DIY Christmas Table Toppers

It's been my first day off in a while, let alone a whole week off! 

But clearly I don't know how to sit still and relax, because this morning I was getting all arts and crafty!

Out came the trusty PVA glue and some sparkly stars, and there I was channelling my inner Martha Stewart whilst singing along to some cheesy Christmas tunes!

So to make these glorious (yet very simple) and I think expensive looking (but very cheap) Christmas table toppers, then this is all you'll need: string, a polystyrene cone, scissors, cling-film, glue and something to decorate it with e.g. sequins.

One: wrap your cone mould in cling-film.

Two: dipping your string in the glue as you go, start wrapping the string around your cone.

Keep going round and round and round until you're happy with how much you've covered the cone.

Three: let it dry (it may take a few hours). 

Four: when its finally not sticking to your fingers, slide the cling-film layer off the cone (this bit is a little tricky - I mean its in the name right - cling film is meant to cling) and then pull it away from the inside of your string tree.

You could stop here if you wanted - its pretty striking as it is.

Five: but, if you're like me and can't resist a bit of sparkle, then start decorating with your sequins/beads/stickers etc.

Finally find it a place on your table, and light a little tea-light underneath (NB beware of the fire hazard!) and see the glow peaking out from between the gaps in the string.

Beautiful isn't it?!

So easy to make, but I think it looks far more impressive!

You can go wild and be as creative as you want with this simple idea - try using brown or white string, or spray painting it silver, or using tinsel or glitter to decorate it instead. I'd love to see your versions if you try this out! 

Happy Crafting and Merry Christmas!

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Sticks 'n' Sushi

Is it tempting fate if you book a celebratory surprise for someone before they've even set their exam?

Probably...

But is it still tempting fate if you are 100% sure they'll pass because they're just that smart?

It probably still is!...

But it didn't matter though, as clearly fate was being kind to us ... not only did Mr ZeroDays pass his exam with flying colours, but we also had a lovely celebration too.

We started off singing, clapping and dancing along to some of MJ's greatest hits at the Thriller Live matinee!

I mean, this was some seriously good stuff! And who doesn't love MJ? 

I know I'm a HUGE fan, and an afternoon of singing and dancing along to all the big hits (my fave's are Smooth Criminal, and The Way You Make Me Feel) set me up for an even more awesome evening...

This time it was my turn to do a day of surprises!

And after our thrilling afternoon at the Lyric Theatre, I'd arranged a surprise dinner over at Sticks 'n' Sushi in Covent Garden.

We started off with a toast to Mr ZeroDays' recent exam success, with champagne on the house thanks to the lovely guys at Sticks 'n' Sushi!

And then we got stuck into the menus!

There is just simply an insane amount of choice.

And it didn't help that those bubbles went straight to my head!

With the help of our excellent and very attentive waiter, I eventually settled on a chef's choice called the "Green Keeper".

And Mr ZeroDays had some Maki rolls and Salmon Miso Soup so he didn't feel left out while my sushi portion came to the table!

So that BIG colourful plate was all mine! 

Let me just repeat that for you ... ALL MINE!

*Cue clapping and happy dancing (on the inside of course!).*

The first portion of the Green Keeper includes a selection of nigiri, including grilled tomato, tamari tofu and avocado; alongside yasai sticks with seeds and a miso dip; and then the showstopper green daikon.

I'd never eaten, let alone heard of a green daikon before. And it was delicious!

Crunchy, fresh, bite-size rolls of "wake you up" goodness!

They're a combination of avocado, mustard cress and cucumber rolled up in finely sliced radish, topped with a wafu shaishoku dressing.

Loved it. End of.

But my meal didn't stop there! I promise you the Green Keeper is not for the faint hearted or those with eensie weensie appetites, no siree. (Basically you cannot be afraid to eat your dinner partner in an eating competition. I'm definitely not afraid.)

So out came an equally large plate. 

