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Restaurants

December 29, 2008 10 Comments Filed Under: Uncategorized

Browsing some food blogs this morning I feel, um I can only describe it as, seethingly jealous. Why? These bloggers seem to be irritatingly rich, able to dine at fine restaurants every week. 

One of the main reasons I want a boyfriend/husband/partner/solvent shag is so that they can take me to good restaurants. I can’t afford them myself, being a basically broke single mum.
Like buying sexy underwear it would practically be a present to themselves, taking me to good restaurants, because I would go straight home and try to recreate what we had eaten. 
So…any offers?
Mind you I’ve gone up about 3 sizes during Christmas, to the point that my tights will no longer stay up, rolling inexorably downwards over my bulging tummy throughout the day ending up somewhere around my crotch. So, if you don’t mind me yanking my tights up throughout the meal, I’m game.
Otherwise let’s face it, I’m never going to be able to eat at El Bulli, The Fat Duck, Claridges, Nobu and the rest. A deprived palate…maybe I should start a tonguesinneed appeal.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lizzie

    December 29, 2008 at 2:06 pm

    Get a job in the media! But then you’d get to go to nice restaurants and then have to spend the meal talking work. Ah, to be rich.

    Reply
  2. Anonymous

    December 29, 2008 at 2:28 pm

    aah mon cheri
    your tights
    bunched up around ankles
    the best food warming
    the center of your being
    delicious afterglow
    of a meal well enjoyed
    wile tantalizing thoughts
    of love’s playful game
    dance joyfully through our minds
    our bodies blissfully entwined

    Reply
  3. Anonymous

    December 29, 2008 at 3:31 pm

    I think you’ve pulled….

    xcx

    Reply
  4. marmitelover

    December 29, 2008 at 3:35 pm

    Lizzie, alas I am over 40 and therefore clearly too decrepit to get a job in the media. But happy to chat about anything in order to get a decent dinner.
    Anonymous: this could be called ‘Ode to Nora Batty’ who recently died. A lovely freeform poem, fair warms the cockles…

    Reply
  5. Me

    December 30, 2008 at 8:05 pm

    Ha! The irony of life, I booked Nobu for my wifes birthday and she found out and asked me to cancel as she did not like Japanese! I am sending a zap of good vibes so that you do get to go to the fabbest place to eat this year SEVERAL TIMES! Join my cosmic ordering group as it does work and my life is living proof. 40’s are the best time in life, I’m having a blast and you will too or I will eat my crystal ball!
    M x

    Reply
  6. marmitelover

    December 30, 2008 at 8:12 pm

    Michele and there was me assuming you were a girl! Are you French then?
    Can I be your wife for the day? (This would have to include a trip to Nobu of course).

    Reply
  7. marmitelover

    December 30, 2008 at 8:22 pm

    Whoops blushes, you are a girl.
    Can I still be your wife for a day?

    Reply
  8. Canal Explorer

    December 31, 2008 at 12:04 am

    I’ll take you out for dinner!

    X

    Reply
  9. marmitelover

    December 31, 2008 at 12:12 am

    ah Ms Canal X, you are so sweet.
    x

    Reply
  10. Anonymous

    January 4, 2009 at 11:29 pm

    I haven't ventured to many high end restaurants. In my time in London, working in publishing, the salaries never afforded anything extravagant. I am working on it though, as I really want to experience these places.

    I do think that London offers the most wonderful cheap & cheerfuls though, and I love these dearly. This is where you swill find me quaffing reasonable wine and chomping down rustic dishes.

    As for El Bulli, well, one can only hope!

    Niamh

    Reply

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MsMarmiteLover aka Kerstin Rodgers.

