Love and Stroganoff are in the air

Until about an hour ago, I had intended to write about our Valentine's weekend in London. Then we ate dinner...

The weekly meal planning has been hard to keep up with between weekends away, Paul working late, and primetime telly. This week, we did our shopping in two hapharzard trips and I cobbled together a meal plan in my head while looping around the store. We had quite a few ingredients that needed to get used - mushrooms, shallots, and creme fraiche were at the top of the list. Knowing that there was 3+ lbs of ground beef in the freezer the lightbulb went on and I thought: Stroganoff!

A few weeks ago I made a recipe called 'Mock Stroganoff' that I had gotten from one of Grandma's cooking magazines but had never made. It's basically just an easy version of Beef Strogranoff with ground beef and instant gravy that takes about 20 minutes to make. We both loved it and I added it to the list of options for our weekly meal plans.

The original recipe calls for onions which I replaced with the shallots. These are sauteed with the ground beef and mushrooms. Once cooked you are meant to drain it. This would probably be a good thing for us to do - especially considering how often we moan about our bellies getting bigger - but you lose so much flavor I just couldn't bring myself to do it. To the pot you then add the water and instant gravy powder or granules and let it thicken. The recipe says you only need about two minutes but I found I had to add quite a bit more granules to get it thick enough and also let it simmer quite a bit longer to really soak up the flavor of the beef and shallots. Once thickened, you add sour cream to the gravy and serve. Since I had creme fraiche from one of last week's recipes, I used that instead. My final touch - also an edit to the original recipe - was to add two teaspoons of dijon mustard to give it a little oomph.

As any good chef, I tasted the results to check whether more seasoning was needed and I almost swooned in delight. My first Stroganoff had been good but this - this was a masterpiece! If I don't mind saying so myself... I really think the shallots and creme fraiche made all the difference. Plus, the first time around, I used too much mustard and it overpowered the gravy far too much. I really wouldn't have thought that such a quick-cook recipe using INSTANT gravy could be so delicious.

Paul and I both praised the Stroganoff with almost every bite and stood over the pot of leftovers debating whether or not to finish it off. It took everything we had not to dig in and Paul selflessly gave up seconds so I could take the rest for lunch tomorrow. What a guy!

And the romance doesn't stop there... For Valentine's Weekend (which also doubled as our 2nd Anniversary celebration) we made the short trip up to London. We had an ideal schedule of activities - a little something for everyone! The festivities kicked off with an afternoon match at the Emirates Stadium between Arsenal and Wolverhampton. Happily, Arsenal won and Paul didn't have to force himself to enjoy the rest of the weekend.

The match was followed by a nap - cheering, chanting, and singing at a football match really takes it out of you! Then it was off to the Swan Restaurant at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. I had been to the Swan on a recon visit with one of the girl's from the Marketing Department to check out their venue hire prices and options. We both absolutely loved the look and feel of the restaurant - it has this great rustic yet sophisticated style and a bank of leaded windows runs one whole side of the dining room looking out over the Thames. The menu also looked excellent without being too pricey for a London establishment. I knew the combination of its great atmosphere, made cosier by lowlighting and candles, and a well-planned menu would make for a perfect Valentine's dinner.

As usual, we both ordered starters. I went for the Scallops in a Sweet Onion Gratin while Paul went for the Shetland Mussels. My scallops were very well prepared and I loved the creamy gratin. Paul preferred his mussels which were very good but not as good as others we've had. In my opinion, the broth wasn't quite as flavorful as it might have been.

For the mains I had Sirloin Steak with Chips and Paul had Lamb Rump, Grilled Liver, and Haricot Beans. It wasn't until they arrived that we realized we hadn't ordered any veg. We were both surprised that our server had not asked us if we wanted any. Paul looked longingly at his plate for a few moments, perhaps hoping it might magically appear; he does love his veg. But then he reconciled himself to its absence and began his meal.

I took the opportunity to try liver for the first time... and I have to say, I have not been missing out. I now know why Liver and Onions is so villified. Paul is not a great lover of liver either but gave it a bite just to confirm his dislike. And no, he still does not like liver.

