Teffy's Perks

New Blog Domain!

noreply@blogger.com (Teffy @ Sprinkle of Green) — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 09:52:00 +0000

Hello my lovely readers. I am oh so happy to announce that Teffy's Perks is migrating to it's own domain!

I am so so excited about this, and even though there are still tweaks that need to be done and details needing attention, I am pretty happy with the result!

I will soon be moving permanently to said address (don't worry, I'll redirect everything accordingly) but I want to offer you all a preview sneak peak until I make all the permanent changes.

So go on, click on the link, you know you want to ... teffyperk.com

Edinburgh Fringe

noreply@blogger.com (Teffy @ Sprinkle of Green) — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 09:47:00 +0000

I'm so sorry for not posting in so long. I've been away, didn't plan in time to have a post while I was gone, and also been redesigning the whole blog itself - which I cannot wait till it is ready for the launch!

I know the Edinburgh Fringe was during the month of August (and it is now September) but hey guys, there is always next year and I cannot recommend enough that you go. We drove up to surprise Andrea, there were tears of joy (on her part), and we spent a long weekend soaking up the beautiful city and the festival itself.

We saw quite few plays, but I'll keep it to the ones I liked. No point telling you about the ones I didn't, would just be a negative post for the sake of it. Naah not my style. Anyways, here is my roundup of the best. and some of them are putting together different plays by now, some you can even see in London.

She Was Probably Not a Robot // One man show. He pulled it off brilliantly and cracked us up!

Lights! Camera! Improvise! // This was the first show we saw and it was hilarious! I wish I could improv like that. The theme for our one? Jobosaurus. a combo of job centre, dinosaurs, and catastrophe.

Meal Ticket // Andrea's play! Gave us good laughs and was amazing to see her on stage. If you worked the service industry, you'll identify.

The Seer // This can't be classified into a genre. It's not for everybody, but I thought their style was oh so brilliant. It did have a giant butt hole at some point.

The Blues Brothers // Last play we saw. Everyone was on their feet and dancing at the end. My mother wouldn't loved it!

Edinburgh is a beautiful city. The weather is insane - worse than London - so prepare for sun, rain, and wind throughout the day. Try the infamous fried Mars Bar or head to Oink for some delicious Hog Roast. I had the one with stuffing and bbq sauce. Delicious. Maybe you should venture out and have the one with Haggis.

Had a lovely time in Edinburgh. We rented a lovely little flat just a 10 minute car drive from the city centre. The landlady had welcomed us with bread, milk, fruit, and shortbread. I would definitely recommend grabbing your friends and staying there!

Salted Caramel Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Teffy @ Sprinkle of Green) — Fri, 30 Aug 2013 11:05:00 +0000

I remember when I was a little girl and my mother would take me to ice cream parlours. It had so many flavours and toppings and sauces! I always went for the blue ice cream topped with milk chocolate magic shell. I never understood how any one else could go for something like caramel or fruits when there was such a thing as chocolate magic shell and blue ice cream! weirdos.

Now as a much older, and I guess you could even go as far to say a little wiser, I understand. How can you pass up caramel? Simple. You can't. Especially, ladies and gentlemen, when the caramel in question is salted.

To make one jar of the Salted Caramel Sauce: (inspired by Nigella)(love her!)

1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup soft light brown sugar
1/4 cup caster sugar
2.5 tablespoon golden syrup
1/2 cup double cream
1.2-2 teaspoons Maldon Sea Salt (or Fleur de Sel if you can get your hands on it)

In a saucepan, melt the butter, sugars, and golden syrup. Let simmer for a few minutes, swirling the every now and again. Add in cream and salt, swirl a bit more until it gets your desired syrup-y consistency. Take off the heat, and drizzle away!

It's deliciously sweet. If you're short on ideas of where to drizzle - which I'm sure you're not, but just in case, you never know.. - here are a few: cookies, ice creams (duh), cakes, fruits, breads, porridge, chocolate bars, and, if all else fails, just drizzle on your finger and use it as a caramel conveyor.

Now, I had the jar at home and then took it with me to Matt's house, which led my poor flatmates to search the kitchen for where I could possibly have hidden the golden treasure. Oops. Sorry ladies!

Coffee Times

noreply@blogger.com (Teffy @ Sprinkle of Green) — Sun, 25 Aug 2013 12:59:00 +0000

It's impossible to go through life without friends. Fact. You need them. They laugh with you during the good times and hold you through the bad. They're always there for you, outlasting boyfriends and broken hearts. They listen to you bitch about anything and everything really. Honestly, friends deserve a prize.

Even though Sara, Sandra and I live together, our schedules sometimes just don't match! We can go a whole week without having a proper conversation. At home there is always a chore to be done or work to catch up on. Urgh. So the best way we found is to have some girl time is over a good ol' cuppa coffee. Or tea. Up to you.

We have several locations we like to escape to, but this time Sara took me to Monmouth Coffee in Borough Market. Such a lovely place, cannot believe I had never gone before. We got some delicious turkish delight on our way and sat down by the windows overlooking the streets - perfect for people watching - sipping our flat whites and chatting.

for tap water! thought it was cool

I loved it. The coffee was delicious and the company was amazing. Don't know what I would do without this girl in my life. So grab your girls and go spend some time together!

I don't get to see all my other girlfriends as much as I would like, or even as much as I used to just over a year ago. But I know I love them, and whenever we do get to see each other, it's beautiful. Definitely miss all their faces!

Ottelenghi yet again - but breakfast this time!

noreply@blogger.com (Teffy @ Sprinkle of Green) — Tue, 20 Aug 2013 10:36:00 +0000

I have posted about Ottolenghi's Islington location before, but that was more of a lunch brunch post. What many overlook is that the fact that they do the most amazing... breakfast! It's only served till 12.00 (13.00 on Sundays) so it can be easy to miss if you're not efficient in getting out the door on a day off.

Luckily, my brother and I decided to be on it that day and made it there in time. I had been before ages ago and had the bread board (you toast at the table!) with the spreads (I went all out on the nutella. Standard), but this time we decided to go for some "cooked" food - besides our fruit salad, granola, and yogurt of course. Gotta start the day with a healthy kick.

It was perfect. Honestly, it tasted so good it only made me more excited for what was to come. I had the, oh so delicious, I could eat this everyday, ... drum roll please... Shakshuka. Say what? Learn it baby. It's a North African dish made with eggs, peppers, and tomatoes, served with bread and labneh. It was so so so so good. Honestly, go there now.

Alex had smoked salmon and scrambled eggs. It was also very good, but let's be honest, nothing can compare to what I had. Sozz Alex. Just look above. The bread dipped in a soft poached eggs à la eggs and soldiers, with a punch from the labneh and the tomatoes and peppers. Can't go wrong.

I am now on the hunt for said breakfast recipe. I need to try and make it myself or I will need a loyalty card for Ottolenghi in order to not go broke. If only they did one..

St. Ives

noreply@blogger.com (Teffy @ Sprinkle of Green) — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 13:25:00 +0000

So, when I last left you all I had just posted about Kynance Cove and was away for the weekend in Boomtown - my last English festival of the summer. I did promise I was going to post on my St. Ives adventures, and since a Lanister always pays their debt (see what I did there?!), here it is!

I had heard that St. Ives was quite the tourist hot spot, so was quite hesitant to venture there, but I am so so glad we did. It is breathtaking! I mean it hasn't become a hotspot for no reason right?

