Summer...almost!

I'm all worded out! So instead a little poem by William Blake to enjoy and a couple snaps from a glorious May afternoon in the park!

To Summer by William Blake

O thou who passest thro' our valleys in
Thy strength, curb thy fierce steeds, allay the heat
That flames from their large nostrils! thou, O Summer,
Oft pitched'st here thy goldent tent, and oft
Beneath our oaks hast slept, while we beheld
With joy thy ruddy limbs and flourishing hair.

Beneath our thickest shades we oft have heard
Thy voice, when noon upon his fervid car
Rode o'er the deep of heaven; beside our springs
Sit down, and in our mossy valleys, on
Some bank beside a river clear, throw thy
Silk draperies off, and rush into the stream:
Our valleys love the Summer in his pride.

Our bards are fam'd who strike the silver wire:
Our youth are bolder than the southern swains:
Our maidens fairer in the sprightly dance:
We lack not songs, nor instruments of joy,
Nor echoes sweet, nor waters clear as heaven,
Nor laurel wreaths against the sultry heat

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!)

Borough Market - Fab Fridays

Borough Market is pretty fabulous any time of year, but it's even better at Christmas when the scent of fresh pine trees, mulled wine and spiced cider hangs in the crisp air.

As a part of my studies I'm required to be in personal therapy. My therapist is pretty great and has a penchant for wearing tastefully loud clothes and jewelry. The added bonus of my Friday therapy is that my therapists office is right around the corner from Borough Markets. So, promptly at 11:55 (when our session is over) I get to go wander through the stalls and have lunch at the market! What a fabulous way to spend a Friday and start my weekend!

Freeeeedom! uh, I mean Liberty!

So, as I really should be writing my final paper of the term, and not blogging, this will be short and sweet (and mostly pictures)! Oscar Wilde said "Liberty is the chosen resort of the artistic shopper" I would have to agree! It has everything from Gucci clothes to ribbons, yarn and a fake stuffed reindeer head! And while the fabulous Christmas decor is really only there to increase the daily quid intake it does add to the festive mood while browsing each floor.