October 2020 Favourites list

This week is “reading week” which means a break from timetabled teaching for both the students and myself. It’s an opportune moment to pause and review the term so far. What are my thoughts?

This is the first time I’ve really had to engage in teaching synchronously online. A single lunchtime seminar for colleagues doesn’t count. It’s been a learning curve, which was initially daunting and steep. Learning how to share my screen, work within the limitations of the software… Once I got used to them, I started looking at other things… helping students work collaboratively, creating sharable diagrams, and now my new project: how to make online voting happen.

Of course, not everything goes perfectly. Loss of internet signal has been a challenge, as has blurry video and gappy sound. Not to mention pilot error… I have attempted to talk to the students whilst muted more time than I can remember!

But what I have been able to achieve in terms of an online teaching toolkit, is not through my own efforts alone. I’ve had so much help, support and advice. The wonderful people at City’s LEaD department have been both my tutors (on the MA in Academic Practice I completed in 2019) and my colleagues, ensuring I’ve understood good practice, rather than just using technological bells and whistles. Making sure everything is used for a purpose, with an eye on the overall learning design and intention. Also, my colleagues, who’ve worked together to run sample classes and impromptu practice at all the different Apps and techniques involved. And of course, the students who have shown patience with the less-than-ideal situation, and have brought their enthusiasm and energy to online sessions. Some of them are halfway round the world, and you can sometimes see that the time of day where they are is diametrically opposite the time of day in the UK.

Obviously, you might be reading this and are not working in academia. You might actually be back in the workplace, maybe you never left the workplace. Whatever it is that you do, I hope you are making the best of these strange times. I hope you have the help and support you need. I hope that we will all make it through all of this. Holding onto hope is something I am working on.

My photos this month are of some of our recent cooking exploits. The UK Spring 2020 lockdown meant I spent a lot of time at home, sitting around. Cooking and eating became a welcome distraction, but with the result of piling on a certain amount of excess weight. I have therefore had to cut down a little. These pictures are of some of the attempts we have had to make tasty, healthy “diet” food. Not everything is totally photogenic. But all of it has been delicious.

 

Recipes:

In the UK we have forgotten about certain fruits, like quinces and greengages. Here, food blogger "Mrs Portly" makes a Tudor quince pie. Worthy of Henry VIII himself! https://mrsportlyskitchen.com/2020/10/09/tudor-quince-tart/

Got some green tomatoes which refuse to ripen? Here's a Romanian green tomato jam recipe from from Carpathia: Food from the Heart of Romania (Interlink Books, 2020) by Irina Georgescu: https://www.winemag.com/gallery/tomato-recipes-wine/#gallery-carousel-7

Making a Halloween Jack O'Lantern and want to use up the pumpkin flesh? Chef Romy Gill's recipe for Pumpkin Paratha fits the bill perfectly. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/recipes/pumpkin-paratha-indian-flatbread-recipe-romy-gill-how-make-b651731.html

Kyet thar thoke (Burmese spiced chicken salad) and Burmese falooda to wash it down. Two recipes from sisters Amy and Emily Chung, (AKA The Rangoon Sisters) from their new cookbook: https://www.myanmarmix.com/en/articles/the-rangoon-sisters-share-two-delicious-recipes-from-debut-cookbook

For the home bakers - five new recipes from Nigella Lawson. Biscuits and cakes, including vegan. https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/oct/10/peanut-butter-chocolate-cake-and-vegan-gingerbread-five-new-sweet-recipes-from-nigella-lawson

Socca is a chick pea flour bread, popular in Nice in the south of France. https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-socca-a-naturally-gluten-free-chickpea-flatbread-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-169513 

I'm cutting down on meat consumption, which has meant eating more fish, seafood and eggs. I used to dislike eggs (being semi-allergic). But I'm giving them more of a try these days. So I was reading this on how to make great scrambled eggs. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/wp/2020/09/28/how-to-make-excellent-scrambled-eggs-just-the-way-you-like-them

 

Food articles:

When food writer Usha Prabhakaran researches a topic, she goes all in. First, it was Aachar (Indian pickles). This time, it is 1000 ways of making Rasam (a South Indian lentil broth). Fascinating! (Also features two recipes). https://food52.com/blog/25629-what-is-rasam

Asian pasta is a thing. Not noodles, but pasta. It isn't authentically Italian, but it is definitely Asian. Food crosses boundaries, and this is a great illustration of that. From the Vittles newsletter, and features a recipe for Thai spaghetti: https://vittles.substack.com/p/spaghetti-in-situ-the-wonderful-world

I've been daydreaming again about travel. I know if might not happen. But I've been enjoying reading about the food and drink of Osaka, Japan: https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel/2020/09/beer-guide-to-osaka-japan

My other writing:

I wrote this for my students. Their reading week begins on Monday and I wanted them to make the most of it. http://snigsclassroom.blogspot.com/2020/10/what-to-do-in-reading-week.html

Film:

1917

TV:

Laura Marling: BBC Prom 2020

Anoushka Shankar: BBC Prom 2020

Get Even

 

Music:

Ed Alleyne-Johnson – Purple Electric Violin Concerto

Mazzy Star – Among My Swan

Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend

The La’s – The La’s

 

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.