Cooksister | Food, Travel, Photography

Food, photos & faraway places

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • About me
    • Contact me
    • Work with me
    • Legal
      • Copyright notice & Disclaimer
      • Disclosure
      • Cookies and Privacy Policy
    • Press and media
    • Cooksister FAQs
  • RECIPES
    • Recipe Index – by course
    • Baking (savoury)
    • Braai/Barbecue
    • Breakfast & brunch
    • Christmas
    • Dessert
    • Drinks
    • Eggs
    • Fish
    • Gluten-free
    • Leftovers
    • Meat
    • Pasta & rice
    • Poultry
    • Pulses
    • Salads
    • Soup
    • South African
    • Starters & light meals
    • Vegan
    • Vegetables
    • Vegetarian
  • RESTAURANTS
    • British Isles restaurants
    • Dubai restaurants
    • France restaurants
    • London restaurants
    • Montenegro restaurants
    • New York restaurants
    • Pop-ups and supperclubs
    • Serbia restaurants
    • Singapore restaurants
    • South Africa restaurants
    • Sweden restaurants
    • Switzerland restaurants
    • USA restaurants
  • TRAVEL
    • All my travel posts
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Canada
      • Dubai
      • Cruise ships
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Grenada
      • Hong Kong
      • Hotel reviews
      • Italy
      • Israel
      • Jersey
      • Mexico
      • Netherlands
      • Norway
      • Portugal
      • Singapore
      • Ski & snow
      • South Africa
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • UK
      • USA
      • Wales
  • PORTFOLIO
    • Freelance writing portfolio
    • Speaking and teaching
    • Photography portfolio
    • Buy my photos

Grilled nectarines with saffron and lavender syrup

by Jeanne Horak on March 21, 2012 23 Comments in Dessert, Gluten-free, South African products

Nectarines in Saffron Lavender Syrup © J Horak-Druiff 2012

When I first got to the UK in 2000, I embarked on a culinary voyage of discovery.  Suddenly, berries that had cost half a month’s salary in South Africa (or simply weren’t available) were available on every supermarket shelf – and sometimes even available for free in the hedgerows around our house!  The stuff I had always been told was spinach was finally correctly identified to me as Swiss Chard.  I caught my first glimpse of Jerusalem artichokes, Spring Greens and Brussels sprouts sold on stems (also broad beans, although I think this is more because my father refused to eat them so my mother didn’t buy them, rather than their unobtainability!).  I was in heaven.  It took a year or two for the novelty to wear off a little and to start noticing the things that weren’t there:  gem squashes, an abundance of prickly pears or guavas, hanepoot grapes, and yellow cling peaches.  Yup, it didn’t take me long to start pining for South African fruit.

Of course, Outspan oranges have long been known outside South Africa as we have been exporting them for decades.  I was slightly taken aback in 2000 (six years after the demise of Apartheid) when a friend in London told me that many people she knew were still hesitant about buying them because they had grown up in an era when boycotting Outspan was a form of protest against the Apartheid regime.  I, on the other hand, searched the citrus shelves at the supermarket and made damn sure that I bought South African citrus wherever I could. And as soon as the nice middle-class English people realised that they did not have to boycott South African oranges any more, a new reason to avoid South African fruit in England presented itself:  food miles.

The orthodoxy goes something like this:  if I buy a packet of green beans from Farmer Brown who farms on the outskirts of my town, then I am doing the planet a favour.  No carbon emissions from any aeroplane, shop or truck were generated to transport the beans to me, so therefore buying Farmer Brown’s beans is fundamentally a better choice than buying green beans imported from Kenya.  The Kenyan beans obviously had to be flown here, generating a ton of food miles and carbon emissions, meaning that to buy them is to contribute to the demise of the planet. Simple, right?  Well, actually, no.  If Farmer Brown used chemical fertiliser and the Kenyan farm used natural manure fertiliser; or if Farmer Brown used a mechanical harvester and the Kenyan farm harvested by hand; or if Farmer Brown’s beans were first trucked to a packing plant in Scotland before hitting the shop shelves – then the picture becomes far less clear, and many of the benefits of Farmer Brown’s proximity are effectively cancelled out.  In fact, we are increasingly realising that food miles are an overly simplistic measurement of which foods, on balance, harm the planet and which don’t:  you have to take a holistic view of a product’s total environmental impact, from growing it to transporting it to storing it to cooking it.  And that’s before you bring the human factor into the equation.

