Prop Shopping

Today was prop shopping day. In my dreams I own one of these shops. A heavenly sweet emporium for the over sixes. My days spent wondering around antiques markets and evenings would be sorting time; arranging beautiful muddles into lovely order. 

For now, I will have to suffice with just visiting them once in a while.

Strawberries

We have stacks of strawberries at the moment. The man shouting at the station always persuades me to buy two punnets rather than one and then I'm at a slight loss of what to do with them all. 

So today there was a welcome home Pimms awaiting Nick. No cucumber. Just mint and strawberries.

How very English, how very Wimbledon. 

Galeto

I'm feeling a little muggle headed this morning. Last night saw the opening of Galeto, a brand new Brazilian street food restaurant in the heart of Soho. Vibrant carnival spirit and Brazilian flavours all rolled into one tiny London resto. It really did feel quite favela.  

The menu focuses on authentic Brazilian street food dishes and is calling itself a Brazilian ‘streatery’ which I quite like.  Delicious fried things, smokey bean and it's signature Galeto (which means 'little chicken' in Latin Portuguese). Lots of Molhos dips including tropical fruit barbeque, hot spicy coriander and garlic cream. Sides range from black beans and white rice to sweet pepper salsa, mandioca frita and vivid Latino salads. A feast for the senses. 

I'm going to add at this point that its also good value. Not cheap like Asda cheap but reasonable. A bottle of house wine is £14.50. The signature chicken is just shy of £9.00. I like. 

They have just reached their two week birthday so get in there before the crowds arrive. 

Jude's Ice Cream

My second post about ice cream in a row. It's just that my twice a day habit needs feeding and it's not true that only the Italians can make ice cream.  Hampshire doesn't have quite the sunshine, or the coast or in fact the beautifully tanned Mediterranean men but it does have Jude's; an entire factory dedicated to making proper English ice cream.  

I've met Jude. She my friend's mum. She is warm and kind and funny and has a clever bunch of sons to her name. Together they stride to make an amazing product, cutting no corners and a whole team working together like one enormous family. 

I always think that a product should sell itself, if it is good enough then we, little obedient ants, will buy it again. Judes seems to be gathering momentum and I have a warm glow of pride whenever I see the van rushing past or the little pots for sale in a cinema. If you have the chance, give it a chance. Salted caramel is my favourite. 

They even give 10% of all profits to charity. What a company. 

Proper cones

Sorrento, Italy

A week in Italy, just the two of us. No early morning squeals or bottles of milk or factor 50. We arrived by bus, driving past fig trees breaking free from walls, growing like rampant moss. We drink coffee that pours like treacle and is hardly even dusted with milk foam. Each arrive served with plastic cups of fizzy water to wash away the caffeine. Our morning alarm clocks. 

Lemons hang from trees by the road, their skin like pubescent boys faces. We navigate wondering roads, gasping at buildings that should surely fall in the sea tomorrow and we are aware that a week in Italy is going to pass too quickly. There is so much sleep to have, conversations to enjoy and pasta to eat! 

Asparagus - Eat while you can!

The sun/rain thing that we give so much attention doesn't just ruin our weekend plans. All the fruit and vegetables are getting confused. If asparagus talked I imagine their conversations to go something akin to this; 

Asparagus 1 - "Do you think we go now?"

Asparagus 2 - "Not sure, my wife isn't looking nearly as plump as she should do."

Asparagus 1 - "But we're late, I've even read a gloomy article saying as much. The poxy author suggested it was our variety. They clearly think bushing snow off our coats as normal for May."

Asparagus 2 - "Well maybe we should then, just for Waitrose's sake. They've already done the asparagus advertising and everything."

Asparagus 1 - "Let's do it. You first."

Asparagus 2 - "Ok, I'm going. Grow, Go, GROW, GO"

They are late arriving you see but fear not, you have about 24 hours before the season will disappear until 2014. I had a friend coming to lunch yesterday so, you guessed it, we ate the spears. 

The Illustrated Recipe Exhibition

I sought out a lovely exhibition this week called The Illustrated Recipe. A collection of artists for whom food has become their muse. My favourite was Kate Jenkins who made knitted jellied eels look stunning - enough said?! 

Playing in the garden

Homeward bound for the weekend. We played in the garden until the chill forced us inside for cups of tea.

Shoots.

I haven't done a shoot for a little while so it was lovely to be back on set last week. I love the studio spaces, these little light oasis in central London, and coffees and the atmostphere. You wouldn't quite believe the thought that goes into one, single image.