On the menu...Thursday 24th

Breaded Monkfish with Peppers, Courgettes, Mushrooms and Spaghetti in a Pesto Sauce

I'm in no denial that the description of this meal sounds horrifically pretentious, however there's little way of avoiding this, I'm suddenly finding when a meal contains more than three ingredients. That, and the fact that I felt it necessary to redeem myself in the (slightly ponsy) culinary stakes after the previous nights dreary supper consisting of heaps of greenery and fish cakes. Healthy, perhaps, but it doesn't make for interesting viewing! Who said a student's kitchen was a pride-less zone?!

So tonight's offering may look a little more restaurant worthy (I emphasise the word LITTLE), but yet again, I have Asda's reduced counter to thank for the slightly more elaborate ingredients! You should see me around that damn counter, like a vulture! Breadcrumbs are also a fiendish way of putting stale bread to use; whack it in a food processor, and Bob's your Uncle!

Pesto, I'm increasingly discovering can perk up the blandest of meals, and considering it's concentrated flavour, stretches a long way. For example, where a jar of pre-made pasta sauce, you'll only get one or two servings from, only 1 spoon-sized scoop of this gleaming emerald paste is required, making it a far more economical option.

Anyway, after gloating over my nutritious, wallet friendly, and hassle-free meal, I'm off to go chomp down a Boost bar. Just to restore the Karma in my stomach of course.

Food in the News: Pasties worth protecting

A proper Cornish pasty

For 9 years, the Cornish Pasty Association has been campaigning for Protected Geographical Indicaton (PGI) status from the European Union. Alas, the time has finally dawned. Hurrah, now no longer will we be fooled by inferior imitators, but be able to know that if we are sold a Cornish Pasty, it is indeed the real Mccoy. 

So, this all may sound like the cider-induced hallucination of a farmer sat somewhere in his Somerset-static tractor (pardon the extreme stereotype). But it's hit the news in a big way, arguably for its sheer weird-factor. So here's the lowdown on what exact makes a Cornish Pasty, well...Cornish.

1. As ridiculously simple as it may sound, it must be Cornish. No, not produced by anyone by the name of Cornish, have corn in it or operate under any other advertising loopholes you may wish to conjure. It must have been made in Cornwall.

Cornish pasty descendant, the Devon pasty

2. Everyone's favourite part of the pasty, the crust (aka the crimp to Pasty experts) must follow a specific design. The main body of the pasty itself must form a distinct 'D' shape, and the crimp must lay to the side. Confuse with the Devon pasty at your peril, whose crimp can be seen centrally slithering across the top of the body of the pasty.

3 It must follow a strict recipe in accordance with original Cornish guidelines : "The texture of the filling is chunky, made up of uncooked minced or roughly cut chunks of beef (not less than 12.5%), swede, potato, onion with a light seasoning. The pastry casing is golden in colour, savoury, glazed with milk or egg and robust enough to retain its shape throughout the cooking and cooling process without splitting or cracking. The pasty is slow-baked and no artificial flavourings or additives must be used." 

As a proud Devonian lass, I can only show my full support to my Neighbouring Cornwall; I still recall years spent as a nipper chomping on genuine Cornish Paaaaaaasties (pronounced with a farmer-esque drawl) on the breezy yet picturesque coast of Mount Bay. And to think of imposters marketing their so-called "Cornish" Pasties, well, the thought sickens me. Well, that's a tad extreme, but at the very least surely this case should've been taken to Petty Claims Court under under false advertising a long time ago?!

Whet your appetite...

Orangette

Seriouseats

Travellerslunchbox

Food in the News: National Chip Week!

Students throughout the land rejoice- it's that time of year when our favourite snack can be shamelessly justified regardless of time, place, or the fact you've already eaten the exact same little morsels 5 times in the space of 3 days...It's National Chip Week!

21-27th February marks this momentous occasion, and this year we can binge particularly excessively due to 2011 being the events 20th anniversary. Praise be to chip Jesus!

The Potato Council's (no, I didn't realise a potato Council even existed until now either) 'Love Chips' campaign may be teetering on the brink of peculiarity with it's choice of ex-X factor contestant Andy Abraham as Spokesperson, but if it gives both this dimmed star and the humble old potato the opportunity to shine, then, in the festive spirit of things, I shall oblige.

Why not inject a little variety into your withered looking leftover potatoes? The BBC's Good Food site offers a whole host of chipper ideas, or alternatively check out my own simple Potatoes Dauphinoise recipe.

