £30 price tag doesn’t sting so much. They retail for about £14 or $22 in South Africa or at a reduced price (or even free) for those in need.

The company founded by Collins is called Natural Balance and in 2011 it presented the Wonderbag to the UN Conference on Climate Change in Durban, South Africa.  After impressing the likes of Ban Ki-Moon and Microsoft, the product was picked up by global distributor Unilever.  The Wonderbag is now in over 150,000 homes in South Africa, has created over 8,000 jobs and Unilever has placed an order for over 5 million more bags to begin world-wide distribution. Not too shabby, eh?

I have left a few messages and emails as to when this will be available in the States & Canada and will post the information accordingly. The Wonderbag website is here http://nb-wonderbag.com/ if you want to check it out.

Wonderbag with pot

Right then, that is the Eco bit – let’s get down to how super cool this can be for absolutely everybody, not just those experiencing fuel poverty.  Now, I have been loving my slow cooker for the past several years, but it does indeed have a few drawbacks.  Firstly, I am not entirely keen on leaving it plugged in overnight or when I am not at home for great lengths of time (I am a Nervous Nelly I can’t help it).  Also, I do not have a massively spacious kitchen where power outlets and counter space can accommodate 6 litres of simmering hot stuff for extended periods, and finally I have had some experiences with larger stews that can burn on the bottom imparting a bitter taste if it gets mixed into the dish.  I have also found that conventional slow cookers are not terribly flexible as to the amount of  food you would like to cook, so you are kind of stuck with very large or very small amounts depending on your unit.

The Wonderbag solves all these issues in a one go as demonstrated by my Cuban Black Bean Chili.  (It is really Black Bean Soup but I renamed it for my British friends for whom it makes more sense to call it “Chili”.)  On Christmas Night I put a 500 g (1 pound) packet of dried black beans in a pot with a few bay leaves tucked in, covered with water and brought it to a boil for about 5 minutes and reduced to a simmer for 5 minutes more.  I removed it from the stovetop and packed it into its bag.  Now, here it where it gets good…

Resting

I could stick it in an entirely different room, away from harm’s (and turkey sandwiches’) way and leave it fire-hazard-free all night!  And it did just what it said it would, 12 hours later it was still hot and the beans had soaked up to perfection.  I removed the pot from the bag, sautéed up some veggies, spices and a garlic sausage that I dumped into the pot – brought it all back up to the boil for 5 minutes and simmer for 15 – back in the Wonderbag until we felt like eating our a wonderful post-Christmas lunch!  I have included the recipe below which can be made with canned/tinned beans but there is a difference in the overall flavour when they are soaked warm overnight.  Apologies for the over exposure of this image, but it is hard to make black bean look yummy at the best of times – but trust me it tastes divine.

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This is the obvious way to use this bag, but think of heading out for a long car ride to a holiday or ski home.  After several hours you reach your destination in the dark, cold & tired – but clever you stuck a big pot of Beef Stew, Veggie Chili or even Mac & Cheese into your Wonderbag before heading out and now have a hot home cooked meal upon arrival instead of a rubbish takeout!  What about hot pulled pork sandwiches at the soccer game or ice rink and just think about what you could do at a tailgate!  It is also great for camping or fishing trips and since it can keep food cold as well as hot it would be fabulous for big summer salads for picnics, reunions or a trip to the beach (without getting waterlogged in a regular cooler and/or squashed by your drinks).

My next trial is to pour some hot milk over oatmeal with maybe some cinnamon & raisins as I hear you can wake up to perfect oatmeal every time even on a school day – will let you know.

wonder bag cookbook

The Wonderbag comes with a handy little cookbook to get you started which included roasted meats (once seared) and even some sweet dessert recipes.  However,  when I was first getting started in slow cooking I had great luck with this next baby.  The reason being I wanted to be THOROUGHLY convinced of the science and safety of slow cooking and also of how to adapt many of my favourite recipes to the slow cooking process.  This book provided all and has become a fast favourite.

