"Bauble and squeak" after a very merry Christmas

So after all the anticipation and frantic preparations, Christmas Day is over already...why does it always fly by so quickly?!

I hope you had a wonderful day eating, drinking and being generally very merry with your loved ones. My best boys and I had a fun and relatively low-key time together at our little London flat cuddled up on the sofa scoffing lots of chocolates and watching all the seasonal TV specials.

It's Christmas every day for #littlecat

It's Chriiiiiistmaaaaas!


I'm not sure if I'm excited about presents or nervous about cooking the big festive feast myself for the first time but I've woken up super-early this Christmas morning!

Yesterday my boyfriend and I surpassed all previous baking attempts by making this decadent Yule log, which we're looking forward to sampling large quantities of today! If anyone can think of a good use for the leftover chocolate ganache and amaretti cream let me know, or we'll be eating it straight from the bowl...perhaps it's time I made amaretto tiramisu again...?!

I was delighted to see on Twitter that a few people (including my own Dad!) were making my Coca Cola ham with sweet mustard glaze for their Christmas Day breakfast...I'd love to hear any feedback and hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

#Project366 – week 51

If the Mayans’ predictions had been correct, then #Project366 would have stopped short just before noon on Day #356…and I wouldn’t have written this blogpost either, as the world would have ended! Thankfully this wasn’t the case and we can all look forward to Christmas now, though judging by these photos my festive gluttony has already begun…

Day #351 – Stuffing a corn-fed chicken with lemon and fresh sage for a classic Sunday roast for two, with enough leftovers to last all week

Countdown to Christmas!

Everyone I've seen this week has asked me the same question "Are you ready for Christmas yet?"

The truthful answer is that today is the first day that I've felt anything close to being prepared for the onslaught of gift-giving and gluttony that is imminently approaching. It's just as well that I've finally bought a few presents and received our mega grocery order, given that we now know that the Mayans' predictions were wrong and the world hasn't ended after all...!

#Project366 – Week 50

Every day this week I’ve expected to find a bright white landscape greeting me when I leave the house for my early morning gym sessions, but sadly we’ve yet to see a snowflake fall in London this winter. There has been some serious frost and face-aching cold winds lately though, so it can’t be long before my fantasy of a lazy “snow day” is fulfilled! Judging by these photos from the last week on #Project366, it’s certainly beginning to look a lot like Christmas…

Day #344 – I drink alcohol very infrequently these days, but I decided there was no better way to get into the “Taste of Christmas” spirit than by treating myself to a bottle of this rich and fruity Sipsmith sloe gin

#LickaBrick - Ben Spalding dinner at John Salt

There are some dishes that are so infamous they become practically legendary. Tom Kerridge's duck fat chips at the Hand and Flowers in Marlowe is one example that I have been lucky enough to experience, and Heston Blumenthal's egg and bacon icecream at The Fat Duck in Bray is another that is still on my bucket list.

Ben Spalding's chicken on a brick at John Salt in Islington is rapidly approaching that category. It seems like lately everyone I follow on Twitter has been gushing about the incredible sensory tour they had willingly subjected their tastebuds to at the skilled hands of the former Roganic head chef. Despite the ever-growing montage of caramel coated stone blocks on my Instagram feed, I felt this intriguing dish had to be seen right up close to be believed.

#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

Serving up “a Liberal Helping” of recipes inside Ad Lib magazine

As with most (if not all) food bloggers, my dream has always been to see one of my articles published in classic hard copy. To be able to hold the text in my hands and run my fingers across the page, instead of simply staring at a computer screen and hitting the scroll button. To be able to observe my photographs catching the eye in glossy print, instead of merely being one shot on an everlasting luminous instagram feed. To be able to file the recipe alongside my favourite cookbooks on the shelf for future use, instead of just saving the dish’s corresponding image to a Pinterest board to be forgotten immediately.

