From This Moment On/Getting Back On Track

Tune of the Moment: Marni Nixon (the "Ghostess with the Mostest") singing "Hello, Young Lovers" from "The Kind And I" soundtrack (the original motion picture starring Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr).


I am obsessed with the Rodgers and Hammerstein songs from this film. Completely smitten and obsessed. And what breaks my little heart even more than the exquisiteness of these gems, is the fact that instead of arranging and delving into these songs, I am punching out complex chords and atonal melodies for one of my school classes. Yawn. But, in nine weeks time, I will have all the time in the world to spend with Rodgers, Hammerstein, Marni, Jane (Powell), Howard (Keel), seven brides, and seven brothers. If this last sentence is lost on you, then you best get caught up on TCM movies and musicals...Here are some clips to get you started:

It's a classic and Deborah/Marni are classy above and beyond.

The pixel quality is terrible but the audio quality is pretty good. Plus, that whole sepia tone thing adds to the feelings of nostalgia I swim in when I watch this.

I'm not sure if it's the jetlag I've been sukkeling (Afrikaans for "struggling") with this past week, but my appetite has been doing odd things. Firstly, it's not really voracious. Secondly, I have no desire to eat anything green. If you've read previous blog posts, you'll know that's very out of character for me. So, taking a cue from Jerry Seinfeld's wife, Jessica Seinfeld, I've resorted to hiding green veggies in my food. 

Let me explain. Jessica has written two cookbooks entitled "Deceptively Delicious" and "Doubly Delicious." Her shtick/gimmick involves making healthy food appealing to young children by lacing one's mac & cheese, or chocolate brownies, with vegetable purees. So, in actual fact, she's not really confronting kids with the healthy food items they detest (spinach, broccoli, carrots), but she's giving them  the food they already love (most of which is less healthy although homemade) without them realising they are ingesting the good stuff too. I'm sure Jamie Oliver would have a thing or two to say about this trickery-watch this clip:

However, it's not all bad. One could argue that at least the children are eating vegetables...it just makes one wonder what future habits they'll develop with regard to things they don't like, but need to eat/do/adhere to. Here's a video summary of her method:

This has all been a very lengthy way of describing the measures I've resorted to. It wasn't difficult to stock my empty fridge with green items, but it's been challenging to actually cook and eat said green items. I was. initially, optimistic and ambitious. I prepared the following bowl of vegetables to accompany a bowl of Trader Joe's Lentil soup. I was going to turn it into a blog subject all of its own entitled "You Can't Beat A Bowl of Green":

But I have had to admit defeat. All I've craved this entire day is the Whole Foods vegan banana/pecan scone that is sitting in my freezer. I don't fancy eating badly, or inducing a sugar coma, but I really don't have an appetite for anything wholesome. Step one of trying to get back on track involved getting breakfast from Energy Kitchen this morning. I pride myself on rarely eating out and cooking much more than the average New Yorker. So I have no shame in occasionally getting breakfast from this health-food institute. Energy Kitchen only steams and grills their food and, to really prove their commitment to building a healthy nation, they include the calorie count on their menus....well, at least I assume this is what the calorie inclusion means...I don't really count. Period. Calories, numbers, rhythms... I do love their egg wraps-they manage to cook egg whites that aren't scrambled but somehow form into substantial, protein-packed ribbons of goodness. They also have a special on ordering side dishes-I usually get the steam spinach and their broccoli florets.

The faux-bamboo container might be confusing, but the uniform neatness of the food, compartmentalised, is part of the fun!

