Sushi Selection for Lunch

This was a shop-bought selection; but still delicious nevertheless.

I’m on a bit of a healthy eating kick at the moment and I’m just dabbling in a few Bento-type dishes for my lunches. It just seems to me that Japanese cuisine seems to be healthier than the standard, western diet, or at least has a greater potential to be healthier.

I love Sushi and the thought of having a Bento box of sushi-like japanese selection is most appealing.

Apple Selection

Don’t know why … I’m just into apples at the moment. So a chance to draw one for the Every Day in May project was a good opportunity to check out a few different varieties.

I did rather want to try out another Apple-oddysey ….

A Brown Paper Bag

Y’know, when I started this flickr project ‘Every Day in May’, this time, I fully intended on keeping on track, keeping up to speed and basically managing to actually produce each drawing on the day it is assigned.

I’ve totally failed to do that, but does it matter; not really really. The whole point of the project (well as I see it anyway!) is to face up to the challenge of drawing and painting subjects that I wouldn’t approach normally.

Take this brown, paper bag – her in the UK groceries are usually collected in plasric carrier bags, rather than brown paper bags. But sandwiches are often collected from deli’s and sandwich shops wrapped in paper bags.

Now I will quite often draw my lunch; but here I draw my lunch wrapped in it’s paper bag.

Lucy’s Old Spoons

Here’s a collection of Lucy’s spoons that are getting a bit too small for her. She still likes to use them, now and again, even they they’re difficult for her to hold or use comfortably.

It’s hard to let go of these little things, isn’t it! The teaspoon drawer must be half full of these spoons and their accompanying forks and knives. Although they’re just lumps of plastic and metal, to us they embody so many memories; from being spoon fed to independence.

I’ve tried to arrange them into chronological order.

An eggbox

While I’m still completing the ‘Every Day in May – Day 2′ picture I thought I’d have to starting posting some of the subsequent pictures.

As we needed some fresh eggs I had an excuse to take a walk up to the farm shop at the end of the road. Don’t be fooled into thinking that we live in a rural area – because we don’t.  But it’s still a pretty neat farm shop, with loads of local produce; meats, cheeses, fruit and veggies and stacks of sauces and condiments made locally.

Staffordshire Oatcakes

The April magazine work for Camping and Caravanning Club magazine focused on Staffordshire Oatcakes.

Now, I knew of Scottish oatcakes but I had not heard of a Staffordshire variety before, so it was fascinating discovering this tasty, and simple to make, treat.

The Scottish oatcake is similar to a hard oat-based biscuit whereas the Staffordshire oatcake is more like a savoury pancake, served with bacon and cheese more often than not, which are wrapped up and the oatcake can then be eaten a bit like a tortilla.

My problems came, from an illustration standpoint, in that a oatcake (imagine pancake) is not a particularly exciting subject.

I’ve included a recipe to accompany my illustrations, but the original article focussed on The Hole in the Wall cafe in Stoke-on-Trent, which has since sadly closed.

Ingredients

225g fine oatmeal

225g wholewheat or plain flour

1tsp salt

15g yeast

450ml warm milk

450ml warm water

1tsp sugar

1) Mix the salt with the flour and the oatmeal in a large bowl.

2) Mix the milk and water together.

3) Dissolve the yeast with a little warm water and add the sugar. Allow the mixture to become frothy.

4) Mix the dry ingredients with the yeast liquid to make a batter. Add the remainder of the warm liquid.

5) Cover the batter with a cloth and leave in a warm place for about an hour.

6) Pour out enough batter on a well-greased griddle to make an oatcake of about 22cm. The surface will be covered in holes as it cooks.

7) Flip the oatcake after 2-3 minutes when the top side has a dry appearance and the underneath is a golden brown colour and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Serve with:

Combinations of

Fried bacon, sausage, baked beans, tomato, mushrooms and cheese

Or as a sweet alternative;

Butter and jam

Notes:

Try to use a heavy frying pan - as this will keep the heat constant.

Can be frozen

May be defrosted/reheated using a microwave.

Happy Easter

We don’t really go crazy for chocolate eggs at our house; even Lucy’s not that bothered (I think she opened a chocolate egg some time mid-afternoon because she wanted to to try a piece of chocolate)

Any idea what we can do with the chocolate eggs?

Meanwhile …. we DO all go crazy for toasted Hot Cross Buns!

Peary Tale

… and another fruit story as my contribution to the 4×6 Project II.

I’m quite attached to these little fruit story pictures and I’m sad to send them out into the big, wide world… it’s quite unpearable!

A Bananadrama

A repeat performance of last year’s ‘Appleoddysey’ … but with a banana.

This is my submission to the Art House Co-op’s 4×6 project. I send a 4×6 picture to the Art House Co-op and I receive another artist’s contribution in return.

Rich Tea Biscuit

Now then! You do not mess with an englishman and his cup of tea. Do you dunk your Rich Tea biscuit, or gently nibble?

I used to be a dunker myself; but regretted too many soggy breakages. I will never go back – I’m a nibbler through and through.