A tale of two restaurants

Dinning out should be pleasure. It’s an opportunity to enjoy food without having to think about what might go into it, labour over preparations, or worry about washing up. I intended to eat out twice last week and the experiences couldn’t have been more different.

Experience 1 – the Saracen’s Head Hotel, Dunmow

On Thursday I decided it would be nice to eat dinner out. The weather was warm. The forecast for the next day was rain. I thought it might be the last night of summer.

I choose the Saracen’s Head Hotel on Dunmow High Street. I‘ve eaten there on several occasions in the last year and always found them very accommodating. The chef made me a fantastic five mushroom risotto on Easter Sunday which I still recall with delight.

However on this occasion things did not go so well. Having ordered a drink I began to size up the menu for things that could by alteration or omission be made vegan. The mediterrrian platter with roast vegetables, hummus, olives, bread and halloumi seemed like an option (minus the halloumi). There was also a rather delivious sounding vegetable curry. When the waiter arrived I explained that I was a vegan and asked if he could find out if the curry contained any animal products.

A few minutes later another member of staff appeared . She told me that she had spoken to the chef and that everything contained eggs or dairy. The only thing they could offer me was a bowl of dry leaves. Or nothing.

I considered asking if they could manage an oil and vinegar dressing to go with the dry leaves. Or if the roast vegetables were cooked in oil. Or what animal products the hummus contained.

Instead I decided to take the ‘nothing’ option and eat at home. I began to finish drink. Before I could leave the staff member returned to reiterate that they had nothing I could eat, adding that I should notify them in advance in future.

Experience 2 – Giraffe, Chelmsford

Sunday evening I’d arranged to have dinner with some of my fellow burlesque enthusiasts, and those who taken part in the Change your life in 20 weeks project. We decided to eat at Giraffe simply because someone had some vouchers.

I was a little late arriving but my fellow dinners had already mentioned my vegan lifestyle to the waiter. He was extremely happy to go through the menu with me and suggest which dishes could be altered. He was also very helpful when other in our party wanted alterations to dishes.

I enjoyed a Falafel burger, followed by a sorbet sundae (yes - a vegan desert) and a soy cappuccino.

The staff were excellent. Cheerful, accommodating and good humoured.

The combination of good food, lovely staff, and delightful company made for a really good meal. Our party left Giraffe feeling relaxed, well feed and ready for the week ahead. I feel quite enthusiastic about returning to Giraffe in the near future.

Wishing you all things green,

Annastasia

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What's in my lunch box? Fish and chips

I was so, so organised this week. Knowing I had a busy weekend and wouldn't be home much I started my lunch preparation on Thursday. Then I had a big coking night on Friday. The result? A calm Monday with a nicely put together lunch.
Clockwise from bottom left:

• Polenta fries and tofu fish bites. Recipes from Vegan Lunch Box.
• Market bought radishes and home grown tomatoes
• Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris - things are getting really interesting...
• Market bought peas and allotment grown runner beans, gently boiled.
• Plum cake - my take on clafoutis. I made the basic cupcake mix from Vegan cupcakes take over the world, added lots of extra soy milk, the poured over halved plums and baked. Incredibly moist and delicious.

Wishing you all things green,
Annastasia

Something green - vegan mint choc chip ice cream

Summer might be packing its bags and leaving town but that no reason to think that the time for ice cream has gone.

I made this delicious mint choc chip ice cream using a recipe from Mind Body Green. It's vegan. It's full of lovely things like banana, advocado and coconut milk. Naturally I added the optional spinach to really enhance the green colour. You could potentially make the case with this for an ice cream breakfast.

My favourite way to eat it right now is to sandwich a glittering green chunk of loveliness between two (accidentally vegan) choc chip hobnobs.

Make some for yourself. Throw in some spinach, and use up those chocolate nibs you've been hoarding. Then enjoy it until summer arrives again.

Wishing you all things green,

Annastasia

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Things I Love Thursday - embracing autumn

Walking to work along the river – because it looks so lovely. It's also good to note the seasonal changes day by day, observe the ducks, and reflect on how the river would have been such a central part of the town in the past. Given how well trafficked the footpath is I can only conclude that this is still the case.

Changing up my morning routine – because September is that wonderful month for fresh starts, and making changes. Also because one of my changes is…

Getting out of bed when the alarm goes off – This makes me want to embrace the day while pressing snooze makes me want to avoid life. As a bonus I have more time to…

Dance – I'm doing a bit of burlesque in the morning (post yoga, pre-breakfast). Not only does this free up some evening time but makes me feel energetic. So lively and smug as outcomes! My heads is full of moves at the moment. I'm learning new routines for October Cabaret and choreographing a couple of things for Hogswatch.

Cooking fresh food as I buy it – I've been inspired by the Everlasting meal and have started cooking immediately vegetables that would either require cooking before consumption or that I would be likely to cook before eating. As a result I always have a fridge full of food that is ready to go. There's also added incentive to use the vegetables up. Evening meals suddenly seem to require less planning.

Other stuff – nettle tea – great books – a cosy chair to read in – the positive effects of lots of sleep – sunshine.

Wishing you all things green,

Annastasia

What's in my lunch box? The time has come at

I came across a recipe for a salad with lentils and stone fruit earlier in the summer, and have been waiting for the moment stone fruits came into season to spring into action. Yes, I’ve made my usual substitutions (particularly in the dressing) but think I stay close enough. I even did the onion pickling, which proved to be quick and easy, and definitely worth it.

From bottom left:

 

Lentil and stone fruit salad – based on a recipe from PPK. Spinach, rocket, Cos lettuce, red onion, green lentils, and greengages with a dressing made from rice vinegar, mustard powder, olive oil, dried onion, garlic powder, and a little salt and pepper.

Apple and blackberry crumble

To read – More adventures of Ms Stackhouse in Dead as a doornail by Charlaine Harris

 

Tomatoes – a mix of market bought and home grown.

 

Wishing you all things green,

Annastasia

 

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Where to find me online – August 2013

Project Pin Up

I’ve started contributing the Project Pin Up blog. My first posts are about signatures style and how to develop your own.

Developing a signature style: part 1

Signature Styles part 2: how to find your signature

Ink Drops Blog

Over at Ink drops I’ve blogged about my new typewriter, secret rooms and missing letters, and clearing out your pencil case.

The minimalist pencil case

Introducing my new typewriter

Stationery, letters and literature: The secret rooms by Catherine Bailey

Videopia

And finally I visited the Videopia lorry at the Reading festival and had a go at taking part in one of their mini remakes. Watch me attempt to master an American accent in my starring role as Marty McFly in Back to the future…

Wishing you all things green, 

Annastasia