dinner4deux

D4D: Done. Almost.

2009-01-03T19:10:00.008Z

It's been a grand yearlong experiment, and now it's time to sit down, put Our feet up, turn the telly on, and have a cuppa.

Although We won't exactly be hanging up Our pinny (We gotta eat, after all) We won't be documenting every meal, every night any longer – only the new or particularly innaresting ones, and then only in brief.

But first! The stats.

This week we'll be examining 365 D4D reviews to determine the winners in such categories as:

Dinner o' the Year
Dinner Made Most Often
Best Dinner Out
Best Salad
Restaurant Visited Most Often
Best Dinner Made for Guests
Best Dinner Abroad
Cookbook Used Most
Cookbook o' the Year
Best Link

And of course We'll tot up the numbers for how often We made Our most popular dinners, including:

Lemon chicken
Black bnz
Chickpeas with cumin and sherry
Pea and mushroom risotto
Red prawn and mango curry

We'll post the 2008 stats as soon as We can, hopefully by next weekend. Might post a pic or two in between, so do check in.

And to all two of our regular readers: ta everso!

01.01.09: Black-eyed peas and greens

2009-01-01T18:40:00.013Z

Peas for good luck and greens for money – We dine with pleasure and hope for a good year that we know harbours many changes. She adulterated the Pappy's Saucepan recipe from vegan treasure trove Something Delicious This Way Comes by Joshua Ploeg – former punk rocker turned travelling chef – with chorizo. (Sorry. But not really.) Nigel Slater's fennel, pear and watercress salad made a sassy sidekick.

SHE SAYS: The peas were a little too sweet, but a pinch of salt and a shake of Crystal fixed it up right. Plus, I think this kind of bean dish, with such strong flavourings as bourbon, maple syrup, liquid smoke and (in our case) chorizo, needs to set a while to let all those components mingle. Even near the end of the meal mine was more blended – maybe it's like letting wine breathe. Salad gave us the crunch and the sharp angle we needed in the flavour dept.

HE SAYS: Deja vu? As She said, it waz on the shweet side this time but this meal had to be made since its a tradition 'round these parts. This time We had it with the greens mixed in with the peas, and I think it helped out the overall consistency. As said numerous times on this blog, chorizo can't fail to make a good meal better. I really enjoyed the salad which We haven't had in a while, the mix of the fennel and pear satisfied ma soul.

31.12.08: Out to New Year's Dinner Party

2009-01-01T17:34:00.006Z

We really are indebted to Jon & Judy for some excellent party food this year. In fact, they had Us over last New Year's as well, just before We started the blog. Above, Judy prepared 10 (10!) portions of Jamie's Fifteen Christmas Salad [video!], some sans prosciutto for the veggies in our midst.

Jon rolled up sleeves to make Ramsay's Cider and Honey Roast Leg of Lamb – oh my. Also plated but not pictured: roast potatoes and steamed broccoli.

And then: two desserts! Judy whipped up a banoffee pie topped with Flake, and the very nice French au pair turned out a swell sugar-dusted gateau. Were We spoiled or what? And you don't even get to see the postprandial dance-a-thon (sorry, that's classified).

HE SAYS: The two J's again outdid themselves on the festive food front. The salad was class with every taste sensation fully taken care of and the roast was fantastically seasoned with tart and sweet apple tanginess. I have to vote for the banoffee pie as the highlight, though, a perfect combination of velvety cream, banana and chocolatey goodness. We went on to drink too much and I even had a jig with the missus in their makeshift disco/living room, good times.

SHE SAYS: I love me that salad: a taste treat of sweet, salty, creamy and a touch of grassiness from the olive oil. Mmmm. The lamb was applesweet and the potatoes had an almost grainy crunch to them that led the blissful way to floury indulgence within. Do I really need to tell you the desserts were divine? The gateau was deeply chocolatey and had that just-right cakiness, while the banoffee pie was like a sweet and sticky tastebud bubblebath.

30.12.08: Turkey and sweet leek pie once more, plus red cabbage

2008-12-30T20:43:00.011Z

It's a D4D record; same main course 3 days in a row! but these are quality leftovers, people. The Cornish pasty-like turkey and sweet leek pie served us right once again, and the addition of red cabbage conveniently taken from the freezer made Her feel like nothing so much as a smart '50s housewifey type of gal. Simple salad of rocket and Sweetfire beetroot felt the extra pep of the wasabi-lime once again, too.

SHE SAYS: I was actually looking forward to this - again! Turkey leftovers never tasted so good (tho' I used to make a mean turkey tortilla soup). It's esp good with the tangy red cabbage for contrast. Salad continued the royal purple theme with panache, and the combination of sweetfire + wasabi dressing cleared my sinuses.

HE SAYS: Hit me baby, one more time. Me luv some turkey pie! The red cabbage provided yet another seasonal accompaniment to the plate, and I was sad when the last bite of pie entered me cake hole and I knew Christmas was over for another year. The simple salad was simply bliss with the inclusion of the firey and shweet beetroot and hot and tangy wasabi dressing.

29.12.08: Sweet leek and turkey pie re-run plus butternut squash remix

2008-12-30T15:58:00.008Z

See that? That's called a new camera, folks. And it has a 'food' setting! We likey. What say you?

She heated up the turkey and sweet leek pie, and tried to revive the other half of the bland butternut squash with some ras-al-hanout and more maple syrup. Nigella's wasabi-lime dressing stood by to liven up the remnants of last night's salad, refreshed with more leaves and some pear.

HE SAYS: Please, sir, can I have some more? Well yesh you can, and it will be even tastier having rested overnnight in the fridge. The squash was better then the last go-round and helped add seasonal cheer to the already very winter-warming dish. The wasabi dressing always makes any salad that little bit better, so no need to add anything new to my latest salad review.

SHE SAYS: All good for the second go-round, and my I add the cliche of 'maybe even better after being in the fridge'. Haven't had the wasabi lime in a while, and my tastebuds greeted it with glee. Less gleeful was their response to the butternut - maybe this was just a bad gourd.

28.12.08: Turkey and sweet leek pie with peas

2008-12-30T15:57:00.008Z

Back to the '70s: He made sure Our Christmas turkey takings were put into something special, namely Jamie Oliver's turkey and sweet leek pie. A dig thru the freezer produced enough peas to round off the plate, and a salad of rocket, radish and carrot rocked on.

SHE SAYS: Comfort food at its best. The perfectly crunchy, buttery puff pastry is such a treat, and the masses of leeks cooked down into the turkey sweetened the deal. The pancetta didn't hurt either, but per usual didn't play a large role in flavour performance. The peas were a little hard, possibly a tad frostbitten, but helped the salad out with the fiber provision.

HE SAYS: Having spotted this one on the telly the other night I was very intrigued to test it out. I thought while cookin' it that it was a little overkill on the leek quantities, but hey, they boiled down by at least half before I mixed them in with the turkey. The whole pie was a little like a turkey pasty but I'm not complaining, the filling was not too soupy and it glistened with goodness. I think we'll get a few more dinners out of this one yet.

27.12.08: Out to Le Mercury

2008-12-30T15:55:00.019Z

The bread. The wine. The candlelight (trust Us, it's there).

For Her b-day, They decamped to Le Mercury, Their favourite Frenchy restaurant ever - the one with the perfect buzz of romantic atmosphere, low prices, and, of course, good food. We first sampled the mussels and frites here together over 14 years ago, and we love it no less now than we did then. We pay it fewer visits now we no longer live in North London, but we think of it often.

We'll let the captions do the description on this one.

His moules marniere: mussels in white wine with
cream, shallots, garlic, lemon and parsely

His entrecote a l'echalotte: rib-eye steak chargrilled and served with shallot sauce

HE SAYS: Mmmm, mussels in creamy wine sauce. What's not to like? With the added bread basket I was set for an evening of soaking up and savouring the delicious nectar. And then came the steak in all its perfectly cooked and succulent splendidness. The fries were a marvelous crispy, sauce dipper when all the bread disappeared and the shallot sauce waited to be devoured. Did we have a salad? I remember little of it (must of been the wine). For dessert, I thought the coconut sorbet was perfectly paired with the pineapple, and I left full and satisfied into the very chilly north London night, secure in the knowledge that Le Merc still delivers a fantastic night out for pennies.

Her tiger prawns cooked in parsley and butter, with chili aioli

SHE SAYS: I was so happy to sink into our window seat after a l-o-n-g (but good) day at the after-xmas sales. I simply cannot believe we've not paid Le Merc a visit all year long. The thin, perfectly crisp frites are reason enough to go, but my fall-apart pork with its jus and baked apples gave me even more reason go mmmmm. The prawns were yumsome and indulgent, tho' the sauce was simply run-o-mill chili mayo, nothing special in the aioli dept.

Our frites and green salad, and Her poitrine de porc: slow-roast honeyed
pork belly with confit celariac and granny smith apple

Being the b-day gal, I chose dessert, and chose with restraint. Two days of cheesecake will do that to you. While I thought the glaze could have been a bit less rushed, the flavour combo of coco-pineapple was deeply divine and refreshing. Happy b-day to me, and make no mistake.

Our glazed pineapple with coconut sorbet, plus a decaf coffee for Her and a latte for Him

26.12.08: Quorn, black bnz, red cabbage, and baked butternut squash

2008-12-30T15:54:00.009Z

Can you believe we cooked at all the day after Christmas? We're saving the considerable turkey leftovers for something special, you'll see. So on with the dinner show: She heated up some leftover balck bnz and another container o' red cabbage, panfried some lemon-pepper quorn escalopes, and baked a butternut squash with a touch of maple syrup.

Squash seeds toasted with sage, celery salt, black pepper and oregano made a fine snacky accompaniment, while a dutiful salad of radish and leaves held upt he raw food portion of the programme.

SHE SAYS: Wow. That was some seriously bland butternut, even though it got a typical treatment of olive oil, maple syrup and salt 'n' pepper. Puzzling. Bnz had a good second outing, at least, and the red cabbage did its usual sugar 'n' spice number with a touch of the tart about it. Can't help but love crunchy chickeny quorn, and the seasoned squash seeds almost made up for their ho-hum counterpart.

HE SAYS: Yes, a shame about the squash, I think skinning and cubing it before roasting it delivers better results. Other then that, all was good: the bnz retained their herbiness, the red cabbage flexed its sweet, vinegary muscle and the quorn added the crunch to the plate. The salad was a plain palate-cleansing affair but it was the squash seeds that were too fantastic to describe in a few words, so I won't even attempt it.

25.12.08: Traditional turkey dinner and birthday cheesecake

2008-12-30T15:52:00.007Z

Dessert first: He made the most sumptuous birthday cake She's ever had (yes indeedy, he made it), the macadamia toffee cheesecake from Ottolenghi. Behold and be jealous: that's a deep cheesecake base made with real vanilla bean; a handcrafted macadamia nut-brittle topping; and lashings of praline-like caramel draping the base. (We did wait til after dinner to dig in, but it deserves top billing, doncha think?)

He also sourced the giant prawns you see before you, and boiled 'em up good to serve with some M&S salmon mousse and fresh leaves for a jolly xmas starter at His family 'ome.

By the time we got to the main course, we were all a little out of focus. His mum and youngest bro tended to the turkey; His mum did the sprouts and red cabbage (it's her recipe, after all); bro sorted out the roast potatoes with a rubbing of goose fat, and the two bros together managed a gravy. What was She doing, you ask? Chilling out in the den with a movie (a birthday girl has certain privileges).

HE SAYS: The cake was a little daunting but came out great, lots of steps and only a few mishaps along the way to create a very tasty volcano from close encounters. The rest of the meal was also satisfying; the turkey especially came out all nish and tender (maybe it was the ample strips of bacon that were laid on its back while cooking). Me mum's red cabbage was not better then my modified version but a little less vinegary and intense. The 'taters roasted in the goose fat also never fail (well, how could they?). Oh, and the giganto shrimp were surprisingly tasty for their size. Loads of food with no drama makes for a happy christmas.

SHE SAYS: I admit to misgivings about the prospect of xmas dinner his year, and quite happily also admit they were unfounded. The monster prawns were sweet and easy-peel, given extra flavour by bro-in-law's coriander-chili dressing. The big bird was perfect: golden, tender and juicy. I didn't really need gravy, but took a smidge for tasting purposes (not bad, not fab). The potatoes were equally amazing, but I could only eat one by the time I got around to them, much as I wanted to have more.

Red cabbage was the main course stunner, prompting me to ask what might be different from the 14-yr-old recipe we've so carefully archived, and lo! All these years we have missed out a few cloves to spice things up. I could have guessed but didn't. Notes will be made.

Now, the cheesecake. Oh my. The base was so densely rich and mildly sweet, I would have happily had it alone. But then I would have been denied the delights of the fudgy caramel, plus the crackling roasty macadamias. A blissful balance of nutty and nectar, not to mention creamy and crunchy. (Thanks, sweet thang.)

24.12.08: Black bnz and a pomeflowertini

2008-12-30T15:48:00.005Z

He decided to make the Eve a little more festive with the purchase of some pomegranate-elderflower cordial for an after-dinner drinx mixer, resulting in the aforementioned pome-flower-tini (cordial, vodka, pom seeds). Purty, innit?

And She was more than happy to make black bnz for Christmas Eve complete with the usual polenta and avo accompaniment. Salad of pear, radish and soft leaves contributed to the celebratory atmosphere.

SHE SAYS: A good spicy batch of bnz, and this time the polenta came out thick and plain, just the way We like it. always good to have something easy and delicious in your pocket for the evening before a big holiday...though I daresay he had it less easy, bzzy as he was with a special b-day project for Moi in the kitchen...

HE SAYS: Nish batch o' bnz. They were very herby and aromatic yet again and the polenta demonstrated the best consistency we've had, not too solid and not too mushy. The pear added the shweet to the radishes' salt, and so all was well in the salad kingdom.

23.12.08: Veal piccata, mash, veg medley

2008-12-30T15:16:00.009Z

It was a nice idea: since She jumped on the beef bandwagon, He decided to make Ramsay's veal piccata with - veal! (Normally we adapt it with pork.) Maris piper potato mash plus a side of steamed mangetout and baby sweetcorn filled out the plate, while a salad of baby leaves, pomegranate seeds and avo sparkled nearby.

HE SAYS: I thought I would splash out on the expensive veal tonight so We could both experience the joys of this recipe done authentically. Unfortunately for Her, She couldn't eat it and left Me with the job of eating two portions of the tasty, milky meat. Although the veal was great, I think pork works just as well or even better, adding a little more fulfilling, salty tastiness to the gravy. The mash worked well as a sauce sponge, and the mangetout & sweetcorn reminded us to eat our veg. Yum was the salad.

Her top-up of goat cheese and Dr Karg seeded spelt

SHE SAYS: I don't know what happened to my newfound beef tastebuds, but they conked out on this one. I've had veal before and liked it well enough, and the sauce smelled divine, but the main item grossed me out. It just tasted rancid to me, though He had His and Mine and was perfectly fine. Dang. I ate the rest of my meal with a good heart, esp the creamy-yet-chunky mash, and had a little snacky top-up (above) for good measure. The tarty little salad helped put it all to rights as well.

22.12.08: Lemon chicken with beetroot, radish and avo salad

2008-12-23T11:27:00.008Z

He prepared the lemon chix meal earlier so She could just simply stick it in the oven, set it and forget it. She chopped the salad fixin's of avo, sweetfire beetroot and radishes and added them to the watercress tentacles.