We wandered around, soaking it all in. There were fudge shops everywhere, clotted cream left right and centre, and souvenirs for all sorts of family members - not that mine got any. Oops. We popped in and out of shops, tried a few clotted cream fudges (they were so good we did buy a bag. good strategy ei) and spotted loads of small galleries. Oh yea, and St.Ives has several different small beaches as well!

We made a lunch reservation at the Seafood Cafe after hearing amazing reviews from The Londoner and Splash of Silk. It was delicious! Matt and I opted for the sharing platter (which I couldve eaten on my own to be honest) but at least it left enough tummy space for the ah-mazing sticky toffee pudding. Both were so delicious, honestly. The platter comes with a fish of your choosing (sea bass for us) plus a potato (garlic crushed for us) and a sauce (garlic and capers for us). Take gum or brush your teeth afterwords if you're heading down the same direction.

Is that fish scary or what!

After having filled our bellies with yummy food, it was time to walk around some more. It also aids digestion. There are so many little streets to discover, beaches to stumble upon, and seagulls to observe. It all feels so cosy and intimate.

They NEVER shush!

On our way back from exploring I spotted a crowd cheering. Turns out these men were competing in teams, racing each other! Legitimate locals. The team I decided to support won, obviously. Good hustle boys.

Alas, our day of Cornish fun had to eventually end. But not before I got my hands on some clotted cream tea first. Oh so Anglicised! Matt doesn't like hot drinks, the weirdo. Oh well, more for me!

We left the next morning, but not before going on a hunt for some Cornish pasties. My friend recommended this place and Matt and I managed to track it down in Truro - it was a mission without internet, believe me. Worth it though! My first ever cornish pasty and I am converted.

Cornwall is beautiful. There is so much I haven't seen still and I cannot wait to be able to return. So much seafood! Maybe next time I'll go Oyster Hunting? hmm.

Cornwall - Kynance Cove

noreply@blogger.com (Teffy @ Sprinkle of Green) — Fri, 09 Aug 2013 16:00:00 +0000

I had never been to Cornwall. Even gone to Barcelona four times in one year once, but never to Cornwall, so when Matt and I booked a weekend away there in short notice, I was beside myself. Cornwall in a few days? No freakin way! It sounded like this faraway land which I had never been granted access to. and lemme tell you, I was most definitely not disappointed. If you follow me on Instagram (@teffperk) you'll have seen my Kynance Cove picture. This place is SO stunning, it's hard to believe I was still in THIS island and not some remote paradise. (Thanks to Kira for the tip!)

Despite the weather forecast (I'm looking at you iphone) we had blue skies and sunshine that day (Matt even got sunburnt. Haaaahaa loser!) We lazed in the sun, ate crab sandwiches and cornish ice cream, gazed at people in wetsuits holding bodyboards, and just soaked it all in. The lizard peninsula is the southmost point in England, and has nothing to do with the reptiles, fyi, in case that would stop you from going.

Try and get there when there is a low tide, as there are some areas and paths that go away as soon as the tide rises. It's also a little bit of a hike on the way down and back up, so wear comfy shoes and bring along someone to grab in case you slip. I ended up getting stuck on top of a rock - was trying to be 'smart' and take a different route. Good thing I had this fellow to play knight-in-shining-armour and come rescue me.

Everything was breathtaking. I stopped so many times to just admire it all. On our way back to our hotel we stopped at Pendennis Point (sounds like penis doesn't it?!), where legend has it that Morgawrs, a sea monster, swims deep beneath the waves at Falmouth Bay. It is said that only calm conditions will persuade it to make an appearance. I kept my eye out on a sunny day, but all I ended up doing was lusting over the sail boats. Maybe next time Morgawrs.

I was there for the weekend, so in the next post I'll take you through St. Ives. It may be a tourist destination, but so lovely it would be mad not to go there. Stay tuned!

Genève

noreply@blogger.com (Teffy @ Sprinkle of Green) — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 11:03:00 +0000

Much to my delight, my father has moved from Brasil to Geneva, making him that much closer to me. No longer do I need a 12 hour flight to see him. Happy times! So, when my brothers were here as well, it only made sense for us all to hop over there for Alex's birthday.

As soon as we arrived we were off for some food. Since it was a beautiful sunny day - as were all the days we were there - we decided to eat somewhere by the lake. La Perle du Lac serves delicious food and the outdoor seating are is wide so you don't have to fight anyone off to get a table to your liking. I of course had escargot for starter - no shocker there - and delicious fish for my main.

Definitely take a stroll around the old part of Geneva and go chill in the park. If you know how to play chess you can observe all the men and their concentration. I can't play, so I just observed how pretty it looked. Oh well. Make sure you go to the food stalls that have popped up by the lake, where they serve lots and lots of caipirinhas and Brasilian food (and crepes with nutella!) - I heard portuguese everywhere! On a hot day though, nothing beats the 'beach' area. It's only 7 francs to get in and you can either swim in the lake or their swimming pools. Also, great napping location underneath the trees. Matt and I slept for ages! They sell food, but I packed us a lunch of baguette with meat cuts and cheese.

Would you jump?

To celebrate Alex's birthday we all headed to dinner at Les Arumures. I went in the winter last time and gorged on Fondue, but this time around it was too hot for molten cheese - at least for me - so I opted for some escargot and fish - yet again! I did however get food envy, as my brother's steak tartar was to die for. oh so so good. Oh and definitely get a bottle (or 3) of the Petite Arvine. One of my favourite white wines alongside Tariquet.

ze birthday boy and his favourite sister!

On my way back home to London, I spotted this baby at the airport. Might as well be for the weight! Unfortunately I couldn't carry the 5kg back, which is probably for the best as I would probably just stick my head inside it and eat it all in one day.

I spent the weekend wining & dining, with amazing food and wine everywhere I turned. Geneva is beautiful, but it is a bit more of a refined place, definitely not where you would choose for a night out. It was a lovely and sophisticated weekend, that's for sure.

A Graduate dinner at the OXO Tower

noreply@blogger.com (Teffy @ Sprinkle of Green) — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 18:21:00 +0000

Graduation day came and went so quickly - especially with the fleeting 10 seconds we get on stage - that what was truly worth it was having the family around. When everyone arrived I cooked a delicious seafood feast that ended in empty bottles of wine and drunken stunts & decisions. Ahh family gatherings.

However, on the graduation day itself, we pulled on our smart looking clothes, our best behaviour, sat out a long ceremony (I may or may not have fallen asleep for a bit), and went out for a celebratory dinner at the OXO Tower.

Confession - it was so so hot under that gown I kept taking my graduation cap off to use it as a fan. Oops.

all ma boyz!

Luckily the OXO Tower was only a few minutes walk from the Royal Festival Hall. It is lovely up there, you can sit outside and enjoy the riverside view. I would make a reservation more than a couple days in advance if I were you, as the place tends to have peak dinner hours all booked out soon.

After ordering loads of chips for the starving Luca, the 'grown-ups' settled with their started. I had the scollops which were delicious and light, and Matt had the lamb, which I would definitely get next time - and he would get mine.

and ohoooho. For the main. Chateaubriand my dears! It was. Oh. So. Good. best piece of meat I've ever had in the UK, honestly. I could eat it over and over again - which is lucky considering it's a two person dish. Matt and I shared and it was more than enough, as it comes with crispy polenta, horseradish, mushrooms, and veggies. Again. So so good.

