Food & Thoughts

It's been snowing here, for the last four days. Snow, people. It's winter. The parsley in my window sill planter is covered in snow, and the pineapple sage is freezing it's leaves off. I think I may have managed to save the lemon verbena, but you can never be quite sure. So what am I up to with the tomatoes? Nothing but bragging, really. These are from my tomato plant, from this summer. I just had a couple today, for lunch. I have no idea how this is possible, but the green ones are slowly riping in the paper bag I've put them in, on the counter, and every once in a while, there's enough for a nice sandwich. If it wasn't because I'd grown them myself, I'd be sure they were full of pesticides and other nasty-ness - how else could they keep for so long? - but they're not. I grew them on the balcony. They're all natural (apart from being city-tomatoes, that is) And they're really tasty, too. What do you grow?

... out of the NaBlop-loop! Too much work, yesterday and today, and too much wanting to sleep. And dog-sitting, too! And no cooking. Argh. I wish and hope and pray that I will have a proper post for you tomorrow. Who knows, maybe the brownie-experiment will be worth writing about?

We had this tonight - or, half of it - roasted in a pan, with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Then we put it in a wonderful risotto with bacon, peas and spinach. A little mascarpone and a lotta parmesan. 'twas very nice. Now I just have to figure out what to do with the other half.

I have walked around a lot like this lately... Is it just me or is it getting REALLY cold and dark and wool-sock worthy or what? Hah! I've been tagged! And I forgot all about it! But as the cooking is still slow, and I was just reminded by another meme today, here we go: I was tagged by Gemma from Dressing for Dinner . Gemma left out the people from her list that had already done the meme, but I haven't, just because I didn't want to. And as always, if you feel like playing along, do, if you don't, I'm not gonna come after you! The rules: 1. List the last ten people who have commented on your blog 2. If you’re on my list then you should do the meme on your blog too 1. Jeanne from CookSister ! 2. Gemma from Dressing for Dinner 3. Gabriel from iRECEPTY 4. Lily Penelope from FREEFORM and ARTemology 5. Gemma from ProBonoBaker 6. Bridget from Cabbage Tree Farm 7. Angela from A Spoonful of Sugar 8. Heather from Grow it. Eat it. 9. Eva from Sweet Sins 10. Jennie from Co...

One more time, for the crowd! ;) Vanilla Raspberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting from Cupcake Bakeshop I made these cupcakes for one of my Sister's friends, back in May. Vanilla cupcakes with a couple raspberries thrown in, and a pink cream cheese frosting. Yes, it was an All Girl Birthday, how did you know? You probably won't be surprised that the recipe was an adaptation of one from the now sadly 'closed' Cupcake Bakeshop , namely this one , and inspired by this one. Basically, I made the batter, then layered it in the cupcake liners with some frozen raspberries. I liked how the raspberries cut the sweetness a little, because you know, those cupcakes are sweet! Savoy Cabbage Gratin from Orangette Now you've had your sweets, I'm sorry, but you gotta eat your greens, too. Molly posted about this Savoy Cabbage Gratin a couple days ago and lo and behold if there wasn't a Savoy cabbage sale at the local supermarket shortly after. I grabbed one, rem...