Tim Atkinson's Blog, page 76
November 6, 2012
The Law is an Ass
Not news, I know. But still. In the news. A lot.
And what I can't quite get my head around about it boils down to this - priorities. How can it take fourteen years to extradite Abu Hamza yet a matter of mere cyber-moments to feel the collar of some young arse who posts offensive things on Facebook?
How - on the evidence of my daily walks to school - can you get away with putting lives at risk by blathering or texting on your mobile while driving through a built up area, yet be arrested for being daft enough to go rambling in the nude or for saying silly things on Twitter.
You're more likely to see blue lights in your rear-view mirror over the content of your texts rather than the mere fact of sending them while driving. Or so it seems to me.
And on the subject of priorities, what's a convicted murderer doing at an open prison a matter of a few miles down the road from where I live? (I should stress it's not the proximity to my place of residence that bothers me: it's 'extremely dangerous and predatory' Lee Cyrus (also known as Ivan Leach) being at an open prison in the first place.)
In other Lincolnshire news a man with previous for microwaving a cat was nevertheless given no more than a judicial slap on the wrists for subjecting his girlfriend to some serious harassment. Just hours after having been let off with an eight-week suspended sentence Paul Henry went round to her house and tried to kill her. And how does that square with the teenager a while ago jailed for harassing another girl on Facebook?
Meanwhile Leach/Cyrus is still on the run. Police have today released the latest CCTV pictures of the man described as too dangerous to be approached. The man, nevertheless thought to be suitable for an open prison and the day release from which he absconded.
But don't worry. They're still out there, looking for him. At least, they are when they're not reading your texts or scrolling through your status updates. When they're not spending hours attending court hearings that seem to do more harm than good. And when they're not on the scene of some bloody RTA caused by an idiot on a mobile phone.
Don't have nightmares.
And what I can't quite get my head around about it boils down to this - priorities. How can it take fourteen years to extradite Abu Hamza yet a matter of mere cyber-moments to feel the collar of some young arse who posts offensive things on Facebook?
How - on the evidence of my daily walks to school - can you get away with putting lives at risk by blathering or texting on your mobile while driving through a built up area, yet be arrested for being daft enough to go rambling in the nude or for saying silly things on Twitter.
You're more likely to see blue lights in your rear-view mirror over the content of your texts rather than the mere fact of sending them while driving. Or so it seems to me.
And on the subject of priorities, what's a convicted murderer doing at an open prison a matter of a few miles down the road from where I live? (I should stress it's not the proximity to my place of residence that bothers me: it's 'extremely dangerous and predatory' Lee Cyrus (also known as Ivan Leach) being at an open prison in the first place.)
In other Lincolnshire news a man with previous for microwaving a cat was nevertheless given no more than a judicial slap on the wrists for subjecting his girlfriend to some serious harassment. Just hours after having been let off with an eight-week suspended sentence Paul Henry went round to her house and tried to kill her. And how does that square with the teenager a while ago jailed for harassing another girl on Facebook?
Meanwhile Leach/Cyrus is still on the run. Police have today released the latest CCTV pictures of the man described as too dangerous to be approached. The man, nevertheless thought to be suitable for an open prison and the day release from which he absconded.
But don't worry. They're still out there, looking for him. At least, they are when they're not reading your texts or scrolling through your status updates. When they're not spending hours attending court hearings that seem to do more harm than good. And when they're not on the scene of some bloody RTA caused by an idiot on a mobile phone.
Don't have nightmares.
November 2, 2012
Saying “No” to Sophia
Today I'm delighted to welcome guest-blogger Mike Clayton, whose latest book is a personal take on how to get more done by knowing when to say "YES", when to say "NO" and to so with confidence and style. The Yes/No book 'delivers insights and practical techniques, which enable readers to take control of their decisions, become less stressed, less busy and more productive.' Sounds like essential reading for parents, if you ask me, and in this specially-written piece Mike talks about applying the techniques in his book to our dealings with children. He writes:
Like Tim, I’m a dad. And of all the challenges we face in saying “no”, saying it to our children can be the hardest. That is, except for the times when saying “no” to them is all we seem to do:
“No, you can’t have another portion of ice cream.”
“No, you cannot eat supper in front of Cbeebies.”