Slow Cookers for Dummies

The one single negative I have come across about the Wonderbag is that some reviewers are quite sniffy that it currently uses recycled, but non-biodegradable polystyrene (Styrofoam) beans as the insulator, even though they are working to develop a biodegradable polyurethane.  My thoughts are, “Hey, we just had Christmas and if any of that polystyrene that is still heavily employed in packing can stay out of the ground as landfill and be put to work as an Eco Cooker and reduced carbon emission - rock on babe”.

And finally, I wish you could all have seen the look on my Scottish Mother-in-Law’s face when I unveiled each of these Santa treats, but then again she did give me a live plum tree for my Christmas and even snuck into my yard with her gardener to plant it, so maybe she’s getting a kick out of all this as well. :)

Wishing Everybody a Happy & Healthy ( & Reduced Emissions) New Year!

Print
Cuban Black Bean Chili

Ingredients

  • 500 g dried black beans soaked overnight OR 3 cans/tins ready made black beans with liquid.
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 large mild pepper, red or green is fine
  • 2 stalks celery,
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed
  • salt & pepper
  • 1 can/tin of chopped tomatos
  • 2 cubes of beef boullion dissolved in 1/4 cup water or Brewers Yeast if veggie
  • 1/3 cup (or one big glug) red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/4 cup or 50 mls of jarred/tinned jalapeño peppers with some liquid, chopped
  • 250 - 300 grams or half a pound of cooked smoked ham, or smoked pork sausage, diced.

Instructions

  1. - If soaking the beans from dry, put them in a large lidded pot with a few bay leaves tucked in the beans. Cover with water and bring to a boil for 5 minutes and simmer for 5 more minutes. Cover and turn off heat for 2 - 10 hours OR if using the Wonderbag, cover, remove from heat and place in bag for 4+ hours but 10 hours or overnight is best. (If using an electric slow cooker please follow instructions for your appliance.)
  2. - In another pan sauté/ fry diced vegetables (not including beans) in a bit of oil for 3-5 minutes.
  3. - Once softened, add vegetables to the large pot with the beans.
  4. - Add remaining ingredients to the large pot, stir to combine and bring back up to the boil.
  5. - Reduce to simmer until ready to eat or place in a Wonderbag for 1- 4 hours or longer until you are ready to eat.
  6. - Garnish with grated cheese and spring onions/scallions.
  7. - Serve with rice, cornbread or simply a butter roll - Super Yum!
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Jan 01, 2013 | 4 comments View Post
Head’n Upstream – Recent Readings

Head’n Upstream – Recent Readings

I (like many folks of a creative bent) can get knocked off my perch with disheartening ease.  For me, this book was the most recent culprit.  It is well written, highly acclaimed and billed as “The Complete Guide to Writing Cookbooks, Blogs, Reviews, Memoir, and More”. So naturally I thought, “Hey, this sounds fabulous for me!”.

I researched this book.  I asked for this book for my Christmas, and I dually read this book whilst taking copious notes. And in return, this book paralysed me and brought my outward creative expressions to a screeching halt. (Bad book, Bad!)  There was of course, nothing wrong with book itself,  just my reaction to its sage words.  The nasty little chorus in my head (that sounds startling like the Wickersham Brothers in “Horton Hears a Who”) struck up their music and somehow convinced me that everything I had been doing in regards to writing about food had all been horribly, shamefully wrong.  Alas.

So, I waited for the chagrin to pass and tried to distract myself with a little light reading about the average Scottish woman’s life in the Tenement buildings of Edinburgh and Glasgow in the first half on the 20th century…good times.

I tend to read rather quite a lot of books like this as I am fascinated by the different aspects of life in my adopted home and their various histories.  The Scots are not terribly forthcoming with helping you understand the “why” in how things are the way they are, but then again – they are not terribly forthcoming with each other in general, so I don’t take it too personally.  Anyway, this is a brilliant book with wonderful insights into the everyday lives of an often silent (at least in historical records –  not in real life I am sure) majority of woman who lived, loved, and coped in unimaginable conditions and whose experiences influence much of what is modern Scotland today.

I can HIGHLY recommend this wonderfully researched book for ANYONE who for more than ONE SECOND is tempted to retreat into their inner core to host a little pity party for themselves about how life is treating them.  Strong tonic this!

