Just enough time for saffron gratin
Despite still being in the midst of unpacking boxes, and certainly far too distracted to curate the necessary fashion shoots this week, I managed to find time to cook Yotam Ottolenghi’s winter saffron gratin for the housemates plus Phoebe last night. The verdict was very positive, what with breadcrumbs, grilled cheese and double cream being involved. I thanked the stars with every mouthful that I now have at least two other people to share these dishes with.
So enthusiastic were we to break open the oven and eat the bubbling delight, I forgot to photograph the finished product until it was almost eaten up. So here is a diminished gratin snap for you.
I bet it’s not every day someone offers you a diminished gratin snap.
Winter saffron gratin
Once a saffron gratin
Conclusions:
- I don’t have a mandolin so I used a veg peeler to slice the swede and parsnips thinly (it goes without saying I couldn’t find any kohlrabi to add). The peelings admittedly give the effect of a compost bin when the dish is raw, but when cooked it becomes a regular-lookin gratin – trust.
- Probably don’t take food prep tips from me, though.
- Going to make another attempt at directing a photoshoot tonight. I’m determined to get at least one fashion shot in for the week. I have, after all, been attempting a rough approximation of the outfits during the day as usual. It’s just that extra logistical effort of the double-model shots this week that’s beating me. Tricksy.
Fondue
I took the fondue ingredients to Liv’s last night and shamelessly capitalised on a photo opportunity with her 18-month old flatmate Delphi.
A young Fearnley-Whittingstall
A young Delphi
Classic fondue
Classic fondon't
Tasted very good. Sainsbury’s doesn’t stock kirsch so I bought one of their ready-made fondue sachet things from the cheese chiller and added a load of wine, gruyere, emmental and some flour to the mix. Tasty and wonderful but, as other flatmate (and mother of Delphi) Holly pointed out, if you’re going to eat fondue it helps to precede it with a day of alpine activities. Otherwise you just sort of sit at your desk all day and then melt a kilo of cheese with some booze, dip handfuls of bread into it, cram them in until you can fit no more down the gullet and crawl away to collapse into a carb coma spectacular. That’s exactly what I did last night, which explains why I woke up in Liv’s room this morning with no Guardian-matching outfit to change into for the day.
I re-borrowed Harriet’s kipper-infused outfit from the other week and put yesterday’s white shirt on top of it for the photo only. It produces a pretty unsightly effect when worn in this way. The poses from today and tomorrow require the cooperation of other models, so in this post I would like to introduce the lovely Gabrielle, who happened to be wearing an appropriately hued pullover today. Tomorrow Photographe Flavie will be making an appearance on the other side of the lens. She has been briefed on her outfit for the day. Sometimes I do pity those on the periphery of this cursèd project.
Blazer trail
Jacket in
Conclusions:
- Fondue actually makes a quick weekday supper as you can just melt it up and eat it out of the saucepan.
- Wouldn’t recommend having it every evening though.
- Liv would like to point out that although I described yesterday’s mushroom recipe as ‘delicious’, she actually thought it was disgusting and spat it out while I wasn’t looking. When I think about it, I loved the fresh mushroom bit but did avoid the rehydrated porcini as I found them too strong. I was supposed to use ceps. Maybe that was the problem.
- I’m not entirely certain that Hugh F-W is actually making fondue in the above photo, but I can’t work out what else it would be. I don’t suppose it matters too much.
Potted cheese slacker
I bought all the ingredients for Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s potted cheese, I went home, I felt hungry, I ate the cheese with oatcakes and chutney, I put the booze on my shelf ready to drink around the time of my 30th birthday next weekend, I watched the second part of last year’s Criminal Justice on DVD, I shouted at it and tore at my hair, I had a bath, I went to bed, I felt no worse off for not having mixed up the cheese with a few other things before I put it on the oatcakes.
And so my rebellion against HF-W’s recipes continues.
I know my promises are looking pretty much empty these days but I will make the leek terrine tonight, or else I’m in danger of slacking off the project beyond all excusableness.
Conclusions:
- There you are, innocently thinking there’s no oatcake better than a Nairn’s oatcake, and then Duchy Originals Oaten Biscuits for Cheese come along and pull the rug from under your feet.
I've always found it funny when people write letters to the Guardian's Weekend magazine complaining that the recipe ingredients are too middle class and the fashion only looks good on thin people. After all, it's just a magazine. Or is it? I decided to follow its recipes, fashion and lifestyle advice as closely as possible, to see if the aspirations promoted therein can really be achieved by the average reader who is not especially wealthy, not necessarily model thin and is obliged to work regular office hours. This blog has no affiliation whatsoever with the Guardian but I link to the Weekend magazine website for the purposes of illustration. 
Guardian Girl 
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