Harrods Brompton Blend coffee.

This is another of Harrods' ground coffee's, made with Indonesian, Costa Rican, Colombian and Indian coffees and is the more "unusual" tasting coffee.  The blurb on the tin says it gives a brown sugar taste with a hint of spice....... it reminds me of a similar taste to the Muscovado brown sugar, possibly in the black treacle-y taste group.  If you don't particularly like Muscovado sugar/black treacle, this may not be your coffee!!!  The blurb on the tin also says it has a lingering aftertaste too, which I'd agree with.  It's not a horrid coffee, but I wouldn't make it every day either - I think it's more of an acquired taste, once in a while coffee.

It costs £12.95 per 250g tin and can be ordered online here Brompton blend

Harrods Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate drink.

This is, so far, my favourite hot chocolate drink.  This comes in a very smart metallic blue tin and contains 200g of hot chocolate powder.  The instructions on the back say to use 4 heaped teaspoons, but you can get away with using one heaped teaspoon of powder and still have a very flavoursome hot chocolate drink.  As with the other Harrods hot chocolates, this is priced at £9.95 per tin and is no longer available online or in store due to rebranding (As of March 2017)

However, they do have a Sea salted Caramel hot chocolate, 300g, in a copper tin priced at £12 available online HERE and also in store

Harrods Founders Choice coffee

This coffee is so far my favourite of the Harrods coffees!  It comes in a shiny brown 250g tin similar to their Hazelnut chocolate tin - possible logic to that too, as this coffee has a very smooth chocolatey type flavour.  The info on the back of the tin says it has a nutty chocolate flavour although the nutty side is not blatantly obvious!  This coffee uses a Costa Rican and Kenyan mix, and is VERY yummy!

It can be purchased online from the Harrods website for £12.95 a tin here Founders Choice 

Harrods Knightsbridge blend coffee

This is the first out of four Harrods coffee that I've tried - coming in similar tins to the hot chocolate range but a slightly larger 250g metallic tin.  It's a medium roast 100% pure arabica coffee from Ethopia and Columbia.  It has a slight "juicy fruity" taste to it - not nasty, but not the blatant strong "coffee caffeine" taste that you can get with regular supermarket brands.  I'd describe this as a "light" coffee - not strong but very smooth and enjoyable.  It's priced at £12.95 a tin and available by mail order from the Harrods website here Knightsbridge blend

Harrods Hazelnut Hot Chocolate drink

This is another of the Harrods powdered hot chocolate drink, presented in a metallic brown tin and priced at £9.95.  Again, despite instructions on the tin, only one heaped teaspoon of the powder is enough to make a really yummy mug-ful of hot chocolate drink - and this has a very nutty taste to it, too, reminding me some of the Ferrero Rocher chocolates in the gold wrapper!  This is well worth trying out and is available by mail order from the Harrods online shop HERE
This item is no longer available at Harrods due to rebranding (as of March 2017)

Book Review - Anne Frank Remembered

Anne Frank Remembered: The story of the woman who helped to hide the Frank family

By Miep Gies with Alison Leslie Gold

Published by Simon & Schuster, a Touchstone book

ISBN number 067 1662341/9780671 662349

This is a wonderful book written by Miep Gies, the lady that worked for Otto Frank's jam factory in Amsterdam and helped hide the Franks for many years in what is now called The Annexe, where Anne wrote her diaries.  It starts with Miep Gies' own childhood - she herself was a refugee from Austria during World War One, and sent to Holland to escape the bombings.  Her story then carries on through her employment with Otto Frank, and the beginnings of the World War Two and the attempted destruction of European Jewry.  It tells of arranging the hiding of the Frank family (as well as the others that hid in the Annexe) and then the final discovery and removal of the family, and continues to the end of the War and Otto Franks arrival back in Amsterdam, and the recovery of Anne's diaries.

This is a remarkable story and provides an extra insight into the story of the Frank family and is well worth reading.

New item on Etsy shop

Just listed this item on my etsy shop ......

HERE

Fortnum and Masons Orange hot chocolate drink

This is another of the Fortnum & Masons hot chocolate drink range and I'm not convinced I like this.  First time I tried it, I didn't like it at all.  Second time I tried it, it tasted slightly better but not much.  It's flaked chocolate (like the caramel one of their I like) and instructions say to use 2 tablespoons of the chocolate, heat up the milk in a pan and when hot, pour a little of the milk onto the chocolate and then mix into the paste, and then pour the rest of the milk in.  It has a strong taste in my opinion but I didn't like it at all.  A friend tried it and says that it tastes like a dark chocolate rather than a milk chocolate which may explain why I don't like it.   (But then the Harrods Mocha hot choc reminds me of a 70% chocolate and I like that one)

I'm not convinced.....!!

