Royal Wedding = British Food!

I hope I am not alone when I say; I suffered from Royal Wedding Fever today! 

Being the massive England fan that I am n.n and adding my History Freak nature... well... I don't think I need to explain why I am posting something about it today. 

I had been thinking about making a kind of tea party, but I'd been wanting to make a proper British meal for a while. And that British Food Bible The Best of British Food copy by Pamela Gwyther had been seducing me ever since I heard about the Royal Engagement. 

So all credit for what I did today goes, of course, to her. 

And, of course I know that the simple dishes that I made for myself and my family have no comparison to what they must've eaten at Buckingham Palace during the reception. I imagine an old fashion kind of roasting dishes... but I haven't had time to google if the menu had been leaked and I am quite tired to do it now. After all, I fell asleep at 12:00 am and woke up again at 2:00 am (give or take a few minutes) and stayed awake, cheering and waving a make believe UK flag until 7:something am after I saw the second kiss. 

Which made go: Aaaw!

Oooh! Let's not forget about Catherine's dress n.n LOVED IT! I cannot post this post without mentioning how gorgeous I thought it was and how I am so influenced by it that I might change my idea of having my very own wedding at the beach and having it somewhere cold so I can wear sleeves too... 

What can a girl do? Right? 

Okay so add to my British fanatism and my History Freak nature an unhealthy obsession with wedding dresses. 

Funny individual am I not? 

All right All right! I'll stop blabbering about... 

And marvel yourselves with: 

FISH N CHIPS

Pretty to look at, a joy to eat and a so easy to make!

FISH N CHIPS 

Here we go, you need: 

Vegetable oil

Large Potatoes

Fish Fillets 

Self-Raising flour

Cold Lager

Salt&&Pepper

-I am not putting quantities because it really depends on how much you want't to make and for how many people you are willing to cook. I used about 1 1/2 of flour and a Larger bottle. 

And you work the magic like so: 

1. First you heat up your oil so you can blanch your potatoes. And fry your potatoes (which should already be cut into fries) for about 8-10 minutes depending on their size, until softened but NOT coloured. 

2. Meanwhile season your fish fillets with a bit of salt and pepper and dust lightly with little flour. 

3. Make the thick batter by sieving the flour into a bowl with a little salt and whisking in most of the lager. The book says it should be as thick as double cream, mine wasn't that thick but it worked pretty well... 

4. Now dip one fish fillet in the batter and make sure it is evenly covered and very carefully place the fish in the hot oil, then repeat with the others. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes depending on the thickness of your fish and halfway through cooking time turn the fillet over. When it is done remove fish from saucepan and keep it warm.  

5. Fry up your fries!  

Okay okay so I'll be honest, you actually have to place the fries on the oven after blanching them. But I forgot to do this, if you try this recipe keep the fries in a warm oven before frying them again and let me know how it goes. 

My fries where really crispy and delicious!  

Have a good one!  

Falling in love with Food...

T.T

Okay, maybe I am slightly overreacting a bit. 

What can I say? I am a tiny bit sad... someone said something to me on the last few days that really pissed me off. 

Remember I was taking cooking lessons? Well, I still am. But I don't know, somehow cooking during my lessons I don't feel all that excited than when I cook at home. 

I narrowed it down to the fact that my instructors don't really give me much to be excited about... nothing I do is completely right, there is always something wrong. ALWAYS. And okay fine. I am not a chef, and I am not so completely arrogant to believe that everything I cook is ultra delicious and perfect. 

BUT I would appreciate a pat on the back every now and again. 

And a little bit of excitement from their part as well. They seem bored... somehow... 

I know that the last two posts have been of dishes I have styled while at school. And in both of them I have said that normally I am not proud of most things I made expect for these small exceptions.

And maybe I am wrong, maybe the reason I don't feel proud of most that I do there is because, well, one I don't get a good old pat on the back and two there aren't things I am excited to cook. 

Normally, I see a recipe fall in love with it and try it out. 

In my lessons we get a recipe assigned and then we do it.

Well anyhow, I made this two on Easter and it helped me realized this.

Help me see, that, I shouldn't fall out of love with food. I should work on my relationship with food. Just as if it was a regular relationship and I want to make it work. 

So here is my first dish I made.  

  

My very own Fish Tacos with a mango cucumber salsa. 

and

A Salmon en croute 

Both really really good and terribly simple to make. 

n.n 

Sort of Honey-Glazed Tuna

Okay I am going to be honest. 

I sometimes don't like what I do at my cooking classes, because it's all rushed and stuff, but I am quite proud of this Tuna. 

It was good and I managed to make it look pretty.