“No, you aren’t allowed to colour in the cupboard.”
I have thought long and hard about how to adapt the messages of The Yes/No Book to parents. There is plenty of relevant material about making choices in your life, about taking on what matters and saying “no” to the rest, so you can do it well, and about how to say “no” with grace and elegance, and not feel guilty.
But when it comes to children, I am at a loss. Sophia is four. Four year olds don’t follow the same rules as adults and I am no child psychologist. So saying “no” effectively to children is outside my expertise. Like the rest of you, I muddle by. I get it right sometimes, but I put it down to statistics.
But the sub-title of The Yes/No Book gave me pause:
“How to do less… and achieve more”.
Most of my arguments with my daughter can be traced to one simple cause: not giving all of my attention to her. So here is my tip – and it’s not in the book. When it is time to be with your child, say “no” to anything else. No distractions: one hundred per cent present with your son or daughter. Say a massive big “YES” to your time with them and an equally big “NO” to anything else. No promises, but it may just help. It is almost as if they know, isn’t it?
Like Tim, I’m a dad. And of all the challenges we face in saying “no”, saying it to our children can be the hardest. That is, except for the times when saying “no” to them is all we seem to do:
“No, you can’t have another portion of ice cream.”
“No, you cannot eat supper in front of Cbeebies.”
“No, you aren’t allowed to colour in the cupboard.”
I have thought long and hard about how to adapt the messages of The Yes/No Book to parents. There is plenty of relevant material about making choices in your life, about taking on what matters and saying “no” to the rest, so you can do it well, and about how to say “no” with grace and elegance, and not feel guilty.
But when it comes to children, I am at a loss. Sophia is four. Four year olds don’t follow the same rules as adults and I am no child psychologist. So saying “no” effectively to children is outside my expertise. Like the rest of you, I muddle by. I get it right sometimes, but I put it down to statistics.
But the sub-title of The Yes/No Book gave me pause:
“How to do less… and achieve more”.
Most of my arguments with my daughter can be traced to one simple cause: not giving all of my attention to her. So here is my tip – and it’s not in the book. When it is time to be with your child, say “no” to anything else. No distractions: one hundred per cent present with your son or daughter. Say a massive big “YES” to your time with them and an equally big “NO” to anything else. No promises, but it may just help. It is almost as if they know, isn’t it?
October 31, 2012
Win one of four Leapster Explorer consoles
Ok, so apropos my last post, you can't spend all week at the National Railway Museum. Neither can (nor should) every minute of every day be filled with parent-directed fun and educational activities. You'll need a break, for a start.
In order not to feel so guilty, how about entering this simple competition to win one of four Leapster Explorer consoles suitable for kids aged 4 – 8 years. The consoles - which retail at £59.99 - 'allow for a truly personalised learning experience that is tailored to each child’s unique needs and skills. With the click-in camera and video accessory (not included, £14.99) children can take pictures, record videos and edit their creations whilst learning all about reading, mathematics and science. The Leapster Explorer console delivers powerful auto-level gameplay, including Flash and 3D graphics.'
All you have to do to be in with a chance to win is one (or all) of three simple things. First, you can leave a 'pick me' comment beneath this post; second, you can 'like' my Facebook page (click the link on the right) and third, follow me on Twitter (or if you already do, tweet a link to this post). It's that simple.
I'll be selecting winners at the end of the week so although you won't get the Leapster in time for this school holiday, your kids will have the chance to get familiar with it in plenty of time for the next one.
Good luck!
October 29, 2012
The National Railway Museum... it's not just trains
If you're looking for something to do this half-term and you're within easy reach of York, the National Railway Museum might just have something to make things a little more 'bear' able - a bear, in fact. Paddington Bear, to be precise. We met him on Saturday and he's there all week.
But don't think - if you're not that big on trains - that's all there is to do. Oh no. We (well, Charlie) wanged a welly, made a badge, met a bear (as aforementioned) and travelled to the International Space Station by way of the Space Shuttle.
Oh yes, there's so much more at the NRM than mere trains...
(The above video, incidentally, was taken using a Panasonic HC-V500M)
But don't think - if you're not that big on trains - that's all there is to do. Oh no. We (well, Charlie) wanged a welly, made a badge, met a bear (as aforementioned) and travelled to the International Space Station by way of the Space Shuttle.
