Hello again, my friends!Spring is here! March has brought with it a little bit of sunshine and a lot of colour. The Spring flowers are so vibrant and life affirming, after what has felt like a longer than usual Winter. Drinking in the colours has been joyful.
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Magnolia flowers
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For the first time in a long time, I have news! I have had my first Coronavirus jab! As I mentioned in last month's Favourites List post, the UK vaccine rollout has been a source of hope for many of us here. Well, my turn has come around, and I was ready for it!
Arriving at the local health centre tasked with vaccinations, the security guard asked me if I was here for my vaccine.... Without hesitation, I replied "bring it on!" He laughed at my eccentricity, my miming of jabbing my own arm was probably more theatrical than was strictly necessary, but he smiled and directed me into the building.
Inside, was an operation of such organisation, efficiency, happiness and positivity, I won't forget it in a very long time. Yes, you read that correctly; happiness and positivity. Volunteers smiled and greeted us, reminding everyone to sanitise their hands on arrival.
I was shown into a socially distanced waiting room where a very kindly man checked I understood what vaccination was, and whether I consented to the process. Then ten of us at a time were walked to the nerve centre of the operation; rows of cubicles where details were taken, information about the vaccine was given, arms swabbed, jabs administered. Local GPs who would normally be working in their own clinics were carrying out the vaccinations and ensuring everyone understood what was happening.
Then we were given a sticker with the time of our injection, and shown to a second socially distanced waiting room. The idea being we would wait for 20 minutes in case of an immediate adverse reaction. I was there with around 30 people and nobody had any problems. In that time, three smiling and relentlessly positive people asked me if I was OK, and whether I was feeling strange. At the end, I was told I could go home, but before leaving was presented with what is now my favourite pin badge (some of you will know how much I love a pin badge) proudly stating that I have had my Covid vaccine.
I would like to express my heartfelt and deep gratitude to the medical staff, doctors, nurses and amazing volunteers. They made the experience one without trepidation or worry. In a couple of months, I'll be back to do it all over again.
So, on to the main event, my March favourite food writing, cultural picks and recipes. With photos of some of the Spring flowers I've been spotting this past month. I hope you enjoy my selections.
Food
writing and articles:
What
is in season in March, and some recipe ideas for cooking inspiration: https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/features/whats-in-season-march
Kavey has continued
her exploration of the food of the UK. Here is her post on the best traditional
food of Wales: https://www.kaveyeats.com/the-best-traditional-food-from-wales
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Spring blossom
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Kavey’s final
instalment of her foods of the UK series is about the best traditional foods of
Northern Ireland: https://www.kaveyeats.com/the-best-traditional-food-from-northern-ireland
Cooking
steaks in a toaster? I'm not saying it wouldn't work, but how can you have
crumpets with jam afterwards? https://metro.co.uk/2021/02/26/chef-reveals-how-to-make-the-perfect-steak-at-home-using-a-toaster-14151349/
Could
this be a big time saving kitchen tip? Don't take time making rice, noodles or
pasta, just roll up a tortilla: https://www.eater.com/22225516/just-put-everything-in-a-tortilla
Cleaning
and storage tips from a restaurant kitchen to yours: https://food52.com/blog/25900-restaurant-kitchen-cleaning-storage-tips
Recipes:
From
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s new cookbook ‘Eat Better Forever’: recipes for
Asian hot pot with mushrooms, celeriac and beans, Curried beany cullen skink,
Mushroom & black rice ‘chachouka’ and traditional chachouka: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall-book-recipes-ideas-b1787802.html
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Purple pansy
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I
made this delicious and simple Korean lamb hotpot with gochujang: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2021/jan/09/korean-spiced-hotpot-to-baked-squash-chantelle-nicholson-recipes-for-winter-meals
Chef
Asma Khan (of Darjeeling Express, London) shares her mung dahl recipe for home
cooking: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-26/best-indian-dal-recipe-for-home-asma-khan
Meera
Sodha’s recipe for Iranian white bean stew Fasoulia: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/feb/02/meera-sodha-vegan-recipe-iraqi-white-bean-stew-fasoulia
Rosie
Reynold’s recipe for one pot chicken noodle soup for an easy weekday main meal:
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/chicken-noodle-soup-recipe-easy-b1807280.html
Raymond
Blanc shares his mum’s vegetable soup recipe. One main soup, which you can eat
three ways: https://www.itv.com/food/articles/maman-blancs-vegetable-soup-three-ways
Sushi
bake is a Filipino dish layering sushi rice, seafood, sriracha chilli sauce and
mayo. With its roots in Japanese food, it is infinitely flexible comfort food: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/sushi-bake
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Cream primrose
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Orzotto
is like a risotto, made with rice shaped pasta called orzo. Here’s a
Gorgonzola, leek and walnut orzotto, which is warming and cheesy: https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/gorgonzola-leek-and-walnut-orzotto/
This
crab tostadas recipe is from Borough Market's Tacos Padre stall. Grab yourself
some crab meat, coriander, avo and get crunching! https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/fish-and-seafood/crab-tostadas/
Seven
London chefs share their quick and easy lunch recipes for those of us working
from home: https://www.standard.co.uk/reveller/foodanddrink/quick-easy-lunch-recipes-london-chefs-b907072.html
For
the history buffs – recipes from Ancient Greece and Rome: https://blog.britishmuseum.org/cook-a-classical-feast-nine-recipes-from-ancient-greece-and-rome/
Cook
like a Suffragette: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/suffragist-cookbook-historical-recipes
I'm
intrigued by this peanut lime noodle salad with tofu: https://www.badmanners.com/recipes/peanut-lime-noodles
What
you might have missed at Snig’s Kitchen:
My
recipe for Chicken and sweetcorn soup with egg. https://snigskitchen.blogspot.com/2021/03/chicken-and-sweetcorn-soup-with-egg.html
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Euphorbia |
My
other writing:
I was recently asked to provide some insight into the employment
law issues involved with working from home by Adriatico News in Italy. A link
to their news article and my original words in English are here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/my-statement-adriatico-news-working-from-home-snigdha-nag and
https://www.adriaticonews.it/2021/02/24/snigdha-nag-lo-smart-working-non-e-cosi-ovvio-da-generalizzare-anche-se-si-lavora-da-casa-bisogna-pensare-alla-salute-e-alla-sicurezza-dei-propri-dipendenti/
TV:
The
Great
The
Investigation
Deutschland
89
Film:
Frantz
One Night in Miami
Frances Ha
Music:
Radiohead - The Bends
Various Artists - Buena Vista Social Club
Nitin Sawhney - Beyond Skin
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.