Sushi Class

Tonight I took a sushi class with a friend at the Gourmet Pantry, a lovely little food shop which sell amazing kitchen supplies and food (things you can't get in the supermarkets like chorizo and lots of gluten free stuff). They do classes most Thursdays on various subjects and tonight was making sushi so I convinced David to go with me. (It did take much convincing.)
The class was really fun. There were 12 of us in total and lots of food.
The teacher Roya had cut up most of the veg before hand but went through the best ways to prepare a few. She also explained the best way to buy fish and other supplies. Then we got down to the making! I didn't take many photos (blame in on the sticky rice hands!) but I personally think my rolls were a great success!

Tuna, Asparagus, carrot and mango...

... with black sesame seeds and coconut on the outside

These were my best. (Well, actually the rest got eaten before I could take any photos. Plus the ones I stole off David!)
And it was hilarious. After a point, everything people said sounded dirty.  For example, "That has great girth", "it's squirting out",  "that's the largest I've seen", and "I like your mounting the tuna". So funny!
We shared a lovely bottle of sake and I have enough sushi brought home for lunch tomorrow. (We also got a discount in shop so I brought a sushi pad, rice spoon and some chopsticks as mine didn't seen to make the move!) A really good night and lots of sushi!

Wombourne Christmas weekend

This weekend I went back to the West Midlands to spend the weekend with friends. Every Christmas, 4 of us from Uni meet up and have a fun weekend. This year it was in Matt and El's new house in Wombourne. They had been in 1 night before we descended! Oops.
I meet up with Clare on Friday and we went around the German markets, and picked up some desert for that evening.

Gourmet Donuts desert (and breakfast).

 On Saturday we ended up in Bridgenorth and wondered around the markets, getting some final presents, and had a very nice full breakfast. When we got back, there were a load of boxes and stuff that needs to be sorted, including putting up the christmas tree. And I think we did a pretty good job.

Our (Matt and El's) fabulous Christmas tree

Mini Christmas trees!!!

Saturday night was our annual Christmas Chinese feast. As it was from a new place (given the new location), Matt and El had thoughtfully tried it out previously to ensure it was up to par! :-) The food was good and Sinead and Chris came along. After we watched Toy Story 3, while eating more and drinking wine. And I will admit I cried a little as they kept telling me I would. (Or maybe because they kept telling me I would!
Sunday was a lie-in and then a roast. Clare and I were willing test subjects for the Christmas dinner run (as they want to do it in their house this year). I think it worked out well. I certianly tasted good and plates were finished.

Huge (practice) Christmas dinner

Waiting for me to finish taking photos so they can eat...

Then Clare washed up. And the annual soap suds fight between Clare and Matt started. I was drying up but legged it. I have been caught in the middle of that before and learned from experience to get out of the way. Clare was very proud of her initial stealth sneak attack. :-)

I think it was a draw in the end. :-)
We ended the weekend by going to see the Nativity II: Danger in the Manger. I am not sure I liked it as much as the first one (this one was more far fetched). But it was a good laugh. And we learned if you take Dorritos and Salsa into the cinema, at least get the bowls sorted out before the lights go out. Otherwise it gets a little messy!
I had a fabulous weekend and miss you guys already! Thanks for the amazing present! You're the best!

Locked in a chocolate shop!

Friday night, I got locked in a chocolate shop! And not just any chocolate shop. A Hotel Chocolate shop! Katherine and I went to a chocolate tasting adventure, run by Hotel Chocolate in celebration of National Chocolate Week. When Katherine and I got to the Ardale centre in Manchester, the shop was shut so we got a drink. Then at 6.45pm, Katherine got impatient, picked up my things and went to stand outside the shop. :-) So we stood at the window grinning like idiots until they let us is. We were the first ones there. They opened the shutter for us and shut them behind us, thereby locking us in. And then a good looking guy asking me if I would like a glass of Prosecco.:-) If only all nights were like this!

Very happy!

Katherine, equally happy!

Nice man pouring Prosecco.

When everyone else arrived (another 14 people), we settled down for the chocolate tasting. Over the evening, we tasted 13 different chocolate and learnt a lot about chocolate. The most interesting bits were when we got 2 or 3 pieces at one time so we could compare. Usually when I eat chocolate, I just open a bar and eat it. I never realized different chocolates could be so, well, different. Cacao trees are very delicate. They only grow 20 degrees above and below the equator and they don't like too much heat or sun light. So the farmers grow other trees such as coconut trees around the cacao trees to shade them. So the cacao beans take on flavors from whatever is grown around them. The beans can be completely different.