Unfortunately none of the dessert appealed to me that much. They looked beautiful but they just didn't call me in that certain way. Maybe it's because I was so happy with my Chateaubriand I had no thoughts for anything else. So I leave you with a sweet picture of me and Matt - ha ha get it? sweet? like a desert? ye didn't think it was funny either. Anyways

Sadly my mother didn't make it to my graduation as she is mortally afraid of flying these days. I've suggested hypnotism, but does anyone know of anyone who has successfully gotten over their fear? or any other suggestions really? I welcome it all - and so does she!

The Modern Pantry

noreply@blogger.com (Teffy @ Sprinkle of Green) — Mon, 29 Jul 2013 11:18:00 +0000

So I have now graduated from University. Hoorah! So ensued days of family time, eating, drinking, and just being very very happy. My first two family members to arrive were my two older brothers, so obviously we went for a delicious brunch and day about town. There was a time where all three of use lived here together, but they have since ~~abandoned me~~ moved on to other parts of the world.

Back when we all lived here, every Sunday we would go for brunch. It was a lovely way to have some brotherly family time at the end of the week, so it made perfect sense to do the same when they came back. This time I took them to The Modern Pantry, where they marry everyday cooking with modern ingredients. it was delicious!

The food was delicious. We shared a Honey roast oats, seeds and nuts, grated apple, and natural yoghurt to start - actually, Alex ordered it to start and we all ended up having some as it was so yummy. As a 'main, Alex had eggs royale, Allan had eggs benedict, and I had a tasty sweetcorn, feta, green chilli & curry leaf waffle, complete with smoked streaky bacon and maple syrup. Oh so good!

You can also sit outside on a sunny - or at least not rainy - day. Oh, and make sure to order one of their smoothies - the passionfruit, orange, banana & honey was my favourite! After brunch we left with full bellies, so the logical path was to walk around London for hours (I'm not joking) until we eventually made our way to Alex's friends home for dinner, where they cooked us a delicious bbq and let me hold their adorable baby! Look how perfect his little head is!

I had such a good time with my family in town, I do wish they would all just live close by! For the meantime everyone is spread out everywhere, but I do have hope. On the bright side, it just means that every time we do get together, it is absolutely fantastic!

Matt's Birthday Victoria Sponge Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Teffy @ Sprinkle of Green) — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 21:22:00 +0000

So. As I mentioned here, I made a victoria sponge cake with a jam and buttercream filling and colourful frosting for Matt's birthday. It was simpler than expected really, with a few bit and bobs that I would do differently next time (ie - buy an appropriate box in time so the cake isn't slanted inside the fridge.. leading the top half to slide off. ) I also did run out of time when icing, cutting my artistic adventure short and simple.

Now, ideally you would use the exact same weight of eggs, sugar, flour, and butter. However, you can guestimate and I promise it won't be a disaster. So, you will need:

3-4 large eggs
250g butter (softened)
250g caster sugar
250g self raising flour
1tsp baking powder
splash vanilla extract
1tsp salt
2-4 tbsp milk

and for the buttercream and jam filling

100g butter (softened)
200g icing sugar
50ml double cream
jam of choice

Now, to make said deliciousness:

preheat your oven to 180ºC (350ºF/Gas mark 4) and grease&flour two 21cm sandwich tins. In a food mixer, beat your butter and sugar until light and fluffy - it can take a couple minutes so be patient. Beat the eggs together and add to the mixture a bit at a time, along with the vanilla.

When it is all mixed in properly (make sure to scrape the sides) fold in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add in enough milk so that the mixture drops quite easily off the spoon - though not run off it. Divide between the tins, smooth it all out, and bang in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Do the toothpick check to make sure it's done - ya know, stick it in and if comes out clean, you're good to go.

Let it cool on a rack, and while such a thing happens, make the buttercream by simply beating the butter till fluffy and then all other said ingredients. When the cake is finally cool (it felt like forever) assemble by making one layer of buttercream and one layer of jam (I used raspberry).

For the top of the cake you can either dust with a sprinkling of icing sugar, or get as creative as you like. Just make sure the tastes all go together! Mine ended up being iced with a simple vanilla frosting, but I'm sure my next one will be a more simple sprinkling to be honest.

PS - notice the sludge of cream and jam coming out of this side? Yea, this was the side that slid off while the cake was in the fridge. Ah well, at least it still tasted amazing (other people's opinion ok, not just mine!)

Recipe guided by this one

The Liebster Awards - July 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Teffy @ Sprinkle of Green) — Tue, 23 Jul 2013 12:52:00 +0000

So the lovely Kimberley from Oh, That Kimberley! has been kind enough to nominate Teffy's Perk's for a Liebster award (read the questions she answered here)! So, what exactly is it? It's an award where a blogger nominates other up and coming blogs so that their own readers can discover some new corners of the world wide web.

The rules:

Nominees must answer 11 questions asked by the blogger that nominated them
You need to choose 11 blogs with under 200 followers to pass the award onto and let them know you've nominated them by commenting on their blog
Come up with 11 new questions for them to answer.

Here are Kimberley's questions for me to answer!

What is your favourite book?I read so much I have several favourites. I always find this question so hard to answer as I don't have one particular favourite (even though I have read all the HP more than once..), but I just love finding a new book that sucks me in. Trouble is, when that happens, I can't stop reading till I finish!
----
If you had a place in Hogwarts what house would you be placed in, regardless of which house you prefer, and why?
Not to be cliche, but I do honestly believe Gryffindor. I am a loyal person as well as I can be quite fearless and take risks.
----
Do you prefer the summer heat or cold winters?
Ohoo summer heat for sure.. I do struggle oh so much during the cold winters.
----
If you were going to retreat to a deserted island for the holidays, what 5 items would you take with you?
I would bring a person for company (probably Matt - does he could as an item? hmm probs not), an amazing tent, 2in1 shampoo&conditioner, fire lighters, cookies, rum.
----
What is your favourite perfume?
I am always looking for new fragrances, but I've stuck to YSL's Opium for a while now.
----
What are your favourite places that you have ever visited?
Rio de Janeiro, Vietnam, Paris, Barcelona
----
If you could travel anywhere in the world with an unlimited budget, where would you go?
I would probably travel all around Africa, going to all the countries I have always wanted to explore but just haven't had the chance yet.
----
What is 'home' to you?
Where the heart is.. not necessarily a place, but somewhere I get to be with my family, being happy and having an amazing time.
----
What is your least favourite thing about blogging?
How slow my computer is and how long it can take me to load something that should take minutes.
----
Now, what is your top favourite thing about blogging?
The people whose life you get an insight into, and the proximity and legitimacy of what they have to say. Bloggers are real people.
---

My questions for my winners:

If you knew today was your last day on earth, what would your last meal be?
If you could live in any era, which one would you choose and why?
What is the most embarrassing thing/silliest moment that has ever happened to you?
What does your ideal weekend look like?
What is the most mind-blowing thing you have ever eaten?
If you won the lottery, what would be your first purchase?
If I were to hijack your ipod/iphone/mp3/.. what song would I find as most played?
Would you rather watch a scary movie with friend or a romantic movie with a loved one?
Who would you cast to play you in a movie? In return, who would YOU like to play in a movie?
If you could throw any kind of party, what would it be like & what would it be for?
Why did you first get into blogging, and is it what you expected? What would you change?