So I’m delighted to announce that this long-held fantasy has finally become a reality! This weekend sees the launch of Ad Lib, a new monthly magazine for Liberal Democrat members and supporters, and the first edition features my version of Nigella Lawson’s Coca Cola braised ham, with an additional sweet mustard glaze in its regular cooking slot “A Liberal Helping”.

#Project366 – week 48

December has arrived, which means the countdown has begun…no, not for Christmas, but for the end of #Project366! It’s been a long 11 months so far in my challenge to capture a food-related photograph every day for a year, so you can expect plenty of festive cheer as I focus my attention on the finish line. Here’s one last look at the end of November’s edible delights…

Day #330 – A belated Thanksgiving feast with American friends being kick-started with a fizzy cranberry and champagne cocktail. Check out the inspired use of seasonal vegetables for stylish table decorations and an excellent recreation of Shutterbean’s roasted rosemary almonds

#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 46

You’ll notice an increase in hearty comfort food in this #Project366 flashback, as Winter marches towards us…

Day #316 - Cute mini cream pastry buns in every flavour by Choux on display at BBC Good Food Show…I sampled a peanut butter version (far right) which was fluffy and delicious

#Project366 – week 45

Why is it that no matter how cold it is outside, you can always enjoy a scoop of creamy gelato or (slightly healthier) frozen yoghurt? Despite the calendar shifting to November in this week’s reflection from my challenge to capture a food-related photograph every day for a year, I didn’t hesitate to tuck into an icy sweet treat…

Day #309 – Wandered round the Turner Prize and felt very unimpressed…but this banana chocolate chip cake by Sweet Tooth Factory is a real work of art!

#Project366 – week 44

Enjoying all things in moderation in this flashback from my #Project366 daily food-photography challenge…

Day #302 – Checking out the impressive brunch options at M1lk in Balham and keeping it balanced with a vibrant combo of scrambled egg, spinach, smashed avocado and smoked salmon

Sticky sausages to warm you up this winter

Sticky roasted sausages

I've always been a sucker for sausages, but am an unapologetic snob about the quality level that a banger has to meet before I'm willing to take a bite. Even as a cash-strapped university student I recognised that it was worth shelling out for weiners that were packed with at least 80% real meat, as cheaper imitations filled with gristle and fat were the wurst...(!)

#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 42

Proof that my 2012 blogging goal to capture a food-related photograph every day for a year was still going strong in mid-October…

Day #288 – Sustenance in the form of fellow Cheese and Wine festival trader Community Kitchen Ltd’s skilfully handmade flatbread wrap with spicy minced lamb and chickpea tagine

#Project366 – week 41

Fantastic meals at to two of Soho’s most reputable eateries, plus an outdoor food festival showcasing the finest independent produce…it’s weeks like this when I realise how lucky I am as a gastronome to be living in London…

Day #281 - Amazing fritto misto as part of an Italian grazing lunch at Polpo with Katy Truss (full review coming soon)

#Project366 – week 40

There’s a definite Autumnal vibe about these #Project366 snapshots from the first week in October, when I decided to increase my intake of “power foods” to try and prevent the curse of the common cold…

Day #274 - Final chance to enjoy some summery raspberries, combined with sharp apples into a crunchy crumble as a treat for my boyfriend before he jetted off to America to help Barack Obama get re-elected

#Project366 – week 39

My #Project366 challenge has been toughest when I’ve hit intensely busy periods in my working life – and week 39 reflects one of the most extreme example of this. Other than the run-up to an election, conference week is the most frantic time for me as the Liberal Democrats’ Visits Manager, with the national media pool eager for daily photo opportunities and interview slots with the Party Leader, plus a number of meetings with members to coordinate. Often I barely had time to rehydrate with a bottle of water, let alone eat anything more exciting than a cereal bar. There were points when I was genuinely concerned that I would be forced to skip a day in my challenge, but thankfully I was able to snap the odd quick picture here and there, and take another step towards my goal to capture a food-related photograph every day for a year…


Day #267 – Romantic room service dinner for my boyfriend and I before we both spent the evening working at separate internal events

Find me on Instagram...@katy_riddle!

