Month: December 2015

New year’s resolutions, continued…

~ WorkFoodHome ~ 2 Comments

IMG_3138

“When you reach for the stars you may not quite get one, but you won’t come up with a handful of mud either.” – Leo Burnett

This was the first quote I ever quoted.  I was in grade 11 in high school and had to write the foreword for our school yearbook.  It had to include a message to the grade 12 pupils finishing school that year.  For some reason I had this urge to share something really profound with them.  Some knowledge or secret that would forever have an influence on the people they were to become.  I didn’t quite know what (probably the only thing I didn’t know at 17!), but I knew it had to be motivational, inspirational.

So off I went in the search of some quotes.  And when I got to the Leo Burnett quote, it just felt right.  It resonated with me then, even as a teenager.  It affirmed that I could try anything I wanted.  And it gave me solace that in times when I have tried my all and I don’t end up on top, that it would be OK too, because at least it meant that I would be better off than if I did not try at all.  I liked it so much that it also ended up being my words of wisdom to the grade 12’s.

Fast forward back to now, to the pending new year.

After my mini meltdown about the pressures of new year’s resolutions I’ve spent a few days thinking about what it really is that I would like to achieve in 2016.  And out of nowhere the Leo Burnett quote popped into my head.  Sure, I want to lose weight, eat healthy, improve my skin care regime, be a better person, work harder, be a better wife, daughter, sister, friend, save all the lost dogs in the world, learn to cook better, create an amazing blog… but what does it really mean?  What is it that I would really like to achieve?  What will make me happy at the end of 2016?  When will I look back and not be disappointed by all the things I started on Monday and stopped on Wednesday?

“When you reach for the stars you may not quite get one, but you won’t come up with a handful of mud either.”

That’s it, really.  In the end what really makes me feel content is when I feel I am the best me I can possibly be.  And the best me is the me who knows in her heart that she tried and gave her best at whatever it is she thought was worth trying.  And then it’s OK if I don’t quite get there (like the size 8 jeans I’ve been saving in my cupboard  for years now!!) because if I gave it my all and still don’t catch that star, I know that I am more than what I was before.

So here’s to 2016!  To being me, to reach for the stars in everything I do.  To be more (and maybe a little bit less in certain areas)! To live life to the fullest.

Cheers!

image

About new year’s resolutions…

~ WorkFoodHome ~ 2 Comments

IMG_3056

With the new year just around I corner, I really can’t believe (wait for the cliché…) how fast this year has gone.

This, of course, signals the start of the anxiety and pressure of the new year’s resolution list. You have hardly come up with them, given yourself a few “Mondays” throughout the year to get started on them, and all of a sudden January stares you in the face again! Now, at the end of the year, not only do you have the dubious pleasure of ticking off all those you got to (the majority, mostly… sort of….), but you also get to experience the joy when you move those you didn’t quite get to, to the NEW new year’s list… so that you can combine it with the list of brand new resolutions that you came up with that are REALLY realistic for you to achieve this time around.

I feel a sweat coming already. The pressure!!  But there is still time before you have to turn that new leaf …

Because technically you can’t start with your new year’s resolutions on the 1st of January (well, not with the losing weight, exercising and eating healthy ones in any case. Oh, and the no drinking one.) Because the 1st is still a public holiday, you know. You can probably start on the 2nd, but it would be better if the 2nd happens to be a Monday as well. Because all new things that a person needs to start with, works better on a Monday.

Does that mean that a Monday trumps the start of the new year? It’s a tough one. If the 2nd of January is on a Monday, then they are completely equal. You’ve got to take that new leaf and run like the wind. However, if the 2nd is not on a Monday, the first Monday of the new year will suffice, except if the first Monday happens to be the 1st. (And I’ve already explained why the 1st is just not even an option at all.)

Oh, the demands of life.

I think I need to consider my new year’s resolutions carefully. No better way to do this then to have a glass (or few) of wine. And a chocolate. And some chips. And those salt biscuits (the full pack that is still in the cupboard).  With some cheese.

