A blog about Ascent Loft Conversions

A friend has created a new blog called Ascent Loft Conversions Hole Blog. Please read it when you have a spare moment.

Moving to my old blog

I'm having trouble making regular posts on this blog. It's so much easier to take a nap than write about it. So until further notice, future food reviews will be made on my Poker blog here.

Stop buying Sushi from Pret

I just had sushi from Pret again. It wasn't too good today. Maybe I shouldn't have bought fish on a Monday, but Pret is such a standardised chain I didn't think it would make any difference. Anyway, today the sushi just didn't cut the mustard. Either that or I've been spoiled by the superiour wasabi.

Also, the price of Pret is higher than that of Wasabi. The equivalent meal from Wasabi would have been under £4.00. But the Pret sushi was priced at £4.99. Not good!

Moral of the story... Stop being lazy and go to Wasabi.

N.B. The half price deal from Mana has moved back an hour. Half price sushi is now only avaialable after 4pm. Not good.

Saliques Tandoori on Hanbury Street

Saliques wasn't that good. They were just serving up average fare and living off Brick Lane's reputation.

Mirch Masala in Tooting Bec was much better.

Maryland Crab Soup for people with no Old Bay Seasoning

I keep on losing my bookmarks. So here's the recipe for the soup from Spice Place Blog:


Start by heating 2 cans of low sodium beef broth and 2 cups water in a 3 quart sauce pan . While the beef broth is heating, dice 1/2 of a medium sweet onion, and 2 stalks of celery. Place the onion and celery in a non-stick frying pan, and cook them over low heat about 5 minutes. Then add the onion & celery to the beef broth, along with 1 1/2 tbsp of Old Bay Seasoning. Once the broth comes to a boil, add 1 cup frozen shoepeg corn kernels, and 1 cup bay lima beans. Allow the corn and lima beans to cook for 5 minutes, then add 1/2 pound of crabmeat. The crab meat doesn’t have to be the premium lump crab meat, but it should be cook quality such as backfin (and not claw crabmeat). Cook for another 5 minutes and serve with toased sourdough bread.

And here's the Old Bay Seasong recipe from Hub UK:


Ingredients

1 tablespoon celery seed
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
6 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon whole cardamom
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
4 whole cloves
1 teaspoon sweet hungarian paprika
1/4 teaspoon mace

Method
In a spice grinder or small food processor, combine all of the ingredients.
Grind well and store in a small glass jar.
Mix 50 : 50 with coarse salt when seasoning crabs.