However, my writing funk was still not shifting, school holidays were now upon us and all schedules went out the window.   Luckily, on the recommendation of my brother, I began this next ditty. This is the equally impressive corollary to this same author’s Pulitzer Prize winning book Guns, Germs & Steel.  I LOVE Diamond’s work as it soars through time, space & catastrophe with his unique blend of super smarty-pants observations and humour.  Who else can take you through the demise of Easter Island and Medieval Greenland, straight into the impending doom of our modern environmental actions and leave you begging for more? (Very important folks…do NOT cut down all your trees for grazing and/or farming – Top Tip.)

Well, with my brain properly humming with thoughts of over-salinisation of our eroded and depleted soils and the general precariousness of our existence, my next read came packing a surprising wallop. This is Douglas Adams’s (of the Hitchhicker’s Guide to the Galaxy fame) posthumous book.   It is not just a collection of articles and notes from his hard drive, but also the first chapters of the books he was working on at his untimely death in May of 2001 during a gym workout. ( Stay with me – things cheer up from here on…)

Well, anyone who knows Adams’s writing knows the sheer joy of his absurd ramblings. Yet even though he brought so much joy and humour to so many, in his life he constantly struggled with a (seemingly bizarre) lack of confidence.  So, although the title of the Salmon of Doubt began life as a possible sixth book in the Hitchhiker’s trilogy (yup that’s right), it is also a reference to his own creative journey and what hard it work it can be to keep those taps flowing.  This collection was compiled by his family and editors so that we could all savour just a bit more of his genius after his death.  As quoted in the Financial Times, “Douglas Adams threw away better ideas than most people have ever had…”.  Crikey, if it could be a challenge for him, what could I possibly be stressing about?

As my inner perspective regained a slightly more permissive and chilled stance, I encountered this next absolute gem of a book.  Now, I admit I was bracing for another worthwhile but very academic tome when I cracked the cover, but joy of joys this book was anything but a dry read!  It was written by a woman who was born in a fishing village in Fife in 1895 and whilst she lived with and amongst the fisher folk of the village, she and her family we always slightly “other” and therefore apart as her father was a fish buyer and caretaker of one of the churches in town.  Bottom line this was one of the richest, most interesting, enjoyable historical accounts I have ever read (and I have read a few) which very nearly never saw the light of day!

It was written by the author many decades after she moved away from Scotland, first to travel to Algeria as a Missionary and then to relocate in England (doon Sooth).  After her death her son passed it to her sister who insisted that she needed to take a black marker to most of it and promptly stored it in a bottom drawer.  For many more years that it where it sat until well after the sister’s death when the son came across it again.  Perhaps he had grown a bit, but not only did he overcome his embarrassment at his mother’s long remembered childhood in Scotland, he had the humility in the forward of the book to acknowledge, “I think I always underestimated my mother”.  He finally saw that this treasure was published – almost 100 years from when many of these observations occurred and over 50 years from when they were recorded as a book.

So, what do I take from this random collection of readings? Well, just that life is fleeting and precarious at best and that to waste any of that time panicking about the calibre of your creative output is a waste.  Everyone brings something different to the table and there is no one way or even right way to go about letting your free flag fly.  Hopefully, things improve with time and effort, but even great creatives have the same struggles no matter what their external trappings of success.  So lighten up, get cracking and enjoy sharing your thoughts, dreams & creations with each other because if not, the world will be less rich because of your hesitations.

Happy Weekend!

 

Oct 13, 2012 | 6 comments View Post
Recent Projects

Recent Projects

My husband has been travelling quite a bit as of late which usually gives me a chance to catch up on some reading.  However, while putting fresh sheets on my bed today the most recent pile of books got knocked off their various perches on and around my bedside table.  The ensuing mess made for a good visual of, “oh dear, if anyone sees this they will think I have really gone off my rocker” moment.  So, after a quick giggle, I thought I would share…

It all started innocently enough with a primer on building with straw bales in the UK.  I was aware that this was a more widely accepted and understood means of eco building in the US, but British building regulation can be positively Byzantine and I wanted to get a clearer picture on how it would work over here.