 

SAFruitCollage2

 

South Africa produces massive amounts of fruit for the (predominantly European) export market.  Being in the Southern hemisphere, it means South Africa’s summer fruits are at their best when the UK is in the depths of winter, making South Africa a popular source of fruit for UK supermarkets.  It’s also the closest southern-hemisphere port to the UK where fruit is grown on an industrial scale, so produce does not travel as far as, say, things grown in Chile.  The other big bonus is that well over 90% of South African fruit is shipped to the UK rather than air-freighted – and shipping is a far greener option.  But most importantly for me, a thriving export market for South African fruit provides considerable direct benefits to the South African fruit farming industry and the national economy.  According to a 2006 study, over one million people in rural Africa are supported by the fresh fruit and vegetable exports to the UK.  In South Africa, a third of a million people are employed in the deciduous fruit industry alone and for every farm worker there are, on average, 4 dependents that rely on the fruit industryto provide education, housing, health and social care. And because growing fruit is a very labour intensive industry that can never be totally mechanised, an increase in the demand for our fruit almost inevitably means an increase in job creation in the growing, packing and supply chain in South Africa – something which the country badly needs. And as European shoppers become more demanding about how their food was produced, this in turn places pressure on South African fruit farmers to improve ethical farming practices, particularly in relation to uplifting the working conditions and rights of farm workers.  In 2011 a number of South African producers and exporters signed up for an ethical trade programme to improve the working conditions of fruit farm labourers, and as a result of the Government’s black empowerment policies there has been some progress (albeit slow!) in providing management and ownership opportunities to previously disadvantaged members of the workforce.  So when I see a South African clementine (a good old naartjie with a fancy name!), butternut, apple or nectarine, I buy it (same as I do with green beans from Kenya).  I figure it’s a small way of investing in a country I love.

 

Lavender

 

South African Fruit recently (and very kindly!) sent me a South African stone fruit hamper containing a number of Alpine nectarines and Flavor King plums, both of which are currently on sale in leading UK supermarkets (in fact, I saw no fewer than three different varieties of plums in our local Sainsbury’s last weekend!).  The fruit arrived in perfect condition, cosseted in a bed of shredded paper.  The first thing that struck me as I opened the lid was the scent.  As  child, I remember watching my mom choose her fruit almost entirely by smell – and of course I thought she was crazy!  But now I catch myself doing the same, standing in the fruit aisle with a dreamy expression on my face sniffing cantaloupes for a whiff of ripeness; or clementines for the first whiff of citrussy decay (which means at least one of them has a hidden bruise and will dissolve in a mass of mildew in my fruit bowl in a matter of days!).  Most supermarket fruit, though, smells of nothing – but not these babies!  The nectarines were positively perfumed.  I was already in love.  Most of the plums, I ate raw before I could stop myself.  Flavor Kings are actually pluots – a hybrid between an apricot and a plum, with firm yellow flesh that darkens to pink and red as it ripens – and they have a sweet, intense flavour.  Delicious.  The nectarines were similarly firm and not spongy or tastless as they can sometimes be.  Nick declined to have his any other way but raw – but I had other plans for mine.  I still have some of the culinary lavender from Delices du Luberons that was sent to me by the Vaucluse Tourist Board  in Provence, and I had been wanting to make something with a saffron syrup ever since my saffron epiphany at Restaurang Familjen in Gothenburg last year – and this was my chance.  The recipe is super-easy and quite breathtakingly delicious.  Because it is verjuice-based the syrup is not nearly as sweet as you think.  In fact, if you have a sweet tooth, I would say make it as I did with half water, half vinegar/verjuice, or add extra sugar.  It’s a perfect standby for an impromptu dessert when you are too lazy to do anything fancy, it’s naturally gluten-free – and it looks gorgeous! A plate of South African sunshine on a grey London evening.