And now, my nominees for the Liebster Awards are:

Emily from My Ginger Bread Journey (she just went to Ascott!)
Ibbs from The Lobster & Me (a Lobster mascot, what more could you want!)
Becky from Red Hot Londoner (she has plans for Burning Man yo!)
Caroline from Cocktails and Caroline (Mr Chew!!)
Nicola from Out Little Balham Life (she has more than 200 followers, but I couldn't not!)
Lottie from Beauty and a Cookbook (she went strawberry picking!)
Becca from One in every colour (amazing outfit inspo compilations!)
Grace from Polaroids & Puds (who doesn't love polaroids?! puds?!)
Jennifer from Scarlett Wonderland (she so SO funny!)
Joanna from Paprika (she's in Paris atm!)
Rebecca from This Woman's Style (she can blog about anything and everything!)

Now, choosing a mere 11 bloggers from all the blogs I read has been exceptionally hard, as there are so many amazing blogs out there. My hope is that if I didn't get to mention your blog, one of my winners will do so!

Camping in the Cotswolds

noreply@blogger.com (Teffy @ Sprinkle of Green) — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 17:44:00 +0000

A few weeks back my lovely friends and I took a weekend-long camping trip in the stunning Cotswolds. More specifically, Thistledown Farms in Gloucestershire. As we were going for Andrea's birthday, it was the most suiting of places. It is a lovely family owned, environmentally conscious campsite with woodland and meadow all around. Definitely not in London anymore Toto.

So you know how it's all sunny and glorious at the moment? Well back then it wasn't. We got loads of rain and my waterproofs became my new best friends. Luckily we had our amazing gazebo which allowed us to keep our fire going. You might recognise it from my Glasto post as well. Little lifesaver.

They have a small shop at the farm with their local produce, but I would most definitely recommend a visit to Nailsworth, which is only a 5 minute drive. There you'll find the small delicatessen William's, where we got most of our delicious food.

To be honest, cooking over a fire just makes each meal oh so special. Not only because of the sheer time it takes, but of the whole simplicity of it. For our first meal, we made the most amazing fish and asparagus. Seasoned with basic ingredients like salt, pepper, and lemon, the flavours were just bouncing.

and of course... no night is complete without S'mores. It was a foreign concept to some in our party, and you cannot believe how much their mind was blown when they tried it! Definitely a hit. Simply roast some marshmallows and squidge in between two digestives and some chocolate. I left one half of my biscuit with a chocolate piece near the fire so it would be nice and soft by squidging-time.

Now breakfasts as well were another ordeal. Obviously since it took a while to get the fire back to it's cooking glory we first lined our stomachs with tea and muesli, ready for the morning feast that we would soon have. Chorizo, bacon, beans, mushrooms, bread, onion marmalade. What more is there to life really?

Bread from the local bakery

Mushrooms with cheese & parsley, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. So much better than the greasy fry-up ones. and just as good a hangover cure.

Now. This dinner feast was unbelievable. It lasted hours. We had one of the most delicious legs of lamb I have ever had, prawns that were the size of your hand (not a fisherman's tale. fact), haloumi, corn on the cob, and sweet potato mash. Oh so so good.

Marina getting down and dirty with the meat.

To make the lamb we simply used sea salt, pepper, olive oil, and dried mint. All our marinades were simple and rustic, and were all we needed in the end really.

poor lighting.. but you get the idea.

Even our leftovers breakfast was stunning. Yummy chorizo alongside sautéed potatoes with red onions. Honestly, there was not one bad meal. Even our cheese and marmalade grilled sandwiches tasted heavenly.

Of course all this food would not be possible without this little guy. Every day the owners would come round to check if we were in need of more wood for our fire. I'm sure this chap just came to get his daily dose of cuddles.

Of course it wasn't just all about the food and the sweet dawg. It would not have been anything without being surrounded by such lovely people, all of which could play ultimate frisbee better than I could. Ah well.

Paddy, Marina, Matt, Me, Ben, Adam, Andrea

Even with the rain and wind, this place was so breathtakingly beautiful it didn't even bother me that much. It made it cosy and all so very English.

Also, they have amazing showers and compost toilets, so I guess it would be considered a glamping sort of scenario? Anyways. If you have the time, just grab some of your friends and loved ones and go there, I can guarantee you won't regret it.

A British Birthday Barbecue

noreply@blogger.com (Teffy @ Sprinkle of Green) — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 00:13:00 +0000

So it was Matt's birthday, and what better way than to celebrate London's first 30plus heat that a bbq? Simple - there is no better way. Now, being originally from Brasil, a bbq for me means tons and tons of different cuts of meat (think more like beef) paired with salads, vinaigrette, crusty bread, and rice. However, it was about time I got a crash course in the way the Brits do it - since, after all, I am dating one.

So firstly the salad bits. I needed salad. For me, a bbq HAS to have salad. and luckily the brit agreed. So I made one bowl with chopped cherry tomates - different colours and cuts to make it puurty - seasoned with good ol' balsamic and a pinch of salt. Alongside it some simple peppers chopped up and ready to eat.

We cheated a bit with the ready packed salads, but we did get several different kinds and mixed&matched, so that kind of counts right? I think it does. We also served some hummus with a pinch of hot paprika on top, some avocado with red onion, & condiments. The star of the condiments? The caramelised onion relish. It is amazing in everything. Everyone loved it. Go get one. Now. (I've had this one and this one - they both rock)

For the meats - chicken drumsticks are always a winner as they are easy to cook and form a nice crusty outside. You can either get some bbq or jerk seasoning or make your own. Making it is pretty simple really with a dry rub, all you need is some brown sugar, garlic powder, ground coriander, allspice, ground nutmeg, paprika (smoked if possible), black pepper, and salt.

Now, of course I didn't make the sausages. But those prawn skewers? Those were delish and I take complete credit for that. I simply marinated them with some minced garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Done. Chicken breast skewers (which we also had) are also a winner.

For those more meat-y inclined, these pork kebab skewers were quite the success. You can get them ready seasoned or if you're cutting them all up yourself, simply rub with some paprika, black pepper, salt, and if you can, add some slices of pineapple in there as well.

Now, it wouldn't be british without those red plumpy strawberries would it? While Matt does have some home grown in his garden, they were nowhere enough to make jugs and jugs of pimms for our boozey crowd.

Sara and her hoola skills!

Since it was his birthday, I took it upon myself to make his favourite cake - sponge cake with a buttercream and jam filling with a colourful vanilla frosting on top. Not specific at all.

Now, I think I've only had sponge cake once, let alone made a sponge cake, so was quite proud of the end result. Unfortunately the top layer slid off the bottom one before brought to the party, but luckily it was fixed in time to look and taste amazing! Little side overspill aside, it held quite well in the heat.

It was an absolutely lovely day of eating and drinking. We did not stop until the sun went down, with food and drinks turning up left, right, & centre. I remember just looking around and feeling nothing but happiness. The sun was shining and we were surrounded by friends. A perfect sunday bbq.

Glastonbury 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Teffy @ Sprinkle of Green) — Thu, 04 Jul 2013 11:20:00 +0000

So here is my Glasto first post (and get ready, it's a long one). I'm getting all nostalgic just writing the name and it hasen't even been one week since I'm back. That is how good it was. Since I can't just keep saying 'take me back!' at every mention of it, might as well do a post to show you why I'm being all moan-y and post-glasto blue-y.