I'm so busy with work during the week that the weekends are my main opportunity for "foodie fun", checking out the latest independent produce at local food markets, developing my palate for foreign delicacies at new supperclubs and challenging my own culinary skills by testing recipes in the kitchen.

#Project366 – week 38

Fruit, meat, cheese, seafood, cake…I feel like practically every food group (!) has been represented in these snapshots of the eats and treats I enjoyed one week way back in mid-September…

Day #260 – Healthy carb-free evening snack of crunchy Braeburn apple dipped in creamy peanut butter

#Project 366 – week 37

I’ve discussed previously the combined tactics of regular exercise and constant calorie counting that I use to keep in shape. Looking back on these snapshots from mid-September, I’ve realised that sometimes #project366 acts as a tool for maintaining my willpower…I won’t allow myself to tuck in to the giant box of doughnuts in the office or add a shot of gin to my slimline tonic so I’ll just capture a photo of it instead. It’s almost cathartic – it’s a way of rewarding my healthy eating choices and savouring the moments of indulgence when I’m permitted to relax my regular dietary restrictions…

Day #253 – Attending the final performance of the hilarious Monty Python’s Spamalot for my Dad's birthday treat

#Project366 – week 36

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. When I first challenged myself to capture a food-related photography every day in 2012, I debated what format would be best: either posting the images before going to bed each night, or following the format of the Shutterbean blog that inspired my own #Project366 and simply post a round-up article every week?

I opted for the weekly version, as I thought would be more comprehensive and prevent my site looking overloaded. But on reflection now, I wish I’d plumped for shorter posts more frequently, so that I could go into more detail about all of my gastronomic experiences and share new content with my readers more regularly. Whilst I’ve pushed myself to ensure I don’t skip any snapshots, the truth is that “real life” often overrules my best-laid blogging plans, and so I currently find myself a colossal EIGHT WEEKS behind in my updates.

As someone fixated with achieving perfection, this is obviously an unsatisfactory situation…but my OCD-style nature also prevents me from switching the pattern when I’m so close to reaching my goal (I can’t give myself a break!). So I’m going to do my best to whizz through the last few months’ worth of flashbacks and get back to speed, ready for the finale. I hope these pictures bring back warming memories of the moment when the seasons started to shift and everything turned golden brown…

Day #246 - Checking out the ice-cream festival in Kings Cross…to be honest I was disappointed, as there were huge queues of people waiting to buy their punnets which meant that it wasn’t possible to check out any of the vendors or do any tastings before making your mind up on which scoop to supersize

#Project366 – week 35

More snapshots of Spanish seafood and refreshing ice-creams I enjoyed in between siestas during the final week of August…

Day #239 – Making my own Chunky Monkey with banana and chocolate gelato for pudding in Palamos

Figgy pudding (and figgy starter!) at 10 Greek Street

Whilst my boyfriend was working away in the good old US of A for the past fortnight, I made the most of my faux-single status by block-booking my diary with girlie dinner dates. Just like Carrie Bradshaw, there's a group of like-minded ladies that I regularly meet up with in the City - but the difference is that our stomaches are the only thing we care about satisfying!

#Project366 – week 34

Looking back at these snapshots from the first week of my summer holiday in Spain really makes me want to jet off to somewhere sunny! Don’t worry, I still managed to fit a few runs and plenty of laps across the outdoor pool to balance out my diet of ice-cream and alcohol!

Day #232 – Refuelling with a “honeycomb” of different forms of vegetable cannelloni (the pumpkin version was particularly delicious) at Jamie’s Italian inside Gatwick Airport

#Project366 – week 33

Are you on Pinterest? I spent a stupid amount of time on Friday night rearranging all of my photo boards, so I now have a huge selection of #foodporn images organised into meal types ranging from brunch and salads right through to dessert and drinks. I divided my mains into categories depending on whether their key ingredient was cheese, meat or seafood, and even created a whole new board for my favourite autumnal amber vegetables – pumpkin, squash and sweet potato!

