Feeding time for Fran

For Marky's day time birthday treat we hopped on over to ZSL to take in some cute animals. Obvs only went for Dog Blog material http://woofwoofpawpaw.blogspot.com/

I have been gagging to go for my whole three years in and around London. Many is the time i've been distracted with the baubles of 'oh but lets just play sims' or 'but lets just eat crumpets in bed'. Not that i'm complaining. Two of my all time favourite activities really.

But if you are looking for something more adventurous then let me recommend this as one of the best days out i've had.

Went to see the penguins feeding time but got a bit hungry myself so had to have a sit down in the corner with Granny's fruit loaf. Daytrip 101: never forget to pack a whole loaf of snack.

Don't have the recipe. Just go to Granny's and she'll give you one out of her factory freezer xxx

oh p.s with the money I saved with my 241 zoo ticket I splashed out on a whole curry, rice and pitta at the family cantine. mmm. Nothing like hot food in hot weather.

Gone with the mince

I've decided I should watch more classique films and cook less meat so what more of a perfect way to marry the two but dinner with Dani Vegelez Bristol.

Post sleep in shift that morning I blearily pushed my way round Morrinov assessing whether pinenuts (£3.99) or vegeburgers (£1.50 for four) were a tastier deal. The latter won so butternut squash risotto with pinenuts and feta was out the window and vegeburgers in pitta with cherry tomato jammy sauce, caramelised red onion and sweet potato wedges were in through my mouth.

Dani popped over at six after my all day nap and luckily was conscious enough to do everything herself. The only thing we tampered with was loads of fresh thyme on the wedges.

By a cheeky 7.20pm we were replete and looking for a cuddle on bed with clark gable. Only managed the first 2.30 hours so stay tuned for the next dashing dinner. Frankly, my dear, as long as it's tasty I don't care if it's animal or plant.

xxxx

Soft soft soft

Had a bit of a disappointment the other day. I've been very much taken by this jar of apricots in vodka sitting in our fridge for a good four months. They just look really soft. I was waiting and waiting for Marky to open them so I could have/steal one. Then the other day when we were hanging out in the kitchen together he spotted they had gone a bit mouldy and so before I could blink had chucked them unopened into the bin.

My heart sank to the bottom of the bin with them.

But don't fret. This tale of dreams gone bad has a happy ending. Now, I've been lusting after a particular type of marshmallow since 2009. I had lots of time and a RA members card and managed to rack up a visit to the Anish Kapoor exhibition a grand ten times. Opposite is Fortnum and Mason and I would slide across to lunch from the cheese, bread/dip, and pie taster sections, and gaze lovingly at the glass fronted piles of mallows. But they were seventy pence each and I was unemployed so it wasn't to be.

Cut to ten months later. DB and I went for a Sunday coffee at the towpath cafe and whilst dipping our toes in the cooling canal she presented me with the luxury treat of one whole marshmallow with real raspberry bits in it.

Oh she treats me well. I'll just have to find a new food crush now to not try till 2015. Keeps me busy!

xxxxxxx

Happy Birdday!

Responsible parents and animal rights lovers look away now. It was Marky's birthday on Friday and we were incredibly naughty. We got him two zebra finches in a pretty lime and orange cage.

We could hardly draw ourselves away from them to mooch out to dinner at one of the local Vietnameses but somehow we managed and it was very enjoyable. I of course had prawns and managed to stay away from Alex tricking me into slurping up chillies. Ouch.

After aperitifs in the Stag's until 11 we stumbled on to Angel for a few hours of Stewart Lee at the Screen on the Green. As we sank into large velvet sofas I knew I was going to have trouble staying awake, however funny he was. Luckily the men next to me enjoyed plying me with sweets to keep me awake. Figured that even if they were rohypnolled it'd be an excuse to sleep, so a win win.

Nearly had another meal at 2.am on the way home but as we approached McDonalds the lights dimmed and that hope with it.

Sweet slumber petals xxxxxxx

Becky Sundayshine

After a weekend of not actually talking to anyone apart from my clients (overhearing Jim having too much fun in his room doesn't count as interaction) I was gasping for Becky's company last Sunday evening.

As I thought she was just the antidote to lonesickness. We practically bubbled over as we caught up, chatting about boys, nail polish and the new 'compak Pearl'.

Had the usual vegelez speciale of spaghetti bolognaise fit to burst with mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes and other goodness. Sprinkled with a hearty layer of parmesan.

Luckily Grease was on tv which married oh so happily with our meal. An Americanised Italian feast for the eyes and the mouth!

Mmmm. xxxxx

Eton Messy

My work day was lifted out of the duldrums when I had a lovely text from Marky suggesting we make a special meal together. If I hadn't been currently engaging in my 'nail painting' activity with the clients I would have replied brimming with enthusiasm immediately. But even I recognise that my iPhone surface doesn't need the addition of bubble gum polish.

It's no moisturiser or candle wax (thank you Alex and Sashy for that screen care advice)!

Anyway, I flew home via Sainsburys and in no time at all we were away.
We were making barley, garlic and tomato risotto. Well, Mark was. I mostly just chatted to him whilst he chopped endless amounts of garlic.

You probably want the recipe but it's in the kitchen and i'm in my bed so it's a bit far away. It was one of the Guardian weekend Ottolenghi ones.

It was really delish. The best bit was that Harrie had come round for dinner and she wasn't very hungry so I got to eat hers too!

For pudding I flung together a strawberry fool. Mostly all over the floor and surfaces but we salvaged some and everyone declared it delicious. Well.. more like posh fromage frais unforch after all that work but never mind. It was pulverised strawbs, mixed with melty lemony sugar mixture, swirled into beaten double cream.

No one wanted to have their picture taken for it. Dashy's face was too sunburnt to be put next to pink. Harrie's hair ditto. Marky had no excuse. He would've been the perfect backdrop.

After a night in the fridge it really was delish though. As I spooned it out of the bowl into tupperwear for my work lunch the next day I accidentally ate most of the spoonfuls!

Floats my boat!

Recently one of my favourite northerners came to sample all that London had to offer. Food wise, we stuck to what we knew. Didn't want to scare him off! The first night we got 241 pizza at my favourite SU bar in Angel, then frozen yoghurt from Camden passage before croggehing home wildly. Couldn't get the bus. That's a week's rent in Liverpool.

The next day we arose and stocked up on a pile of french toast, bacon,

bananas and maple syrup. Fully sugared up we walked to the British library to see Maps, before sauntering onwards to the Skin exhibition at the Wellcome collection.

Although I didn't believe I could keep any food down after some of the disturbing scenes in the latter my thoughts, and mouth, kept straying to the crusty baguette in my bag. But where to demolish what was left of it?

We decided to take to the waters and eat our luncheon whilst sailing round the Serpentine in Hyde Park.

I did the sandwich making (and most of the eating), Dave did the rowing.

When our tummies and our allotted boat time were full up we wriggled out and off to explore the meadows of Hyde park. Aside from the couples having affairs in the long grass the best sight we stumbled across was a field of teepees! I knew if I did enough boating round river bends I'd turn into Pocohontas eventually!