October 2022 favourites list

Hello my friends!

 

My October favourites list is here just as Summer has faded away into Autumn. The colours are changing from green to brown, as the leaves fall. If you live in the UK, the clocks go back at 2am on Sunday morning. We will all gain an hour's sleep, and in return will have to cope with an early sunset. It always takes me a while to adjust. 

But it's not all bad news, as we have Halloween and the festive season to enjoy. Not only that, we have new flavours and new produce to enjoy, as we dig into more comforting food for chillier days. Spices, curries, stews, casserole and hot pots will take over from the lighter meals of Summer.

This month's photos are my recent food adventures. All were delicious, even if the photos are somewhat amateur. However, as you will see from one of the featured links this month, laissez faire, unstyled food pictures are the new fashion. One thing I cannot manage, is letting my dinner get cold because I wanted the perfect Instagram picture!

Cheater's black garlic ramen with fried pork and ramen egg

 

Food writing and articles

What's in season in October in the UK; lots of brassicas and pumpkins/squashes.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/whats-in-season-october

A foodie read for the chilli fans out there - why do humans willingly put themselves through the pain of intense chilli heat? https://bigthink.com/life/why-people-like-spicy-foods/

Jonathan Nunn on the "Sohoification" of London's restaurants. We deserve better than cookie cutter blandified versions of international cuisine. @demarionunn nails it. https://www.dezeen.com/2022/09/27/sohofication-strangling-city-centres-jonathan-nunn-opinion/

The most anticipated cook books for autumn and winter - maybe to drop hints for Christmas? https://www.eater.com/23327897/best-new-cookbooks-fall-2022-smitten-kitchen-molly-yeh-vegan-chinese

Chinatown Bakery's delicious roast pork bun

 

Rukmini Iyer, on her new book about travelling around India to sample regional Indian food. She says 'There's more to Indian food than kormas and jalfrezis', and she would be absolutely right! https://wickedleeks.riverford.co.uk/features/all-aboard-rukmini-iyer-on-indias-regional-food-cultures/

Everyone here knows my food photos are not styled and unpolished. It seems laissez faire food photography is the new Instagram thing. https://www.eater.com/23365775/instagram-aesthetic-shift-food-blogger-laissez-faire

Halloween baking tip - how to make a spiderweb icing patterns on your cakes: https://lifehacker.com/how-to-spiderweb-your-halloween-desserts-1849613854

Cucumbers are a love-it-or-hate-it food for many people. But they have a number of health benefits, from hydration to lower blood pressure: https://www.eatthis.com/secret-side-effects-eating-cucumbers

Smashed avo on toast

How Milad Mirghahari made TikTok videos preparing sandwiches at work at Subway and managed to earn enough money from it that he bought the franchise from his parents, his story and those of others made this an uplifting read: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/rabbit-holes/the-fast-food-stars-of-tiktok

Coping with the cost of living

Alternatives to using your oven; oven free baking and other ideas to help save money on energy: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/oven_free_bakes

Recipes

LIked the look of the cheater's ramen above? The recipe for how to make ramen eggs is over at Kavey's blog, Kavey Eats: https://www.kaveyeats.com/how-to-make-ajitsuke-tamago-ramen-eggs

Begoon bhorta

Some people call it baingan bharta. My family always called it begoon bhorta. Mashed baked aubergine with onion, garlic, ginger, chilli and garam masala. Mum used to add peas and other veg. It's endlessly flexible as a recipe. https://www.theguardian.com/food/2022/sep/28/how-to-make-the-perfect-baingan-bharta-aubergine-dip-recipe-felicity-cloake

Mary Berry's Quinoa and bulgur wheat salad with lemon and pomegranate is one you can either make ahead, or pack in your lunchbox and take to work: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/quinoa_and_bulgur_wheat_46296

Meera Sodha's recipe for Creamy baked orzo with cauliflower, onions and mustard (vegan) or use single cream for a vegetarian dinner: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2022/oct/08/creamy-baked-orzo-recipe-cauliflower-onions-mustard-meera-sodha

15 minute chilli garlic noodles. An Aaron and Claire recipe using Taiwanese hand cut noodles and Korean Gochujaru chilli flakes. 

Spicy chilli garlic noodles

Video demonstration: https://youtu.be/qR9W6NH1ukI   

Recipe: https://aaronandclaire.com/spicy-chili-garlic-noodles/

Film

The Good Nurse

TV

Stranger Things (Series 2-4) 

Music

Vieux Farka Touré and Khruangbin – Ali

Talk Talk – Spirit of Eden

Depeche Mode – Songs of Faith and Devotion

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.