Otherwise, we were both quite satisfied with our meals. Paul's lamb was tender and flavorful. My steak was cooked perfectly medium and was accompanied by a nicely roasted onion. And that was exactly the problem: we were only satisfied. But then, with each bite, they seemed to get better and better. By the last bite, we both were savoring our meals and regretting that they were coming to an end. I still can't quite comprehend how it could have been that way. At the start, both meals were good but somehow they became very good and then really good and then excellent. Maybe the liver initially dulled our tastebuds... or maybe it was the wine finally taking effect...

There was just one course to go and I had already picked my selection and predicted Paul's. I went for the Honeycomb Cheesecake while Paul chose the Apple and Blackberry Crumble with Ice Cream. Paul's crumble was just as a crumble should be: warm, lovely, and perfectly paired with the light vanilla ice cream. My cheesecake was almost like a preview of the Modern art we would see the following morning at the Tate: random, confusing, but still sort of enjoyable. I, as I think most would, expected a slice of cheesecake featuring honeycomb pieces in and/or on the dessert. Instead I was presented with a cheesecake-like mousse, piped thickly in a spiral around the plate, and then sprinkled with pieces of honeycomb and crispy chocolate pieces. Now I am not opposed to thinking outside the box or reinterpreting a classic but in my mind, calling a rope of mousse cheeseCAKE is a big misrepresentation and, therefore, a big disappointment.

But, have no fear, I did not let my dessert failure ruin our lovely evening and of course, I ate it all.

Our last eating experience of note in London of the weekend was breakfast in the cafe at the Tate Modern. I am currently working at my third museum and have been to countless others - at many of which I have sampled the cafes - and I have to say, this was my best museum cafe experience yet. Paul had the Full English Breakfast which he found a bit difficult to eat in the method he is accustomed to. Paul likes everything to be in its own quandrant and to take little bites of everything and put them together into one. He felt it was "too all over the place" somehow. But he still enjoyed it and the sausage was particularly nice. My breakfast was Mushrooms and Spinach on Toast with a Duck Egg. I can say without hesitation that it was outstanding. The toast is perhaps what made the meal. Rather than your bog-standard white or brown bread toast, they served my mushrooms, spinach, and egg on a beautiful, rustic bread lightly buttered. The mushrooms were cooked perfectly and the egg was just right - well-cooked but still with the loveliest of runny yokes. It all came together to be a delight on a plate. And to think I was just going to order a bacon sandwich!

We left London well-fed and happy to be starting our third year together together :)

Coming up next week... Adventures with our new crockpot!

We're still eating!

I know, I know... this post is looooong overdue. At the New Year, Paul said we should "begin as we mean to go on." I was struck by the beauty and rightness of that statement and thought 'Yes! We will exercise more, watch less tv, eat better... and I will keep the blog up-to-date!' The very next day I started a post about our New Year's Eve meal at The Cowshed, one of our favorite restaurants in Bristol. It was a fabulous, 7-course meal with one of the highlights being the starter of Beef Carpaccio with Soft Boiled Quails Egg. It was another truly lovely meal at The Cowshed and a perfect way to re-commit to our blog.

But then I found myself too busy sitting on the sofa and watching tv obsessively to post. The only part of our New Year resolution that we held up was of course, the eating. I'm not sure whether we can say we're eating 'better' but we are definitely still eating.

With Paul now in Bristol full-time - a Christmas miracle! - we're eating at home more and trying to eat out less. I have instituted a weekly meal plan so we can save money by shopping for only what we need for the week and we can eat more healthily ... at least that's the theory anyway. Our last two shopping trips have seen us get suckered in by weekly offers and BOGO deals which translates into a freezer full of sausages, ground beef, and ice cream bars. It also translates into a grocery bill that should probably cover the two of us for the whole month! It's early days yet... maybe the system just needs tweaking :)

So, you ask, what are we eating tonight? Well, since Paul's official arrival in Bristol, I have become quite the domestic goddess. Despite his insistence that he means to pitch in and cook, his long days at the office...ahem, lab... seem to drain all his cooking energy and this little lady has been putting in alot of time in the kitchen. It's been quite fun actually as for the past two years I've been chained to my computer on skype and rarely cooked anything that took longer than 10 minutes to make.