 

NectarinesFinal

 

DISCLOSURE:  The nectarines were free samples provided by South African Fruit; and the lavender flowers were a free sample provided by the Vaucluse Tourisn Board in Provence. 


SAFruitCollage

 

 

P2P_badge-SomersetAnd finally, are you a writer or photographer who feels stuck in a creative rut?  Want to take your writing and photographs to the next level but need some extra inspiration?  Then sign up now for the last couple of places on Plate to Page, the hands-on weekend workshop that Meeta, Ilva and Jamie and I are running in the gorgeous Somerset countryside on 18-21 May! Here is what participants said about our previous workshop. If this sounds like something you want to be a part of, sign up here!

 

 

Grilled nectarines with saffron and lavender syrup
 
Print
Prep time
5 mins
Cook time
30 mins
Total time
35 mins
 
This unusual dessert is easy to prepare and packed with flavour and colour.
Author: Jeanne Horak-Druiff (adapted from Woolworths TASTE magazine)
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • ½ cup verjuice (I substituted ¼ cup apricot vinegar mixed with ¼ cup water)
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • a generous pinch of saffron threads
  • 1 tsp dried culinary lavender flowers (i.e. no pesticides on them)
  • 4 nectarines, halved and pitted (mine were Alpine variety)
  • a knob of butter
  • Whipped cream or creme fraiche to serve
Instructions
  1. Combine verjuice (or vinegar/water mix), sugar, saffron and lavender flowers in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil and then lower the heat so that the mixture simmers and starts to reduce and become more syrupy (about 10 minutes). Remove from the heat, strain through a sieve, then pick out and return a few of the saffron strands to the syrup. Keep warm.
  2. Heat the butter in a non-stick pan (use a griddle pan with ridges if you like). When the butter has melted and is bubbling, add the nectarines to the pan cut side down. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5-10 minutes. When the cut sides have developed a good colour, turn and cook on the skin side for 5 mins. Fruit should remain a little firm, but heated through.
  3. Arrange two nectarine halves on each plate, pour the syrup over, and add a dollop of whilled cream or creme fraiche to the nectarine hollows if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
The TASTE magazine recipe that I adapted can be found here: http://www.tastemag.co.za/Recipe-1355/Nectarines-with-lavender-and-saffron.aspx
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe
3.5.3229

More deliciousness for you!

  • Nectarine & plum galette, and being rememberedNectarine & plum galette, and being remembered
  • Spicy Moroccan chicken tagineSpicy Moroccan chicken tagine
  • Caramelised nectarines and cherriesCaramelised nectarines and cherries
  • Elderberry and nectarine crispElderberry and nectarine crisp

Never miss a Cooksister post

If you enjoyed this post, enter your e-mail address here to receive a FREE e-mail update when a new post appears on Cooksister

I love comments almost as much as I love cheese - so if you can't leave me any cheese, please leave me a comment instead!

« Harbour House, Kalk Bay
Saturday Snapshots #187 »

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Rate this recipe:  

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Niamh says

    March 21, 2012 at 9:36 am

    Lovely! I must say I really enjoyed the fruit when in SA recently. Recipe looks good.

    Reply
  2. Barbara says

    March 21, 2012 at 9:42 am

    A lot to think about in that post Jeanne. I’ve never seen SA fruit here or in NZ. I have seen SA snowpeas for sale in NZ.