SHE SAYS: He does good prep, I must say. It was terribly satisfying to simply remove clingfilm and pop the pan in the oven so I could go do my thang. Potatoes and chix were crispy and delish, with plenty of garlic kick. My only quibble was the extreme sourness of the lemons, and you know I'm a lemon-lover. These were toothsuckin' bitter. Salad gave us all the joys of crunch and creaminess with a touch of sweetfire sugar.

HE SAYS: It's been a relative while since we experienced the lemony power of this dish. Perhaps this is the last one of 2008 but I'm still digging it with lots of tartness and savoury goodness – roll on 2009. As per usual the beetroot in the salad was on fire with its overall sweetness 'n' deliciousness.

21.12.08: White bnz with chorizo and rocket

2008-12-23T11:22:00.009Z

She stirred some butterbnz and rocket into some sizzling chorizo, served it atop some brown/red/wild rice, and shored up the leftover cucumber salad with some watercress.

HE SAYS: I thought the butterbnz were as creamy as usual and the chorizo managed to up the yum factor as it can't help but do. The second installment of cuke salad improved with the extra marinating time, too.

SHE SAYS: Both as tasty as ever. Chorizo is cheatin', but who cares? The sage, oregano and thyme didn't hurt, either. The rocket gave it the bnz a mildly bitter snap, providing a welcome contrast to the deep savouriness. Salad was perky: sharp and crisp, none the worse for its sleepover in the fridge.

20.12.08: Red Thai prawn curry and extras

2008-12-21T16:13:00.009Z

He rather outdid Himself preparing the vittles for our xmastime gathering with Samski. After some he-made smoked salmon, soft cheese and herbed oatcake canapes sprinkled with dill (not pictured, sadly), He stirred up the can't-miss red prawn and mango curry, adding baby sweetcorn for good measure. Our new fave cucumber salad by way of the Ottlolenghi cookbook made a star turn, and He even sought out a spankin' new sophisticated dessert recipe: balsamic pears in honey sauce with goat cheese.

SHE SAYS: It wasn't until Samski arrived that we realised we've actually plied her with Nigella's curry wonder before. No matter, this particularly well-balanced batch was heartily enjoyed by all: heat, coconut and heft did a get-down dance of happiness on my tongue. The cuke salad supplied crunch and sweet-tart excellence, tho' I was slightly disappointed with the accidental substitution of black onion seeds for poppyseeds. The pert dessert of baked pears delivered wide-eyed delight in a sticky sauce and subtle goaty goodness; was wiping finger 'round plate to mop up the honey trail for some time. Hey we're among friends, here. And how.

hey there, sweet tang: balsamic pears with goat cheese and honey sauce

HE SAYS: I thought this batch of curry was very good. I used double the amount of the prawns which really made it a lot more decadent and shpecial compared to our regular weeknight version. I also used a whole can of coconut milk which added a more silky broth to the bowl. The cuke salad again impressed with it's vinegar pickle like quality and its shweet yet spicy dressing. I made a bit of a boo-boo with the inclusion of the onion seeds but I didn't think they were too offensive. The pud was great. I was craving some stewed pears, and baking them created that warm, soft, intense flava I was after. The balsamic mixed so well with the cheese and honey, satisfying all my taste senses, I will have to make this again sometime soon that is fo' sure.

19.12.08: Out to Ground

2008-12-21T16:12:00.009Z

He joined Her for drinks at her company xmas 'do, and, 3 hours later, They cast about for some post-festivity sustenance. The Ground gourmet burger restaurant answered the challenge with cheeseburgers for Both, courgette chips for Her and regular chips for Him. An insouciantly plain salad of cuke, tomato and leaves did its best to strike a note of health amid the indulgence.

HE SAYS: This was a satisfying burger experience with my new beef eating buddy. The meat was good, the bun not too air-puffed or soggy and the chips were hot, salty and crunchy. What more could you want? A salad perhaps? Yes, that was plain but fresh-tasting, but what else? Okay, stealing a handful of Her courgette chips made it perfect.

SHE SAYS: I thoroughly enjoyed testing out my newfound beefeating gambit once again with this excellent example of the humble hamburger. Unlike many of its competitors, Ground has not seen fit to drown its patties in chutneys, relishes and soppy sauces. My cheeseburger had a thin slice of melty white cheddar and a dab of mayo here and there - just enough to help things slip 'n' slide happily down. The courgette chips were tempura-battered, pepper-speckled, fresh-hot, and gone real quick. Overall, a much better service experience than the first time over a year ago, when we waited for ages in a half-empty restaurant.

18.12.08: BBQ pork loin with roasted butternut squash and red cabbage

2008-12-21T16:09:00.010Z

Colour me winter: He finally dared to open our treasured bottle o' bbq sauce from The Salt Lick, marinating a pork loin that He roasted and basted with care. Also getting the over treatment was a butternut squash brushed with maple syrup, olive oil, salt and pepper. A plain salad of mixed contintental leaves peered at the main plate with interest.

SHE SAYS: Oh my, I'd forgotten how this thin, sweetly seasoned sauce can tickle the tastebuds - expertly and with feelin'. Pork was the perfect vehicle, and this configuration tenderly did the sauce proud. Still marvelling at the soft magic of butternut, somehow so much more satisfyng than sweet potato. The red cabbage was divinely tart, as expected, and the whole ensemble made a feast for the eyes.

HE SAYS: I was tempted to get a couple of racks of ribs at the store instead of the loin. I'm glad I decided not to as this came out so, so good and although the ribs may have been more authentic (in a Texas cookout styley) they probably would've yielded less meat and more fussing about. I slow-cooked the pork for about 2.5hrs, letting it get all buttery in texture. The butternut squash was cooked with just a drizzle of maple syrup so wasn't overpoweringly shweet. This meal is definitely a late entry for meal o' the year, probably not winning against this one, though.

17.12.08: Pesto and pea risotto

2008-12-21T15:39:00.008Z

A night out to see the Boosh initiated an early dinner. He prepared the risotto with some of the pesto He made and froze earlier, and added the usual suspects to make the risotto dream a reality. A mixed leaf salad with sweetfire beetroot, radishes and avo stopped by for a chat.

HE SAYS: Instead of the alternative of grabbing a bite and running to catch a train, this meal was a lot more civilised and tasty. If only I could get the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot it would be the perfect no-fuss, easy meal and light washing up deal everyone can enjoy. I ended up soaking the pan overnight, which did the trick of lifting the remnants of the night before. The return of the shweetfire variety of beetroot was a pleasant addition to the salad, not unlike an old friend you haven't seen in a while, popping round for a cuppa.

SHE SAYS: Certainly more of a gourmet turnout than I was expecting before embarking on our 45-min journey to the zooniverse of the Boosh. Lots of meaty porcini added delicate flava to the savoury pesto richness. My only quibble was the speed of consumption, which delivered too much to my tummy too soon.

16.12.08: Chickpeas with cumin and sherry

2008-12-21T14:23:00.009Z

Wearied by a ridiculous pre-xmas work sched, she turned to our fave chickpea recipe for ease and comfort, topping it off by boiling an egg and placing it neatly on top, next to the dollop of ho-made harissa. A pear, avo and mulled wine spiced beetroot salad saddled up for the ride.

SHE SAYS: A pretty good batch, if I do say so myself. Sometimes I let the cumin seeds cook a little too long, but this time they were perfectly toasty, without that slight bitter taste of blackening. I'm liking the holiday beetroot with its heavy-on-the-allspice m.o., and vote to make it our exclusive beetroot add-on for the season.

HE SAYS: The homemade harissa and boiled egg do a perfect job of elevating the flavas of this dish beyond what you would expect, adding an exotic saltiness and creamalicious element to the proceedings. The mix of the avo, pear and limited-edition beetroot satisfied all my salad fixin' tasty requirements too.

15.12.08: Pollo alla Cacciatora and mixed leaf salad

2008-12-21T14:05:00.009Z

Tonite's instalment of the Cacciatora adventures included the carrot from the last episode plus a new variety of spelt (this time from a can). A mixed leaf salad made its presence felt.

HE SAYS: Yummy as always, this dish has yet to jump the shark. I nearly forgot to add the capers but She reminded me at the last second. The canned variety of spelt was still a good, lighter alternative to the usual rice and quicker to cook to boot.

SHE SAYS: Much the same review here, though I don't necessarily think spelt is lighter. I think it's heavier in texture, much like barley, but lighter on the digestive plumbing somehow, and more modest in flavour. The canned variety appears to retain its hull, and is pleasingly al dente - almost bouncy! Overall, I look fwd to this meal in the same way I look fwd to lemon chicken: I just know it's going to be extremely tasty, soothing and hearty.

14.12.08: Festive finger food

2008-12-21T13:21:00.014Z

It was time to put up the tree, so We decided to get festive and picked up some nibbles to eat while putting up the baubles. Waitrose supplied the treats: mini salmon cakes with chili, garlic and ginger dip; pigs in blankets; mini pancakes (blinis) with soft cheese and basil plus smoked salmon; pumpkin seed and soft cheese smoked salmon canapes; and some low fat crinkle crisps for good measure. Some mulled wine help things go down easy.

SHE SAYS: This was fun, but a bit too rich in the end. I think the nibbles route should stay simple from now on: doubling the pigs in blankets and the amount of crisps would have been good enough. The blinis suffered from bitter-basil syndrome so typical of any store-bought item with pesto in it, and I found the pumpkin thingies a little icky - seeds, cream cheese and salmon combined blew out my fun-fat receptors. Still ate my share, it must be said. Best discovery: Waitrose low-fat crinkle crisps are full of nummy fresh-tater flavour and carry just enough salt to satisfy.

HE SAYS: These treats weren't bad, in fact some were more then okay. I augmented most with the chili and ginger dip that came with the salmon cakes, making them all a little bit more shpesh. Pigs in their bacon blankets were obviously the highlight. The tree looked very good, by the way.

13.12.08: Quorn, red cabbage and roast potatoes and Jerusalem artichokes

2008-12-14T15:02:00.021Z

She cooked, warmed up and put together the plate tonight, consisting of the first batch of the annual red cabbage He made earlier in the week, Quorn lemon-pepper escalopes, and plain-jane green salad. For a party commitment's sake, He was unable to sample the delights of the roast potato, Jerusalem artichoke, lemon, tomato and kalamata olives dish from the new bible. Fortunately, She did the taste test and sampled the goods in His absence.

some seriously roasty potatoes with Jerusalem artichokes, lemon and sage

HE SAYS: It was good to taste the fruits of my heavy labour, cooking the massive amount of red cabbage that I prepared last week (5 hr cooking time, which, in the process, stunk out the place and probably the neighbour's gaff too). It turned out pretty perfectly, with a good balance of shweet and tart. I had to nip to a xmas party of my own so didn't get to taste the potato and Jerusalem artichoke bake (our oven sucks and it took a little while to bake to perfection but subsequently I have sampled its wonderment). The quorn did its job of being a mild, crispy foil to the extreme tastes of the cabbage. The salad was relieved not to compete for attention and was quite happy to act as garnish for a change.

Her dainty sampling of the gourmet vegan veg

SHE SAYS: Don't cry for me, all-two-readers: after we hastily downed our basic dish of tart cabbage and crispiness, I settled down to a chicks-only dvd and, eventually, a small, hot bowl of the incredible potato-J. artichoke-lemon-olive etc bake. Oh my. Jerusalem artichokes are the undiscovered country of subtle gourmet flavour. Those blandly unappealing raw slices transmogrify into something that feels like potato but tastes like fresh, grass-green artichoke. The acidity of the lemon, tomatoes, and olive brine didn't hurt, but I think the J-arts are in a league of their own as veg. Watch this space!

Not to give short shrift to the first red cabbage enjoyment of the season. It had the magic balance of sweet to tart to spice, and I wouldn't have minded some more (only 8 containers left).

12.12.08: Out to Mango room

2008-12-14T13:00:00.015Z

Her char-grilled pork loin overwhelmed by a jerk of a sauce

To celebrate His bro's birthday, He, She, and His mum and bro convened at the Caribbean- infused Mango room restaurant in Camden. She had the char-grilled pork loin with jerk sauce, while He settled for char-grilled chicken, also with jerk sauce . A plate of mixed leaf salad and two bowls of rice 'n' peas showed their support.

His char-grilled chicken steps into a puddle of jerk

SHE SAYS: Once the din from the Annual Convention of Rip-Roarin' Restaurant Shouters and Hooters died down (upon their departure), I rather enjoyed my sweet and mildly smokey pork plate. The pork was a bit fatty, and the sauce thinner and more sugary than I would prefer, but t was altogether satisfying. The rice and peas were v dry and unappetising, but I put a few down my neck for filler. The salad was a tangy, garlicky surprise, and the bro and I concurred it was one of the best things on the table.

The peas resting in their desert of rice

HE SAYS: Usually this place is a little more low-key in atmosphere, but, being the staff xmas party season, it was brimming with office workers determined to have a good time. This translates to drinking as much as possible and generally trying to be the most loud and obnoxious person in the place. Thus, this was not a good start to our meal.

After a half-hour wait for the table I had booked, We were finally seated. Since We have been to this place a couple of times before, We knew what to expect foodwise and what to order. The jerk sauce in my opinion is pretty good, not too-too shweet and has a subtle hot kick to it. The chicken was tender and not at all dry, unlike the rice and peas, which were a desert of sandy blandness. The salad was a surprising high point, more yummy then a plain mixed leaf salad would have you believe. Must've been the special sauce.

The green salad makes its presence felt

The rowdy tables of drunk revellers left halfway through Our meal, so things ended up on a high note, or perhaps a quiet one at least. Everyone seemed rather satisfied with the meal, which acted as a rehearsal dinner for Our Xmas Day truncated-family festivities.

11.12.08: Tagine redux plus pizza night out

2008-12-12T17:02:00.008Z

Another night apart, 'tis the season. She partied with work colleagues, tasting wine and eating pizza while He warmed up the rest of the tagine and put together a salad of carrot, avo and the mulled wine spiced beetroot.

HE SAYS: I was sad to be eating alone but very happy to be having a second crack at the delish tagine. The flavas had intensified and matured somewhat in the 24 hours it had to chill out, mellow and get to know its fridge buddies a little better. The salad was pretty pedestrian (apart from the beetroot) but I dressed it with some chilli infused olive oil to bring it to life, which it did effortlessly.

SHE SAYS: Truly, I would rather have snuggled up to some seconds of the tagine tonite, but my extra portion will wait for a luxurious lunchtime tomorrow. The wine-tasting thingy added some techical terms to my noggin, confirmed how much I hate Chardonnay, and revealed at least one very interesting orange-blossomy German white I would have loved to sip slowly at home among friends.

The subsequent Thames-side stroll to Gourmet Pizza was less rewarding; this appears to be Pizza Exrpess' riverside cousin. (Of a certainty, they share the same dough-ball-and-garlic- margarine supplier.) My mushroom pizza with spicy chorizo add-on was a minor cut above the normal P.E. offering, though just as impossible to pick up without slice failure (toppings sliding off the soggy paper 'crust'). Still, it gets points for the sauce being less sweet and the toppings less stingy. And everyone was quite well-fed and libationed. Not to sound like a party-pooper, b/c the whole evening was nicely arranged...I've just been spending too much time at work or fretting about it to fully enjoy a colleague outing where the food was not outstanding.

10.12.08: Lamb tagine with carrot, avo and preserved lemon salad

2008-12-12T14:49:00.010Z

He rolled up His sleeves and set to work creating this winter fave of lamb tagine served over couscous. A chopped half of a preserved lemon made a special appearance in the salad along with its friends the avo and friendly carrot.

