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P and O cruise tips: life and death at sea.

April 24, 2018 7 Comments Filed Under: Travel, Uncategorized

Off on a cruise! Msmarmitelover. Britannia, P and O cruise ship. pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover
 Britannia, P and O cruise ship. pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover

It’s perhaps a myth that the word ‘posh’ comes from having a cabin Port Out, Starboard Home (meaning you are always on the shady side, a plus when going to India) but I’m feeling very spoilt on this P and O culinary cruise. My cabin is on A deck, level 15 at the top of the ship and it has a balcony.

Britannia is the largest ship in the fleet with nearly 4,000 passengers and 1,300 staff. The average age of people on this ship is 75, most are couples. Being with older people has the positive effect of making you feel very youthful. During the summer and school holidays, there are more families.

The ship itself is beautiful, gleaming white, its prow slashed with the blue and red of the Union Jack.  You feel a swell of British pride when emerging from it at ports. 
lifeboats.  Britannia, P and O cruise ship. pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover
On the first day, some of the crew were showing passengers how sailors used to navigate, using the stars, maps and sextants. Today they use computers but in case of an emergency they still need to know the old fashioned way. 
I was shown the emergency supplies in case the ship sunk: around 250ml of water in plastic bubble packs of 5oml and a dense tasteless shortbread, for each passenger.

The passenger lifeboats have a hard shell roof, they can turn over in rough seas and are self-righting. 

‘I bet that leads to quite a bit of vomiting,’ I suggested to the seaman. 

‘We give everyone a sea sickness pill as they enter,’ he chuckled.

The crew use a normal open rubber dingy. 
On my cruise, eight people were removed for reasons of ill health. I think some of them died, although this was kept hush-hush. Every cruise ship has a morgue for this reason and seeing the age of the passengers, this makes sense. There is also a mini-hospital on board with an X Ray machine, doctors and nurses.

One night I was woken by the sound of a helicopter, a ‘medivac’ on the roof. For one thrilling but dreadful moment, I thought somebody had gone overboard. Search lights were scanning the waves. Several times the ship had to change course to deliver sick passengers to the nearest port.
Painting the ship when it's docked.  Britannia, P and O cruise ship. pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover

Tips

This is an all-inclusive holiday, and prices are very reasonable, between £700 and £1,000 per person for 14 days. However you do have to pay extra for alcohol, spa, excursions, internet access, the special restaurants, soft drink, coffee and ice cream packages.

  • Bring small magnets. Your cabin is made of metal, so you can use the magnets to hang up notices and the daily ‘newspaper’.
  • Pack for all weathers. My cruise ranged from windy, wet and rocky, necessitating sweaters and raincoats to bikini weather.
  • Bring sparkly formal wear. There were four ‘Black Tie’ evenings and people really make an effort.
  • Bring books, kindle, HDMI cord for the TV. There is a library and a variety of films in your cabin however.
  • If tasty food is important to you, bring your own condiments such as hot sauce, Malden’s salt.
  • In the cabin there are tea bags, but if you have a particular favourite, bring it. Likewise good coffee; I bought my own in Madeira, our first stop, plus a portable coffee filter and saved the milk from breakfast.
  • You are allowed to bring one litre of alcohol or a bottle of wine on board at the beginning. After that, if you buy alcohol on stops, it will be taken from you and stored on board till the last day of your trip.
  • Bring mineral water with you on board and at stops. You can buy water on the boat too.
  • Breakfast in bed is free. There’s nothing nicer than eating croissants on your balcony. (I also saved the orange juice from my breakfast in the cabin fridge for an aperitif.)
  • Take a lanyard for your cruise card, which will get constantly lost. Also don’t put it next to your phone, it will stop working.
  • People also bought large plastic clothes pegs for their deckchair towels. If it’s good weather, you need to do like the Germans and save your place with your towel.

Cabin and Staterooms

The twin cabin is the size of a large caravan, with a powerful shower and incredibly comfortable beds, a kettle and a fridge. Best of all is the balcony. There’s nothing like sipping on coffee while sat in the sunshine, watching the ocean. When leaving Madeira, we even saw dolphins skipping in the waves.

Down on deck 5, there is the Atrium which has a crystal waterfall chandelier, stretching up three decks. Below the Captain is addressing everyone on Black Tie Night.

The Captain speaking. The Atrium.  Britannia, P and O cruise ship. pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover

Food

Every cruise is terrified of the dreaded Norovirus. You are encouraged to wash your hands frequently and use a paper towel to open toilet doors.

