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It’s Craney…

Tagged “Food”


Indulged in making one of my favourite lunches today. Peanut butter noodles.

 Bit of peanut butter. Soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame seed oil and hot water whisked together. Put some peanut chilli oil crunch and spring onions on top. 

Perfection! 🍜

Went to one of our favourite coffee shops/eateries Soulshine in Bridport this morning for brunch. What cute latte art! Amazing Malt Loaf as well. Delicious!

My son has done a much more comprehensive write up and a bunch of photos here.

It’s Pizza O’Clock : Pizza Express Unlimited Pizza Offer

Everyone in the UK loves Pizza Express, don’t they? It toes the line between casual and fancy dining perfectly. You’re as likely to see a first date happening at a Pizza Express as you are a kid’s birthday party or a young family. It’s all things to all people. The pizzas are pretty darn good as well!

As part of their 60-year celebrations, they’re offering an all-you-can-eat pizza deal throughout August between 2pm-5pm. As soon as our family heard about it, it was on. Texts were exchanged, and a date was booked.

So what are the rules?

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Kinda getting tired of the Hello Fresh “experience”. This has happened more than once now… 👎

The photo shows a heavily damaged green cardboard box from HelloFresh, a meal kit delivery service. The box is torn and crushed at multiple corners, with some of the contents slightly visible through the damaged areas. There is white tape with "pdp" and tracking information on it, indicating it was part of a delivery. The box is sitting on a wooden floor, and there are other cardboard materials and a reusable bag in the background.

Yes, that’s the vegetables escaping out of the bottom. A lime was rolling down my driveway when the DPD driver dropped it off. (Hastily! He had legged it by the time I opened the door! Not surprised!)

A gratuitous trolly shot for the Costco fans out there. Our eldest son came with us which was very nice.

Korean chicken crisps are lovely. Sampled them tonight. I bought some Chinese noodles I’m very excited to try. (black pepper flavour apparently) croissants and shortbread. Some Sake and some practical things for making salads for work and stuff as well. Jams and marmalade is crazy cheap for a big jar.  Of course we got hotdogs on the way out as well 😂 

Dr Pepper pulled pork update. It’s good! It adds a real sweetness to the pork. But it’s not overpowering. My son’s review was “bangin!” 😂 

The image shows a slow cooker filled with shredded meat in a rich, reddish-brown broth. The meat appears tender and juicy, likely having been cooked for an extended period. There are visible pieces of onion mixed in with the meat, adding to the overall texture and flavour. The slow cooker has a black interior, and the liquid looks well-seasoned, possibly indicating a savoury dish such as pulled pork or shredded beef cooked in a spiced sauce.
The image shows a sandwich placed on a white plate. The sandwich consists of a soft, shiny, golden-brown bun with pulled meat (likely pork) and cooked green peppers as the filling. A slice of white cheese is layered on top of the meat. Part of a woven placemat and a wooden table are visible in the background.

Recipe is here.

Slight experiment today with Dr Pepper pulled pork in the slow cooker! 👨‍⚕️ 

The image shows a slow cooker on a kitchen countertop with a glass lid, through which a large piece of seasoned meat is visible. The meat is surrounded by sliced onions and green peppers, suggesting it is being slow-cooked with vegetables. In the background, there is a gas stove and a red-lidded jar, likely containing preserved food or condiments. The kitchen has a modern, clean look with white tiled walls.

We’ll see how it’s looking in 7-8 hours! 😋 

🍴Mercato Metropolitano : Elephant and Castle

I was in London this weekend as my son was travelling to visit a University open day and I went with him. 

When we were planning what to do for food on the Friday evening we arrived, my son’s friend recommended a place called Marcato Metropolitano. A “sustainable community market” on the site of an old paper factory.

It was only a 15 minute walk from the hotel 1, so we thought we’d give it a shot.

The image shows a bustling indoor food market or food hall with numerous people seated on bright yellow benches, enjoying their meals. The space has an industrial aesthetic, with a high, transparent corrugated roof supported by black metal beams, allowing dusky blue light to seep through. The market is well-lit with warm lights, creating a cosy atmosphere. In the background, various brightly lit food stalls with colourful signs offer different cuisines. The floor appears to be concrete, adding to the industrial vibe. The crowd seems lively, with a mix of groups and individuals dining and socialising.

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My wife got some more sourdough starter off a friend and is in full on bread baking mode.

How good does this look?!?

The image shows a beautifully baked round loaf of sourdough bread resting on a cooling rack. The bread has a golden-brown, crusty exterior with a distinct pattern created by a banneton (proofing basket), visible as concentric flour-dusted rings. In the background, there's an empty banneton with some bubble wrap inside, placed on a white countertop. The bread has a rustic, artisanal appearance with a well-developed crust.

Wifey has flown to Prague for a weekend away with her friends. That leaves me and the boys on our own until Sunday night. 

The image shows several slices of thick, crusty bread topped with melted cheese, tomato slices, and sprinkled herbs, resembling a rustic take on mini pizzas or bruschetta. The slices are placed on a wire rack set over a baking tray, likely to allow even cooking and prevent sogginess. The background reveals a tidy kitchen setup with utensils and a white tiled backsplash.

Today’s culinary masterpiece! Pizza toast 🍕🤣

Simple, cheap and a hit with the boys!

