Next week I am going to the Paris office for a couple of days. There is an actual legitimate reason for the trip. It’s not just about me wanting some nice food although that will be a pleasant and not to be avoided side effect.

My hotel is in Montparnasse so I went online to see what places I could get a nice meal there Wednesday night after I get off the Eurostar.

There is Le Dome of course, but I don’t want to take the piss with my expenses, plus it sounds really touristy. Then I came across Wadja and I read review after review calling this little bistro a gem. Good food and cheap.

I asked Celine for help so I could call and make a reservation over the phone. Tried to call but our phones at work are acting up so I will try to be brave later.

Celine gave me this helpful phrase: *Je suis desolee mais mon francais est un peu limite. I have a feeling it will generally be a useful thing to add to the few phrases I know.

*Those that know French please forgive the lack of accents.

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Just Watched tonoght’s episode of Hugh’s Chicken Run. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is an English celebrity chef and Chicken Run shows the difference between how standard and free range birds are raised. After watching this program, I am never, ever, ever EVER buying a regular chicken. Free range all the way now on. If you make the decision to be a carnivore, you have the responsibility to not eat animals that were tortured to your fork. 

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Roast Dinner

Originally uploaded by treefrog girl.

Continuing the food theme. . . my dinner.

Butterflied Lemon Roast Chicken with parsnips and roasted garlic riced cauliflower. . .

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Broiled salmon, spinach, sauteed bean sprouts & green salad with pickled ginger

Originally uploaded by treefrog girl.

Broiled Salmon, Spinach, sautéed bean sprouts with green salad with pickled ginger

Salmon

Salmon
1 cup of white wine
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 inches ginger root finely grated
2 cloves garlic minced

Marinate salmon 1-3 hours

Broil in oven until done

Spinach

Spinach
Sesame oil

Wash spinach and drain
Steam until wilted
Drain again
Sauté with a little sesame oil

Bean Sprouts

Bean sprouts
Minced ginger
Minced garlic
Minced scallion
Olive oil
Sesame oil
Red pepper flakes

Sauté ginger and garlic in a little olive oil on low, add scallions and after a few minutes add bean sprouts and a little sesame oil and sauté a few minutes until the sprouts are cooked but still crunchy.
Sprinkle red pepper flakes to taste.

Green salad with pickled ginger

self explanatory

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My Lunch

Originally uploaded by treefrog girl.

Was rather proud of my lunch today so I thought I would share.

Open Faced Goat Cheese Tuna Melt With Roasted Red Peppers

1 Small can of tuna in water drained and flaked
Minced red onion
Minced celery
1 tablespoon of mayo
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
2 slices organic brown bread
1 roasted red pepper
Goat cheese (I got mine from Paxton & Whitfield a wonderful cheese shop on Jermyn Street)

Lightly toast the bread.
Mix tuna, mayo, mustard, onon and celery together.
Spread tuna evenly on top of each slice of bread.
Put roasted red pepper on top.
Slice goat cheese and put on top of peppers
Set bread in toaster oven or in oven under the top element and broil until cheese is melted.

I also had a mixed green salad with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

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I don’t know why, but I never liked the idea of mince pie. I think it’s the name. It made me think of meat even though I knew it wasn’t meat.

For some reason today I tried a few of the mince pies that have been floating around the office and I love it. It’s sort of like a fig newton- but different. . .

Now I just need to try some figgy pudding.

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It falls on me to plan the EMEA party for my Department. The main challenge was that we only were given 9K USD for 100 people. When you convert that into pounds, you don’t go too far. One of the other challenges was that we wanted to find a venue that would let us have the area until midnight without sharing it with the masses and that it was a bit nice.

4,500 for 100 people covering food and drink in a space that is a bit nice in central London.

BAH HAH HAH HAHAHAHAHHA

Luckily back when I was thinking about getting involved in rowing I saw that they did weddings and parties in the clubhouse- we looked into it and it’s great. (One negative is we had to arrange buses to the venue because god forbid people hopped on the District line to Putney.) It’s a really lovely space built in the late 1800’s and is right on the Thames with beautiful vews.

We are having champagne and nibbles on arrival, a sit down meal and then dancing after (ex co-worker is doing the DJing).

I think it is coming together, but little things are driving me crazy because our team coordinator has been sorting all the hard work like making sure that people get paid -which I so appreciate but there have been a few things that I would have handled slightly differently and because I’m not the one that sorted it, I am having little panic attacks that it will all go to hell.

I have a wee bit of the control freak in me.

It doesn’t help that a bunch of head honchos are coming in from the US.

It will be fine. I know it will be fine. We have a little over a week to make sure everything is fine.

God I hope it’s fine.

At least I already have the dress I am going to wear.

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. . . was a resounding success. My stuffing was nothing at all like my Mom’s, which was disappointing on one level, but it tasted absolutely amazing so I was pleased.

