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Popcorn Boutique

popcorn discovery

Just discovered Europe’s first popcorn boutique. It’s called POP and the flavours look amazing! It’s just off Portobello Road in London… and I can’t wait to get myself down there. Watch this space for some popcorn reviews!

battle of the smokes

I’m rather partial to a bit of smoked salmon (it also tends to feature heavily in my starter choices in restaurants) and I indulged recently with some elaborate sounding smokes from Marks and Spencer: Single Malt Whisky Scottish Lochmuir Smoked Salmon and Oak and Applewood Smoked Salmon. With them both in my possession, it would have been wrong not to conduct a little taste testing session of my own… 

Single Malt Whisky Scottish Lochmuir Smoked Salmon

 

First up was the Single Malt Whisky smoke and it was de-LISH-us! It had an elegant smokey taste and an unusual depth of flavour, which I can only imagine comes from the whisky (I am no expert). It felt light, had a mild dryness texture (which I see as a good thing, rather than greasy, wet, flabbiness) and a lovely colour. It wasn’t perfection but it was pretty bang on for a supermarket buy.

 

Oak and Applewood Smoked Salmon

Next up was the Oak and Applewood Smoked Salmon… pinker in colour, it lacked the depth of flavour of the Single Malt Whisky Smoked Salmon and also had just a small tinge of flabbiness to it. It was a little thicker and chewier than its cohort, but overall it was ok and I would still definitely buy it again over some of the rubbish that you find in supermarkets. 

So, next time you’re in M&S and faced with the choice of which salmon to buy – definitely go for the Single Malt Whisky Smoked Salmon – and then slap some on a sesame bagel with some butter, pepper and lemon juice – mmmm.

 

 

 

a january winter salad

So after a Christmas full of overindulgence at every angle, I’m now on a mission to eat a bit healthier and lighter – for January at least (and maybe only on weekdays). I recently turned to Nigel (Slater) for a bit of inspiration – not that he is exactly known for his fat-busting recipes, but I thought he may have some good ideas on making simplicity and lightness taste good. And as always, Nigel came through with a winter salad which I have taken, amended (for quicker cooking and for fat reduction) and am handing to you now. Good and healthy and long may it continue (until February at any rate).

Ingredients

Frozen soya beans

Frozen peas

Smoked mackerel (I prefer the peppered version)

Spring onion (1-2 per person)

Olive oil

A smoked mackerel winter salad with soya beans and peas

I’m not putting quantities here because it’s effectively a salad, a load of fresh ingredients thrown together, and it seems ridiculous to weigh it all out. So defrost in the microwave as many soya beans and peas as you fancy eating (put them in the same bowl – they’ll defrost at the same time and although the soya beans are bigger, they will retain a little ‘bite’ if they are cooked for the same time as the peas), shred as much smoked mackerel as you fancy eating, chop the spring onion, soften it in a little olive oil, when this is done, add the beans, peas and smoked mackerel to heat through, tip it all out on a plate and there you go.

seeing in 2013 at shoreditch house

New Year’s Eve was spent at Shoreditch House in London with my group of friends tucking into, amongst other things, a superb example of how roast rib of beef should be done.

spaghetti gluttony on a friday night

An evening in – just me, the dog and Nigel (Slater on tv), a massive bowl of spaghetti with meatballs and a glass of red wine – bliss!