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Skeptics: Ben Goldacre

September 16, 2008 19 Comments Filed Under: Uncategorized

Dr Ben Goldacre

A typical skeptic.

Dr Ben  Goldacre (admittedly looking quite cute here)

Father and son skeptics (they were rather sweet actually).

More skeptics.

The evening didn’t start well. My friend bought me a glass of red wine. It was placed on the bar. It had a frothy top, thick sediment and was cloudy.

“I’m not drinking that” I said to the barman.
“That’s the house red. It’ll settle.” he said airily.
“I’m not drinking that” I repeated.
Bristling slightly, the barman said: “It’s the house red. I asked you if you wanted the house red.”
“No you didn’t” I replied “You asked me if I wanted large or small. I said large.”
Caught out, the barman poured out a fresh glass from a new bottle. The house red was probably from a plastic barrel.
We were at “Skeptics in the pub” a monthly talk which critically examines anything ‘New Age’. The place was packed and I unfavourably compared the poor seating and sound to the comfortable private room where The Moot with No Name takes place. 
The speaker was Dr Ben Goldacre, an Oxford graduate(1) who has written a column for the Guardian. Promoting his new book, Bad Science, he can be described as pale with small blue eyes and frizzy hair. His talk was ill-prepared and he obviously decided to wing it. Dr Goldacre was under the mistaken impression that he is a stand-up comedian, but this was partly due to the craven reaction of the audience who chortled uproariously to every unwitty remark. 
Skeptics are, I must say, a rather unprepossessing bunch physically, consisting mostly of middle-aged men with beards. 
Goldacre’s main point seemed to be that science as a subject is under-represented in the media, which is fair enough. Unfortunately he also felt the necessity to pick on easy targets, say nasty sexist things and generally be arrogant and unpleasant. He slagged off Dr Gillian McKeith, Patrick Holford, homeopathy, healers, humanities graduates, the idea that women might have sexual dysfunctions. 
The latter particularly annoyed me; he believes that female sexual dysfunction is a myth. It’s more likely down to the fact that the woman sufferer is no longer “a vixen” i.e.: sexy and attractive. Come again? So women cannot orgasm because they don’t fancy themselves? Is that what he was saying? Surely if this argument is to hold any water it’s more likely to be the fact that their men are no longer sexy and attractive.
He was unpleasantly bitchy about Dr Gillian McKeith saying that she lived in a “witchy” mansion in Hampstead (a bit of envy there methinks). Now it’s true that she doesn’t have a proper Phd, her science may be dodgy and she is obsessed with people’s poo. But does Dr Goldacre believe that encouraging people to eat more vegetables is a bad thing? That having a quick look in the toilet bowl after you go is not a good idea? The message she delivers is a good one ultimately.
Ben Goldacre compares the fuss about ‘big pharma’ (the commercialism of the legal drugs industry) with ‘big quacka’ (the commercialism of selling unnecessary health supplements).
Judging from Ben Goldacre’s unhealthy pallor perhaps he doesn’t eat many vegetables, nuts and seeds. I do agree that Patrick Holford (of Optimum Nutrition) et al’s emphasis on taking dietary supplements and vitamins is ridiculous. If you have a balanced nutritious diet, you shouldn’t need vitamins. 
However I have read Patrick Holford’s books on Optimum Nutrition and in many ways they make a lot of sense. Equally Linus Pauling’s research (another of Goldacre’s victims) of Vitamin C is of interest. 
As for homeopathy,  Lynne McTaggart of What the Doctors don’t tell you likens homeopathy to quantum physics in her book The Field. She is also cautious about vaccinations. Ben Goldacre denounced the MMR scare as the biggest scam of the last 100 years. 
I confronted Ben Goldacre in the interval. To be honest I was fuming. He said that he used to live in a council flat in Kentish Town with his girlfriend who had just left him. He said that most people in Kentish Town were white and working class and had a short life expectancy. I lived in Kentish Town for 15 years. Most of the houses there are worth well over a million pounds. Kentish Town is full of middle class professionals with the odd council estate. 
I said to him bitchily: “No wonder your girlfriend left you, you are so horribly sexist. Plus, just because you lived in a council flat doesn’t mean that everybody does.”
I also asked if he had children which of course he didn’t. Because that would change everything. He might actually become a fully rounded human being. 
It’s amazing that when you have a child with a health problem and G.P’s (who are not terribly bright or imaginative for the most part) keep giving you the same allopathic drugs which don’t work, you find yourself turning to homeopathy. Which does work. Especially on children and animals. I don’t know how, but it does.
Also when I came back from Malawi with a tropical disease, noone at Guy’s hospital could diagnose it. My homeopath diagnosed it within seconds as Bilharzia. Which was eventually confirmed, weeks later, by tests. My homeopath, the brilliant and sensible Carole Ingram, will tell me when I need normal allopathic medecine.(2) 
Then, losing it slightly, I told him he was a wanker and that all of his audience were idiots with beards.
Just then a voice piped up:” You mean us?”.
I turned around and saw a row of bearded men of varying heights (like something out of Snow White and the 7 dwarves) lining up to get a signed copy of Ben’s book. 
Feeling angry and frustrated, I stole a copy of his book.
Next it was the Q & A session. One woman put her hand up: “Ben, you don’t like humanities students. But we aren’t all idiots.”
Ben Goldacre replied: “Humanities students, sorry let me rephrase that, fuckwit humanities students….(pause for massive laugh, oh what a wag!) are fine unless they start writing about scientific or medical subjects which they know absolutely nothing about.”
Afterwards I went up to him and again asked why were you so rude to that woman. He said that she was a friend of his and that she didn’t mind. He then turned his back on me. I confessed guiltily to a friend that I had stolen the book. The friend said “Hmm, bad karma”
I immediately returned it to Ben Goldacre. After all, I wouldn’t want that would I?
(1) What is it about Oxbridge types? They really do think they are God’s gift don’t they? Just because they are good at sums or whatever. 
(2) Ben Goldacre also attacked homeopaths for giving homeopathic remedies as opposed to anti-malarial drugs, saying that they put people’s lives at risk. The homeopaths I have seen have all been cautious about homeopathic remedies for this purpose. However anti-malarials can often mask symptoms, delaying diagnosis. I know one woman that has had long term health problems from taking Larium (similar to Gulf war syndrome). I never took anti-malarials; chloroquine interferes with my eyesight. I packed a supply of chloroquine in case of infection (the treatment they give you anyway). Old Africa hands don’t take anti-malarials either, they recommend covering up, using nets, prevention rather than cure.