After such a power-house morning meal, I was back on track. I put the scone out of my mind and pandered to my polenta lunchtime craving. I spent this past saturday with two mentors, Mrs 2nd Avenue Deli and Mr Espresso, and their adorable child-my future husband (age is but a number...even the age of ten months old). We had take-out lunch from a wonderful East Village restaurant called "Northern Spy Company" and, at Mrs 2nd Ave Deli's recommendation, I ordered their kale salad. I like the idea of kale. I like the nutritional punch of kale. I'm not sure I actually like kale itself. When raw, it's hard, cruciferous-looking leaves don't scream,"Eat me! Eat me!" Even when blanched or steamed, they do soften but still retain a hardness. It might be psychological. However, this kale salad was delicious-wispy thin strands of soft kale dotted with little cubes of sharp cheddar cheese, toasted almonds and bright smatterings of orange squash. While wolfing down this revelation, I said to Mr Espresso that I was going to make a similarly successful kale dish-he was dubious.

So, my lunch menu comprised polenta (in which tiny smithereens of kale were hidden) drenched in a tomato sauce made of sauteed leeks, maitake mushrooms, a tablespoon of leftover red/black quinoa for extra protein and a dollop of good intentions.

Kale-infused polenta.

The polenta buried underneath a mass of tomatoey, quinoa-y, leek-y, mushroomy warmth.

I'll leave you with two things. Firstly, the recipe for homemade pickled cucumbers (as green as you can get).

Pickled Israeli (Baby) Cucumbers

About 4 Israeli cucmbers

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1/4 cup oil (I used olive oil)

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

(NOTE: These quantities are rough guidelines. My sister gave me a recipe for English cucumbers and I tailored it to fit the four Israeli cukes I had nestled in my fridge. So season to taste-you may prefer a more sweet/salty/sharp/peppery variety of pickles.)

1. Top and tail the cucumbers, slice down the middle and then width-ways to make little half moons.

2. . Scrape the skins with the tines of a fork (for better absorption of pickle mix).

3. Combine mustard, oill vinegar and pepper in a bowl. 

4. Pour over cucumbers and stir well. Leave to stand one hour, then adjust seasoning.

5. Cover and put in fridge to develop flavours.

Can be used same day, or kept up to three days.

Last, but not least, I leave you with the namesake of this post. Cole Porter's song "From This Moment On" from the film "Kiss Me Kate" with mind boggling choreography from Bob Fosse (Bob is actually in the piece himself-v cool). Excuse the Japanese subtitles and commentary:

Post Script: This post is dedicated to my mum who let me watch films like "Oliver Twist" and "West Side Story" at the age of five even though one could argue that gang warfare and abused women aren't appropriate topics for a child. Thank gosh she thought I was ahead of the curve and mature enough for such fodder because the result was a child who really appreciates and treasures these amazing films that are being replaced by drek like High School Musical and Rent. Thank you mama.

The Final Countdown

Tune of the Moment: Theo Bleckmann singing "An Den Kleinen Radioapparat" from his album "Berlin: Songs of Love and War, Peace and Exile".

Theo is an innovator. Theo is a mentor. Theo is a fashionista. Theo is a singer. Theo is an artist. Theo is a rockstar.

These are just a few of my feelings after seeing Theo perform at Symphony Space in NYC last night. His latest project sees him tackling the music of Kate Bush. His next album "Hello Earth!" is being recorded this weekend, as we speak, the excitement is palpable! And his gig last night showcased the material from this upcoming album. It was (he is) simply sublime and my awe for "T. Whisp." was reinforced.

What I love about Theo is his ability to take chances and bathe, contentedly, in the resulting euphoria that occurs when they pay off. He is very smart, which is why his creative chutzpah pretty much always stuns and sparkles. It's very difficult to put into words what a Theo-gig is like. His appearance is always going to be delicious-jackets with colourful, patterned linings, deconstructed blazers missing pockets and seams, jewel-toned shoes, brightly coloured shirts. His voice is boldly mellifluous and the use of his entire range, from his silky falsetto down to his throaty baritone is swooping, transportative and mesmerizing. Find out more about him on his website http://theobleckmann.com/ And here's a vid:

I don't have much to say about food today. The prospect of homework is thought-consuming and I'm still jetlagged (I mean, who wakes up at 7am on a saturday morning?!). Perhaps I should go back to sleep. Or maybe I should tackle my chromatic harmonization of a standard (I know, it makes you feel a little nauseous). Or maybe I'll post another video of Theo and go and eat some vegan chocolate:

And I should mention that the title of this post refers to the last couple months of school. Graduation is a mere hop, skip and a jump away (or a mere chromatic tome, 90 minute recital and a big band arrangement away).