For those of you that have zero idea what I am talking about, you can build a small to very complicated structure using bales of hay (yep, really).  You can either just stack the bales like giant bricks, securing them with wooden stakes (as metal would gather condensation), or you can build a wooden/ timber frame for your house and infill the spaces with the bales of hay.  The whole shebang gets a coating of lime based stucco/ harling/ parging both inside and out and viola  - you have a super-insulated house for cool summers and cosy winters.  Or cosy summers as the case may be over here.

But my curiosity of  how to build a straw bale for the eco home than led me to start visiting plots of land for sale where I could begin such a project.  And that’s when things began to go off the rails.

Many of the plots for sale in our price range are abandon farms, decommissioned forest areas or just really, really remote.  As the cost and logistics of bringing mains water and electricity are likely to surpass the overall budget for the eco build – and isn’t the whole idea to reduce dependency on those very systems – I thought I better brush up on my basic knowledge of wind mills, solar panels, micro hydro options and composting toilets.

It was daunting to say the least.  Everyone featured in this book was just a tad (read a whole lot of) fringe for my tastes.  I think I may have actually hugged my combi-boiler in appreciation of my central heating when I finished.  Regardless, even if I personally don’t want to squat and shiver in a yurt well into my dotage, there were some elements that were really interesting.  I just needed a bit more…gourmet and a little less hermit-like (and furry) case studies.

Mothers who have no time for themselves and a pocketful of book gift certificates about to expire should NOT be let loose in a mall 15 minutes before closing time.  Without really knowing what I was looking for and having annoyed employees shutting lights around me in punishment for ruining their early closing, I grabbed this next beauty.  Written by a  father and son team who work a small holding farm part-time, I was feeling hopeful after a quick flip-through.   I spotted instructions on how to make butter, cheese and most importantly elderflower champagne.  This appeared to be more up my street.

It was very organised and informative with lots of helpful pictures, but really I don’t think having to single-handedly dispose of a turkey by stuffing a traffic cone on its head was really what I had in mind for my next chapter of life.  So in a rare burst of realism I thought that maybe I needed to scale things back,  short-term only of course.

After reading just how much flaming work it would be to constantly manage recycled truck or submarine batteries just to keep the lights on, and then to have to build, grow and/or kill everything around me, I though maybe learning how to “put up” or “can” might be a good winter project instead.

My palette is feeling like the grasshopper in the Aesop’s Fable who danced all summer while the busy ant was packing away stores for the winter.  When I open my cupboards lately I feel a great lack of inspiration having not spent the growing season making  jams, chutneys, and dilly beans.  That feeling, coupled with the shocking price increases on fresh fruits and vegetables (£4 or $6.50 for a small tub/punnet of strawberries) that winter always brings – set me on a mission to learn the basics of at home food storage and maybe even plant a small patch of peppers and tomatoes next spring.

One small glitch is that I have absolutely no idea what I am doing and did not even grow up witnessing a Granny go through the process (but she did have a cellar full of impressive jars I can tell you that).  So on the great authority of my friend-in-law Jess I purchased this home canning or bottling kit.  Now, I like to think I am pretty snappy in the kitchen but I will be honest with you and say that these just about  looked like veterinary obstetrics tools to me so unfamiliar were they to my eyes.

So it was with great relief that I prized this very informative slip of paper from the bottom of the box, so I could at least know what these things were called and to what purpose I should apply them.  Magnetic lid lifter…who’d a thunk?

I am now ready to roll and will be experimenting with hot pepper jelly for Christmas gifts, my own dill pickles to properly complement my left-overs sandwich from Thanksgiving and maybe, just maybe I can finally reverse engineer my B&G’s Sandwich Spread for sublime homemade Italian subs.  And as I continue to search for a suitable plot of land and read about passive solar gain from the comfort of my centrally heated house, I will take a few new steps down the road to preserving and maybe even growing some of my own food.

Wish me luck!

 

 

Nov 13, 2011 | 1 comment View Post
So Simple Yet So Very Effective

Things That Keep Me Sane – Part 1

Hello again after an unscheduled month-long break!

