Do you have your ticket yet? 19 - 22 April 2012

new and trendy in the food world

Burger King's new bacon sundae....only in the states!!!

Lay's new BLT flavoured chips...apparently they taste just like the sandwich

Happy Easter!

Here are Miss Nigella's foolproof Hot Cross Buns, we promise, they are the best! Hot Cross Buns are traditionally served on Good Friday.

FOR THE DOUGH:

• 150ml milk
• 50g butter
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1 clove 2 cardamom pods
• 400g bread flour
• 1 packet easy-blend yeast (7g)
• 125g mixed dried fruit
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 egg

FOR EGG WASH:

• 1 egg, beaten with a little milk

FOR THE CROSS ON THE BUNS:

• 3 tablespoons plain flour
• ½ tablespoon caster sugar
• 2 tablespoons water

FOR THE SUGAR GLAZE:

• 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon boiling water

METHOD

Serves: Makes 16

1. Heat the milk, butter, orange zest, clove and cardamom pods in a saucepan until the butter melts, then leave to infuse. I have gone rather cardamom mad recently, but this short aromatic infusion gives a heavenly scent to the little fruited buns later.
2. Measure the flour, yeast and dried fruit into a bowl and add the spices. When the infused milk has reached blood temperature take out the clove and cardamom pods, and beat in the egg. Pour this liquid into the bowl of dry ingredients.
3. Knead the bowl either by hand or with a machine with a dough hook; if it is too dry add a little more warm milk or water. Keep kneading until you have silky, elastic dough, but bear in mind that the dried fruit will stop this from being exactly satin smooth.
4. Form into a ball and place in a buttered bowl covered with clingfilm, and leave to prove overnight in the fridge.
5. Preheat the oven to gas mark 7/220C. Take the dough out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature.
6. Punch the dough down, and knead it again until it is smooth and elastic. Divide into 16 balls and shape into smooth round buns. I wouldn't start worrying unduly about their size: just halve the dough, and keep halving it until it's in eight pieces, and use that piece to make two buns. Or just keep the dough as it is, and pinch off pieces slightly larger than a ping pong ball and hope you end up with 16 or thereabouts. Not that it matters.
7. Sit the buns on a baking parchment or Bake-O-Glide-lined baking sheet. Make sure they are quite snug together but not touching. Using the back of an ordinary eating knife, score the tops of the buns with the imprint of a cross. Cover with a teatowel and leave to prove again for about 45 minutes - they should have risen and almost joined up.
8. Brush the buns with an egg wash, and then mix the flour, sugar and water into a smooth, thick paste. Using a teaspoon, dribble two lines over the buns in the indent of the cross, and then bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
9. When the hot cross buns come out of the oven, mix the sugar and boiling water together for the glaze, and brush each hot bun to make them sweet and shiny

anyone for a cuppa? Face Mug

Slim Cups

Coffee Bean Mug

Teeth Mug

Walking Cups

Fashion Victims

simple, seasonal and scrumptious...just the way we like it!
Asparagus, Snap Pea and Avocado Pasta

Coarse salt and ground pepper
450g asparagus, ends trimmed and sliced in half
450g sugar snap peas, strings removed
450g bow-tie pasta
4 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint, parsley or basil
1/2 cup shredded parmesan or pecorino cheese, plus more for serving

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook asparagus until bright green, about 2 minutes. Add snap peas; cook 30 seconds. With a slotted spoon or a small sieve, scoop out vegetables; tranfer to a bowl.
Return water to a boil; add pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water; set pasta aside in colander.
In a pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add asparagus, snap peas and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing until vegetables are tender, about 2 minutes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter, cooked pasta, avocado, herbs, cheese and reserved pasta water. Toss to combine; season with salt and pepper. Served topped with cheese.

Celebrating St Patrick's Day in true Irish Style

Green velvet cake balls

Guinness ice cream

Clover biscuits

Mint choc chip cookies

Shamrock spinach quiche

18 Very Unusual Ice cream Flavours from around the World....Seriously????

Spaghetti & Cheese Ice Cream - From Venezuela. Cheese flavoured ice cream with ground up spaghetti pieces (no sauce)

Octopus Ice Cream - From Japan where it is known as Taco Aisu. Actual octopus meat in a slushy cherry ice.

Horse Flesh Ice Cream - From Japan. Raw horse flesh in vanilla ice cream.

Salad Ice Cream - Nobody's claiming it (wonder why!). Strawberry ice cream with cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and lettuce.

Squid Ink Ice Cream - From Japan. Squid ink gives the ice cream a dark charcoal colour.

Other interesting flavours were:

Fish ice cream - Japan

Spleen and artichoke - Italy

Goat ice cream - with actual goat bits - Asia

Cheddar cheese ice cream - made with premium cheddar cheese - Philippines

Chicken wing ice cream - Japan