Weekly Love: Week 148
I’ve noticed a rising trend in recipe subscription websites, which I think are a great new idea which I hope catch on. The team at What To Cook Tonight were kind enough to gift me a years subscription to their site full of beautifully photographed Aussie recipes. Personally, I’m waiting for the Summer months to make their Homemade Peach Cordial (free recipe!) and Marinated BBQ Prawns with Mango & Corn Salsa. Moving away from an independent, what I love about Cooked, a site from publishers Quadrille, Bloomsbury and Hardie Grant is you can search and find the full recipes from all of some of their most popular cookbooks including Trine Hahnemann’s Scandinavian Baking and Izy Hozzack’s Top With Cinnamon. You can sign up for a months free trial, and after that it costs £2.99 a month to subscribe, or £36 a year, which includes 2 free cookbooks; at the moment Leith’s How To Cook and River Cottage Fruit. A pretty great deal, right?
1. I spent yesterday evening in Parliament, and with the election campaign kicking off last night too, there was the most incredible atmosphere. I honestly can’t believe it has been 5 years since I worked on the last campaign; I can’t wait to get stuck into the next one! | 2. A fantastic lunch for Barbour cooked by Anna Hedworth, showcasing local Northern ingredients in North Shields – more on that in my trip to Newcastle posts next week! | 3. The iconic groyn overlooking South Shields that Barbour use on their logo. | 4. Buffet breakfast in the conservatory with The Times all to myself at Jesmond Dene House hotel. Full review to follow, too! | 5. Pretty pink blooms for Spring at Wild At Heart on Westbourne Grove in Notting Hill. | 6. A California breakfast of avocado, homemade pico de gallo salsa and eggs scrambled in coconut oil on toast before a bust Saturday.
- My friend Sherin is running Race For Life in the mud. You can support here here.
- Over at Great British Chefs, I question why English wine was the only British alcoholic beverage industry that was not given concessions in the Budget.
- I made Smitten Kitchen’s Cold Noodles with Miso, Ginger and Lime from last Summer with Soba noodles for dinner last week, and it was rather fantastic.
- If beautiful photography from down under is your thing, join Sophie on an envy-inducing weekend in Mudgee. I’m always so jealous of her life in her photos! Oh, and she takes us to the wonderful Beaches Market farmers market in Sydney. And she went to Daylesford Farm.
- Okay, more from Sophie. The Boathouse is one of my most lusted after Sydney food spots.
- If you read a lot of American recipes and you’ve wondered what Meyer lemons are, now you know. Also, here is how to make your own half-and-half substitute.
- IFB has put together a brilliant roundup of blogger best practice articles.
- The Kitchn has some great ideas on how to use up your leftover citrus peel.
- Ever wondered what the inside of Chiara Ferragni’s Los Angeles home looked like?
- A Beautiful Mess has put together a great guide to Brooklyn.
- The Everygirl has some great thoughts on traveling abroad, and tips to organise your trip.
- The Everygirl explains how exactly to clean your makeup brushes.
- Amen to Joy’s tips to being a better baker. Also, her guide to making brown butter.
- Also, Alice Medrich has written a great guide on how to get the most out of baking books.
- Carrie travels to Dakhla in the Western Sahara, Morocco.
- Food 52 schools us in how to season a wok properly.
- Spoon Fork Bacon has a rather artsy painted egg tutorial for Easter.
- A Beautiful Mess shows us how to make some rather beautiful homemade bath bombs.
7. Brunch with my favourite people at Bill’s in Nottingham. | 8. Also the weekend I spent in Nottingham, I got to try the famous Annie’s Burger Shack. I’d 100% recommend it if you’re in the city, and recommend that the curly fries are a great shout! | 9. More restaurant recommendations from around the country, I spent an afternoon wondering around Oxford (beautiful city) before meeting my school friend Amelia for a fantastic value, wonderfully delicious supper at Turl Street Kitchen. I had a fantastic starter of smoked salmon, potato salad and picked cucumber, and a Spanish style baby chicken half cooked in beans, both of which were faultless. | 10. The team at Hotel Chocolat were kind enough to send me one of their Easter eggs to sample, which we’ve really been enjoying in front of the television in the evenings! Eggs start at £15, and you can still order them ahead of next week here! | 11. Welcoming the Spring with bunches of daffodils in the pretty floral jug the team at Joules were kind enough to send me. | 12. We went to The Good’s Shed in Canterbury for my 22nd birthday dinner, as we had cocktails from Wild Goose before we ate. They were a mixed bag; there were some great combinations, but they were all a bit too heavy on the spices. Sometimes simple is best!
- Stop what you’re doing. Style Me Pretty has a recipe for quick French Toast in a mug.
- The View From Great Island teaches us how to make citrus curds in the microwave. Also, she’s posted a great recipe on how to make homemade Bailey’s Irish Cream!
- Hayley has written a great post outlining British blogger disclosure law.
- What happens to the costumes from your TV shows once they wrap (including Gossip Girl!)
- How fashion bloggers have made the fashion industry pay attention to diversity.
- Ed schools us on how to prepare and eat Sea Urchin.
- I wish that I had been the one to come up with Rose’s cheesy meatball recipe. Also, she’s found us a great new Japanese joint I can’t wait to check out in Soho.
- Ever wondered why in America your sandwiches are usually served with a pickle? Also, have you ever been curious about the actual difference between spring onions, scallions and green onions? (There is actually one, even though most of us just interchange them!)
- I loved (and connected with) Emily’s piece on being a messy person.
- It will be interesting to see how the fact California has only about a years worth of water left affects the restaurant industry when I’m back in Los Angeles in May.
- PUNCH has published a really thought provoking piece on changing bar food culture.
- Bri has written a great piece on renting out your apartment on Airbnb.
- Have any of you ever tried making your own marscapone cheese?
- I think Emily’s post on house rules really makes for a happy home. Also, she has put together some fantastic tips on shopping at your local farmers market.
- The Glitter Guide has a great cheat sheet on when you should throw out old makeup.
- 7 things Kristabel has learnt about being freelance. Also, she has put together a fantastic guide to East London.
What have you been enjoying this week, and what do you have planned for the weekend? I’m out to lunch with my family tomorrow as we’re all back in the same country again after being split up traveling, and I’ve got an exciting Slow Food lunch in London on Sunday. A busy, busy weekend to match up with a busy, busy week!
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