SHE SAYS: What a huge treat to come home to on a Wed. nite. I sank into my bowl like a bath. The deep mingling of spice and tomato and honey on my tongue was somehow soothing and exciting at the same time, while the lamb fell apart the minute We looked at it, let alone approached with fork. Given all this savoury bliss, I was slightly wary about the added intensity of preserved lemon lurking among the leaves and shreds, but the appropriately small bits of translucent whole lemon resulted in tastebud intrigue, not overkill. Even so, I do think my near-year-old lemon that's left is approaching ammonia level...must find new applications for the remains and start another batch.

HE SAYS: I was very pleased with the outcome of this tonight. I went strictly by the recipe for the spice quantities and, gasp, it worked out well. The lamb was so very tender and butter-like in consistency and all the dried fruit, moist and flavoursome. It's a bit of a to-do getting this one to the table but definitely worth the prep. It tastes like you should feel guilty but fear not, this is a very healthy dish. Dried fruit, tomato juice, naked couscous, no butter, just olive oil and lean lamb chunks make for an indulgent tasting, satisfying bowl.

And wow, the preserved lemons were still okay after about 9 months or so (though slightly more grey then yellow), in fact more intense tasting and so extremely salty. They were like a vegetarian anchovy addition to the salad.

09.12.08: Blk bnz and carrot and beetroot salad

2008-12-12T14:21:00.010Z

She conjured up another dose of blk bnz wonderment, serving it over polenta with added sweetcorn and a mound of avo. The mixed leaf salad kept things simple by offering julienned carrots and some mulled wine-spiced beetroot to the party.

HE SAYS: No complaints from Me about repetition. This batch was as herby and morish as the first time She made them. The sweetcorn helped out the polenta a bit on taste intensity and the avo contributed to the creamy texture factor. Oooh, I luv me some silky smooth, black-skinned legumes, I swear they get my pulses up! The slivers of carrot were so fine in the salad, the beetroot had to up its game to stay in the super salad bowl, that's fo' sure.

SHE SAYS: It's been long enough since I last made the bnz that I actually had to look up my own recipe, but I'm glad I did. Good balance of heat to herb, especially. Only 'enh' factor was the polenta, which could not be coaxed out of a somewhat watery state. Carrot and beetroot partnership was much more harmonious for me than last nite's salad pairing - sweet strips lashing across the allspice tartness, oh my...

08.12.08: Nigella's red prawn and mango curry with a tomato and beetroot salad

2008-12-12T13:49:00.012Z

Deja-who? He decided on a quick 'n' easy one to put together tonight: Nigella's curry which included all the usual good stuff plus some baby corn, too. A new seasonal, mulled wine (or Glögg to Our Nordic readers)-infused beetroot plus tomato relaxed and took it easy on top of some watercress salad.

SHE SAYS: This was a really good batch - not too fish-saucy, and the prawns were nice and tender, with just enough bite. A little heavy on the curry paste, and too spicy for my delicate constitution, but v tasty and satisfying. Baby corn was a decent add-on, though not something I'd go out of my way for in future. Agree with Him the seasonal beetroot was delish, though I'm not a fan of the tomato-beetroot combo.

HE SAYS: It was as good as ever, you can't go wrong with this one (well maybe if you add too much red curry paste, which didn't happen here thankfully). The baby corn cooked a little too much and didn't add much apart from bulk. I'm enjoying the new beetroot in the salad a lot, the mulled wine spices perking things up in the salad bowl, ooh yeah.

07.12.08: Fusion broth with fruity salad

2008-12-08T20:44:00.009Z

Just the ticket for a sniffly Sunday: He pulled together the fusion broth with dry-grilled chicken, rice noodles, and Chinese greens. Salad of tomato, watercress, pear, pomegranate and avo looked on.

HE SAYS: The broth was a little on the spicy side (I think some stray shreds of chili got in the pot as it was cookin'). Good thing it had loads of ginger which made it still fragrant and light. I especially enjoyed the addition of the baby corn, which added a crunchy element to each mouthful. The salad was a shweet affair, maybe too shweet. An experiment with salad fixin' combinations gone too far, perhaps?

SHE SAYS: The chicken was perfecto, but the broth was way too spicy for a fragile throat - I normally prize this dish for its mild nourishment. Still pretty good and I did spoon up my fair share. Could be I was just in a sickie mood all-round, but the salad seemed a bit damp with too many ingredients (not a fan of pear and tomato mixin').

06.12.08: Magic lentils redux plus meatball pasta bake

2008-12-07T11:29:00.014Z

Her leftover magic lentils casting a spell over the salad

By a twist of fate, or perhaps a hole in the space time continuum, He and She were home together but ate different meals. She indulged in the leftover lentils from the nite before while He overindulged in a beef and pork meatball penne pasta bake from Waitrose. In a mark of defiance, They shared the same salad of mixed leaves, beetroot, avo, tomato, carrot and a special guest star - baked butternut squash seeds.

SHE SAYS: A few shakes of hot sauce and I was set to be satisfied. I was even looking forward to these leftovers, as I have a stinkin' cold, and this sort of thing, with its unobtrusive flava and soft textures, goes down easy when you're feeling poorly. Unexpectedly, I also craved the salad once I chewed a radish or two. Normally I don't want anything cold and moist when my throat is sore and my nose is stuffed up, but I went back for greedy scoops of the green and purple and pink. The seeds were ok, not my crunchiest batch ever despite plenty of toasting time, and a little more strongly squash-flavoured than I would like.

His cheesy meatball pasta bake threatening the dainty veggies

HE SAYS: A little overindulgent on the pasta bake, methinks. The colour was a few shades short of being fluorescent orange and the sauce was a little on the shweet side for my taste. But, it was very tasty despite these minor quibbles. The meatballs were the main attraction, I haven't had any such things in a long time, I think I may have been missing out 'cause these were only store bought but still Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy (and bountiful). The cheese quota didn't hurt either. The salad I feel was healthy and virtuous enough to not only ward off the evilness of the bake but also reverse its effects on my colon – that's my story, anyway.

05.12.08: Magic lentils with beetroot, radish and avo salad

2008-12-06T11:35:00.016Z

They both had cravings for some vegan comfort food, and voila! This family fave was rolled out by Her once more, to great applause. A mixed leaf salad of avo, radishes and sweetfire beetroot crept into shot.

HE SAYS: The magic in the lentils tonight was not as powerful as previous go rounds. I suspect it could have been the cheapo coconut milk I picked up at the store. The spice factor was a little subdued and there was a subtle "playdough" type tang to the bowl that was either emanating from the coconut milk or a made-up mental tic going 'round my mind. Still, a merely okay magic lentils dish is still a better-than-average meal compared to some average meals of some average people. The sweet, peppery and crunchy combination of the beetroot and radishes in the salad again managed to cause a stir in salad fixin' community. The avo was a little miffed.

SHE SAYS: Mostly agree with him – this was not a stellar batch, but I'm not sure the coconut milk was at fault. Possibly it was the aged curry powder (We're onto a new box next time), or the broth was a bit weak. I didn't detect the strange tang He did, but I won't quibble – it was all a little off. Texture still shone through for its contrast of creaminess vs the sweet and slightly firm onion bits.

04.12.08: Spelt penne pesto pasta

2008-12-05T15:35:00.013Z

He baked a butternut squash beforehand and defrosted some pesto. She cooked it all up with some portobello mushrooms and thus re-created a squash and mushroom, pesto, spelt penne pasta extravaganza. The bnz and hazelnut salad from last night nuzzled up beside it.

SHE SAYS: Meh. It was ok. The squash mushed up in the pan and didn't exactly stir my appetite. To be fair, I had come home and devoured more smoked salmon than was wise, straight out of the pack, so I really wasn't hungry. The pesto was as deeply delightful as always but I could only toy with my fork and look forward to a speshy lunch. The salad was another overnite champion, staying fresh and crunchy, so I added it to my lunchbox for the next day with quiet anticipation.

HE SAYS: Not the prettiest pasta dish She has ever made but pretty tasty nonetheless. The squash was baked with just olive oil and salt n' pepper allowing, the natural sweetness to come thru and mix with the savouriness of the pesto nicely. The spelt pasta was definitely less heavy on my tum then the usual white variety, and, coupled with the bnz salad, made for delish and healthy grub.

03.12.08: Squid risotto with French bnz and mangetout

2008-12-04T11:42:00.014Z

Eager to expand Their risotto repertoire, He tried out the "easy squid risotto with fresh tomato and parsley" recipe card picked up at the local Waitrose. The French bean and mangetout with hazelnut and orange zest side salad was nabbed from Our new best friend.

HE SAYS: I'm pretty impressed with this new risotto. A very different dish to our regular pesto variety, with far more subtle flavours and subtle overtones. I deviated from the recipe a lot, adding white wine, far more fish stock and more tomatoes. I also cooked the base risotto like the one We usually cook (much faster, and easier to check levels of doneness and add more liquid if necessary) and not by their silly baking method.

The salad was nice and zesty, crunchy and obviously nutty, with the roasted hazelnuts adding intense toasty intrigue to the mix. The orange zest was a little too intermittent in adding citrus so I squeezed half of the orange over the bnz, which helped. The recipe called for hazelnut oil, but I substituted peanut oil and it seemed to work just as well. Overall, a great meal but perhaps less of a winter warmer than is needed with the cold coming in.

SHE SAYS: This has got to be the healthiest indulgence ever, this here risotto. Squid done right always has a slightly sweet taste, but grilled and piled into creamy risotto tinged with tomato acidity, its humble flavour offering develops moreish complexity. He did a great job in deviating from the recipe - not sure this would be quite such a winner without the wine and extra stock, as the flavour was still v. light.

The salad was positively gourmet, with mangetout and green bnz matching crisp to crunch with the roasty hazelnuts (I couldn't stop picking them out of the bowl).

02.12.08: Pizzas n' burgers

2008-12-03T12:25:00.008Z

She had to work late so they went their separate ways for dinner tonight. She was stuck eating office pizza with co-workers while He ate at home. His plate consisted of two burgers with melted mature cheddar and English mustard mayonnaise on toasted green olive ciabattas. An M&S edamame soya bean salad with chili and coriander dressing rounded His plate off nicely.

SHE SAYS: Sorry folks, I just couldn't bring myself to explain to 1/3 of the office why I would take pics of the dreaded Pizza Express pies in their greasy boxes. Actually, I was starving, so it didn't seem as offensive as usual; the sausage and pepperoncini pizza stood out slightly above the rest, which do not deserve mention. I also sampled a bit of the mediocre dough balls that came with cups of garlic margarine, holding out faint hope...but enh. Anyway, it sustained me thru a mildly entertaining evening of sewing up Uglydoll-like xmas pressies for our clients. Had I known what He was having for din-dins, I might have held out.

HE SAYS: I swear, I wasn't trying to make Her jealous or miss out on Her new appreciation of all things meaty, but it just so happened I fancied a burger while she was out. The mayonnaise was frisky with the English mustard addition and helped to moisten the bites of the crusty ciabattas – which, by the way, were also M&S and also tasty. The salad was a crunchy affair and was helped out by the great dressing, which was all things shweet n' spicy.

01.12.08: Pollo alla Cacciatora and cucumber salad

2008-12-03T11:56:00.006Z

They both craved it, and He made it so. Tonight's Cacciatora episode included a special guest appearance of sliced carrot, and, instead of rice, pearled spelt. The cucumber salad was in reruns from last night and, because of its popularity, destined for syndication.

HE SAYS: Apart from the added carrot which gave it a little more depth of flava and the spelt, which lightened up the bowl, things were consistent from the previous outings. Those outings were great and so was this one. The salad scored high marks too, the dressing having marinated the cucumbers a little more from last night.

SHE SAYS: The mere mention of this dish perks me up; it's positively Pavlovian. I thought the carrot a fine addition for bulk, but could easily do without. The spelt added a smooth barley-like texture to the saucy bowl of goodness. I did find myself sneaking more capers from the jar for a touch of vinegary contrast, but I always do that, just don't always mention it. The salad held up well overnight; I thought the coriander might have sogged out, but it didn't.

Top Tip: pour off the dressing into a separate bowl before storing for laters.

Top Tip Deux: there is no way this dressing needs 2 Tbs of poppy seeds, they just sink to the bottom of lots of liquid. What a waste, esp in a land where they are the devil to find. Would do one teaspoon next time.

30.11.08: Channa masala and cucumber & poppyseed salad

2008-12-01T20:53:00.010Z

She took a hint and tried out this channa masala recipe b/c it seemed so easy and eager to please. The debut recipe from our spankin' new Ottolenghi cookbook, cucumber and poppyseed salad, also took a pretty, chili-topped bow.

SHE SAYS: I'm pretty disappointed in this channa attempt, tho' it's probably my own fault for being shy about doubling spices when doubling the chickpea count. (I went for half again, and then nearly triple garam masla at the end upon tasting). The spices simply vanished along the way, leaving me with a pile of velvety but fairly bland chickpeas to spoon thru. Also, I find the high-heat cooking time too long for the spice/onion mix; mine simply started burning. I rescued it more or less in time, but still. The cucumber salad perked me up somewhat with its pickledy sweet-n-sour kick and delicate crunch of both cuke and blue poppyseed.

HE SAYS: I think I was less disappointed in this batch of chickpeas then Her. I enjoyed the spice quota, pretty much, although the garam masala was a little overpowering. I added some homemade tomato chutney to mine which livened it up with a juicy, slightly sweet and tangy element. The cucumber salad was a great fresh and vinegary opponent and a fantastic introduction to a book which I think we'll be using a lot in the near future.

29.11.08: Party food

2008-12-01T20:51:00.011Z

Deadly elderflower martinis

We're lucky in Our friends. One luvvly couple turned 40 this year - one in June, and one this weekend - and they both had the good grace to throw a swell booze-up and invite all their pals. Their last party had Us primed and ready for a smashin' nite out, and in that we were not disappointed.

Sticky wings

A selection of spesh cocktails were shaken and stirred all nite long, while party treats were promptly popped in 'n' out the oven by the brave hired help. (Brave, We say, b/c there was a small mob of greedy folk (Us included) waiting to pounce every time they put on an oven mitt.)

Hot hot hot: mini pizzas

HE SAYS: It may of been considered rude to hover over the servers in the kitchen waiting for hot and tasty treats to emerge from the oven but We did anyway. The mini pizzas were good and fulfilled their role of quenching my alcohol-induced munchies until the next plate emerged. I also enjoyed the wings and especially the 'tater skins, which were light on the load but thankfully heavy on the bacon.

The even hotter potato skins

SHE SAYS: I haven't had a baco-tater skin since my last trip to Fridays, which is beyond my immediate recall, and I rather guiltily enjoyed this pipin' hot reminder. I think the sweet sticky wings were the best, but I only managed to snag one such morsel. Mini pizzas were just what you expect, and I palmed one at every opportunity.

Divine strawberry cream cake

The cake was the real standout here: incredibly fresh strawberries and cream nestled in a light sponge draped with marzipan. It was like the ultimate strawberry shortcake slice, not too sweet ,and perfectly moist. (I had two. That's all I'm admitting to, anyway.) Overall I was a little underfed, but well-libationed, downing rather more than my fair share of elderflower martinis. Va-va-voom!

28.11.08: Re-run of risotto and lasagne episodes

2008-12-01T20:49:00.009Z

Does what it says on the tin: He had yesterday's risotto while She heated up Wednesday's lamb lasagne. Good plan for a Friday nite, yes?