I'm back to making old favorites and trying my hand at some new recipes. Tonight I went for a good old British classic: Toad in the Hole.

Toad in the Hole is sausage baked in a yorkshire pudding. (Yorkshire pudding, for those who are unaware, is not what us Americans call pudding. It is more of a flaky, bready pastry) It's very simple to make but I was a bit daunted about the yorkshire pudding. Everything I've heard about making yorkshire pudding is that it can be a bit tricky to make correctly. You make a batter with egg, flour, water, and milk and pour it into a baking tin with oil that has been heated to a very high temperature in the oven. As it bakes, it puffs up and has a bready base with light and crispy edges. It seems that where the problem comes in with making yorkshire pudding is if the oil isn't hot enough, it won't puff up.

I decided to turn to the wisdom of one of Britain's most trusted chefs, Delia Smith. And Delia did not let me down.

http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/cuisine/european/english/toad-in-the-hole-with-roasted-onion-gravy.html

I didn't bother with the onion gravy - I went for instant gravy - because I really wanted to focus on getting the yorkshire pudding right. I baked the sausages as directed and then put the baking tin on the gas burner. I added some oil since it didn't seem like the sausages had released enough... and Delia said this was the thing to do. Delia said when the oil was shimmering to add the batter. I waited and waited, pushing the sausages back and forth so they wouldn't burn and because I felt like I needed to be doing something. The oil was spattering everywhere and I didn't see any shimmering... How long should I wait? I wondered. I can sometimes get antsy when cooking and jump the gun. Clearly, when making yorkshire pudding, this would not cut it. So I waited a bit longer and went for it.

As my first attempt at Toad in the Hole baked away in the oven, I washed up the dirty dishes from the week's other meals. Every few seconds I glanced at the oven door, willing the yorkshire pudding to puff up. And lo and behold, 30 minutes later, a beautifully puffed toad in the hole came out of the oven. I was cautiously giddy with my success but knew that the true test would be when Paul came home and tucked in.

And the verdict? "Absolutely gorgeous!" And a request to have it again tomorrow. We certainly have enough sausage in the freezer, after all it was 3 packs of 6 for only 10 pounds!

Now it's off to bed to rest up for the weekend. We're off to London for a little football at the Emirates and a spin around the Tate Modern... and what else, more eating adventures!

Irish Wedding Follow up

I've had a few requests for pictures from the wedding in Mayo and as I aim to please, here they are.

Enjoy!

The best thing about an Irish wedding? The food!

Paul claims that I was worried about attending my first Irish wedding... no nerves here, just lots of curiosity. What would the bride wear? Would I have to dance a jig? Would Guiness be the only beverage served? I'm happy to say that the bride wore a lovely, traditional dress and no and no.

At first it looked like I might have gotten my hopes up for nothing. Someone who won't be named forgot to bring the invitation which was posted on the fridge and we weren't sure what time the wedding was. We both thought it was a 1pm so decided to go for that. When at 12:15 we were still finishing breakfast and chatting to Paul's mom, it looked like there was no way we'd make it to the church on time. Surprisingly, I was ready well in time and someone, who also won't be named, held us up by insisting he needed to iron his shirt. Lucky for us, we both have questionable memories and when we arrived at the church at 1:20pm, there were still others arriving and people milling around the front of the church. At 1:35pm, as we tried not to slide off the narrowest pews I've ever sat on, the music started and the wedding began. Perfect timing as usual.

The ceremony was like most Catholic wedding masses with the exchanging of the vows and rings, readings from the Bible, and Communion. But you don't really want to know about the ceremony do you? Thought not!

After a quick stop off for a few drinks in town, the party moved to a hotel just down the road from Paul's parents house, the Park Hotel, where guess what, more drinks! The hotel bar was packed with wedding revelers and there was a great buzz... especially from those crowded around the big screen tvs... no, not the World Cup - that was still a week away. No, it was a Gaelic Football match of Mayo (Paul's home county) vs. Sligo. If you've never seen Gaelic Football here's a link to an match from 2006 between Mayo and Kerry. It's quickly becoming a sport I quite enjoy watching... how could you not like a game that is basketball, soccer, and rugby all rolled into one?! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ke_fS_o3TE&feature=fvw