My #project366 pinterest board remains untouched however…a record of my personal challenge to capture a food-related photograph every day for a year. These update articles are long overdue, but I do make sure I keep the Pinterest board regularly updated so please subscribe to it in order to see my latest snapshots.

Here’s a reflection on my favourite culinary moments from mid-August…

Day #225 – Vibrant carrot, chickpea and apricot tagine ready to serve with lamb steaks grilled with Gourmet Spice Co’s Ras-el-Hanout mix, that I’d ordered using the gift voucher Love Your Larder kindly gave me for being their Blogger of the Week

Power foods #2 – porridge that’s just right for Goldilocks

So apparently today is World Porridge Day - which means it's the ideal time for me to tell you about one of my favourite "power" foods!

Porridge hits all three "power" food buttons – it’s full of fibre that burns up fat, contains beta-glucans to boost your immunity against nasty bugs, and as a complex carb it increases serotonin levels to keep you calm on dark and chilly mornings!  

#Project366 - week 32

A combination of meaty evening meals and fruity daytime snacks (plus a sweet chocolately treat!) during this mid-August flashback from my challenge to capture a food-related photograph every day for a year...

Day #218 - Testing out Sharpham Park's speltotto included in my Flavrbox, with an additional spicy boost courtesy of Flavours of Spain chorizo

Power foods #1 - spicy prawn stir-fry

This morning I decided to make the most of the autumnal sunshine and run round my local park in South East London.

You could tell there'd been a seasonal shift since my last race around the outdoor track - the air felt crisp, mist rose up from the boating lake, and the clear blue skyline was mixed with an amber hue from the trees preparing to shed their leaves. My route was dotted with spiky horse chestnuts and there were even a few bright red holly berries dotted amongst the fawn bushes.

Clearly we are now descending doggedly towards winter, which can only mean one thing...flu season isn't far away. But I'm launching a pre-emptive attack against sniffles, sore throats and fuzzy heads by packing my plate with turbo-charged "power" foods, which I recently learnt about thanks to Women's Health magazine.

Chocolate cheesecake brownies and jigsaws

When you've been happily dating someone special for a while, you forget what life was ever like before.

Back then, you felt like "He's Just Not That Into You" was a documentary about your relationship history. Back then, you admired that special someone from afar through star-struck eyes, and dreamt of the day they would finally wake up and notice you.

Now, you forget how lucky you are to be enveloped in the love and support of someone so awesome every single day.

Storifying a Soho lunch photo spread @CopitaTapas

After a chaotic week running around Brighton for the Lib Dem conference, where I avoided starvation solely by binging on the Grand Hotel's breakfast buffet and snatching canapés at evening drinks receptions, I was desperate for a proper lunch.

Selina from Yummychooeats and I were also due a celebration of our friend anniversary (or "friendiversary", as I like to call it), having met just over a year ago at the Tech 'n' Taste food blogging conference. So I tweeted her at the start of a much-needed lieu day to see if we could check off one of our long list of Soho restaurants for a spot of lunch. This Storify shows what happened next...

#Project366 – week 31

Do you remember what you were doing back in August? No, me neither…which makes this #project366 roundup post slightly problematic! Let’s imagine the sun is still shining and we’re wearing flipflops and sunglasses rather than boots and scarves…

Day #211 – Fantastic surprise of a fresh raspberry hidden inside this creme brûlée pastry tart served up at the Original ATM travelling market held in the beautiful grounds of Deans Court in Wimborne, Dorset

End of summer silence

 

Hello food lovers,

I owe you an apology. It's been a month since we last spoke, and I disappeared without any warning. That's the blogger equivalent of taking you out for a delicious dinner and then failing to call you to arrange another date.

