I have just realised - I'm starting to spend my leave for cooking.

It's reminded me of a quiz on a food magazine that R kindly subscribed me to - though I'm finding very little time to read and tag recipes these days - let alone time enough to try out a year's worth (and a bit) of recipes. And I'm talking about the ones I find interesting - I'm not even going to attempt wondering how much time it would take me to go through every recipe in each magazine for the entire 12 months of subscriptions (and a few more really, from the adhoc purchases I have made of them)

Anyway. There's a long weekend coming up - that happens to be CNYE too - and I decided that I would do some cooking for some family friends. Coincidentally R is also away - which means I can roll out the seafood bonanza without too much fear that I have to ensure that there is something that R can and will try. So needless to say - I decided this a month in advance, I have begun planning in my head already what the courses will be... where I could possibly get the produce... and also of course, made sure I have ample enough prep time, which is why I have the friday off - and then tacked on the tuesday as well to give the cook recovery time... but also time to dream about what should be a rather nice lunch.

I'm dreaming about the food already. And what will be on the next menu. 

But, not only have I done all of the above - I have also just done a trial run of the entree tonight. No trial run of either the main or the dessert is necessary (though considering i'll be prepping on Fri - it'll give me a good indication of what I should tweak) because they have been tried and true recipes I can whip up pretty confidently.

And because I have started to develop a rather fond love of cellar doors - I am also starting to become my own sommlier... dreaming about the types of wines that would go wonderfully with the meal - wondering if I have anything suitable stocked in my wardrobe-cellar, and wondering if I should request byo wines so I can expand my cellar.... and because I know sometimes my palate when it comes to wine is not always the same as others.

Incase anyone is remotely interested - here's the rather italian menu:

Oregano dusted Gamberetti (a la Giusseppi Arnaldo)
Lemony Crab Linguine with White Wine and Tomatoes
Pannacotta with vanilla raspberries

I think I'm slowly becoming a food tragic (see quiz).
So maybe cooking's being replaced jnstead of writing....

edit: note - I just did the above quiz online and I scored 137. Oh dear.

So there is more than one post - there may be a series... but I haven't quite decided yet.

I suppose it depends how long I can sit here for before I get too restless.

Apart from my lake house update - what else has been happening?

1) Work: I worked from home all week this week - things are busy and then not at the same time... it got busy, but it's back to being a bit quiet, and I'm thinking that I should enjoy it because it doesn't last long here! It doesn't help that I'm in an work area that consists of three people, including the manager! Hopefully we'll get a few more people around. I spent most of the last month working with consultants - and while it was great, and I think I'll miss working with them, at the same time I was a little put out that I was doing a lot of work for them - a lot of work that they will profit from and recycle... even though it's not suppose to happen. I expected a lot from them... and I was surprised. It was great to work with people who were a lot closer in my age - I worked really closely with T, one of the consultants - so it was nice to have someone to talk stuff to... work, boys, food. Not that I couldn't do so with the manager or the other person I work for - but it's different. They're in different places to me. Plus, it's just nice to have someone to tease and giggle with.

This leads me into a paragraph about journeys. There have been a few things cropping up regarding moving on from this job - it's not that I don't like where I am... it's more like T said to me: "You're like me, you're restless... you're always looking". And I guess I am. And maybe that's my life goal - to actually try and be still for awhile (this reminds me of a fanfic - Butterfly, Kate?) ... I did start pilates... does that help? Anyway, I'll get back to that one in a bit. So there has been a few things that have cropped up - bellskno that have called (can I be any more ambiguous?) ... and so far, things are still in motion. Or rather, maybe I'm not ready to go yet - so things are at a pause. I dunno. I haven't reconciled if I believe in fate, and one's destiny and all that - but I'm really starting to believe that well, the journey where I am is not quite over. My gut tells me it'll be sooner than I think - but hmm. Not quite yet. Hence why things haven't clicked into place for all the otehr opportunities just quite yet.  I was a bit superstitious about saying anything out loud (maybe lj doesn't count?) but I am starting to believe it's more this than anything. Still, it doesn't stop me searching.