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

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Instagram post 2189276090585638215_28574231 Aranzata, a sardinian Christmas treat went down well at last nights supperclub - there are none left! Candied orange peel but candied with honey rather than sugar, mixed with almonds and a little wild fennel.  Recipe:  Peel off the orange peel of an orange, taking care to eliminate any of the white pith. Place in a pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Do this 4 times, discarding the water each time. Then dry the peel on a tea towel. Put back in the pan and cover with honey. Add peeled almonds finely chopped lengthways. Simmer and stir until the honey is absorbed into the peel. Take a rubber/plastic chocolate mould and press in a teaspoon of the mixture in each hole. Leave to set and cool. Unmould the little pucks of pleasure. I added some candied fennel seeds that I got from @souschefuk , ground them up and scattered over the top. Serve at the end of the meal with coffee.  #sardinianrecipes #suppervlub #christmas #christmassweets #orangesweets #honey #travelrecipes #recipesfromitaly #recipesfromabroad #msmarmitelover #supperclubchef #theundergroundrestaurant #london #inspiredbysardinia
Instagram post 2188551047903786506_28574231 Torta de Santiago, the finished recipe. I will be serving it tonight at my Sardinian supperclub - it isn’t Sardinian but Galician but this is turning into a sardo-Galician fusion event! Recipe up soon on the blog. #gluten-free #cake #msmarmitelover #supperclub #caminodesantiago #travelrecipes #galicia #sardinia #igfood #inspiredbytravel
Instagram post 2186581155877038874_28574231 Made a torta de Santiago today, inspired by doing the Camino de Santiago. It’s gluten-free, made with almonds rather than flour. I ate this as part of the ‘pilgrims menu’ all along the trail. They were vastly different in quality- often rather dry and dull. The best I had in actual Santiago de compostella, made ‘casera’ Spanish for home-made. It was sticky and rich. Equal proportions eggs, almond meal and caster sugar, with a pinch of salt, cinnamon and orange zest. I bought the traditional metal crosses at a hardware store in Santiago, one of my favourite lurking places when travelling. I will place one on top of the tart and powder the top with icing sugar, leaving an imprint of the cross. I bought this yellow bowl, a Galician craft, at a shop in Santiago.
#travel #baking #msmarmitelover #santiagodecompostela #caminoway #walking #hiking #dessert #spanishrecipes #spanishdessert #galicianrecipes #glutenfree @caminoways
Instagram post 2183492230186882117_28574231 Horse drawn carriage in Vienna known as a ‘fiaker’. The drivers are famous for being particularly grumpy which is a Viennese quality. It’s about 50 euros a ride. This is the second time I’ve visited Vienna, and I think it’s one of my favourite cities. The architecture, the coffee houses, the dirndl dresses, the art of Klimt and shiele. Right now I’m on a river cruise on the blue Danube with @amawaterways from Vienna to Budapest. This is a double wide luxury cruise. You can see the golden trees of autumn lining the banks and beaches. The ship sways in the night, you hear the waves lap against the sides (I always keep the door open to hear the night). Today we arrive in Budapest. I have to admit this is a night respite after my arduous Camino walk. Still behind on notes and blogposts and recipes from my travels but I love to be perpetually on the move. Bruce Chatwin says the natural state of a human being is to be nomadic. I rather agree. #traveller #igtravel #bluedanube #rivercruise #easterneurope #danube #vienna #msmarmitelover #foodietraveller #sachertorte recipe coming up on my return #horses #austria