    Reply
  3. Kavey says

    March 21, 2012 at 10:23 am

    Agree completely that considering only airmiles is far too simplistic.
    As well as the issues of fertiliser (not only what type is used but the environmental impact of making and transporting it too), and the fuel used to harvest the crop, one might consider whether fuel has also been used to artificially light and heat the greenhouses, when it is too dark and cold to rely on the sun, here in Northern Europe. And as you said, whether something is shipped or flown.
    In all honesty, it’s almost impossible.
    So my solution is to buy those fruits which are quintissentially British when they are properly in season here.
    The rest, those things which we either don’t grow well or aren’t particularly well suited to our climate, I am happy to buy from origins farther afield. I do wish more information was provided, including whether produce was shipped or flown.
    I do buy fruit and veg from South Africa, not only because I’ve visited the country and loved it, but also because it is indeed less of a distance than South America and quality always seems good.
    If South African Fruit fancy treating any more bloggers with some fruit, much of which I’d not heard of, let alone tried, before your post, do feel free to point them at Kavey Eats! Heheh!
    x

    Reply
  4. Denise says

    March 21, 2012 at 10:53 am

    I had the most delicious fruits of my life during holidays in SA. I love this recipe; I can almost smell it by looking at that gorgeous picture and what a great idea to combine saffron and lavender!

    Reply
  5. Brian @ A Thought For Food says

    March 21, 2012 at 11:38 am

    I had never cooked with saffron until about a year ago when I was given some and oh how I fell in love with it. The stone fruit paired with the spices is just a wonderful combo.

    Reply
  6. Soma says

    March 21, 2012 at 2:10 pm

    This is spring / summer heaven! They look so good and tender. The flavor combo is just divine. We try to get the locally grown and seasonal. Texas being a warm place produces a lot! and we are lucky. Planting some fruit trees at home this year and crossing my toes and fingers that they survive.. Home grown!

    Reply
  7. thelittleloaf says

    March 21, 2012 at 2:27 pm

    What an absolutely gorgeous recipe – perfect for this beautiful weather we’ve been having recently 🙂

    Reply
  8. Cara @ Gourmet Chick says

    March 21, 2012 at 11:33 pm

    So funny how you miss what you don’t have. I loved the berries in the UK as well but pined for Australian mangoes (the ones you get in the UK are so hard) now I am back here and have all the mango I want, guess what I am missing!

    Reply
  9. Cara @ Gourmet Chick says

    March 21, 2012 at 11:33 pm

    So funny how you miss what you don’t have. I loved the berries in the UK as well but pined for Australian mangoes (the ones you get in the UK are so hard) now I am back here and have all the mango I want, guess what I am missing!

    Reply
  10. professional writers says

    March 22, 2012 at 7:52 am

    It must be very delicious dish. I hope that I could coook it at home.

    Reply
  11. Rosa says

    March 22, 2012 at 8:52 am

    A divine dessert! Those must taste really good. I love those exquisite flavors.
    Cheers,
    Rosa

    Reply
  12. massimos pizza says

    March 22, 2012 at 11:19 am

    hi,
    South Africa is the best place to eat, they have great collection of the dishes, they provide at good taste.

    Reply
  13. Móna Wise says

    March 22, 2012 at 2:34 pm

    I do love grilled fruit. The smell and stickiness of it all. I still cannot bring myself to ‘eat’ lavender. I love the fragrance of it all and we have oodles of it growing everywhere around the house – I should cave in and just eat some. I love the photos Jeanne – very appetizing indeed x PS – congrats on your recent listing of Top 100 UK Food blogs. Well earned x

    Reply
  14. Karen says

    March 22, 2012 at 2:37 pm

    Aw this is wonderful…..a fabulous recipe and nostalgic post for me, as I remember sitting in the garden at our home in Wynberg when I was little nd eating nectarines straight from the tree! I LOVE Outspan oranges too…..I have a wonderful old Outspan advert form the 1050’s that can share with you of you like.

    Reply
  15. Krista says

    March 22, 2012 at 9:17 pm

    I love this post, Jeanne. 🙂 You’ve given me something further to think about when I choose what to buy and what to leave on the shelves. I’m back in the States for a very short time and it’s interesting to see the shelves with new eyes. I miss my Aussie dragonfruit and blue pumpkins. 🙂 Love this recipe too. I’ve been roasting like mad recently and am such a happy eater. 🙂

    Reply
  16. Sara{OneTribeGourmet} says

    March 23, 2012 at 3:48 am

    Jeanne,thank you for that thought provoking post. I wish South African fruit was available her in the US. Love the pairing of saffron & lavender syrup with those gorgeous nectarines!

