Category Archives: food & drink

bacon!

03 Wednesday Feb 2021

Posted by in books, food & drink

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bacon

So this just arrived! And it’s fabulous. But there is quite a story behind it. Back in August 2013 I was scrolling Twitter one evening and saw a tweet by Niamh @eatlikeagirl talking about needing to meet her Kickstarter goal in order to get her Bacon The Cookbook project going. If I recall correctly the deadline was that night. And well, I’d been following Niamh for quite awhile, and I also love bacon, so I decided to invest and hoped she reached her goal – which she did! Great. And for 30€ there was the promise of a copy of the book – if all went well we would be receiving our signed copies by Christmas. Which, well, obviously didn’t happen.

Thus began a series of group emails from Niamh to all of us investors, explaining the various glitches and upheavals (personal and professional) that were keeping her from completing the project. And at first I thought, okay, no problem. I mean, it’s a cookbook about bacon. I wasn’t going to die if I never got it. Also, I’d never done a Kickstarter thing before. I just figured it’s like any investment – you pays yer money and you takes yer chances. There are no guarantees. Continue reading →

adiós coliflor!

01 Monday Feb 2021

Posted by in cancer, food & drink, health & happiness, hospitals

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coliflor

Unless it’s prepared like this. I feel a bit like Sherlock Holmes and also grateful for having most of my life (including meals) up somewhere on the ol’ internets, because I think I have solved a mystery that’s been plaguing me for at least five years and probably more. So okay, getting to the point (and be forewarned, this is probably going to be really boring so don’t feel obliged, but I want the info here for future reference)…

After that last emergency op in August 2011 things didn’t heal as well as after the previous three cancer ops, which I think was in part my fault. I was extra impatient about being in hospital AGAIN and I remember begging the surgeon to let me go home on the Friday (the op had been on Monday, and we’re talking major abdominal surgery). I just wanted to be back home with the cats and sleep in my own bed and couldn’t bear the thought of spending the whole weekend in hospital (they only discharge people on weekdays). Well, turns out I should have stayed in because after promising the doctor that I’d “be good”, I really wasn’t. I didn’t wear my “faja” all the time at home (it was August and too hot), and I was out and about more than I should have been. The result was that I ended up with an umbilical hernia as well as the usual post-op adhesions. What’s this got to do with cauliflower you ask?
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día internacional de la croqueta 2021

16 Saturday Jan 2021

Posted by in food & drink, sevilla, tapas

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dia croqueta

It’s International Croquette Day! These are just a few of the delicious croquetas I’ve enjoyed over the past year. And yes, there were a few duds too (not pictured). For me croquetas are a litmus test for the quality of a tapas bar. Which reminds me that I haven’t made any for quite some time. That ought to keep me busy for a couple of afternoons. What’s your favourite filling?

mission accomplished!

31 Thursday Dec 2020

Posted by in azahars kitchen, casa azahar, food & drink, home, homecooking

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nye

New Year’s Eve dinner was AMAZING. Inspired by the wonderful presa al palo cortado that I’d had at Bodeguita Romero earlier in the week.  It was the first time I’d slow-cooked a whole piece of presa Ibérico de Bellota (pork shoulder) and so I got some cooking tips from my friends, the family at @bodeguitaromero and chef @jose_pizarro. It wasn’t that much different than making my (now famous!) carrillada al oloroso but this sauce was made with palo cortado sherry, LOTS of sweet onion, portobellos, garlic and a few sprigs of fresh thyme. I think I maybe overcooked it a bit as the sauce ended up VERY reduced and had a fair bit of meat in it, that had fallen off the shoulder. So I added more broth and sherry to it and wow, so tasty. Side dishes: roasted potatoes, courgette and spring onion, and Yorkshire puddings. What did you have?

nye dinner

christmas eve 2020

24 Thursday Dec 2020

Posted by in christmas, food & drink, friends

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christmas eve 2020 (2)

This Christmas Eve was mostly about food. Because hey, what else was there to do? My Instagram “memories” have been trolling me this past week or so, showing me photos of happier Christmas times with friends, both here and in Málaga. But of course none of that was possible this year. So I decided to just enjoy making some great food and, since I am still not having people over to my house, share it with my friend Peter, who was happy to come over and pick up a take-away of everything, including some panattone, beer and palo cortado sherry (in the green salad dressing bottle). The menu was slow braised Ibérico pork cheeks in oloroso with sides of roasted potatoes, roasted veg (carrots, sweet onion, purple onion, whole garlic heads, endive) and my now EXPERT Yorkshire puddings. Simple and delicious. How was your Christmas Eve?

christmas eve 2020 (1)