Vegan Deliciousness

Tune of the Moment: "Riverside" by the newly discovered Agnes Obel. Well, newly discovered for me. And who can I thank for this discovery? None other than "Grey's Anatomy" whose soundtrack continues to inspire and excite. Nevermind what it's doing for the myriad of "undiscovered" talent that exists. What a cool concept and I love how it's changed the importance of soundtracks in television.


Anyway, Agnes is very, very cool and you can learn more about the Danish singer/songwriter by visiting her site www.agnesobel.com Here's a video for the above mentioned song.

The only thing I feel I have to acknowledge is the fact that Agnes' live performances (found on YouTube) are not as cool as her recorded songs. I know we all have affectations when we sing, speak, express ourselves. But her affectations get in the way of her vocal production and annunciation. It also looks a bit uncomfortable and so it is not totally enjoyable to watch her sing live. That said, I do love her album "Philharmonics" and definitely recommend it to fans of piano-driven, melodically-haunting music.


My cousin Kindle was in NYC for a night when I returned from the UK. It was fun to overlap and get to have a couple more meals with her before she returned to London. The "final supper" was, at Kindle's request, to be at a vegan cafe in my neighbourhood. It must be noted that there are very few people in my life who would be happy to eat "out" at a vegan hotspot. When friends and family have visited me in NYC, I never dreamt of taking them to Angelica Kitchen or S'Nice or other such animal-denouncing places. It's just not fun for everyone. I am fully aware that my steamed-vegetable-induced joy is an oddity and most people don't squeal with delight at the prospect of teff, nori, kale or jicama. I feel the need to clarify, though, that I am not a vegan (see my previous post for Nigella's "Rapid Ragu" recipe) nor do I advocate "substitute" meat (seitan, tofurkey, cashew cheese, imitation eggs, etc). I think that a lot of the meat substitutes that many vegans consume, either to fill the meat void or to get enough protein, are highly processed and no better for one than the real deal. When I was vegan for a week (the name of my unpublished biographical tale), I consumed only plant matter and legumes and was turned off at the thought (and taste) of wheat gluten (seitan) and fermented soybean "cakes" (tempeh). But each to his own.


Back to vegan deliciousness...my interest in veganism stems more from a place of curiosity regarding the amazing varieties of legumes and grains that exist. Angelica Kitchen (in the East Village) has a glossary at the back of their menu for items such as:

Burdock 

A slender root vegetable with a sweet, earthy 

flavor & a tender crisp texture. Acts as a blood 

purifier & is an excellent source of potassium  

grains. 

Sea Palm 

Domestic brown sea vegetable, mildly sweet with a 

pleasing al dente texture. Helps reduce cholesterol 

& supports normal thyroid function.

Dulse 

Reddish purple sea vegetable, often an immedi- 

ate favorite of those first tasting seaweed. High 

in iron & protein, our dulse is harvested from 

the coast of Maine.

Arame(AHR-ah-may) 

Dark brown sea vegetable, thin & thread-like, 

with a mild, sweet taste; rich in iron, calcium 

& iodine. 

Burdock 

Kukicha Tea 

A satisfying cup with body & deep flavor, 

made from the roasted twigs of the tea plant. 

A digestive aid, “twig tea” has less than one 

quarter of the caffeine content of black tea.

Millet 

A gluten-free small yellow grain with a nutty 

flavor, easy to digest & having a rich amino acid 

profile, millet is among the earliest cultivated 

grains. Shoyu provides richer seasoning with less salt, 

containing 1/7 the amount of sodium as plain salt. 

