2 grapevines + 1 steamer x boredom = ...

...lots of grape juice!

Or as I like to call it, veggie vino! So my reentry into the US of A has been boring, sticky and smelling of hot grapes...I like two out of the three, so I guess that's better than none.

However, the grapes have all been harvested and I am no closer to having a job than I was when I started the pickin'! I keep thinking that something's gotta give (and hoping that it's not just me, giving my last penny to Visa, Mastercard, and Discovery). So fingers crossed for a more interesting, less sticky and...well, I'd be ok with a hot grape smelling future!

Freeeeeedoooom!

(above)should be read in your best Braveheart impression. 


Well, as they say in Looney Tunes "ththththat's all folks!" Everything has been turn in with dotted "i"s and crossed "t"s...and provided everything passes, I'm done! So I've been celebrating the beginning of summer with painting and Pimms!

It's good to be back!

Sauce-y!

In keeping with the theme of November's post, I'm going to share my cranberry sauce creation. Upon discovering (on Christmas day!) that we didn't have the time to make my grandmother's cranberry sauce, I decided to whip up some of my own, using some of the leftover ingredients from the mince pies (see November's post). So here's a picture of what I concocted (above) and a picture of the ingredients (below)that I scribbled down afterward, upon my brother's request.

...and for those of you who "follow" my blog, here are a few pics of the mince pies I made with the recipe from November's post. If you're makin' this in the US of A...I couldn't find suet or mixed peel. So I substituted butter for the suet and added a bit more marmalade and extra dried fruits as a substitute for the mixed peel.

A very Merry Christmas to you all and a Happy New Year!

Welcome to the Eating Season!

So every year as Thanksgiving approaches (or in this case has past) I begin to think about the delights this time of year holds, and how the period from Halloween through New Years is one of my favorite times of the year (aside from the return to studying and writing).

I may not always enjoy the colder weather, the damp and darkness, but I do enjoy unearthing my tweeds, baking spicy goodies, and there is definitely something to be said for long winter evenings...at home with a good book or movie, or out in the pub with an Irish coffee and good conversation. I fondly refer to this time of year as the "Eating Season". So in honor of the Eating Season (and also to minimize my time in writing this blog), I've decide to share a recipe for mince to go into mince pies*!

*For those of you unaware of the delights of mince pies, I'll put your mind at ease. Mince meat is just fruit, not really meat, and these spicy, delightful little pies are just the thing for the Holidays. So whip up some pastry dough and try out this yummy recipe for the filling!

Farewell Summer...

...we will miss you!

So, I had fully intended to get a blog out in September (to keep my track record of at least one blog a month this year) but alas the end of summer passed me by in a blur and I am now, back in school...summer is well and truly over.

As I stare down the barrel of this final year of Uni, I can't help but look back at what a lovely summer I've had...

Great times spent with friends and family. New places, and old, visited and explored...and also a few lovely moments, just enjoying the simple things like my balcony...

good conversation...

and fresh tomatoes...

Il cibo belli d'Italia

Buon giorno! Just a little food (picture)tour of my recent trip to Bella Italia! Pizza! Always a must!!

Espresso! Morning, noon and night...and sometimes in between...

Fresh pasta with pesto, tomatoes and fresh basil...

Don't forget the vino!

Mmmmmmushroom ravioli with walnut cream sauce....amaaaaazing!

...and of course no trip to Italy is complete without sampling the gelato...everyday!

Now it's back to the grind stone with one more paper to write, then freedom! Summer! Friends! (and more blogging!) Ciao!!

Cheese-tastic!

Ok, so I've been meaning to write about the fabulous cheese a Borough Market for quite some time, but of course life (aka school) has gotten in the way. So I'm finally getting to catch up here in the blogosphere.

So, in one area of the market, away from the severed pig heads and wild hares, there are all these cheese stands where you can try little samples of the different cheeses on offer at the market. Glorious cheeses from all over Europe...Switzerland, France...as well as local farmers. The only draw back is that the samples are TINY. I mean these are definitely not the big chunk samples like you get at Whole Foods or Costco in the States. So to satisfy a real cheese craving, I head over to the raclette stand. To answer any queries, "what in the world is raclette?" I've swiped the bit below from Wikipedia...I know, I know, I should be writing this all myself...so sue me, I just wrote a paper on Jung and I'm all worded out!

Raclette is also a dish indigenous to parts of Switzerland. The Raclette cheese round is heated, either in front of a fire or by a special machine, then scraped onto diners' plates; the term raclette derives from the French word racler, meaning "to scrape". Traditionally, it is accompanied by small firm potatoes (Bintje, Charlotte or Raclette varieties), gherkins, pickled onions, and dried meat, such as prosciutto and viande des Grisons. ...and if you want to know what that is look it up yourself!!

Raclette was mentioned in medieval writings as a particularly nutritious meal consumed by peasants in mountainous Switzerland. It was then known in the German-speaking part of Switzerland as Bratchäs, or "roasted cheese." Traditionally, the Swiss cow herders used to take the cheese with them when they were moving cows to or from the pastures up in the mountains. In the evenings around the campfire, they would place the cheese next to the fire and, when it had reached the perfect softness, scrape it on top of some bread.

...since a picture is worth a thousand words...

...eat your heart out!! Now don’t even get me started on the almond croissants, or my fat intake!!!

Bread-tastic!

Hello! So, I normally blog about something I've done in London...but I've been a bit of a homebody lately so I thought I'd share my inside adventures this time around instead! I decided to make bread last Thursday because I was celebrating the fact my two friends (and fellow classmates) were moving in over the weekend, and since moving is such a pain...fresh bread just might make it better!

Bread! Who doesn't love it?! Especially when it's hot out of your own oven. Bread can be tricky, but this Challah recipe is pretty easy. So give it a go!

Ok, so I got a bit lazy and didn't type up the recipe! If you can't decipher some of my personal shorthand, just drop me a line and I'll do my best to clarify. Happy baking!!

London "Taco" Trucks

London's answer to the taco truck! They may not serve tacos, they may not be trucks, but they're meals on wheels! London style!

(and that's all your gettin' cause I'm tired of writing...got a paper due Monday! bleagh!)