This can be purchased from Fortnums HERE and costs £15 a tin.

Mozartkugeln chocolates

These Mozartkugeln (Mozart sweets or Mozart balls) are one of my most favourite chocolates which I originally discovered over 30 years ago.  Whenever I see them in European duty free shops, I always make a point of buying at least one box!!!

These are spherical chocolates, with a pistachio centre, surrounded by chocolate marzipan, regular marzipan and an outer coating of milk chocolate, then wrapped in a gold foil wrapper.

There are several different packagings of these, in various boxes and tins, these shown here produced by the Mirabell company.

These items can be purchased (widely at European duty free and elsewhere) HERE which are the Mirabell Mozartkugeln, marketed on the boxes as "real" Mozartkugeln

The Furst manufacturer Mozartkugeln can be purchased from HERE which are the original chocolates, in silver foil wrapping.  I've never tried those ones - they don't seem to have the pistachio centre though - but considered it in the interest of fairness to include a related item with the same name!

History regarding the various names of the Mozartkugeln can be found in Wikipedia HERE

Harrods Mocha Hot Chocolate drink

This is a powdered chocolate drink in a very snazzy metallic purple tin - 200g of chocolate powder for £9.99.  Despite instructions on the back of the tin, one heaped teaspoon makes a mugful of seriously yummy chocolate drink.  (Heat up the milk in a pan, using a little milk in the mug mix up with the teaspoon of chocolate powder into a paste, and then pour on the hot milk).  This has a very obvious mocha coffee flavour, and the drink reminds me of the 70% (and over) chocolate bars - not sweet but not overly bitter either.

VERY tasty and worth the price!

This can be purchased online here Harrods Mocha Chocolate 
This item is no longer available due to rebranding (as of March 2017)

Book Review - The Girl in the Picture

The Girl in the Picture

by Denise Chong

published by Scribner

ISBN 0-7432-0703-3

This is the story of Kim Phuc - "The Girl In The Picture" taken on 8 June 1972 near a small village in Vietnam just after a napalm attack.  The most defining image of the time, directly affecting public opinion of the Vietnam war.
It starts with how the photo came to be taken and follows Kim on her physical recovery, her University education via Cuba and her manipulation by the Communist regime of the time.  It also tells of her ultimate defection to the West and her work for UNESCO.
This is an incredible book and provides a remarkable insight into a remarkable woman surviving the worst and succeeding in an amazing way.

Go get a copy.

Today.

Restaurant Review - Simplicity (London, UK)

 Simplicity is a tiny little restaurant in between Rotherhithe underground station and the Brunel Museum, at 1 Tunnel Road off Salter Road.  It seats maybe 30 people and, when full, is a little bit "elbows at dawn" but it's worth going to.  The menu is written on chalk boards which are hoiked over & propped onto chairs according to whichever table needs to view it (which I found a bit weird - I'm used to the paper menus left on the table with specials written on a big board above the bar, or something!!!)

HOWEVER, if you can get past that, you're onto a damn good dinner!!!

(the point being there's no airs and graces to this place - just turn up with spending money and apetite!!!)

Last time I stayed in the area was May 2015 - first time in three years, and the owner recognised me, which was nice!  The first evening I ate there, the meal I chose was bubble & squeak on spinach and veggies with a poached egg with hollandaise sauce on top, and was ridiculously delicious!!!!  They live up to the name of the restaurant - simple food but it done brilliantly well!!!

For pudding, I had their chocolate mousse with fruit compote and chantilly cream...... YUM!!!

The second evening I ate there, I had three chorizo sausages on the best mashed potato on the planet EVER, on top of veggies and the richest onion gravy I have ever tasted.....!!  (I was too full up for pudding!!)

For price guidance, an evening meal for one person consisting of glass of wine, starter and main course is around £25 including the tip.
Rumour has it they do an excellent Sunday brunch which, although I've not tried it, would not surprise me in the slightest!!

Their website is Simplicity

Zazzle sale!!!

I made a new sale on my zazzle shop - finally a mouse mat sold!! New Sales From Your Store Hi Andreas_art, Look what has recently been sold from your store. L for London Mouse Pad You recently sold 1 copy(s) of your product,. Order Item Id: 169-44850673-1658668 Order Date: 9/23/2015 —The Zazzle Team

Fortnum & Masons Caramel hot chocolate drink

 This is a rather luxurious hot chocolate drink, states 300g on the back of the tin but 200g on the website for £15 which seems rather extorntiate.... but.....!!!

