A member of your staff recently brought it to the attention of many of us that you are feeling rather victimised by the constant barrage of negativity being levelled at you. In hindsight we should have seen how sad you are about this. It is, after all, a word you have used in many a tweet. We can only extend our deepest apologies at this time for not being more aware of your suffering. Maybe you will find it in your heart to forgive us when we explain that we have been a little distracted of late. You see, there…
Pudding&Mess Posts
The inky darkness of winter is descending and Halloween is casting forth it’s spooky shadows which makes it an excellent time to talk about the gothic novel. This is the genre that bursts at the seams with atmosphere and creepiness, oozes with impending doom and drips with the mournful shrieks of the wretched. In short, these are the books which beg to be read in the oft cheerless gloom of the colder months. At the very heart of the gothic novel lies a world shrouded in doubt, particularly with regard to the spiritual and supernatural. These books toy with the…
The only thing remotely scary about this spooktacular cocktail is the fangtastic ease with which it goes down. Consider yourself warned. This is a grown-up milkshake with a bit of I scream, plenty of boos and one hell of a bite. One too many and you’ll find yourself a fully fledged member of the walking dead. And it’s as frighteningly easy to make as it is to drink…even with that bootiful chocolate web on the glass. To make the web melt several ounces of chocolate and put it into a small ziplock bag. Snip a tiny little piece off one…
It’s always nice to know where TV programmes you’d like to watch are hanging out, although I must say, shows have a rather nasty habit of partying somewhere only to cheekily sneak out the door without so much as a by your leave, popping up elsewhere without notice. And sometimes it happens right in front of your very eyes. One Christmas Eve a few years back, my husband and I decided to sit down with a glass of wine and watch a little bit of something for a little bit of a while. It was late because we had, of…
Aah…roasted garlic. So quick, so foolproof as to be almost unworthy of mention. Like caramelised onions, alchemy occurs in the cooking of it, taking something that has a bit of a bite and mellowing it into something milder and sweeter. And the humble garlic makes it look so easy, yet I, personally, am convinced that this little flavour powerhouse should be awarded medals and thanked at the Oscars. Once made it can be added to all manner of things: pasta, pizza, stews, spaghetti…or just spread on toast or a baguette for instant deliciousness. All you need to do is take…
~A Place For Us Fatima Farheen Mirza Finally, a book that checked all my boxes for a fabulous read. And what an astonishing debut novel. It’s a book about family and the myriad betrayals, misconceptions and misunderstandings that take place over the years and fracture the whole into little pieces. It starts at the wedding of Hadia, the eldest daughter of Rafiq and Layla and older sister to Huda and Amar. Amar has returned for his sister’s nuptials after abruptly leaving the family three years prior. From here the book does what I love above all else…meanders slowly back and forth…
Before the last of the warm weather hitchhikes south allowing us all to indulge in the comfort foods of winter, I wanted to share this quick and easy salad recipe. It came about mostly because I had arugula which needed to be used up and while I do love arugula for its peppery bite, any kind of greens would work. I also had these and these partying in the back of the fridge just longing for an occasion to show off. I added mozzarella balls because that’s what I had, but I bet goat cheese would be pretty fabulous too. I tossed…
By Its Cover is a series of posts wherein I read a book based solely on my love of the cover. No reading the jacket, no checking reviews! Well, this book was a surprise and a half. It quite literally threw itself at my feet in the library. OK, not really, I knocked it off the shelf when reaching for another book. After dutifully putting it back I felt compelled to pluck it out again. The cover’s rainbow meets unicorn meets glitter explosion look completely defies the “How to Murder your Life” title, which, all combined had an oddly compelling allure…
~The unofficial end of summer is upon us. Of course if you live in the South summer doesn’t end until, oh, mid-Octoberish. No need to be jealous though, pretty soon we’ll all be experiencing long, hot summers. Some of us believe that. Some of us don’t. Some of us have known about it for a very long time. Crazy. ~Speaking of crazy, this is a great weekend to see Crazy Rich Asians if you haven’t already. It’s a gorgeous movie. Gorgeous people, gorgeous settings, gorgeous parties. And then there’s Awkwafina who slices right through all that gorgeousness with her slightly…
So, these fabulous concoctions may not physically transport you to the sun drenched cliffs of the Amalfi Coast, but…if you sit in a spot with the warmth of the sun on your face, perhaps next to some gurgling water, and screw up your eyes really tight and hold your breath, you might, just might, perhaps, get just a tiny little bit of the way there as you take a sip. These spritzes are the fresh, light drinks that a hot August evening calls for. Fruity and lightly fizzy with just a tinge of bitter for grounding in the case…