On a slightly more ironic note, National Chip Week happens to coincide with National Eating Disorders Week- slightly cruel does't quite describe it. Perhaps the two Organisations should seize this opportunity to defeat a common foe and form some kind of bizarre collaboration?! Food for thought right there.

On the menu...Tuesday 22nd

Fruit and Fibre

In spite of breakfast usually being a rare commodity in my daily lifestyle, today I decided that my 10-7 schedule must take precedence over my belly's desires. So here is my attempt, what I can only describe as resembling rabbit food. Appetising. Some could say it's the Animal Kingdom's revolutionary meeting with the Western World in its cappuccino-mug enclosure...some may just say I was too lazy to wash up a bowl. And to them, I'd say, touché.

...I'm a student? (NB-This excuse will feature frequently in this Blog)

Lucozade and Mini cheddars

5pm. By this point a normal human being may have consumed a hearty breakfast and lunch, and now even returning home to prepare tea. Oh no, hello awkward Tuesdays and hello skipped breakfast and flailing concentration. So with this cheeky little snack, I have a 2 hour Public Affairs lecture to blame for 114% of my daily recommended sugar allowance being consumed in the space of 25 minutes.

Smoked salmon salad with roast Mediterranean vegetables

A plate almost completely consumed by vegetables, by 8pm is becoming far too familiar a sight in attempts to redeem myself, following a day of snacking. Asda's reduced counter I owe the majority of the contents of my fridge to: Since starting University, smoked salmon was one ingredient I deemed immediately off limits; far too self indulgent.  However, when it's marked down to half price, well, it's somewhat easier to reconsider your so-called shopping morals. I'm a self proclaimed bargain binger; perhaps I was a scavenger in a previous life. But everything just tastes so much sweeter when you've paid a fraction of its original price for it! 

Well, provided it doesn't give you food poisoning...

Tricks of the Trade - The Perfect Hot Chocolate

Before coming to University, I worked as a humble little waitress at the culinary and social hub of Newton Abbot, The Pizza Cafe. Whilst there, I picked up a few nifty tricks which come in surprisingly handy day to day, and being the kind hearted soul that I am, shall impart them onto you...

So first of all...a good old fashioned hot chocolate. Perfect for perking you up after a long day of lectures or just chilling on the sofa with (it makes a liver-friendly alternative to the usual pint!)

Ever noticed how they taste so much better when you buy them from Costa/Starbucks as opposed to your usual boil-a-kettle-pour-in-powder jobby? All this superior version requires is cocoa powder (easily raided from the back of your Mum's bakery cupboard) , sugar and milk.

First, scoop 1 teaspoon of both cocoa and sugar into a mug. Don't try and be clever and save on calories by missing out the sugar, believe me it will end up tasting foul! Then add just a splash of boiling water to this, stirring until it forms a thin paste. To this, stir in milk, then bung in the microwave for about a minute...voila! Whipped cream is obviously optional, but I'm always apparently looking for unnecessary ways of adding calories into my day therefore needn't think twice before squeezing away :)

On the menu...Monday 21st

Tuna Steak with Roast Vegetables

After a week of practically living from a diet of various takeaways and, unsurprisingly, copious amounts of alcohol (am I able to get away with blaming Valentines week for this!?) this is my attempt at turning over a new healthy leaf. Indeed, I have conveniently chosen not to include the 5 mini Toblerones I ate whilst blogging earlier, or the leftover sausage roll of my flatmates...but heck, good intentions must count for something!?

Epic artery cloggage...

Epic Mealtime. I was introduced to this little beauty by one of my flatmates...This really does take greediness to a whole new level! Its morbidly fascinating. Not entirely sure now whether I'm really hungry or going to be sick, either way I'm certain that I won't feel too guilty next time I tuck into a Big Mac...
EpicMealTimes Youtube Channel

A few memorable University meals to date...

I have never been an abominable cook, yet since coming to University am met with a bizarrely overwhelming sense of pride every time I manage to produce an edible looking plate of food. Not entirely convinced about the psychology behind that little mystery, however! As a result I appear to have collected somewhat of a stash of pictures consisting of meals...I'm sure you'll recognise a few yourself!

This single snapshot adequately encapsulates the 2 week period that was Freshers; nothing less than a Boot-camp stylee regime of Bernard Matthew's nibbles served in a hazy state at 3am Vs excessive amounts of alcohol. Perhaps a picture of the SU bar would have summed up the fortnight more appropriately.

Mmm...DIPPERS.

