Food Adventures- Cuttlefish

In November I went to Barcelona to celebrate my friend Robert's birthday.  Hopefully I'll get around to writing a post about it soon, but first I wanted to tell you about the famous 4 Gats.  4 Gats is a restaurant that has been open for over 100 years and made famous by Pablo Picasso's many visits.  He even made paintings in honor of the restaurant.

Why am I telling you this?  Well, this is where Robert want to go for his birthday dinner.  We went in and decided to be adventurous.  We ordered some appetizers, entrees, and a dessert.  The apps were tasteless, my entree was okay, and the puff pastry dessert contained no puff pastry.  We started to think that someone played a horrible trick on 4 Gats by miss translating their menu.  The real kicker was Robert's entree: Cassoleta de sípia de platja amb picada or Cuttlefish Casserole.  We had no idea what cuttlefish was but Robert and I are from the midwest.  We know casserole.  What came out was not a casserole; instead it was a stew!  A stew with tentacles and a weird white protein covered in something brown.  After watching Robert struggle to take a few bites we switched plates.  After a couple bites I gave up, too.  Later that night we looked up what a cuttlefish actually was:

Yep, we ate that and mysteriously two days later I ended up with the flu.  Coincidence?  I'll let you decide.  :)

Happy Thanksgiving!?

Guess what?  My mom is in London this week to celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, and my big three oh!!  I am ecstatic that she is here!  We had fun experiencing Salzburg for a weekend and now she's been exploring London while I've been at work.  

But today is the the big day.  The big Turkey day.  It is the first time in 7 years that we've been able to celebrate Thanksgiving together.  Back in Michigan we would have enormous Thanksgiving dinners.  It wasn't uncommon to have 25-30 people over and to have them seated on a table that snaked from the dining room, living room, and ending in the foyer.  The day would begin by rolling out of bed to watch the Detroit's America Thanksgiving Parade on the TV (FYI it has been going on longer than the Macy's Parade), followed by Miracle on 34th Street, and while cooking the food watching Holiday Inn or White Christmas.  Thanksgiving was our day to spend together lounging and cooking food.  Well, that is until having our house filled with family members.

We finally get to celebrate Thanksgiving together again in London!  Where they don't celebrate Thanksgiving or eat Turkey on any day other than Christmas day.  English coworkers told me not to worry, that you can find turkey in the supermarket.  For the past week I have found turkey cutlets, turkey legs (yes the kind you eat at the Renaissance fair), and a big empty spot above the label for "Turkey Crowns" (aka Turkey without the legs or wings). "No problem!" I told myself, "I have over a week for them to be restocked.  I'll just go by Tesco everyday until I get one."  So, I went everyday looking for a turkey crown and finally the sign and the empty spot for turkey crowns disappeared.  

No problem!  I'll just find a place that normally serves turkey on their menu and we'll go there.  Lo and behold there weren't andy restaurants that normally serve turkey, but there were restaurants that were having special Thanksgiving dinners for American expats.  AWESOME!  There were even two restaurants near the Panto theater where we would be on Thanksgiving night.  I sent my mom the menus, we selected the restaurant, and they were booked until 10:45pm, both restaurants were booked .  .   .  Fine.  I didn't want your turkey anyway.  

No problem!  I heard you could order a turkey from Whole Foods.  I found the perfect pre-made turkey dinner with stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, brussels sprouts, and mashed potatoes.  The first available pickup was on Saturday which was fine.  My mom and I would just go to Bath and Stonehenge on Friday.  I would work from home on Saturday and we would celebrate Thanksgiving Saturday afternoon.  We selected our mini pies and hit purchase.  What!?  I can only pickup the food up late on Saturday night.  So late that we won't have time to cook the turkey before my mom leaves on Sunday morning.  Okay,  well I really did want that pumpkin pie but I guess it won't work out.

No problem!  I'll order from Salisbury, thaw the delivered turkey breast overnight, cook everything from scratch, and it will only cost 10 pounds for a meal for two.  Wait.  There is a minimum order of 25 pounds, I don't have room in the kitchen for that much food and I'm too stressed out to even try to pick another 15 pounds worth of food.

No problem!  We'll go to KFC and have chicken, mashed potatoes, and maybe they'll even have stuffing.  I looked up the KFC UK website to find out that yes the do have chicken, but instead of mashed potatoes that have chips (aka fries) and over cooked corn on the cob.  Dammit England!!  

No problem? My mom suggests we have a roast, but of course you can only get roasts on Sunday because Sunday is Sunday Roast Day.  At this point I may have thrown a bit of a pity party for myself.  I give up.

That is until I wake up the next day to go to work on Thanksgiving Day.  I tell myself it's a good day.  My mom is here, the sun is behind clouds but it isn't raining, and tonight we're going to go see a play.  I get to Chelmsford and order my morning coffee when something in the display catches my eye.   Plan H has come through. No problem! Thanksgiving is saved!!  

Happy Thanksgiving from a country that does not celebrate Thanksgiving!

"Sliced succulent turkey breast, beechwood smoked bacon from British farms with stuffing
in a seasoned mayonnaise and sweet cranberry sauce on malted bread"

Couch the Cat

Could you help me get the word out that my cat, Couch, needs a new home while I'm in London?  My roommates have tried to take care of her, but often aren't around for days.  She is a cuddly long hair cat looking for someone to head-butt and play.  Couch tolerates dogs and will become friends with other cats.  She is fantastic with children (they can even pull her legs) and she'd prefer to be able to go outside.  Earlier this year she received a 2 year rabies vaccine and she has been microchipped.

Please let me know if you know anyone interested in taking her!

-Anna

Meow!  I just want so cuddle and no Anna isn't a crazy cat lady!  :)

I Live in the City of London!

You may be asking yourself...  why does Anna care that she lives in the City of London?  Don't millions of other people live in the City of London?  Well I am sorry to say this, but you a wrong. While millions of people live in London about 7000 people live in the City of London.  The City of London is only 1 square mile and resides within London.  Confused yet?  It was the ancient Roman city surrounded by the London Wall build and protected by dragons.  Yes, dragons.

My first weekend in London I learned that these dragons protect the City, then a few days ago while walking home I saw one right next to my apartment.  Could it be?  Could I live within the City of London?!  After a little bit of wikipedia and google maps it was confirmed.  I live within the City of London!

If you'd like a little more history of the City of London please check out the video below:

Food Adventures - Scottish Egg

While on an evening walk along the Thames I worked up an appetite.  I went to store after store but nothing sounded appealing to me.  Just as I was about to give up I saw a cute little stand selling Scottish Eggs.  Sure I had no idea what a Scottish Egg was but figure what the heck.  This is what I received:

Basically it is a soft boiled egg, covered in sausage, and then deep fried in bread crumbs.  It is served cold, sliced with a bit of mustard on top.  It was yummy!!  I can see this being a big hit with the drunks making there way home after a night on the town.  By the way, people drink here All. The. Time. Seeing someone get sick next to the train station in a business suit on a Thursday at 4 pm isn't an uncommon sight.  I'm still trying to get used to it!  PS don't worry it wasn't me in the business suit next to the train.  :)