We left London at about 3.45am on Wednesday and when we got there a huuge queue had formed already, but thanks to a blessed soul of an unknown woman we barely had to queue 5 minutes. So as we went in we all trekked with our heavy loads of stuff to Pennard Hill to set up camp. We had to secure a spot for about 14 tents (tents, not counting the people!) a gazebo and lemme tell you, this was no easy feet. Definitely worth it for how awesome our campsite was.

I cannot explain how unbelievably lucky we were with the weather. We all have slight tans and only had about 4 hours of rain on thursday. That's it! So not only did we survive glasto in the rain, we also enjoyed it in sunshine. Such a rare occasion. So after setting camp we of course went on to treat ourselves to some deliciously chilled and flavoured Brothers cider.

Now, after this so much has happened, I have discovered so many places, listened to so many bands, that I think the soundest thing for me to do is to just give you pictures and some stories. I couldn't take pictures of everything, especially at night, so I'll try to make you feel as if you were there as much as possible.

the foam was biodegradable, so no harm done!

there is always a tent or somewhere to discover, so don't plan out every second of your day. Discover new bands, chill in new spaces. This festival is so massive there are so many places I didn't get a chance to see, and I went out a few times with the sole purpose of exploring.

aren't these hammocks the perfect napping spot?!

Giant twister!

During the day I loved sitting on the floor, listening to a band, chatting with friends, and just having an amazing time. Glastonbury was an alternate reality I just did not want to leave. The days and nights went by so quickly, way too quickly.

Now, I have NEVER seen crowds like this. I have never seen so many people all out at once, and all in a good mood! The site is huge, and it can take one hour to walk from one end to the other. The pyramid stage always baffled me with how I couldn't even see the other end of the crowd. One thing though, every publication has been raving about the Rolling Stones. Sorry to burst it, but almost everyone I spoke to has said how underwhelming it was. The sound did not reach everyone, you could hold a normal conversation, and it just was not capturing. Only highlight was that it was THE Rolling Stones. Other than that, completely lacking. They certainly did not make Glastonbury. Mumford and Sons though closed it with a golden key. Almost brought tears to my eyes they were so great.

I had never gone up on a boy's shoulders. Oh the view!

Now remember here when I mentioned face paint and hair at festivals?? Andrea outdid herself and made a crown-like plait on the back of my hair!

beautiful festival face!

Now, I had never been to a festival with a boyfriend, so when we went together we did it all proper - got ourselves a big tent, a massive blow up mattress, yoga matt for the floor, and fairylights. I have never slept so comfortably at a festival before! and the chairs? definitely worth the buy just to be able to sit normally while we had out morning breakfast of cereal and milk (brought from London yo!)

I miss these guys already so much. Waking up in my bed and having breakfast in my kitchen, and not waking up and congregating under a gazebo, feels weird.

It was such a well prepared festival, nothing was left to chance. The sets they made were unbelievable, how such places were able to come alive in a field. Whether it was partying at the shanti town of The Blues in Silver Hayes or inside the clubs in Block 9, creating a heaven and hell for Shangri La, or the warm showers and globe at the Greenpeace, seeing the sun rise at the healing fields after dancing your feet off, the fire spitting Arcadia, you were NEVER left bored. and the food?? well..

gluten free cherry bake-wells. Sandra's heaven!

made fresh every day!

gorging on watermelon to rehydrate after a night out. They also had coconut water!

steak and cheese pie. SO good.

Jerk Chicken, rice, peas, plaintain. Yes please!

Bragrill - rice, beans stew, chicken, lamb, pork, potato salad. Yum!

Now, food at festivals can be a bit pricey, so do pace yourself. Aim at eating at least one big meal a day and bring snacks with you. You can refill your water bottles at the water points, so I always tried to carry one with me. Have a scout before deciding where to eat, as there are so many food places and many can be quite generic and disappointing. Must admit I ate falafel more than once.. bloody love the stuff!

A festival retrospect & a Glasto hype-up

noreply@blogger.com (Teffy @ Sprinkle of Green) — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 12:26:00 +0000

Now, words cannot describe how excited I am! Tomorrow is the day that we are going to my dream place - Glastonbury. We leave at 3 am with a full car and full trunk, early enough that we can secure and build a campsite for our massive group.

I'm sure if you're a festival go-er or festival enthusiast you have read countless posts on what to take, what not to take, what to expect, yada yada, so I'll fill you in some in betweens in case you missed it. I'll also use some pictures to illustrate my point/reminisce.

Now, if you don't live in England wellies are not necessarily a must for you. but if it is an english festival you're going to, and you're thinking 'well everyone says take it, but is it reaaaally that necessary?' Yes. it is. Look below and see if you want to treck that sans wellies. Hunters are the way for me. Mine are navy blue (have lasted me countless festivals and will last countless more) and Sara's new ones are glossy black.

Also, beware of ankle boot wellies. It took Sara 20 minutes to put them on then 20 to take them off every.single.time because the mud just made them impossible to grip. beware. Little anecdote for ya: Some music tents have carpet to sit down and require you to remove your wellies and place them in the entrance. I once accidentally walked off with one foot of the wrong boot, only to wake up with two completely different sized wellies (left foot 4, right foot 6!). Luckily I was able to find who it was the next day (out of sheer dumb luck) and we exchanged back as she (also luckily) had grabbed my one out of the pile after she couldn't find hers. Poor girl had to walk with a wellie 2 sizes too small all night! So keep an eye out for your ones ladies (and gents).

this is how they looked after 1 night. Imagine how they were at the end!

you know those pretty flower garlands everyone wears? it's not just for looks. yes, they look great, but you need something to distract people from the dry shampoo in your hair in case you didn't get a chance to wash it. also, always remember to pack a friend (Andrea in my case) who does amazing plaits and also helps sort out said hair issues.

Continuing on hair issue, don't cut a fringe before a festival if you're not used to having one. Sara and I did that a few years ago (she banged on my door and declared we were either getting a tattoo or a fringe) and so ensued a few days of trying to keep short untameable hair under control. not nice.

hers did a side swirl. mine became frizzy. neither wins.

Wear colours! Not only is it finally the chance to wear a wacky outfit you have secretly wanting to wear. honestly, there are no limits at festivals. It also helps friends to identify you at night. Oh and face paint/glitter! basically my make-up during the whole duration. Uplifts any hungover look, trust me. You are likely to lose friends to different stages along the way. Don't stress it and DO NOT spend the whole festival trying to find people. Enjoy it and relax.

I also always take my trust monkey beanie. warm and cool yo!

Don't overpack. You have to carry your bags to the campsite and that could take one hour, not to mention queuing time. So benefit 1-2 shorts, 1-2 trousers, and tops that can roll and squeeze into corners. think tetris. Also, festivals have amazing charity shops (oxfam!) so you can always pick up a cardigan/jumper there for almost nothing. If you can, bring in some drinks and snacks (rice cakes, crisps, cereal bars, bananas, apples..) because it is more expensive inside. Good thing is though, festival are so well prepared for the people to not be, they even sell groceries. If it's muddy, do not take a trolley as it will get stuck.

Sara always has great festival style.

