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Okay, I am not going to mess about here. Because, messing about and going round the bushes to avoid the point; the subject matter, seems to be the only thing that I am experiencing right now and I don't like it. 
So I'll talk to you straight to the point. Bish bash bosh and done!


As you might already know, Toby and I have been and we most probably will be, busy, for the last six months and the following six months or so, or more, in an attempt to make that wonderful dream home. Usually, most of our weekends disappear in a blink of an eye and we don't often get to sit down and do nothing or do what we enjoy. 
So, last few weekends, I deliberately made a conscious decision that I would like to sit down, be a little lazy and do what I love the most. That little luxury of my own enjoyment; nothing fancy, nothing expensive, nothing extravagant, nothing special, but one thing that I enjoy the most on Sundays that I hadn't been able to do for so long; READING MY SUNDAY PAPER.


Since I love reading, I get my Sunday papers delivered to the door which makes my life so much easier, thanks to the wonderful delivery service. Every Sunday morning, I'd get up, get my paper and Toby will make some coffee. We sit on our sofa, sip strong cups of coffee and plan our day. I might scan through the papers quickly while talking if I fancy or I might save them for later.
Last few Sundays ago, my plan to just read failed due to the weather. 
The snow had caused a delay in the depot and delivery couldn't be made unfortunately. 
I understood that. So I walked to my local shop and got my own, myself. I had wet feet, was freezing cold and had put on some trampy look with snotty nose, but understood that the trouble couldn't have been avoided.


Today, actually yesterday now, I again planned, I really would like to just sit down and do nothing but read. 
I hoped that I will have nice relaxing Sunday, just the way as we would have enjoyed in the old flat when things didn't need all that DIY jazz.
It started off just so. 
We had nice cups of coffee, enjoyed cooked breakfast and shared some civilised conversations. But guess what? Well I am missing my paper, AGAIN.


I just don't get it. 
So there I was, going ''now what?''. 
I can't possibly think of any reasons why the paper wouldn't make it to my door. Is it, a) blown away with wind, b) taken by the man who couldn't be bothered to get to the shop, c) no paper was printed because staff wanted have lazy Sunday like me or d) none of these but just some technical fault?
So I find the number to make fuss about my disappointment. I got to the old emails, found the number to call, reached the phone and made that important call to offload my dissatisfaction of guaranteed service that didn't happen.
Oh, guess what? Now my phone is not working. 
I don't have outgoing tones nor incoming tones, although the area shows a good service connections, but for some reason my landline is experiencing some problems, that cannot be solved right now at this second when I needed the most, so I can find out what kind of problem the newspaper delivery company was experiencing. But neither of these can be happening because they are all currently out of order!
And that is all.

Rhubarb and Ginger beer jelly with ginger syllabub


for jelly
400g rhubarb, chopped roughly
2tbsp caster sugar
2inch stem ginger, chopped
1 orange zest and juice
400ml ginger beer
6 gelatine sheets, soaked in cold water then drained


for syllabub
1tbsp caster sugar
1tbsp stem ginger syrup
60ml medium white wine
30ml Cointreau
some lemon and orange rind
thin slice of root ginger
some double cream


for garnish
some Amaretti biscuits, broken up


This is gorgeously light jelly that will bring your dinner to the fine end. 
Sharp rhubarb flavour is clearly there with gingery tang, and cream brings the whole thing together with a little nutty bite from the Amaretti biscuits.


To make jelly, start by mixing rhubarb, sugar, ginger and orange zest in the oven proof dish. Roast them for about 25mins or until tender at 160º. When cooked, cool them down a little. Blitz your rhubarb mixture in the food processor until smooth and push it through the sieve. This is the most fiddly part of this recipe but this will ensure lighter, clearer and smoother finish of jelly. Obviously if you don't have time or patience to do this, that is fine too.
Now warm up about 100ml ginger beer and whisk in the gelatine sheets until dissolved. 
Pour in the gelatine mixture into the rhubarb liquid which should make about 300ml and the rest of ginger beer.
Divide them into either big jelly mould or individual glasses and leave them to set in the fridge.


To make ginger syllabub, mix in all ingredients except cream. Leave this mixture for 24hours to infuse the flavour into the booze. 
Long while ago I discovered Heston Blumenthal's trifle recipe and highly recommend this method as it gives good mellow background flavour to the cream. 
Whisk double cream lightly and add this boozy mixture into the cream.


When jelly is set, spoon the syllabub over jelly (or you can use piping bag like I did here) and sprinkle some Amaretti biscuits.

Obviously problems can happen and things could go wrong. And yes, although I might have sounded like a grumpy cow but when reasons are explained, I will appreciate it. I promise.
Oh, and I want you to know, I feel better now.

Seven years on,

I must tell you, I am very lucky.

Very very lucky to be part of family who is so loving and caring, who always welcomes me with open arms and kind heart.

There has been some tough times though.

Being broken hearted and full of uncertainties of the future ahead of me, I wasn't all there when I first met Toby. 

We fought with frustration. 

We screamed. 

We hit the brick walls trying hard to understand our differences. 

We cried desperately wanting it to work. 

We cried desperately for our lost spirits, hoping that we could be there for each other.

I cannot believe we are still together, you know.

Still, to these date, I often pinch myself thinking, gosh... we came this far.

Along the way though, we had, and very luckily so, a family, the unit who wasn't afraid to tell us, guide us and fix us to find our way.

They were there to support us, but never shy to shout at us to teach us that understanding was only ever meant to be through the loving heart, NOT through the calculated head.

Seven years has gone by with many tears, we laugh.

We cry with laughter knowing we've come far. 

From selfish little creatures to those who inspires each other to make better of ourselves, I guess we have come far.

I guess we have grown strong.

I guess we have learnt to love the way we are.

The Ledbury inspired bloody orange vodka sorbet with rosewater and lychee

1pint of blood orange juice (about 8 medium oranges)

100g sugar

150g lychee (I use tined)

50ml rosewater

50ml vodka

handful of mint

Place blood orange juice, sugar and rosewater into the medium sauce pan and simmer them until sugar is dissolved.

You now add lychee, vodka and springs of mint to the pan and blend them until smooth.

Pass them through sieve and put them in the freezer safe container and freeze.

After the first hour, take it out from the freezer and give it a good whisk and freeze it again for another hour. Give it a good stir or whisk again and agin every now and then.

But if you've just enjoyed too many glasses of wine and forgot about it all until the next morning like I have done this time, don't panic.

Just break the sorbet into reasonable pieces and put them in the blender and blitz them until it breaks down and forms smoother consistency.

Put them back in the freezer till you need them.

Great amuse buche or light cleansing dessert.

Martini stirred not shaken

Click here to see how it is done.

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