April 2022 favourites list

This month's favourites list is a celebration of Springtime and the colour and joy the season brings. My photos are of Spring flowers and the new life they bring with them.

Food writing

What's in season in the UK in April: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/whats-in-season-april

How a reluctant cook found her confidence – this is a great read with some good tips for people who’ve convinced themselves they can’t cook or for kitchen first timers: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2022/mar/02/cant-cook-wont-cook-here-are-the-tips-that-saved-me-from-a-life-of-terrible-meals

 

Apparently using a ruler to test the bendiness of spaghetti is the best way of telling if it is al dente or not. I'm not sure this will catch on. Imagine having a "spaghetti ruler" in your kitchen drawer! https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/03/how-to-tell-if-your-spaghetti-is-perfectly-done-using-just-a-simple-ruler/

The joy of cooking blasphemous fusion food. A possibly controversial cooking essay, with a recipe for author Danny Chau’s Sunday gravy and Monday Taiwanese beef noodle soup:  https://www.newyorker.com/culture/kitchen-notes/the-joy-of-cooking-blasphemous-fusion-food

 

Annada Rathi writes about poha (Indian flattened part cooked rice), examining the regional variations and how it is a perfect savoury breakfast treat: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/all-about-poha

Free “Remix” cookbook to cut down on food waste with suggestions for each season: https://toogoodtogo.co.uk/en-gb/download/remix-recipe-food-waste-book

Japanese convenience stores serve up surprisingly good food. Here, Time Out identify the best food to buy at each convenience store chain in Tokyo. Perfect for travel on a budget. https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/restaurants/best-convenience-store-konbini-food-in-tokyo 

Rome has a new museum. But this one isn’t just about antiquities. It’s dedicated to the gentle art of cooking: https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20220307-romes-new-museum-dedicated-to-cooking

This is one of the most moving pieces of food writing I have ever read. Chinese cooking helps me connect with my mother and helps me prepare to lose her: https://electricliterature.com/chinese-cooking-helps-me-connect-with-my-mother-and-helps-me-prepare-to-lose-her/

Recipes

Mediterranean style lentil and kale soup made in the slow cooker: https://cupofjo.com/2018/01/easy-slow-cooker-lentil-kale-soup/

Orzo “paella” with prawn, Italian chicken sausages and peas: https://www.thekitchn.com/weeknight-orzo-paella-260248

A south Indian style chana dal recipe from Tamal Ray: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2022/mar/19/chana-dal-recipe-tamal-ray

Felicity Cloake’s pork miso ramen with ramen eggs and chilli sauce: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2022/mar/09/how-to-make-miso-ramen-recipe-felicity-cloake

Air fryer chips by Melissa Thompson – video demo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CXRX_LAlVFW/

If you really enjoyed Stanley Tucci’s Searching For Italy series, here is the 4 ingredient courgette pasta dish he waxed lyrical about: https://www.insider.com/stanley-tucci-zucchini-pasta-how-to-make-photos-2022-3

Seolleongtang Noodles with Scallion Gremolata - a version of a Korean restaurant dish by Eric Kim: https://tastecooking.com/recipes/seolleongtang-noodles-with-scallion-gremolata/  

How to turn leftover veg into a nourishing soup – recipe for "fridge raid borscht": https://www.theguardian.com/food/2022/apr/02/how-to-turn-leftover-veg-into-nourishing-soup-recipe-fridge-raid-borsch-zero-waste-cooking

Baked cabbage and baked cauliflower in a tahini dressed crispy salad: https://smittenkitchen.com/2022/02/crispy-cabbage-and-cauliflower-salad

Two recipes from Joe Wicks – Sweet potato nachos and Gingerbread cupcakes with date caramel: https://metro.co.uk/2022/03/24/joe-wicks-shares-two-feel-good-healthy-recipes-16321776/

Recipe for wild garlic macaroni cheese from Thomasina Miers: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2022/mar/28/thomasina-miers-recipe-for-wild-garlic-macaroni-cheese

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.

March 2022 Favourites list

Hello everyone! It's time once again for my monthly favourites list. This time, at the end of March, Spring is doing its best to push away the last vestiges of Winter and we are seeing the green shoots and new leaves of the annual rejuvenation.

Tonight the clocks go forward and we go into British Summer Time. This change in time will give us more daylight when it counts. Leaving behind the days of waking up in the dark and coming home from work in the dark is something I look forward to... just like taking my Winter coats to the dry cleaners and putting them away for another year. 

 

 

This month's pictures are street art I found wandering around the Brick Lane area recently. The colour and energy were invigorating. I hope you enjoy my selections and photos. Here is your monthly list of lovely stuff. 

Food writing:

What's in season in the UK in March: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/whats-in-season-march

Planning to watch TV and chill out? How about with some dip and either chips or crudites? Here are some ideas for you: https://www.eater.com/22871965/best-dip-recipes-how-to-make-artichoke-spinach-buffalo-chicken-dill

Mark Diacono’s books focus on sour flavours and fermentation. He suggests you add the spicy sour kick of kimchi to your Pad Thai: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/pad-thai-recipe-easy-kimchi-b2021191.html

Air fryers – worth the hype or another gadget taking space on the kitchen worktop?  https://www.theguardian.com/food/2022/feb/15/air-fryers-miraculous-kitchen-must-have-or-just-a-load-of-hot-air

  

Eye opening article on cookbooks, geography, and what stories get told of the Maghreb and Mashriq (the Arabic speaking world of North Africa and the Middle East): https://www.eater.com/22940207/arabesque-food-cookbooks-reem-kassis

Looking for foodie present ideas for Mother's day? Some good ideas here - especially the personalised cookbook! https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/mothers-day-foodie-gift-guide/

 

Marcus Wareing on how he's become a convert to running a kitchen garden. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/marcus_wareing_kitchen_garden

Some ingenious (and some obvious) tips on how to stop wasting food and save money, as April will mean bigger bills for all of us: https://www.theguardian.com/money/2022/mar/07/how-to-stop-wasting-food-and-save-money

 

Recipes:

One pot spinach, mushroom and pearl barley “risotto” (barlotto?): https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/one-pots/spinach-and-mushroom-pearl-barley-risotto/

Chicken Shish in Sweet Confit Garlic Marinade from Chasing Smoke: Cooking Over Fire Around The Levant by Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich (of Honey & Co fame), as featured at Kavey Eats: https://www.kaveyeats.com/chicken-shish-in-sweet-confit-garlic-marinade

May at Eat Cook Explore has written what must be the ultimate guide to the dish Hainanese chicken rice - how to make it, PLUS where to order it both nationally and internationally! https://www.eatcookexplore.com/hainanese-chicken-rice/

 

Pollo alla cacciatore (or ‘hunter’s chicken’ casserole) gets the Felicity Cloake treatment: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2022/feb/23/how-to-make-chicken-cacciatore-recipe-felicity-cloake-masterclass  

The pasta dishes of Sicily are unique, using ingredients from the eastern and Arabic world. Here's a vegan pasta dish with romanesco/cauliflower, saffron, pine nuts and raisins: https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/vegan/sicilian-pasta-with-cauliflower/

 

 

What you might have missed at Snig’s Kitchen

My recipe for a warming, comforting but light seafood noodle soup: https://snigskitchen.blogspot.com/2022/02/seafood-noodle-soup.html

Music:

Johnny Marr - Fever Dreams Parts 1-4

Hannah Peel - Fir Wave

Songhoy Blues - Resistance

TV:

Dodger

The Responder

Stanley Tucci - Searching For Italy

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.