And, sad as it is to say it, I'm always searching. It's not that I'm particularly unhappy, or discontent, or anything - I just can't help myself! I take great satisfaction in the fact that I was lead along this path in the industry I am in for material reasons - and yet, I find myself right back in the path I wanted to be in... writing. Now, it's not the writing I would rather do, but, it's amusing at the same time. See, sometimes you can't escape destiny. (God, did I just type that out loud???) R says I stress too much - and yeah, I worry. I can't help it. Second nature? I know it's not particularly conducive to being healthy - anyone knows I am, lately, quite under the weather. I blame the location. I was never sick up the other end of town. I think stressed environments are down where I am.  I am doing pilates - in a bid to learn how to stop and actually breathe. I find I forget to breathe sometimes... then wonder why I've suddenly gotten huffy and puffy. I hope this is amusing as opposed to concerned - don't worry, my brain does give me a kick up the butt when I forget. =)  I amuse myself... anyway.

I think I'm rambling.

2) I got myself some new toys! I retired Granpa and got a new laptop whom I have officially named walle. He kinda bleeps like him... well it was him or R2D2... and I am getting very close to changing his tones so he does sound like R2D2 - but I think I've just been watching too much star wars. Walle has a bin, and a hard drive... and a drive that is called Recover Walle - if he ever gets sick of dies on me.
My other new toy is a Canon 40D Digital SLR. It's new and fandangled and I wanted him for awhile - after I saw some of the amazing pictures that it can take from another blog. My dad was going overseas - so we were looking up whether it was worth him getting it - and I stumbled across this discount photography store - and it just so happened that T was a bit of a photography nut - so I could grill her about whether the camera was good or not. And I played with her camera (and P's - thanks!!!) , different model, same make - hers is smaller... but it sealed the deal, and it's here... and there are so many buttons and fancy things on it - I think I can't do the Gen Y thing and wing it - I think I actually have to read the damn manual. Of course, there isn't a disk in the camera - so I have to wait for R to get me one at the shops before I can do some real playing.  But now we have a decent camera, and I can go take pictures of Thai elephants!
Oh, and ok, maybe some "Us" pictures in Thailand - after all, I guess it's not every day you go overseas.
I can't wait to get a macro lens. But for now, I will play with my little lens and get my photography skills up to scratch. I'm quite pleased with my purchase - this camera will grow with me, and I reckon all I'll do is over time, invest in better lenses and get more disk space. Oh, and get myself a good camera bag to keep all my gear in.

3) Thailand, thailand. It seems all we have done is TALK about thailand - we booked it so long ago, that it seems surreal that it's only 12 days away - 9 working days (we're taking Friday off to pack and be all organised). I did some summer shopping on the weekend because I had a look at my dismal summer wardrobe and decided I needed an upgrade. Plus, the things you can wear in summer here - don't necessarily compute for 30 degrees with 98% humidity. Bleerrrgh. Why am I going to Thailand again? I was born in a country with that kind of weather -  I escaped and came here, where it's nice and cold. Ah well. We're in a beach resort - I'll spend most of my days in the water there, and it'll be fine.

I hope.

4) I got myself all organised! I am now the proud owner of a lovely wine rack. My cellar is in the bottom of my wardrobe... but I had been slowly but surely collecting wine bottles, and I figured it was about time I got myself a rack... and it was a good thing that R suggested I get the 24 instead of the 12 bottle - coz when I got home, I had a good chuckle at myself when I actually unearthed all the bottles of wine - to the tune of... "ohh... that's why that wine label looked so familiar in the store - it's coz I went to the winery and got myself a bottle!" I also got myself a magazine rack to keep all the lovely Gourmet Traveller magazines that R got me a subscription to and I have been happily chewing my way through. Though I have to say, I am a bit distressed - I have a ritual of talking post-it tags and noting all the recipes that I want to try or sound yum... and the magazines keep coming... and the tabs keep sticking and I'm finding there aren't enough hours in the day, nor days in the week, nor weeks in the month, nor months in the year to try them all out!

5) Other than that, I've been slowly reading through my book list - I'm averaging about a book a week, which R is rather impressed at, and I'm rather disappointed in myself at... I've been known to chew through a book in a day and a half (and sometimes less - depending on how easy it is) but I've been finding it hard to read lately. I've finished Atonement and Lolita and I've started on Anna Karenina, which I think I'll like best out of what I have read so far.

Why can't we (or I) work from home? 

There will be some of us who will say that they can't work from home... but I'm one of those who can. 

I've long lost all home of actually getting a sleep in - sleep ins for me now a days seems to be awake before nine.  But that's okay, coz I can get up, make myself a cup of tea, and for breakfast... a bacon and egg sandwich, with a naughty later of melted cheese. Yum. 