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Comments

  1. Ben Emlyn-Jones

    September 16, 2008 at 5:09 pm

    "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" lol!!! You certainly livened up proceedings there, ML. Most of them were asking for it actually! It was good we met that other bloke later on with a more open mind. It just goes to show that SitP is not only for Skeppers.

    (Sorry I had to leave before the end, but I had to get up at 5AM this morning! Shit, I'm knackered now!)

    Reply
  2. Ben Emlyn-Jones

    September 16, 2008 at 5:44 pm

    But I should point out that not all Skeptics are like that. I've met many nice people at SitP, people I respect.

    Reply
  3. corbin

    September 17, 2008 at 1:39 pm

    glad to see you leave your mind open,
    to let the good ideas in and the bad ideas out .
    skepticism is good. closed minded academia anemia, kinda pointless.
    I to tire of the herd mentality "if I didn't learn it in school it must not be true" .
    Copernicus anyone?

    Reply
  4. Ben Emlyn-Jones

    September 17, 2008 at 2:36 pm

    Corbin, I think that Goldacre may be handicapped by knowing TOO much, not too little! If you learn too intensively and exclusively on a particular subject, in his case medicine, then you don't have the time or mental space to approach the subject as an outsider, with the insights that a fresh pair or eyes who've learnt something of different subjects can bring. It was only when physics and navigation got together that the force of gravity made sense. This was because navigators knew that the Earth was a sphere from their obserevations of the night's sky at sea, but not how a spherical Earth could work with no force to keep everything on the ground! But add the physical theory of gravity and the model makes sense.