Sadly, to the disappointment of the majority of the wedding guests, Mayo lost and so we all made our way to the dining room to drown our sorrows in a plate of thick cut beef, a mountain of mashed potatoes, and fresh veg. One of the interesting things about the dinner was that as we went through from the bar to the dining room, wait staff were there taking our order for starters and main courses. I realized earlier in the day that we hadn't had to send in our meal selection with the RSVP. I assumed that meant it was a buffet so I was surprised to be asked for my choice just before the meal. The starter options were chicken and bacon salad or a mushroom vol u vent which I could not pronounce for the life of me and kept having to have Paul request for me. It was basically puffed pastry with mushrooms and a creamy sauce. It was lovely and warm and very saucy - just how I like anything that comes with sauce. Following the starter, everyone was given soup. It's been over a week now but I think it was leek and potato soup. I very rarely get soup as a starter - for me soup is good enough to make a meal of. But this soup was quite a nice interlude between the starter and the entree. It was light and flavorful and I would have gladly eaten only that for the main dish. There was a shortage of rolls at our table and I was glad that for once, I wasn't the only one speaking up for more bread.

Then came the most enormous plate of food I've ever seen at a wedding. You would have thought we were down the pub for a Sunday roast! It was so hearty and homey - it was a big difference to the neat and sometimes fussy meals you often get at weddings. The staff came around and served everyone individually which seems a bit silly to me... especially when there are 200 people who need to eat! It seemed like every course, ours was the last table to be served. Before the entree fixings came out, we were giving piping hot plates and by the time the platters made their way to us, they were luke warm at best. For me, this is not a big deal but for Paul, a warm plate is an essential part of every meal. Paul grew up in a house where the plates are warmed up in the oven. I know this is common in alot of homes but not ours. For me, it is just not a part of my meal prep and I have yet to make it a part of my routine. This leads to a complaint or two at just about every meal I cook - one of these days... I'll get those plates in the oven.

The main course was so large that no one at the table came close to cleaning their plate. And before long, another plate appeared in front of each of us. Now normally, you would expect such a plate to arrive with a piece of wedding cake (pictured above - what do you think Brian?). But no, we were treated to a medley of desserts. According to Paul, the wedding cake is often not served to the guests but instead taken home by the family. Dessert is one of my favorite parts of a meal and getting to have four different desserts at once is pretty close to heaven. I can't say that these four were quite my cup of tea. The profiteroles were the best of the medley, followed by the meringue nest with fruit and whipped cream. I can't say I love mint ice cream so I let Paul dig into that. The final dessert was I think supposed to be a sort of cheesecake but was far from anything you'd find in Boston's North End.

With dessert served and the speeches done, it was time to take a break in the bar and enjoy some traditional Irish music and a few more drinks while the dining room was changed over into the dance floor. Now if you think that dessert was the end of the eating, you are very wrong. After some good music from the cover band, a good bit of dancing, and a few more pints, out came the platters of sandwiches and mini sausages. It's such a great idea and nice to have some nibbles after a good stretch of drink and dance. Not surprisingly though, we were all still so full from dinner that not too many went for a snack. And I have to say, if the mini sausages were wrapped in a biscuit, I'd have eaten alot more of them!

It was not long after that the DJ took over and a new round of dancing began. At 2 am, the party was still going strong and Paul and I had had our fill. So it was back to the farm and into bed to dream of more plates piled high with meat, potatoes, and veg smothered in gravy.

Eating Bristol with Kyla

Now I know this blog is supposed to be about me and Paul in Bristol so it may seem odd that in only the second post, I'm writing about eating that happened without him. But since Kyla's visit (my first guest!) is so fresh in my mind, I thought I better recap it now. Sorry Paul!

So the lovely Kyla joined me in Bristol for a fun-filled 5 days. We had an intense schedule of site-seeing activities which included Horseworld (which is basically Disneyworld but with lots of one-eyed horses, the two cutest potbelly pigs ever, and lots of weird horse-themed sculptures), the Bristol Zoo, Blaise Castle (and the surrounding woods that are NOT the public footpath despite what the signs say), the Roman Baths and the new and luxurious Thermae Spa baths which feature a spectacular rooftop view, and much, much more. As you can imagine, we worked up quite an appetite! So you ask, what did we eat?