Pop a load of laundry in the fridge - get a second cup of tea... and then off to the shops to pick up some groceries. 

Now okay, you're wondering where the working part of WFH is. 

I get home from the shops and it's off for solid 3-4 hours of work... and then lunch and a cooking marathon. =P 
At this point, I am already ahead of schedule of all the things I need to get done today. I'm still researching, so it's a topic every two days (or three, depending) so I've already by this time completed my topic, and will start the reading and a bit of drafting of another topic in preparation for Monday (it has to be completed by Tuesday). 

So the cooking marathon:
Bolognese in preparation for trying out lasagna tomorrow and also for lunch in the week. 
Garlic prawns which are waiting for me to throw some fresh diced tomatoes, passata (tomato sauce) and pasta into it... or on its own with a bottle of bubbly, I can't decide (though I DID make the tomato sauce...). 
Raspberries soaked in vanilla de madagascar (liquer) with white chocolate lemon marscapone cream....  which I kinda made up, and am kinda pleased with. The cream is a bit on the cloying side from the white chocolate... but I think will be great with the tart raspberries.  and I may serve it with a mille-feuille "cracker"... However, verdict is still out whether it makes it into my "special" recipe book.
Triple chocolate hazelnut brownies... which I just rescued out of the oven! 

Oh. And apart from going to the shops - I spent most of today in my jim-jams!
Off to read about cloud computing now. I'll work pretty solidly till around 5-6 this evening, I reckon. 
It's nice to be home.

... tarte tatin pans.

they make yummy apple pie - something which I've been wanting to try - and they also make good pommes anna - which is a kind of potato pancake, just layers of thin potato seasoned with pepper and salt - the starch is what holds it all together.  I tried it the other night, with a little addition of cheese and bacon in the middle using a cake tin. It was yum - but a little too crisp as the pan was too deep and also it didn't turn out because of this. =(

so here's a good site
http://www.strategium.co.uk/tatin.html

 and here's apparently a good maker of the pans
http://www.alansilverwood.co.uk/id43.html

I had to google them to get a proper visual of what a tatin pan SHOULD look like.  I like the mini ones.

If anyone has seen them - let me know. I am sure there are variations out there of cake pans and tart pans which may look similar, but they have to be robust enough to sit on a stove - as sugar and butter needs to be caramelised before being put into the oven. I agree that Hard Anodised pans are the best (as with the above site) but I have heard that cast iron could also be used, or even a shallow fry pan - as long as the fry pan can be put into the oven.

Ah well, here's hoping I find it soon. =)

... chocolate souffle.


Woe betides me if it doesn't rise above my desired expectations - like scones.

But. I will attempt it, when I get the chance and obtain some cream of tartare.

I haven't been able to find a good singular souffle recipe though - I suspect that you aren't meant to indulge in just one.... most recipes makes for six, and while most recipes it is easily adaptable, I find a lot of trouble with eggs in sweet recipes. I do have one in my book that I will probably likely attempt - though I did have a look on the internet to see if I could find a small recipe and thus easily (egg-wise anyway) to half again to make 1-2 which is also cited from a cook/show I know.

This one makes two
http://www.cookingforengineers.com/recipe/160/Dark-Chocolate-Souffle
and is the most promising... given that I can half everything and thus make a tester. =)

Though, do give me a yell if you happen across a recipe in your cookbooks.
I'm a bit snobby that way, about my recipes.

I'm curious as to whether it will taste anything like soft-centered chocolate pudding I make, just perhaps more airy? I haven't actually had souffle before.

I was planning an "all nighter" of work - but I realised that I have to return a library book.

I wouldn't... but the next time I'm back at work is in the new year, so I figure I better. =S

Ah well. I'll do some work on the train - it's mostly reading... and maybe I'll figure out the X'mas dinner I'm suppose to be making and do some shopping for that.

Still.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

This was not what I had planned! I don't want to go into the city. I wanted to sleep in! I don't want to go to work!
Grrr!

Tis my fault - I was all up-ended with my crazy week and I'm all out of sorts still from it all.

Grrrrrrrr.

I'm having a nice day off, so far.

Though I'm wondering if my fatigue has anything to do with my hair loss. I don't think I've been sleeping very well lately. I haven't really kept track of the number of times that I've woken up in the middle of the night, but suffice to say I don't think I've had a continuous sleep for a week and a bit now.

I probably should have taken a nap today instead of ignoring my tiredness - but I'm really afraid that I'll be awake and then I won't be able to sleep tonight and I end up back to the same dilemma I started out with.

