Weekly Love: Week 192

I’ve got a pair of great foodie long reads for you today, so save these for the weekend, make yourself a cup of tea and pull up one of these to really sink your teeth into. The Guardian looks at who killed the British curry house. Not only does this piece explore why these great institutions are closing up all over the country, but also gives a wonderful history of curry and Indian food in Britain. Popping across the pond, Highline at the Huffington Post writes about school lunches in Huntington, West Virginia: the town where Jamie Oliver filmed Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. Not only does it pick apart in great detail why he basically failed to revolutionise school lunches there, but it also gives a potted political history of why, and why school lunches in America are probably even more of a contentious issue in America than they are over here. 

1. Rainbow tulips outside Clapham South tube station. | 2. Egg Pots and Skinny Bunny Smoothies at The Skinny Kitchen in Canterbury. | 3. Brilliantly sunny afternoon walks through our local village to the postbox. | 4. Looking good, London. | 5. Valentines flowers from Bloom & Wild: use the code RACHELBLOOMS at the checkout for 15% off your order! | 6. My favourite duck confit sandwiches from French Quarter at Borough Market (they’re right by the entrance as if you were coming from Southbank!)

• To all of you initiated into the wonder that is Trader Joe’s: here are the best Trader Joe’s wines that come in under $10, that are not two buck chuck. 
• Kristabel has some thoughts on bloggers using affiliate links that are worth the ponder.
• This is how to make ice cream out of snow.
• Amy has some great tips for throwing a casual brunch at home.
• A treat for everyone who has read Molly on the Range: photos from the farm in winter. 
• Here are 6 great things to do on a short trip to Charleston. 
• You can actually make pasta out of avocado. And I want to try it as soon as possible. 
• Jane takes us on a walking tour of Trinidad, Cuba. Also, scrolling through her photos from Havana is like stepping into another world. (Part 2)
• Claire has found the best mascara for sensitive eyes. (N.B. I get eczema around my eyes, and I’ve never had any problems with Benefit’s They’re Real! which is actually amazing.)
• Also, Olivia shares her first thoughts on Glossier. Hurry up and ship to the UK guys!
• Soon, information may be lasered onto your fresh fruit and veg rather than just put on stickers.
• Here is a genius hack for making loads of fried eggs at once. 
• Colin the Caterpillar is getting married, and you can have him in his wedding finest, along with his chocolate-y wife Connie as matching wedding cakes. 90’s kids rejoice!  
• Carrie has some great tips for planning a destination wedding. 
• Bleeker St. Burger have opened at Victoria Station, making me wish my trains ran from there rather than St. Pancras (okay, I suppose I do get Sourced Market!)

7. More beautiful blooms, this time at Liberty London. | 8. My favourite G&T at The Wife of Bath in Wye: Gin Mare with 1724 tonic water. | 9. An incredible piece of monkfish on a bed of saffron and tomato paella rice with aioli and micro herbs, also at The Wife of Bath.

• I need to fly back to L.A. to get my hands on one of Sugar Paper L.A.’s new signature candles.
• Also, Yaya and Lloyd have put together the ultimate California road trip guide. Can I go?
• And, here are the 31 most Instagrammed restaurants in L.A. Shockingly, I’m only guilty of 6.
• Apparently, coconut milk powder (which I love) makes a great DIY bath soak.
• The story of how Food 52’s co-founder was proposed to, on the website, is everything. 
• Tinned chopped tomatoes are actually designed to keep their shape in the tin. Something to think about the next time you grab a can to make a sauce.
• Essential life lessons: this is how to make a pan sauce from steak drippings. 
• Also, these are the pro’s and con’s if you should marinate meat or not. 
• In defence of the very expensive hotel bar cocktail. She makes some excellent points.
• Claire is totally right in that exciting new restaurant openings make you overlook some of London’s gems: I now really, really want to eat at Northbank.
• Rose has posted a fantastic guide to everything to see, do and eat in Bali. 
• Mulia has some top tips for visiting the Taj Mahal. 
• Apparently in Japan, you can get lettuce out of a vending machine. And, also it is an option to hire a pizza vending machine for events here in the UK.
• Here are some great tips for getting open a stuck on jar lid. Personally, I’m a fan of the whole holding it upside down under a running tap before trying again thing.
• Also, here is a handy guide to how long things will *actually* last in the freezer.
• Julie has put The Dumnore on Harbour Island firmly on my bucket list.

What have you been enjoying this week, and what do you have planned for the weekend? For more like this, don’t forget to sign up to my monthly newsletter, which hits your inboxes on the first Sunday of each month, packed full of seasonal eats, mini cookbook reviews, and other updates.

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