    Reply
  5. Steve Rolles

    September 17, 2008 at 8:04 pm

    I think thats pretty harsh. You say hes a sexist and then make a number of disparaging remarks about his appearance, and your fellow audience members.

    if you actually read what he says about sexual dysfunction hes not denying it exists, rather that the pharma industry has re-conceptualised it in a way to market drug based cures – and actually its a bit more complicated that that.

    similarly with Holford and McKeith he's perfectly happy to acknowledge the message of sensible diet and only takes issue with the bullshit science and fake scientific authority they use to market themselves with. read the relevant articles – its easy go to his blog and do a search.

    he also acknowledges homeopathy works, but disputes both the mode of action and the way they try to claim scientific authority without submitting themselves to scrutiny. try reading the chapter in the book you stole.

    I could go on, but it sounds like you had made your mind up before hand, and listened about as much as you've bothered to read. Bit of a shame really.

    Reply
  6. marmitelover@mac.com

    September 17, 2008 at 8:27 pm

    Thanks for your comment. I can honestly say I knew nothing about Ben Goldacre, had never heard of him before I attended the event. He may have very good points which may have been better expressed in the book. (As you know I returned it.) But his efforts to be amusing, unsuccessful in my opinion, meant that the valid concerns he had, ended up overlooked. In fact perhaps you had to be a fan already to enjoy his talk.
    You do have a point however about my remarks regarding the audience. Trouble is, when there is an atmosphere of scoring easy points it can be catching!
    The only time he impressed me was when he spoke movingly about the South African presidents attitude to HIV.

    Reply
  7. Ben Emlyn-Jones

    September 18, 2008 at 2:27 pm

    Steve, Goldacre has every right to his mission and his work, although it lacks scope, contains a lot of technical truth. The problem was that he made some jokes that seemed designed to antagonize and upset some people who's only sin is being a particular gender and age. If most of his audience find this funny, then fine. We're all entitled to our likes and dislikes. But others who are upset by his remarks also have the right to express their feeling to him. I imagine ML is not the first person who's ever done so. In fact I assumed Goldacre was fairly used to being acosted in this manner!

    Reply
  8. caroline

    September 18, 2008 at 2:37 pm

    another storming post from our correspondent in the field ms ml… by the way a friend of mine took Larium as she was travelling far a field … and she completely collapsed… had to be flown back to the UK under medical supervision and her health has never recovered… she won't take as much as an aspirin nowadays (she is a trained nurse incidentally) see you soon
    xcx

    Reply
  9. Ben Emlyn-Jones

    September 18, 2008 at 2:50 pm

    Caroline, I had hayfever as a kid and was put on steroids. But I could only take them for a week. When I came off them my mum tried me on local honeycomb and it did the trick! I'm sure it's been "shown to be ineffective in a scientific trial", but trust your own judgement! It worked for me, and as long as it kept working I kept using it!

    Reply
  10. marmitelover@mac.com

    September 18, 2008 at 3:19 pm

    Yes, I get hayfever now. I keep meaning to buy some local honey, from Regents Park, from a beekeeper who lives near me.
    A spoonful a day is supposed to help. It's the same principle as vaccinations or homeopathy. A diluted dose of what ails you, immunises you.

    Reply
  11. Lauren in London

    September 19, 2008 at 1:24 pm

    Hmm, sounds like Goldacre was an arrogant prat. I've always enjoyed his Guardian column and I'm definitely on board with his Gillian McKeith hatred – not because I think her supposed aim of wanting people to eat more healthily is evil, but because (as Goldacre sets out here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/feb/12/advertising.food) she sucks vulnerable people into believing her advice is based on scientifically proven facts, which it often is not. (Although watch out – he makes another sweepingly general comment about Kentish Town in that article!)

    And she does this in a deliberately dishonest way by pretending to have qualifications and expertise that she doesn't actually have, so people will find her more credible. Presumably so people will buy her books, and companies will employ her to host TV shows and endorse their products. It would be different if she'd portrayed herself as Mother Gillian using back to basics recipes, and made it clear when she was stating an opinion or unproven fact – rather than pretending to be a highly-qualified, trustworthy expert in all matters nutritional. After reading that article I felt sorry for all those poor people she humiliates on television who didn't know what a fraud she is.

    Too bad Goldacre had to undermine his message by alienating half the audience. He obviously makes enough money preaching to the converted, while they all sit there and snigger disdainfully at people with "arts" backgrounds.

    Reply
  12. Lauren in London

    September 19, 2008 at 2:53 pm

    Sorry that URL was wrong: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/feb/12/advertising.food should do a bit better!

