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Italy

Learning to sail in Porto Rafael, Sardinia

The pastel shades of Bosa, Sardinia

Discovering Sardinia and Alghero

Summer in the Alps, Val Gardena plus recipe for apple fritters

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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

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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

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We made it! Hemos llegado! #santiagodecompostella #pilgrims #knackered #camino #cava #msmarmitelover #msmarmite #sisters

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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🍁

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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

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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

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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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I’ve never liked tiramisu. (I’m not really a fan of trifle either). But I thought I’d have a go on the understanding that homemade dishes always taste better. And so it proved. I used #camporelli biscuits and @neptune_rum. @visit_piemonte #tiramisu #savoiardi #pudding #dessert #italiandesserts #italiantrifle #homecooking #supperclub #fridgedesserts #nocookdesserts #coffee

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Working with @spanishpersimon testing recipes. Here are stuffed baked persimons ( yes one m) from #Spain. Also known as Sharon/kaki fruit although I think persimon is prettier, like a girls name. I suppose Sharon is a girls name too but kaki would not be a nice name. They are stuffed with bulghar wheat, preserved lemons, pine nuts, and feta and @southafricanraisins for my #Halloween #supperclub. Next public supperclub is the Sardinian night on nov 30th. Hurry! #supperclub #persimons #vegetarian #recipe #eattherainbow #fruit #baked #ovenbaked #recipedevelopment #foodphotography #enamelware

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Wet cold rain and what you want is buttery steamed pudding- in this case a blackberry and liquorice flavoured one. I used a 24 size #puddingbowl , #vintage @masoncashuk bowl. I steamed it yesterday for 2 1/2 hours. Today I microwaved a piece and it tasted light, warm and moist. Inspired by @littlecotehouse #recipe on the blog https://msmarmitelover.com/2019/10/a-weekend-at-little-cote-house-wiltshire.html #supperclub #autumn #autumnalfood #steamedpuddings #britishfood #blackberry #liquorice #homecooking #comfortfood #englishfood #pudding

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This shape of pasta-cavatelloni- like a pea pod- and flavoured green with cime de rapa, a typical Italian vegetable, is from #basilicata region in #Italy. Such a pretty shape. I’ve paired it with garden peas, shallots, garlic, white wine and #pecorino from #Sardinia. #pasta #italianfood #italianregionalfood #supperclub #lunch #igfood #food #travellingfoodie #vegetarian #sardinia

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The rather handsome @giacomobassi, a sardinian writer who lives in Barcelona, who wrote the Lonely Planet guide to piedmont in Italy. I’ve just spent 3 days in Novara, val Sesse , varallo, ghemme, vercelli and surrounding areas looking at abbeys and eating risotto. The food culture in Piedmont is quite different from the rest of Italy: they grow rice and are the biggest consumers of it. They invented Nutella, using local hazelnuts. They make Gorgonzola, both ‘sweet’ and ‘piccante’, a luscious creamy blue cheese, eat biscotini di Novara, or camporelli, light sponge fingers, every single day, regard white truffles as a necessity rather than a luxury. Their wine - Nebbiolo and Barolo- is excellent. The towns are subtly painted in 18th century colours- ordered by the local government- pale yellow, dusky rose, chartreuse green. You can see sacro Monte, a haunting hillside topped with 45 chapels filled with eery religious and animal statues. Churches embossed with interior frescos in wine dark colours by leonardo da Vinci contemporary gaudenzio Ferrari. This part of Italy isn’t very touristic, but it is laden with interest, beauty and history and of course good food and wine. All in all I suggest: @visit_piemonte! #presstrip #northernitaly #piedmont #risotto #nutella #wine #food #supperclub #hotdudes #sardinianmen #abbeys #religiousarchitecture #igtravel #iphoneography #nofilter #portraits #lonelyplanet #travelphotography #travel #travelpics #travelblogger #foodstagram

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The great persimmon cook-off begins. It’s also known as Sharon/kaki or in the case of Spanish persimon with one ‘m’. Going to make fruit ‘cheese’ like membrillo, and hope they will dry out by Halloween, but the season is late so I’ve started late. Will spend the day standing over my copper pot stirring & trying not to get splattered by boiling hot sticky fruit glue. #homecook #supperclub #persimon #persimmons #sharon #kaki #fruitcheese #homecooking #copperpot #aga

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