Oh yes, there's so much more at the NRM than mere trains...
(The above video, incidentally, was taken using a Panasonic HC-V500M)
October 25, 2012
Win a Halloween party pack from Duracell
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This box of Halloween tricks contains everything you'll need to host a Halloween party along with some frighteningly fun game suggestions. And it could be yours in time for Halloween (courtesy of Duracell ) if you read on.
But in case you're wondering why? (is it just Duracell's generosity?) let me tell you that the pack (which includes decorations, costumes and party games) is made even spookier by including a torch which is run by part-powered batteries that have been rescued from the recycling stream.
Latest research reveals that a staggering third of alkaline batteries thrown away may still have up to 67% of usable power remaining. Duracell together with Energy Saving Trust is helping consumers to maximise battery power, tap into unused resources and reduce wastage by giving their batteries a second life. And that's the message they'd like to share this Halloween.
To enter the competition and win your own box of Halloween tricks just take a look at this short video and tell me how many discarded batteries are being used to light up the Duracell Bunny? And hurry! In order to get the prizes out in time you'll need to get your answer in by this time tomorrow (10a.m.)
Good luck!
October 23, 2012
Come up and see me...
It's another grey October day and the mist is hanging low over the damp trees causing a sudden shower of water to cascade on us as we trudge back from the school run. It's a horrible morning. Depressing.
And then I hear her singing. Eloise is merrily doo-doo-ing and dah-dah-ing as we make our through the park and it's like a sudden shaft of sunlight piercing the gloom. I smile; I laugh; I join in. And we sing our merry tune all the way home.
Every year, Parents’ Week celebrates the amazing contribution parents make to their children’s lives and this year they're inviting parents to participate in their 'Make a Moment' competition. Between 22 and 28 October they want us to celebrate and share those moments that make being a child and parent so special.
As they go on to say, 'with all the extra pressures modern parents face, it can be difficult to find the time that children really need. Being there for your children isn’t about paying for expensive toys or day trips. It’s about the time and attention you give. Whether you have five minutes, half an hour, or longer, sharing a moment is what it’s all about – letting your child know that you love them and taking a moment to give them your full attention.'
Well, there's my moment, and I've shared it. It happened about half an hour ago but I've got the feeling the effect'll last us pretty much all day. If you'd like to share a special moment yourself and be in with a chance of winning a fabulous family photo experience with Venture Photography (including a personal family photo session at a Venture Photography studio local to you, and framed photographs worth £1,000. 50 lucky runner ups will also win a family photo experience worth £245) then all you have to do is complete the sentence 'I love it when we...'
It's that simple. Or rather, I suspect it won't be. The difficulty will be choosing just one!
You can find out more on the FamiliesUK website or on their Facebook page.
And while you're thinking, let me share another special moment of mine...
[image error]
And then I hear her singing. Eloise is merrily doo-doo-ing and dah-dah-ing as we make our through the park and it's like a sudden shaft of sunlight piercing the gloom. I smile; I laugh; I join in. And we sing our merry tune all the way home.
Every year, Parents’ Week celebrates the amazing contribution parents make to their children’s lives and this year they're inviting parents to participate in their 'Make a Moment' competition. Between 22 and 28 October they want us to celebrate and share those moments that make being a child and parent so special.
As they go on to say, 'with all the extra pressures modern parents face, it can be difficult to find the time that children really need. Being there for your children isn’t about paying for expensive toys or day trips. It’s about the time and attention you give. Whether you have five minutes, half an hour, or longer, sharing a moment is what it’s all about – letting your child know that you love them and taking a moment to give them your full attention.'
Well, there's my moment, and I've shared it. It happened about half an hour ago but I've got the feeling the effect'll last us pretty much all day. If you'd like to share a special moment yourself and be in with a chance of winning a fabulous family photo experience with Venture Photography (including a personal family photo session at a Venture Photography studio local to you, and framed photographs worth £1,000. 50 lucky runner ups will also win a family photo experience worth £245) then all you have to do is complete the sentence 'I love it when we...'
It's that simple. Or rather, I suspect it won't be. The difficulty will be choosing just one!