    Reply
  13. Jack of Kent

    September 19, 2008 at 3:21 pm

    As, I hope, one of who Ben calls one of "many nice people at SitP, people I respect", I would like to chip in.

    (BTW, good to see you there, Ben – sorry the crush meant we could't chat more.)

    From my subjective point of view, Ben Goldacre did not come across as arrogant and nor were half the audience alienated.

    Instead, he was self-deprecating and ironic. He put himself down more than anyone. Even his comment about humanities graduates was (in my view) to make himself sound bad. And I am an arts graduate and an ex-humanities teacher. (And so, unlike him, I would NEVER use the verb "to narrative". (Oh dear, Ben Goldacre, stick to sciences.)

    He even called me and my current profession (law) scumbags (a lot worse than witchy, I think, but I've heard at lot worse). It was possibly the single harshest term of abuse he used. But, in the context it was very funny. The other lawyers thought so too.

    You see, context is everything.

    I only post this as a corrective to the above. I was an eye-witness to the same event and my impressions are different to those which Lauren took from the other posts.

    Reply
  14. marmitelover@mac.com

    September 19, 2008 at 10:22 pm

    Thanks for your input Jack.

    ATB
    Ms Marmite Lover

    Reply
  15. Ben Emlyn-Jones

    September 20, 2008 at 7:47 am

    Hi Jack. Of course you're one of those people. It was good to see you there too. They certainly good have done with a bit more room that night. Maybe we should book the Albert Hall for Goldacre's next lecture.

    Lauren, I remember Gillian McKeith well on TV. She did sound a bit like a hospital waiting room poster! "You're going to DIE if you do that!" etc. She also gained her medical qualifications by filling in a form for her cat! But, as is often the case, it's the mediocre who rise to the top of the pole and get the fame and fortune. There are less-renowned people out there who are a lot more impressive.

    Reply
  16. Anonymous

    June 26, 2009 at 1:36 am

    "Corbin, I think that Goldacre may be handicapped by knowing TOO much, not too little!"

    That's a fairly dumb thing to say. How can knowing too much be a thing?

    "It was only when physics and navigation got together that the force of gravity made sense. This was because navigators knew that the Earth was a sphere from their obserevations of the night's sky at sea, but not how a spherical Earth could work with no force to keep everything on the ground! But add the physical theory of gravity and the model makes sense."

    You have no understanding of science whatsoever. People have ALWAYS known that gravity exists, that's blatantly obvious, just try jumping, but it took people like Newton and Einstein to describe how it works. The fact that the Earth is a sphere (not discovered by navigators, but by, guess what, scientists) was perfectly understandable, because people knew gravity existed. Newton didn't just go "Oh by the way, no-one realised, but gravity exists", he came up with a formula for how gravity works (inverse square law etc), and also that it was the same force that held the moon in the sky. Oh and even if your absurd history of science were true, how would gravity explaining the sphericity of the Earth mean that "the force of gravity made sense"? It would be the sphericity of the Earth that made sense if that were the case!

    "When I came off them my mum tried me on local honeycomb and it did the trick! I'm sure it's been "shown to be ineffective in a scientific trial", but trust your own judgement! It worked for me, and as long as it kept working I kept using it!"

    Placebo effect, and regression to the mean. Look them up.

    "It's the same principle as vaccinations or homeopathy. A diluted dose of what ails you, immunises you."

    You mean like how uranium cures radiation poisoning?

    By the way, that's not how vaccination works.

    And in homeopathy, there is no dose of what ails you. Because you dilute it until there's no chance whatsoever (this is just elementary maths) that a single particle of the substance is in the dose. You're taking pure water!

    (By the way, water has no "memory")

    Reply
  17. Anonymous

    June 26, 2009 at 1:37 am

    "As for homeopathy, Lynne McTaggart of What the Doctors don't tell you likens homeopathy to quantum physics in her book The Field."

    As someone who studies physics, she has no idea about quantum physics at all. Comparing homeopathy to it is making Richard Feynman turn in his grave.

    "She is also cautious about vaccinations. Ben Goldacre denounced the MMR scare as the biggest scam of the last 100 years."