    Reply
  17. Delia Jordaan says

    March 23, 2012 at 6:39 am

    I’m so proud of our amazing fruit, thank you for giving it such a great platform. I think we take our fruit for granted sometimes as we are not always aware of how far and wide it is exported. Next time I fill by basket with beautiful summer fruit (which actually is later today) I will remember to be greatful.

    Reply
  18. bellini says

    March 24, 2012 at 1:35 pm

    We try our best to eat locally and support out local farmers but my diet would be without the necessities like flour, salt and even pepper. We all do what we can I am sure, but when a special treat comes our way it is hard to resist!

    Reply
  19. Debs @ The Spanish Wok says

    March 24, 2012 at 5:09 pm

    Oh yum, I’m not big on dessert, but when served hot I’m a fan.
    This sounds delicious with the addition of saffron too, I’d have to have vanilla ice cream to slowly melt on the plate, heaven.
    Thanks, have saved for another day.

    Reply
  20. Nathadale says

    March 25, 2012 at 1:33 pm

    I love nectarines, it is my favorite fruit, but i really amazed that other than eating this one normaly, I cannot imagine that there is another way of preparation for nectarines. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  21. m says

    March 25, 2012 at 6:33 pm

    When we lived in SA one of my memories is my grandpa buying a full box of lychees and us grandchildren devouring them… it breaks my heart to buy then in tiny packets…
    A family friend a SA emigre in the 1960’s landed up in Edinburgh and for several years persuaded the local greengrocer that when the avocados were soft that they were off and they should be sold to her very cheaply but ‘I was buggered when the Israeli Avocado Growers did some consumer education about eating avocados.’ And the cheap avos stopped…
    Living in Pietermartzburg with avocado trees raining them down the size of rugby balls my mom was terrified that I’d be hit by one as I crawled as a baby under then. So she phoned up the local Indian fruit and veg seller who came with a truck and removed them. It was painful to pay pounds for them when we came to the UK.

    Reply
  22. Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen says

    March 26, 2012 at 3:31 am

    What a lovely simple dessert. I must know what that saffron and lavender syrup tastes like.

    Reply
  23. Meeta says

    March 26, 2012 at 9:58 am

    Oh how I absolutely love such desserts. Quick and absolutely divine! What I loved about moving to Europe was enjoying the produce at the proper time of year. Living in Qatar we pretty much got everything all year round. So that was a highlight for me – waiting impatiently for the right season to enjoy berries, peaches, tomatoes and of course asparagus and butternut squash (although i think we should enjoy those all year round LOL!)
    Love the subtle lavender highlight here!

    Reply
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Never miss a Cooksister post!

Enter your address to subscribe via e-mail

Search over 500 recipes

Recently on Cooksister

  • Potted smoked salmon with quick pickle apple slaw
  • Discovering the wines of Pays d’Oc
  • Cranberry pistachio Bircher muesli – a Pret-a-Manger fakeaway
  • Roasted Brussels sprouts with chorizo & hazelnuts
  • Myristica Grenadian supperclub
  • 8 favourite Singapore food experiences
  • Sticky spiced plum upside-down cake and 16 years of blogging
  • IT restaurant

Archives by month

Archives by category

Popular posts

Peppermint Crisp fridge tart - a South African treat
Oxtail and red wine potjie
Gem squash 101: how to find them, how to grow them, how to eat them!
How to sautée Brussels sprouts
Beef, broccoli and udon noodle stir fry from "The Japanese Larder" by Luiz Hara
Roosterkoek - a South African braai essential

Featured on

Also available on

Love is in the air... 💕 Are you making a speci Love is in the air... 💕

Are you making a special dinner for your sweetheart tonight? This potted hot-smoked salmon with a pretty pink apple and red onion pickle is easy to prep and oh-so-delicious! It's also gluten-free if you serve it with GF crackers. Full recipe now on the blog - tap the live link on my bio to view. 