Do NOT take skirts unless you have tights. I wore a skirt once to a dusty festival and I could feel the dust rising places it should not be allowed to rise to. I wore knickers of course, but was still not a pleasant idea. and my skirt was white. what was I thinking?!

forgive the Michelangelo wannabe fail pose

Also take - 1 pair of trainers and 1 pair of flip-flops There was no rain one festival and the trainers were light and easy to walk around in. The flip-flops are for the showers of course. You should never step barefoot on communal showers. Ew. Also, buy one of those tiny travel quick-drying towels. life saver.

Now, I know onesies are a fave, but I am honestly against them unless they can be taken off without having to take your jumper off. No one deserves having to undress from 3 layers to climb into a smelly portaloo at night. Cris' onesie below was perfect as she could just untie the top and slide it down. I would still stick to shorts though.

festival chic like no other

Now here are some of my festival inspiration outfits. No of course I didn't take these pictures - even though I wish I had so I could've been there as well!

picture 1 // picture 2 // picture 3

The weather forecast is no rain and good weather for the duration of the festival, so of course I've packed suncream as no one deserves a burn. Also bring torches, hand sanitizer, wipes, loo roll, paracetamol, plasters, hygiene bits and bobs, etc etc and usual - build your campsite on high ground, close enough to toilets but not too close, and not bang in the middle that you need to treck through other tents for long. Smell ya later Londaaaaaan!!

Lily Vanilli Bakery

noreply@blogger.com (Teffy @ Sprinkle of Green) — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 13:21:00 +0000

In my Columbia Road post (here) I made a slight mention to the well-known Lily Vanilli bakery. Of course that slight mention couldn't be it, right?? Of course not. I was just saving it all because truth be told this baby deserves a post all of it's own.

There was quite the queue, and even though some people gave up before even trying, it did actually move pretty fast. One step closer to bakery heaven by the step. I kept eyeing my prey to make sure no one decided to take it, in case I had to make a leap for it and protect my prize. Fortunately I noticed there were more being kept hidden. Phew. Saved Matt from some embarrassment.

Seating space is limited, so if you plan on lounging about keep an eye out for leavers. We managed to conquer the table above not long after our arrival. Success!

The decor is really lovely in my opinion. Simple and very inviting, almost as if you were invited to your friend-who-is-amazing-at-DIY's place for some splendid home baked goods. It's full of sweet details without being pretentious - just as it should be. Now don't even get me started on the goods...

.. so delicious. Not only does the bakery do amazing cakes and tarts, but one of the ways I found it (besides knowing it resided in Ezra street) was to follow where people were emerging carrying delicious breads with meaty toppings. It just looked too appealing to not investigate.

Mushroom, sausage, and rocket topping. Oh YES!

It was a messy eat, so be sure to perch yourself somewhere - be it a table or the curb. All I know is you need to get your hands on this baby. and of course grab a little something for pudding. Matt was gracious enough to let me have most of the brownie (I think, don't know if he realised I had most of it. oops)

Sara looking gorgeous as ever. Too cool for school ya!

We had such a nice day it puts many of my other Sundays to shame. The sun graced us with its presence, which allowed for some park-lounging after the cake-consuming. That is how Sunday's should be, really.

Columbia Road Flower Market

noreply@blogger.com (Teffy @ Sprinkle of Green) — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 13:20:00 +0000

As much as wishful thinking works, it has never managed to pull me out of bed early on a Sunday. Luckily a given Sunday not too long ago a miracle happened - we were out the door at a decent hour to make it to the flower market! Hallelujah.

So there we went, ready to have our eyes lovingly attacked by colours as well as being crammed like sardines by the crowds. I know I sound bitter, but it was actually really nice and the weather was even cooperative!

that just made me want to touch them even more!

There are loads of little shops hidden behind the flower stalls. Venture into them as you never know what hidden little gem or cutesy artefact you'll find. Some sell tea and bagels and have a hidden garden, others sell beautiful rugs, others vintage clothes, and others sell gimmicks. Plus, the main street is so full at times you'll need to escape to the sides.

photo I took with Nicole's instagram - Nic, Sandra, Sara

At the end of the market there is Campania. They do delicious food, but I love the little window on the side in which you can order a coffee and one of the best panini you will ever have. The first time I ever went there I couldn't believe how delicious it was! and even though it was cold and winter at that time, I still queued outside and ate it in the street. Ain't no weather gettin in the way of my panini.

Also, just before the market ends there is the courtyard. It's down a side street on the left and leads to delicious places to either shop or eat. definitely worth a venture, even if just for Lily Vanilly bakery.

At the end of this little side street there is a hidden gem. Doesn't really have a name outside but the chalkboard sign leads you to it.

the market only runs on Sundays from 8am until 3is. The time I wend (around 1) was quite busy, so I would suggest either braving it early Sunday or maybe leaving it till more towards the end. Even with is being busy I still found it lovely, but if you don't do crowds then save yourself the stress.

Meringue with Blueberry Compote

noreply@blogger.com (Teffy @ Sprinkle of Green) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:06:00 +0000

Not much beats the simplicity of a meringue. If done right it can be truly delightful. If gone wrong though, ooff, do not eat. My mother makes them for christmas sometimes. Two massive meringues with strawberry and cream sandwhiched inbetween and smothered ontop. It has even been requested by family members.

Now, this is not such an outstanding piece, but it is tasty nonetheless. Beware though, don't attempt if you're in a hurry as it takes time and patience. It has some secrets to it so read along.

To patiently make this, you will need:
300 g Caster Sugar
5 egg whites at room temp
lemon slice

100g blueberrys (can be frozen or not)
1-2 tblsp of caster sugar
squeeze of lemon juice

tip - you don't want any grease or oil to come into contact with the egg whites, so make sure you don't touch the egg whites (if shell falls in scoop it out with a metal spoon) and that is also what the lemon is for.

Let's bake!
1. preheat oven to 200ºC (if you want to caramelise the sugar, add it in for about 8 minutes)
2. rub the lemon slice around your bowl & whisk and then add the egg whites
3. begin whisking & when slightly foamy slowly add in the sugar at a higher speed.
4. whisk until the mixture holds a slight shape - test it by holding it upside down, it should't fall!
5. if you want to add in flavourings (nuts), this is the time! then line them with a spoon on baking paper
6. turn the oven settings to as low as possible and bang them it.

There we are! this could take 6 hours so don't wait around. Also leave the compote for when they are done. To make the compote simply add all ingredients in a pan and simmer for a few minutes until it resembles a jam of sorts.

tip - more of a fact really. What is happening is that the meringue is getting.. dehydrated. Which is why it takes so long to make and can't actually be rushed.

Once they are done leave to cool for a bit and then add the compote (from a distance if you want to do it Jamie Oliver style). They should be nice and crunchy outside and quite soft and smooth inside.

Recipe referenced from the Guardian

Food Corner

noreply@blogger.com (Teffy @ Sprinkle of Green) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 11:58:00 +0000

Yes yes, another Brixton post. and yes, of course it's about food. Now I know I've been a bad blogger and missing in action lately, blogging only once a week - which is dog year in the online world. I've just been so engulfed in work and Game of Thrones that my time just disappeared.

by the way, just finished season 1 of Game of Thrones so no one dare tell me what happens! How did I only start watching it now! I had not lived I tell ya.