Well, for starters, I introduced Kyla to one of Paul and my's favorite spots for breakfast - The Boston Tea Party. Now I know what you're thinking? Two things: 1. that I only like going there because of the Boston reference and 2. the great irony of a cafe named for such a significant historical event that kicked off America's battle to kick England's butt (just like they'll do again in the first match of the World Cup!) Actually, Paul and I just stopped in because we were looking for a quick and easy breakfast that you can get all day during our first official week in Bristol. I don't think either of us would say it's the best breakfast, but it does the job, has a nice atmosphere, and is close by. www.bostonteaparty.co.uk

Kyla's usual (we went there two or three times mainly because of misinformation on the web about others' opening times) is the Boston latte and the veggie breakfast which features scrambled eggs with tomatoes, toast, beans, a grilled tomato, and mushrooms. On all occasions the mushrooms were inedible...and rather unpleasant to look at I have to admit as a breakfast spectator.

My usual is poached eggs on a bagel with ham and a side of beans with an Earl Grey tea. I'm always surprised the poached eggs on a bagel don't come with beans but on the upside, when I ask for a side of beans, I generally get a large bowlful. As you'll note, beans and tea will feature often on the blog.

All-in-all, Boston Tea Party offers a basic breakfast in a quirky setting.

For a better breakfast and a charming experience, we went to Primrose Cafe just off a small park called Victoria Square that has fast become a favorite spot of ours. It is just up the road from our flat and you enter through a lovely bower of trees. There is a stone paved and walled walkway leading to the other end of the park and on either side are nicely-kept lawns perfect for a picnic or to enjoy the rare sunshine with a good book. At the end of the walkway, you cross the road and walk under a stone archway which has a gourmet deli tucked inside it on the left. And once you're through the archway, you've entered Clifton Village.

Primrose Cafe is a great little spot with a vibrant blue storefront and is just next to an arcade of shops. We sat outside and enjoyed a brunch before heading off to the shops...and the Clifton Suspension Bridge and the Camera Obscura in the lookout tower and the cave under the tower and a trek to Long Ashton estate that ended just before the estate at which point we turned back and went to the zoo. Good thing we ate breakfast! Primrose is supposed to be an excellent place for a romantic dinner (hint, hint Paul) so I look forward to going back on a summer evening. www.primrosecafe.co.uk

So that was breakfast.

Despite eating alot and at alot of different places, I think Kyla and I both agreed we could put together one good dining experience by taking things from a few different meals as none were really outstanding on their own. Here's what that meal would have looked like:

• A Caipirinha from Brown's Restaurant for the cocktail. The caipirinha is Brazil's national cocktail and is made with cachaça, sugar, and lime. The one at Brown's was delicious and my peach bellini paled in comparison. I'm not much of a drinker but I'll definitely go back for one (or two or three) of those.

• The pan-fried goat's cheese with onion marmalade for the appetizer at haha bar and grill. We tried to go to haha on Friday night but when we arrived we were told they were fully-booked - as in no tables available at all for the rest of the night. Kyla and I were quite perplexed by this but decided we'd go elsewhere and book in immediately for Saturday night at haha. The menu looked excellent and we were dying to try it. Despite the promising sound of butternut squash, bleu cheese, and walnut risotto and an extensive dessert menu, the goat's cheese appetizers was the only stand out of the meal. Haha does have a really nice bar and outdoor patio. The vibe was good and I think it would be on my list of places to go for a drink - and a goat's cheese snack.

• For the entree? Dessert. I'll have to confer with Kyla on this but from what I can recall, there were no entrees that we really loved. Probably the most memorable mains experience was at Cosmo - or as I like to call it: The Crazy Asian buffet. Paul and I had walked by this restaurant often since it is on my way to and from work. It is always packed for dinner so one night we thought we'd give it a try. From the outside it looks very sleek and modern. When you get inside you realize that it is basically just a classy china buffet with all sorts of Pan-Asian offerings. The food is your average Asian buffet fare but it has quite an impressive dessert buffet - impressive to look at but not necessarily to eat. Oddly, most of the desserts look delicious but taste bland or strange. My favorite thing about The Crazy Asian Buffet is the big bowl of Eton Mess on the dessert station. Eton Mess has quickly become one of my new favorite desserts. It is basically berries, whipped cream, and meringue - pretty simple but very addictive. Unless you have it at haha where Kyla had a basically meringue-less Eton Mess. Eton Mess without meringue is like...uh... well it's just not right! (It's late and I couldn't think of anything funny to put there. Kyla? A little help?) However, at The Crazy Asian buffet you get iceberg-like chunks of meringue and loads of sweet berries and sauce. I really think next time I go there, I'll just take the bowl of Eton Mess to my table and dig in! www.comso-restaurants.co.uk

