Cold….but we can cure that!

Dear London

I love you. I do. I love your densely populated Friday morning food markets where my friend and I can eat our way round- breakfasting on Turkish Delight and sourdough freebies. I love that I can walk ten minutes one way and be in the city, with sky scrapers and glittering office buildings filled with well-dressed beautiful people, but ten minutes the other way is a park surrounded on all sides by deep brown stone houses, with Christmas lights and and sparkling chandeliers, with every kind of dog in existence dashing backwards and forwards and under your feet.

I love that I live with people who are as dedicated to exploring as I am, and willing to spend a Sunday at a flower market, or a vintage stall, or a outlet sale, or a park, or a bizarre coffee shop that sells boiled eggs and squash muffins. I love that my flat has mould, and uneven walls and a kitchen in which it is a struggle to cook side by side, because we can make it better by adding our own junk, and make it cosy.

I love the libraries, especially Bloomsbury Square, where you can sit at a desk by the window watching red buses and orange leaves go past….and occasionally get some work done.

I love the cocktail bars, the restaurants, the South Bank, Brick Lane, Bow Road………I love London.

However, I think I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the illness. Oh the illness. I have been sniffling, snuffling, weezing, sulking, moaning, crying, choking, coughing, hiccoughing and napping. Rather than go on about it- here’s a recipe for a cure for London- just having a bloody good time will do the rest.

Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Livi’s Rice Pudding

400ml Double Cream (I know I know- but we’re ill right?)

400ml Milk

250g Pudding Rice

Really Good Vanilla- the one with seeds

2 heaped teaspoons of Drink Me Chai Tea powder

Method

Gently heat the Milk and Cream together in a heavy, oven proof pan.

Mix in the  as much Vanilla as you like…I like a lot.

Mix the Chai Powder to a paste with a few drops of Milk and add to the milk, stirring it until mixed.

Add the rice, and stir until coated.

Turn the heat down, and leave to cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

I like to eat it straight from the pan once the rice is cooked, but you can bake it if you are a skin fan- about 2o minutes until the top is golden brown.

n.b. The Chai optional, good vanilla isn’t!!

Pictures!

Stay Unchained ❤

For a seriously lazy Saturday

Today was beautiful, October all over i.e. freezing and sparkling with sun on orange leaves. I woke up after a 10.30 lie-in and devised the perfect October breakfast. And here it is.

(Do not eat every day….just don’t)

Maple and Pecan French Toast

2 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 a cup Milk

2 slices of sourdough bread

Butter

First whisk the eggs with the vanilla and the milk.

Submerge the bread until soaked through.

Melt butter in a pan.

Place the bread in and cook both sides until they are gold and crunchy. Take out and put on a plate.

 

Throw into a handful of chopped pecans and a generous drizzle of maple syrup into the hot pan. Leave to bubble for a couple of minutes, then cover the toast.

 

I love October, big breakfasts are a defense against colds, tiredness and stress, leaving you free to admire the fiery trees and conkers!

Stay Unchained<3