Soba 

Tan Japanese noodles made of buckwheat or a 

blend of buckwheat & whole wheat. 

Spelt 

An ancient red wheat. People with sensitivities 

to wheat often have a better tolerance for spelt

because it contains a unique form of gluten 

that is easier to digest. 

Isn't that the most fun you've ever had reading a menu?! My other interest in veganism has to do with the body's ability to process plant matter. It's definitely easier for some bodies (mine included) and it can be a cheaper option regarding the price of grocery items (canned chickpeas are dirt cheap and a good go-to ingredient).

Anyway, Kindle is a gal after my own heart and was most elated to be going out for a meal of "vegan deliciousness" (her exact turn of phrase). We went to "Peacefood Cafe", which has long been a favourite of mine. There aren't too many vegan restaurants on the Upper West Side ("Candle Cafe" is on the East Side-sob) but "Peacefood" is awesome and I'm glad there is quality over quantity.

I used to spend hours in "Peacefood Cafe"-using their free wifi and slurping acai smoothies at a rapid rate. Part of my love for the establishment-speedy service and good atmosphere aside- is due to the fact that they never kicked me out of their wheatgrass-scented abode (even after it became apparent I was no longer checking my email but catching up on episodes of "Gossip Girl").

Some of my favourite "Peacefood" offerings are their quinoa porridge (for breakfast-brown, earthy, cinnamon-drenched and oh so warm), the fluffy quinoa salad (perfect pairing of quinoa, lime dressing, sweet corn kernels, flashes of red pepper and gorgeously green avocado), the raw sushi rolls (walnut paste, raw veg and jicama on the side), and their simple veg side (chinese eggplant, broccoli, zucchini, choyote squash, brussel sprouts). Never underestimate the deliciousness of simply prepared vegetables-all the more delish when someone else prepares them for you! 

The night ended well when Kindle purchased a vegan snickerdoodle cookie to go. Back at my flat, armed with herbal tea to chase any undesirable aftertastes, we gingerly broke off a piece of golden snickerdoodle and nibbled silently. Um, hellooooo vegan deliciousness! It was also made from spelt flour (a must for wheat-intolerant Kindle) and no tea-chaser was needed. So, next time you're craving grains and gomasio (A low sodium table condiment consisting of dry roasted, crushed sesame seeds & sea salt), head over to "Peacefood Cafe" www.peacefoodcafe.com-and don't forget your laptop so you can facebook AND devour sprouts at the same time!

The elusive vegan snickerdoodle.

Back To The Land Of Lox

Tune of the Moment: "The Riddle" by the Becca Stevens Band (from the album "Tea Bye Sea").

Becca is an incredibly original artist and musician. She's gaining popularity rapidly on the New York "scene" and can be seen singing with Brad Mehldau later this week. She also heads up her own group, the Becca Stevens Band, featuring Liam Robinson, Chris Tordini and Jordan Perlson. What I love about Becca's songwriting is that it wraps itself around your ears and senses and makes you feel a sense of familiarity, and then it takes you somewhere completely unexpected and new-but it still makes sense and leaves you feeling immensely satisfied. She is also a totally lovely and faberoo person. Here's a recent vid and you can check out more at www.beccastevens.com :

I'm returning to my apple abode tomorrow and leaving the delicious grey of London behind. It's been such a wonderful holiday and trip and I've had such culinary fun. Some of my discoveries included Pret A Manger's porridge. Cousin Kindle said it was amazing. And it was. For something that is only 225 calories (not that I know what a calorie is nor how many I am supposed to be consuming-hey, they plaster this info everywhere so I simply have to read it), it was incredibly creamy and warm-everything you could want on a freezing winter's day.

Twekkelo yogurt-the Apple & Cinnamon flavour is Mama Bear's favourite. Unfortunately it's not available in the USA :(

Pistachio nut butter-freshly ground from UK Whole Foods. Too yummy and such an amazing colour.

