September 2015 Favourites List

Summer is struggling to have a last shout here in the UK. We haven’t quite had the Indian Summer we had hoped for after a pretty wet August. So I am using this opportunity to share some of my last Summer flower pictures in this Favourites list.

Of course, September is a big month in the educational calendar, marking the commencement of a new academic year. Schools reconvened a couple of weeks ago, with new uniforms, pencil cases and timetables. Universities are now following suit.

My new students arrive on 21^st September, their registration day. I am looking forward to meeting them and getting to know them over the coming weeks. Wish us luck as we embark on a journey to take them from being academic lawyers to practical, problem solving ones.

To anyone in education, whichever side of the classroom you are on, I wish you a happy and successful academic year.

Now to my favourite things for the month of September.

Recipes:

From Diana Henry's Bird In The Hand book, a chicken thigh salad with avocado, spinach, spring onions and fresh coriander: http://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/warm-salad-of-chipotle-griddled-chicken-chorizo-and-quinoa-with-lime-creme-fraiche/

Very simple and quick prawn rice noodle salad for when you need dinner fast: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/sesame-rice-noodles-with-shrimp-51235820

A foolproof way of making caramelised onions, using a slow cooker: http://supperinthesuburbs.com/2015/08/16/simple-slow-cooker-caramelised-onions/

Cherry tomatoes, herbs, white beans and chorizo in a sunshine-on-a-plate salad for what might be our last Summer day: http://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/white-bean-chorizo-and-herb-salad/

Pasta with bottarga (compressed fish roe) from Ms Marmite Lover, Kirsten Rodgers: http://www.msmarmitelover.com/2015/09/recipe-spaghetti-with-bottarga.html

I love Paella but find the proper way of making it time consuming and a massive faff. I'm very tempted by this cheat's version: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/sheet-pan-paella-with-chorizo-mussels-and-shrimp-56390003

This walnut, and anchovy and herby pasta dish has a name suggesting it is from the Amalfi coast. A wonderful part of the world, with fabulous food: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/recipes/linguine-with-walnuts-and-anchovies/

Sweet corn prepared with Thai flavours and aromatics and a fennel gratin from Thomasina Miers. Inventive veg dishes: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/sep/05/lemongrass-coconut-sweetcorn-recipe-fennel-ricotta-gratin-thomasina-miers

Articles/Know How:

Want to understand the sometimes bewildering topic of Japanese Sake? This is a clear, easy to follow guide by Kavita of Kavey Eats: http://www.kaveyeats.com/2015/08/hyperjapans-sake-experience-learning-about-sake.html

10 health benefits from hot and spicy food. http://fitlife.tv/10-health-benefits-of-eating-spicy-foods_original/

Helpful guide to pasta - A Pasta Primer from the Pasadena Chef blog: http://www.thepasadenachef.com/2015/08/pasta-long-and-short-of-it-pasta-primer.html

The latest list of UK Michelin starred restaurants: http://www.greatbritishchefs.com/features/michelin-guide-2016-list-results

Important information for all of us who buy "pillow packs" of salad leaf: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/11434030/Washed-salad-leaves-are-not-necessarily-clean-warns-food-expert.html

If you keen to "de-bug" and clean your salads and veggies, you might like to try this: http://www.food.com/recipe/homemade-vegetable-wash-preserver-that-works-spray-or-soak-300387

High time we had a Gothic/Fantasy round to the Bake Off! Who wouldn't want to see a baked Alien (from the famed Alien "Quadrilogy")? http://www.stylist.co.uk/people/meet-the-gothic-bake-queen-whose-creepy-cakes-are-taking-instagram-by-storm

"The soup of stupid peasants? Excellent choice, Sir." Hilarious, rude and frankly mystifying menu translation fails. http://www.thepoke.co.uk/2014/05/09/12-mistranslated-menus/

  

What you might have missed at Snig's Kitchen:

Very pleased to have had Snig's Kitchen named as one of the 50 best food blogs in the UK! http://snigskitchen.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/snigs-kitchen-named-top-uk-food-blog.html

My review of Roka (Aldwych), London: http://snigskitchen.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/roka-london-restaurant-review.html

And over at Snig’s Classroom:

Essential Summer preparations for Wannabe Barristers: http://snigsclassroom.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/coming-to-do-bptc-get-ready.html

How to survive the first two weeks of the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC), by the students in the know: http://snigsclassroom.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/surviving-first-2-weeks-of-bptc-advice.html

Part Two of how to survive the BPTC by my brilliant former students: http://snigsclassroom.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/surviving-first-2-weeks-of-bptc-advice_14.html

Registering for the BPTC is only the beginning, having coping mechanisms are vital: http://snigsclassroom.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/countdown-to-bptc-registration.html

Please note: as with every monthly Favourites List, all of these items have been selected by me simply because I love them. I do not receive any money, benefits in kind or other incentive for posting these links or recommendations.