The Nostalgia of Vegetables

A market stall in Sri Lanka

I used to host a radio show called 'Lipstick with Veg'. My motto was 'Eat More Veg!'. Not because I was trying to convert anyone into vegetarianism...I just genuinely love vegetables. At any give time of day I could eat a plate of veg. A bowl of boiled peas is my favourite. Tonight I was looking for crafting inspiration - but flicking through photos taken over the last few years I was surprised to discover that I have lot of images of fruit & veg. I have no idea why I've taken any of them, other than the colours and textures are beautiful. But rather than inspiring me to 'make' I found myself drifting off into memories. Here's what I recalled....

1.Jackfruit

Coming home after school and sucking on the fizzy yellow sacks that can be found inside jackfruits. My sisters and I weren't allowed to throw the seeds away, they are like huge brown nuts, that my mum added to curries.

2. Mango

These days the only mangos I eat are in the form of lassi or pre-chopped cubes in supermarket fruit salads. Deep down I know I am not giving mangos the justice they deserve. My mum used to peel the skin off and then squeeze all the flesh into a bowl. If I was lucky she'd let me suck on the seed before she split the mango pulp into bowls -  which she'd then sprinkle with deep fried crispy rice for dessert. I would give anything to have that incredible taste in my mouth again. But sadly it will never happen as she had a special way of making the aforementioned crispy rice which no one else has ever mastered, despite my sisters and mums friends trying.

3.Sweet potatoes

I've never known a sweet potato not to taste delicious, but the best ones I've ever had are when my parents used to wrap them in foil and pop them in the bonfire. Inside would be hot,sweet, creamy bliss.

4. Marrows

We grew up eating marrow with everything. Marrow and fish, marrow and prawns, marrow as a side and marrow as a main. But these days I never buy them because courgettes are so much more easier to prepare.

5. Ginger (ok....not  veg, a spice, but I liked this photo!)

My mum only ever cooked with six spices - ginger, garlic, coriander, chilli, tumeric and cumin. Where as I have a ridiculous array of jars - garam masala, curry powder, paprika....she kept things simple but amazingly still full of flavour.

6. Bananas

Bananas remind me of my dad as he used have one chopped up with a bowl of Crunchy Nut Cornflakes every day for breakfast and he'd give us strict instructions to only buy short, fat ones as they taste better.

7. Okra

Okra is beautiful. A miracle of nature. Just like mushrooms they aren't supposed to be washed. Ashamedly I buy the frozen variety - but at the same time it's amazing to think it's possible to do that - as when I was growing up, frozen okra was completely unheard of!

8. Ramutan/Lyhees

I photographed these Rambutans in Malaysia last year - they actually represent lychees. Possibly the most fun fruit there is to eat. We only seemed to have them on special occasions as they were so expensive. Everyone in the family (there were 6 of us) would get  two each to savour.

9. Beans

Beans. I don't know what variety these are but they remind me of the humble broad bean - the veg I ate more than anything else when I was younger. They grew in abundance at my parent's allotment and every weekend my sisters and I would be forced to sit indoors shelling them into bowls while the rest of the neighbourhood kids were outside playing. (I'm not even exaggerating here!) Shelling broadbeans was a regular family activity. None of us liked eating them, they were so bland. Yet today I regard broadbeans as a delicacy. They are my bean of choice.

10.Luw

Finally the luw. A type of gourd, similar to a marrow which again we ate regularly because they grew so well - in the back garden and allotment - even though the seeds had been sent over from Bangladesh! My dad could get them to grow to over a metre in length and I used to wish he'd get photographed for the local newspaper with one, but he never did.

I don't know if vegetables have this many personal attachments with anyone else. But thinking about them tonight has been theraputic.

Move over cupcakes: The humble biscuit is back!

Does anyone else remember the TV advert London Needs Biscuits? It was short-lived but I'm pleased to say it's finally been posted on You Tube! The story goes like this:

London is a cold & miserable place where no one smiles....until Fox's comes along and saves the day with their baked treats. These days the UK is infatuated by cake. I'd never say no to a slice of sponge, but when people think cakes are superior to biscuits I disagree. The biscuit is the tea drinker's best friend after all, you can't dunk a cupcake. Possibly the most sociable of all snacks, is the candy shaded, icing coated Fox's Party Ring. Greater spotted at children's parties, it's a design classic. One that evokes the most happiest of memories. Trouble is, eating one when you're an adult isn't the same. They don't dunk as well as other biccies. I've come to the conclusion that they are best reserved for crafting where their aesthetic beauty can be properly appreciated....and hey, they make for far more attractive beads than the those teeny tiny candy necklaces which worrying are these days sold as thongs & nipple tassels ...