SHE SAYS: Same as Wednesday, though I don't think it improved in the fridge as some casserole-type-things do. Although it's a shame He didn't enjoy it, I'm quite pleased to have all the leftovers to myself (the rest will play a lunchtime role, Methinks).

HE SAYS: Unlike Her meal, I think this risotto benefited from a night out in the fridge with its food friends and seemed to mature a bit in flava and gooey loveliness. I remembered to sprinkle some parmesan to top it off nicely. A salad of sweetfire beetroot, avo, pear, carrot and mixed leaves left me fulfilled and extremely satisfied.

27.11.08: Pea, pesto and mushroom risotto

2008-11-28T13:23:00.011Z

Playing it safe, He put together this favourite made up of peas, homemade sundried tomato pesto, regular mushrooms and dried porcini 'shrooms too, pairing it with a spinach salad of avo, julienned carrots, and physalis. And he even managed to plate it in time to get Us out the door for a members-only open house at the Tate.

HE SAYS: I think the dried porcini mushrooms added another kind of intense savoury flavoursome something to this batch. I forgot to dress it with the usual sprinkle of parmesan cheese and basil but I don't think it suffered for it. The avo was nice and creamy in the salad tonight, by the way.

SHE SAYS: Always cheered to see a bowl of this risotto coming my way. The usual raves apply: garlic-basil-parmesan heaven from the pesto; luxurious texture from the arborio rice; and a subtle richness from tthe mushrooms. Quibble: the peas needed a little more time to soften, but they were ok. Thouroughly enjoyed the mix of sweet, tart, crisp and smoooooth from the salad too.

26.11.08: Lamb Lasagne

2008-11-28T12:36:00.009Z

Trying hard to make up for last week's baked dish disaster, He went to work cooking up a minced lamb, spinach, carrot, onion, peas and many cheeses lasagna. A radish, spinach and physalis salad poked its head 'round the corner.

HE SAYS: I haven't cooked minced lamb before and I'm not adverse to eating or cooking lamb usually, but I quickly realised that cooking the minced variety is gross and the smell makes me want to gag. So I was put off my food from the start, and the rest of the ingredients, including the sea of cheese, could not hide the lamby taste of the lamb. Now even the thought of it makes me feel ill. I should've just used minced beef instead or the quorn alternative. The salad was a refreshing refuge and helped fill me up. Aaaarrrgh.

SHE SAYS: This is one of those rare nites when we completely differ in our dinner reviews. I absolutely loved this indulgent pasta pie. Prob'ly helps that I didn't cook the mince. (I do recall feeling similar revulsion when attempting to cook minced turkey years ago.)

Truly, this dish was really just a lamb and cheese conveyor, but I thoroughly enjoyed the very lamby taste he despised, and thought the lasagne would have had little flavour without it. Really not so in favour of the quorn substitution unless a heavier flavour playa is introduced next time, too - maybe some sundried tomatoes? Meanwhile, the salad played its role of fresh crunch provider with slightly acidic dignity thanks to the physalis.

25.11.08: Fusion broth with grilled chicken

2008-11-28T10:42:00.007Z

She whipped up this fragrant winter warmer of a dish: Jamie Oliver's fusion broth with dry-grilled chicken plus ginger, Chinese greens (pak choi), and rice noodles. A spinach salad of pear, radish and chopped beetroot waited in the wings.

HE SAYS: This dish was lovely and warm in my tummy on this cold night. You can't go wrong with juicy grilled chicken swimming in a nice and savoury, salty broth. Add in some red pepper for some heated distraction and lime for a zesty, piquant overtone and I'm a happy camper. The pear and radish in the salad did their usual magic too.

SHE SAYS: Def. one of the most delicious healthy dishes we do - can't believe it's been hiding away in the Naked Chef book all these years (about 8?). Brothy and tangy and everything He said. The main risk is adding too much soy sauce at the end, and I was afraid I did, as the soup turned an ominous shade of brown, but the first tentative taste reassured me it was just shy of overload. (Note to self - less than 1/4 cup, more like a Tbsp.) Salad was sweet and crunchy as par, but not attracting me whole lot tonite.

24.11.08: Out to Mildreds

2008-11-28T10:04:00.020Z

After an evening of thought-provoking storytelling in town, They decided to introduce the veggie wonders of Mildred's to some willing compatriots.

HE SAYS: I had the veggie burrito (above) once again and I was not disappointed. The pinto bnz were yum: tender and well seasoned. Loads of fresh salsa, guacamole and sour cream helped the deliciousness factor a little too, I'm sure. The pud that She and I shared was dark and dense and richly satisfying. After a few pints and sharing a bottle of wine, We stumbled home late, me more than slightly tipsy but ultimately pleased I didn't need to drive the porcelain bus that night.
SHE SAYS: Funnily enough, I had the same thing I did last time we came here - sunblushed tomato and buffalo mozzarella risotto cakes served with wilted spinach, green beans and grape mustard cream sauce. Really, I wasn't sure when I ordered it if it was quite the same item. My mind conspired with my tummy, then, to have this combo of creamy, fresh and just a tad zesy all over again. And thanks to our dining companions, there was more to come...

Some sort of choccy tofu chzcake with whole raspberries in. Not truly as good as it sounds or looks – the choccy was not so prominent and I'm not sure I exactly love the rasberry-choc combo anyway. But it was a splendid idea.

23.11.08: Leftovers, a little bit of everything

2008-11-23T22:02:00.005Z

She warmed up the extras from last night's 'do plus some red prawn and mango curry from earlier this week. The scallop-looking spuds are also from yesterday, but they're the ones that got away (from the frying pan). She'd boiled up a lot of potato slices in prep for the panch phora part of the programme, but after two fry-batches, She raised a little white flag and stored the rest of the parboils in the fridge.

SHE SAYS: It was like one of those retrospective shows that clog the telly these days: instead of Best Comedy Catchphrases or Wrinkly Remains of '80s Pop Stars, we had Mealtime Hits o' the Week. Well, anyway. You already know what we thought of the individual elements. The curry played nicely and spicily with the other foodstuffs, and if there was a little tastebud confusion, it was a small price to pay for so much enjoyment and so little work.

HE SAYS: I admit, I wasn't convinced the shrimp red curry would still be be okay tonight. I was very wrong. It was better then alright, and so was the rest of the meal. The boiled potatoes reminded the rest of the plate that plain doesn't always mean boring: a little salt and pepper and a shake of hot sauce brought them out of their skins.

22.11.08: Dinner party with friends

2008-11-23T14:21:00.008Z

We invited over some friends and gave a little sumpin' sumpin' of a dinner party. She finds it hard not o try and impress, and so prepared a rather fine variety of vittles: braised carrots from Eating Well, Real Simple's chicken marsala, Ramsey's sautéed potatoes with panch phora, and Nigel Slater's fennel, pear and watercress salad. For dessert (yes, there was dessert! at home, even!) we tucked into baked ricotta with carmelised peaches - also from Ramsey.

HE SAYS: We haven't had the carrots or the chicken dish for a long time, but both were as tasty as I remembered. The carrots had a lovely jammy texture with a hint of sweetness and quite a robust citrus kick to them, I likey a lot. The masala chix finely balances the saltiness of the pancetta with the sweeter masala wine sauce. Ramsey's potatoes were also a success (I could've done with more seasoning on them, but that's a small quibble). Salad was a crunchy affair which worked well with the rest of the plate and the dessert was simply gorgeous: subtle creamy peach infused ricotta, what more could I want?

SHE SAYS: I thought the carrots were brill: spiky flavours joined forces with soft textures to deliver a hearty wake-up call to my tongue. (I fear our guests, who are French and take ther food v. seriously, were not as impressed with the garlic-lemon pairing, but c'est la vie.)

I'd debated whether the panch phora potats were worth the extra spicing, but a quick check back to our previous attempt showed it would be worthwhile, and I thoroughly enjoyed the hints of fennel and onion seed...really, how can you miss with homefries, however fancy or plain?

Chicken was delish and had fancy sauce on it - style and substance, that's what I was going for, people. A prosciutto wrap is such a cheat, anytime, but your humble chicky breast needs to dress to impress. I took mine slow to enjoy the savoury nature with the capers' floral uplift.

Our guests seemed most intrigued by the salad, which does deliver a taste sensation much more than the sum of its parts. Something about pear, lime and fennel creates another flavour entirely: sweet + acid + aniseed = transcendent.

Dessert was okay. The peaches were meltingly sweet and tingly, but the ricotta was pretty bland, and maybe a little odd for being served hot.

21.11.08: Sheesh Mahal takeaway

2008-11-22T11:26:00.011Z

They decided to have a Friday night in around the telly with a curry. He contacted the Sheesh Mahal hotline and half an hour later a colourful plate was made. They proceeded to dig into a plate of chicken tikka masala, lamb rezalla, chana bhajee with pilau rice and a spinach, beetroot salad. Geeta's chutneys aided and abetted.

SHE SAYS: All good in the neighborhood with the smoky chickpeas rating highest on my list. I do think they make some dishes too sweet, and I'm afraid this extends to the CTM. Lamb rezalla calmed it all down with deep tomatoey savouriness, and I probably spooned a little too much tangy chtuney for my own good.

HE SAYS: There is nothing nicer then a curry on a Friday night. Rich, satisfying and spicy, I have nothing bad to say about our local Indian emporium. The lamb rezalla is always a treat with large chunks of meat smothered and covered by a fragrant array of onions and spices, mmmm.

PS: One of Our two readers has reminded Us we could and should make our own channa masala, and her channa recipe does look mighty simple and good. This is the same lady who magicked up the saag paneer recipe we luv, so you know it'll be good.

20.11.08: Blk bnz with a pear and tomato salad

2008-11-21T12:08:00.009Z

He escorted this ole fave to the table. Herby blk bnz with avo were the headline while the pear, tomato and shredded beetroot salad offered moral support.

HE SAYS: Lots and lots of fresh coriander was duly chopped and placed in the pot for this batch (about a handful or two over the normal quota) and the result was herbtastic. Unfortunately I cooked up brown rice instead of the silky smooth palenta that we've come to know and luv, making it feel a little heavy on the tum. Still, a satisfying bowl of wonderfulness was had by all two of us. As for the salad - lovely, pear is the new radish this week for me.

SHE SAYS: Truly excellent batch o' bnz. Adding lots of coriander is one of the keystones of aromatic black bnz (selectively pureeing to release full flavour is the other), but he took it to a new height tonite. It really was too-too. I did wish we'd had polenta, though - perhaps you've noticed we're a little riced out this week? Wasn't sure how tomato would take to pear, but they traded sweet for acidic well enough.

19.11.08: Red prawn and mango curry

2008-11-21T11:49:00.007Z

After He unsettled their taste buds last night, She fell back on the true and trusted red prawn and mango curry made with butternut squash, sweet potato and mango, courtesy of Nigella Express. Adding the surprise elements to the evening were some leftover baby sweetcorn to the curry, and taking the place of the usual brown rice, some pearled spelt. A mixed leaf, avo, carrot and sweetfire beetroot salad appeared before their eyes.

SHE SAYS: I applied some good technique tonite - scooping out the prawns after only two minutes while the mango and lime juice bubbled away a bit longer to establish their flavours - so the prawns were delicate and juicy once reintroduced to the bowl. Plenty of coconut milk (1/3 can more than recommended) ensured a nice, light colour and undercut the fish sauce just enough. Salad was a perfect match in colour and clever counterpoint in texture, with plenty of crunch. Carrot and avo are esp good partners; who knew?

HE SAYS: I never tire of this one. The baby sweetcorn added a little crunchy variety and the pearled spelt was a revelation. Much lighter in texture than rice, subtle but distinguishable flava and it had a similar taste sensation to eating tapioca balls in bubble tea, very cool. Julienned carrots in salad are always a nice touch.

18.11.08: Vegetable cottage pie

2008-11-21T11:22:00.007Z

He picked up this recipe from the local Waitrose and proceeded to construct this vegetable pie. Hiding underneath the parsnip and apple mash topping was a quorn, carrot, onion, tomato, peas and redcurrant jelly filling. A side of grilled thinly sliced courgettes and baby sweetcorn stood by. Nestled next to it was a pear, beetroot and rocket salad.

HE SAYS: Unfortunately this pie looked a lot better on the recipe card then it tasted in person. Too, too sweet and the ingredients sort of clashed with one another. It was quite the undertaking to get this one to the table so my disappointment level was larger. The side of courgettes and baby sweetcorn was pretty nice and lifted my spirits somewhat, but there weren't enough of them to jettison the pie and treat them as the main part of the meal. Hot sauce did manage to pep the pie up at least to make it edible. Thankfully, the pear-beetroot combo was a treat in the salad portion of the programme.

SHE SAYS: Um, not so much, I'm afraid. It was edible enough I couldn't justify binning it, but it was not nice to work thru: as He says, a strange combo of sweet and bland, as well as stodgy and almost dry. Not the gravy-pie experience I was hoping for. This is the kind of dish that gives vegetarian food a bad name. It's not His fault, though - a closer look at the recipe shows this ickiness was inevitable.

The courgette and sweetcorn dish was surprisingly yummy, the olive oil adding depth to the roasty sweetness. Salad offered welcome freshness, though I was in no mood for more sweet stuff.

17.11.08: Magic lentils with pear and tomato salad

2008-11-18T17:27:00.007Z

She quickly whipped up the magic lentils tonight consisting of coconut dal with spinach plus brown rice with all the usual spices. A pear and tomato spinach salad pushed its way into the spotlight.

SHE SAYS: What He says.

HE SAYS: Creamy - check. Spicy - check. All round yummy - check. Another great batch of the splendific magical lentils. The salad weren't half bad neither (you can't beat a nice, ripe pear in a salad, that is fo' sure).

16.11.08: Breakfast 4 dinner

2008-11-18T16:58:00.004Z

She put on her pinny and served up some brekky in the evening. On the plate were: pork n' apple chipolatas, black bnz, plum tomato and balsamic vinegar salsa, cheddar cheese omelet, plain bagel and a fig and carrot mixed leaf salad.

HE SAYS: Always somewhat of a treat to do a great switcheroo with the meals. The tomato salsa thang was incredible, very tangy and morish. The blk beans were from a box of dried flakes that we brought over from our trip to the States. They were pretty good, a little soupy, but next time we'll add less water and all will be right with the world.

The chipolata snausages never let us down, and as always they were tasty but We did miss the maple syrup which is their perfect accompaniment. The omelet was good and cheesy and best eaten in combination with the bagel, so I tried to construct a breakfast sandwich by towering all the ingredients on top of one another but feared a collapse. Quickly rethought my plans and carried out a controlled demolition, eating each ingredient one by one. Luckily no one was harmed.

SHE SAYS: Aah, yum. Brekky really is the perfect dinner, esp when there are apple-packed, sage-kissed chipolatas to be had. I slathered the sweet-tang tomato salsa (just tomatoes and balsamic vinegar cooked down in the pan after the sausages) all over my bagel slice and took it slow. Agree with Him about the bnz - will do better next time, but still amazed by how nice they are. I wouldn't consider them a replacement for my aromatic black bnz, but they make a great snack or quickie side dish. Ashamed to say I was too full for salad and had to have mine next day!