This time with 2 yakitori skewers - 1 mixed yasai veggies and a second glorious king oyster mushroom stick. 

And not forgetting the finger licking-ly scrummy grilled corn in soy and miso herb butter - like a ridiculously pimped up garlic butter, and lastly (but by no means least) edamame beans in soy, ginger and garlic.

When something comes out named KING oyster mushroom, you expect it to be good - I mean the word King just demands respect, right? Definitely right! I just didn't expect it to be so sweet, sticky, salty, tangy, tender, delicious ... too many adjectives to describe just how tasty this was!

Whilst I was indulging on one side of the table, Mr ZeroDays was trying to battle his way through an array of different sticks, aptly entitled "Man Food". (He also had the extra add on - ? making Super Man Food?!!)

So from top to bottom: sasami chilli, goat'cheese wrapped in dried ham, lamb chop (instead of the beef), pork and basil and chicken tsukune.

The super add ons, were an emmentaler bacon stick (which was hoovered up before I could snap away) and his favourite one of all - panko breaded duck with wasabi caesar dressing.

In between the mmmms and the satisfied grunts that seemed to escape periodically from Mr ZeroDays, the coherent comments that I got were - the duck was amazing, the lamb chop was great, the pork so-so, chicken = good, and goats cheese is too strong for delicate Mr ZeroDays.

Clearly I wasn't thinking very clearly, as I decided that Mr ZeroDays was not coherent enough, and to assist him down the path of confusion, we ordered some cocktails.

Rum and passionfruit for me, and gin and something for him. 

Then came desert. 

Now I always love this part of a meal. 

But this was even better. 

As its like playing a game of ip dip do - you can just point at a whole load of different little deserts on the menu and out come a personalised selection.

(We had 4!)

Coconut cake, followed by Dark chocolate fondant, followed by crumble with yuzu curd and meringue (like a super lemon meringue pie).

And after that, (somehow we still had space!) marcel chocolate cake with crystallized white chocolate and lace thin caramel on top. Essentially a luxury chocolate brownie/fudge/ganache mouthful.

All in all, we had a great night with great food, great drinks and really great service. Cannot recommend this place enough to you guys reading this.

Happy eating!

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Monday's Massaman Curry

Let me set the scene for you... It's raining (typical), it's been a long day at work (typical) and you're hungry (also typical!). 

So here's the recipe for your Monday night pick-me up...

... Massaman curry.

Jamie Oliver wrote about this recipe in this week's Sunday Times magazine, and it's a good'un! 

Now this recipe starts off with a competition. Drum roll please...

In the blue corner it's the mean, tough, hard on the outside but soft in the middle, squash! 

And over in the red corner it's YOU!

This is a battle of upper arm strength (of which I have none!), to get into that squash and chop it into four pieces so you can roast it and soften up that delicious golden flesh!

Once you do manage to break into that tough nut (get it?!) pop the pieces into a roasting tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with some salt and pepper before roasting for 1 hour at 180degrees.

Now comes the fun part ... It's a sensory spice explosion and your whole house will be filled with an intense aroma that will get your appetite going even more than it already is!

Start by toasting a quarter teaspoon each of cloves, fennel seats, cardamom seeds, peppercorns and chilli flakes in a dry pan for a few minutes. 

Then, if you have a mortar and pestle, get grinding! (Or cheat like me and use your coffee grinder!) But add a quarter teaspoon of ground turmeric and ground cinnamon now too.

Whilst your spices are grinding away, chop a quarter red onion, a slice of ginger, 1 large clove of garlic and a quarter stick of lemongrass. Gently soften these in the dry pan for a few minutes too.

Then combine your ground spices, softened onion mix with a small handful of fresh coriander and the zest of half a lime. And blend away with a few glugs of veggie oil. The fragrance of this is going to blow you away!

Once you have your spicy paste - this is going to form the base of the curry - warm it in a large pan (the largest you have!) and add to it half a chopped large white onion and about 250g of halved new potatoes. This would be the point that you would add any meat or fish to it if you wanted.