Back in July I encountered what turned out to be a perfect storm of;  a few technical challenges I wanted to conquer, the school summer holidays and the not unexpected but unexpectedly debilitating evaporation of any and all childcare.  As I enter a new autumn schedule I pledge to hopefully maintain a minimum of  my previous three posts per week to keep you smiling.  As a quick welcome back, I though I would share with you some of the things I rely on (quite heavily some times) to keep me sane.  Let’s face it, some of us just need a lick more help in that department and I am here to share some of my most favorite helpful hints to help steady your rocky boat.

One of the unexpected things of parenthood is not just how much time you spend on the floor but also the Sisyphean task of trying to keep said floor devoid of dirt, glitter and pulverized Cheerios.  Whether your mother-in-law is just on her way over or your little darling (human, canine or other) has FINALLY fallen asleep and you desperately need to get going with a Pilates DVD, I can highly recommend rediscovering your Granny’s Carpet Sweeper.

So Simple Yet So Very Effective

Now it is not like I don’t own and love my Dyson, but if you are going to go through the hassle of dragging your vacuum out of the closet you want to be doing the whole once a week job.  But the problem with real life is that some spaces really need to be done a whole lot more than that – particularly to clean up after the play date for which you just spent the morning cleaning!  This baby is cheap, super effective on hair, grit, crumbs and aqua beads.  It also has two chambers that are incredibly satisfying to empty in horror after each use but most importantly it is QUIET.  No one’s nerves are going to get jangled and everyone’s stress levels are going to come down when mama is not stomping and growling in frustration at having a grotty front room.  It is also lightweight, teeny and can be stored behind a floor length curtain.  Additionally, the handle can be reduced in size to comfortably fit the average 3-5 years old offender’s frame to aid in clean ups.  PS don’t be fooled into getting the more expensive versions – the brushes do fall out but pop back in easy enough and there is no great improvement for spending more money – go cheap and replace once every few years – remember there is no electricity involved.  A quick warning – DON’T let your children stand on your beloved sweeper as they can dent the frame and make popping the brush back in place trickier.

Anyone who has known me within the past ten years knows of my deep love for GONZO stain remover.  It is a colourless, odourless, environmentally safe and a fantastic stain remover.  In my pre-parent life it was mainly put to use for red wine spills, blood, Tikka Masala sauce and ink stains.  I still love it but it is very hard for me to acquire me in the UK.  As you see I can only purchase (pre-shipping cost) for £7 / $11.50 in the UK but it only costs about £1.25 / $2.00 in the States (an issue filed under “Things That Make Me Nuts”) and is widely available at home goods and hardware stores.

To fill the void my reduced access to Gonzo has created,  I have since discovered something that could rival and in some areas even surpass my treasured stain remover – this is the magic of Sol-U-Mel.

Sol-U-Mel is available from a company called Melaleuca, which is a direct-selling type of manufacturer, specialising in eco products that kick butt.  Sol-U-Mel is also great on wine, grease and permanent marker, but has the added bonus of both de-odourising and disinfectant qualities which come in very handy in the potty training/ car sick emergencies.  As my friend Judy said, “I have young children and old dogs in my house – I need this in my life!”  Personally, my son has had a penchant for wall/carpet/body art all inspired by his “Red Marker” phase and Sol-U-Mel has saved my sanity and a small fortune –  and it is available in the US, Canada, Ireland and the UK.  Find someone who is a Melaleuca customer or dealer and get yourself a stash of this stat.

 

Now this next beauty may just make a bit more sense for UK life but maybe not – so  let me introduce you to the inexpensive, ubiquitous and super handy pasting table!  As they name suggests, it is in theory a tool for wallpapering but is also fantastic for kids parties, buffets, car boot/yard sales, fundraisers and most importantly laundry marathons.  Now unlike in the States, British homes don’t tend to have basements or separate laundry rooms.  While almost every house or flat will have a washing machines (even rented flats for all you New Yorkers out there) they tend to be located in the kitchen and are  even considered to be a kitchen appliance (don’t ask, it just is the way).  I have already addressed in a previous post about our weather that Brits just LOVE to hang multiple loads of washing out to dry, only to have to sprint to its rescue when an inevitable rain storm appears…every day.  Well, all that laundry needs to go somewhere and with your trusty pasting table (that can be easily stored behind –  you guessed it – a floor length curtain) you can fold and sort to your heart’s content without sacrificing a table, counter top or even a sofa,  as I very much begrudge any food or eating space being occupied by household chores.

