Full of eastern promise.......

This week I made Spiced Lamb and Apricot Stew....

and it was so utterly delicious I ate it all and forgot to take a picture. So I've taken a picture of the picture in the cook book, Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour. Honestly, it is so simple and so divine, spiced with cinnamon, turmeric and cumin, it cooks itself. And as winter seems to be going nowhere, I shall be eating it a lot more.

Top tip: cut the apricots in half!

The play's the thing.....

I took my mum to see The Hard Problem, the new Top Stoppard play, last week at the delightfully revamped Dorfman Theatre at the National. It's about...... consciousness, I think. What is it?
What's the difference between the mind and the brain? And the answer is..... I don't know. And I'm not sure Tom does but no matter, it was a lot of fun trying to find out. Tom Stoppard's stuff is often very funny and as a friend once said to me after we'd been to see Rock 'n' Roll, you feel more intelligent by osmosis just watching his plays. And although much of the science went over our heads, mum thought it was a great birthday present so job done. 

The other big news is my very own, home grown rhubarb is already ripe and ready here in the rhubarb triangle of north London. Having been given the delicious cook book, Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour, for Christmas I was inspired to create this pudding..... rhubarb with rosewater yogurt and pistachios.

Top tip: try something hard and expand your mind....while you can still remember to do so!!

Soup story.......

Having covered winter drinking it's time to do winter eating. Personally, I like soup ..... making it and eating it ....... smooth, creamy, chunky or broth, it's all good as far as I'm concerned. Currently, I'm enjoying Persian Chicken Power Soup by Sabrina Ghayour, by way of Gizzi Erskine out of her, Skinny Weeks and Weekend Feasts.

So easy, so delicious and highly nutritious. Flavoured with turmeric and lemon it is the perfect winter warmer. What's not to enjoy?

Top tip: for puffy eyes and dark circles, slap on a slice of Granny Smith for 15 minutes and let the tannic acid go to work.