Because of course you have to clear out the cupboards now in order to start afresh in 2016!

IMG_3051
Food for thought

Love to hate

~ WorkFoodHome ~ 1 Comment

Between hubby and me we have this running joke about me hating slush puppies. It started on our honeymoon, when he bought a slush puppy to drink and I said “ugh, I don’t drink slush puppies – I hate that stuff”. As it turned out I practically finished the whole thing without offering him a single sip. To this day, I still hate slush puppies. So much so, that when we go to the movies, it is all that I ever order to drink!

This weekend I realised that I had one other such hate (although I have not confessed it to anyone yet). I hate corn. Whenever someone mentions that they enjoy it, I’ll typically respond with a “I don’t really like it”. Yet, every time someone makes corn, it inexplicably finds its way to my plate, especially when it is made on the braai. Or lovely little savoury corn cakes. I hate those too. And the sweetcorn cakes at my favourite Thai restaurant, with a sweet plum dip. I always happen to order some.

This past weekend my love/hate affair was taken to the next level. It is summer and I’m so tired of the same old, same old salads. So given the history of my relationship with corn, it naturally makes a lot of sense that it would be corn that would put me out of my bored misery!

Hubby and I adapted this really simple recipe from Jamey Oliver. It has fresh flavours and vibrant colours and it is a great alternative to the normal bowl of leaves. We served it with spicy chicken, but I think lamb chops with a Moroccan spice will go great with it as well. Our guests really enjoyed it. Me? I don’t like corn at all!

Corn Salad 

(serves 4)

Ingredients:

  • 3 corn on the cob
  • 3 spring onions
  • 15 rosa tomatoes
  • Large handful of coriander
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • Pinch of salt
  • Olive oil

Method:

  1. Light your fire or turn on your griddle pan to warm up
  2. Put your corn in a large pot and just cover the corn with water. Boil for 30 minutes
  3. Drain the water. Drizzle some olive oil over the corn and sprinkle with salt
  4. Place the corn on the braai/griddle pan to char slightly. Turn it regularly to ensure an even char.
  5. Remove from the braai/griddle pan and leave to cool
  6. Chop the spring onions, tomatoes and coriander and place in a bowl
  7. Take the corn and slice off the kernels (holding the corn upright and cutting top to bottom)
  8. Add the corn to the chopped spring onions, tomatoes and coriander
  9. Add a good pinch of salt
  10. Add the juice of half a lemon
  11. Mix well and serve
Corn Salad
Corn Salad

Talking about Christmas… 

~ WorkFoodHome ~ Leave a comment
IMG_8241
De Witte Pelikaan, Bruges, Belgium

In 2014 we had the absolute privilege of visiting a small city in Belgium, called Bruges. It was by luck, actually, as I’d never heard of it before someone mentioned it to me while we were still busy planning our holiday.  We did a bit of research (what did people do before Google?!)and it quickly became a no-brainer that we had to go it and see as our original itinerary had us quite close.

Bruges is really, really special.  Nothing in the guidebook prepared me for it.  I was completely overwhelmed by the beauty of the place.  You find yourself walking past beautifully restored windmills on green hills on the outskirts of town, then down into the city’s historic centre (a UNESCO World Heritage site) with its picture perfect cobbled streets, over stone bridges that cross canals, and medieval towers rising out above the buildings. I got quite emotional when we ended up in Burg Square – we were wandering around and came around a corner and unexpectedly I was faced with one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.   Just the sheer beauty of the place combined with a deep sense of gratitude that hubby and I have been so blessed to have the opportunity to experience these wonderful things in our lives really touched me in that moment.