    She's not cautious. She's virulently opposed to them. And the MMR scare was a huge lie perpetrated by the media and people like her. The fact he disagrees with your opinion doesn't make him wrong. You should google "cognitive bias" to see what your problem is here.

    "Old Africa hands don't take anti-malarials either, they recommend covering up, using nets, prevention rather than cure."

    Yeah, and part of the problem is that: 1. Old Africa hands haven't been educated in science for the most part 2. Homeopathics don't recommend even what the old hands recommend. Real doctors do.

    Something else you should look up is cognitive dissonance. How on earth can you reconcile the statement "Unfortunately he also felt the necessity to pick on easy targets, say nasty sexist things and generally be arrogant and unpleasant." with "What is it about Oxbridge types? They really do think they are God's gift don't they? Just because they are good at sums or whatever."

    If you want to attack generalizations and similar remarks by Goldacre, it would help if you didn't do the same.

    "you find yourself turning to homeopathy. Which does work. Especially on children and animals. I don't know how, but it does."

    Oh well that's settled then. Never mind all the science debunking homeopathy, it just works. We should just take your word for it. (By the way, diagnosing a disease is not homeopathy. It would be like saying a car mechanic making a sandwich is doing engineering when he makes that sandwich).

    So we should just take your word for it. Someone who tries to steal a book. And only gives it back when their friend makes them feel guilty. Someone who attacks the character of Goldacre, who, whenever I have seen him on tv, or read his work, does not come across like the caricature you draw here. Someone who perpetuates nonsense like homeopathy and anti-MMR rhetoric. Tell me: why should we take your word for it, when your word doesn't seem that good to start with?

    Reply
  18. Term Papers

    May 15, 2010 at 6:20 am

    I have been visiting various blogs for my term papers writing research. I have found your blog to be quite useful. Keep updating your blog with valuable information… Regards

    Reply
  19. Anonymous

    September 29, 2010 at 9:39 am

    I always inspired by you, your thoughts and attitude, again, thanks for this nice post.

    – Murk

    Reply

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MsMarmiteLover aka Kerstin Rodgers.

Chef, photographer, author, journalist, blogger. Pioneer of the supperclub movement.

This is my food and travel blog, with recipes, reviews and travel stories. I also stray into politics, feminism, gardening.

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Kerstin Rodgers/MsMarmiteLover
Got the sewing machine out last night and hemmed t Got the sewing machine out last night and hemmed the top of these toile de jouie curtains in my summer house shed. The days are lengthening a little which brightens up my mood. Self care= trying to get up and washed. Trying to leave the house once a day. Keeping my hands busy. Finding small ways to be creative. #coronaloner #sewingmachine #curtains #shedsofinstagram #sheshed #springiscoming #supperclub #stayingsane #selfcare #lockdown3
Pasta aglio olio. I’m turning into a vampire. I Pasta aglio olio. I’m turning into a vampire. I get up later and later every day. I’m living in a twilight world- dim skies, getting nothing done. Next week it’s my birthday and every year I’m at my lowest ebb just before my birthday. Lockdown on your own is tough. My motivation, my mojo has disappeared. #lockdown3 #coronaloner #pastadinner #nofilter #january2021 #januarychallenge #selfemployedwomen #single #aquarius #0degrees
On the heath on Sunday. Must. Walk. More. #coronal On the heath on Sunday. Must. Walk. More. #coronaloner
Tonight’s lockdown dinner with my bubble. Proper Tonight’s lockdown dinner with my bubble. Proper pesto alla genovese with trofie, small boiled salad potatoes, steamed green beans (good tip: steam the beans in a colander plopped on top of the potatoes or pasta), good quality pesto sauce ( mine from local microbakery @seansloaf ), good olive oil (@pomoragoodfood), torn fresh basil, a few pine nuts. This turns this student dish into a balanced meal of carbs, veg and a little protein.  It’s cold outside, I’ve lit the fire. Covid rages in Kilburn high road in north west london. The rate is 1 in 30 london wide but I feel it’s higher in this poor inner london area. We have a high BAME population who are particularly vulnerable. It’s a little bit anarchic on my high street: cars perched on kerbs waiting for hijabi women, braving pound shops and Aldi . We are all covered up now. In winter masks keep your face warm, but you have a choice between safety and being able to see. I’ve not managed to prevent the inevitable steaming up of my glasses when wearing a mask. Nothing works.  #january #londonwinter #pestopasta #pestoallagenovese #vegetarian #pasta #trofie #supperclub #covid_19 #lockdownlife #lockdown3 #bubblegang
Galette des Rois, made yesterday in 12th night. Mi Galette des Rois, made yesterday in 12th night. Minus Crown and king as I cannot find either. This one is made with Tonka bean. Plus homemade puff pastry (well worth the effort). According to ike delorenzo at The Atlantic:  The tonka bean, a flat, wrinkled legume from South America with an outsize flavor that the US government has declared illegal. Nonetheless, it proliferates on elite American menus. The tiniest shavings erupt in a Broceliande of transporting, mystical aromas.
The taste of the tonka bean is linked strongly to its scent. "Scents," I should say, as the tonka bean has many at once. I register the aromas of vanilla, cherry, almond, and something spicy—a bit like cinnamon. When served cold—say, in tonka bean ice cream—the taste is like a vanilla caramel with dark honey. When warm, perhaps shaved over scallops, it moves toward spiced vanilla. Additionally, the aroma of the tonka bean shavings (it's almost always shaved) is so affecting that it seems like an actual taste in the way that opium, which has no taste in the traditional sense, "tastes" like its rich, flowery smoke.  Here is the recipe: 