I'm sorry. I promise I haven't given up on this online relationship...I really want to make things work between us.

Perhaps you kept an eye on my Twitter feed or #Project366 Pinterest Board over the past few weeks to see why I had fallen silent? Don't be embarrassed...we've all been Facebook-stalkers at some point.

Buon Appetito at Alghero!

This post is less of a restaurant review, more of a public service announcement…

Alghero is an authentic Italian restaurant in Poole, a short drive from the beautiful sandy beaches and an even shorter walk from the house I grew up in. Ever since my family discovered the gastronomic delights hidden inside this eatery’s modest exterior, it’s become our first port of call when wanting to celebrate special occasions or impress friends. We know that Jelena’s warm and friendly service will make us feel welcome from the moment we arrive, and that Luigi’s skilful cooking will excite our senses and ensure that when we finally head home it will be with satisfied stomachs. 

I’ve previously waxed lyrical about their Sardinian seafood stew and showcased their grilled seabass with crushed potatoes on Day #78 of #Project366. But I felt it was my duty to share one of Dorset’s best-kept secrets with my fellow food lovers, and demonstrate the wide array of delicious dishes on offer…

#Project 366 – week 30

As part of my blogging goals for 2012 I’ve challenged myself to capture a food-related photograph every day for a year. You can look back on the past 7 months on my #Project366 Pinterest board, and see how the last week in July looked for me here…

Day #204 – After feeling like we’ve been stuck in a monsoon for so long I’m conscious that I mustn’t complain when the sun finally decides to shine! On this Sunday it was so hot that my Illy coffee creme began to melt as soon as it was served to me

Sensational fiesta at the Flavours of Spain supperclub brunch

Anyone who's read this blog before will know what a fan I am of Brockley Market - the most fun you can (legally) have in a carpark. No visit to this chilled-out foodie haven is complete for me without a stroll past the Flavours of Spain stall to check out the tapas treats on offer.

I'm always stunned by the rush of rosemary that smacks your senses as soon as you bite into their herb-crusted Manchego cheese, and their piquant cooking chorizo is so addictive that it dominated week 22 of #Project366.

#Project 366 – week 29

I’ve been trying to fill my plate with bright and colourful foods during the past few weeks whilst the weather has been distinctly un-summery, as these photos from mid-July demonstrate!

Day #197 – Ham and eggs like you’ve never tasted it before…brunch cup muffin with Serrano ham and fried egg at the Flavours of Spain supperclub (full review coming shortly!)

#Project366 – week 28

A draining week both physically and mentally, which began with me running round London’s landmarks as part of The British 10k and ended with me dashing round the South West for an action-packed day of work visits. See where I sought sustenance...

Day #190 – Special Effect is an incredible charity dedicated to using technology to enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities. I was proud to run as part of their British 10k team (dressed as Princess Peach from Super Mario!) and celebrated my 56 minute race time by tucking in to a deliciously rich flapjack kindly donated by Sainsbury’s in Witney

Going nuts at breakfast for Blue Diamond Almond Breeze

On Twitter I seem to have no problem expressing the first thought that comes into my head - no matter how pointless. But for some reason I clam up when it comes to this blog. This mental block has been causing massive problems for my productivity levels (as evidenced by the delay to my #project366 updates), so I'm going to do my best to channel the casual social media vibe from now on.

When Foodies 100 recently sent out a request for bloggers to conjure up their best breakfast recipes using Blue Diamond Almond Breeze, I immediately knew I wanted in.

#Project 366 – week 27

The first week of July marked the halfway point in my #project366 challenge! I may not have accomplished all of the blogging goals I set myself for 2012, but I’m proud that I’ve so far managed to capture a food-related photograph every single day this year. Let’s hope I can continue to discover appetising new culinary experiences over the next five months to keep you drooling…!

