Carnival bites - jerk chicken & drinkies

Notting Hill Carnival eats and drinks. My 1st proper time braving the rave= the below pics...

Alice & Andy across from Gaz's enjoying what they thought was jerk chicken, rice & peas - turned out to be chinese bbq chicken & special fried rice with sweet chilli sauce AND WAS £6.50 a box! s.k.a.n.k.e.d.

Outside Ampho's OI YOU sound-system at The Westbourne pub Naomi, Tyler & Chantelle with their DIY rum & energy drink cocktails

James, Sarah & Andy getting the beers & Bulmers in - alright!

Farah & Andy having a late night bite at our friend Nathan's tapas place, PIX on Westbourne Grove - everything is £2.50 a plate and seriously tasty. A very nice place to eat & party indeed!

Chantelle & I having a champagne on Tyler at PIX not a lot going on....

Reading Festival food report

At the weekend me & the lads took a trip to Reading festival for 3 days and we ate a few delights. All junk food but all tasted good at the time....right?! 

Andy Taylor, Dekade loves a bit of pizza - he got a margarita in the guest area for £4 a slice!

Drunk Charls loved her Hog Roast Pork & Stuffing roll (£6!) she got outside in the main arena when we were watching Dizzee Rascal - alright!

If it wasn't for Raw Powers' Gun's N Roses Relentless VIP tent we would have been very thirsty!

The next day we all enjoyed delicious eggs benedict with parma ham at this chi chi French deli in Barnes before we drove back up for more Reading action! We met the chef and he said he made the hollandaise sauce to order and his special ingredient tip which made it so thin and tasty was a little water. Tasted so good!

James Taylor, Dekade had the eggs benedict with parma ham but couldnt resist making it a florentine & getting spinach on the side for an extra quid - alright!

We washed our Reading brunch down with standard Limonata San Pellegrino....basically posh bitter lemon in a can and over priced at £1.50 - alright!

Thanks to Queens Of The Stoneage for my AAA passes at Reading Festival x

OTARIAN restaurant launch party review

This week saw the launch party for new veggie fast food chain OTARIAN... and seeing as it had my name practically in the name O "Tara"rian (kinda) I HAD TO GO! This place is in the heart of Soho on 181-183 Wardour Street - if your in central you have to pop in!
http://www.otarian.com/

1st to arrive we began tucking into the vegetarian fast food feast.....

This was the first thing we tried - it was a tasty pesto dressed tomato, mozzarella & avocado salad - simply yummy!

Field mushroom burgers - these were OK but eating a burger without the meat feels wrong!

cheesy bean wraps that blew our heads off - seriously spicy guys!

The vegetarian tacos were Leon's favorite - they blew his head off and regrettably he went back for seconds - lovely crunchy tacos but the chillies blew your mouth to Brazil!

Elliott & I loving the pasta we craved all night

Penne & super rich tomato sauce (almost kinda sun blushed taste) with cheese - good comfort eat

Ahhh the good old sweet potato fries - these were like southern fried texture but even better coating - we all must have had about 5 servings each of these when they were passed out - greedy - but had to be done!

- who can fault anything with cheese in? - really?! cheesey wrap with dill

Beany cheesy wraps - again spice city but beans are good for you so riding the spice is worth it!

this was a fancy healthy salad - and was far too hard to eat with those forks - could you?!

pilau vegetable rice dish - nice indian home cooked taste

Tom Waits loved drinking the Freedom Organic beeeeeeeer!

creme brulee - it was very creamy & super dreamy

Yogurt & fruit compote looked fab but not my thing

Me, Matty WEST ROCKS & Tom Waits enjoying some chocolate mousse

The whole COOKING ROCKS tasting crew; WEST ROCKS, Recognise Magazine, No Time For Heroes, Elliott's Film production team & Raw Power Management - alright!

Pics by Toby - above with a bow in his hair taken by Cleon

Otarian is also good to the planet - its ethic is to lower carbon emissions and have a more sustainable planet and all in all you will be a better person if you spend ur lunch money here! - plus they spent over £1 million in researching the recipes, so go try it as we did!

http://www.otarian.com/

Last night TOPSHOP MAKE-UP canapes saved my life!