You can find out more on the FamiliesUK website or on their Facebook page.
And while you're thinking, let me share another special moment of mine...
[image error]
October 21, 2012
Ice cream Sunday Supplement
This is a guest (but not a sponsored) post. No money, not even a scoop of ice-cream has changed hands, but I thought you might like to know that...
KELLY’S NEEDS YOU: CALLING ALL PUDDING BAKERS
Cornwall’s leading ice cream producer, Kelly’s, is launching a nationwide search to find the ultimate home-made pudding recipe to serve with Kelly’s ice cream.
Kelly’s of Cornwall knows only too well how many fantastic puddings us Brits have created over the years and with autumn around the corner, what better excuse to enjoy cosy nights in than getting creative in the kitchen for the Kelly’s ‘perfect pudding’ competition.
Do you make the most sumptuous sticky toffee pudding? Have you got the best bread and butter pudding recipe in the county? Then this is your chance to don an apron, bring out the rolling pin and bake for the opportunity to represent Kelly’s of Cornwall online pudding campaign.
The lucky winner will be honoured on the Kelly’s of Cornwall website with their recipe professionally made and photographed. What’s more, the lucky winner will also be treated to a year’s supply of Kelly’s of Cornwall ice cream. For ten runner’s up, there is a month’s supply of Kelly’s of Cornwall ice cream up for grabs.
It’s easy to enter, just submit a photo of your chosen pudding with a detailed description of the recipe, including the flavour of Kelly’s of Cornwall ice cream it matches perfectly with. Enter online via the entry form (www.kellysofcornwall.co.uk. You must upload a picture of the finished pudding and a reason to why your pudding is oh-so-perfect with Kelly’s ice cream. The deadline for entries is 2nd November 2012.
Members of Kelly’s judging committee will then judge all entries and one winner and ten runners up will be selected, and announced on 9th November 2012 – National Pudding Day.
[image error]
KELLY’S NEEDS YOU: CALLING ALL PUDDING BAKERS
Cornwall’s leading ice cream producer, Kelly’s, is launching a nationwide search to find the ultimate home-made pudding recipe to serve with Kelly’s ice cream.
Kelly’s of Cornwall knows only too well how many fantastic puddings us Brits have created over the years and with autumn around the corner, what better excuse to enjoy cosy nights in than getting creative in the kitchen for the Kelly’s ‘perfect pudding’ competition.
Do you make the most sumptuous sticky toffee pudding? Have you got the best bread and butter pudding recipe in the county? Then this is your chance to don an apron, bring out the rolling pin and bake for the opportunity to represent Kelly’s of Cornwall online pudding campaign.
The lucky winner will be honoured on the Kelly’s of Cornwall website with their recipe professionally made and photographed. What’s more, the lucky winner will also be treated to a year’s supply of Kelly’s of Cornwall ice cream. For ten runner’s up, there is a month’s supply of Kelly’s of Cornwall ice cream up for grabs.
It’s easy to enter, just submit a photo of your chosen pudding with a detailed description of the recipe, including the flavour of Kelly’s of Cornwall ice cream it matches perfectly with. Enter online via the entry form (www.kellysofcornwall.co.uk. You must upload a picture of the finished pudding and a reason to why your pudding is oh-so-perfect with Kelly’s ice cream. The deadline for entries is 2nd November 2012.
Members of Kelly’s judging committee will then judge all entries and one winner and ten runners up will be selected, and announced on 9th November 2012 – National Pudding Day.
[image error]
October 18, 2012
The school run
As if walking along a busy road with a couple of under-fives isn't bad enough, having to negotiate obstacles like this starts to make the whole procedure almost suicidal:
I tweeted British Gas a these pics at the time. They didn't respond. So I thought I'd put them up here for all to see.
In common with a great many other parents that afternoon a couple of weeks ago, I had to detour onto a main road in order to proceed. With two children. That's not something you should expect to do just for the convenience of a gas man who can't be bothered walking a little further with his clobber.
But British Gas aren't the only ones. If it's not cars nosing out of drives as if the pavement they have to cross to reach the road belongs to them it's vehicles very considerately parking on the pavement in order to leave even more room for their friends, the drivers of other cars. Heaven forbid that they should have to slow down or even - horror! - STOP for a moment in order to pass a parked vehicle. No, far better that parents with pushchairs should have to dodge traffic.
