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The White Horse Inn, Sutton

by Jeanne Horak on February 16, 2020 2 Comments in Hotel reviews, UK

When my parents were (and even when I was) growing up, regular flying was seen as the preserve of the rich and famous.  Most people did not get on a plane until they were well into their teens or even twenties – even more so if that plane was heading “overseas”, to somewhere beyond South […]

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Patron Cave a Manger (Review)

by Jeanne Horak on February 7, 2020 No Comments in London restaurants, Restaurants

Patron Cave a Manger menu cover

On my Instagram feed recently, in among all the photos of artfully messy food flatlays, impossibly glamorous women in maxi dresses on tropical beaches, and adorable kittens doing goofy things, I found this quote: “I need a 6 month holiday, twice a year”. And let’s be honest, who hasn’t felt like that at some stage? […]

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Roasted Brussels sprouts with sesame and ginger

by Jeanne Horak on February 3, 2020 11 Comments in Recipes, Vegan, Vegetable side dishes

Sesame ginger Brussels sprouts

Synonyms. Antonyms. Possibly even homonyms. It’s fair to say most readers will be able to hazard a pretty accurate definition for each of these.  But how about eponyms? Would it help if I told you that your Achilles tendon is an example of an eponym, and so is Fahrenheit?

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Gerard Bertrand wines and a jazz dinner at Chateau L’Hospitalet

by Jeanne Horak on January 26, 2020 No Comments in France, Travel, Wine & beer

Gerard-Bertrand-Hotel-Cover © Jeanne Horak 2020

Gerard Bertrand is sometimes referred to as “the man who saved the Languedoc”.  A bold claim, perhaps… but at a time when the region (particularly the Pays d’Oc) was known principally for producing cheap, bulk wines, he set about convincing consumers that the region could make quality wine that deserved to be taken seriously.  Given […]

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Karapincha – Sri Lankan food in Canary Wharf

by Jeanne Horak on December 29, 2019 4 Comments in London restaurants

Karapincha-Title © J Horak 2019

Ask Google how many restaurants there are in Greater London and you will get a number of answers of variying degrees of usefulness.  I say this because the total number of establishment serving food in London (in excess of 30,000!) includes things like fast food outlets, kebab shops, coffee shops and private clubs – most […]

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Potato, salmon and cucumber salad

by Jeanne Horak on July 29, 2019 6 Comments in Fish, Gluten-free, Main course - seafood, Salads

Jersey-royals-salmon-salad2 © Jeanne Horak 2019

When I was growing up, my father was never one for sports.  Sure, he was a pretty sporty guy when he was younger, playing tennis and swimming competitively at university. But by the time my brother and I were born, his main sporting activities were a few laps in the pool, a leisurely game of […]

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Recently on Cooksister

  • Perfect broccoli and Stilton soup [keto, low carb, GF]
  • Masalchi by Atul Kochhar – Indian street food in Wembley
  • Barbecued salmon with blood oranges and capers
  • Roasted Brussels sprouts with feta, pomegranate and pine nuts [GF, V]
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  • Antillean
  • Festive roast lamb with pomegranate glaze
  • Rustic blood orange and pistachio galettes

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The wonderful Museum of the Moon installation - a The wonderful Museum of the Moon installation - a 7 metre diameter scale model of the moon suspended in the Painted Hall at the  @oldroyalnavalcollege in Greenwich this week, by @lukejerramartist. A surreal and fabulous sight!
Do you enjoy free art installations? Then you need Do you enjoy free art installations? Then you need to get down to @canarywharflondon between now and Saturday 28 Jan to catch the free Winter Lights 2023 event, back for the seventh year.

My favourites include @lukejerramartist ‘s Floating Earth; Tom Lambert’s Out of the Dark; Fluorescent Firs; Toroid by This is Loop; and the surreal and mesmerising Anima by MEATS - a tunnel filled with hundreds of thin optical fibre lights that change colour and move in the breeze 😍 

Have you been to Winter Lights? What was your favourite?
“When we look down at the Earth from space, we s “When we look down at the Earth from space, we see this amazing, indescribably beautiful planet. It looks like a living, breathing organism. But it also, at the same time, looks extremely fragile.” - International Space Station astronaut Ron Garamond

To experience the “overview effect” (a phenomenon experienced by astronauts viewing the earth from space), head down to Canary Wharf in the London docklands this week where you can see @lukejerramartist ‘s beautiful Floating Earth installation as part of the Winter Lights event. 

