Recipe #2 - Pesto Prawn Pasta!

Ingredients needed:

• Pesto                   Probably about 3-4 heaped teaspoons
• Pasta                  Tagliatelle is best, but linguine or another sort is also fine.
• Prawns               King prawns are nicer - however many you like!
• Garlic                The more the better - I'd say 3-4 cloves, roughly chopped
• Chilli                  One hot, or a few medium heat, finely chopped
• Parmesan          Just a tablespoons worth to serve.

How To:

Start by pouring boiling water over your chosen pasta into a pan, cooking it with a pinch of salt. **By the time the pasta is cooked, the dish will be ready.**

Meanwhile, dash some olive oil into a pan and sizzle together the garlic and chillies to create a beautiful romance (If they start to lose their sparkle, add a little water to rekindle the buzz).

Add the prawns and just as they start to turn pink, add the pesto and perhaps even a tad more water.

**Use the water from the boiling pasta**

Simmer slowly and once the pasta is al dente (firm but not hard), mix it into your pesto prawn sauce.

And there you have it! 

Serve with or without parmesan and enjoy! x

(With special thanks to Michael Rogers) x 

Food Tube Entry

If you didn't know already, I've got a YouTube account linked with this blog, where I aim to create video tutorials of recipes and also capture reviews of restaurants.

 

More recently I made my first ever recipe video for a Food Tube competition held by Jamie Oliver and Uncle Bens.

 

It would mean so much if you could check it out, subscribe or even like my video to support me :) And there will definitely be more videos to come if you do enjoy it!

http://www.youtube.com/user/CazolAnnie                          < Channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Avahlnow9eY              < Entry for Food Tube



Thank you ! !

Review #4 - San Marco's (Blackpool)

Reviews I had read online and stories I had been told about this restaurant were fab, and the reason me and my family decided to dine at San Marco's one night in Blackpool. This was not the case...

Admittedly, the food in general that we had when in Blackpool was horrific so perhaps our expectations were too high. However comments from the taxi driver support my opinion that San Marco's is probably the worst place I have ever eaten.

"Since they have moved location and grown bigger, the food has grown worse"

"Service was appalling, and for what we were paying, not worth it"

 

The interior appeared very humble and they did have some very pretty elements within the place. On arrival all staff were extremely welcoming also. They even made our order cheaper by putting it through as early bird menus. It started off with so much potential!

 

 

But as soon as the food started to arrive, it was continuous complaints:

 

1. Garlic Pizza ordered to start. Not one slice of fresh garlic used, just a dry crumbly pizza base covered in my pet hate - garlic salt. How much does it cost for a bulb of fresh garlic? And have they ever heard of oil?

 

2. Garlic mushrooms ordered as replacement. Better than the pizza, but still very cheaply made with just a basic garlic butter spread onto a mushroom and covered in tinned tomatoes. Apparently worth £4.95.

 

3. My main is 'Marinara' - a seafood dish with a white wine, garlic and cream sauce costing a whopping £9.50. Nothing about this dish was fresh, tasty, or worth nearly £10. The seafood which was a mixture from what tasted like a frozen bag of muscles, tiny "king" prawns and elastic-band-like-squid, smothered by such a heavy cream overridden sauce, it filled me up in about 5 forkfuls. And not satisfied. Now, I understand Italian food is traditionally supposed to be quite heavy, (what with the filling pasta and creamy, carbonara style sauces) but this was a completely thick, tasteless cream mess, mangled within chewy, not fresh fish, and no white wine or garlic in sight? 

Not impressed.

 

 

To be fair to them, when we were visited by the staff, they were very helpful and responsive, allowing us a change of starter, knocking off my main from the bill, and allowing coffees on the house. This doesn't change their standards of food though.

 

 

In the toilets, where I was greeted by a rusted dirty bin, there was also a sign apologizing for increasing prices, due to increase in ingredient prices. There is no need at all to be charging the prices they do in today's climate. They are getting ingredients in not fresh and cheaply, still charging a la carte prices. The service doesn't make up for it either (when I saw the owner's granddaughter leave the toilets without washing her hands to then lay cutlery out on tables). 
 
 


 

Food *****

 

Atmosphere *****

 

Service *****

 

 

 

513-515 Lytham Road, Blackpool, FY4 1TE

Check out their website! http://www.sanmarcosrestaurant.co.uk/home.html

Review #3 - Birmingham International Food Fair

On Saturday 24th August a group of us decided to venture into Birmingham city centre for their annual food festival.

Its located halfway down New Street, Victoria and Chamberlain Square (which is exactly where the famous German Christmas Market is set) and takes place for just over a week each summer, open 'till late, so you could spend a whole day munching on the dishes on offer.

So what sort of foods could you find there?

• Paella (seafood/chicken/chorizo)
• Churros
• Bigos (polish stew)
• Macaroons
• Mini doughnuts
• Fudge
• Ostrich burgers
• Kangaroo burgers
• Jerk chicken
• Jamaican curried goat
• Bratwurst
• Chinese noodles
• Exotic fruits
• Squirrel/crow pie
• Selections of jams/cheeses

This kangaroo meat burger was quite watery in comparison to a usual beef burger, not much of a meaty or gamey taste at all, in fact the only pungent flavour was pepper which just must have been over seasoned  -->

Lovely fresh coconut water!

Lots of variety with these garlic jams! Mmm my favourite! (Didn't like the smoked garlic though!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

- Would have preferred if you could have a taster sample, rather than pay full amount for a large portion.

- However, there was no entry charge, so a free day out.

- Disappointed in the paella: supposed to be 'authentic spanish' and yet using basmati rice rather than the grainy paella rice.

