Saturday Breakfast - Cheese, Bacon and Jalapeno Rounds

Having been good and eaten fruit for breakfast every working day,  it doesn't seem right to mark one of the few days I have off with another slice of apple.  So, Saturday is indulgent breakfast day - egg with soldiers, marmite on toast or sausage sandwich.

Sometimes, if I've had a busy week then I find, I don't have traditional breakfast items in the fridge so I go off piste and today I made - cheese, jalapeno and bacon puffs, which were incidentally incredibly easy, slightly impressive and utterly glorious.

First get a roll of ready made puff pastry and roll it out.  Pastry is not my friend so I tend to buy ready made and apparently 'all the best chefs do it' so on a lazy warm Saturday in London with it sitting in my fridge, I am not precious.

Take grated medium cheddar cheese (250g) , a packet (200g) of diced bacon and half jar of jalapeno peppers.  These peppers have a kick but are the mild-ish ones that we use for Mexican food.

Spread this on top of the pastry - leaving a little border on the edge.  Now roll up the pastry as you might a Swiss roll.   Then cut the pastry into thick-ish rounds and lay on a greased baking tray. 

Now if you have guests and want to go down the sharing route, push them together and brush with egg.  If it is just informal, pop them on the baking tray as you will.

Then back in a hot oven (according to the instructions on the puff pastry) for about 20 minutes - until the pastry has puffed and the cheese has melted.  Then share hot with those you actually like.

L xx

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Lessons that we learn

Recently, I had a house guest for over a month and bless him but he was potentially one of the most annoying people I've ever lived with.  It was a combination of me having lived alone for 7 years and him simply being a boy and not thinking.

And it got me thinking!   I personally believe that life is a series of learning experiences - lessons that the universe wants us to learn before we move on to the next concept.  I realise that is quite new age but I would be surprised if most people didn't agree.

So what did I learn?  Well, I thought that this might be about tolerance - learning to live with other people.  But, I can and I have!   So Ms. Universe - I imagine her looking rather like my grandmother crossed with a librarian - comforting with a hint of menace - what are you trying to tell me?

After much consideration, I think I might have got it?   I tend to put others first - I am 'wilfully independent' but I will always go the extra mile for my friends and family.  Indeed, when I mentioned that I had a selfish streak to a friend, she laughed at me and said I was one of the most unselfish people she knew.

So I realised that perhaps my lesson was, by all means offer, but realise what you are offering and then don't resent it.  I offered him accommodation but did it without thinking it through and with no stated agenda or outlined expectations.  Therefore, he couldn't conform and I ended up feeling angry in my own home.

I need to offer what I am prepared to share, ask for what I want and clearly state what I expect.   Easier said than done but Ms. Universe, I am listening honest.

Lxx

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L'Escargot

My best friend’s brother has been staying with me while he works on the Olympics and while he is not hugely difficult, he does get on my nerves as I suppose I’ve been living on my own for 7 years and am just not used to sharing my sanctuary.

Thus, I was taken out to L’Escargot in Soho as a thank-you treat.  This restaurant has been going in various incarnations since the 20s and currently Marco Pierre White is the chef.   I was expecting great things – and I must admit I was left pondering rather than marvelling.

We entered the restaurant and were shown to our table by a very sweet French (I later learnt) Maitre’d.   The restaurant is done in muted shades of cream and the collective atmosphere is of old school slightly tarnished and just a little reserved glamour – a look that Soho wears well.

The menu focused on the traditional and I started with 12 snails while my friend had Foie Gras.  Now I know the latter is banned in San Francisco but personally I do like the taste and the little sliver I managed to wrestle off her suggests that this parfait was very good indeed.

My snails were excellent – sitting on smears of mashed potato with the most glorious garlic butter.  I did ask for a little bread with mine and the waiter didn’t even bat an eye lid – yes, they focus on helping people enjoy their meals rather than judging them.

For my main, I had roast rabbit leg stuffed with olives and tomatoes, pearly barley and risotto and my friend had the marinated rump of lamb with Scottish girroles and olive jus.  The portions were small but perfectly formed and despite my rabbit being a touch overpowered by the olive stuffing, the food again was really good.

And as we sipped out mint tea and espresso, I looked around the restaurant and felt a little sad.  The room only had a few tables and I missed the slight buzz of people enjoy a wonderful meal with friends.  It might be due to the fact that it was a Thursday at the end of August or because it was just at the end of the school holidays but the room felt strangely empty.

So while the food was lovely, the company was great and the staff really nice, I can’t help wonder if L’Escargot in its current incarnation could do with an update / a shock / something to breathe a little more life into the place!  Being a classic does not mean evolution is out of the question. 

I would hate to see it loose its character but I suspect that to have survived so long, it has learnt to adapt and now might be the right time to try on a slightly smarter suit.

Lxx

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