So, with hues of green, I leave you in good health and good eating.

Lurching (Happily) From Meal To Meal

Tune of the Moment: "Joy Spring" by Clifford Brown played by Clifford Brown and the Max Roach Quintet. I wish it was a bit cooler (although some may argue that "I am a very hip cat for checking out such a burning tune") but I cannot lie. I am in the midst of learning this joyous song, as well as Clifford and Harold Land's solos (with Jon Hendricks' vocalese). So repeat play is the order of the day.


I have been eating such an array of delicious food-both homemade and restaurant made. So there is much material for this blog. Almost too much. Where to start?! Let's backtrack to Wednesday's dinner...


I was on cook duty and decided to make fish of some sort, veg (remembering to include a carb because I forgot this on Monday's dinner and Dr Knee had to make do with a single steamed potato-sadness), and, of course, something green. I picked up some salmon fillets, baby potatoes, parsnips, baby peppers and some green veg (purple sprouted broccoli and broad beans). I got quite excited about the broccoli because I don't think I've ever eaten the purple variety. And it was so incredibly beautiful:

As for the rest of the ingredients, the salmon was adorned with a splash of soy sauce, finely chopped fresh ginger, a squirt of lemon juice and some pepper. The baby peppers were tossed in olive oil and sea salt and put in the oven to roast slowly, and the potatoes and parsnips were parboiled before joining the peppers in the oven. The visual result:

A big chunk of this blog should be devoted to cousin Mama Bear (I nearly called her Baby Mama but that she most certainly is not!). Mama Bear (M.B. from here on out) cooked a delish dinner for Dr Knee and me last night (Friday night). She has been working sooooo hard this week (as has Dr Knee for he is a doctor and all doctors work v. hard while juggling covert affairs, looking good in tailored scrubs, dealing with lesbian partners, working on Alzheimer trials and trying to make babies...woopsy daisy. Grey's Anatomy isn't real life, is it?) but still managed to create a yummy dinner. Her go-to bible is "Nigella Express" penned by the ultimate domestic goddess, Nigella Lawson. This recipe book (which should be a staple in all cookbook collections) was actually a gift from me. However, M.B. has surpassed me in using it (up until recently I'd merely made the "Noodle Soup For Needy People"....several times....which tells you oodles about my psyche). She has made the breakfast bars, the corn chowder (not v. successful apparently), the marmaladey pudding thingy, and a host of other dishes, including "Rapid Ragu"-the centerpiece of last night's meal. Not only did I read the recipe beforehand, but I watched M.B. cook the whole thing. So I can most definitely attest to it's speediness and moreish-ness. We made it with beef mince (instead of lamb mince) because that's what Dr Knee ordered when he did the Ocado online food order (yes, Dr Knee is as dashing as his name suggests and he is, perhaps, the ultimate hubby). In the future I will no doubt try this with minced turkey and the result will be, no doubt, not nearly as good as when M.B. prepared this with beef and her special brand of cousinly/motherly love.

Here it is with Nigella's own foreword:

Rapid Ragu

Much to my husband's horror, when I am feeling fragile and in need of cosiness and comfort, my favourite supper is a helping of minced meat with some grated cheese on top, eaten by greedy, grateful spoonful out of a cereal bowl.

I have dispensed with much of usual, necessary chopping: I use cubes of pancetta and a little caramelized onion out of a jar. This is everything you could hope for, sweetly salving and as undemanding to make as it is rewarding to eat.

2 x 15ml tablespoons garlic oil
125g cubed pancetta
2 x 15ml tablespoons garlic oil
500g lamb mince
75g caramelized onions
80ml Marsala
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
75g green lentils
125ml water
50g grated red Leicester or Cheddar (optional)

-Heat the oil in a wide, medium-sized saucepan, or the base of the Flameware small tagine, and fry the cubed pancetta until beginning to crisp.