ANYWAYS. Food Corner is a new project that helps develop the local businesses during the week whilst also allowing Brixtoners new options for a delicious lunch. So now not only is there the Brixton Road Community Market on Fridays and Saturdays, but also the Food Corner from Monday to Fridays (lucky Brixon folk!)

All the traders were chosen for their creativity, flavour, quality, and social responsibility. So how could I possibly not go when invited to the launch?!

Sara graciously agreed to come along - she is the whole reason I discovered Brixton as when she lived there I was ALWAYS at hers (now we live together elsewhere) - and we met up with the lovely Camilla who is the marketing coordinator for the market. She welcomed us and set us free to discover. Word of advice, walk along and sniff out all options before deciding, as they ALL look amazing!

Ahh Bunny Chow. I've told y'all about a bunny chow I've had before here, and no, it is not made from bunnys. It is a delicious artisan loaf filled with your desires - you can choose from chicken, mutton, beef, and veggies covered in a lip smacking sauce. legendary.

If you're in the mood for some Vietnamese, Hanoi Kitchen does delicious summer and spring rolls as well as hot pots of vermincelli noodles. I absolutely love vietnamese food, it takes me right back when I went there to visit my brother. I consider that the time in which I mastered the art of chopsticks.

You can barely ever go wrong with pizza. Especially if said pizza is inspired by naples and made in a wood fired oven. Did I also mention that it is made from a 24hour sourdough recipe and only uses the freshest of ingredients?? Get to Woodbox Pizza asap.

If you're more of a meat eater then Bare Bone Cue is your calling. Your pulled pork calling. It's so easy for pulled pork to go wrong, but this one is super tasty! You choose your sauce and they stuff a bun with your fillings. Bliss.

Sauce-wise I went for the orange pop - a barbecue sauce with an orange twist. If it's intense heat you want, then go for No Name XXX. If you're not sure they provide bread pieces so you can taste before you fully commit to one sauce.

Last but not least is Pangea. They mix street flavours from all over the world (hence the name) and it is absolutely-one-hundred-percent amazing. Not only do the flavours come through but the two lads who werk it are lovely. Definite win!

So here is the final product. Salmon over all that delicious salad with chili, spices, sauces, and everything nice. It's colourful, healthy, and wholesome and you leave feeling satisfied without your belly exploding.

Look how happy Sara is with it!

I would also say to check out the rest of the market if you're there Friday or Saturday. If I hadn't ventured down I would never have run into this baby! They also have a nice seating area and a tent for local talent to play their music. So sit back, eat some food, and enjoy the streets of Brixton.

Sara and I had an amazing day together, spending some long due quality time. Of course we headed to the ritzy and met up with some peeps later, which was just the cherry on top of the cake!

Brixton Village 101

noreply@blogger.com (Teffy @ Sprinkle of Green) — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 18:50:00 +0000

So if you have yet to wander into Brixton village you are definitely missing out. Seriously. It is full of small cafés, restaurants, and shops, and it honestly never gets old or boring. Since I am such a kind human being I decided to take you around with me on a little tour. So take a seat, make some popcorn, and enjoy the ride!

The village has two staple pizza joints - the Agile Rabit (pictured above) and Franco Manca. Both are home to delicious thin crust pizzas. Head to the Agile Rabit for a pizza snack and some live music and to Franco Manca for an authentic Neapolitan sourdough pizza. Both are a winner. If you want a burger, then it is to Honest Burgers you must go - I've raved about them here before!

The market is home to some simple yet simply delicious food, most of which are family owned and community oriented. Head to Senzala for some truly amazing filled crepes, they even have gluten free - as most places there do! It's part of the Brick Box which is an community oriented arts organisation. For more of that locally produced freshness, head to Cornercopia, which also serves english beers and wines.

Ahh French & Grace. I love their wraps with hummus and lamb merguez sausage. If you do feel more of a meat eater there is also Bukowski, which serves charcoal grilled meats or Wishbone for their chicken.

How cool is Fish, Wings & Tings!

Now if you're desire is for something more foreign, head to Mama Lan (pictured below) for their beijing street food, or possibly to KaoSarn for their expert thai (the pad thai there is to die for) and alfresco dining, or even to Okan for the japanese style pancakes! Or possibly Elephant and their delicious Pakistani street food? Or Seven for their spanish tapas and amazing cocktails? You're spoilt for choices, really.

Don't think that it's all about meals here though! You can easily just drag a few friends and sit down for a nice tea or coffee, with a delicious slice of bread to make all your sorrows go away. Head to Wildcaper for their delicious assortments of breads and sandwhichs. Just look at them bellow! how could anyone say no?

Now, the Burnt Toast Café holds a special place in my heart. Sara and I went there once for breakfast on my birthday, going all out and having anything that could fit into our bellies. Varieties of delicious toasted break (you toast it on the table) smothered in nutella or topped with scrambled eggs and smoked salmon. We were spoilt the whole morning. good times.

Now another place that also holds dear in my heart - Federation Coffee has been home to so many of my ramblings and decisions (I even have a loyalty card!). It was in the very table below that Sara, Mariana and I attempted to plan our whole summer traveling across Europe. The coffee is top notch and it is perfect to people watch.

I know that with this post it seems ALL brixton village has to offer is food. Nope. Walking around there are such lovely shops. Furniture, art, vintage clothes, small boutiques. You can wonder around and always find something that will definitely catch your eye. Surely did mine.

so beautiful!

and hey, if nothing does catch your eye, you can always bring home some giant snails. and yes, they're alive.

It was impossible to include every.single.place so I would suggest heading down there and checking them out for yourself! the hardest part is to decide which place you want to eat, because you just know everything tastes amazing. and oh god, don't even get me started on all the different kind of cakes around. Good luck!

Mango Coconut Rice

noreply@blogger.com (Teffy @ Sprinkle of Green) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 11:30:00 +0000

This is such a simple dish, and yet it's colours and flavours are so delicious that it doesn't really seem so. I would suggest racking this up and taking it to a bbq to have alongside some grilled chicken whilst basking in the sun and drinking some beer. Utter bliss. It's got mango to give you fiber, chili to help your metabolism, red peppers for your veggie intake, and coconut for some good fats. Dig in!

Recipe inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi's Mango Rice Salad.

So creamy and delicious. I actually ate a bowl of just this rice. Sure, it could've done with some actual meat on the side. But hey, I was hungry and impatient. So, here is how to make just this rice - then you can convince someone else to conjure up the grilled charcoal chicken.

So, as the ingredients above indicate, to make this rice you will need
1 tin of coconut milk
basmati or jasmin rice (1 tin of coconut milk's worth)
1 large mango, cut into squares
1 chili, deseeded and finely chopped
bunch of basil, roughly chopped (except for 4 leaves to leave whole plus some for decor)
bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
bunch of mint, roughly chopped
2 red peppers, chopped
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
grated zest of 1 lemon, plus some juice to taste
about 90g salted peanuts

serves about 8-10 people as a side!

just look at those colours!

Now let's get cooking (good lookin!)

1. Boil your kettle and add 1 tin of coconut milk, 1 tin of the rice, and 1 tin of the boiling water, and about 4 whole basil leaves and let cook for about 20 minutes
2. Once the rice is cooked, turn off the heat and add in remaining ingredients - except for the mango - and give it a good stir.
3. Once you've tasted and decided the seasoning is good (maybe you want more lemon juice or to add some salt, who knows) then add in the mango and stir it in with care so it doesn't disintegrate.
4. Transfer to a glass container and decorate with the last few basil leaves. Voilà! Ready to be eaten.

