Google Event #GoogleSecretSupper | E5 Bakehouse, 395 Railway Arches Mentmore Terrace, London E8 3PH

Been a bit of a busy bee recently. Went to Agadir, Morocco for a few days, came back, attended a lovely Christening with reception at none other than Malcolm John’s Le Vacherin restaurant in Chiswick and went back to work on Monday (500+ emails parked – nice).

Whilst away, I was delighted to have been told that I was selected to attend a Google Secret Supper somewhere in London Fields, East London. It was all very cryptic. We were sent a map with an X marking where the supper would be held, and a telephone number should we get lost. That was it! I love this sort of stuff. I jumped at the opportunity knowing I was going to be knackered from post holiday/christening/work carnage. Who am I to turn down such a privilege?

Avocado Egg Roll Recipe | No Mayonnaise! Just Avocado, Egg and Seasoning!

I don’t know what it is about avocados. I just love them – seriously. I know they are only supposed to be good for us in moderation (as all things are). They are supposedly fatty – but healthy fats (so I keep telling myself). I have a whole list of avocado recipes I’m dying to try – in particularly a very special one which I won’t reveal right now.

For today – I introduce you to a quick lunch favourite and an alternative of Egg Mayonnaise sandwiches – another recipe I like – except mayonnaise – deathly mayonnaise. So bad for you – and even when you buy a low fat one, the cynic in me thinks “what have they replaced the fat with?”. The only thing I use mayonnaise for these days is coleslaw – because there really is no other alternative (anyone that suggests putting salad cream in coleslaw should be shot).

Anyway… Avocado Egg Rolls. Here’s how you make them. Try it – your life will seriously improve if you do 🙂

Sunday Dinner Recipe | Slow Cooked Sweet Spiced Lamb Shanks

I fancied something different for Sunday dinner today, so when I went to the supermarket yesterday my eye wandered over the lamb section. I then remembered a recipe I had jotted into my iPhone notes that I wanted to try. I had everything the recipe called for apart from lamb and lager (yes! lager).

No prep required as far as marinating goes – which was good because I went out with Cupcake Chen last night and stayed at her house. So I got in today at 4pm and pretty much started cooking. The recipe calls for a solid 2.5 hours in the oven – great time to catch up on my phone calls and wash my hair. Hell I even had dinner before 8pm tonight, that my dears is a first. I’m sitting here at almost 10pm wondering what to do with all this time I’ve gained back. I’m on a #winning streak.

British Asparagus Season in FoodieClaire’s World…

As we near the end of British Asparagus Season, it feels only right to let you know how much I just LOVE this vegetable. I love all vegetables (there isn’t a single vegetable I don’t eat) but I have particular love for this one because it’s only ethically with us for 2 months a year.

Asparagus Season starts in April and ends around mid June

Firstly I must say that two years ago prompted by my boss Louise, I decided that I was to never buy a bunch of asparagus in a shop out of season ever again. If you eat a bunch of asparagus from Peru and some from the UK, you will certainly taste the difference. Not to mention the awful carbon footprint. Now I’m not going to turn into a martyr and say that everything I buy in this world is made in the UK. But this desperate need to be able to consume asparagus all year round should really stop. Everyone seems content to only eat strawberries during Wimbledon season so why can’t asparagus be the same?

Recipe | The best homemade coleslaw | Summer BBQ Side Dish

It’s the season for gatherings and BBQ’s. As well as the “goes without saying” bottle I walk with – I can’t turn up to someone’s house without a dish. My dishes tend to be either macaroni cheese or my special home made coleslaw. I leave the meat to The Man.

The ingredients that make my coleslaw special is the addition of spring onions, a squeeze of honey and a good dollop of wholegrain mustard. It also helps if you use savoy cabbage as it has a lovely crunchy texture and looks amazing.

Deep green crinkly curled leaves.

Chelsea Flower Show 2010 | Beautiful Vegetables

It’s almost a month later and therefore I’m ashamed that it’s taken me so long to report that I attended the Chelsea Flower Show on 27th May 2010 as a guest of the designer fashion site BrandAlley.

As my first experience I was not sure what to expect however the highlight of the day for me (apart from endless jugs of Pimms and their amazing hospitality tent with champagne) was the array of fruit and vegetables, styled and placed in the most eye-opening positions. I just kept saying “are those real?” Onions, carrots, celery – grown to a size one can’t imagine. I wonder what happened to all the veg after the event! I hope they went to a good home (and stomach).