-Add the lamb, breaking it up with a fork in the bacony pan as it browns.

-Tip in the caramelized onions, Marsala, tomatoes, lentils and water and bring the pan to the boil.

-Cover with the tagine lid, if using, and simmer the ragu for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with the cheese (if using) before serving.

And there it is-served with a green salad and a side of lurve.

Yo! I'm Pret A Manger!

Tune of the Moment: "A Wish" sung by Norma Winstone with Fred Hersch on piano (Fred wrote the music and Norma penned lyrics to it-totally sublime). From the album "Songs & Lullabies" which I cannot recommend highly enough.


It's very fitting that I am listening to Norma since I was fortunate enough to spend most of last monday in her fabulous company. I have long admired her and celebrated her work with Fred, John Taylor, Kenny Wheeler and many more great artists. So it was really special to meet her and drink tea with someone who is, in my opinion, one of Britain's greatest jazz singers. She is wise, intuitive, warm and generous and you should definitely leap at the chance to hear her live if the opportunity arises.


Much to my surprise, I am actually in the midst of being on holiday. Yes. HOLIDAY. Which means I am doing nothing music related (apart from the lesson with Norma and listening to my ipod) and actually relaxing for the first time in ages. I all too often mix holiday time with working, which is both great and counter productive. It's great because I love gigging and teaching, but it means I don't end up relaxing in the allotted time and it becomes tricky to make myself "let go". So, good news! I am incredibly relaxed and soaking up every minute of time spent in this magnificent city and delicious catch-ups with dear family and friemily (friends who are almost like family).


Food-wise, London is fantastic. A lot of my favourite NYC items (Vosges chocolate, Fage yogurt) have been spotted in London convenience stores and, likewise, I've seen Petit Filous pop up in the Columbus Circle Whole Foods. There's even a section in Selfridge's Food Hall called "American Food". So it's become incredibly exciting to find things on both sides of the Atlantic that are not yet internationally available-in NYC that includes Fine & Raw Chocolate, and in London I make sure to top up my stash of Dragonfly Morrocan Mint Green Tea. I was also asked by a Scottish friend in NYC, Macbeth, to bring him back Cadbury Cream Eggs and HP Sauce (in the squeezy bottle) so it's nice to know there are still some novelty items from both places.


When I had my lesson with Norma I had to catch a train from St Pancras Station. I purposefully took the latest possible train so that I could browse, leisurely, through all my favourite UK food stores-M&S (Marks and Spencer), Pret A Manger (they only have them in midtown in NYC and they close stupidly early), Sourced Market, Benugo, and more. I could spend hours in grocery stores looking at food packaging, ingredients lists, flavour pairings, etc. It's particularly fun strolling through M&S because South Africa's Woolworths has copied many of their creations (there's some business connection between the two enterprises). The little containers of marinated artichoke hearts, the "new discovery" packets of broad beans or fresh edamame, the range of microwave Indian dishes. It's all so clever and so delicious. Here are some store front visuals:

Pret's hot sweet potato falafel wrap with spicy tomato sauce is faberoo.

I haven't eaten at Yo!Sushi on this trip....yet....instant sushi gratification.

Family fun I'd say.

After my Pret hot wrap and green tea I did some more wandering and it wasn't long before I was peckish again. I found this delicious looking yogurt cup from "Sourced Market"-an upscale grocery store stocking local products. What appealed about the yogurt was that it came in a glass jar (very traditional) and the yogurt in question was resting neatly on a layer of rhubarb compote (I don't eat rhubarb very often). Armed with my yogurt concoction, I boarded the train for greener pastures.

All gooooone.