Tonka bean galette des rois

Serves 8
Ingredients
* 140 g caster sugar
* 125 g salted butter, softened
* 100 g ground almonds
* 2 eggs, medium
* 1 tonka bean, grated
* 2 packs ready made butter puff pastry on a roll
* 1 yolk for brushing the pastry
Instructions
* Preheat your oven to 200c.

* Blend the butter with the sugar then add the almonds. Make sure it’s well mixed. Add in the 2 eggs one at a time, then add the tonka bean.

* If using a block: divide the puff pastry into two and roll out to 5mm thick. 
* Make two circles about 15 cm’s each in diameter. Lay one circle on a silicone mat/parchment paper on a baking tray and fill with the almond cream leaving a 3 cm border around the edge. 
* Paint the border with the egg yolk. Then lay the other circle on top, sealing the edges with a fork. 
* You could then carve designs into the top. Make a little slit in the middle to let steam escape then brush the top with the egg yolk
Mapo tofu is probably my favourite Sichuan dish. T Mapo tofu is probably my favourite Sichuan dish. This is a vegan version. ***

Ingredients:
- 400 g box of soft tofu not silken
- 5 soaked dried shiitake mushrooms, diced, keep water
- 1 red bell pepper, finely sliced
- 400 g fresh shiitake mushroom, sliced thinly
- 400 ml vegetable stock
- 1 thumb fresh ginger, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 4 tbsps groundnut or vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp fermented bean paste
- 1 or 2 small red chillies, minced or a spoonful of Chinese chilli paste
- 1 tsp heaped sichuan peppercorns, finely ground
- 2 tbsps soy or tamari sauce
- 2 tbsp cornflour in 3 tbsps water, mixed into a slurry
- 4 spring onions, finely sliced
- large pinch fresh coriander leaves

Prepare the tofu by cutting it into one inch cubes and soaking it in hot but not boiling salted water. Drain after 15 minutes.
Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms, covering them in boiling water. Leave until soft, then dice the mushrooms. Retain the mushroom soaking water and add to the vegetable stock water.
Prepare the other ingredients so they are ready to stir-fry: red bell pepper, fresh mushrooms, ginger, garlic.