0
Stadshuis and Oude Civiele Griffie in The Burg, Bruges
Heilig Bloedbasiliek and St Basil’s Chapel

It was while I was doing research on what to see and do in Bruges that I found a reference to a Christmas shop called De Witte Pelikaan.  Me, being a bit of a Christmas nut, knew immediately that I absolutely had to go and find it. (It is located at 23 Vlamingstraat and their website is http://www.dewittepelikaan.be)

Although we were there in May, the shop is open the whole year and it really did not disappoint.  It was spectacular!  The shop’s first floor has baubles and bows, snow-globes, wreaths, wrapping paper and the normal (but extraordinarily looking “normal”) type of Christmassy things.  (Also the cutest paper mache fish; it was actually their store window display at the time.)  However, if you go down the stairs to the bottom floor you enter a magical world!  It is almost cave-like, with arches and alcoves and gigantic Christmas trees everywhere.  The ‘cave’ is an off-white colour, with soft lighting;  fairy lights twinkling and sparkly crystal chandeliers hanging from the roof.  For me, never having experienced a white Christmas, it gave me a glimpse of how special it must be!

IMG_8224

Each corner held a little scene…  Beautifully crafted glass baubles, unlike anything I’ve seen before.  Figurines that looked life-like.  A wooden house with Santa inside; the windows glowing red with warm and inviting light and Santa looking as if he was going to whisper “Ho-Ho-Ho” to me at any moment!  Stuffed toys so real that you expect the squirrels to run up a tree as you approach or the ducks to fly away as you got closer.  Owls sitting quietly in a snow covered cove, looking at me through icicles.  I was enchanted by this little piece of Christmas heaven.

IMG_8231

IMG_8234

IMG_8236

IMG_8244
The shop window

The store is not huge, but we spent over an hour there, captivated by its charm.  (I am also known to be a bit indecisive at times, so just imagine how long it took me to pick something to bring home with us!)

So in the spirit of Christmas, some pictures of Burg Square and De Witte Pelikaan (including three little gems we get to hang on our tree each year).

IMG_2905
Our little reminder of Bruges
IMG_2902
The most unique bauble we have on our tree
IMG_2896
I love sparkle!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

~ WorkFoodHome ~ Leave a comment

I love December and I love Christmas time.  Love it, love it, love it!  I suppose there is not one thing in particular that stands out; it’s the combination of everything.

I love the long warm days with light in the sky until late.  Almost every night I’ll give a “look, it’s eight thirty and there is still blue in the sky!” to anyone that’s listening.  (An added bonus is that I also feel soooo much less guilt over how late we eat supper!  “Late” doesn’t happen when there is still light in the sky!)

And cherries!  I love shiny, fresh, red cherries.  There is something about the way the light reflects off them that just makes me really happy.  Although, if I can have a silly Christmas wish it would be to have pip free cherries..  Really now, that such a delicious mouthful can be spoilt like that!

Also, the beginning of December in the Cape is usually the time that summer properly arrives and for me, after the winter in which  you were all covered up from head to toe, I love feeling  my long hair on my back and my arms  – that feeling just screams summer to me!  (I’ve realised that this can also be read to indicate that I have long back and arm hair… Nooo, I just mean I have long hair on my head!)

And I love glitter! And Christmas carols! I love putting up our Christmas tree, while listening to my all-time favourite Christmas MegaMix CD and getting all sparkly while putting up our decorations.  And Christmas cookies!  I love baking Christmas cookies.  And decorating them. And eating them while I decorate them.  And then being so stuffed that I can’t face one more biscuit after the baking and decorating is done!

And the spirit of Christmas – it is a time of love and spending time with those dearest to you. My earliest Christmas memories is having Christmas at my granny’s house.  I think we were about 13 nieces and nephews together, with all the aunts and uncles.  My granny had a white Christmas tree.  To this day probably the most beautiful tree I have ever seen.  And she was a magnificent cook.  The Christmas table was always bursting at the seams.  I miss her…

But it brings me to Christmas lunch.  You spend weeks planning for it.  Looking at Jamie Oliver’s best ever Christmas recipes while treading carefully between mother-in-law’s even more better than Jamie’s trifle that she has been making every year since I met her vs your own yearning for trying some death by chocolate thing you once saw Nigella make.  Planning the table decorations…  (I wonder where my gravy boat is…?  We only use it once a year!)