Are you doing anything special to celebrate today? Let me know in the comments! 💖
Ready for a wine tasting? 🍷 [Press trip] Back Ready for a wine tasting? 🍷

[Press trip] Back before Covid put our lives on hold, I spent a few days in the Languedoc-Rousillon wine region of France learning about (and tasting!) Pays d'Oc IGP wines. 

Want to learn more about the region's wines? Read on, swipe through the images (remember to  bookmark this post to refer back to later) - and click the live link in my bio for the full blog post! 

🍷 The Languedoc-Rousillon region is the largest wine producing region in the world, and produces about a third of all French wine. Pays d'Oc IGP is a classification region within Languedoc-Rousillon, with vineyards that take up over half the total vineyard area in the Languedoc-Rousillon region. Pays d'OC IGP wines account for about 20% of the total of all French wine produced.

🍷IGP stands for Indication Geographique Protegée, meaning it is a protected indication of origin and wines must be made only from approved grape varieties that must be grown entirely within the region's geographic boundaries.

🍷 Most French wines are named for their region (Bordeaux, Chablis, Champagne) but you won't see the name of the grape variety on the label. In response to consumer demand and the New World trend to label wines with grape varieties, rules were changed in Pays d'Oc in the late 1980s and Pays d'Oc wines now account for 92% of French varietal wines (e.g. labelled Chardonnay, Syrah, Viognier etc.).

🍷 There are 58 grape varieties that are allowed to be planted in the region but the Pays d'Oc IGP varietal wines to watch out for include Chardonnay, Rolle (another name for Vermentino) and Viognier among the whites; and Syrah, Mourvedre and Pinot Noir among the reds.

🍷 All wines labelled Pays d'Oc IGP are sampled and approved in a blind tasting by a panel of professionals, meaning the label is a guarantee of quality to the consumer. 

🍷 Producers that you should look out for include Gerard Bertrand, Domaine Gayda, Les Jamelles, Les Yeuses, Paul Mas and Domaine Aigues Belles.

First 📸: @everyglassmatters
New year's resolutions: waste of time or the way f New year's resolutions: waste of time or the way forward?

I have mentioned before that I don't really make new year's resolutions. There is always so much pressure to make them BIG lofty goals and this is essentially what dooms them to failure. Instead, for the past few years I have made a list of... affirmations? Mantras? I have yet come up with a word that does not make my toes curl 🤣

These are essentially reminders rather than goals - presets, if you like, for the year ahead. I keep them in a handwritten list next to my computer and when I don't know how to react to something or how to shake a mood, I read them and there is usually an answer in there somewhere. 

Given the bruising year last year was, and how 2021 has so far proven itself to be not much better, I really wanted to add something practical to this year's list to lift my spirits on days when I am down. And for that I borrowed shamelessly from the wonderful @gretchenrubin:

🌈  ACT THE WAY YOU WANT TO FEEL 🌈

And this photo is a reminder of how I want to feel on so, so many levels: hanging out with friends; dancing in the sunshine; wearing my favourite red dress; travelling (this was in Carouge, Switzerland); and surrounded by a rainbow of colour. I can't travel and I can't see friends, but I can dance in my kitchen, singing at the top of my voice wearing my brightest clothes. 

What strategies do you use to lift your spirits? I'd love to hear! 

📸 by @tasteofsavoie
If you, like me, are mssing your Pret-a- Manger Bi If you, like me, are mssing your Pret-a- Manger Bircher muesli during lockdown, you will want to bookmark this post right now! 🔖

I have learnt a few things during lockdown. I have learnt that I am more comfortable spending long periods alone than I had ever imagined; that I suffer a lot more from FOMO (fear of missing out!) than I would like to admit; and that pre-Covid I spent rude sums of money on commuting and barista coffee...! 