Instagram post 2181973256383167209_28574231 Follow the yellow arrow and the shell. Arrival at #santiagodecompostela ‘st James of the field of stars’ 💫 after doing the pilgrims Camino - 130 kms walking. It’s taken me several days to get over it physically but I feel immersed in autumn and ‘forest bathed’. All my thoughts, photos and adventures coming up on the blog soon. I definitely recommend doing this. But my advice is: even if it’s raining and you aren’t thirsty, drink water. First rule of catering is, if you’re feet are sore, you aren’t drinking enough- I ignored this. Buy waterproof lightweight boots for cold weather but keep them loose as your feet expand as you walk. Buy anti blister socks- yes that’s a thing. Wear 2 pairs of socks: one thin merino wool or anti blister and one thick merino wool. Buy a rain cape which will cover your bag and camera. Train before you go- not just on flat but on hills- much of the Camino is hilly. Take toilet paper or wet wipes. Take a spare pair knickers. Take a walking stick or buy one there . Most things you need you can buy on the Camino. Take a strong bag on a string or a fanny pack for easy access to pilgrims passport for stamps; water; phone/camera. Stretch before and after. Keep to your own pace- sometimes it feels like a competition but it isn’t- we all have our own rythym and pace- when you arrive at the cathedral it doesn’t matter how long it took you to get there- you did it. Don’t rush- if you get injured your Camino is finished. #walkthisway #followtheshell #caminodesantiago #msmarmitelover #msmarmite #hiking #Spain #pilgrimage #santiagodecompostella #theway #fitness #pace #selfcare #travel #blogger #igtravel
Instagram post 2178475417149561889_28574231 We made it! Hemos llegado! #santiagodecompostella #pilgrims #knackered #camino #cava #msmarmitelover #msmarmite #sisters
Instagram post 2177561799364984754_28574231 Not gonna lie, this has been physically very tough. As my sister says ‘ we are from an indoors family from an indoors country’. Yesterday I did the longest day yet- officially 18km- but I did 35,000 steps! I’m small so I have a small step. So I converted steps into km and I did 27 km. that’s what it felt like. My legs throbbed all night, I had to take paracetamol to get to sleep. Have I had any life changing thoughts? Or spiritual revelations? Not a one. Well, maybe one which is I must get fitter. I mustn’t stop after this pilgrimage. I must get my health in order. Being freelance and working mostly on my own, it’s had to give myself time to look after myself. To assign time for fitness. Being freelance means never ending guilt about not searching for work. Never having stress free time off, as you don’t get paid holidays, sick pay or paid during national holidays such as Christmas. There is always a certain level of low key stress. Of keeping your self esteem up when you aren’t earning. The envy of others getting lauded for work you have pioneered. But I love my freedom! My opportunities to be creative. #thoughts #freelance #caminodesantiago #hiking #fitness #pilgrimage #spain #galicia #supperclub #rain
Instagram post 2175408625380307897_28574231 I was going to blog every day but the truth is I’m too knackered. I’m doing insta stories and my diary. Day 6. We are only doing about 14 km a day but it’s hard. I’m hobbling by the end. It’s the whole consecutiveness that is so punishing to the body. Oh to be young again. The youngsters are pounding through 30-40 km a day. We get up have coffee and don’t rest for 6 hours. We arrive around 3pm and have a massive drunken menu del dia with jugs of vino tinto. Then I fall asleep. Then I wake up for a bit and charge everything up, make notes, edit pix and sort out outfit for tomorrow. Which is basically the same everyday. I did wash a lot of knickers in the shower today as I was running low. So weather: raining all day. Puts the grim into pilgrim. But I am loving this. Thanks @caminoways #pushingyourself #msmarmitelover #msmarmite #caminodesantiago #caminofrances #camino #walking #pilgrimage #spain #galicia #greedypilgrim #stjames #followtheshell
Instagram post 2173661800793301108_28574231 Persimon and pumpkin soup, recipe up on the blog now. Msmarmitelover.com the great thing about doing the #caminodesantiago in #November is that the trail isn’t crowded, the weather is cool, and you see #pumpkinpatches everywhere which are always like something out of a #fairytale. Here they serve sopa de Galicia which is always prepared with meat stock, usually chicken. I so want soup on the Camino. When I get home I’m going to devise a #vegetarian #galiciansoup #buencamino #recipe #soup #pumpkin #squash #fall #autumnvibes🍁 #autumnfood #foodietraveller #greedypilgrim @caminoways @spanishpersimon #traveller #hiker #walker
