The orange lights on the ground twinkle like sparkling jewels as we make our descent, welcoming me to New York. My ears fill up, the pressure difference makes them stuffed while the road down below winds in long stretches with mobile jewels, the cars beneath forming a long, long necklace, it’s almost like a Broadway show, it is apparently very easy to lease a car in here, you can find more information at the the BVRLA guide. Norma is there to meet me. To my delight, I’m spending the night with her.
Goodbye Green River
City of 850 people, or would that be town? It’s been wonderful to get to know you. To see your love for watermelons, even though I didn’t get to try any.
Sweet Utah Scones
I heard the call over the public address system at the store while getting lunch – ‘sweet Utah scones, with different toppings’….and I needed no encouragement – field work has a way of making you hungry and these will satisfy any sugar cravings, and squash that feeling of homesickness that is slowly creeping up on me. These scones are nothing like their British namesake however – they are a chewy, yeast-leavened treat that are wonderful topped with honey butter, chocolate sauce, or strawberry cream cheese….or all of them, all at once!
Colorado, Utah and Bagels
New discoveries are the reason why I love travel. Culinary and otherwise, they show me the world and I have a long, long way to go. Colorado has brought me face to face with my first corn dogs. I haven’t tasted them yet but I now know what they look like!
New York, New York
The view before me is green. Lush,thick and wet with Lagos rain. The grey skies, light with mist hold beauty in the clouds. I see it all from the departure lounge. I am staring through glass while listening to Alicia Keys sing about New York in ‘Empire State of Mind’. I sing along and dream of the concrete jungle, hotdogs, blueberry muffins and steaming cups of cappuccino. Central Park, Lady Liberty, Times Square and lots of inspiration. Plus meeting up with some of my favourite people, like norma of platanos, mangoes and me. But first there is a week in...
Technique: How to Cold-Coal Smoke Food
Moving on……with hope! Great techniques are a gift…that don’t stop giving, whether it is tea-smoking or cold-brewing. Today’s nifty ‘smoking’ tip comes from Indian Chef Reza Muhammad who created a delicious Spiced Smoked Salmon recipe – but not the smoked salmon you are used to! He uses heated coals, ghee and spices to create intense, refined smoky flavours without sweating near a barbeque stand – coal, wood-fired or gas!
Life
Life is funny. All of the last two weeks, I’ve moaned about my poor internet connection – I haven’t been able to browse, blog or do all the stuff I would normally do. And then yesterday, there was a plane crash in my country, Nigeria. So many people gone – and now my poor internet connection seems trivial, inconsequential. How vulnerable we are. But the most surprising thing is….life goes on. People walk about, cry, live and its not as if they don’t grieve but they have to go on still. I’m trying to grieve but its hard. I feel this deep stillness, a...
Teacup Muffins: Back to the Future
These were the very first things I baked. And by that I mean the very first thing I baked as an adult. Adulthood haven being attained with marriage and childbirth. Sure I’d baked the odd cake, cookie even as a child, but none of those count in the newness of being that is adulthood. Something to do with little divide called ‘the teenage years’.
Le Beurre Fait Maison, Homemade Butter
I’ve got my arms around something. Its butter! But not just any kind of butter. And no, not sticks. Its real butter. Homemade butter. Le beurre fait maison.