I also learnt that although I miss travel and social events and meals out, it is often the smaller things that you miss most acutely - the freedom to call up a friend you haven't seen in a while and inviting them over. Hugging (or even seeing) my family. And grabbing a macchiato and a Pret Bircher muesli on the way to work. Don't ask me why, but it became a small obsession of mine to create a fakeaway Pret Bircher during lockdown - and I think I have succeeded! Here's how:

For 2 servings you will need:
100g rolled oats
200ml milk or water
1 Tbsp sunflower seeds
1 Tbsp pumpkin seeds 
1 Tbsp shelled pistachio nuts
1 Tbsp dried cranberries 
2 small apples
175g plain yoghurt
Honey
Pomegranate rails

Mix the oats, seeds, nuts and cranberries together then add the milk/water and a pinch of salt. Mix well, cover and refrigerate overnight. 

When ready to serve, grate the apples and mix them in with the oats and yoghurt (add a little extra milk to loosen if needed). Stir in honey to taste and serve topped with pomegranate arils and pistachios. Full recipe and more photos are available now on the blog - click the live link in my profile.

Did you try any fakeaway recipes over lockdown? Please let me know in the comments - I would love to hear about it!
Me, turning around and walking out on 2020 like a Me, turning around and walking out on 2020 like a bad romance...

And while we are on the topic, can I still get a refund on the first week of 2021? Not sure it was fit for purpose... 🤣 Either way, I am putting on my brightest dress, fixing my eyes firmly on the future and walking purposefully towards it (bottle of wine optional but always welcome!). 

I don't make resolutions at new year, but I have been thinking about what positives I want to carry forward with me as I walk away from the car crash of a year that was 2020. For me, some big positives have been:

* Working from home, in terms of increased flexibility, increased productivity and increased visibility - I definitely hope never to have to work in the office 5 days a week again. 
* Better and more regular exercise. I ran 585km in 2020, probably as much as in all previous years put together - let's see what I can do in 2021!
* Better connection  and more video calls to faraway friends and family. Why have I not always made video calls?? 

I don't think we need to even mention the many negatives of the last year, but I am curious to know if you took any positives away from 2020? Let me know in the comments 🙂

Onwards and upwards!
One last look back at the kettle of crazy that was One last look back at the kettle of crazy that was 2020 before we dive headlong into 2021... 

I am guilty of not posting as much as I would have liked to in 2020 but as it turns out, I find it hard to be on social media much if I am not in a good headspace. Who knew... 😜 A lot of my posts were memories of previous trips but a huge thank you to you all for indulging my travelstalgia (if that is not a word, it should be!), coming along for the ride, liking, commenting, and sharing your thoughts. 

So I give you my #topnine2020 posts, in order of most likes over the past year. Left to right, starting top left, we have The Shard in London; my sesame ginger Brussels sprouts; Keukenhof garden tulips; Christmas at London's Spitalfields market: Carcasonne; my sticky plum upside-down cake; Singapore shophouses; Grenada harbour; and a raspberry & hibiscus G&T.

Here's to making new memories in 2021, and wishing you all a year of abundance x
So how was your Christmas day yesterday? In this So how was your Christmas day yesterday? 

In this year that has been so hard on so many people,  I hope you had somebody to share it with; enough food to feel replete; and warm place to eat. I know it was  not the Christmas that we all wanted, but it was definitely the Christmas that reminded us to count our blessings. 

One of the blessings at my table was one of the best Brussels sprout recipes I have ever had - roasted sprouts with chorizo, hazelnuts and thyme - and with only 4 ingredients, so simple to make! Trust me, you want to bookmark this one 🔖

For 4 people you need:
* 500g trimmed Brussels sprouts 
* 75g chorizo, chopped
* 15g hazelnuts
* sprig of thyme
* vegetable oil

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Halve each sprout lengthways and toss the sprouts in enough oil to lightly coat. Arrange on a baking sheet, cut side down. Roast for 15 mins or until outer leaves start to brown, then turn over and roast till cut sides just start to colour (about 10 mins). 

2. While the sprouts are roasting,  toast the hazelnuts in a large dry pan over medium heat till light brown, remove and roughly crush.

3. In the same pan, fry the chorizo  till it starts to release its oil, then remove sprouts from the oven and add to pan. Mix well.