Last night popped into the TOPSHOP MAKE-UP launch party at the super posh HIX on Brewer Street in Soho. The canapes & cocktails were so delicious had to show you them.....


Cleo, Recognise Magazine's hot Editor - sipping her 8th raspberry infused gin, prosecco & mint cocktail on ice

Oak smoked salmon on ryebread with pickles - bit too much olive oil garnish but very tasty!

posh chips & curry sauce were served - everyone loved this except me - bit pikey curry sauce....!

Deliciousy tasty fish goujons, home made tartare sauce and crushed minted peas

Buetternut squash risotto with herbs & mascapone was super yum although didnt look too amazing on the plate!

Below I sipped the refreshing Elderflower cordial on ice - unalcoholic for me!


Thanks to Lizzie & the TOPSHOP MAKE-UP crew for having us - check out their new makiage range its super fit & mega cheap!
http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=33057&storeId=12556&categoryId=208495&langId=-1&top=Y

SNOG with Matt Ash, RAW POWER MANAGEMENT

When faced with a chocolate craving it was either a Wispa chocolate bar (220 caloires) or sharing a SNOG with Matt Ash (known to some friends as Mash) which was only 109 calories!

Bittersweet chocolate frozen yoghurt with chocolate macadamia nut brownie pieces

http://www.ifancyasnog.com/

SNOG is frozen yoghurt with like no fat and hardly any calories!! So snog as much as you like when you like!

Matt Ash manages bands such as Bring Me The Horizon http://www.myspace.com/bmth          & Cancer Bats http://www.myspace.com/cancerbats. Get on the bands he looks after and if you see him about he's always up for a snog!

YET ANOTHER (!!) healthy lunch from RECOGNISE MAGAZINE

Cleo from Recognise Magazine sent me an email earlier subject title: My lunch is like Joseph's technicolour raincoat today & attached this picture. I replied what is it and Cleo said=pate, chorizo, red pepper humous, rocket, cherr tomart and cucumb. got it with rye ryveets

TWITTER:http://twitter.com/recognisemag

MAGAZINE WEBSITE

http://www.recognisemagazine.co.uk

Friday night CHICKEN CURRY – korma kinda vibe

Its Friday night and its crap weather - instead of ordering an Indian take-away make this delicious cuzza recipe! MUGHLAI CHICKEN CURRY – its like a creamy korma kinda vibe & full of flavour!

This recipe serves 8–10 peeps - but for less just cut recipe in half! Originally inspired by Nigella but adapted by the Tarz! Chris McCormack was on Facebook and we were chatting about how he is having a night in with the lads this wkend and they might get a take-away curry - i then sent him this recipe thought best spread the curry love online.

2.5cm fresh ginger, peeled
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon dried chilli
4 tablespoons ground almonds
125ml water
5 cardamom pods, bruised
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
2 bay leaves
4 cloves
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1.5kg boned, skinned chicken thighs, each cut in 2
2 onions
250ml Greek yogurt
250ml chicken stock
125ml double cream
100g (golden if poss) sultanas
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon caster sugar
1 teaspoon salt
75g flaked almonds, toasted if u can be bothered

Serving Size : Serves 8–10

1. Put the ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander and chilli into a food processor, and blend to a paste. Add the ground almonds and water, then blend again, and set aside. OR - If you dont have food processor then pestle and mortar or a little spice grinder works.
2. Put the cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and cloves into a small bowl and set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the chicken pieces – in batches so they fry rather than stew – and cook them just long enough to seal on both sides, then remove to a dish.
4. Tip in the bowlful of spices and turn them in the oil. Peel and finely chop the onions, add to the pan of spices, and cook until softened and lightly browned, but keep the heat gentle and stir frequently. Pour in the blended paste, and cook everything until it begins to colour. Add the yogurt, 125ml at a time, stirring it in to make a sauce; then stir in the stock, cream and sultanas.

