tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-130778122011-07-28T13:45:23.369+01:00Cooking adventures and lots of other yum life adventures.Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.comBlogger391100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-10104768342236110592009-08-07T09:01:00.002+01:002009-08-07T09:10:38.083+01:00

I have a gorgoeus new nephew. He's all wrinkly and looks like an old man but he is so gorgeous , gorgeous, gorgeous! Weighing a healthy 7lb and 10oz he arrived on Wednesday 5th at 10.16am by C-section (are you really supposed to be able to wiggle your feet once they've done an injection? No? Dr said that too....)Anyway, I have some great pics of me, Andrea, Craig, Mum and Dad with the little

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-52507938256319311722009-08-07T08:46:00.002+01:002009-08-07T09:01:06.506+01:00

It's been a long time since I last posted. I've moved house (again), felt a bit sad (again), sort of moved on, eaten food, gone off food, cooked food and looked at food. All in all quite normal for a foodie. Oh and books, there have been a lot of books (Neil Perry's Balanace and Harmony is my most recent purchase).As usual my food style is reflected by my emotions. Tired and worn out calls for

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-39376747835435108612008-01-10T21:28:00.000Z2008-01-10T23:21:15.773Z

Welcome to 2008!The end of 2007 was interesting (forever known as the year the Arts Council announced a massive cull of arts organisations - guess who's company was one of them?) and the year when hopefully, I became a bit more centred and made some resolutions like....Save some dosh (got to get that artisan deli/bakery open somehow)Eat some fishEat more vegBLOG MORE!!!...............and there is

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-55891639929536904892007-11-28T10:27:00.000Z2007-11-28T11:02:21.250Z

Well, been while hasn't it? Entirely my fault!Things have been busy, busy and not had a lot of time really (and I am tired, so veeerrry tired!), but there has been a distinct flurry of activity in the kitchen; a brief outline is below:Christmas Cakes - after the sugar flies decided they wanted a nibble in the summer, two large expensive fruitcakes were packed of to mother with the instructions '

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-28292100318905592302007-10-05T09:38:00.000+01:002007-10-05T10:16:54.825+01:00

Do you remember that song? I think it was the Drifters and I used to hum along to it when I was a kid without really thinking.But what does become of them? Well, they go off cooking, don't buy cookbooks and food shopping is no longer a necessity. The hours spent trawling the aisles at deli's and supermarkets is reduced to a late night when I can be bothered.My boy has new horizons already and I'm

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-64835138269850244622007-08-17T10:29:00.000+01:002007-08-17T15:38:10.521+01:00

I have been tagged! My first ever - how exciting. Nick at the tracing paper popped it over to me and I have to say I feel very excited. Not only because it's a tag for a meme and I have seen many of these in the blogging world and have always wondered about them, but because a fellow blogger actually knows that I exist! Now that is exciting - people, I live and love in the blogging world.This one

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-81499229628193108132007-07-24T19:37:00.000+01:002008-01-10T23:46:39.941Z

Like the picture? It's about the only sun we had and light was perfect for showcasing this fudge.Summers here and its rain, rain, rain - a real joy! There is a vegetable shortage as nothing is being nurtured by a happy sun come to that, neither am I. So here I am watching too much TV in the evenings, surfing the web on my lovely new laptop (hurrah! Vista - Bah!) So what should I do? Oh I know,

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-30365985330961793152007-07-03T13:16:00.001+01:002007-07-03T13:31:39.067+01:00

Sometimes there is nothing better than escaping the rat race and having a day off to enjoy baking; which is exactly what I did yesterday. I am already on a mission with my Christmas cakes (really) and only have about another three jars of pre-macerated fruit to go, which I started (huge amount of fruit glut) preparing last year (macerate when it's sweet, marinate when it's not). My tip? When

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-80711128597219090362007-06-20T16:25:00.000+01:002007-06-20T16:51:27.898+01:00

Being a tart in the arts (see my very early postings way back when), I joined an Arts Agency that delivers project across the rural county to all sorts of people. Some of us are inspired, some of us not, and the rest, well they can be inspiring. My lovely friend, who wears fab shoes, has fab bags and now writes fab books, is a tour de force of energy and laughs so ,is one such person. I love

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-72414650421749905562007-05-09T12:10:00.000+01:002007-05-09T12:57:39.618+01:00