Honest Burgers - True Blood Style

noreply@blogger.com (Teffy @ Sprinkle of Green) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 13:17:00 +0000

Now, if you live in London and have a slight (strong) burger fetish, then it is virtually impossible that you haven't been to or heard of Honest Burgers. They do amazing ginger pig pattys and serve all burgers with a side of the most delicious rosemary chips. So, when I heard they had a special inspired by the HBO show True Blood, there was no way I was going to miss this. Without any further ado,I give you - the Louisiana Special.

They have two locations, one in Brixton and one in Soho. I have now been to both and my favourite would be brixton. We got to sit 'outside' (still inside Brixton Village) and since there was a 20-minute wait, we could just wander around until they called us to let us know we had a table. And you know me, I could wander around Brixton Village for hours on end.

Unfortunately I've been outta touch with True Blood, but I did used to watch it - and should probably get back into now. I have a horrible habit of not keeping up with series. It's already on its 6th season, so it started along with the whole blood sucker craze of Twilight, Vampire diaries, etc.. and was one of the only ones NOT focusing on tweens. It had blood, supernatural, murder, sex. Combine that into a burger and what do you get? that beauty below right there.

I enjoyed every single bite of that burger. I would take a bite, close my eyes for a few seconds - I do that sometimes when something taste awesome - and savour it. I would then proceed to eat some of their ah-mazing chips and then slowly take another bite. Every.single.bite was incredible and a feast in my mouth. I was ready to go back again the next day, but unfortunately going to work got in the way. shame. I sound like a crazy person, but if you try this burger, you'll understand.

A must drink when in Brixton!

Anyways. After devouring our burgers, Matt and I headed up to Highbury & Islington to meet up with Alex and Sara. Since the weather was nice it called for Strawberry beer in a beer garden with my schwuli (a name my girl friends and I call each other caring-ly). Perfect end to a sunny day and beginning to a fun night!

The Louisiana Special is on until the 10th of June, so get your bellies ready and run there, because trust me when I say, this is not one to be missed. I've already sent Nicole and Sandra there to enjoy their burgers and they had no regrets. GO!

(True Blood promo image not taken by me, obvs.)

Duck & Waffle

noreply@blogger.com (Teffy @ Sprinkle of Green) — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:40:00 +0000

I've been wanting to go to Duck & Waffle for a while. A restaurant up in the clouds (well, almost) that is open 24-hours and has a penchant for combining sweet and savoury? Definitely my kind of thing. Matt had made a surprise reservation (which I recommend - both the surprise and the reservation bit) so I was delighted when I found out. After meeting up for some pre-drinks (aka a bottle of wine), we headed on to the Heron tower and excitedly got into the glass lift. It whisks you up so quickly you barely register London under your feet!

We got a table by the window with an astonishing view of London. I had never been up that high expect for when in a airplane! I don't know if it was the altitude, but it took me ages to decide what I wanted to go for, especially when it came to choosing cocktails. In the end I went for the gin & tonic since it came with petals and yuzu (think sorbet) on top. Matt went for the Whiskey sour. Such a classy bunch.

Now, deciding a starter was also quite the trick - they didn't have the pig ears or the oysters. Oh well. No harm though, simply meant I'd have to go back. Problem solved. The scollops we did end up sharing were great for me, but didn't do it for Matt. They come on a slab of salt, so you can control how much you want (I gave it a good rub) and for me the apple just gave it a lovely crunch and twist.

Onto the pollock meatballs with lobster cream and parmesan. I thought they were very tasty and had a lovely texture to them, and both the cream and the parmesan just accentuated it without being too much or completely overpowering the dish. It was a very good dish, but not the pièce de resistance.

I have to be honest though, when the meatballs ended I even ate the cream that was still left in the pot. Absolutely no guilt in that, it was indeed delicious.

Now, you can't go somewhere and not have the dish it is named after, that would be foodie restaurant blasphemy. So, without further ado, I give you - the duck & waffle itself.

Crispy duck over a waffle and a fried duck egg on top. With a small jug of mustard maple syrup for you to pour at will (and boy did I pour). This exceeded my expectations. I thought all the flavours just worked so beautifully together, the egg and duck were cooked perfectly. I enjoyed every single bite and it never got boring. When I do go back, you can bet I will be having this again, I don't care. I might just have to try and recreate this at home.

Now, for the next part, I must warn you - it is not for the faint hearted. If you decide to proceed, I ask you to brace yourself, for you are in for a treat. Sweet haters, need not apply or go any further. I bid you farewell here. For those who find dessert a blessed ritual and a life essential, I give you... the dark chocolate brownie with peanut butter and brownie ice creams, peanut crunch, and a caramel top.

This was SO delicious, I could say it was the icing on top of the cake, but I won't because it is so delicious it does not deserve to be compared to any other sweet. I mean, just LOOK at it! It just all.. worked. It simply worked.

I must say, eating all this delicious food, drinking wine and cocktails, all at an increased height, and all combined with the fact I had just handed in my last project for University ever made me feel like the queen of fuckin everything!

I had just got my finget caught in the door. Still felt fabulous though!

If you're about, definitely go there. If you're not about, get your bum here asap and go there. and if you're going, let me know and I'll tag along!

Smoked Salmon Pomelette

noreply@blogger.com (Teffy @ Sprinkle of Green) — Sun, 19 May 2013 21:01:00 +0000

For me, omelettes and frittatas are amazing dishes for when you want a delicious, easy meal that you can just kind of toss the ingredients together that couldn't really work solo.

Alas, since my life has been a bit more towards the hectic side lately, cooking something simple and tasty definitely seemed like the way forward. And so came the birth of the smoked salmon frittata - or pomelette (posh omelette) as Matt so ingeniously baptised it. Lad.

To make enough for two, you shall need:

5-6 eggs, beaten
2 small sweet potatoes, chopped up and cooked*
half a head of broccoli, chopped
1 red onion
smoked salmon
pinch of salt and peppa
fresh herbs of your liking - I used thyme

*little cooking hack for ya - you can microwave the sweet potatoes to cook them for this. I would never recommend this if it was used as a main dish, but since it's in combo with everything else, pop them in there for 5 minutes and it should be nice and soft. but hush hush ei! pretend you slaved away baking them.

Now, let's cook it
1. Heat a skillet/frying pan with cooking oil and add the broccoli and onions. Saute until broccoli is a cooked but still a vibrant green, about 5-8 minutes.
2. add in sweet potatoes and saute for a couple minutes
3. pour your egg over the veggies and make sure it's evenly spread out. let sit on medium heat and cover with a lid.
4. After 3-5 minutes lift up lid and flake your smoked salmon over. pop the lid back on.*
5. Check again after a couple minutes and if the top looks set, it is ready to serve!

*If you haven't got a lid wide enough, make sure you use a ovenproof skillet and pop it in the oven to set the top.

We had it with a rocket side salad simply dressed in olive oil and balsamic. Simply divine! A filling yet healthy meal. The additions are endless .. cheese, mushrooms, peppers, mackerel instead of salmon, potatoes instead of sweet potatoes, it's up to you really. Go to town with whatever you've got in the fridge (within reason of course).