4. Tip sprouts into a serving bowl and top with hazelnuts and thyme leaves. Serve hot.
"The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoug "The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts." - Marcus Aurelius

I think we can all agree that 2020 was not the year that we ordered and was a really difficult year for almost everyone (other than maybe Jeff Bezos...).

I could so easily dwell on all the things I have found hard this year - being separated from my family in South Africa and no realistic hope of seeing them anytime soon; no travel since Oct 2019; the social isolation of living alone in a pandemic; having friends fall ill with Covid; and the huge anxiety brought on by the uncertainty of everything and the complete inability to plan anything (hard for a planner and control freak!).

But as the quote says, think dark thoughts and your soul ends up dark. So I have chosen to dye my soul in the bright colours of things I am grateful for instead: a rewarding job that i can do remotely; amazing friends to Zoom or call around the world; a house of my own that I love; a beautiful running route minutes from my door; and a strong, healthy body.

What colour are you dyeing your soul in this Christmas?

🎄🎄🎄
If you've visited London in the last 7 years then If you've visited London in the last 7 years then you cannot have failed to see The Shard - a striking assymetrical architectural "shard of glass" building dominating the skyline south of London Bridge. 

At 800ft and 95 floors, it is the tallest building in the UK and western Europe and houses 26 floors of office space, 3 floors of restaurants, 19 floors of 5-star Shangri-La hotel, 13 floors of residential apartments, and London's highest public viewing gallery, @shardview, comprising the 68th, 69th and 72nd floors.

The viewing gallery has now reopened after the Covid-19 lockdown and here are my 6 top tips for visitors:

🏙 Book in advance via the View From The Shard website. Walk-ins are not currently accepted. Although you can make a same day booking via the website, tickets are up to 35%  cheaper if you book 14 or more days in advance. For example, a standard adult ticket costs an eye-watering £34, but can go down to £22 if booked in advance.

🏙 Entry is timed and you have 30 mins after your allocated time to arrive or risk losing your slot. Security procedures take a while, so arrive 15 mins or so before your allocated slot.

🏙 Once you are at the top there is no time limit so take your time! Savour the views in all directions, as far as 40 miles away on a clear day. Use the enhanced reality interactive telescopes to learn more about London landmarks.

🏙 You can buy a £5 "weather guarantee" per ticket - and then if visibility is so bad you cannot see at least three of: the London Eye the Walkie Talkie, Tower Bridge,  One Canada Square, and St Paul’s Cathedral - then you can come back for free within 3 months.

🏙 No cash payments are accepted, so make sure you have a card to pay for souvenirs and refreshments.

🏙 Make sure you visit the restrooms while you are there - it's the best view from a loo you have ever experienced!
Load More... Follow me on Instagram

Follow Jeanne Horak-Druiff's board Recipes by Cooksister on Pinterest.

Cooksister

The South African Food and Wine Blog Directory

Foodies100 Index of UK Food Blogs

The South African Food and Wine Blog Directory

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Jeanne Horak is a freelance food and travel writer; recipe developer and photographer. South African by birth and Londoner by choice, Jeanne has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Jeanne has also worked with a number of destination marketers to promote their city or region. Please get in touch to work with her Read More…

Latest Recipes

Plate of potted smoked salmon with slaw and a glass of champagne
bowls of pistachio pomegranate bircher muesli
Brussels sprouts with chorizo & hazelnuts
Plum upside down cake
plum flapjack crumble
Sesame ginger Brussels sprouts
Jersey-royals-salmon-salad2 © Jeanne Horak 2019
Beef-Udon-noodle-stir-fry-title

SITEMAP

Home

Contact

About me

Recipe Index

Restaurant Index

Copyright & Disclaimer

Cookies & privacy policy




blog counter

© 2004 - 2021 · Jeanne Horak unless otherwise stated - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may not reproduce any text, excerpts or images without my prior permission. Site by RTW Labs

Copyright © 2021 · Cooksister on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Cooksister cookie consent
We use cookies to ensure you receive the best experience on our site. If you continue to use this site, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions. Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.