Using a wok or deep frying pan, add the oil and heat to frying temperature. Add the bell peppers,fry for a couple of minutes, then add fermented bean paste, chilli paste or chillies, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sichuan pepper.
Add the mushroom/vegetable broth and simmer on high for a couple of minutes.
Carefully add the cubes of tofu, taking care not to break them too much.
Add the cornflour slurry, stirring for a couple of minutes.
Serve with rice or noodles, garnishing with spring onions or chives and or coriander leaves.  #veganuary #mapotofu #sichuanfood #tofu  #shitakemushrooms #supperclub #londonchef #msmarmitelover #ham&highcolumn #eatplants #lockdown3 #selfisolation #coronaloner #cooking #recipe #cookingfromscratch
Macaroni cheese with odds and sods from the Christ Macaroni cheese with odds and sods from the Christmas leftover cheese board. I’ve used @paxtonscheese truffled brillat-savarin and a mystery hard cheese that’s lost its label. Plus cream and topped it with samphire fried in butter. Haven’t bothered with making a roux- this is the lockdown lazy version.  #lockdownlazy #lockdown3 #supperclub #macandcheese #macaronicheese #truffledcheese #leftovers #leftovercheeseboard #londonlockdown #breakfast #coronaloner
Another thing the Japanese are brilliant at is san Another thing the Japanese are brilliant at is sandwiches. They use the softest, whitest, fluffiest bread. Their mayonnaise kewpie is gorgeous I don’t know why. Perhaps someone here can explain? Here I’ve used sourdough as it’s what I have; kosho which is a Yuzu citrus and green chilli condiment and the aforesaid kewpie Mayo to make an egg 🥚 sandwich.  I’m not a big egg fan but I suddenly had the urge. Also I’ve noticed when I eat eggs it satiates my hunger for hours. All that protein.  #sandwich #sandwiches #japanesesandwich #kewpiemayo #kosho #eggsandwich #sourdough #supperclub #cookingforone #solo #londonlife #lockdownlondon #recipe #snack #sundaysnack #sando
Agedashi tofu for New Year’s Day. With a vegan d Agedashi tofu for New Year’s Day. With a vegan dashi stock, it’s perfect for veganuary. How to make dashi: put a piece of kombu seaweed in water. Soak for half an hour then simmer for half an hour (don’t let it boil). Then mix 2 cups of dashi with 2 tbsps of mirin and 2 of soy sauce.  For the tofu: press soft tofu with weights for half an hour, then cut into cubes. Dust all over with cornflour.  Then deep fry the tofu cubes in 180C veg oil until they float. Set aside to drain, then place say 3 cubes in small bowl. Pour the sauce around and top with spring onion and daikon and togarashi 7 spice.  #easypeasyvegan #veganuary #agedashitofu #tofu #japaneseveganrecipe #newyearsday #freshstart #supperclub #londonsupperclub #msmarmitelover #visforvegan #recipe
Writing about tofu which I think has an unfair rep Writing about tofu which I think has an unfair reputation in this country. It’s so flexible and is a brilliant flavour sponge. Here I’m preparing my soft tofu for a Japanese dish: agedashi tofu. I first pressed it in a clean tea towel with a weight on top to firm it up a bit but not too much. Then I dusted it with cornflour and I will deep fry it in oil. Then I will serve it in a broth of dashi/mirin and tamari sauce, sprinkled with finely chopped spring onions and togarashi pepper from Japan. I would usually add some finely mandolined daikon radish but couldn’t find any. It’s a subtle dish of texture: soft yet crispy. After Christmas I’m desperate for light zingy fresh flavoured food. #supperclub #tofu #vegan #vegetarian #agedashitofu #newyearsday #cookingagain #lunch #asian #japanesefood
Happy new year from my bubble to yours! Keep holdi Happy new year from my bubble to yours! Keep holding on...
#happynewyear #happynewyear2021 #supperclub #hootenanny
Some of my Christmas food 🥘 lots of veg includi Some of my Christmas food 🥘 lots of veg including mashed swede with cheese and butter. I put pomegranate seeds with my sprouts, and cooked my carrots in marmalade ( worked v well), the mushroom wreath fell apart as I was transferring it to a tray 😤, roast potatoes and parsnips, then a cheese spread with fruit nuts, quince cheese (homemade), Chocs @lindtuk 😍 @guylian_uk @disaronno_official @baileysofficial @taylorsportwine and Brazil nuts. Plus a pavlova wreath ready to be topped with whipped cream and persimmons. 
#christmasdinner #vegetarianchristmas #vegetarianchristmasdinner #supperclub #londonchristmas #liqueurs #christmasspread #grazing #cheeseboard #port #pavlova