And I'd like to say that parents who drive cars understand and park outside the school gates with consideration for other parents and their children. I'd like to say that. But I can't.
Personally, I think all able-bodied drivers should be forced to make every journey of under three miles on foot for one week every year in order to hold on to their driving licenses.
And they should do it in December.[image error]
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I tweeted British Gas a these pics at the time. They didn't respond. So I thought I'd put them up here for all to see.
.JPG)
In common with a great many other parents that afternoon a couple of weeks ago, I had to detour onto a main road in order to proceed. With two children. That's not something you should expect to do just for the convenience of a gas man who can't be bothered walking a little further with his clobber.
But British Gas aren't the only ones. If it's not cars nosing out of drives as if the pavement they have to cross to reach the road belongs to them it's vehicles very considerately parking on the pavement in order to leave even more room for their friends, the drivers of other cars. Heaven forbid that they should have to slow down or even - horror! - STOP for a moment in order to pass a parked vehicle. No, far better that parents with pushchairs should have to dodge traffic.
And I'd like to say that parents who drive cars understand and park outside the school gates with consideration for other parents and their children. I'd like to say that. But I can't.
Personally, I think all able-bodied drivers should be forced to make every journey of under three miles on foot for one week every year in order to hold on to their driving licenses.
And they should do it in December.[image error]
October 16, 2012
Visiting Baby Jake's Windmill
Impressive, isn't it?
From bringing up charlie
And - typically - in spite of being just a few miles down the road, we'd never visited until last Saturday. Well, not visited in the sense of going inside, exploring, having a look around and seeing the guts of a real-life, working windmill. Because you can do that at Baby Jake's Mill (otherwise known as Sibsey Trader Mill, just a few miles north of Boston).
It's in the care of English Heritage although seems not to be staffed by their team. In fact, when we arrived I wondered if it was 'staffed' at all. Maybe I'd forgotten to remove my patent 'Harry Potter' invisibility cloak or something because the bloke behind the desk seemed entirely oblivious to our existence, in spite of Charlie immediately launching into a long and involved explanation of why we'd come and asking him if knew who Baby Jake was and whether there was anything in the mill about him. I eventually got the chap to give my English Heritage membership card a cursory glance and we proceeded to have a nose around.
Inside, it's a fascinating example of a working mill, one of three within a twenty mile radius of where we live. It costs £2.50 for adults and £1.00 for children and is open at weekends between 11 o'clock and either 5 or six (depending on the time of year). You can go onto the balcony, too - accompanied by a member of staff, so the sign on the door said. As the only member of staff seemed rather unconcerned at our presence, we proceeded without him. He didn't notice. Or if he did, he didn't care.
We were the only ones there.
And we didn't see Baby Jake. Or anything about him.
English Heritage is really missing a trick there.
Goggy-gi-ya!
[image error]
From bringing up charlie
And - typically - in spite of being just a few miles down the road, we'd never visited until last Saturday. Well, not visited in the sense of going inside, exploring, having a look around and seeing the guts of a real-life, working windmill. Because you can do that at Baby Jake's Mill (otherwise known as Sibsey Trader Mill, just a few miles north of Boston).
It's in the care of English Heritage although seems not to be staffed by their team. In fact, when we arrived I wondered if it was 'staffed' at all. Maybe I'd forgotten to remove my patent 'Harry Potter' invisibility cloak or something because the bloke behind the desk seemed entirely oblivious to our existence, in spite of Charlie immediately launching into a long and involved explanation of why we'd come and asking him if knew who Baby Jake was and whether there was anything in the mill about him. I eventually got the chap to give my English Heritage membership card a cursory glance and we proceeded to have a nose around.
Inside, it's a fascinating example of a working mill, one of three within a twenty mile radius of where we live. It costs £2.50 for adults and £1.00 for children and is open at weekends between 11 o'clock and either 5 or six (depending on the time of year). You can go onto the balcony, too - accompanied by a member of staff, so the sign on the door said. As the only member of staff seemed rather unconcerned at our presence, we proceeded without him. He didn't notice. Or if he did, he didn't care.