 (top of lid)

(contents - grated chocolate rather than powder)

As this is grated chocolate, it has a slightly different mixing instruction than powder - starting with 2 level measuring tablespoons of the chocolate (and yes, it works best with that amount - you get the full taste with it).  Heat up a mug's worth of milk and then when hot, pour a little into the mug with the chocolate and stir to melt.  Then pour the rest of the milk in, stir and drink.

This has a slightly different texture to the Harrods chocolate which is more full-flavoured.  The Fortnum & Masons has a more subtle flavouring but is more creamy and chocolatey smooth.

The full range can be seen here Fortnum's hot chocolate range

Note: the tin I have says 300g weight on the back of it but the website says 200g weight.  I can only guess the difference is the weight of the snazzy tin....?

Restaurant Review - Tas (London UK)

 On a recent trip to London, after visiting the British Museum on Great Russell Street, we stopped for lunch at Tas Restaurant on the corner of Great Russell Street and Gower Street.  It does Turkish/Anatolian style cooking

 They have a very good set menu of two courses (starter and main) for £12.45 per person which we decided to have.

 They brought us some warm bread, a yoghurt dip and some olives for nibbles.....

 ....with the Taboulleh salad which is called Maydanoz Salatasi - I'd forgotten how good this is!!!

 For the main course, we had Lamb Shish with couscous, which was lovely!!!

And then when we got the bill (service is included in the price, so no need to tip) we also got some Turkish Delight to nibble on!!!

This is definitely a ten out of ten restaurant...... and a good price for the centre of London!!!  

There are other branches of this restaurant around London - for more information click here Tas restaurants

Book Review - In Montmartre: Picasso, Matisse and Modernism in Paris 1900 - 1910

In Montmartre.  Picasso, Matisse and Modernism in Paris 1900 - 1910

By Sue Roe

ISBN 978-1-905-49086-8

Some time ago, I went to see a big Matisse exhibition up at the Tate Modern in London, of his cut-outs.  Brilliant exhibition albeit ridiculously busy and popular!  In the gift shop, I found and bought this book, written by fellow Brightonian Sue Roe, which details the intertwining early careers of Matisse and Picasso in the first ten years of the 20th century.  This details the end of the Impressionist age to the early beginnings of the golden jazz age post war years and ultimate end of the Montmartre artistic commune, with the Matisse and Picasso "camps" being split between Gertrude and Leo Stein.
This is a wonderfully written and researched book that brings to life one of my favourite areas of Paris - almost a "join the dots" on a Paris street map!!  If you're familiar with Montmartre, impressionism, post impressionism or just plain interested in learning a little more, this is an excellent read to pick up....... and more than once, as well!

House away from Home

Last year I did a self catering trip to Paris for ten days, and rented a studio apartment through Housetrip.com which is a similar setup to AirB&B: apartment owners across the world list their apartments on the website and travellers can then search and select by country, town, date, and size of apartment.  You can contact the owners through the listings to enquire about availability and then, once you've chosen the apartment you want, pay the full booking cost up front.  Housetrip then hold the booking cost until you've picked up the keys and moved in and then, assuming you're happy with the place, forward the cost onto the owner 24 hours later.  (If, however, you're NOT happy with it, then you contact Housetrip by mobile phone to cancel, and they arrange alternate accommodation for you...... I presume you'd then be texted the new address to go to, and if that's OK, the new place gets the money.  My booking was fine though, so I've not had to  deal with that part!!)  After making the initial booking, you are provided the owners mobile/cell phone and, closer to the arrival dates, receive text/SMS message prompts from Housetrip to inform the owner of arrival time and to arrange key collection.  This is usually at the property address.

Rue Sauffroy, Paris, copyrighted to Andrea McNeill

Cards available of image through Andreas Art in Zazzle

I selected a small studio apartment on Rue Sauffroy which is off Avenue de Clichy in the 18th arrondisement not far from the Sacre Coeur and Montmartre.  This apartment was in a slightly run down building in an older part of Paris, with a rather rickety spiral staircase with uneven wooden stairs, up four floors (no lift!)  I understand now why Parisians are so slender - they're walking up and down stairs all day!!!  I chose this as it was close to the Batignolles area which I'm acquainted with from several previous visits to the area, and was within a 5 minute walk of an artisan baker, a tiny speciality coffee shop on the Avenue which roasts and grinds a variety of coffee bean in house, 2 butchers, a speciality cheese store and a covered market near the Brouant Metro that had a butchers, cheese stall, fish stall and fresh veg.  All you need for hearty feeding!!!  There were also half a dozen Marche Franprix type small supermarkets for the basics. There are several Metro stops within easy reach that can take you to any part of Paris, Brochant being the nearest on Line 13, plus two bus routes (the 74 and 54) that go to Hotel du Ville and past Gare du Nord respectively.  I also discovered on Saturday morning a wonderful market in Boulevard des Batignolles (starting at Place de Clichy and going down towards Parc Monceau) that was an absolute joy just to walk through and look at!  Packed with locals, too!  Seemed to start shutting down around 1 p.m. and packed overflowing with a multitude of fabulous foods! The only "down side" to the apartment was a rather tired sofa bed, quirky plumbing which meant coffee grinds occasionally flooding the shower stand and temperamental public access wifi!

