258/2011 heavenly dessert!, originally uploaded by rosipaw.
I never knew that there is a new French restaurant in town – and it’s been there for two years already! I am attending a French teachers’ training course, and teachers from elsewhere taught me something new about my hometown.
I am definitely going to back for this ‘mi-cuit’ or ‘fondant’ chocolate dessert, served with some berry sorbet and cherry compote. So pretty, too! The rest of the menu wasn’t too bad either. Bon appétit!
183/2011 peculiarities, originally uploaded by rosipaw.
No, it’s not preserved fossils from a bygone era in a museum, but pickled eggs and onions at an English fish&chip shop. These are unknown at home, and I have never developed a taste for them. Actually, they look rather suspect to me, in their glass jars on the counter.
We Europeans are getting a little paranoid about the vegetables we eat. The EHEC infections are still rampant in Germany, and today I read that the first cases have been diagnosed in Sweden, too. This week, the warning here in Britain was not to eat bean sprouts, especially if they were from France.
I think it’s still not known where the bacteria originated. It’s a bit scary really, and easily leads to hysteria, and prejudices against produce from other countries. There has even been suspicions about an eco terrorist attack!
I’m sure these British flags are on the lettuce bags even in ordinary times but they really caught my eye today. Eating fresh local produce makes so much sense anyway even if, of course, you can catch something nasty from your domestic vegetables as well.
104/2011 friends for dinner, originally uploaded by rosipaw.
A busy day with no time to take any other picture than this quick snapshot of the dinner table I was preparing.
Had a lovely evening with friends, and a Korean menu.
086/2011 sunday brunch, originally uploaded by rosipaw.
What luxury to sleep late on a Sunday mornings, and then leisurely prepare some more substantial brunch, and enjoy it without any hurry or rush to work.
As our own – possibly a bit healthier? – version of the traditional English fry-up, we add lots of green beans to small fried pieces of bacon. It’s greener, at least!
082/2011 bon appétit!, originally uploaded by rosipaw.
Local language teachers met in a charming little French café. The owner is an ex-journalist from Paris, and he gave us good tips on the best places to visit there. He has also got a nice selection of French gourmet specialities for sale.
060/2011 sprouts, originally uploaded by rosipaw.
No new life outdoors yet, but luckily I can get sprouts, grown in a local greenhouse, at the supermarket. Vegetable selection is getting very poor at the moment, though.
I must say, I do enjoy the effects of globalisation at this time of the year. At least we can get fruits from far away places, and some vegetables, too. It may be sprayed with all kinds of preservatives to survive the transport, but I try to conveniently forget all that when by body craves for something fresh before spring gets here.
044/2011 dinner for far-away guests, originally uploaded by rosipaw.
One of the exciting and pleasant aspects about travelling abroad, is getting to taste all the new and exotic fare that each destination has to offer. Despite globalisation, and more and more international cuisines everywhere, luckily there is still so much to discover in this area.
Whenever we have foreign visitors, and if they are not vegetarian, I always prepare this Arctic speciality from Lapland – mashed potatoes with sautéd ultra thin reindeer meat, served with slightly sweetened crushed lingonberries. 100% Finnish, and went down well with Korean guests tonight.
362/365 english breakfast, originally uploaded by rosipaw.
The notorious English fry-up breakfast, believed by many to be terribly unhealthy. But, actually, if you follow a low-carb diet, it is ideal – just leave out the hash browns and any toast.
This is how we started our day in London, after arriving at Victoria station by train. Good way to gather energy for a mad day hunting for bargains in the sales. (My advice: avoid central London shopping streets just after Christmas!)
(The Willow Walk, Wetherspoon pub, London, UK)
302/365 cookery evening, originally uploaded by rosipaw.
We had a staff recreation evening, with a top chef teaching us his tricks. We had all chosen either the starter, main course or dessert group, and then prepared our share of the meal. Good practice in team effort!
This is the creation of the starter group. Each group did very well, and we all enjoyed a delicious 3-course meal as our reward. If only students could enjoy ‘the fruits of their labour’ so instantaneously!