Not to mention that I think I have a gigantic knot brewing in my right shoulder and travelling towards my neck.
I took a lovely lavender bubble bath with lots of bubbles - and am hoping that will ease.
But I am seriously contemplating going in for a massage this week.
Maybe Thursday.
I've been feeling uneasy and headachy and woozy the last couple of days and I'm pretty sure it's due to this knot. Attempts to try and work it out so far have not been successful. :(

I also had to go for a blood test today. There's a nice bruise brewing on my arm. I went to the doctors to, amongst other things, get my hair loss figured out and she sent me off to get a blood test to check my thyroid function. She also suggested changing shampoos.
I'm starting off with a baby one - as recommended, but any one know of a good shampoo? Preferably using natural stuff as possible, without breaking the bank? I knew I should've bought some lavender shampoo at the farm!

Off to the hairdressers in a weekend or two - so that should have all my bases covered, right?

I hope my hair's not thinning. *sniff*

Apart from that R and I went shopping for another cooking implement - a pasta roll-y machine. I made some pasta on the weekend, and making some noodles for dinner. :D

Working on R to get me an ice cream machine next.

After that, I think I'm set in my kitchen.
For now anyway.
I could do with a cuisinart and a mixer that sits on it's own... but I can make do with my little hand held one.
For now....

Does anyone know what a chocolate truffle should taste/feel like?
(am hopeful you will know K, considering you have an idea of what a 'dodgy' truffle is)

I found myself thinking as I was making these little chocolate balls... poking a finger in and giving it the obligatory chef's test of approval, that all I really had to go on was the taste and flavour of it... I didn't know what it was meant to be like texture wise, or what it should feel like, because I have never had a chocolate truffle before!

I assume it's meant to be a little firm - so you can pick it up, but rather soft and moist and melt-in-your-mouth?

I confess, I ruined the first batch - lucky that I only made a small amount. I was ready to weep but I think I would have bawled if I had done a full batch. They turned out okay though, even though the chocolate seized - I managed to form them into the desired shape... they just have bits of chocolate in it because it all didn't melt in time.

I was ready to give in - but I thought I'd try it again with a slightly bigger amount and I was going to do it to the latter.  I made sure that the chocolate was very very very small - to the point where I was grating it in with a fruit peeler.  Messy business, considering that this is good chocolate and good chocolate melts as soon as it touches your hands. The life of a cook - you get to lick the bowl, spoon and fingers. :op This time it worked to perfection. I suspect the first batch will end up in little tummies before they reach being boxed.

Of course, in hindsight - there are things called food processors, which would chop up chocolate very well - and without the effort.
Not as fun though. No licking involved.

... and I'm liking LJ a lot.

:O

I can go to putting in an entry without having first to type in LJ.com and logging in. I can log in, read entries and go post immediately! :p

Anyway. I've just had a look at my diary after making a note to myself about an occasion, and realised that I don't have any days free in the week except possibly Monday and Sunday.

And maybe Saturday.

And I am always left a little stumped, wondering where my week has gone and how it gets filled up before I know it.

And I feel awfully daft wondering where my money is gone.
Not that I mind of course. It just goes to show, to those hoity-toity people that have no tolerance for me always saying I'm busy. It's not that I can help it. It's coz I am.

Anyway. Rant ended.
I think I had too much of the syrup with my pancakes - I'm starting to ramble.

I've been doing a lot of baking and experimenting lately, as I've gone off my 'usual' food for the day time - especially bacon. I'm rather concerned, as I'm not usually off my food at all - I may be off a certain type of food, but something else will pervail and that will be the pattern for the next few moments. I've just generally been off food and can feel myself recoiling at the thought of it.

And I never recoil at the thought of bacon!
It's blasphemous.

I suppose it's stress.
I was feeling extra stuffed up today and sniffly - just when I thought I've kicked this (so far) year long cold. And K, will be able to sympathise with the stress-rash.

Of course, need I say the simple solution to me being stress-free?

The irony of my being-off food is that I'm cooking more than ever!

I discovered a good way to make cheesecake - well, cheats cheesecake.
Marscapone, and chocolate. And it's so good with mint essence.
Yumm.
And soft-centered chocolate pudding.
And the most divine way to make chocolate milk - hot or cold.
The only thing I've wanted lately is sweeties. Preferably the chocolate variety. And tea, of course.
While that is not a bad thing - my brain misses bacon. :p