To make a party ring necklace you will need:

• A pack of party rings (these cost me 50P in Waitrose*, so I suspect they are cheaper in Asda, Iceland etc...?)
• Scissors
• Ribbon (assorted)

Inspect your biscuits - eat any broken ones. Regrettably there were no injured ones in my pack...

...but I did discover that they don't seem to match the wrapper which was disappointing.

I also I regret to announce that none of the peach ones were selected - what went on with the icing here??!

Arrange an order you're happy with.

Before you start you'll need to cut your ribbon strips cut into 20cm lengths.

Take your first two biccies.

Feed a piece of ribbon through the first two and tie a double knot so it's nice and tight.

Attach the third biscuit in the same way.

When you're done the back will look like this. Trim the ends. Don't worry if it feels delicate it's actually a strong structure and the icing is so solid, it won't chip so you can tie the ribbon as tightly as you want without fearing the cookies will snap.

The front will look like this!

Next choose a different ribbon for the ends. I consulted my ribbon box and settled for pink fluffy trim.

I tied a piece on at each end. The necklace can be worn just by tying it around your neck or if you use a normal ribbon, you should be able to attach necklace findings at either end so that you can take it on and off more easily. 

CRAFT WARNING!!!! This necklace smells absolutely divine!! The candy sweetness lingers for ages, I'm convinced it has afrodisiac properties so don't waste it on children, while it makes for a good kid's party activity, it's a just as fabulous an addition to clubwear!

Fellow biscuit lovers may be interested to know that next month, London is hosting the first ever British Biscuit Festival! It includes a build a biscuit workshop and tea and biscuit social! Yum!

NB: Eat this necklace while it's fresh, OR if you want it to last a little longer, varnish each cookie first (though the downside is that varnish will probably mask the scent!)

Thank you to the lovely Simon Mole who inspired this project!

April showers? Whatever......

 1. Flew a kite in Maidstone

Determined not to let the incessant April showers get me down any longer I decided to spend the weekend enjoying the elements. Over three days I experienced about an hour of sunshine - the rest was bleak, grey, wet & windy....

 2. Chased a windfarm

I tried to get as close as I could to Little Cheyne Court windfarm but a local farmer was having none of it so I had to settle with watching the hypnotising and beautiful windmills from a distance.

 3. Visited a nuclear power station

Well from the outside. I drove right up to it for a close inspection then got blown down the seafront in Dungeness, which is apparently one of the most treacherous stretches in the UK.

4. Boarded world's smallest public railway

The Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway looks like a model train. It's tiny!!!!! It's the first steam train I've ever been on...it was like riding on Thomas the Tank Engine.

5. Counted seagulls 

In Cambersands. A peaceful stretch of beach and sand dunes.

6. Got up close & personal with a peacock

In the grounds of Leeds Castle. It was too expensive to go inside but the peacocks roam in the entrance and the park is open for picnics. 

7. Discovered the joy of keyrings

Thousands of key rings cover the celings at The Dungeness Inn. Individually keyrings look like tack but together they are a work of art!

8. Saw a whale's tail

Made of rocks in Folkestone.

9. Investigated Flotsome & Jetsome

Though I knew the names, I had no idea what flotsome & jetsome were until I came across a whole host of sculptures made from the things that get washed up on shore...talk about finding treasure!

10. Battled the elements in Dymchurch

Just as the sun looked like coming out, it decided to stay indoors. Ahh well. It may have been miserable but spending time alfresco on the days when you'd rather be having a duvet day & watching DVDs can be strangely satisfying - it makes you feel so much more proud of yourself. I wish that the sun would come back & brighten up the UK but until it does, I vow not to sit inside grumbling anymore....after all, what were wellies and thermals made for if not to enjoy on the beach?