It's been a while since I blogged, mainly due to the fact that D and I have finally gone our seperate ways and I have moved home. It was all sad up to the leaving but a big adventure getting a new place! I don't feel that I have quite lost D as we are still good friends and are eating together and stuff a coupla times a week (Notice the food pattern?) I have settled into my new home sort of (

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-10322510390517070112007-04-16T14:50:00.000+01:002007-04-16T15:09:45.535+01:00

Well what a hoot. Success has been ours and my future housemate N and I have managed to find ourselves a nice little place in Norwich to rent. To celebrate I had a few of the ladies over for food and trial by food, sherry and lots of squealing for N. She joined in like a trooper and I am looking forward to having her as a housemate.Now N is German and proclaims that she cannot cook but has a

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-47864038198124685452007-04-12T11:43:00.000+01:002007-04-12T12:09:11.025+01:00

I am always, always tring to find UK Food Blogs that are interesting and that I can snaffle recipes from, to try out in my own kitchen. Thanks to Google launching a CO-OP where you can create customised searches and a keen blogger, the joy of not having to trawl through thousands of pages has arrived! UK Food Blog Search allows you to take a peek at other peoples blogs and search for recipes. I

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-63765206274269020502007-03-09T15:20:00.000Z2007-03-09T15:27:05.360Z

Hmmm, things are looking up. The last two days have been sunny and springy - a combination I rather like. D and I are getting on better than ever - as friends and I am looking in to the fast-track racy world of.......drum roll please......Mortgages!!!I still love m'boy and I am sure he still loves me, just all a bit random. We'll get there.No recipe this time, but BBC Good Food have a rather

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-79185684768834667382007-03-07T21:33:00.000Z2007-03-08T13:48:47.157Z

The last few weeks between me and the OH half not been easy. We have had trials and triblulations, sharp words, burnt food and heart to hearts.Today, we fell apart.The fab birthday party I had resulted in a bill and after a rather fantastic cookery day (bought by the OH for the big3-0) at Morston Hall, a Michelin starred restaurant here in sunny Norfolk, the bill arrived. After misunderstandings,

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-72114112225511904182007-03-05T15:00:00.000Z2007-03-05T15:10:41.382Z

I have no idea I was quite drunk - Dallas style.It was my big birthday party at the weekend and I dressed up as 1980'S Dallas power dresser - looking more like a rather naff R&B star. I think the most shocking thing was that people though my outrageous wig (well I thought so0 was actually my real hair...AND thought I really suited it. I give up. There was copious amounts of food, some murdering

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-6387076911831092102007-02-27T11:16:00.000Z2007-02-27T11:21:15.078Z

Oh god. I'm 30 and still a random 16 year old with lord know what plans but definately, uncertain ones.I feel old. When I was a kid I used to cry on my birthday - usually because somebody had lobbed a large pass-the-parcel at me which happened to be a book, and dented my teeth.I cried yesterday too - not because of a parcel this time. Just cried, due to me and Dean. Must be getting soft and

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-1171465788972031422007-02-14T14:44:00.000Z2007-02-14T15:14:35.553Z

Has it really been a year? Is that where all the love is? In that last year?I get so excited about the big red day. Sod the trashy, cheesey and crass cards, I like effort. The OH and I try not to get caught up in it all - he doesn't like the mass commercialism and I pretend not to....This year I have a cunning plan. It's still all horrid and drizzly here with puddles rippling as people splish

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-1169811799028592992007-01-26T11:28:00.000Z2007-01-26T11:44:59.750Z

I did say, didn't I, that this blog was suposed to be about food and all the excitement and adventure that goes with it?The OH and I have always cooked this Nigella recipe when we have felt meltingly tender with each other - a symbol of us together - strong, dark and yummy. The fact that my love wants to make me delicious yummy things makes me melt. I love making him this cake too (Guiness is a

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-1169634352267971062007-01-24T09:51:00.000Z2007-01-24T10:25:52.283Z

The first snow of the year has fallen. I awoke this norning to silent flurries of snow muffling the sound of the traffic on the road. As the cars were sooshing by I was looking out of my bedroom window nervously anticipating the journey to work. I am sure if I had not had those few misfortunate events early in my driving career, that I would be approaching the journey less with trepidation and

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-1168200630815266622007-01-07T19:50:00.000Z2007-01-07T20:10:30.826Z