Behold my ugly home made bagels! 🥯

The image shows a batch of freshly baked bagels cooling on a wire rack placed on a kitchen counter. The bagels vary slightly in shape and size, with some more rounded and others a bit irregular. A few of them are topped with sesame seeds, adding texture and a golden appearance, while others appear plain. The kitchen has blue cabinetry, a light-coloured countertop, and a wooden floor. In the background, there are fermenting jars and other kitchen items.

I’m sure the recipe I was following got the instructions on how big to make the hole wrong. They’d be so much better if I made smaller holes. Apart from that they actually taste pretty good! They have a nice chew. Much better than store bought ones! 

Seventh Seal Social Club 😋🥗☕️🍦

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the “Seventh Seal Social Club” event. Seventh Seal is a local barbers/coffee shop/clothing store and all round cool people place. My son being a local barista and coffee aficionado knows them well.

As an unexpected and rather lovely treat my son got us tickets to the event as a fun thing for us to do together, and off we popped last night to attend.

It was food paired with coffee courses with chef Matt Follas providing the food, and barista Brad providing the coffee’s. 

This was the menu. We went for the meat option. 

The image features a pastel pink illustration with a whimsical, oversized flamingo. The flamingo is standing on one leg, and nestled against its body is a person wearing a green jacket and pink hat. The background is a light pink shade, complementing the overall soft and dreamy aesthetic. Overlaid on the image is a menu with the following items listed: Bubbles on arrival Smoky chipotle venison pithivier, chocolate & espresso sauce, sticky soy sweetcorn and herb salad veg Or Smoky aubergine with gochujang pepper top, chocolate & espresso sauce, sticky soy sweetcorn and herb salad veg, served with an espresso chocolate shot Cortado Lemon curd tiramisu, served with a black filter coffee Affogato The text is in a bold, black font, creating a striking contrast against the pale pink background.

We sat with some lovely people, talked about coffee, photography, vinyl records 1, my son’s gap year and a-levels, travel and so on. It was a really fun evening.

The image shows a plated meal consisting of a small, round, golden-brown pastry pie with a decorative crust on top. Next to the pie is a portion of grilled corn on the cob, slightly charred to enhance its flavour. Surrounding these items is a fresh bed of mixed leafy greens, adding a vibrant contrast of colour. The plate is set on a red tablecloth, with cutlery arranged neatly around it. In the background, another plate with a similar dish and a glass of clear liquid can be seen, suggesting a dining setting, possibly at an event or restaurant.

The image shows a partially eaten, golden-brown pastry with a flaky crust, revealing a rich, shredded meat filling inside. It is placed on a plate alongside a mix of fresh green salad leaves. A metal fork rests near the pastry, and there's a partially visible grilled corn cob in the corner of the image. The overall setting suggests a meal in progress, likely enjoyed in a casual dining environment.

We had not one, but two desserts. I did think it was funny that of all the dishes you would expect to contain coffee in a coffee themed evening, they rallied against convention by having a lemon tiramisu. 

The image shows a dessert served in a clear glass placed on a red table. The dessert appears to consist of a creamy layer, topped with a dollop of whipped cream or mousse, garnished with what looks like lemon zest and small pieces of crumbled biscuit or cake.
The image shows a dessert setup on a bright red surface. There is a white cup with a dark handle containing a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a spoon resting inside. Next to it, there is a small glass filled with a dark brown liquid, likely espresso. This combination suggests the preparation of an affogato, where the hot espresso is poured over the cold ice cream.

Matt makes liqueurs and they were on sale as prosecco cocktails. I had the “properly bitter lemon” whilst my son had “bramble gin”. Both were delicious. I would totally buy a bottle of the bitter lemon. 

Thoroughly caffeinated 2 and well fed, we strolled back home afterwards having enjoyed a really lovely evening indeed. 😊

These are some great local businesses coming together and doing something really fun. It’s a great thing to support and I hope they arrange for some other evenings in the future. Super fun!

  1. After talking on several hipster style topics of photography, coffee and so on, after saying we don’t have a record player or collect vinyl our new friends across the table expressed “How is it possible you guys aren’t into vinyl…. You need to get onto that!” 🤣

  2. Another guest, a very dear old lady gave my son the shot from her affogato as she proclaimed “I shan’t sleep a wink if I have this as well!”

Baked my first ever cinnamon roll loaf yesterday and the family had it for breakfast. It came out well. Pretty easy to make as well! This was from a “Bakerboxx” kit that my brother in law got me. I’m really enjoying making them. My next kit is bagels! 🥯

The photo features a loaf of cinnamon swirl bread on a wooden cutting board. One slice has been cut, revealing the spiral pattern of cinnamon within the bread. The loaf has a golden-brown crust and appears to be freshly baked. In the background, there are blurred elements, possibly a table setting or kitchen area, with a woven placemat and some chairs visible.

Made potato gratin yesterday. It came out really well! Next time I think I would add some sliced garlic to the layers as well. 😋 

The photo shows a dish of cooked gratin, featuring a golden brown and crispy top layer. The gratin appears to be baked in a rectangular dish with slightly burnt edges, indicating a well-cooked surface. The texture of the dish suggests it contains layers of sliced potatoes, possibly with cheese and cream, as is typical in a potato gratin.

My wife is working Christmas Day so our turkey will be on Boxing Day. Tomorrow me and my sons will have a brunch and then buffet bits through the day. In prep for the brunch I’ve done some home made English muffins. I think this is my best looking batch! 😊

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