And then all of a sudden the moment arrives.  You start by shopping for ingredients.  There is a gauntlet that stands between you and your perfect lunch with normally well behaved people in Woolies elbowing you out the way to get to the last limp looking lettuce! (Last year we had a good technique – hubby would stand in the background with a trolly and I would dart in like swift footed ninja – quickly grabbing what we needed!)  And then the cooking starts in earnest and you spend two days in front of the stove, getting so hot and bothered that your specially GHD’d Christmas hair goes flat and frizzy and you arrive at the table all red in the face and not looking nearly as glamorous as Nigella did when she was done with her feast!

To sit down and eat within 30 minutes.  That always amazes me.  How you can prepare so long for a moment that passes so quick!  (Apart from the leftovers.  Those damn things just never seem to finish!)  So that you can just go and lie down (and I praise the Lord for my dishwasher!)  So you can get up and have some trifle.

But I love it!  It’s such a feel good buzz and just thinking about it makes me so happy that I am smiling from ear to ear.

So this Christmas we are having the in-laws over.  The trifle conundrum?  Husband and I have come up with the best plan.  Mother-in-law is doing the spread for Christmas eve and hubby and I will produce a wonderful Christmas lunch (i.e. read no trifle implied!).

So now I’m looking forward to practising new recipes in the weeks to come so that on the day it will just be perfect.  (Let’s face it, any excuse to eat!)

Disclaimer:  No mother-in-law’s were damaged with the writing of this piece.  I love my mother-in-law dearly.  

IMG_2922IMG_2893

 

New beginnings

~ WorkFoodHome ~ 5 Comments
VIAJE EUROPA 2 056
The first sunrise I ever saw over Praiano, Italy.  It counts as one of my favorite “new beginnings” ever because this day marked the start of my love affair with Italy.

Someone left a picture on my desk at work last week.  It’s a picture of Einstein, with the following quote:  “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”  It made me smile.  I think this is so true!  Of course making mistakes is part of life.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.  Live and learn.  That’s my philosophy in any case.

Or is it really?!

You see, I’ve wanted to try my hand at this blogging thing for yonks’ now.  But I haven’t.  Why? Because I don’t want to make a mistake, of course!  It has to be perfect!  I can’t just venture if I am not assured of the gain.  Live and learn?  No ways!  It has to be the best blog ever written, and it has to be perfect and I definitely can’t just try.  I might make a mistake, for goodness sake! And what does that say about me?

This afternoon I happened to glance at that picture again.  “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”  It made me smile.  I think this is so true!  Of course making mistakes is part of life.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.  Live and learn.  That’s my philosophy in any case.

And then I realised.  I do believe that it is my philosophy – it’s what I tell people in my team, it’s what I tell friends, my husband.  Because it’s true!  That’s the way life works.  And it’s beautiful.  You can learn from mistakes.  It can make you better.  Sometimes things don’t work out, but it is never the end of the world.  Life goes on.  You make mistakes, you learn, you move on.

Wait, what?  Really?  So that would imply that I should give this blogging thing a go.  Because I want to.  Because I love to write.  Because I like to tell stories and I would like to share my experiences and the stuff in my head.   Because I might try it and actually hate it, or suck at it, or be good at it, or be completely average at it, and still enjoy it!  Or realise that it was a mistake and not for me!

I really don’t know who put that paper on my desk.  It actually never crossed my mind to ask!  Maybe a fairy godmother?!  If you are reading it, thank you!  Thanks for reminding me of what I actually hold true but forgot that I believed.  I’m going to give this blogging thing a go.  Watch this space for more mistakes and life in general!

PS:  Wait.  Can you say PS in a blog?  Isn’t that maybe a mistake?!

PPS:  You won’t believe how many times I’ve re-drafted this!

image
The catalyst!