Moving on from ready-made meals to homemade meals. While in London, I am staying with Mama Bear and her husband, Dr Knee. They are unbelievably hospitable so I thought the least I could do would be to cook a meal for them. They both work so hard and have been working late this week so I thought it might be more useful to cook for them than to buy them more Tresemme Shampoo (I wash my hair a lot). Cousin Kindle came over and the whole meal was quite yummy-Mama Bear had seconds after "inhaling" her first helping. The menu comprised roasted chicken breasts with artichoke hearts and a tomato basil marinade, roast brussel sprouts, baby asparagus and runner beans, and a raw zucchini ribbon salad with bocconcini balls and marinated tomatoes.

Here's the recipe if you're ever looking to throw together a quick, yummy dinner for 4 or more:

Tomato-Drenched, Artichoke-Bejeweled Chicken Breasts

with Roasted Green Vegetables

-Store-bought tomato sauce (or you can make your own)

-A jar or container of marinated (or plain) artichoke hearts

-Skinless chicken breasts (they cook quicker without the skin)

-A selection of green veg: brussel sprouts, french beans, broccoli/broccolini, asparagus, broad beans, edamame, peas, runner beans, zucchini, the list goes on.

-Olive oil

-Salt & pepper

-Lemon juice

-Pesto (optional)

1. Preheat the oven at 180C/375F

2. Prepare your veg by slicing the sprouts in half (to cook quicker), julienning the zucchini, etc.

3. Place the veg in a roasting pan and coat generously with olive oil, salt and pepper. 

4. Place the veg in the oven (they will take 30-45 mins depending on the quantity).

5. Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish and plant the artichoke hearts in the gaps between the breasts.

6. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

7. Pour over the tomato sauce and any oil from the artichoke hearts.

8. Place the chicken in the oven (check the chicken after 20 minutes of cooking and continue to cook for 2 minutes at a time if not yet opaque and cooked through).

9. When the veg has cooked to your liking (some like it charred, others like it al dente), take it out of the oven and add a good dollop of pesto and a squeeze of lemon juice.

This meal is best enjoyed in the company of family and contentedness.

Since being in the UK, I've started drinking and enjoying breakfast tea. Before this trip I was a massive drinker of the herbal variety but I have recently begun to crave a normal cup of tea (with a splash of milk) as 4 o'clock draws around. It makes me feel very authentically British and I welcome that moment when I lean in to sip the tepid liquid and smell that faint hint of sweetness that black tea possesses. One friemily member, Reverse Scissor, has a beautiful abode in London and has been living here for the past month. Her daughter (and sister of mine by friemily genes), Yogi Solicitor, is studying in London. I had tea with them yesterday and Reverse Scissor is quite a culinary aficionado so it's always exciting to discuss matters of the stomach with her and Yogi. We drank tea and ate muffins and cinnamon buns from a local Nordic bakery. It. Was. Awesome.

Reverse Scissor also had an extra ticket for one of the Jewish Book Week events so I went with her to hear Yotam Ottolenghi in conversation with Allegra Goodman (a Cambridge novelist). I do looooove Ottolenghi-his delis and his cookbooks (which are a must for any vegetarians out there-they will change your life!). Here's an example of some of the recipes we've come to love from the Israeli/Palestinian team behind the franchise:

Sweet potato patties with cumin and coriander

Turkish beef and leek meatballs

Roasted beetroot and plum salad

Fresh berries with orange blossom syrup and cream

Warm haloumi and chicory with pomegranate and walnut

Aubergine with herbs

Baked okra with tomato and preserved lemon

Quinoa and fennel salad

Poached quince with star anise, blackberries and vanilla ice-cream

Padron pepper fritters

Braised lamb meatballs with yoghurt and herbs

Saffron couscous with butter and chervil

Green bean salad with mustard seeds and tarragon

Fig and grappa trifle

Char-grilled squash with labneh and pickled walnut salsa

You can find out more about the Ottolenghi empire at http://www.ottolenghi.co.uk/

Ottolenghi's Pear and Cranberry Upside-down Cake.

(see http://www.ottolenghi.co.uk/recipes/pear-and-cranberry-upsidedown-cake for the recipe)