Ended up cutting the squash, cabbage, green beans and baked apples from the line up.

Libby brought a yummy nut loaf and Amanda covered the pumpkin need with a lowcarb pumpkin cheesecake that was absolutely delish.

(Aussie ex flat-mate) Jen made up a cheese platter and along with Al helped me out in the kitchen with peeling and slicing and carving.

Everyone brought wine and beer and I think we drank it all along with the vanilla extract.*

The turkey was too dry I am afraid. I didn’t take it out when I wanted to because the meat thermometer made it look like it needed a bit more. I think it lied to me. Still, I would rather serve over cooked turkey than kill my guests.

Even more important than the food was the company. Was a good laugh.

When Chris and Libby arrived, it was so cute. . . Chris said, “Happy Thanksgiving! . . . That is what you say right?”

Al wanted us to go around after dinner and say what we were thankful for but it got lost in the vino and a competitive game of Cranium.

One funny moment that I missed: The meeting of American Jen and Aussie Jen.

Aussie Jen to American Jen: It’s Jen is it?

American Jen: Yes.

Aussie Jen. I actually prefer Jennifer.

American Jen: That would be nice if it was your name.

Aussie Jen: Actually it is.

Last night the kitchen looked like a bomb had gone off in it and I was really not looking forward to the washing up. This morning I let myself have a lay-in, which I deserved after cooking and not going to bed until 1:30 and with all the red wine floating in my blood. Got up at 11:45, shuffled down the stairs and I saw a shocking, shocking sight.

Stuart doing the dishes.

I gave him an enormous hug and kiss. He has no idea how much I appreciate that he did that.

Jen took photo’s of the drunken Cranium madness and I can’t get over how fat I look. Going for a long walk right after I eat a platter of leftovers.

* Family Ties reference. Tom Hanks (before he was Tom Hanks) plays the visting alcoholic Uncle and he is so desperate for the sauce, he drinks an entire bottle of vanilla extract.

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I’m doing the dinner on Saturday. I’ve done a couple of big roast dinners now but this will be the first turkey. Slightly nervous about it. As usual we have a large group of 10-12 people coming, which I know is slightly nuts. What is even more nuts is that I make so much food 10-12 people can’t eat it all.

My Late Thanksgiving Day Menu

Olives
Crudités
Dip of some sort

Turkey
Veggie Main Dish (Prob a nut loaf which will be brought by one of the veggie guests)
Gravy
Bisto Veggie Gravy
Stuffing with sausage
Stuffing with mushrooms
Heart Attack Inducing Mashed Potatoes
Baked Onions (from Nigel Slater’s The Kitchen Diaries)
Parsnips
Roasted Red Bell Peppers
Marinated Mozzarella
Cranberry Sauce
Braised Red Cabbage
Roasted Squash (maybe. not sure. also from Mr. Slater)
Green Beans
Broccoli with garlic and red pepper
Green Salad

Chocolate Mousse
Baked Apples

Can you tell I am scared to bake a pie? I need to try it one of these days without the pressure of other people.

Made the cranberry sauce last night from a recipe that I got from Meredith and it is rather tasty although has a slightly bitter aftertaste, but is that just the cranberries? Worried that I got some pith in with the zest. I’ve only just started to like cranberries as they were on my list of yuck food when I was a kid- I think because we often had the cranberry jelly in a can and the congealed blob always grossed me out.

Whole Orange Ginger Cranberries

16 oz of whole cranberries (fresh)
2 cups sugar
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 tbsp orange zest
1 tbsp peeled finely minced fresh ginger

Combine ingredients in saucepan. Cook over medium heat until berries pop open, about 10 min. Skim any “foam” from top & discard. Cool. Refrigerate, covered. Keeps for up to 2 MONTHS (refrigerated)!

From my POV keeping it in the fridge for two months kinda scores high on the ewww scale.

Turkey: I took it out of the freezer and put it in the fridge Wednesday night. This morning it still feels rock solid so I’ve taken it out of the fridge altogether since our kitchen is cool enough. Which means I can make the stuffing, marinated mozzarella salad and the roasted red peppers today because I have room in my little stupid English fridge.

It better be defrosted by tomorrow. . .

Yesterday for Thanksgiving proper Stuart and I went out for Indian and then got in a big fight. All is well now and I suppose it is good as we were following tradition.

It just isn’t Thanksgiving if there isn’t a gineourmous argument with divorce and/or death with a large knife threatened.

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There’s a break out of bird flu here in the UK.

I felt a small panic because I am cooking Thanksgiving dinner on the 24th and my plan had been to buy a fresh turkey. So yesterday in Sainsburry’s when I saw two frozen turkeys, I snagged one.

I have never done Thanksgiving dinner before, so it should be interesting. I have told told my guests if I mess it up that I will order a pizza.

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