• And for dessert, to follow on the Eton Mess entree, it would have to be sticky toffee pudding. Kyla had always wanted to try this dessert and during her time in Bristol, definitely got her fill. It was ordered 3 times in total - twice by her and once by me. I'm usually not a fan of cakey-bread desserts like bread pudding but sticky toffee pudding has made me a convert and I wouldn't be surprised if Kyla requests it be added to her wedding dessert buffet. This is an extremely rich dessert - it's cake drenched in warm, toffee sauce after all. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you have heaven. As the Bristolians say, it's lush.
  
  The final highlight of eating Bristol with Kyla was the discovery of a tasty cookie or biscuit that came all the way from South Africa. We were visiting St Nicholas Market which is a fantastic maze of indoor stalls selling clothes, jewelry, food, and lots of kitschy things. We happened upon a store selling South African goods. At first we were going to walk right by but then we noticed the boxes of cookies and biscuits in the window. They called to us to go in and a few minutes later, we left with a box of Chockits biscuits and a hardback comic biography about Nelson Mandela. Chockits are small, oval-shaped biscuits with a hint of toasted coconut and a smooth chocolate fudgy filling. I just finished the box tonight and despite the shopkeeper suggesting you'd only want to buy items from her shop if you'd been to South Africa and being very confused that neither Kyla or I had... I will be going back for more! www.biltongdirect.co.uk/images/super/chockits.jpg
  
  Oh and how could I forget - Swinky's Sweets?! This pink shop had caught my eye many times but was always closed when I wanted to pop in. The giant cupcake in the window was like a beacon! Kyla and I made it a priority to go and see what it was all about. Swinky's sells cakes, cookies, chocolate, ice cream, and Fluff... Yes, Fluff from the good ol' US of A! (Lynn, MA in fact) Swinky's has a little American treats corner with things like Goober Grape, Big Red gum, Jif peanut butter, and Aunt Jemima maple syrup. A little corner of processed and packaged goodness from home! Since we had just eaten, we didn't try out any of the freshly-made treats but Kyla made sure to get a jar of Fluff to take back to her fiance Andrew who is from Lynn... and I will be going back for a sundae very, very soon. www.swinkysweets.com
  
  Well - I think that about sums it up. Kyla - I hope I've done it justice.
  
  And for all those Paul fans, don't worry. He'll be featured in the next installment which will document me and Paul eating at my first Irish wedding. Let's hope it's more than a liquid menu!
  
  Goodnight and eat well from Bristol!

This is a blog about food...

Shocking but true. Did the title give it away? This blog is our attempt to document our eating adventures in and around Bristol and beyond. We thought it would be a great way for us to keep a record of our experiences as we get to know a new city and a new country as well as our travels beyond our new home. We hope it will give you - our family and friends (and potentially interested strangers) - a taste (pun intended, but of course!) of what we're up to and what life is like over here.

So let's start at the beginning - well sort of... It's been just over 2 months since I moved to Bristol and as you can imagine, Paul and I have eaten quite alot over that time. Between bacon and cheese baps (that's a breakfast sandwich for the Americans), lots of beans in tomato sauce, the most gorgeous lamb we've ever had (besides Paul's Mom's roasts), a crazy Asian buffet, Eton Mess, and more than a few takeaways - it's tough to remember everything and everywhere we've eaten so far. In subsequent posts we'll try to recap the highlights and the lowlights from the last 9 weeks and feature new eating adventures as they happen. We hope you'll check in with us from time-to-time to see what we're up to, where we've been, what we've seen, and, of course, what we're eating.