Bruscetta - kind of...

Don't let the weather this week stop you eating all that colourful seasonal produce available to us, just take your picnic indoors! I have fallen for waitroses' "wheat 'n' rye" bread (when it's toasted). 

I cut each slice in half, pop it in a really hot pan with some olive oil and flip over until crispy, then cool on kitchen paper. 

Then top with whatever you like, I like crumbled feta, basil, mint, baby plum tomatoes and parma ham that I crisp up in a frying pan for a few seconds. 

Scandinavian Kitchen, 91 Great Titchfield Street

This is the kind of place that makes you jealous of all the people that come here for a feeling of 'home from home' ..but the coffee here is really good, so is the cake and the open top sandwiches are dinky. I picked up the bar of "plopp" because I am immature and thought it funny, when I got to the till the guy told me to "grow up!" then I giggled and he asked me if I wanted some "spunk" mints. 

He was a lovely guy, gay as a handbag full of rainbows and reflected the welcoming feel of this place. 

The walls of the toilet downstairs are adorned with Abba record covers and upstairs in the cafe customers sip on their lattes on the wireless under the nordic flag bunting. 

Next time you're in Oxford Street, go for a stroll round the back roads for something different. 

As if cake wasn't enough, Eve and I went for icecream in Selfridges for a shopping break. When I got home, Nick had cooked me Rainbow trout, aw you are lovely Nick. 

Borek and Halloumi and Watermelon Salad

You can't beat a few packs of Feta and Halloumi in your fridge in the summer, you can chuck them in any salads or side dishes to liven them up, or if you're like me, just fry slices of Halloumi to snack on (best on BBQ but more effort!)
Best thing is they seem to have a good shelf life too. 


Yesterday I made Pan fried Halloumi, watermelon, salsa verde & mint salad and then wrapped up some chopped feta, parsley and a drop of lemon oil, salt and pepper in layers of filo, fried for two minutes on each side and drizzled with honey. Deeeeelicious!

Chosan, 292 Upper Richmond Road

Chosan has to be one of my favourite restaurants. It's a lovely little Japanese in Putney run by a man and his wife and it feels like they've welcomed you into their home for dinner. The interior is small and dark, with wooden panels and carpet, slightly mismatched furniture complete with goldfish swimming around a tank.

 The menu is varied enough to keep you coming but not too big that you wonder how they keep everything fresh. Jess and I went for the Special Sushi Boat, which I think was about £16.00 and this included a damn fine miso soup and some fairly average ice cream to finish. As you can see the boat is pretty brimming with beautiful fish and I surprised myself when I couldn't finish it all! They also do good lunch deals, the restaurant is quiet at lunch but peaceful and you can get a yummy bento box. 

I've decided I am going to also snap a pic of who I eat with (if they let me) so a)it doesn't look like I eat out on my own ;) and b)because the friends I dine with are special to me. Jess was sitting up like an eager looking school girl when I walked into Chosan, we hadn't seen each other for a while and it would seem she was brimming over with gossip to tell! 

Yoga retreat Food

I had the pleasure of cooking for this lovely lot at my family home in Spain for a Yoga retreat. It was all vegetarian food and I didn't miss meat or fish one bit all week because when you're cooking for so many people you can make such a variety of dishes, harder when you're cooking for yourself! 

The produce out in Spain is so fresh and wonderfully colourful, I love to be in the middle of cooking something and to run out into the herb garden and get creative last minute. 

When I get a bit of time, I will write out some recipes for my favourite dishes.

Eat my shorts Cake!

I had to make this cake in a bit of a rush. We were going down to see our friends in Chichester. It was Rowland's Birthday and he owns a really beautiful hotel down there called West Stoke House with a wonderful Michelin star restaurant. No matter who his guests are he always wears shorts and looks the image of laid back cool. So we thought maybe this was appropriate for the cake, a celebration of your shorts Rowland! 

Burratina Mozzarella

I thought this was a cute tub so I took a picture of it and then realised it looks like I am advertising it. Well, I suppose I am! There was a very sweet guy at Taste of London with the best Mozzarella you've ever tasted on his stall. I bought a bag when he asked if I had tried the Burratina as it was in another league. I tried it, fell in love but said I didn't think I could spend £8 on one smaller-than-my-fist sized ball. So I smiled regretfully and he gave me one for free! The guy next in line said it was unfair (he was shorter than me and slightly balding) and that he wasn't going to be able to charm his way to a freebie so Mozzarella man gave him one too and rolled his eyes at me. 

So, Waitrose do a fantastic 'wheat n rye' bread and toasted it makes a really interesting bruschetta base. Or in this case just to soak up the Mozzarella because as soon as you break the skin, the cheese spills out like cream - very special indeed. I wrapped some ripe figs in parma ham and purple basil with plenty of black pepper to accompany the cheese.