15.11.08: Pesto pasta with carrot and pumpkin seed salad

2008-11-16T10:43:00.007Z

He remembered to defrost the fresh sundried tomato pesto He'd made a few weeks ago and She came up with tonight's dinner plan as well as cookin' and stirrin' the pesto, some spelt penna pasta, grilled portobello mushrooms, grilled butternut squash and parmesan shavings. The salad was a concise affair: julienned carrots and roasted pumpkin seeds on a bed of mixed leaves. The rest of the wasabi dressing stood by to help out.

HE SAYS: She added some white wine to the mix and it helped add a more rounded, intense flavour to the ever so rich and satisfying milieu. The mushrooms were meaty and the squash was an inspired choice with its sweet syrupy deliciousness shining thru. The pesto was a pretty good batch; it freezes well and defrosts in seconds (okay, a few hours). It's miles above the oily stuff available in stores. Roasted pumpkin seeds make any salad better but especially this one. (Paired with its orange cousin, the humble but brilliant carrot, it seemed to try a little harder to impress).

SHE SAYS: I was slightly afraid the butternut would be a bit too heavy with the pasta, but it simply added a nice Thanksgiving-like note to the proceedings. I only salt 'n' peppered the squash this time before roasting, and it was still amazingly sweet, proving the perfect foil for the soy-sauce drizzled mushrooms and mmmworthy tangy, garlicky pesto. (This sounds like too high a pile of flava-flavs, but it all balanced in an autumal savoury way). Would def. pair butternut and mushrooms again. Salad offered a similarly sweet, roasty flavours, but added crunch and bite.

14.11.08: Pollo alla Cacciatora and beetroot, mozz and avo salad

2008-11-15T14:10:00.016Z

Instead of going out to eat as is usual on a Friday nite, they instead stayed in as He rustled up this familiar favourite resplendent with cannellini bnz, chix thighs, pancetta, crushed tomatoes and the usual herby goodness. A mozz, sweetfire beetroot, and avo salad served as its willing accomplice.

SHE SAYS: Perfect herb-heightened and tomatoey, chicken-brothy flavour, marred only by the firm-skinned bnz, which really needed some stewin'. He took Nigella at her word and served up after merely stirring them in. They've got to mellow, dude. Mozz was a pleasing surprise, subtly creamy in taste and with that fun pull-apart stringy texture.

HE SAYS: I should've cooked the bnz a little longer as they were a little less then tender but still edible. I added twice the recommended amount of the pancetta cubes although I felt it ultimately didn't benefit from the indulgence. The addition of a few shakes of hot sauce helped brighten its taste, adding to the richness, and after adding the forgotten capers (which are not part of the original recipe), the bowl delivered on its delish promise. I went back for a second heaping bowlful, obviously. The salad had a good balance of creaminess from the cheese and fruity sharpness thanks to the sweetfire beetroot; I managed a second serving of it and thus cleaned the bowl, burp.

13.11.08: Mac n' cheese and Quorn with fennel salad

2008-11-15T14:08:00.007Z

Using one of the culinary treats brought back from the States, She enthusiastically put together the evening meal which included Annie's rice pasta mac n' cheese, quorn cutlets and snap peas. The fennel, radish, and spinach salad felt jealous and missed its pomegranate companion.

HE SAYS: Yum. It's been a long while since we ate mac n' cheese at home and it felt sooo good. Since it was wheat-free it also felt oh-so-virtuous. The quorn was crispy but I missed its usual pasta sauce accomplice to aid in alleviating the dryness quota (the mac n' cheese was too good on it's own to combine with other bites). The snap peas were nice if a little boring but they helped highlight the taste sensation of the pasta even more.

SHE SAYS: This meal was like a throwback to 2003, when we ate Annie's mac 'n' cheese every week, with Boca burgers. I reeeeally wish we'd brought home a crate or so of this v. American delicacy, but have you seen what they're charging for overweight luggage these days? anyway, it was perfectly creamy and tasty, and the pasta lost nothing for being rice, not wheat. Agree with him the quorn could've used some saucy assistance, but I speared the plain but perfectly al dente snap peas with some of the quorn bites to help.

12.11.08: White bnz, chorizo and greens with carrot and pomegranite salad

2008-11-13T19:13:00.010Z

She made the white bnz tonight with canellini bnz, chorizo, curly kale and onions, then got out the KTOTY, julienned a carrot and added it to the slightly familiar spinach and pomegranate salad.

SHE SAYS: Good but not as good as some previous incarnations; I think the kale blanded it out a bit, and possibly stole most of the brothy and chorizo flavours, b/c when tasted alone the kale was fab. We keep noticing how nice the onions are in beany dishes, they add a lot more texture than you'd think. Nope, not tired of pome-spinach salad yet, esp when guest star j. carrot is in the house - made it extra juicy and injected some sly sweetness.

HE SAYS: This was another big bowl of steaming goodness. The kale was a little heavy as greens go and added little flava to the broth but the onions and bnz more then made up for it. The carrot helped pep things up in the salad bowl and succeded in making the pomegranate (wow that exotic fruit does yield a lot, but then again it's a pain to harvest their seeds) seem less of a tired old rerun, like Bill Murray in Groundhog day.

11.11.08: Lemon chicken with radish and pomegranate salad

2008-11-13T19:09:00.009Z

The week of family faves continues with the obligatory lemon chicken, lovingly prepared and roasted by Him. A spinach salad of pomegranate and radishes crept into the picture.

HE SAYS: After weeks away I began to question my love for the lemon chicken; how foolish I was to ever doubt the power of this hearty, zesty treat. The 'taters were crunchy outside and fluffy inside; the chix was tender, juicy and crispy; the green bnz, garlicky, lemony and light. What more could you ask for? The salad offered two types of peppery sensory experiences with the pomegranate and radishes competing for my attention.

SHE SAYS: Like He says, never was the deeply familiar such a good surprise. This time I think the green bnz absorbed more than their fair share of flavour, but draping my chicken with the jammy lemons added plenty to the palate-teasing taste o' chicken. Salad continues to add extra-satisfying crunch after weeks mostly without.

10.11.08: Nigella's chickpeas with pomegranate and avo salad

2008-11-11T17:21:00.008Z

After a while away, a week of classic meals was in order to get back on track. Thus, she cooked up the chickpea staple, adding the ho-made harissa for good measure. A spinach, avo and pomegranate salad nudged into frame.

SHE SAYS: Now I'm feelin' it - that evening pleasure that only the classics can deliver. Velvety soft chickpeas with cumin-seed fragrance got the necessary garlic and coriander spice kick from the harissa, and the salad was just what I'd been missing from our travels: a cool, fresh, tart counterpoint to savoury bliss.

HE SAYS: As good a batch as ever, the chickpeas still silky and flavorsome with the harissa propelling it skywards in taste and yuminess. The salad was sproused up with the pomegranate seeds, which added a certain fruity, tangy and peppery touch that only pomegranate seeds can deliver.

09.11.08: Pork vindaloo with fennel and pomegranate salad

2008-11-11T17:15:00.019Z

She craved some home-cooked Indian-inspired nosh, and so whipped up this family fave consisting of: pork loin, vindaloo sauce, fragrant brown rice and a spinach, fennel and pomegranate salad in record time.

HE SAYS: Nice to have a home-cooked meal after 3 weeks of restaurant food (I could never be a restaurant critic however much it looks like the best job in the world) and one we haven't had in a while to boot. I think one jar of the vinderloo sauce was plenty in this version. The flavas were intense, especially the rice with the added cinnamon, and I was grateful for the mild fresh salad which offset them. The pork was a little overcooked, but all in all, a very nish winter warmer of a meal.

SHE SAYS: I wasn't sure how much cooking mojo I could muster - still jet-lagged after long intervals of slumber and waking - but once I thought of Indian food, I had to have it. This is probably the easiest of Indian dishes we make, and it's the only one that uses a bottled sauce to good effect. It was deeply satisfying, esp paired with the tart, bracingly crunchy salad. I think I probably feel asleep again as soon as I put down my fork...

08.11.08: Boiled egg, miso and cuppa

2008-11-11T17:06:00.008Z

After hours upon hours of travel we arrived back in London early in the morning, totally jet-lagged. We slept slept thru the entire day after which She proceeded to conjure up this late night snack/dinner at 2am (US time). The meal for Her consisted of miso soup with glass noodles and spinach with a side of boiled eggs sans soldiers and a freshly brewed cup of tea. For Him, a Marmite bagel with boiled egg was on the menu (not pictured) plus sips of Her soup and his own cup of cha.

HE SAYS: Ooooh, that tea tasted good. Oh, and the egg and Marmite combo is only second to the grilled cheese and Marmite option in my pantheon of delicious midnight munchy food. I helped Her finish the soup and noodles and it was also tasty, in fact, what with the Marmite and miso I nearly went into umami diabetic shock.

SHE SAYS: I pretty much sank into that soup, still feeling really fragile, and dipping into the egg with a teaspoon, sprinkling salt along the way, seemed pure plain-food heaven. Glass noodles are not ideal in miso, but they filled the role of life-giving starch nicely. This meal gave me just enough energy to stumble back to bed for a few more hours!

07.11.08: Plane food again

2008-11-11T17:05:00.009Z

Ho-hum. On our way back to Blighty, we had no choice but to tuck into some sort of chicken and veg casserole, plus a green salad with what turned out to be freshwater mozzarella, a slice of apple pie, bread roll with butter pat, and a mini-Crunchie bar. We did have a choice of wine, however: French or California.

SHE SAYS: Top tip - if you have a choice of wine regions on the plane, always pick French! My wine was far more palatable than his, nicely balanced with a pleasing touch of acidity. The chicken etc. was passable, decent frozen food-grade. Salad was bland but fine, and the apple pie had noticeable hints of cinnamon...if only it weren't quite so very cold! Crunchie bars are always welcome, and this time I had it straightaway - no pocketing for later.

HE SAYS: The Air steward missed our row as he was giving out the meals, and when I managed to get his attention they were out of choices, so it was the chicken or nought. I didn't expect much but this meal was actually worse then the meal on the outbound journey: watery and soupy with a sweet tomato sauce and rubbery chicken. I was glad we got a Crunchie, one of my fave chocolate bars second only to a DAIM bar. The salad and apple pie were okay, my wine was insipidly dreadful.

06.11.08: Home cookin' w/relations, NYC, NY

2008-11-11T17:04:00.013Z

His aunt 'n' uncle have given us ample houseroom in NYC quite a few times now, in their lovely upper east side doorman building. And if that weren't enough, they agreed to feed us, too. A very welcome spread of roast chicken and veg (turnips, blue potatoes, sweet potatoes and shallots, a heaping emerald pile of steamed spinach, and a salad of leaves and radishes (how did they know?) out a homey finishing touch to our holiday dinner adventures. (Dessert of strawberries and blueberries baked up with touches of cream and brown sugar didn't go amiss, either.) It's been a treat most of the time, but We are rarin' to get back in Our own kitchen!

HE SAYS: Simple home goodness was on the menu for tonite. You can't beat a freshly roasted organic chicken, and with the veggie medley I was satisfied enough. Add in a green salad and a glass or two of wine and it made a cosy end to a great trip.

SHE SAYS: Properly nourishing and tasty, with perfectly seasoned chicken and naked spinach - it was the most welcome kind of plain, soothing and filling. Note to Self: blue potatoes are extra-sweet, how innaresting. Many thanks to his NYC relatives for giving us yet another excellent welcome and comfy hospitality.

The Dinner4deux vacation diary: proof we took notes and didn't make it up off the top of our heads when we got back

05.11.08: Bali Nusa Indah, NYC, NY

2008-11-11T17:03:00.013Z

Which do We devour first?

Another long-lost pal, Candy Sue, directed us to a swell Indonesian joint in Hell's kitchen where the three of us proceeded to feast like royalty on a set meal that included (deep breath):

Krupuk - shrimp crackers
Gado-Gado - mixed salad with a tangy peanut sauce dressing
Sato Madura - chicken broth with cellophane noodles and bean sprouts
Ikan Pepes - broiled red snapper fillet with lemongrass sauce wrapped in a banana leaf Rendang Padang - tender beef simmered in a coconut and chilli sauce
Kari Kambing - lamb curry
Ayam Asam Manis - chicken with garlic, onion, scallion, in a sweet and sour sauce
Kari Sayuran - vegetable curry
Sambay goreng udang buncis - stir-fried spicy hot shrimps and stringbeans
Satay Ayam - chicken satay with peanut sauce dressing
Sarikayo - steamed coconut cream custard and palm sugar

Satay Ayam, or chicken satay with peanut sauce dressing to you

SHE SAYS: Shame on me for calling to mind only peanut satay upon first hearing "Indonesian". This was really too good: The soup bright with lemongrass, the salad deeply flavoured with fish sauce, all of the main dishes rich without being heavy. The greenbnz & scallops stood out as mild and moreish. The Satay Ayam was tender and p'nutty.

Shrimp crackers We gobbled up

Best of all was...the beef! The coconut and insistent citrus flavours worked my tastebuds to a tickle. The only dish I didn't sneak more of was the Ayam Asam Manis - bit sweet for me, and there was just too much gourmet goodness to be had. Dessert was chai-like in taste, and calming. Meanwhile catching up with Candy added great spice and enjoyment to the whole endeavor. Girl, get over to London already!

The fragrant rice was nice

HE SAYS: Have to agree with Her, this was a great evening. Firstly, it's been too long since we connected with the fantastic Candy, a swell chick that we used to roll with back in the day. Secondly, the food was not just your Indonesian wanna-be joint. We have been trying to budget a little on the last leg of our trip but the set menu was too inviting to pass up. Again, I agree with Her that the beef was great, the scallops very morish. The pudding was a little too sweet for my tastes.

The Sarikayo dessert She liked more than He did

04.11.08: Election nite w/ Alex and Amy's, NYC, NY

2008-11-11T16:54:00.014Z

We love Obama! And Obama cake, thoughtfully provided by our hosts.

Well, you'll have guessed already this turned out to be a celebration feast, complete with friends we haven't seen for far too long. Amy & Alex magicked up some fantastically indulgent macaroni n' cheese; grilled some generous cheese burgers; and mixed up a salad of green leaves, raisins, sweet pepper, cucumber, and some sort of tasty vinaigrette. Although We didn't manage to snap a sneaky pic of the meal we did pop a pic of dessert: a special funny confection Alex had picked up and called Obama cake. Lest you think this choccy reference was all in bad taste, may we assure you that we all thought the nite's outcome, like the cake, was so, so very sweet.

SHE SAYS: Well, that does it: I eat beef now. In-N-Out was not just an anomaly (Fact: I've not eaten beef willingly my entire life, in any form, whether McD's or Mignon - until this week!). The burgers were med-rare and grilled with a hint of smokiness and topped with some nice white cheddar, plus Our pick of tomato, lettuce, and the usual condiments.

But it's the macaroni I savoured most. So creamy, piquant and uniquely American. The spiral pasta was very substantial and in generous supply - such a treat after a whole day's near-fast of airline peanuts, 1 granola bar, and a vanilla yoghurt. The salad offered cool comfort and contrast, while the moussey Obama cake delivered sweet creamy bliss. With the added, intense enjoyment of reuniting with long-held friends, plus the euphoria of the 11pm announcement, this may well win "Happiest dinner of 2008" all 'round. Thanks to Alex and Amy for being hostesses with the mostesses.

HE SAYS: After a hectic day of travel, nearly missing our flight from LAX to NYC, it was so good to meet up with old friends, good food and entertainment. The burgers were juicy and tender, heaped with large tomatoes, onions and salad; it left little room on the plate for the fantastically indulgent and spicy 'ome-made mac n' cheese. It surely was the creamiest and cheesiest version I've had the pleasure of scoffing. The salad was definitely a bit player in the scheme of things but still tasty with added interest from the inclusion of sweet raisins.