Wow! Happy New Year. Dean and I are back from out travels to warmer climates and aside from some general peskiness (friends, bugs, bombs, a crashed bus and general jetlag) all went really well!Since I last wrote, the garden bloomed, the neighbours cat's poo'd in it, the veg were nice (minus the cat's gifts) and all was jolly well. I am still a cookbook-aholic with large volumes cluttering large

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-1158008741720877352006-09-11T21:55:00.000+01:002006-09-11T22:05:41.733+01:00

Today was a warm, lovely day reminiscent of the summer that we strated to have that degraded into rain in mid-August. During that month instead of feeling sun kissed, golden and in love with the earth, I felt anxious about my tomatoes (since gone mouldy) and a bit harrassed and windswept (mainly due to work). However, I am currently roaring down the A47 with the windows open each morning and

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-1152215528816206302006-07-06T20:42:00.000+01:002006-07-06T20:52:08.816+01:00

Well the courgette plant slowly crept up behind it's neighbouring bed fellows and grew over night. In the last few weeks it has overtaken most of the veg bed (now a courgette bed) and is producing flowere left right and centre. Great - so what is the ideal length to pick them? My book says 10 - 13cm, but that seems very small - should they not be a bit bigger? Is it just fashion speaking?A keen

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-1152214927764950752006-07-06T20:36:00.000+01:002006-07-06T20:42:07.780+01:00

Wow. My first tomato popped of the vine last night. It was a mottled red with an orange tinge, and where it had been on the vine, a slight green knobble. It was small and perfectly round. It wasn't the deep, luscious red of tomatoes in supermarkets (no doubt fiddled with) but, it was just right. Deeply satisfied and excited that no doubt there will be a glut (please, please don't let the sun and

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-1150626822801528842006-06-18T11:25:00.000+01:002006-06-18T11:33:42.813+01:00

Ah absolute bliss. I'd had a rather stressful day at the office on Friday and had called the OH requesting a much needed visit to the pub for that night - I needed a lot of beer, sun and the hum of sunny days conversation.However, what a surprise! The boyfriend calls me back and says, let's go for a picnic by thr river - we know a great little spot.So, when we were home from work that evening we

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-1150405788323399522006-06-15T21:57:00.000+01:002006-06-16T09:18:30.060+01:00

.....well I did in the kitchen; and England won against Trinidad and Tobago in the World Cup tonight - very boring so I rummaged up a meal for my mate Andrew and I.Fab chicken with cherry sauce - non too tart, I was a bit worried. Basically it goes like this:Pan fry two chicken breast (I did 4) they should be dipped in seasoned flour first.Then remove from the pan and add Dijon mustard or

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-1149604549931303212006-06-06T15:16:00.000+01:002006-06-06T15:41:48.203+01:00

.....as I was saying in Rants, it is all bit bad when two people get really angry and horrid with each other because there is so much feeling abound. I will never understand why I could love him and he could never love me, even though he wanted me to stay. He had no idea how hurt I was and I had no idea that he was more screwed up than I was. I wanted love and I wasn't looking for it but thought

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-1144357816851547912006-04-06T21:50:00.000+01:002006-06-05T21:07:57.416+01:00

Below is a post I wrote some time ago but never published. I am a rational human being but the sentiments are the same - I am still feeling all rubbish for failing at something and generally having a bad time - there the guilt of a Catholic girl; why do we always blame our moral upbringings (very useful for when you have kids, not so good for when you develop a complex)?. I am still all wounded

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-1144155734505244302006-04-04T13:47:00.000+01:002006-04-04T14:13:03.253+01:00

It's always the way; you go to your fave book site and end up ordering stuff that you really only lusted over and then you feel terribly guilty as all your rainyday money goes down the pan....I raise my hand and admit I have a book habit - one day I'll count them and let you know how many but the cook books alone, I would say, can guestimate in the 300 region. And I always seem to buy them for

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-1144061103714980642006-04-03T11:36:00.000+01:002006-04-03T11:45:03.726+01:00

Sometime you look back and think 'oh yeah, I remember that'. I do that a lot - I remember sounds and senses, people and places - sometimes living in the past can do that - you think it is all so much better!I listen to Laura's diary on Radio one in the evenings and I found a few diaries of my own the other day - it's brilliant reading back and remembering all the adventures you have had and how

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-1144059729038833332006-04-03T11:16:00.000+01:002006-04-03T11:22:09.040+01:00