5. Put the browned chicken back into the pan, along with any juices that have collected under them, and sprinkle over the garam masala, sugar and salt. Cover and cook on a gentle heat for 20 minutes, testing to make sure the chicken meat is cooked through.
6. Pour into a serving dish and scatter with the toasted flaked almonds.

HEALTHY SALAD 4 lunch from Recognise Magazine

Cleo, Editor of Recognise Magazine emailed me this picture of her very healthy lunch plate she made up. Loving the rye bread with beetroot & cottage cheese!

TWITTER: http://twitter.com/cleodavis

http://www.recognisemagazine.co.uk

FAIRY CAKES

Nat Attack made some fairy cakes the other day, although they were technically Dolly Cakes as dolly mixture on top of icing - see cakes below YUM!

Natalie Messer is a personal shopper and stylist .....add on Twitter http://twitter.com/nat_attack

After seeing this picture I got the bug and made some fairy cakes last night too....

Matthew Hoody was over so he lent a hand and decorated them!

Matthew Hoody books bands for me at WEST ROCKS add him on TWITTER http://twitter.com/matthewwillkins

GET BAKING PEOPLE!!!!

Orange & Strawberry Victoria Sponge

...last night i went for dinner at Katie Melua's house and so I made her a cake for afters...it was inspired by Sophie Dahl, as I saw her make it on the weekend and it looked so good I had to attempt to recreate. I changed some bits and bobs (as hers was with rasberries) and made it lactose friendly (so I could try it)- so no dairy was used!

Orange infused Victoria Sponge with orange butter icing & home made strawberry jam

For the sponge

• 225g/8oz soya butter

• 225g/8oz caster sugar

• 4 eggs

• 225g/8ozself-raising flour
  

• 1 large orange - zest only

For the jam

• 300g/9oz fresh strawbs

• 2 tbsp fresh Orange Juice

• 1 heaped tbsp caster sugar

For the icing

• 250g/4oz soya butter

• 250g/4oz icing sugar

• 1/4 orange - the juice only

• 1 large orange -the zest only
  

Making the cake!

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

2. Grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins with baking paper, and dust with flour.

3. Using electric whisk, cream together the butter and sugar
   

4. Gradually beat in the eggs, then add the flour and orange zest and mix
   

5. Divide the mixture evenly between the two cake tins, then bake in the oven for 25 mins, or until golden-brown. Empty tins and put aside cakes to cool on a wire rack

6. Next the jam, place the strawberries, oj and sugar into a small frying pan over a low heat. Cook for 30 minutes, or until the fruit begins to look jam like!
   

7. Then the icing, beat the butter, icing sugar, oj and zest in a bowl until smooth.

8. To serve, place one sponge on plate and spread half of the icing on top. Spoon over the jam, top with the second sponge and then sprinkle top of cake with icing sugar or as I did whipped some non-dairy cream and decorated with strawberries.....
   

The wack the kettle on and enjoy with friends!


Rosie Oddie of new band BONES & Katie Melua a la cake

Lemon, Garlic & Rosemary Roast Lamb

Half shoulder of lamb

marinade:

2 1/2 cloves chopped garlic

2 1/2 sprigs rosemary

zest of 1 lemon

lug olive oil

s&p

1. rub the marinade on the lamb, put in pre-heated oven at 180 - cook to taste 

- best served medium rare, so apx 50 minutes to 1 hour cooking time..

2. when lamb in oven, par boil sweet potatoes until soft - apx 10 mins or so, 

then put them into another oven tray with a lug of olive oil, s&p, a sprig of rosemary 

and some slices of onion & 1 clove of chopped garlic. 

3. Then cut a few carrots length ways into quarters, sprinkle some cumin over and 

a teaspoon honey and place into the same tray as sweet potatoes, 

then put into oven on a high heat and cook until potatoes are crispy and 

the carrots are glazed.

4. once lamb is done take out oven and put aside to rest. 

keep the tray the lamb was cooked in and put generous lug of white wine in 

(if you have) - if not use hot water. stir and add some bisto powder to thicken.

5 mins before your ready to serve, heat your plates in the oven, boil some broccoli and peti pois.....

.....and VOILA!

Tommy G tucking in with his beer. lad