Christmas has started! Home-cured smoked beetroot Christmas has started!  Home-cured smoked beetroot and aquavit salmon with homemade blinis, creme fraiche, dill, Prosecco.  The fire is lit 🔥, the tree is up, 🎄the presents 🎁 are wrapped, we have a #brexit deal- a Christmas miracle. Peace and harmony. #christmas #christmasinengland #homemade #christmaseve #blinis #smokedsalmon #prosecco🍾 #londonchristmas
Done some doorscaping, the latest trend in Christm Done some doorscaping, the latest trend in Christmas decorating. It might also cheer up passersby. #christmas #christmasdecor #doorscaping #doorsofinstagram #londonchristmas #doorwreath #doordecor #doorsoftheworld #doordecoration #exteriors #london #supperclub #covidchristmas
Look at my gorgeous Nordic pine Christmas tree 🎄 from @pinesandneedles with some family ornaments and beautiful foodie ornaments from @gisela_graham  it’s 7 foot high and no drop. My parents brought over the candle lights. I’ve also used paper ornaments (apples and pears cut from maps) from @dionne_leonard which I first commissioned for a supper club.  #christmas #christmastree #christmasdecor #foodiedecorations #glassbaubles #supperclub #christmasinlondon
More #fbmarketplacefinds I find meeting the seller More #fbmarketplacefinds I find meeting the sellers interesting. It’s often about moving on whether through death, a change of circumstances, moving country, loss of a job. Today I visited a gorgeously renovated Edwardian house where the owners, an antique dealer & a master decorator had died with 18 months of each other of cancer.  The sister was there emptying the house, an incredibly painful experience. The husband who died was an expert in putting up lincrusta wallpaper which I’ve pictured here. All that craftsmanship and knowledge lost now.  The piece I got on Sunday, the teal chinoiserie cabinet, was from a Spanish guy returning to Spain. He’d lost his job as a hotel manager, the hotel, a big one, has now closed. The marble coffee table and arepas grill was from a Spanish couple who’d had a restaurant here for 40 years. They are now returning to Spain. Other slides: green Edwardian fireplace tiles, William Morris wallpaper, 2 small scalloped coffee tables, a knife and fork cutlery hook set.  A fireplace for my bedroom if I can find someone to put it in. #lockdownstories #covidstories #movingon #decor #interiors #bargains #secondhandstyle #edwardianstyle #williammorris #tiles #wallpaper #scallopededge #teal #chinoiserie #whitemarble #vintage #kitchenalia #supperclubrefurb #london #lincrustawallpaper
Another #fbmarketplace find £30. I can’t afford Another #fbmarketplace find £30. I can’t afford proper chinoiserie so I make do with fakes. The gradual doing up of my flat proceeds apace. Need to start on main bedroom. Looking for a storage ottoman (velvet?) bench to turn into a horizontal filing cabinet.  Any ideas? Above is a map of london based on the A to Z map which a minicab office was tossing out. Remember when we all carried mini A to Z books in our handbags? Before google maps? #nocrushedvelvet #chinoiserie #supperclubrefurb #londonapartment #londonflat #norfweezy #decor #organising #storage #interiors
My new/old rise and fall light over the dining tab My new/old rise and fall light over the dining table. Found for £50 on #fbmarketplace  but originally from @thefrenchhouse.net_ one of my favourite shops. Every day, a little more progress. #supperclubrefurb #supperclub #londonflat #interiors #lighting #riseandfalllights #lightingisimportant #frenchstyle #vintagestyle #rusticstyle #turquoise #diningtabledecor
Two vegetarian meal kits, laksa and ramen, from @k Two vegetarian meal kits, laksa and ramen, from @kit.eats.uk. Took only a couple of minutes to cook(see stories) and very good. I’m trying a few meal kits of late to see how hospitality has adapted to the great reset. As a cook I’ve always thought why would I need these but now I get it: it’s like going to a restaurant- the pleasure of food prepared by someone else. Getting jolted off of your normal repertoire, so it’s teaching cooking too.  #mealkits #vegetarian #homecooked #hospitality #covid #takeawayfood #foodpackaging #laksa #ramen #supperclubchef
Still working on my glass cupboard. I’ve hung up Still working on my glass cupboard. I’ve hung up all my wine bottle openers and cork screws. My favourite is the zigzag bottom left. If you find them at a flea market in France, if you are lucky you may get it for around 35 euros.  #supperclub #londonflat #londoninteriors #corkscrews #frenchkitchenalia #zigzag #tirebouchon #oakcupboard #diy #diyprojects
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