Day #183 (halfway through my #project366 challenge!) – Easy tray baked supper of sausages, apples, potato wedges and diced summer vegetables covered in a sticky spicy plum sauce

#Project366 – week 26

They say the camera never lies, but I seem to have done a decent job of masking the fact that it was pouring with rain for most of this final week in June!

Day #176 – One of my purchases at the Taste of London festival on Day #174 was this slice of moist mango cake…unfortunately I can’t remember the stallholders name but I’ve lusted over their fruity loaves many times before!

Making perfect pasta with L’atalier des Chefs

The best chefs continue to develop their skills by constantly exploring new gastronomic experiences and experimenting in their kitchen. For a novice cook like me, the list of culinary techniques still to learn is extensive, so I figure it's important to get a good grip of the the basics before tackling the tough stuff.

If I was only allowed to eat one type food for the rest of my life, I would choose pasta without a doubt. You could never get bored with so many varieties on offer - long spaghetti strands to twirl around your fork, thick lasagne sheets to layer into a hearty bake, pretty shapes to coat in sauce and delicate tortellini parcels containing all manner of surprising fillings.

#Project 366 – week 25

My week began with an overnight stay at the Fairlawns Hotel and Spa for a pampering session with a few hard-working girl friends. I’m so used to the daily grind that whenever I do get a moment to pause the ensuing exhaustion comes as a shock! Clearly I should make time for “rest and relaxation” more regularly – it certainly felt therapeutic not to worry about emails, phone calls, texts or tweets for 24 hours, though I did manage to capture a few snapshots of the good food on offer!

Day #169 – Cracking into a rich vanilla creme brûlée whilst unwinding over a three-course feast at the Fairlawns Hotel

#Project366 – week 24

A diner’s-eye view of the culinary moments that made my week more enjoyable…

Day #162 - Introducing some good friends to the Brick Box’s amazing crepes served up in Brixton Village. A buckwheat galette for Sunday brunch packed with goats cheese, spinach, olives, sundried and cherry tomatoes

Chocolate and ginger brownie cake – spare me the details!

Do you like food blogs which interlink stories about the writer's personal life alongside their cooking...or do you just read them for the recipes?

Do you answer questions that foodbloggers post as part of an article...or are they just hypothetical…?!

#Project366 – week 23

Compared to the vast swath of royal recipes overflowing from every cookery magazine and foodblog in recent weeks, you will notice a distinct lack of patriotism in this #project366 roundup post from the period covering the June Bank Holiday.  This isn’t because I’m vehemently opposed to the monarchy - most of this week was spent banqueting in Bavaria as part of my boyfriend’s 30th birthday celebrations, which I’m afraid took a higher priority in our #littleflat than toasting her Majesty’s 60 year anniversary! 

Day #155 - Griddling avocado for an indoor burger BBQ on the first of many rainy days

#Project366 – week 22

When I started my #project366 challenge I was a total photography novice. I’m certainly not claiming to be an expert now, but as the year is progressing I do at least feel that my camera skills are improving. Looking back on these photos from the tail-end of last month, I’m struck by how you can capture the atmosphere of a particular moment through the lens…the vibrant colours and bright lighting instantly bring me back into the summertime mood!

Day #148 – Fresh raspberries and Oat Crunch granola purchased at the new Wholefoods Market in Piccadilly and served for breakfast in our sunlit garden

#Project366 – week 21

I wish the weather was as glorious right now as it was during this week in mid-May! Making the most of the sunshine with plenty of delicious food during my numerous birthday celebrations in the capital…

Day #141 – Taking a deep breath and making a wish…Happy Birthday to me...!

English afternoon tea with Joy the Baker, American foodblogging royalty

It's been just over a year now since I started recording my favourite food experiences online. As a naturally sociable person, I'd assumed it would be easy to put down onto paper the pride I feel after successfully cooking a new recipe and my enthusiasm for top-quality produce.