Instagram post 2172857478425645569_28574231 The Camino to Santiago. While November isn’t the most popular month, and there is certainly rain, the landscape, the nature and colours of the countryside are so vibrant it’s like being on an acid trip. Nature at its most vivid: acorns with their fairy cups, bronze oak leaves and rusty ferns, mushrooms frilly with gills, apples 🍎 on the bough tumbling into sky blue rivulets, giant pumpkins in a patch, moss covered walls, dolmens and menhirs, rooves covered with slate like fish scales, lichen and donkeys, horses, spiney umbrellas like an opened coquille de St Jacques, cows called Luna. I did 14 km today my first day and that was enough. I fell asleep in front of the fire at the #albergue this is a #presstrip with @caminoways #galicia #greedypilgrim #caminodesantiago #msmarmitelover @advantagesofage @imogen_rodgers_1 #autumn #spain #walking #hiking #travel #contemplation #pushingyourself
Instagram post 2169866030516446893_28574231 Persimon Pani puri recipe up on the blog Msmarmitelover.com a street food which includes a flavour spectrum- sour, sweet, salty, hot, spicy, refreshing, crunchy, wet and dry, fruity and carby. Making the Puri from scratch took a couple of goes to get right but actually isn’t hard. #supperclub #msmarmitelover #msmarmite #spanishpersimon #vegetarian #vegan #recipe #chaat #streetfood #indiansnacks #canape #diwali
Instagram post 2169277948175951209_28574231 Overlooking the river at #vallaro in piedmont. Nearby was #sacroMonte, a hilltop religious monument with 45 chapels, each containing strange plaster statues of animals and saints, 800 of them.
Instagram post 2167511482116167199_28574231 Persimon fruit leather (the easiest EVER as it has so much pectin- just purée it, add sweetness spread on a silpat and in cool oven for a few hours), rolled into a pinwheel with bergamot zest and mint and goats cheese, a delicious canapé. This was served at last nights #persimon #supperclub for #Halloween on behalf of @spanishpersimon . Next week I’m going to Valencia to visit the farm.  #msmarmitelover #msmarmite #singleingredientmenus #fruit #vegetarian #canapé #christmascanapes #canapeideas
Instagram post 2166825702523830758_28574231 I’ve been working with persimon fruit for the last 3 weeks, pushing the envelope with what we can do with persimons other than just eat them like apples. And guess what? I still like them, I’m not bored. They are a wonderful autumn winter seasonal fruit. They are also really good for you. #VitC #fibre #5aday, #potassium #iron #calcium #betacarotene #vitA #7aday #manganese #B6 #supperclub #halloween #fruit
Instagram post 2166106717029345626_28574231 The creamy interior of a baked Camembert offset by persimons from Spain. This is the cheese course from my Halloween supperclub for @spanishpersimon this Thursday. #supperclub #persimmon #persimon #sharonfruit #kaki #cheese #camembert #bakedcheese #halloween #spanishfruit #igfood #autumnvibes🍁
Instagram post 2165411211139548124_28574231 Persimon bread, adapted from a recipe by @davidlebovitz. I used fresh persimon pulp and dried persimons with walnuts and @southafricanraisins now I have to decide whether to serve it as canapés, topped with goats cheese and fresh persimon or with the cheese course. 🤔#supperclub #halloween #spanishpersimon #fallfood #autumnvibes🍁 #food #travelandfood #spanishingredients #recipes #vegetarian #desserts #bread #fruitbread
Instagram post 2164809413936743946_28574231 Hazelnut risotto using carnaroli rice from @magicolucedio from piedmont. I used Piedmontese white wine as well as hot vegetable stock, use a moscato or arneis. Keep stirring for 18 minutes until creamy with a kernel of al dente rice. When I visited piedmont, I ate 4 risottos in 3 days! It’s grown in this region, being similar to a sushi type rice- round- rather than long. It’s beautiful stuff- ivory and pure- and I didn’t want to add any colour other than a few local hazelnuts, pecorino and nut oil such as walnut or hazelnut. Warming food for cold rainy autumn days. #supperclub #rice #risotto #hazelnuts #northernitaly🇮🇹 #visitpiemonte #foodandtravel #vegetarianrecipes #igfood #vegetarianfoodporn #regionsofitaly #femalechef
Instagram post 2163915113036239687_28574231 Cinnamon, pistachio and persimon pudding. Persimmon pudding is a southern dish but I added a touch of the Middle East. It’s so easy to make: remove stalks of fruit then blend. Add a cup of flour, a cup of sugar, 50g butter, spices, pinch of baking soda and bake in the oven for 45 minutes at 180c. #persimon #persimmon #kaki #sharon #recipetesting #supperclub #halloween #spanishfruit #winterfruit #seasonalcooking #baking #dessert #foodblogger #chef
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