To cook on a ship this size for this many people is no easy task. There are no open flames, containers are metal as they aren’t breakable and jugs, saucepans, fryers must not be overfilled – imagine if it’s a rough crossing! (They even empty the swimming pools on the top deck when the sea is stormy. Otherwise the water just sloshes out.)

Out of almost 200 chefs on board, there are only 3 or 4 women, and they are in the pastry section. 

‘It’s too rough for them,’ justified one chef. ‘It’s really long hours, hot, cramped and you have to lift heavy pans.’

The last night of the cruise, all the chefs and waiters did a kind of victory parade, while the diners applauded, it was very sweet.

Parade of chefs. Britannia, P and O cruise ship. pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover
Britannia has two restaurants on lower decks with silver service sittings at 6.30 and 8.30pm and the open-all-hours buffet on the top deck. I choose ‘freedom dining’ option, which means I don’t have a fixed sitting and can dine where I want.
You have to control yourself at the buffet. I tried to prevent myself from doing the typical, try a little bit of everything, but mostly failed. In the end I just ate huge piles of salad and compensated with a carb offload of pudding. I’d generally eat around five desserts a day. 

Meals and the buffet are often themed: Italian night, Asian flavours, etc. 

One chef explained that the food is cooked for the average British (and elderly) palate, so not too much salt or spice. In the Indian restaurant, Sindhu, you can request more authentic spicing. 

‘The customers may want more spicy food,’ opined the wise Maitre d’, ‘but their stomachs think differently.’

The menu, designed by executive chef Atul Kochar, was a nice change from the usual restaurants on board.
Another paying restaurant, The Epicurean, recreates the glamorous cruising years of the 1930s; cream furnishings, white linens, fine glassware and crockery, with attentive service. 

The food here is of a gourmet standard, with a wine list chosen by TV wine guru Olly Smith. Definitely worth booking here for an occasion. We also had afternoon tea, designed by Eric Lanlard.

Staff

Most of the ship crew is Indian or Philipino: the Indians are soft-spoken while the Philippinos are smiley and almost overly attentive. In the dining room, you have the choice of eating alone or sharing a table with others, a bit like a supper club.

Staff frequently expressed surprise that I was on my own (apart from the few days I spent with my sister who joined in Madeira and left from Lisbon). I preferred to be on my own, eating while reading a book, which I love. I like some solitude when I’m travelling. Waiters would whisper the title of my book as they passed, I’d hear snatches like:

‘Jon Ronson.’ 

Then, approaching me: ‘This book, what is it about?’ 

‘It’s a book by Jon Ronson, a book of short stories.’ 

‘Ah yes I’ve heard of him,’ the waiter said.

I sort of didn’t believe him. Is Ronson big in India?

You are expected to tip the cabin steward and this is added to your bill. There is no cash on board, you have a ‘cruise card’, which is logged with your credit card. 

Our cabin steward or butler, Sujit, appeared to live in the corridor. Every time we emerged from the cabin, he’d spring from behind his trolley, waving hello. Mind, at the end of the trip, when I asked him to help me carry my voluminous baggage, 50 yards to the lifts, he snapped ‘Sorry madam, I’m very busy’. Oh well.

Black Tie Night..  Britannia, P and O cruise ship. pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover

Dress

I packed a nautical wardrobe. I soon realised, so did everyone else. Stripes everywhere.

A Facebook friend advised, when she found out I was going on a cruise:

‘Take sequins. Lots of sequins.’

I saw what she meant on the first Black Tie Night. Those oldsters certainly know how to put on a show: the men looked so handsome in crisp white shirts with pleated fronts, bow ties, dinner jackets, all elderly James Bonds. The women had their hair blow dried, folded into chignons, teased and flicked; the jewels were out on display, earrings, rings, necklaces even armbands of diamonds; satin heels and glinting dresses, silk clutch bags. Pashminas came into their own. I felt underdressed.

Entertainment

Deck quoits.  Britannia, P and O cruise ship. pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmiteloverQuoits.  Britannia, P and O cruise ship. pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover

All of landlubbing life is recreated on board: nightly theatre, pubs, casinos, quizzes, workshops ‘make your own corsage’, talks ‘nutritional eating’, gym and stretch classes. 

Cruise ship entertainment often doesn’t have a very good reputation but the point is, there is lots of it. I saw the ventriloquist who, I’ll be frank, I didn’t quite ‘get’. The audience, however, were (literally) pissing themselves. I glanced around bewildered at the uproarious laughter.

I missed Sam Bailey, X Factor winner, which I regret. It’s the sort of thing I’d never pay for on land so I should have made the effort. I heard good things about the ‘Barry from Eastenders’ set. 