The chocolate dessert was intensely chocolatey, rich and funny. Not sure what we would've made of McCain cake but I'm sure it wouldn't have been so deeply satisfying and tasty (I'm not such a fan of white chocolate either).

03.11.08: Pinches Tacos w/guest, Los Angeles, CA

2008-11-10T16:09:00.007Z

Her spicy pork, nopales, and pollo mole taco plate

Our dear, longtime pal Martin guided us safely to this smashing taqueria he described as 'humble but good'. Accurate, but let Us intensify that second bit: fresh, delicious, well-balanced, and very well-priced.

SHE SAYS: My combination plate of three tacos - nopales (cactus), spicy pork, and pollo mole (chicken) - accompanied by rice and tortilla chips plus pinto bnz, was by far the best Mexican fare of the trip. The firm, juicy cactus, well seasoned and slightly crispy pork chunks, and, above all, the deeply savoury chocolatey mole all had me wanting more, if only I wasn't pushing my waistband limit already. The mole esp showcased the chocolate as it should be in a mole sauce: not sweet, or vinegary, or overly tangy, just richly approaching bitter with a hint of cinnamon for flavour equilibrium. And no wonder, given that it's a family recipe unchanged for 114 years, according to the PR on their website.

The pinto bnz did their best to match all the other goodness going on with a rib-sticking creaminess and a satisfying measure of salt. We shared a Coke since it came in a bottle (seems nicer somehow). And the company of our Mexifood sherpa completed the feeling of good, lively nourishment and pleasure.

His shrimp burrito

HE SAYS: I felt like we redeemed our last Los Angeles Mexican experience with the meal we had this evening. I ordered the shrimp burrito first, which was packed with fresh big ones. The portion was not giant, but manageable. I espescially enjoyed the zestiness of the salsa, which I applied generously like hot sauce.

After scoffing the burrito I couldn't help but order my own mole chicken taco after tasting a little of Hers. The mole sauce was how it should be: a savoury base with subtle sweetness. The chicken was shredded and tender, and the salsa added fresh herby heat. It was great to have fantastic food while we caught up with an old friend before having a few drinks at a bar a few blocks away.

Martin's pork and pollo tacos

02.11.08: Corktree Cellars, Carpinteria, CA

2008-11-10T16:05:00.009Z

His flatiron steak with sweet potato fries

We stopped in this little joint on the sleepy main street of this charming little beach town for an aperitif, intending to roll down to the old hotel down the road for a slap-up seafood meal. But. One glance around the dining room of The Palms - brightly lit salad bar, dimly lit and dreaded 'carving station' - and we fled back to the cosy Cork.

HE SAYS: I had the flatiron steak with a pinot noir reduction gravy and a green salad with blue cheese, walnuts, and balsamic vinaigrette dressing. On the side, I tucked into some crunchy sweet potato fries with a creole mustard dip. We sat at the bar, and the staff were friendly and prompt.

My steak was cooked just right and very tender. The pinot noir reduction was darkly flavoursome with a fruity note. I loved the fries, which were very crispy and slightly sweet, glazed with rock salt. The mustard dip, although a little weird, really balanced the sweetness and delivered a little tang to my tongue. I was happy to have stumbled upon this quiet little Sideways-esque bistro in such a quaint little beach town.

Her lobster melt and nice salad

SHE SAYS: I've not been able to avoid bread as much as I normally do while travelling and still enjoy an affordable, satisfying meal. So I went for broke: the lobster melt with havarti and an excellent salad of field greens, purple haze goat chz, caramelised beets and almonds, plus a citrus vinaigrette, proved not too bloaty and didn't break the bank.

The lobster chunks were sweet and tender, and the havarti was judiciously applied to merely bind bread and seafood, not overwhelm. The vinaigrette was v. light with a hint of grapefruit, and our barmistress later confirmed they put no oil in it. Casual gourmet, all in all, and well-suited to both our needs and wants for the evening.

01.11.08: In-N-Out Burger, San Diego, CA

2008-11-10T16:02:00.007Z

His double cheeseburger deluxe with fries

It's a dream He's treasured ever since reading about it in Fast Food Nation: to dine at one of only two(?) fast food chains even Eric Schlosser could approve of, CA's In-N-Out Burger. There was only one catch: She doesn't eat beef. And they don't do chicken.

A brief negotiation ensued. She protested She could just have some fries and get a snack elsewhere if needed. He protested that it wasn't a full meal, and he didn't want to drive farther in search of more food at 9pm if She still had an appetite (admittedly likely). She prevailed...and there was a surprise yet to come!

Her reg'lar cheeseburger - first ever!

SHE SAYS: That's right - I succumbed! Fully, happily, greedily. I started out with the fresh-cut, all-potato fries, but kept eyeing His double whammy of a burger. Gosh, but it smelled good! So...I had a taste. And then, as if my tum exerted a will of its own, I found myself at the counter inside plunking down $2.10 for my first-ever (ever!) full-fledged cheeseburger (no onions, thankyou).

It was chargrilled, not overdone, and pleasingly coated in some very American cheese. not too salty, not drowned in sweet relishes and ketchup. It was actually better than some so-called gourmet (lamb) burgers I've had. The fries were a little dry, but purely potato - no sugarcoating going on here. I don't think I'll be seeking out more beef for comparison, tho'; in In-N-Out I trust!

In-N-Out vs Mickey-D's!

HE SAYS: It may look a little like a Mickey-D's, but the burgers are a lot better. The limited menu gave me no choice but to sample their double cheeseburger deluxe and freshly cut fries. I went back for a single cheeseburger just to fill out the edges and that also satisfied my burger craving. I espesh liked the crispy onion and lettuce garnish that came with. A cheap and easy eating solution. Why can't all fast food be this fresh and good?

31.10.08: Kiki Sushi, San Diego, CA

2008-11-10T15:57:00.011Z

Nothing spooky about the offerings at Kiki Sushi, tho' raw food on Hallowe'en is entirely appropo. Nothing fancy about the locale or location, either, but it was nice to sit outside on the deck and watch the revelers parade by (pirates are a big theme in a city by the bay, doncha know). And now, on with the show:

Miso
Salmon and tuna sashimi
Veggie roll: cuke, avo, some kind of mushroom stuff, sesame
Eel roll
Tomago (egg, for Him)
Crunchy roll: shrimp, crab, tempura crumbs

HE SAYS: The sushi was pretty good, not spectacular. Highlights for me were the tomago, which was better then most, moist and not too shweet, and the crunchy roll, which looked pretty, had loads of crunchiness to it and gooey crab filling.

SHE SAYS: All quite good, with the crunchy roll standing out for its juicy shrimp. I didn't care for the mushroomy bit in the veggie roll, but it was more than passable, and at least half of it passed my lips.

The salmon sashimi was far better than the tuna, with the languorous mouthfeel provided. Tuna was a little oceany, but again, passable. Eel in the roll was warm, flaky and sweet, not bad, but nowhere near as good as the ho-made kind. All in all, I was satisfied if not blown away as I'd hoped to be by CA sushi.

Best bit: The thousands (I kid you not) of costumed cyclists flooding the road, weaving between the cars, guarding the intersection expertly in the wildest occasion of Critical Mass we've ever witnessed - and all while deciding on the next piece of sushi to munch. Live footage from MasonMaysun above (we were dining in Hillcrest, but didn't make it into the frame).

30.10.08: Satali's Pizza, San Diego, CA

2008-11-10T15:54:00.007Z

We strolled along the main street of San Diego's overmarketed 'Little Italy' in search of cheap 'n' easy, and found something satisfying in this pizzeria - which was mainly a takeout joint by the looks of all the people lurking in the doorway.

First, a small salad to share: basic leaves, tomatoes, chickpeas, cuke slices and peperoncini accompanied by the obligatory oil and vinegar cruets. A hot pie of pepperoni-mushroom graced the centre as we held our knives and fork poised for dining pleasure...

SHE SAYS: Humble and tasty, with a perfectly toasty thin-medium crust. It was good basic stuff - the sauce not too sweet, not greasy, and in all respects a perfectly decent American pizza. Even and average pie like this blows Britain's sorry excuse of a pizza joint out of the water with savoury gusto.

HE SAYS: Okay, not New York standards, but as She says it blew Pizza Express away (it puzzles me how they stay in business). The crust was firm and pretty thin, and we were able to pick up and eat slices without the toppings sliding off the edges. The local brew I drank in between bites had a satisfying malty, full-bodied taste just right for a pizza nite out.

29.10.08: Jesse's El Conquistador, Los Angeles, CA

2008-11-09T21:11:00.010Z

His 'no comment' bean soup and a deadly brew

Lazily following the rec of our B&B host, we headed to El Conquistador, a neighborhood Mexi-dive a few blocks down Sunset Blvd, drawn mainly by the prospect of 'their famous margaritas'. Indeed...

His mole enchiladas

HE SAYS: This was the worst Mexican I've had, including London Mexican wannabes. The mole sauce was very sweet and treacle-like, the cheese was tasteless, and the chicken squidgy and plain. My margarita was pure alcohol with not a hint of fresh limey goodness. This was definitely Mexi-can't.

Her spinach-mushroom enchiladas

SHE SAYS: My spinach-mushroom enchiladas in a 'tangy' tomatillo sauce, w/guacamole, sour cream, refried bnz and Spanish rice, were not really so bad...but they weren't so nice, either. Just a lot of gloop, really, and a bit bland. The salad was the best part, with very fresh mixed field leaves and basic vinegar and oil for dressing.

Her plain but very fresh salad

What made this all a huge thumbs-down for me was the bowl-o'-margarita full of incredibly proof alcohol masked by copious sugar so that 2/3 of the way thru my plate, I realised I was fully smashed. I didn't even get tipsy - went straight to faceplant drunk. He wasn't much less wobbly, and we stumbled back to the room with rocks in our stomachs, unable to head downtown as planned. Boo, hiss!

28.10.08: Pix and Pambiche, Portland, OR

2008-11-09T21:06:00.008Z

The inimitable Ichabod Creme

Dessert first: coffee and a treat at at Pix, the little dessert place down the street she kept making eyes at for three days. The Ichabod Creme We shared was impressively composed of spiced almond creme, caramel, and a pumpkin creme brulée - not to mention the dark choccy nest, edible gold leaf, and glazed pumpkin seeds and pecans.

Lest ye think that was the highlight of the evening, let us gently inform you otherwise. A pdx magazine perused over Our pastry revealed a neighborhood spotlight feature - 28th & Burnside - that led us to Pambiche, a Cuban haven brightly coloured and glazed in delight.

Her rich pork and plaintains

SHE SAYS: My Lengua en Salsa - tender chunks of pork bathed in a rich, red creole gravy 'scented with plump raisins and toasted almonds', accompanied by white rice and tostones (fried plaintain chips) was pungently mmmworthy with every bite.

Like we said, Portland proved an unexpected tastebud paradise. I mean, we've only reported on dinner. You don't even get to see the mapled-glazed-bacon–studded fresh hot waffle from the waffle van - yes, the waffle van! formally known as the Little Blue Waffle Wagon - down the block from Our guesthouse, for starters. Really, if I lived here, I'd be big as a house...or maybe not. The restaurants are in proportion to the nature trails, so I'd run/walk it all off.

His 'old clothes', with fried bread

HE SAYS: My Ropa Vieja, or 'old clothes' - garlicky shredded beef laden with yellow onions and green peppers, garnished with pimientos and petit pois, served with Cuban beans & rice, plus pan frito (fried bread) - was intensely flavoursome. My Cuban wine was fine, and all in all, we had a jolly good time.

subliminal persuasion by signage

Portland's food in general was excellent, kicking Austin's hot little ass for variety and quality, and this meal was no exception. It was so good we went back for brekky a mere 12 hours later (tho' to be fair, they gave us a two-fer-one coupon. Yes, we are weak.) Best Cuban food I've had, would make it a reg'kar haunt if we lived here, that's for sure.

27.10.08: Sushi repeat, Portland, OR

2008-11-09T21:03:00.003Z

Always more fun to sit at the bar

Being downtown already to meet our newly acquired Portland crew, we couldn't help but take a second pass at the budget-but-delish Sushi Ichiban.

Pick a plate, any plate...but be quick!

HE SAYS: This time we sat at the bar, and the mesmerising choo-choo train sped by, delivering the sushi bounty to our seats every minute or so. Again we special-ordered the escolar and again it was good. We piled up about 18 plates and got out in about 20 minutes and dollars total.

The incredible edible escolar

SHE SAYS: Sheer gluttony, for cheap. Buttery salmon, the juicy escolar, a few CA-style rolls...and repeat. We had about 8 empty plates in front of us, checked our watches, and realised we'd only been sushi-scoffing for about 8 minutes. So we slowed down....a bit. We don't normally do such a quick re-run of any dinner, but we needed a real meal deal within 30 minutes to make our evening date. This made us full, happy, not to light in the pockets, and punctual.

26.10.08: Sushi Ichiban, Portland, OR

2008-11-09T20:24:00.010Z

A top tip from friends of a friend led us downtown to Sushi Ichiban (formerly Sushi Takahashi), a snug little treasure of a sushi joint where pricing is by the plate and it's hard to eat more than $20 worth (even for deux).

The usual suspects: salmon, tuna, and unagi nigiri

We were so dizzy at the prospect of good, affordable sushi after going so long without - have you noticed, not so much sushi for din-dins, except when we make it? - that we kept forgetting to take pics of everything, managing only a few. Here's the rundown as best we recall.

- Miso soup
- Nigiri: salmon, tuna, unagi (eel), tomago (egg), escolar(!).
- Rolls: spicy tuna, spicy something else ('cho-cho'?).
- Oddity: 'jalapeno popper', rice and a strip of bell pepper wrapped in a soybean strip with some creamy, spicy sauce on top to emulate the typical frozen delicacy.

'Jalepeno popper' style sushi. Exotic, yes; Advisable, no.

SHE SAYS: For the price, it was all marvelous. And the escolar was a revelation: smooth and almost juicy. (It wasn't even on the menu, so we must thank our F.O.F. for that one.) Tuna and salmon were both good; had we been on our own, I would have ordered up some more salmon, sashimi-style, but we ahd a lot already to share.

Rolls, quizzically, were served in three pieces, not ideal for sharing. All were ok, but none impressive. The jalapeno thing was ho-hum, but v. clever in mimicking its namesake so closely. I didn't like the mayo-ish spicy-sweet house sauce so much - except for unagi and the hallowed Ninja crunchy roll, I much prefer my sushi lean and clean. But all in all, an excellent deal worth repeating if we're in the area again.

Stacked! That's a little over $30, for four people.

HE SAYS: From the decor of the place you would not necessarily think of fresh sushi being an option, but looks can be deceiving. We have not eaten that much sushi this year, for good reason: most sushi restaurants in London are extremely overpriced and hit-or-miss on quality. We also like to indulge ourselves when we have sushi, and I find that hard to do when two pieces of raw fish cost more than new pair of shoes. (Almost.)

I agree with Her that the escolar was fantastic. The salmon was also very tasty, soft and buttery with no fishy aroma or taste. The roll portions were a little stingy, but that's a very small quibble. So after gorging ourselves on sumptuous amouns of sushi goodness, we left having spent around $15 for both of us. You can't beat that with a stick, or crunchy roll.