 

 

Food *****

 

Atmosphere *****

 

Service *****

 

 

 

Check out their website

http://www.birminghaminternationalfoodfair.co.uk/
 

Review #2 - Osteria Giovanni (Oxford)

On our way back from our weekend away to Oxford we fancied a spot of Sunday lunch. In search for a small pub serving perhaps a roast beef dinner with Yorkshires, we accidently stumbled upon this beautiful hidden Italian -     Osteria Giovanni !

We were originally enticed by the unbelievable deal of their lunch menu which includes a starter, a pasta dish and desert of the day for under £10.

It's location is quite unlucky as you can only find it by exploring down a secret alleyway, so I would presume they find it tricky to get 'passer-by customers'. On reflection I believe this makes it very unique and as it is such a small venue, you feel extremely welcome and privileged by the staff.

On ordering our banquet of one garlic pizza and one muscles in tomato and garlic sauce, one bacon and onion penne pasta and one king prawn linguini, and two tiramisus, we were even given complementary olives and bread to start (which always goes down well!)

The food was flawless and at the price we paid, stupidly good value. I was genuinely surprised there wasn't a catch...

The décor, furnishings and music were all authentic and made us feel as though we had just walked into a small Italian bistro - even the toilets were pretty!

 

- I would 100% recommend any Italian lovers to visit this idyllic hidey-hole, even if it means driving all day to reach it!

- I still need to write to them thanking them and cheekily asking for the recipe for the worlds best  tiramisu!

Food        *****

 

Atmosphere  *****

 

Service     *****

58-60 Hight St, Witney OX28 6HJ, England

 

Follow them on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/osteriagiovanniwitney

 

Review #1 - Atomic Burger! (Oxford)

I visited Atomic Burger on Cowley Road in Oxford on Saturday 17th August with my boyfriend. :)

We'd read up on it via Trip Advisor and it had awesome reviews and looked like an uber cool place to eat so we thought we'd just have to give it a go.

It was surprisingly easy to find and being located on a strip with loads of other restaurants, tapas bars and what not, I think it did well to stand out with its crazy nostalgic décor.

Admittedly, it doesn't look like the fanciest or even cleanest of places to dine, but don't let that put you off!

They offer an exciting range of inventively named burgers, containing ingredients such as  meatballs... or chorizo ... or even pulled pork - yum!

                            (You can check out everything on the menu here) -  http://atomicburger.co.uk/menu


So what did we order?

A 'Big Kahuna' beef burger with 'Sci Fries' & a 'Chuck Norris' beef burger with coleslaw.

My 'Big Kahuna' (made famous by the film Pulp Fiction) was a tasty burger indeed. It was stuffed with a Hawaiian-style mixture of swiss cheese, teriyaki sauce and a big fat ring of pineapple. Just how I'd imagined it - sweet, yet still had that strong punch of chargrilled juicy burger meat. The burger thrashed the quite tasteless 'Sci Fries' in comparison, as I only got a slight taste of old chilli flakes and burnt garlic rather than the heavenly combination they should have mastered so easily.

My boyfriends 'Chuck Norris' boasted the ingredient of BBQ pulled pork, and worked well within the sandwiched lettuce, cheese, tomato and beef. I had food envy over his side of coleslaw. 

• I will definitely be revisiting Atomic Burger (especially to try their fantabulous different options for breakfast)

• If you like American style diners, with food challenges, that sell root beer and use retro gimmicky toys and posters instead of wallpaper - You need to go there!!! 

Food       *****

Atmosphere *****

Service              *****

Recipe #1 - Garlic Chilli Chicken Curry

Ingredients Needed:

 

• Onion                                          A large white one, diced.
• Garlic                                         4-5 Cloves of the stuff, chopped roughly
• Chillies                                       2 Medium heat (red would be best), with seeds, finely chopped
• Olive oil                                      Just a couple of tablespoons
• Coconut milk                              1-2 tablespoons
• Chicken breast                            Quite a bit
• Spinach                                       A small bunch (optional but v. yum)
• Plum tomatoes                            Half a tin
• Tomato purée                             Half a tube
• Garam masala                            A sprinkle
• Curry powder                             1/2 - full tablespoon of HOT masala
• Yoghurt                                       Big dollop, fat-free is best
• Single cream                               Just a drizzle

 

 

Now tell me your not hungry...

 

How To :

 

1. Firstly, wack all of the diced onion into a hot oil smothered pan and lightly brown. Add the chillies, garlic and maybe a touch of water just to create a little sizzle and moisture.
2. Brown the chicken breast and once your happy that it's fully cooked through, coat it in your lovely spices (garam masala and hot masala curry powder).
3. Then add your wet stuff! Coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato purée and yoghurt (leave the cream until serving). 
4. Let the curry simmer and at this point just taste and season to your liking. You might want to add more of something e.g. heat, coconut, peanut butter?
5. When your happy with the taste and look of it, chuck on your chopped up saag (or in English - spinach). This will take minutes to sweat down and cook so keep an eye on it.
6. Garnish with your single cream to make it look b-e-a-utiful! (not that it needs it).

 

 

Enjoy! xxx

First Post!

Hey there fellow foodies!

I'm planning to use this online diary as a scrapbook to all my culinary experiences.

So if you enjoy trying out exciting yummy recipes ... reading up on reviews about nearby restaurants ... or fancy just learning some simple cooking tips from moi, COME ON DOWN!
I've never had any proper cooking lessons or training within this field but its my number one favourite thing to do - eat nice food! Everything I know I've either picked up from my inspirational wonder woman of a mom or accidentally discovered through trial and error.

I hope you guys enjoy following my journey and dunk your spoon into my trifle!
                                                                               (oops sounds slightly Nigella Lawson..)

   xxx