This giant 10m diameter installation is created using high resolution NASA images to create a floating scale model of the Earth, lit from within so that it glows from its current home on the Middle Dock, surrounded by the headquarters of international banking and finance corporations.

The artist hopes that viewed in this context, the installation will make visitors and the bankers working in surrounding buildings question how their money in savings and pensions is invested, and whether investments can be greener.

Aside from being a thought provoking piece, it is also mesmerising and surreally beautiful, so make sure you visit the free Winter Lights event before ends on Saturday 28 Jan.
Happy lunar new year! [Invited] To celebrate the Happy lunar new year! 

[Invited] To celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Rabbit, why not head over to @mamachensdumplings currently doing a residence at the @thegantrylondon in #stratford where you can feast on prawn & chive dumplings; pork, Chinese cabbage and shiitake mushroom dumplings; pork & prawn wontons with Mama Chen’s chilli oil; vegetable dumplings; smacked cucumber salad; and spicy noodles coated in garlic and Szechuan pepper oil.

And afterwards, make sure you head up to the @unionsocialoc bar for a cocktail - I loved the Moreish Fashion with bourbon, PX sherry, chestnuts and mandarin orange bitters!
Got leftover Stilton (or any blue cheese) from Chr Got leftover Stilton (or any blue cheese) from Christmas? Turn it into this super simple and super indulgent broccoli and Stilton soup! So easy to make and soooo delicious to eat - and it is low carb and GF. What more could you want?! Click the link in my bio for the full recipe. What’s your favourite soup?
CELEBRATE. So the fireworks are over, the champag CELEBRATE.

So the fireworks are over, the champagne is finished and the leftovers are all eaten. We are one week into 2023 and I have had some time to think about what my intent is for the year. 

In 2022 my brother had a life saving kidney transplant. Since the operation, he has had a Peanuts cartoon as his WhatsApp profile pic, where Charlie Brown and Snoopy are sitting on a pier talking. Charlie says “Some day, we all die Snoopy.” And Snoopy replies: “Yes - but every other day, we will live.”

Waking up in the morning is a gift, every day, and it is so easy to forget this. The last few years have been difficult for so many people and the coming year promises its own challenges. But every day that we don’t die is a day to live, to celebrate life in some small way.

So my intention in 2023 is to celebrate. Celebrate our achievements however small. Celebrate our friends and family. Celebrate small things. Celebrate life.

Did you make any resolutions or goals for 2023? I would love to hear them in the comments! Wishing you all the very best for 2023 🥂
Happy new year, everyone! Here are some scenes fro Happy new year, everyone! Here are some scenes from last night with friends in Deptford. My deconstructed avocado ritz; @twinkleparkstephen ‘s bobitie; Giles’ Ottolenghi tomato salad; and Jean’s clementine trifle - and the London night sky ablaze with fireworks!  How did you spend your evening? 🥂🎇🎆
Merry Christmas to all those celebrating - I hope Merry Christmas to all those celebrating - I hope your day was merry and bright, filled with family, friends and love 🎄🥂. Mine was spent alone at home - my choice and the result of a combination of Covid (not mine!) and rail strikes 🤦‍♀️ but very relaxing and indulgent!
Looking for a stylish and easy Christmas starter y Looking for a stylish and easy Christmas starter you can make ahead? Look no further than my individual smoked salmon terrine! Hot smoked salmon, cream cheese and chives wrapped in cold smoked salmon in a ramekin. Still one of the most popular Christmas recipes in my blog, it looks cheffy but is soooo simple to make - and will save you time and effort on the day! Get the recipe by clicking on the link in my bio.

How is your Christmas meal prep going? Are you entertaining at home or going to friends or family? 🎄🥂🎄🥂🎄
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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

Bowls of broccoli and Stilton soup
Salmon with blood oranges dill and capers
Brussels sprouts with feta and pomegranate
Roast lamb with pomegranate glaze
Blood orange & pistachio galettes
Cauliflower topped steak with melted cheese
Plate of potted smoked salmon with slaw and a glass of champagne
bowls of pistachio pomegranate bircher muesli

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