25.10.08: Pok Pok, Portland, OR

2008-11-09T20:15:00.008Z

Grilled pork skewers with coco-p'nut sauce; the most amazin' chicken wings ever

Tired and ravenous after landing in Portland at 8pm, We found a bunch of cute restaurants right down the block from Our terribly charming retrofied guesthouse. It was a tough call, but finally He decided on the deceptively unassuming place with outdoor seating furnished with big heat lamps.

After a 40-min. wait in Matchbox, the bar across the street, We were ushered into Vietnamese street food splendour - quite unexpectedly, dazedly, and delightedly. Pok Pok is the name of the outdoor area and stands for the overall dining enterpise, but We were seated in the elegant indoor Whiskey Soda Lounge, for which She was rather grateful.

whole marinated roast game hen with tamarind sauce and chilli sauce

Our waiter warned us the portions were delicate, tapas-like things, so we ordered three plates plus two rices to share:

- Muu sateh, pork loin skewers marinated in coconut milk and turmeric, grilled over charcoal and served with peanut sauce, cucumber relish and grilled bread;

- Kai yaang, whole roasted natural game hen rubbed with lemongrass, garlic, pepper and cilantro served with a spicy sweet and sour dipping sauce; and

- Ike's Vietnamese fish sauce wings, marinated in fish sauce and palm sugar, deep fried, tossed in caramelized Phu Quoc fish sauce and garlic and served with Vietnamese table salad - also known as one of Food and Wine's Top 10 restaurant dishes of 2007.

- Coconut and (truly) sticky rice, with the latter moulded into a ball, protected by a small plastic bag, and served in a little wicker box.

HE SAYS: Apart from ordering too much food, our first Portland dining experience was fantastic. The game hen and chicken wings far outdid any food we had experienced thus far on our trip. I especially loved the chicken wings, which were moist, sticky and delish.

The sauces that came with the game hen were so moreish I couldn't help but pour the stuff over the fragrant coconut rice for an intense flava-fest. This place was a good omen for Portland's culinary choices to come. The low-lit ambiance was very cosy and the service excellent. We both agreed that the water served with our meal was infused with rice essence somehow - a nice authentic touch.

SHE SAYS: From all (later) reports, We accidentally chose one of the best restaurants in Portland. It was all as fabulous as it sounds, presented in casually elegant, nicely designed surroundings. My only quibble is the big fat lie our waiter handed us about portions - we could have shared 2 plates. (Portions have continually induced mild shock since we landed Stateside.)

I am not normally a wings kinda gal, but the wings were the best, hands-down: supercrunchy but with glaze bonus; just spicy enough to tickle the tongue; a perfect level of saltiness; and that tiny, teasing hint of citrus.

Pork skewers were more subtle but v. good, with best coconut-peanut sauce ever (heavy on the coco). Saucewise, tho', the tamarind broke the ribbon easily and fast: that dark sticky tang was the perfect foil for the sassy game hen, which had a tea-like savour brushed lightly with smoke. The sticky rice ball was fun to pluck from, and the coco rice was what it should be: modestly sweet and filling. Not bad for a late-nite, local wander...

24.10.08: Mother's, Austin, TX

2008-11-09T20:09:00.015Z

His mole enchilada plate

Following in the footsteps of His intrepid trip once again, the digestive duo decided to keep it local and step out to the nearby veggie restaurant of choice: Mother's. Both ordered enchiladas: the mole variety for Him, the spinach-mushroom variety for Her. For dessert, She ordered the Mexican vanilla ice cream with two spoons, and He didn't mind helping to finish the bowl one bit.

Her spinach-mushroom enchilada plate

SHE SAYS: My low-key enchiladas might actually be my fave Austin dinner - I needed a little brown rice and plainness to offset all the richness by now. My enchiladas were plump with spinach and mushrooms, with a hearty topping of jack cheese and a chipotle sauce that was more tangy and less smokey than expected, but still good. My riesling was a bad choice of vino (a sweeter one), but the ensuing relaxation added to the mellow enjoyment overall.

Now...the black bnz. V. plain, not a hint of herb or spice. Perplexing, but I'm guessing here people expect to load on sauces for the requisite flava-flav. Texture v. good again, whole soft bean in slightly thickened sauciness.

The ice cream was an inspired choice, if I do say so m'self. I love vanilla, and the Mex version was a new one for me. Unlike Bourbon or French (same?), it had a honeyed depth (as He pointed out), rich without cloying.

Their Mexican vanilla ice cream

HE SAYS: This joint has a nice, relaxed vibe to it. The wait staff are v. attentive and friendly. The mole enchilada was again very tasty: the sauce was not too sweet and the cheese added to the gooey delish experience. The brown rice was pretty plain fare, but once mixed with the black bnz and cheese, transformed into veggie nirvana. The ice cream offering tasted very much of honey, and she informed me it was the flavour of the distinctive Mexican vanilla. You learn something new every day...

23.10.08: The Salt Lick, Austin, TX

2008-11-09T20:07:00.008Z

Her BBQ Combo Plate: ribs, smoked sausage, potato salad, coleslaw and baked bnz.
His: ditto, but with beef brisket (not pictured)

We took a sundown drive thru Hill Country and swerved sharply into The Salt Lick, which all two of you may remember from His trip a month ago. Smoke, sauce and the subtleties of pork rule the roost here, y'all, where chicken is considered a side dish.

HE SAYS: Part of the charm of The Salt Lick is the drive, so it was a shame that the sun had already set as we drove up and down the magnificent rolling hills. The GPS also had a little trouble finding the exact address, so it was a good thing I'd done the journey only a month previous.

When we got there, parked, sat down, and ordered, all was forgotten as a behemoth of meaty treats once again got my mouth a-watering. I chose the variety platter, and in the course of only about half an hour (start to finish) managed to wolf down giant BBQ ribs, brisket, and succulent sausage before my stomach could tell how much I had consumed. Understandably, I was stuffed to the rafters, and at this point feel like I no longer have to eat another thing on this trip - I'm set.

Accompaniments: pickles, regular and chipotle BBQ sauces, superfluous white bread

SHE SAYS: Got 'The Plate' of ribs and sausage, slathered in a thin sweet sauce that had a tinge of five-spice - much more to my liking than the vinegary Memphis style o' stuff, or the think ketchupy sludge of supermarket offerings. Oh my, was this smokey pile o' meat good!

For interplay of smoke and sweet, these ribs can't be beat. Only Houston's Danish-style babybacks score higher for tenderness. The sausage was a tip-o-the-tongue delight - you just don't get even reg'lar smoked sausage in London, and this was no ordinary stuffed skin: subtle, no spice or herb, just the fine-tuned smokey savour.

Potato salad and bnz were not commentworthy, clearly just for show. But the coleslaw was a nice surprise: light and with no vinegar hint, but with a v. un-Texas touch: toasted sesame seeds. Fab little bursts of roastiness over good, clean crunchiness. She approved mightily. Pickle was an excellent palate cleanser, bead was not necessar, and oh! thankfully, the iced tea was plain, not sweet, jsut the referesher you need.

It was, all in all, more restrained than I expected in taste sensations, tho' not at all in portions - all of which adds up to infinitely moreish!

22.10.08: Central Market, Austin, TX

2008-11-09T20:04:00.005Z

Her spinach salad and tortilla soup

Met up with friends of a friend for a nosh and natter at the Whole Foodish Central Market, but after a big lunch at The Woodland, our eyes were as small as our stomachs.

His Cuban sammich with melon

SHE SAYS: Plenty enough gourmet fare on offer, but I got the least I could and still call it dinner: a small cup of tortilla soup with sour cream avo, etc., and a spinach salad with bacon bits, pecans, tomatoes, and so on. It was still big. (Wine $7/glass!) Soup was carroty and celery-heavy, but good - again, a case of lots of indulgent 'helper' ingredients. Salad was alright with balsamic vinaigrette, and it was good to eat lots of raw veg, but not hugely tempting overall. Not sure how much lack o' appetite was in play. Best bit was the company: warm, laid-back and v. helpful in imparting Austin lore. Thanks, guys!

HE SAYS: Wow, I was pretty shocked at the prices. Two glasses of wine for $18, bloody hell! The Cuban sandwich I chose was tasty - I enjoyed the American mustard (a condiment I rarely sample, but used sparingly it's pretty nice) and pickle combo. I got a fruit plate as a side instead of fries (which I've already eaten too much of on this trip), which included watermelon and pineapple chincks, and perhaps grapes. The portion was a little tiddly, but I didn't mind since I ate a whole cow at lunchtime.

21.10.08: Magnolia Cafe, Austin, TX

2008-11-09T20:02:00.022Z

His chicken enchiladas with chipotle sauce

A late-nite arrival in Austin, TX, had us beelining for the highly recommended Magnolia Cafe, famous for its 24-hr dining pleasures and 'Sorry, we're open' sign.

HE SAYS: Had me some chicken enchiladas with chipotle sauce. Not bad diner Mexican food: the chicken was tender, the sauce was hot and spicy, but overall it lacked a certain Mexican something, something. Maybe it didn't have enough cheesy goodness, or perhaps I was still too jet-lagged to fully appreciate a good meal at 11:30 pm after a 4-hour plane ride.

Her black bnz with indulgent toppings

SHE SAYS: My Mexi-feast of the Black Bean Entree with lemon sour cream, avo, pico de gallo and cheddar chz, plus jalapeno corncakes, was an indulgent pleasure, but I couldn't help notice the flavour came mostly from the toppings - not sure the base bnz were so spectacular. They had an innaresting consistency, tho': creamy, yet still whole-bean. Corncakes were sweet and spicy, def. a treat.

Her less indulgent salad with cilantro-lime dressing

The basic side salad sported an unremarkable 'cilantro-lime' dressing which tasted like v. plain vinaigrette to me....overall, big thumbs-up for 11pm+ fare.

20.10.08: Plane food for deux

2008-11-09T19:59:00.007Z

Somewhere over the Atlantic, the tedium of air travel was relieved by the unceremonious distribution of foodkits known as the in-flight dinner. Fish for him, chicken for Her, for the sake of a little variety in the report.

SHE SAYS: I hate flying, but flying on BA is slightly less miserable than with most airlines. The nosh was ok, nothing abominable, but I would give the Pepperwood Grove syrah a miss next time. As for the tarragon chicken pack, it had that stewy cafeteria taste, and the limp green bnz soaked up all the tarragon flavouring. Potatoes, to their credit, had a slight hint of butter and were not mushy. Gravy was straight outta Picadilly C.

Salad, however, was a nice surprise, being a mound of crab sumpin' sumpin' and some fancy leaves, which I piled on the 'rough oatcakes' supplied. 'Summerfruits trifle' tasted mostly of milk powder and sugar, but gained points for whole redcurrants. Saved the bit of biscuity choc for laters.

HE SAYS: I opted for the fish pie because I still felt a little 'chickened out' from last nite's chicken fest, and also because crispy breadcrumb topping sounded like a can't-lose scenario. Overall it tasted like a creamy fish finger - not horrible, but nothing spesh either. I touched it up with a sprinkle of salt and forgave its blandness on account of it being plane (and plain) food.

The wheat-free cracker was also taste-free, and the fishy paste a little light on intensity. I thought the summerfruits trifle fared better, satisfying a need for a light, sugary diversion. Unlike Her, I ate me after-dinner chocolate and I ain't regretting it one bit - ok, maybe a little now my tea has arrived and I'm yearning for a dunkin' moment.

N+D on the road for 3 weeks...

2008-10-25T01:07:00.004+01:00

We planned to keep on postin' while on holiday, but our computer saw fit to cough up its innernet lung, and now we're reduced to iPod Touch connectivity. Not ideal for tasty posts.

But! We're still taking notes.

And we'll report on every single holiday dinner when we get back to our own kitchen in early November.

Til then, to all two of our regular readers, happy eatin'...

19.10.08: Out to Nando's

2008-10-20T10:29:00.011+01:00

A leisurely stroll over the bridge led us to that temple of fast but not noxious food, Nando's. Above you see her typical order of the quarter chicken with two sides: coleslaw and grilled corn...

...while he opted for the half-chicken with chips and Spanish rice. Truth be told, He went and got an extra piece later on!

SHE SAYS: Nothing new to report here, it's that grilled flavour swabbed with some heat from the piri-piri sauce, plus the crispy sweetness of corn dabbed with some butter to help it slide down the chute. Coleslaw was not overly sweet, as I feared it might be, and wasn't too drowned in mayo. Decent filler, cheap and cheerful.

HE SAYS: Chicken n' chips was what I was hankering for and that's what I got. This place is basic no nonsense, no fuss, just fowl fulfilling fun. I especially enjoyed glugging the peri-peri sauce over the entire contents of my plate (I'm a hot and She a medium as far as heat goes in that dept). I found my corn to be too sweet but I was expecting it. Unfortunately there are no other sides that take my fancy so I'm left with no option but to go for it and sprinkle on some salt to try and stem the sugar rush.

18.10.08: Saag Paneer with baby corn salad

2008-10-19T12:54:00.007+01:00

She made her Saturday nite special saag paneer, starring the return of the real paneer (instead of its understudy, halloumi) with Geeta's premium mango chutney adding a touch of class to proceedings. A fresh salad of baby corn, cherry tomatoes, carrot, and mixed lettuce drizzled with Nigella's wasabi lime dressing nuzzled up to the brown rice.

HE SAYS: This dish is always a crowd pleaser and with the rich and creamy, newly-in-stock paneer, even tastier than before. We tried a new variety of Geeta's chutney to go with and it succeeded in adding the right amount of sweet zestiness to the plate. The baby corn were crunchy, a touch sweet and a great addition to our salad fixin's repertoire. As you can tell, we are still not bored of the wasabi dressing, every time we have it I'm impressed by its knack of intensifying all that it covers.

SHE SAYS: This is probably my favourite Indian treat now, esp with the more authentic touch of paneer. I'd forgotten how nice that balance of subtle flavour and milky richness is tucked into the silky spinach and spice puree. The halloumi version will now be on hiatus unless a saag craving strikes and the store simply isn't supplying paneer again. I threw some fresh baby corn into the salad for colour as much as a new kind of crunch, and thoroughly enjoyed the nubbly texture and little bit of sweet.

17.10.08: Out to Belgo

2008-10-19T12:35:00.009+01:00

They met up in town with a friend Joe and after trying to get a table somewhere else they decided on Belgo, home of the fruity beer, mussels and frités.

SHE SAYS: My enjoyment of the mussels classique - steamed with white wine, shallots and garlic in a cream sauce - was heightened by hunger developed over a forced march through Covent Garden in search of sustenance. Everything's packed on a Friday nite. Little morsels of shell-clad seafood may sound light, but there's a whopping great many of them, and halfway through my kilo I could have slowed down, but didn't. The sauce was mild but not bland, and 'cream' in this case does not mean 'thick', so it was sop-worthy. Dunking the thin frites in a tiny tub of mayo added to the indulgence and rib-stickin' satisfaction.

HE SAYS: I opted for the curry-infused mussels and enjoyed 'em. The mussels were not the curry sauce experience I envisioned but more the subtle, fragrant variety - stilll very fresh and tasty. We were extremely famished by the time we sat down and it was a good thing there was bread and hot crispy frités available to mop up the broth and satisfy our hunger pangs.

16.10.08: Chickpeas with cumin and sherry

2008-10-16T20:25:00.006+01:00

He took down the wok and gave a quick fave a stir: Nigella's chickpeas are lookin' mighty fine with the addition of a soft-boiled egg, some ho-made harissa (missed ya!), and some wild/brown rice. A tomato, fresh mozzarella and spinach/watercress salad sat quietly ready for its star turn.