We were the only ones there.
And we didn't see Baby Jake. Or anything about him.
English Heritage is really missing a trick there.
Goggy-gi-ya!
[image error]
October 14, 2012
Sunday Supplement: Food, glorious food
And drink, of course. I'll come to that later.
But first, have you ever thought how wonderful it would be if someone went shopping for you, bought precisely what you needed to make a wonderful meal in just 30 minutes and delivered it to your door leaving you to do nothing more than, well... cook it. And eat it, of course.
I suppose you might be thinking wouldn't it be wonderful if they cooked it too (and cleared up afterwards) but you can't have everything. Besides, I actually quite like cooking. But I'm hopeless at planning. I love food programmes and recipe books but they make no impact on my meal planning and buying. I know, I know, it's the tail wagging to dog but, well... that's the way it is. More Nigel (Slater) than Nigella.
Anyway, the point is there is just such a service. Hello Fresh ('Rediscover the joy of cooking') promise that every week they'll 'send you all the fresh ingredients you need to prepare delicious recipes.' So when they asked a while ago if I'd like to try the service, how could I refuse?
They sent me the stuff to make three sumptuous meals: ozone prawn and prosciutto linguine; roasted chicken with chorizo, pearl barley and cous cous salad and smoked mackerel with green beans and new potatoes. This is how it all arrives...
And this is how it ends up...
The liguine...
The chicken...
and the mackerel
And they really do think of everything, even the tiny bits of things I'd never ever have in my cupboard and wouldn't consider buying on the grounds that by the time I needed them again they'd have evaporated or gone off or solidified or something...
Well, ok, I might have had the brown sugar but you get the drift.
I really can't fault it. I suppose if you sourced and shopped for everything yourself you might be getting it slightly cheaper and there are delivery costs of course - although they say shipping's free we all know that the costs are covered somewhere. There's no such thing as a free lunch. Well, actually, there is. In fact there were three of them. I didn't pay as they asked me to try out the service so I can't really comment on the overall cost. What I can tell you is that not only were the meals delicious and easy to prepare I'll be paying - you know, with real money, mine - to use the service again. Not often, maybe; just when I lack a little inspiration. Any set of instructions that includes steps like "Crack open a bottle of Côtes de Provence Rosé (or Ribena if it's a school night)" - is my kind of recipe.
And on the subject of making life in the kitchen easy, a couple of packs of Abra-ca-Debora ready-made pancakes, which have just been launched in the UK, arrived the other day. And they've gone already. Well, why wouldn't they?
Produced in the Netherlands by De Bioderij (Holland’s number one producer of ready-made pancakes) and made with natural ingredients to a traditional recipe, they come with handy little menu hints on the packet, like: 'How's this for a flippin' quick supper? Just fill with pesto and mozzarella, pop in the microwave and... Abra-ca-Debora! A pan-tastic supper in no time.'
If you've got any room left, may I offer you in un petit fromage? Just a teensy-weensy wafer-thin morsel? Only, Boursin ('the UK’s number one branded soft speciality cheese') has recently added a delicious addition to it's range: sun-ripened tomato, onion & chive, to be precise.
I love Boursin not only for their cheese (ddi you know the range now extends to five varieties including the original garlic and fine herbs?) but for one of the simplest and most impressive advertising slogans ever: du pain, du vin, du boursin... and they've got a sense of humour:
Which brings me to the wine. Or rather, it doesn't. Because in spite of dropping frequent hints and tweeting pictures of my varied range of tipples no-one has so far been in touch asking me to try their range of organic cider or vintage grand cru champagne.
Mind you, there is my liver to consider. But finding a non-alcoholic alternative beverage to accompany good food isn't easy. Welch's sent some of their '100% juices - simple and delicious, just the way nature intended' which went down very well (they make an excellent cocktail ingredient) and I see they've now added a selection of sparkling juices to their range, which I've yet to try.
But talking of 'fizz' we've been enjoying getting busy with the re-launched, re-modelled Sodastream classic just lately. I've been working my way through the comprehensive range of samples trying to unearth something that hits the spot (but doesn't cane the liver) as nicely as a chilled glass of cider (and I'm NOT talking Blackthorn here folks!) but if all else fails, I can always make my own champagne. Well, if it's good enough for Heston Blumenthal...