Seafood stand in Saturday market in Boulevard des Batignolles

The cost of apartments in Paris tend to reflect the amount of floor space with the cheaper end of the market being comparative shoeboxes...... fold out the sofabed and that's the entire floor space taken up!  The higher the price gets more square footage though, and although some can cost more or equal to hotel costs of however many stars you'd normally choose, the savings come with doing your own cooking.  I found with the area I was in, I could eat very well on 10 - 15 Euros a meal (for something that would or could cost you 35 Euros or upwards a plate in a restaurant!!!)  The particular challenge for me there was the kitchen area I had which consisted of two hot plates and a microwave!!  Well, if Rachel Khoo can manage the challenge, I don’t see why I couldn’t attempt “two pot cooking”!!

Watercolour sketch, copyrighted Andrea McNeill

The Avenue de Clichy area going towards the Peripherique comes across as rather rough around the edges, however, the food shopping certainly makes it an area worth investigating.  Moving down towards the Batignolles part of Paris gets progressively more “up market”.  The Parc Batignolles is particularly pretty and very popular with young families especially in early evening.  Going from there down Rue des Batignolles provides several “vintage junk pseudo antique” stores, boutique shops and restaurants.  Sadly, my favourite, Cinnamon, has closed and the replacement - Augustin - unfortunately is a restaurant where you’ll be brushing elbows with the guests at the next table while you’re eating and memorable for being not very memorable!  Terrasse 17 next door is worth eating at though, as is Aubergine over the road with a very pretty mosaic by the entrance.  The other end of Rue des Batignolles takes you back to the Boulevard - turn left to return back to Place de Clichy, turn right for Courcelles and Parc Monceau.

Pizza college on junction of Rue Sauffroy, Paris

The experience of a self contained apartment rental for a vacation was a new one for me, and definitely one I’d want to repeat.  Housetrip provides a very easy to use facility and seems to be a well run and professional site that I’d have no problem using again myself and recommending to others.   It provides a unique opportunity to discover local neighbourhoods contained within a larger city, and the ability to discover the smaller lesser known museums, attractions and shopping areas away from the standard publicized and sometimes overpriced tourist areas.  It also means practising phrasebook style linguistics, but I found that done with a smile, Parisians welcomed my attempts at massacring their language!  I would also advise, though, to do your research on particular neighbourhoods before making your booking in whichever city you’re visiting, just to be sure the area is as safe as you can get (specially if you’re a single female traveller).  The only changes I would consider making to this particular trip would possibly find somewhere slightly more central, and with a bit more “leg space”.  

Full details and imagery of the vacation can be seen through these links.

Paris vacation day one

Paris vacation day two

Paris vacation day three

Paris vacation day four

Paris vacation day five

Paris vacation day six

Paris vacation day seven

Paris vacation day eight

Paris vacation day nine

Paris vacation day 10

Book Review - Professor Munakata's British Museum Adventure

Professor Munakata's British Museum Adventure

by Hoshino Yukinobu

ISBN 978-0-7141-2465-0

I bought this book from the British Museum a few years ago, after seeing a very small and rather disappointing Manga exhibition there.  However, this graphic novel is really good!!!  It involves the Professor arriving in London to give a lecture, only to discover the Stone Henge monoliths have suddenly gone missing!!  He then is embroiled in a conspiracy that threatens many London landmarks and works of art and races to uncover and destroy the criminals!!!!!

Very much worth a read and written/drawn by one of Japan's leading Manga artists

Zazzle sale!!!

We sold another postcard on my Zazzle shop - this one!!

New Sales From Your Store

Hi Andreas_art,

Look what has recently been sold from your store.