I ended up not attending 11am line dancing but went to watch the nightly ballroom dancing. Very impressive, a whole culture by itself.

I’m more of a quiz person and participated most nights in the syndicate quiz, which got quite heated at some points. Ferocious players all.

Deck ‘quoits’ is a traditional game on long cruises, in which players throw coils of rope. I also enjoyed hanging out in the library wing-tipped armchairs on rainy days. This lies next to the ‘crow’s nest’ bar at the fore of the ship, where people would spend all day looking at the horizon, the hynoptic lure of the sea. 

I joined the choir, pictured below, at their final performance.
The blue bar.  Britannia, P and O cruise ship. pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover

storm across the Bay of Biscay.  Britannia, P and O cruise ship. pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover

The Ocean

sunrise.  Britannia, P and O cruise ship. pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover
The best thing during this cruise was of course the ocean itself, which I could see from my cabin balcony. I’d even get up frequently in the night just to see what was happening past the balcony: was the sea rough? Did it have creamy meringue peaks? Was it turquoise and shiny flat? Was it foggy and choppy? 
A cruise is a chance to view a pleasurably relentless succession of sunrises and sunsets, each as individual as a person’s face. I slept with the door open, rocking in my bed, breathing in the mineral air, the salt, the smell of the Atlantic.

It’s never boring: the sea, a liquid epidermis wrapped around this knobbly rock, the Earth, held in place by gravity.

sunset.  Britannia, P and O cruise ship. pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover

I was invited by P and O cruises for a 14 night cruise to Madeira, the Canary Islands, Lisbon, from Southampton. 

telescope in the crows nest.   Britannia, P and O cruise ship. pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover

In my next posts, I will discuss each island stop and my day with Eric Lanlard.

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Previous Post: « Lent and Easter Cypriot style
Next Post: Island hopping with P and O cruises: Madeira »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Pille

    April 24, 2018 at 6:58 pm

    I've never been on a cruise, but once the kids are somewhat older, I'm tempted to try 🙂
    Thank you for an entertaining overview, looking forward to your destinations posts!

    Reply
    • Kerstin Rodgers aka MsMarmiteLover

      April 25, 2018 at 7:13 am

      Thanks Pille. There were a few families with very young children. I went on a short cruise when my daughter was young, and both of us loved it. There is a kids club and lots of activities. It'd be an actual holiday for you.

      Reply
  2. Alison Cross

    April 25, 2018 at 7:46 am

    Can't wait to read the daily destination posts! <3

    Reply
    • Kerstin Rodgers aka MsMarmiteLover

      April 26, 2018 at 7:46 pm

      Thanks Alison x

      Reply
  3. Cate Lawrence

    May 12, 2018 at 4:58 pm

    oh gosh it looks like my worst nightmare – although it would be worse if it was full of children hehe

    Reply

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    January 15, 2019 at 9:28 am

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    January 13, 2020 at 3:34 pm

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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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msmarmitelover

Kerstin Rodgers/MsMarmiteLover
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
My best food, drink and cook books 2020. Winter Wa My best food, drink and cook books 2020. Winter Warmers by @ginandcrumpets; Cook, eat, repeat by @nigellalawson; Red Sands by @edentravels; Scoff by @penvogler; Sunmer Kitchens by @oliahercules; Oats in the North, Wheat in the South and The Downton Abbey Christmas Cookbook by @missfoodwise; Carpathia by @irina.r.georgescu; Jikoni by @cookinboots; Home Cookery Year by @5oclockapron; A Foodie Afloat by @dimurrell. All incredibly talented women, chefs, cooks, travellers, writers. Some are also artists and photographers and boozers. We have so much to be proud of in the UK food and drink scene. #womenwriters #cookbooks #foodbooks #lockdownwriters #puretalent #christmasbooks #christmasgifts #bookreviews #hamandhigh #msmarmiteloverblog #writing #cooking #travelling
Supper on Saturday night with my bubble. A b’sti Supper on Saturday night with my bubble. A b’stilla pie of potato, feta, pine nuts, sultanas soaked in sherry and ras el hanout. Butter or oil the dish, add 3 leaves of filo or brik, buttered in between. Tip in your filling. Fold up the sides. Brush on melted butter. Sprinkle poppy seeds. Cover with foil. Bake at 180c for half an hour, removing the foil for the last 10 minutes. Siege over some icing sugar with a tea strainer. Done and dusted(literally). #weekendsupper #b’stilla #bastilla  #pie #middleeasternfood #vegetarian #ovenready🔥 #supperclubchef #Novemberfood #lockdown2 #bubbledinner
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