Have a great Sunday.
Cheers!
But first, have you ever thought how wonderful it would be if someone went shopping for you, bought precisely what you needed to make a wonderful meal in just 30 minutes and delivered it to your door leaving you to do nothing more than, well... cook it. And eat it, of course.
I suppose you might be thinking wouldn't it be wonderful if they cooked it too (and cleared up afterwards) but you can't have everything. Besides, I actually quite like cooking. But I'm hopeless at planning. I love food programmes and recipe books but they make no impact on my meal planning and buying. I know, I know, it's the tail wagging to dog but, well... that's the way it is. More Nigel (Slater) than Nigella.
Anyway, the point is there is just such a service. Hello Fresh ('Rediscover the joy of cooking') promise that every week they'll 'send you all the fresh ingredients you need to prepare delicious recipes.' So when they asked a while ago if I'd like to try the service, how could I refuse?
They sent me the stuff to make three sumptuous meals: ozone prawn and prosciutto linguine; roasted chicken with chorizo, pearl barley and cous cous salad and smoked mackerel with green beans and new potatoes. This is how it all arrives...
And this is how it ends up...
The liguine...
The chicken...
and the mackerel
And they really do think of everything, even the tiny bits of things I'd never ever have in my cupboard and wouldn't consider buying on the grounds that by the time I needed them again they'd have evaporated or gone off or solidified or something...
Well, ok, I might have had the brown sugar but you get the drift.
I really can't fault it. I suppose if you sourced and shopped for everything yourself you might be getting it slightly cheaper and there are delivery costs of course - although they say shipping's free we all know that the costs are covered somewhere. There's no such thing as a free lunch. Well, actually, there is. In fact there were three of them. I didn't pay as they asked me to try out the service so I can't really comment on the overall cost. What I can tell you is that not only were the meals delicious and easy to prepare I'll be paying - you know, with real money, mine - to use the service again. Not often, maybe; just when I lack a little inspiration. Any set of instructions that includes steps like "Crack open a bottle of Côtes de Provence Rosé (or Ribena if it's a school night)" - is my kind of recipe.
And on the subject of making life in the kitchen easy, a couple of packs of Abra-ca-Debora ready-made pancakes, which have just been launched in the UK, arrived the other day. And they've gone already. Well, why wouldn't they?
Produced in the Netherlands by De Bioderij (Holland’s number one producer of ready-made pancakes) and made with natural ingredients to a traditional recipe, they come with handy little menu hints on the packet, like: 'How's this for a flippin' quick supper? Just fill with pesto and mozzarella, pop in the microwave and... Abra-ca-Debora! A pan-tastic supper in no time.'
If you've got any room left, may I offer you in un petit fromage? Just a teensy-weensy wafer-thin morsel? Only, Boursin ('the UK’s number one branded soft speciality cheese') has recently added a delicious addition to it's range: sun-ripened tomato, onion & chive, to be precise.
I love Boursin not only for their cheese (ddi you know the range now extends to five varieties including the original garlic and fine herbs?) but for one of the simplest and most impressive advertising slogans ever: du pain, du vin, du boursin... and they've got a sense of humour:
Which brings me to the wine. Or rather, it doesn't. Because in spite of dropping frequent hints and tweeting pictures of my varied range of tipples no-one has so far been in touch asking me to try their range of organic cider or vintage grand cru champagne.
Mind you, there is my liver to consider. But finding a non-alcoholic alternative beverage to accompany good food isn't easy. Welch's sent some of their '100% juices - simple and delicious, just the way nature intended' which went down very well (they make an excellent cocktail ingredient) and I see they've now added a selection of sparkling juices to their range, which I've yet to try.
But talking of 'fizz' we've been enjoying getting busy with the re-launched, re-modelled Sodastream classic just lately. I've been working my way through the comprehensive range of samples trying to unearth something that hits the spot (but doesn't cane the liver) as nicely as a chilled glass of cider (and I'm NOT talking Blackthorn here folks!) but if all else fails, I can always make my own champagne. Well, if it's good enough for Heston Blumenthal...
Have a great Sunday.
Cheers!