P is for Prague postcard You recently sold 1 copy(s) of your product,. Order Item Id: 169-40546493-2489486 Order Date: 9/8/2015

—The Zazzle Team

Book Review - The Minutes of the Lazarus Club

The Minutes of the Lazarus Club

by Tony Pollard
published by Penguin

ISBN 978-0-718-15403-5

Paperback - The Secrets of the Lazarus Club
ISBN 978-0-141-03589-5

This is set in 1850s Victorian London, at the height of Isambard Brunel, Charles Darwin, Florence Nightingale and graverobbing.  It starts with dead and disembowelled bodies being dragged from the River Thames, Dr George Phillips starts as a suspect in the killings but later starts to investigate the deaths under his own steam.  He is then inaugurated into the secret Lazarus Club and discovers a series of grim and creepy almost Frankensteinian events going on.  The story culminates on board the largest ship of the time, created by Brunel.

This is a wonderfully evocative book written by Dr Tony Pollard who has worked as a forensic archaeologist with Police Forces in Britain - his background is obvious in this book, which contains some rather gory scenes!!

This is an excellent read, but not for the faint-hearted!!!!!

Stabilo Point 88 drawing pens

A few months ago, I ordered some Kuratake Sketching pens online from a company called Cult Pens their website here and received as a free sample a Stabilo point 88 pen.  These are brilliant!!!!  I loved it so much that I bought a box of 20!

I think there's more colours in the range than 20, though, but these are the ones I received in my order

They're a thin-liner pen and are really good for - well, fine line drawing!Wonderful colours too!!!

The Cult Pens website seem to have quite a few deals on at the moment including for mini-pens of the same point 88 pens (presumably they're shorter in length)  I've cut/pasted some of the webpages here but the website itself (link above) is worth perusing if you're a pen fanatic!!

Cult pens try one for 10p

Cult pens pack of 8

Cult pens pack of 10

Cult pens pack of 12 mini

Cult pens pack of 18 mini

Cult pens pack of 20

Tomato soup recipe..... yummm!!

RECIPE: 1 large carrot

1 stick of celery

2 onions (brown/yellow will give a sweeter taste, purple will be tangy)

crushed garlic to taste

450g/1lb tomatoes

2 tbspns olive oil.

1.2 litres water

1 vegetable Knorr stock pot (or similar) - google that if you've never heard of it!

salt/pepper

Chop up the carrot, celery and onions and fry in a big soup pan in the olive oil until soft.  Add crushed garlic.  Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes in half and add to the softened veggies.  Add salt & pepper.  Stir for about 5 minutes until all the veggies are part cooked.  Add in the water and vegetable stock and simmer for about 40 minutes.  Blitz the soup with a liquidizer - we use a hand held one similar to this

- blend until the vegetables have been totally blitzed and it's a thick soup.  Add basil leaves and then eat.  

This is our favourite soup recipe!!!

Kneipp bath oil

A few years ago, we discovered Kneipp bath oil which are (I believe) a German company using aromatherapy as a base for bathroom products.  There's about 10 different smells which can be used to aid different problems.  The three bottles shown above are the full size 100ml bottles in Juniper (burgundy label) which is good for soothing muscles and cramps, Arnica (white label) which is good for soothing joints and muscles and the Eucaplytus (green label) which is good for aiding head colds.  The Lavendar is also good for assisting sleeping.  You only need a cap-ful of the oil poured under the running tap when you run a bath and they're brilliant!!  I am not being paid anything to run this post.  I really do love these bath oils!!!!!

Kneipp also do bath salts which are good, plus a whole range of other stuff.  Google them to find local stockists or mail order people.

Savoury Brioche recipe

This weekend, we made savoury brioche and it came out rather well!!

We used 500g plain white bread flour

7g salt (1.5 level measuring teaspoons)

10g Allisons easy yeast (2 level measuring teaspoons)

140 ml full fat milk

5 medium eggs

250g unsalted butter

2 level measuring tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese

1 level measuring tablespoon of dried oregano

1 level measuring teaspoon of Colemans mustard powder.

3 cloves garlic, crushed.

First of all we put all the dry ingredients into a big bowl, with the crushed garlic and mixed it all up.  We let the butter soften and then we rubbed that in until it all looks like breadcrumbs.  Then we added the milk and eggs and mixed it all up with a wooden spoon.  Then we put a big dish on top of the bowl and let it stand overnight.

The next morning, we butter-greased two small loaf tins.  We put a handful of flour on the worktop and tipped out the dough.  We folded it over on itself a few times and then cut in half and put half the dough in one tin, the other half in the other tin.  Then we put both tins inside a plastic bag, closed up the open end of the bag and left it to prove for 2 and a half hours.  

Then we preheated the oven to Gas Mark 6 (about 190 C) - whipped up another egg in a cup and brushed a bit on the top of each loaf and then put the loaves in the oven for 45 minutes.
Remove from tins, and cool on a wire rack.

Yummmmm.....!!