 

 

I did have a peek for some sources for pasting tables in North America, but as in most things everything there just had to be bigger and better.  Most households may still have a folding card table that can serve some of the same functions, but the beauty of the true pasting table lies in its long,  narrow lightweight design.  If you can find one on either side of the pond - get one for sure.

Well that wraps up my first installment on things that help me keep my lid from flipping in today’s modern world.  And I can say with some authority, having been single, room-mated, partnered, married and now a parent  all in various flat/apartment and house settings, these are affordable and helpful additions to any size dwelling or income.  Until Next Time…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aug 25, 2011 | 5 comments View Post
Still lots of room for improvement...

Major Improvement

 Who would have thought that such a neat little piece of kit that cost just £35 ($50) could so totally transform what is possible and practical to photograph!
Who’d a thunk?

 I have really been struggling to get an even passable photographic representation of some of the recipes I have been cooking up as of late. 

Baked Croque Monsieur - super tasty but hideous when photographed:(.

 
This was a super yum Baked Croque Monsieur that I made for a girls lunch one day.  It was a sunny day, about 12.30 – decent light, and golden brown when it emerged from the oven.  But I could only capture a rather sad-looking grey appearance.  Totally JV (amateurish) and not at all what I was hoping to show you.
 

Even tea cakes in the Conservatory look less than glamorous.

Even my friend’s homemade tea cakes that she artfully arranged for a get together were OK when photographed but nowhere near how lovely they were in real life.  (She is starting a vintage china hire/rental service for hosting high tea in your home – how fab!)

Still lots of room for improvement...

But as of today a whole new day had dawned.  I am so excited to get cooking now that I can have some hope of presenting you with a pleasing image that may just want to make you give it a try!  Hooray and thank you Laura!

Jun 29, 2011 | 0 comments View Post
How Fabulous are These?

Things On My List To Covet Today

At any  given time there is usually a pretty impressive list things of which I am desirous.  The vast majority of which is food, kitchen and entertaining related must have’s, that exist on a scale of mild craving to white-hot, keep-you-up-at-night  blind yearning.  As with most people with small kids and ever rising food and power bills, most of these darling must either remain in the golden haze of Jeantopia or be put a very long waiting list until they can be accommodated.  It is alright….I can be very patient.  So in the spirit of sharing, I thought I would take you window shopping into the realms of things that are tickling my fancy at the moment.

What is driving me to distraction is the big news that Anthropolgie http://www.anthropologie.eu is opening in Edinburgh (on George Street) at the end of the month.  Back in the day when I was single and gainfully employed, I would often frequent my local Anthropolgie in Boston.  Except for the briefest of visits last summer, the eight years free from the temptations of this store have provided some relief in these difficult economic times.  Now, it’s back.

OOOO I want I want I want....particularly the orange flowers

Now I am just  trying to think of a way this could be a tax deductible purchase.  Perhaps if I used the one with the orange flowers solely and exclusively for the photographing of food for this blog that would qualify?  Do you think a pair of earrings might be pushing it a bit?

How Fabulous are These?!

And speaking of pushing it – did you know that Brits will simply NOT help themselves to any platter, dip, buffet or canape unless they have a plate? For real, even when you tell them specifically to just grab a napkin (artfully twisted with a wine bottle for full fan effect) and help themselves.  No smoked salmon blini with sprig of dill, no seven layer dip, or for some reason under no circumstances can a deviled egg be eaten without the security of holding a plate in your hand – maddening.  It can really interrupt the flow of a casual cocktail event and make getting a bigger event underway a big bother – not to mention increase the load for clean up.

My Current Solution to the Conundrum
Up to this point I have resorted to this caddy of appetizer plates which I am reluctantly willing to put out along side a spinach dip.  A good solution, but limited in number and the moment people have a plate in their hands – they sit down!  What is a girl to do?  And then, I saw them…

You Could Even Bring Your Own!

Finger Foods from Fred, miniature catering plates on RINGS to slip on while your get your mingle on – or take seconds of something really tasty in the server is passing your way.