HE SAYS: This was a simple and quick one tonight, though not short on taste either. Once again, I found these regular chickpeas to be more velvety and soft and better value then their organic counterparts. This dish also gave us a great reason to bring out the harissa from the fridge, It didn't disappoint. Its salty and hot lushness brought exotic flava to the bowl and adding an egg to the top created a little bit of gooey, squidgy yumminess. As for the salad, a more pared down variety this time with the mozz and tomatoes. As tradition dictates, I chose to drizzle on some olive oil, a pinch of salt and black pepper, and a drop of balsamic vinegar to intensify the deliciousness.

SHE SAYS: Mmm, nice and velvety, and the intense cumin fragrance and flava were battling for dominance with the salty, garlicky harissa. That's my kinda fightin'. The subtle salad made for a creamy, mildly acidic treat, and a welcome break from the beetroot repetition.

15.10.08: Quorn cutlets with tomato and veggie sauce

2008-10-16T11:45:00.007+01:00

She masterly pan-fried two lemon-pepper quorn fillets. At the same time, She grilled a green and yellow pepper, spring onions and aubergine, then mixed it all up with a jar of Lloyd Grossman's chili-tomato sauce, shaved off some parmesan, and voila, tonite's dinner! A fig, physalis, pear, beetroot, watercress, spinach and rocket salad patiently stood by the side of the stage ready to perform.

SHE SAYS: Sauce was def. improved by a few slugs of wine, but I missed the fat, silky slices of regular onion. A quorn patty is like the best big chicken nugget ever, so just go from there in your imaginative assessment. Unlike Him, I was beginning to find our salad combo a little tiresome, but it was still v good by any normal dinner standard.

HE SAYS: Its been a little while since we had this culinary creation. The quorn was ever so crunchy and the sauce, mamma-mia! it was awfully tasty (I think the added red wine gives it a distinctly rich depth of flava). I didn't mind the spring onions replacing the regular variety She usually puts in the sauce and the peppers brought a sweet note and crunchy texture to the plate. I'm not yet tired of the figs or for that matter, sweetfire beetroot, in the salad and the pear was a nice touch too.

14.10.08: Red prawn and mango curry

2008-10-14T21:14:00.008+01:00

Five days, aaaand we're back: He stirred up the red prawn and mango curry from Nigella, already, pairing it with a brown and wild rice mix. A heartily varied salad of avo, figs, radishes, sweetfire beetroot, spinach and watercress did its best to upstage the bowl, aided and abetted by leftover wasabi-lime.

HE SAYS: I think I put in the right amount of fish sauce this time around. Also, the shrimp were cooked just enough - instead of turning rubbery, they were fresh tasting and delish. Agree with Her about the rice not being cooked enough, I added more water but it just wasn't enough. The salad was a cornucopia of freshness, hitting sweet and savoury notes. The dressing added the peppery tang we luv and after the last bite and the washing-up, it was all over until tomorrow.

SHE SAYS: Really perfect balance of coconut milk to curry paste (heat!) and fish sauce (quite a bit less than recent versions). Rice could have used a little more cooking time for the wild rice to soften up some more, but it's a small quibble. Salad was a sweet-tart delight made zingy with the dressing, but do prefer fewer types of veg in the salad in general or it becomes a kitchen sink kind of thing.

13.10.08: Pollo alla cacciatora

2008-10-13T21:39:00.008+01:00

Together again: We sat down to Her latest batch of what is quickly becoming the top Nigella fave rave, plus a flamboyant salad of avo, fig, spinach and watercress with a side of wasabi-lime.

SHE SAYS: I left out the sugar this time and didn't miss it a bit - I don't think I find tomatoes as sharp as most people do. But then We do have a preference for acidity, with our lemon- and lime-lovin' palates. This was as savoury and tender as ever, though I'd like to up the sauce quotient somehow. I was a little greedy with the wasabi-lime application on my salad serving and had to pinch my nose to avoid complete nasal scorch. But now We know, if we didn't before: fig and wasabi-lime love each other everso.

HE SAYS: It's less then a week since the last time we ate this meal and I don't mind a bit. This latest version stood up to past efforts with lots of rich tastes and textures. I'm still debating which I prefer between spelt pasta vs brown rice for this dish, but since the rest of the week will be heavy on the grain side I applaud Her executive decision to go the spelt penne route. Also, like Her, I didn't miss the sugar either. The ever present figs in the salad have yet to get boring and, coupled with some avo and covered in the wasabi dressing, continue to brighten up my bowl.

12.10.08: Goulash with mixed leaf salad and leftover black bnz

2008-10-13T16:49:00.010+01:00

On the last night of eating apart, He decided to visit his ma's and dig into some hearty beef goulash with white rice and a mixed leaf, olive, cucumber and red onion salad.

HE SAYS: It's been a while since I've eaten beef, and I really enjoyed tucking into the slow- cooked chunks that melted like butter on the tongue and the fantastic tomatoey, peppery gravy surounding them. The mixed veggies, including carrots and celery (much like a soffrito base), help create the intensely flavoured roux. Not a big fan of plain white rice but didn't mind that much. The salad was okay, red onions are a treat as She hates them in salad and they also make my breath stink like red onions, funnily enough.

Meanwhile, She was immensely grateful to arrive home (hungover and fragile) to the readymade bowl of black bnz and cheery salad accompaniment he'd prepared and put away the nite before.

SHE SAYS: Really perfect food to come home to, esp as my last couple of evenings were far too free of legumes and raw veg. Agree with assessment from last nite that it was not as flavourful as some batches, but it really didn't lessen my enjoyment of the creamy spoonfuls punctuated with juicy, silky corn kernels. Crunching down on radish and crisp leaves was rather a relief as well.

11.10.08: Blk bnz with sweetcorn polenta and Austrian gala dinner

2008-10-11T22:43:00.012+01:00

Second night on his tod he cooked up the black bnz over some polenta with corn kernels garnished with big slices of avo. A salad of figs, tomato, radishes and sweetfire beetroot tried its best to keep Him company.

HE SAYS: Definitely not as fun to make and eat this one alone but felt better knowing that there was enough leftovers for tomorrow's meal too. This batch o' beans was pretty good but not spectacular. I managed to get the polenta's consistency pretty spot-on and the sweetcorn helped it out by giving it some crunchiness amongst the tasty goop. The salad took a break from fancy dressings and acted as a fresh and zingy closure to the lonely night.

Meanwhile, She sneaked a snap of the main course among five: pictured is the pork filet served in pepper crust and cream sauce with a vegetable bouquet and a healthy helping of spaetzle. Before that She managed to get down her neck some slices of duck breast over Waldorf salad; consomme with a splash of sherry; Rabbit filet served on a puff pastry pillow of juniperjus; and a small scoop of melon sorbet floating in campari. Afterwards, a small square of the prosaically titled chocolate cake managed to find a corner to squeeze into.

SHE SAYS: Thankfully, most portions were smaller than last nite's, and the quality mostly nipped up a notch. The duck and consomme are not much worth commenting on, and if there was sherry in that soup I'll eat my hat. The rabbit filet was actually a kind of rabbit sausage in a few little sections over some sort of thin grilled bread; nice herby flavour, but toughish. The fruity palate cleanser went straight to my head and put me in an expansive mood for the main course, which was rich and satisfying, if a bit bland. (I do love me some spaetzle.) Choccy cake was a thin but rich square of the German variety (I was hoping for sachertorte, but it's just as well this was a little lighter as I was uberstuffed).

10.10.08: Risotto redux and traditional Austrian fare

2008-10-11T22:31:00.007+01:00

While She is out of town for a few days, He warmed up the rest of the pea, mushroom and pesto risotto and added a new rocket, tomato, radish salad along with yesterday's dressing.

HE SAYS: A quick, easy and thoroughly nourishing evening meal. Who would think that risotto is fast food? The salad was given a boost by the dressing, having intensified in the fridge for a day, yum. Meanwhile...

She simply could not get away with covert dinnertime photography while surrounded by curious colleagues, but She can detail the 4-course menu served in the ASI Lodge dining room pictured above. Vegetable strudel on tomato sauce; 'Oberlander' creamy cheese soup; charfilet fish (billed as 'like salmon' and bred near the lodge) with a zucchini-tomato ragout on 'coloured noodles'; and pancake filled with apricot jam topped with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce.

SHE SAYS: Given how many of my entries begin with 'after a tough day at work', a weekend getaway to Austria courtesy of the co. was v. welcome in some ways (multiple-course meals being but one of the luxuries on offer), and less welcome in others (more time with the people you see most anyway). Food was not a hugely strong suit, but it was perfectly nice.

The strudel encased a mildly savoury puree of some sort of veg, and the tomato sauce was mildly sweet. The soup was the star, a shallow bowl of thin cream artfully streaked with some sort of brown salty sauce. Most people thought the fish was amazing, but I thought it was merely ok; it was nothing like salmon, more like grilled catfish but not quite as strongly flavoured. Noodles and ragout were enh. (Sorry, 'enh' is all I can think to call it!) Dessert was just as you'd expect, and not remarkable, just indulgent, and a bit heavy after strudel pastry and pasta.

09.10.08: Pea, pesto and mushroom risotto

2008-10-09T21:15:00.009+01:00

He gathered up the ingredients and proceeded to create this infamous risotto consisting of peas, pesto and mushrooms paired with a salad of rocket, mixed leafs, radishes and figs. All dressed up with a dressing of Her design, consisting of Colman's mustard, a splash of white wine vinegar, Tasmanian leatherwood tree honey ('with a lychee flavour', how innaresting), a pinch salt and pepper.

HE SAYS: Having prepared the risotto earlier in the day it had time for its flavours to mature and strengthen. Was happy with the outcome and enjoyed the severe savouriness of the dish. The parmesan supplied a salty edge, and the basil, a nice freshness to the taste. Her salad dressing was also great and added a hot and sweet mix to the surrounding greenery.

SHE SAYS: It was my nite to cook, but He handily put this together and had it in the fridge for warming when I came home, bless 'im. And it was a fine batch, too, one of the best. The fragrant pesto and intense parmesan (a truly excellent and well-priced Tesco variety) mixed with the mild, humble peas and plain yet meaty mushrooms to play on every tastebud I've got. In a word, yummilicious. My new salad dressing is no wasabi-lime, but the Colman's is almost as nose-wrinkling as the green goodness, and the honey gave it all a gorgeous floral note.

08.10.08: Red prawn and mango curry

2008-10-09T14:15:00.008+01:00

He whipped up the weekly red prawn and mango curry made with butternut squash and sweet potato, courtesy of Nigella Express. A mixed leaf, tomato, olive, Apetina cheese and physalis salad tried to muscle in on the action.

SHE SAYS: Soothing, sweet, tangy and yet mild - a soothing bowl of sumpin' sumpin' to offset yet another trying workday. I appreciated the generous coconut milk content, and he got the rice nice and tender this time. The lightly marinated Apetina-garlic-olive combo was mighty pleasing, too, though it's somehow not as salty as the plain variety.

HE SAYS: I was back to the easy pre-cubed squash and and sweet potato variation tonight and I am not sure if it made too much difference in taste compared to the chopping-your-own version we've had of late. The consistency was definitely more soupy then we've recently had, that's for sure. I may have put a touch too much fish sauce in (again) but the depth of flavour was good and spicy. A welcome return of the Apetina with olives provided the salad with a special guest segment enjoyed by all.

07.10.08: Pollo alla Cacciatora and salad

2008-10-08T11:53:00.015+01:00

Once again She cooked up another round of the chicken and bnz firm family fav dish from Nigella (see the video!), but this time paired it with spelt penne pasta. A mixed leaf, avo, sweetfire beetroot and physalis salad decided to join in.

HE SAYS: This dish is always pleasant to come home to; the white wine aroma not only adds to the anticipation but also really bonds all the flavours together and makes it so richly moreish. The capers also help add that certain high note to the bowl. Tonight, there were lots of generous chunks of chicken and the smoked pancetta flavours seemed to cut through more so then the regular variety we have previously used. I thought the spelt pasta worked well and served as a brief intermission from our regular brown rice program. The avo and beetroot once again succeeded in transforming the salad from the mundane to the near spectacular.

SHE SAYS: Agree with Him, the smokey pancetta shone stronger than the plain version, but I still think maybe we need to try this dish without and see if we miss it. (We've one more pack to use up, so that experiment will have to wait.) Methinks spelt pasta is the partner of choice for the pollo; it rivals corn-studded polenta and bnz in the rice-alternative stakes. Capers will lways get big love from me, but I think their fruity teasings piques the tastebuds even more effectively when complemented by tomatoey goodness. He and I diverge slightly in opinion on the salad - for me, it's the tarty physalis that lifts the level, and how.

06.10.08: Frittata and chard

2008-10-06T20:51:00.007+01:00

He gussied up Nigella's spanish omelet (known 'round these parts as a frittata) with thin slices of chorizo and red leicester cheese, heated up the remnants of last nite's chard, and called upon the radish, the avo, the baby fennel, the cherry tom, and the mixed leaf to do their enzymatic duty as salad.

SHE SAYS: Most satisfying, this humble potato-and-egg skillet combo - just moist enough, nicely browned, and a good balance of salty chorizo and cheese to mellow spring onion and yellow pepper. Salad was a crisp reminder of the happy need for good fresh veg, while the chard once again surprised and delighted with its sweetness, even when warmed over.

HE SAYS: A posh omelet on a Monday night tasted just right. I secretly added some cheddar and a few sprinkles of Parmesan to make it the trifecta of cheesiness. The chorizo added its usual deep spicy lushness to the mix while the grilled yellow pepper turned out distinctly shweet and yummy. The chard was a plain but pleasant distraction from the headliner, and the salad with the crunchy radishes and baby fennel gave my teeth a good work out and my cheeks a healthy glow.

05.10.09: Pumpkin Pie and Green Chard

2008-10-05T20:50:00.011+01:00

Autumn made yumsome: she's been meaning to try this savoury punkin' recipe, courtesy of Sophie Conran, for nearly a year, and now the time is right.

Pumpkin, sage, feta cheese, parsley and filo dough made for a decadent Sunday eve pie-high, while the punkin' seeds toasted up nicely with salt and pepper for compulsive snacking. Steamed chard from yesterday's market in Richmond snuggled up steamily to its richer plate-mate, while figs, thin slices of baby fennel, and mixed leaves commingled contentedly nearby in anticipation of a balsamic drizzle.

HE SAYS: I likey this pie. I was especially enamored with the crusty topping (you could put filo pastry on top of a smelly sock and I would eat it). I do think though that maybe next time we could try butternut squash (my favourite gourd) instead of fresh pumpkin (nothing like the tinned variety, trust me) which was a little bland for my taste buds however much the cumin tried to raise the taste stakes. I, like Her, peppered it with ample hot sauce and it tasted so goood.

SHE SAYS: Make no mistake, this is not a weekday meal - peeling and preparing the pumpkin is fiddly and takes plently of elbow grease. The result was good, but quite overpowering in the cheese dept. – too rich. Some Crystal hot sauce cut through the heavy savour, though, and I thoroughly enjoyed the crisp sheets of filo on top. Not sure I would make this again, but I'm glad I tried it. (A lighter goat cheese, and less of it, would be more suitable, and perhaps some ras-al-hanout in place of the cumin seeds would brighten up the flavour.) The chard was amazingly sweet, esp the stems, and I added nothing to it, not one bit of anything. Salad was as refreshing as it was meant to be, bringing welcome crunch and aniseed insouciance to the meal.