Foodie or Faddy? Taste Testing Online Food Markets

                                                                                                                                       29 May 2015

We have entered an era of conscious food consumption where those who can afford to be picky are steering away from food that’s pumped up on hormones, battery bred and preserved for months. The people (read upper middle class and hipsters) spoke and they wanted REAL FOOD. One or two little food markets emerged in amongst the trees where the truly health conscious walked amongst the fairies and got seasonal fruit and vegetables on Sundays.  Hipsters got wind of it and suddenly these markets were springing up on rooftops, in nurseries and in commune backyards, selling an array of homemade products. Then the upper middle class and Noaks-followers heard about it from their hipster friends, pulled in with their SUVs and brought the dogs and kids along for the ride.

Naturally, it was time to evolve again. This time it went online and conscious of doing what I can to preserve my family’s good health, but not keen to confuse foodie with faddy, I tried it out.

The Home of Paddington Brown

6 March 2015

Not many people over the age of 8 share my enthusiasm over Paddington, the movie. I was filled with childlike excitement to see it from when the billboard made its appearance outside of my local shopping centre and even got a little cousin the book for Christmas.

Finally I got my way and dragged my mom and husband, first to Spur for Buffalo wings and then to the cinema for Paddington.  

Blue Elderflower Sparkle

This is a real quickie – great for a sundowner. I got something similar as a gift once, but have followed my own pleasure and I have to say, the results are luscious!

Serve while they’re still dancing up and down, enveloped in bubbles.

Peri-Peri Fish

                                                                                                                                    14 January 2015

Serves 4                                                                                                                                    

I wasn't planning on posting this recipe, but when I posted our weekly menu to Facebook and Instagram my cousin asked to share the recipe. After making it my mom and hubby both felt it was delicious enough to share, so here you go.

Pumpkin Casserole

Serves 10 - 12

It pains me deeply to admit that this incredible and incredibly simple recipe was not passed on from my family (in fact, I passed it on to my family). I went a-browsing one day for a pumpkin “pie” that you serve with the main course and took all the work out of it for you! The original was submitted to allrecipes.com by Lori DeLosh.

It’s madly popular with everyone who tastes it and has been had for seconds, thirds, desert, afternoon seconds and breakfast.  So seeing as though there’s always some milk and pumpkin left, I normally make mine one and half times.

Deliciously creamy golden goodness just into the oven.

Hot Buttered Rum

Serves 3

I first became intrigued with “Hot Buttered Rum” during an episode of Frasier where Martie makes a batch for the lot at a ski lodge. There’s no hard science to this recipe though. I’ve made a couple of variants and it all depends on how creamy or unhealthy you want it. Also, I’m a massive believer in units of measure such as “glug”, “scoop”, “pinch” and “shake”. Have fun with it till it suits your palate.

Twelve Plus One Tiger Christmas Tales: Part 2

Advent

Date: 31 November 2014 – 24 December 2014

Gift: Advent Calendar

Price: R70 – R170, depending on whether or not Lindt made the chocolate in your advent calendar

Food: HotButtered Rum and the chocolate from your advent calendar

Saint: Andrew the Apostle

Scripture: John 1 (you can get a free copy of the English Standard Version Bible on Kindle)

Activity: Preparation

A large part of the excitement of Christmas is the preparation time leading up to it.  Putting up and decorating of the tree, baking cookies and fruit cakes, singing carols and shopping for gifts in the festively decorated stores.  Retailers are particularly fond of promoting certain gifts as appropriate for each of the Twelve Days of Christmas.  All of this leads up to the wonderful day filled with strewn wrapping paper and stuffed stomachs… and then it’s all over.

Twelve Plus One Tiger Christmas Tales: Part 1

Advent and the Twelve Days of Christmas

Grinch Alert: This post and the ones to follow is all about Christmas. Proceed with caution!

Most humans love to fill their lives with traditions and stories - whether they’re passed on from ancestors, great grandparents, or new creations. Stories about how things came to be the way they are or about significant events and how we remember them. Consider any dinner party and you’ll find it stays alive through an exchange of stories – picking up an element from one and adding your own story containing said element. The conversation often lands up in a complete different place to where it started without someone having drastically altered the direction.

One particular story filled to the brim with traditions, and growing variants every time it comes around, is the story of how Christmas came to be. From the pagan solstice festivals, Yule logs and gifts, to the birth of Jesus, Midnight Mass and turkeys; Christmas has become a jolly old mix of religions and cultures, as well as the cause for much controversy, cheer and charity.

It’s the cheer and charity of it I'll be focusing on in Twelve Plus One Tiger Christmas Tales from now until the 5^th of January, also known as the Twelfth Day of Christmas.

Harry Danced Divinely – Marian D. Schwartz

Book: Harry Danced Divinely
Author: Marian D. Schwartz
Year: 2014
Kindle Price: $3.99
Pages: 247

I’ve Started a Book Club: Part Two

Harry Danced Divinely… and he ate and he drank wine

Not quite, but almost a month ago, I hosted a book club at my house in the hope that it would inspire a group of interesting ladies to read and also give them a real excuse to get to together for a fattening meal.

“I’ve started a book club”

Say that at any worthy social gathering and you’re sure to get at least one envious response, “Oh, I’ve always wanted to be part of a book club.”

The trouble usually is there aren’t enough interesting people who are interested.