My favourite photograph

This is a photo of me and my mum taken in 1981 when I was less than a year old. I love this photograph so much, it's one of my favourite photos ever. I'm sharing it today because it marks the date my mum passed away nine years ago. I remember everything about that most horrible of days so clearly infact too clearly that I don't want to talk or write about it. This image is my voice instead. Miss you umma. 

How to get a new skirt: the cheat's way!

It was love at first sight the I moment I spied this gorgeous floral print cotton fabric in my local haberdashery Roll & Rems. I knew it had to be worn to be celebrated properly, but at the moment I don't have time to make new clothes from scratch. Customising on the other hand is the perfect alternative...

I found a black mini skirt lurking at the back of my wardrobe. I had originally purchased it in a charity shop but have never worn it. I rarely wear black, but I bought it as it was cheap and just incase I ever need a black skirt...(yes that old chestnut!)

I laid the skirt on to the fabric, unzipped the back and tucked the edge over the top hems.

Once this was pinned in place, I folded the fabric in at each side and lined the edges up at either side of the zip so that they would't get caught allowing the zip to still work. 

TOP TIP: Don't pull the fabric across the back too tightly, otherwise you may prevent some of the natural movement of the garment, making it a tighter fit. It's worth trying it on at this stage to check.

I also trimmed off the excess that I didn't need.

Finally, I stitched the fabric in place on my sewing machine. Firstly across the top hem, removing the pins as I went. Then one side of the zip, and then the second, overlapping where both sides met at the bottom, under the zip, so that there was complete coverage  and no black skirt peeping through.

Voila! A completely new skirt in less than 30 minutes. So now I have a gorgeous floral skirt and I still have lots of lovely fabric left...question is, what do I do with the rest of it? Hmmmmm...

Book review: Please God, Find Me a Husband! by Simone Lia

I have been looking forward to the launch of Simone Lia's new book since I picked up a mini sample of it at the Comica Festival last year. It was one of those teasing frustrating things where by you read a few pages then suddenly it stops and you're left wanting more (like at the end of a TV series where you're left on a cliff-hanger and you have to wait patiently to see what happens next...Sherlock being the obvious example : (

Simone is a graphic novelist best known for writing & illustrating Fluffy; a tale of a man and his rabbit Fluffy (who assumes he's not a rabbit but is actually human like his 'dad'). I'm very fussy with books, if my attention isn't held by page two I normally give up. Fluffy on the other hand is the only book that has ever made me cancel all my plans. After reading the first page I sat down and read the whole book in one go. I can't explain the feeling other than reading it just felt so much more important than anything else I could possibly do.

Equally I bunked off my boxing class on Tuesday as I just had to be there at the launch day because I was so desperate to know what would become of the heroine! The event took place at Gosh! Comics in Soho, Central London.

When I arrived just after 6.30 the signing was in full swing - I could just about make out Simone in the corner already seated and drawing away.

I joined the queue, it looked ok...but after 45 minutes I was still at the bottom of the staircase and was beginning to feel very faint so I decided to go home and read the book instead. (Hopefully Simone can sign it another time!)

So, what exactly is Please God, Find Me a Husband! about? Well the title hits the spot perfectly, it's the tale of a 30 something year old single girl, an autobiographical account of Simone, who suddenly realises she doesn't want to be alone any more. She talks abit more about it in this video, filmed by Gosh!

The story involves adventure (going on a Thelma & Louise style trip)...

romance...(finding her own Brad Pitt)

tragedy...(a dear friend being diagnosed with cancer)

and comedy...(Jesus playing a game of Operation!)

It took me two days to read and my overall reaction is that I am in complete awe of Simone. It takes an incredibly brave person to share their personal life in such an honest way. She captures some really poignant observations that completely normal, ordinary people think, and go through. Life isn't always exciting, sometimes we get down and other times super enthusiastic about things. Often our focus is directed on completely the wrong thing but we all need to discover that in our way. 

One of the most likeable things about graphic novels is the fact you can talk about any subject you want. In Simone's case choosing religion as a key theme is also brave (I sometimes feel like mentioning the 'R' word in this country is completely taboo) and in that respect it's a refreshing and important publication that is well worth exploring. It's also brilliantly illustrated, thoughtful and inspiring. My advice is check it out, next time you're in a bookshop, and be prepared to get hooked : )

Please God, Find Me a Husband! by Simone Lia is published by Jonathan Cape Graphic Novels and is on sale now and costs £14.99.