  From one extreme to the next, after depriving my body of anything with any remote nutritional value during freshers, here arrived one of the least studenty meals possible. Taking advantage of my Hall's constant source of overpriced pre-paid electricity I felt it necessary to take full advantage, thus leaving my Jacket potato in the oven for a mighty 3 hours. Impressive.

So, technically not a solid meal...but the sheer size of this alcoholic creation should deem it as a meal in itself. Half a bottle of rum, sloshed along with vodka, malibu and anything else we could get our hands on teamed with a carton of orange juice...Ouch. Proof if proof needed, that there's a reason bar's don't serve cocktails from laundry baskets.

A cut above your bog standard student meal. Originally intended to be my Boyfriend's efforts to prove himself as a credible Chef, nonetheless ending in me preparing it after his struggling to cut the chicken breast in half. Potatoes dauphinoise (pictured to the right!) is probably the most pretentious way possible of describing what is essentially potato bake! Add equal parts of double cream to milk in a pint glass, and stir in some finely chopped garlic if you're living with people tolerant of kitchen whiffs. Pour over a tray of finely-sliced part-boiled potatoes, cover with grated cheese and whack in the oven...Proper posh hangover munch!

A homage to the great foodie icons

Cookery programmes seem to have reached their all time notoriety- Brilliant for people like me, whom returning from the kitchen faced with bare, sad little cupboards require some food-based comforting! (Or merely attempt to numb a grumbling stomach with the false hopes of a satisfying meal!)

Here's a little Wall of Fame to my favourite Chef's adorning the silver screen...

NIGELLA LAWSON

The honey-glazed Goddess herself. She's as alluring as the calorie-ridden treats she's become infamous for...yep, safe to say I have somewhat of a girl crush on this fine specimen of a human being. But then again, I can't remember the last person I spoke to that didn't aswell! 

Anyway! Her sheer theme of laziness adopted throughout her most recent series Nigella Kitchen arguably could easily form the basis of any student's Kitchen ritual.

In fact, regardless of any cooking whatsoever, she's worth a watch purely for innuendo-fuelled chuckles! Here's Harry Hill's selection of Nigella's best bits for your amusement...

HESTON BLUMENTAL 

All the limitless imagination of a child combined with the street-smarts and technical ability of a Michelin-star awarded Chef. Like a modern day Willy Wonka, Heston conjures up sheerly unbelieveable delights in his series Heston's Feasts. Amazing to watch, however personally I wouldn't recommend many of his recipes on the mere grounds of health and safety- How successfully can setting fire to an edible mythical creature ever possibly go!? Plus I'm pretty certain an ejaculating cake and vibrating jelly oversteps the line of decency.

GORDON RAMSAY

So, he may resemble a rhinoceros and he may possess the tact of a bazooka shot between the eyes...but that's why I love him! A stark contrast to Heston's fluffed-up, preened meals, Ramsay offers simple, bold, hearty recipes. The phrases 'proper MAN food' springs to mind!

His insulting skills are second to none, and perhaps we could all learn a thing or two from his no-nonsence approach. Fastforward to 0.15" for a prime example of Ramsay's Kitchen authority in action: Gordon Ramsay's F-Word

Just as a warning though, I'm not advocating shouting at your flatmates every 5 minutes if their hob skills are less than impressive!

JAMIE OLIVER

After dominating the UK with his healthy eating scheme the original cheeky Chappy appears to be focusing his attentions Stateside, with similar aims. 

However, courtesy of 4od us busy students can pick up a tip or two from Jamie's 30 Minute Meals- even if we do have to replace the occasional lavish dressing of smoked salmon for a more wallet-friendly substitute.

DAVE LAMB

Okay, okay...so not technically a chef. But as the comedic brains and wit behind Channel 4's cult Come Dine With Me I feel he deserves some level of credit. It is his snappy narration that has kept us hooked throughout what is arguably an excessive 22 series of benign kitchen mishaps. And for that, we congratulate him.

First thing's first...

I'm Maddy, 19, currently studying Multimedia Journalism at Bournemouth University.

Truth be told, I'm a fatty at heart. Food is integral to my everyday life. If I'm not buying it, preparing it or eating it- chances are I'm thinking about it!
Over the years I've had a mixed relationship with food- From gorging on it - to starving myself from it. But now, whilst undertaking my first year of University away from the comforts of Mother's cooking, I feel it somewhat of a duty to dispell the Myth's that surround Student's (distinct lack of) culinary ability.

So why not combine my love for all things foodie with that of writing? ;)

From recipes and tips to up-to-date money saving offers, hopefully this Blog will inspire you to make a raid on Asda and get baking!