Here's one of those clever little number tricks that works out your age based on how often you want to eat out ...
1. First of all, pick the number of times a week that you would like to go out to eat (more than once but less than 10)
2. Multiply this number by 2
3. Add 5
4. Multiply it by 50
5. If you have already had your birthday this year add 1757. If you haven't, add 1756.
6. Now subtract the four digit year that you were born.
You should now have a three digit number. The first digit of this was your original number (ie how many times you want to go out to restaurants in a week).
The next two numbers are your age!
Innit clever, though. I love these little tricks.
The most exciting bit for me, though, was trying to work out how many times a week I'd like to eat out. I worked it out as follows: there's 21 meals in a week, and I'd like to eat out for a third of them, cook for a third and be lazy (buy something or shove something in the oven) for the rest. But, oh! the soul-searching involved in that decision process! I did probably give it a bit more thought than was intended ...!
How many times did you say you'd like to eat out??
Wednesday 10 October 2007
Tuesday 9 October 2007
Ham please
On Sunday I made the old experimental-restaurant-chicken for dinner, so I had a bit of leftover Parma ham knocking around. I thought I'd try out my new apple and whatnot salad, but with the ham instead of Wensleydale for lunch on the next day.
Hmm ... not as good! But please give it a go yourselves and let me know what you think.
Hmm ... not as good! But please give it a go yourselves and let me know what you think.
Salad days
It's hard to believe, looking out the window at the drizzle and gloom today, but we had a nice spot of weather last Friday. The sky was a deep blue and there was a good showing of autumnal sunshine too - a perfect day to be out of London and have the chance to do a spot of driving with the roof down!
I spent the late morning in Bishop's Stortford and took the opportunity to meet a friend for lunch at The Lemon Tree, a great restaurant. In fact, probably the only restaurant in Stortford I'd call 'great'! I often pop in here with my husband when we're in town shopping on a Saturday, and we've also enjoyed a few evening meals here too.
On Friday we took advantage of the lunchtime special offer - one course, a glass of wine and a tea or coffee for £7.50. We both chose the smoked trout, anchovy and cheese salad (I can't remember what kind of cheese, but it was akin to parmesan!), which I've had before but just couldn't resist. The trout was perfectly flaky and pink, the anchovies sufficiently oily and salty, with just the right amount of salad leaves, croutons and dressing to bring the whole thing together. I love the coldness of anchovies in a salad - it reminds me of good tapas in Spain.
We both decided to add a pudding, since there was a cup of tea included in the offer! My friend chose a chocolate pavlova with poached pears and blackberries, which I'd had the week before and recommended very highly. The meringue isn't too sweet but is very rich and chocolatey, with the delicious foil of warm, tangy fruit. I ordered apple compte (yes, more apples!) with a spiced syllabub and hazelnut biscuits. The apple was smooth and tart, and the syllabub was like an early taste of Christmas!
The only minus point I can think of is the limited choice for tea - more or less 'normal' or Earl Grey. My hazelnut biscuits would have gone very well with Darjeeling or something else a bit paler. I never understand why restaurants have varieties of coffee but only the one (sometimes two) choices of tea!
But that's another post ... !
I spent the late morning in Bishop's Stortford and took the opportunity to meet a friend for lunch at The Lemon Tree, a great restaurant. In fact, probably the only restaurant in Stortford I'd call 'great'! I often pop in here with my husband when we're in town shopping on a Saturday, and we've also enjoyed a few evening meals here too.
On Friday we took advantage of the lunchtime special offer - one course, a glass of wine and a tea or coffee for £7.50. We both chose the smoked trout, anchovy and cheese salad (I can't remember what kind of cheese, but it was akin to parmesan!), which I've had before but just couldn't resist. The trout was perfectly flaky and pink, the anchovies sufficiently oily and salty, with just the right amount of salad leaves, croutons and dressing to bring the whole thing together. I love the coldness of anchovies in a salad - it reminds me of good tapas in Spain.
We both decided to add a pudding, since there was a cup of tea included in the offer! My friend chose a chocolate pavlova with poached pears and blackberries, which I'd had the week before and recommended very highly. The meringue isn't too sweet but is very rich and chocolatey, with the delicious foil of warm, tangy fruit. I ordered apple compte (yes, more apples!) with a spiced syllabub and hazelnut biscuits. The apple was smooth and tart, and the syllabub was like an early taste of Christmas!