Pour in 1, 400ml can of light coconut milk, and 3/4 of a can of water. Then add 2tbsp of tamarind paste, 2tbsp of soy sauce and 1tbsp of Palm sugar (you can use brown sugar if that's easier). 

Bring it to the boil and allow to simmer for about 30mins to let the potatoes cook through.

Then a couple of minutes before you're ready to serve add the silken tofu cut into 2cm cubes and about 200g of sugarsnap peas (basically one packet). Only cook these for a few minutes so they keep their snap!

Finally add the juice of half a lime and taste - season to your liking!

And then serve up your hearty, spicy, piping hot curry along with fluffy white rice, and wedges of squash. 

Sprinkle over some fresh coriander and then simply sit back, relax and tuck in. 

Initially I did think this was all a bit cumbersome, especially all that toasting and then grinding and then blending of the spices (and on a Monday night!). BUT ... it was so delicious ... Jamie definitely proved yet again he knows what he's doing (don't know why I ever doubted that man!).

I imagine that you can choose whatever vegetables you want to add to your curry, all that's important for this is that spicy paste. Let me know what variations you enjoy!

Happy cooking!

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'Tis The Season For Charitable Gifting

Haven't decided what you're going to gift your mum, dad, siblings, friends, special someone yet?

Well no need to look any further! I have the answer right here for you!

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust!

(Well OK, not the entire wildlife trust itself ... but read on and I'll explain)

Poaching has reached crisis level worldwide. And especially in Kenya where it is predicted that if it continues at its current rate, the African Elephant will be extinct in the wild in less than 10 years. And its even sooner for the Black Rhinos. (Not least because of the silly aristocrats that you'll have read about recently in the news that think its OK to slaughter 20 elephants as a birthday treat! I was so appalled when I read that! Anyway, rant over.)

2 Christmases ago, I was back home in Nairobi spending some R&R time with my family, and we went on a day trip to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Orphanage.

Everytime I visit Nairobi, I try to make it to this place, so I can witness such humanity first-hand and donate a little extra to help these wonderful people do their incredible work. And this year I'll be donating a bit more and fostering an elephant-orphan.

Have a look at a few of my snaps from the last time I visited these hungry babies at meal time! 

Did someone say lunch? ... Charge!!!

Mud's good for wrinkles didn't you know?

Chug chug chug:

The DSWT was founded in 1977 by Dame Daphne Sheldrick, in honour of her late husband David Sheldrick who was a renowned conservationist and founding Warden of Tsavo East National Park, home to the majority of Kenya's elephant population.

Its mission statement reads: "The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust embraces all measures that compliment the conservation, preservation and protection of wildlife. These include anti-poaching, safe guarding the natural environment, enhancing community awareness, addressing animal welfare issues, providing veterinary assistance to animals in need, rescuing and hand rearing elephant and rhino orphans, along with other species that can ultimately enjoy a quality of life in wild terms when grown."

At the core of its work, is the world renowned Orphans' Project. Through this, the DSWT has hand-raised more than 150 baby elephants and 10 baby black rhinos and reintegrated them back into the wild. All of this has been part of the battle against the world's quickly diminishing wild elephant and rhino populations, second to the threat of poaching and loss of habitat.

Not only do they save orphaned baby elephants and rhinos from otherwise unavoidable death without their mothers, the DSWT do considerable work treating injured wild animals, habitat conservation and are hugely involved with de-snaring and anti-poaching projects too.

So enough of me praising this organisation! Watch this short clip, and it'll tell you everything you need to know.

So, for Christmas this year, forget about that extra bottle of Chanel No. 5 or that pair of shoes that you don't really need, and do something GREAT with your money...

Donate to the DSWT and be part of the fight to protect these magnificent creatures.

You can donate here. 

Many thanks, and Merry Christmas/Happy Chanukah/Have a lovely festive season!

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