7 things for 7 days...#3

A collection of favourite moments and random musings from the past week...

1. I've been suffering from one of those colds that the term "rotten" was created for. Fuzzy head, aching muscles, sore throat and snuffly nose; I felt so lethargic this week that I couldn't even drag myself to the gym (a sure sign that I was really sick!).

In an attempt to KO the flu I bubbled up a vat of this spicy broth packed with prawns, noodles and healthy vegetables - yet another recipe adapted from Jamie Oliver's 15 Minute Meals. The sour liquor with its chilli kick made a refreshing change from the rich and creamy coconut milk soups I normally make, and went a long way to speeding up my recovery.

Mexican street feasting at Wahaca

Whilst there were many contenders for my most memorable meal of 2012 (such as my birthday dinner courtesy of Mat Follas at The Wild Garlic, and licking chicken off a brick thanks to Ben Spalding at John Salt) it was understandably impossible to beat Michelin-starred supremo Tom Kerridge serving up a storm inside a glass Cube overlooking London's legendary landmarks.

But Chris Pople of Cheese and Biscuits has highlighted an interesting distinction between a great meal and a great restaurant:

"A great restaurant, then, isn't just where you happen to have a great meal, it's a place you look forward to going to more than anywhere else because you always enjoy the time you spend there"

This got me thinking...obviously as a gastronome I am always keen to try new culinary experiences, and even when I return to a favourite haunt like Brockley Market or Brixton Village it's usually with the hope of testing out what different vendors have on offer each time.

However, there is one London restaurant that I gladly return to at least once a month if not more...Mexican market diner Wahaca, the brainchild of former Masterchef winner Thomasina Miers.

#Project366 – week 49

Are you all set for Christmas yet? I confess that I am completely unprepared so far – no tree bought or decorated, no cards written and no presents wrapped! I’m starting to get into the festive spirit after pulling my first cracker over some brussels sprouts on Friday (see Day #342 below) but don’t think I’ll truly feel like the “holidays are coming” until I finish work at the end of this week…

Day #337 – Another week, another Wahaca trip (see other examples of their fantastic street food on Day #328 and Day #295)! Some extra warmth was needed to combat a freezing night so I opted for a bowl of spicy tomato soup topped with feta, avocado and tortilla chips

#Project366 – week 47

A variety of nibbles and accompaniments recorded in this week’s snapshots, plus a huge hunk of gnarly caramelised meat…

Day #323 – Following the London Cheese and Wine Guide’s advice and checking out La Fromagerie’s Winter Cheeseboard, served with slices of my favourite seasonal russet apple (and a cheeky glass or two of Riesling!)

#Project366 – week 43

In Nigel Slater’s fascinating autobiography Toast he describes the traditional English dishes that he grew up on, and how incredible it was to try Italian classics like spaghetti bolognese for the first time. Nowadays mixing up our weekly menu with different cuisines from across the world is common place, as perfectly highlighted in this flashback of daily photographs from late October…

Day #295 – A change from my usual street food order at Wahaca, a virtuous chargrilled steak and avocado spicy Sonara salad served in an ingenious (less healthy, deep-fried!) tortilla basket

#Project366 – week 2

The first fortnight of my #Project366 challenge is now over! I’m already in the habit of pausing to take a picture of my meal before actually taking a bite, so my problem so far hasn’t been remembering to take a food-related photo, but deciding which snapshot should be *the* image that accurately reflects my activities and mood each day.

Here’s a brief glimpse into my daily diet and my most memorable gastronomic moments of the week…

Day #8 – Mashed avocado mixed with tuna, sweetcorn and diced red pepper and hastily thrown into a chargrilled tortilla to provide me with a light lunch late in the afternoon

Finest dining experiences of 2011

After reading my reviews of The Brekky’s Club’s mashed avocado and bacon on toast and Camden Bar’s blueberry pancakes, you'd assume that I only ever went out for brunch. In fact, I've dined at an array of excellent eateries over the past year at all different times of the day - I just haven't been very good at reporting back. So following on from my favourite foodie finds, I decided to end my series of 2011 reflections with a photo gallery of the most memorable meals I've experienced away from my kitchen.

Rather than providing any elaborate flavour descriptions, I’ll let these snapshots speak for themselves. Just like your favourite childhood story before it is transformed into a garish cinema blockbuster, sometimes it’s better to just use your imagination…

A roasted piece of meat to last all week

In the past, I never understood the appeal of the quintessentially English roast dinner. It seemed to me that people spent a disproportionate amount of their designated Day of Rest slaving over a hot stove, considering how bland and limp the resulting "meat and three veg" often tasted. My favourite part of a roast dinner was previously the Yorkshire pudding, so given the option I would generally have preferred to just eat the batter alongside a couple of decent meaty sausages as Toad in the Hole.

In my eyes it was particularly incomprehensible why anyone would want to spend every Sunday cooking a roast. There’s such a plethora of delicious dishes available from such a vast array of different cuisines - spicy Mexican stews, tender Moroccan tagines, fresh Italian pastas with silky sauces - why would you choose to restrict your weekend dining to a lump of dry meat and a plate of soggy vegetables?