The only minus point I can think of is the limited choice for tea - more or less 'normal' or Earl Grey. My hazelnut biscuits would have gone very well with Darjeeling or something else a bit paler. I never understand why restaurants have varieties of coffee but only the one (sometimes two) choices of tea!
But that's another post ... !
Monday 1 October 2007
How d'you like them apples?
Yesterday we went to Apple Day at Audley End House, not far from where we live. We set out with little idea of what an apple day actually was, and somewhat sceptical about the 'apple-themed activities'! Still, there was a lovely autumnal feel in the air, and Audley End House always provides a nice day out, so set out we did.
On arrival we stopped at the entrance gate to flash our English Heritage cards at the young lady on the desk. She printed off our receipts and then leant forward, with a vaguely conspiratorial smile, and said "Are you here for the Apple Day? Don't blame you - I would go too, if I could!" She looked so wistful and envious, I felt myself grinning and slightly rubbing my hands together, almost on the verge of licking my lips with anticipation for some forthcoming pleasure, of which I had only the very vaguest idea!
Our first port of call was the restaurant, where the apple theme was prevalent. I had parsnip and apple soup served with a big wedge of delicious bread (quite literally peppered with ...well, pepper!) and a slice of Applewood smoked cheese. The soup was beautiful and made me long to start up my soup-making again. I remember attempting a parsnip and apple one last year, but I can't recall the exact recipe, nor how successful it was. I love the flavours together and the overall taste was very seasonal, warming and comforting - definitely one for a cold, crisp autumn Sunday. We also ate apple pie (apparently very appley) and some apple fruit loaf.
From the restaurant I also bought a bottle of Appletree Hill fresh apple and rhubarb juice, made by Stoke Farm Orchards. It's one of the most delicious things I've ever tasted from a bottle - just the half-sweet, half-tangy flavours of apple and rhubarb complementing each other perfectly!
The rest of the day was a little beyond us, really. Apple experts were busy identifying specimens brought by visitors and classifying them all. There was a huge display of apples from around the UK, divided and labelled by type, class, location, date of discovery, etc. I'm not quite enough of an apple lover to appreciate this kind of dedication, personally! But I do love the committment to locally grown produce and I love the fact that people had travelled to the event from far and wide to discuss the humble apple!
It's just this sort of wonderful seasonal, locally-focused event Stansted Airport should promote more readily. Uttlesford is an amazingly rich area and there's shows, events, sites and projects like this one going on every weekend - far more interesting, far more 'English' than boring old London!
On arrival we stopped at the entrance gate to flash our English Heritage cards at the young lady on the desk. She printed off our receipts and then leant forward, with a vaguely conspiratorial smile, and said "Are you here for the Apple Day? Don't blame you - I would go too, if I could!" She looked so wistful and envious, I felt myself grinning and slightly rubbing my hands together, almost on the verge of licking my lips with anticipation for some forthcoming pleasure, of which I had only the very vaguest idea!
Our first port of call was the restaurant, where the apple theme was prevalent. I had parsnip and apple soup served with a big wedge of delicious bread (quite literally peppered with ...well, pepper!) and a slice of Applewood smoked cheese. The soup was beautiful and made me long to start up my soup-making again. I remember attempting a parsnip and apple one last year, but I can't recall the exact recipe, nor how successful it was. I love the flavours together and the overall taste was very seasonal, warming and comforting - definitely one for a cold, crisp autumn Sunday. We also ate apple pie (apparently very appley) and some apple fruit loaf.
From the restaurant I also bought a bottle of Appletree Hill fresh apple and rhubarb juice, made by Stoke Farm Orchards. It's one of the most delicious things I've ever tasted from a bottle - just the half-sweet, half-tangy flavours of apple and rhubarb complementing each other perfectly!
The rest of the day was a little beyond us, really. Apple experts were busy identifying specimens brought by visitors and classifying them all. There was a huge display of apples from around the UK, divided and labelled by type, class, location, date of discovery, etc. I'm not quite enough of an apple lover to appreciate this kind of dedication, personally! But I do love the committment to locally grown produce and I love the fact that people had travelled to the event from far and wide to discuss the humble apple!
It's just this sort of wonderful seasonal, locally-focused event Stansted Airport should promote more readily. Uttlesford is an amazingly rich area and there's shows, events, sites and projects like this one going on every weekend - far more interesting, far more 'English' than boring old London!
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