However, it turns out that I'm not the wordsmith I thought I was, and that blogging is yet another part of my life where a lot of hard work and determination is required in order to succeed. I've now realised that I need to stop feeling so anxious and pressured to make every sentence fitting of a literary masterpiece, and just focus on the personal satisfaction that comes from publishing a post for anyone in the world to enjoy.

One person who understands the complex emotions involved in blogging and has always inspired me to continue is Joy Wilson, aka Joy the Baker.

#Project366 – week 20

Here’s a flashback of my culinary highlights in the week preceding my birthday (20th May, make a note for next year…!)

Day #134 – Preparing for a 90 minute cardio / strength circuits session in the beautiful bluebell woods at Green Farm Fitness with an energising breakfast smoothie…definitely a recipe I’ll be recreating back in my London flat!

Banqueting in Bavaria

Most Brits headed to London last week to commemorate the Queen’s Jubilee, but instead my boyfriend and I escaped the capital to celebrate his 30th birthday in Germany. Despite his newfound status as a “mature and responsible adult”, he is still an enormous rollercoaster fanatic, so I treated him to a trip to his favourite theme park Europa-Park.

#Project366 – week 19

A few snapshots from a week of simple homely pleasures, plus one decadent dinner out…

Day #127 – An unexpected train trip up to the Midlands (it’s all North for a Dorset girl like me!) meant an emergency takeaway lunch. I was impressed with Camden Food Co's Omega3 salad packed with prawn, avocado and edamame – with only 276 calories it fitted well into my daily number-crunching and still kept me full for our whole journey

#Project366 – week 18

I’m so annoyed that I’ve let these updates on my #project366 challenge slide. I had genuinely (perhaps naively) hoped that I could get to a stage where I was reporting back every Sunday on the previous week’s food photos, but the truth is that those plans have been scuppered thanks to the day job and life generally. I’ve been away most weekends during the past month, so opportunities to blog have been few and far between.

So I’m afraid that yet again I’m going to have to take you on a whistle-stop tour of the past few weeks’ most memorable gastronomic moments. Hopefully you’re already following my #project366 Pinterest board or Twitter feed so have still had a regular dose of my food photography, but one day I’d like to stop making excuses and apologising and just show you my snapshots on a weekly basis! I live in hope…

Day #120 – Combining red pepper & pecan pesto from my L’atalier des Chefs pasta-making class (see Day #112) with gnocchi, spinach, sweet corn & Comte cheese into a quick vegetarian dinner baked in the oven

Birthday dinner at The Wild Garlic – returning to my Dorset roots

As a Dorset girl, I was rooting for Mat Follas throughout the 2009 season of Masterchef and was in awe of his natural talent for producing rustic dishes that appeared both hearty and elegant in equal measure. My parents and I had been eager to visit Mat’s restaurant The Wild Garlic ever since this former tollhouse was transformed by the Masterchef champion, especially as Beaminster is only an hour away from our home beside the seaside in Poole.

The perfect excuse for us to take a little drive into the countryside and check out Mat’s culinary skills for ourselves finally arrived last weekend, in the guise of my twenty-seventh birthday. Whilst we perused the menu in the intimate dining room I decided to kickstart the celebrations by relaxing my normal alcohol ban and treating myself to a glass of sparkling wine with a sweet note of delicate elderflower known as Mat’s Fizz.

#Project366 – week 17

With polling day for the local elections approaching imminently, the final week in April represented a crunch period in my working life. This meant that most of my meals (including breakfast!) were consumed either on the road or waiting at a train station as I travelled across the country coordinating political media visits. I was so desperate to get back to our little flat’s kitchen and start cooking again that I stayed up until midnight baking cookies during the only evening I was home!

