Nigerian Street Food: Bole & Fish

I haven’t met a fish tail I didn’t like. Or couldn’t eat. Don’t get me wrong though, it hasn’t been all fun and games. Not especially on that Monday afternoon, decked in a white top and sky blue dress, ready to wow my audience at the afternoon meeting.  All this without properly consulting my fish tail. And then, ‘bam’, a piece of smoke-cooked fish, blanketed in bright orange palm oil sauce proceeds to land on my top. My white top. ‘Ha, gotcha’,  it thought but it was I…who had gotten it!

Me and My Mangoes

I am three times a lady. I want you to remember that. No matter what you read in the coming minutes, just think ‘Three times a lady’. Time one – I have ‘trained’  myself to wear 6-inch heels, with little fear of tragedy a la sprained ankles and I can actually walk in them. Time two – I had a pedicure today, and my toe nails will soon sport a fresh coat of red nail polish. Time three – I know what the word ‘decorum’  means. decorum |diˈkôrəm| noun behavior in keeping with good taste and propriety : you exhibit...

Reasons to Believe: Happy Macaron Day

Imagine that? A day celebrating the delicate beauties that ‘macarons’  are? Not that I’ve attempted them recently……but I still love ’em, with heart and soul. Click on each photo to get to the ‘relevant’ recipe/post In Paris, where holidays are done right, it’s Jour du Macaron, and about eight hours ago, hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren woke up singing a lovely song about pastel-colored magic then promptly flooded les rues with their best patisserie-heat-seeking game in tow. 

Totally ‘Not Vanilla-Bland’ Chicken

Vanilla bland has to be one of the most meaningless phrases I’ve ever heard. And should I hear it again, I will let my fury run wild. For many years, I endured a certain person I saw almost every day speak of the apparent commonness of vanilla – plain Jane, no thrills, no fancies. In all honesty, there was no venom, no poison in his comments but each mention left me perplexed as he would say ‘Vanilla bland’, then go on to mention how its blandness though was not a bad thing, but merely, the ‘standard’, the average, normal…..state of...

Celebrating You – International Women’s Day 2012

International Women’s Day (IWD), originally called International Working Women’s Day, is marked on March 8 every year. In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women’s economic, political and social achievements.  Celebrating us as women, as mothers, daughters, sisters, friend, partners and the multitude of roles we play – this is something important to me and I’d like to say thank you. As a working woman, my greatest support and encouragement  has come from women. The colour, energy, warmth and the authenticity that continues to inspire me is something I am thankful for....

Bucket List #57: Make/Bake/Ice a cake with Fondant

It was way down my list at 57, fondant. For very obvious reasons. Hard to make. For professionals only. Beautiful to look at (impossible for some home cooks…and on and on and on). But in the dead of that Friday night, I imagined I was Buddy, The ‘Cake Boss’, working in a small kitchen in Hoboken, New Jersey. Creating wonders of fondant to amaze men and women. I am always amazed at how I make bakethroughs (and breakthroughs) in my life. One suggestion, a challenge, timing and suddenly, confidence arrives and fear of failure disappears. Sometimes I resist with all the might...

Reasons to Believe: All things Creme Fraiche, Mascarpone and Ricotta

Domestic goddess that I am. I’m in red raffia heels. OK….wedges. I feel like Nigella. Creme Fraiche on the go, 2 fruit cakes in the making (last Christmas’s success), this time the recipe is adjusted to include some Maltina and pureed lemon sugar. Its the creme fraiche that I’d like to start off with. Thankfully, my feet are not hurting…..and I admit, it is time to drop the charade and take off the shoes. I am confused as to exactly what chemical reaction has gone on with my ultra-pasteurised whipped cream and reconstituted buttermilk. Something has definitely happened. The mixture...