I may be getting a raised bed - hurrah, veggies here I come - something useful and hopefully I won;t end up killing them! Hmmmm, now whwre to put it, Dean has visions of a)not having one, b)have one but I take all responsibility and c) it must be in a corner (nobody put's baby [veg] in a corner - ah Patrick Swayze, what happened?).Now the problem with the corner is that a) I have a romantic

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-1144059148112772662006-04-03T10:56:00.000+01:002006-04-03T11:15:44.236+01:00

Spring has finally sprung here in the UK. Admittedly, it's a little dull still and the evenings can be slightly chilly - but oh yes! those few moments of sunshine and warmth when you can don the shades and imagine summer, well, it's heaven on a plate!And with spring, comes the ideas of a better person - fitter, healthier, more direction....doesn't it always - I inevitably end up wearing trackies

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-1140020125701924472006-02-15T15:56:00.000Z2006-02-15T16:15:25.780Z

Well, the most romantic (in commercial terms) day of the year has been and gone. Norwich played at home to Brighton (and won 3-0) but I suspect that some of the people watching it had lost out in other ways or been hit with a fairly hefty forfeit of some kind!What did I do? Well, as we are entering the realms of trying to cut down on mass consumerism (OH thinks I buy far too much and he's right -

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-1136383241860867312006-01-04T13:54:00.000Z2006-01-04T14:00:41.873Z

Finally, I have a Le Creuset dish. Aftre hankering aftre one of these for a loooooooooong time, I now have another two on order - juts haven't told the other half yet! The dish I have is a 24cm casserole (dutch oven) and isa beautiful duck egg blue (I would have gone for volcanic but the size I wanted had been snaffled in the Debenhams sale). On order from BBC Good Food, I now have two beautiful

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-1124228509596998212005-08-16T22:39:00.000+01:002005-08-16T22:41:49.596+01:00

I HAVE A NEW JOB!!!Starting at Creative Arts East on 12th September as a Youth Arts Development Manager....so grown uo. Haveto say that the old battle axe on the committe here doesn't seem sad to see me go but I'm not either....except that worrying about resigning dideat into my holiday a bit.....here will be Tarts for Arts as soon as I work the Tarts (making) and Arts 9being0 bit out/ Bless

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-1124228345092902762005-08-16T22:31:00.000+01:002005-08-16T22:39:05.100+01:00

Well, what a great holiday. Sailing from Ipswich to France and I wasn't sick once...imagine cruising over the sea in a Bennetau 38 called Habebe.....the gentle rocking ofthe sea (whick to be fair did make a few people sick but not me - yay!), watching porpoises skim the surf (I was asleep for that bit - rats!) and then being in the midle of shipping lanes, a French fisherman running us off course

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-1122413244858471072005-07-26T22:24:00.000+01:002005-07-26T22:27:24.863+01:00

Really tired at the moment. Craving comfort food all the time. Something said to be drinking buckets ofwater and Berrocca. Dean and I are on holiday next week and work seems to be getting busier all the time so I'm really stressed. A glass of rose and some home made wedges doused in olive oil and Norfolk herbs with a bowl of steaming tomato and red pepper soup with parmesan cheese, was enough to

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-1122228816752594262005-07-25T03:14:00.000+01:002005-07-24T19:13:36.756+01:00

Wow! Saw loads of friends last week as me and the boyfriend hosted a BBQ. One of my oldest friends arrived with her husband and as he drink flowed we suddenly decided we both like cooking - a lot! So we both went on a rampage around the house looking at cookbooks. discussing Mermaid bakeware (he has it, I don't, I want some!), preserving, found a really cool site where you can log books that you

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-1118245151006209342005-06-09T03:02:00.000+01:002005-07-24T19:01:53.726+01:00

At last, after 7 attempts, too much comfort food and a course of hypnotherapy, I am a fully fledged driver!What were my first thoughts as the examiner told me I had passed (pity he remembered me from last time - never a good sign...especially the police car...)?Yes to go to a farm and indulge in a spot of PYO fruit and veg so I can stack up the new freezer. I can think of nothing better than

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077812.post-1116711413396283782005-05-21T22:31:00.000+01:002005-06-03T11:35:18.746+01:00

Having hundreds of cookbooks (the shelves are groaning under all that weight), I decided that I had better start sharing some of my adventures in cooking! More enthusiastic and keen rather than anything else, I do try my best but sometimes accidents happen.....exploding lemon curd and the shortest flan pastry ever! This blog is more an opportunity to try and stop buying so many cookbooks and

Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453664149076646094noreply@blogger.com0