Day #113 – I’m incredibly proud of my boyfriend for completing the London Marathon in just over 4 hours and raising over £2,000 for the British Heart Foundation. His brother and I followed our own little route to cheer him on, and stopped for a quick brunch of smoked salmon and scrambled egg (with bonus chips) in Canary Wharf’s shopping arcade just before high-fiving my man at mile 19

#Project366 – week 16

Sadly a chaotic few weeks at work has meant that I’ve fallen at the first hurdle in my grand plan to report back on the latest progress in my #Project366 challenge at the end of each week. It’s still my intention to get my act in gear to the point where I can upload the latest update every Sunday, so please bear with me whilst I whizz through the past few weeks of food photos in order to get back on track. For now, cast your minds back to mid-April and feast your eyes on the tasty treats that made my week bearable… 

Day #106 – As part of my parents’ long weekend in London we took a trip over to Bluewater for BBC’s Spring Good Food Show. The food market itself was much smaller than I’d expected, but this did give us a great opportunity to spend time talking to stallholders like Gower Cottage’s Kate Jenkins about their top-quality produce. We were also lucky enough to meet charmingly modest Masterchef winner Thomasina Miers and gush to her about our love of Wahaca before watching her teach jolly Olly Smith how to prepare spicy and refreshing crab tacos in the Cooks’ Theatre

#Project366 – week 15

In week 13 I recounted tales of introducing my boyfriend’s family to some of our favourite eateries, and this week it was my parents’ turn to journey up to the big smoke from the Dorset coast. As a little girl I was a huge fan of the Wizard of Oz, even spending my weekends pretending to be Dorothy (and forcing my poor Dad to play all the other characters…!), so I was delighted that we finally experienced the incredible Wicked musical as a belated Mother’s Day gift.

On Saturday I also clicked my ruby slippers three times and transported my parents to the two South London food havens where I feel most at home - Brockley Market and Brixton Village. Their last trip to our little flat had actually coincided with my first ever visit to Brixton Village, where we had enjoyed a superb meal at the Brixton Village Grill. But at that point had no idea that there was another whole hall full of good food across the road in Market Row, so I was desperate to show them the gastronomic wonders we’d previously missed out on!

Day #99 – Adapting Pieminister’s Guru recipe into a spicy beef dhansak curry, packed with protein-rich lentils, chickpeas and spinach

Eating by numbers

 

This isn't a recipe, a restaurant review or a recommendation. It's a confession.

Anyone who follows me on Twitter or has checked out my #Project366 challenge will know that I'm completely obsessed with food - if I'm not cooking in our little flat then I'm taking photos of my culinary discoveries, researching recipes to test or drooling over the latest Pinterest foodporn.

But when fellow foodies meet me in the flesh for the first time, they seem surprised that I'm not the size of a house. Recently a friend quizzed me on my "secret for staying so slim", and my initial response was to display some classic British self-deprecation and laugh it off. Deep down it felt like a huge compliment though, because the truth is that I refuse to view myself as thin.

Cheat’s meaty mini pizzas to lighten up your lunchtime

I don’t have any children, but I wouldn’t blame you for mistaking me for a parent if you saw me interacting with my boyfriend in our little flat.

What is it about living with your beloved that makes a young woman suddenly morph into a mother?! Despite never previously having a particular appetite for cleaning, its feels like my life is becoming a constant cycle of washing dishes, airing clothes and tidying things away…just rinsed and repeated as required on a daily basis.

Please don’t get me wrong – I think my man is truly amazing, constantly inspiring and I wouldn’t ever want to swap him. But I do find it equally incredible that someone so hugely talented and intelligent can lose his keys within five minutes of entering our home, and appears incapable of eating a meal without spilling some of it down himself.

#Project366 – week 14

During the first few weeks of my #project366 challenge it was fairly easy for me to photograph a dish or snack I’d enjoyed every day. But as a creature of habit and counter of calories, my daily diet usually follows the same routine – which means it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find new foods to capture on camera! Thankfully Easter’s celebrations have provided some seasonal snapshots for this week’s round-up…

 Day #92 – As a huge fan of Outsider Tart’s baked goodies, I felt honoured to grab a front row seat at David’s demonstration of the secrets behind their black and white cheesecake during the Southbank’s Chocolate Festival