Come On!

 Blissfully negotiate deep-seated cultural reservations and increase conversational mobility, all while looking fabulous throughout the evening.  Not to mention this makes great strides in moving ever closer to abolishing the dread first course for the much more versatile hor d’oeuvre spread – allowing the host to actually join the party.  The verdict is in  – utterly fabulous!  (Available from Amazon)

A Table Top Photo Studio to combat my lack of natural light.

 You may also have noticed that there has not yet been a whole lot of food on this so-called Food & Lifestyle blog.  Well, truth be told my food photography is leaving much to be desired.  Things that look fantastic and welcoming when they emerge from the oven are appearing grey and poxy in the photos.  I blame the lack of natural light.  Today I took a few shots at 12:30 pm, right inside a south-facing window, on a mostly sunny hour (see Weather).  The result was blech.  Therefore, I have decided that I must augment the “natural” light that seems to be the written law of food photography with a little help.  If anyone can think of any reason that this must not be so, please comment now …….

Wait a minute….does this mean that these are already in my possession?! (Oops, Just don’t tell my husband)

I mean really, here is an example of some sample photos from today…. just dreadful don’t ya think?

Jun 15, 2011 | 0 comments View Post
Rebel Without a Pause

My Blessings, My Wrinkles

A Brief Introduction to My Dreams Come True

Boudicca

 
My Ladybug is an amazing combination of Snow White looks and Wednesday Addams world perspective.  She chose to dress up as Boudicca http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boudica for World Book Day at school. She also runs a booming Rock Shop from our home most days after school – even in near hurricane conditions. That should provide a good clue as to her interests.
 

Rebel Without a Pause

 
 
Then there is my Rebel Without a Pause.  I am very tired at night – and come to think of it most of the day as well.  Still, I am very happy he is here and I have it on good family authority that he will settle down, eventually.
And here is the man who has made it all possible.  Thank you for making it soooo worth it to change my name and run off to a foreign country.

 

On Our Way to Elope

 I will do my best to keep you updated on all of our adventures!

 

Jun 04, 2011 | 1 comment View Post
Skye Homes Kit House

Future Plans Du Jour

While we are very happy right where we are with good friends, good schools and the Mother-ship of all Tesco on our doorstep, we find ourselves winding down one five-year plan and cooking up another one.
Skye Homes Kit House

The basic idea is to move a bit more into the country, not too far just enough to be able to afford decent piece of land.  Now it gets fun, we are thinking of a self-build kit house like the one above or maybe even a straw bale house with full eco kit, to be as off grid as possible without giving up the convenience of modern living as I am a wimp.

Wigwams with Heat for Year Round (or Scottish Summer) Camping

We need to have enough land, say 2-5 acres so that at one end we can host a few of these wigwams.  Part of a growing trend in “glam camping” and as a reaction to collapsed travel companies, ash clouds and the recession in general, Brits are staying close to home for their holidays.  I love the idea of structured camp site, not too much maintenance but a steady income to support our more creative endeavors.  These babies come with curtains already hung and heat, a very real need for camping in Scotland whatever the time of year.

Alpacas in Scotland? Wool, Wee Ones & Weed Whackers

 And then come the Alpacas.  As an eco-friendly grass cutting scheme, a source of fine wool and breeding for additional income and of course keeping a small holdings farm in agricultural use.  Sounds like a plan, no?

May 15, 2011 | 0 comments View Post
Born to Run

Born to Run

If you are looking for a great read, a bit of inspiration and a fresh take on you and your feet – than this is the book for you!

Born to Run

Whilst this has nothing to do with Scotland per se, it is my favourite read of the past year.  Whether you are an avid runner, a couch potato or a tired middle-aged mama with a bad back like myself, you can not help but enjoy this book.   It has already take the States by storm and is now making waves over here in the UK.

Vibram Five Finger Shoes

It is available in the UK from Amazon either as a book or Kindle download.  I won’t spoil it too much as it is such a fun read, but don’t blame me if you find yourself walking (or running) around in a pair of these before too long!  Enjoy!
May 15, 2011 | 1 comment View Post