Cacao pod, cacao beans, and bread to cleanse the palate

Also the percentage doesn't mean the amount of coco solids, but the lack of sugars. So dark chocolate has less sugar than milk. But the taste can be just as mellow. The main factor is hot much conching is used, which is basically how much they mix the chocolate. The more they mix, the more mellow the taste.
It was a really good night with loads of chocolate. And then I spent a load of money on chocolate (and port!). Some of it was presents, so I don't feel so bad. And we got a free goody bag on the way out (the 3 items on the left in the picture).

Haul from Hotel Chocolate (3 on the left from the goody bag)!

Go Ape!

During our reunion week in Birmingham, we went to Go Ape in Cannock
Chase. Before we went climbing (as we were supposed to be climbing over lunch), we went to Beckett's Farm near Birmingham for a breakfast. The most epic breakfast I have ever seen! This is supposed to be for 2 adults and 2 children. (There another 2 plates like mine you can't seen on the photo.) We definitely didn't need any lunch. Or dinner.

Epic Breakfast.

The area is beautiful and the weather was amazing. Go Ape is a tree top assault course. I love climbing but each time I do this, I find a new fear of heights! Though by the last section we were all swinging from the trees like experts with not a fear in the world. (Though I had a small accident near the end when I slipped from a platform and have some amazing huge bruises!)

Looking down from the first platform.

Clare in the barrels.

El in the barrels

Clare, climbing between trees

Zip wire disappearing into the distance

Clare and El (who does not look impressed)

Me and Clare

El and Matt (great face!)

El and I waiting on the next platform

El, me and Clare (before the highest section!)

Finished with our certificates! So proud!

When we got the end we were exhausted but it was great fun and we were all very proud we managed it. And with only a few bruises (except for me but I expected that: once a klutz, always a klutz!). Though we did rush home for showers. (At the end of the zip wires there is a bark pit where you land. And we all landed back first. Every time. The bark gets everywhere!)

Warwick Castle

On Wednesday, Matt, El, Clare and I went to Warwick Castle.

Warwick Castle

Stockades

By the time we got our tickets, we had missed the raising of the portcullis and the Arthur thing, and had to rush over to see the firing of the trebuchet. This is basically a huge slingshot, used to fire rocks and burning tar over the walls of the castles so that the walls themselves aren't damaged. It makes it easier to defend the castle after you have taken it (likely from the people you have just taken it from!). This trebuchet was 18m high and weight 22 tonnes. There are two human hamster wheels, one on each side, where "volunteers" walk and wind up a rope around the axis between the wheels. This pulls down an arm with a counterweight (about 5 tonnes) attached to the other end. When they release the rope (after securing the arm and unwinding rope or the result is very bad!), the counter weight falls and throws the rocks etc. They didn't have anything attached (not safe I guess)but it was cool nevertheless. And they used to do the whole thing in 6 mins. Impressive.

Trebuchet

While waiting for the trebuchet to launch, Matt and I went closer to the front near the river to get some better photos. And got chased by one of the biggest swans I have seen. No way was I messing with that!

evil swan

After lunch (16yrs working on for the summer so it took forever), we went to Merlin's dragon tower, which was rubbish. The technology used was good but just not thought out.

Matt, El and Clare outside Merlin's Tower

We also wondered around the state rooms, which were very impressive.

Swords in the State rooms

Henry VIII and some of his wives

Marie Antoinette's clock

They also had the Empty Chair exhibit on display. Each of the chairs is for the empty chair left in someone's home due to the death of a solider in the recent Iraq and Afghanistan war. As of the beginning of it's stay in Warwick, there are 416 chairs.

Empty Chairs exhibit

After cooling down indoors, we went up the towers and to the ramparts. The views were lovely, though the 520 steps... not so much. Though the views from the top of the towers were worth it.

Through the Archer's window

View across Warwick from one of the towers

From the Tower, across the court yard and State rooms

By the time we got down from the ramparts (and got some very nice mini pancakes), the weapons display with some huge swords and axes was just starting. In the 11th Century, a Christian could not kill another Christian with a sharp edged weapon. So they created the "Knobbler", a stick with a metal ball on the end (like a mace). Bashing someone's head in is fine, just don't stab them. The guys doing the display demonstrated the efficiency of the Knobbler with a cabbage. It makes a really big mess!

Showing off the Knobbler!

We had to get make to Brum early for a house survey and Clare had a hankering for a good Indian (not available in London). Birmingham and the Black Country still have the best!