Let's Start Birthday Week With Rice Paper Spring Rolls

It's my birthday this week.  Tomorrow to be exact.  I like it when my birthday falls in the middle of the week - easy to stretch the festivities for a week because you're more likely to celebrate at the weekend.  So, without further ado, let Chloé's birthday week commence.

A couple of years ago, due to a scheduling conflict (stag do organised on my birthday - how dare they?!)  I spent the night alone.  My brother and husband we're out for the night and I could eat whatever I wanted and watch whatever I wanted.  I was not complaining.  Of course, I made sure both parties felt a little guilty before they left but really I couldn't wait to get Top Gear off the telly and eat as much seafood as I could fit in my face.  As soon as they left I was out the door and made my way to the supermarket.  I had decided to go with Thai; rice paper spring rolls to start, followed by fish cakes, and a red curry with prawns for my main and had a leisurely stroll up and down the aisles filling my basket with all the required ingredients.  They must have known it was my birthday because they had every single ingredient in the store which is rare because it's small with limited "exotic" items and has a limited international aisle.  I mean they had lemongrass (they never have lemongrass).  This hasn't happened since.

The fella had bought me a food processor for my birthday (along with a coffee maker I'd been coveting for a couple of years).  The man is nothing if not practical.  His workmates we're worried that he was getting me appliances and not jewellery but he assured them it was fine; he'd bought me a Dyson for Valentine's Day the year before, which I carried home myself, and I was thrilled.  That's not to say I won't take jewellery.  Hint hint.

Anyway, I used the new food processor to make the fish cakes and blend my paste for the curry.  Everything turned out perfectly.  I stuffed my face to whatever 3 star chick flick I had decided to watch and enjoyed every minute of it.  This is where I would show you pictures because I definitely took some but when our computer died a couple years ago I don't think all of the pictures made it to the back up hardrive.  But imagine the finest Thai curry you've ever seen - that was my meal. 

It took me another two years to recreate even a little part of it.  And here it is:

 I made these rice paper spring rolls a couple weeks ago as a starter to a beef stir-fry.  I didn't follow a recipe (surprised?!) and you don't have to either.  Last time I made them I put prawns in them but kept these seafood free for the mister.  I went with thinly sliced cucumber, red cabbage and carrot, some noodles we were having with our stir-fry tossed in sesame oil, and crushed peanuts.  And they're pretty easy to assemble.  Breaking to get a picture of it; not so easy.

The lighting in my kitchen is so bad but you get the jist.

Just soak the rice paper pancake (one at a time) in some hot water for a few seconds until it becomes soft but not too much so it breaks up.  Lay it on a flat surface (I leave a little hanging over the edge of the chopping board to grab for rolling up), place your filling inside and roll by folding the two ends in and rolling the rest from one side to the other.  There are Youtube videos if your more of a visual learner (like moi).

For the sauce, I used about a 1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar, a splash of fish sauce and finely chopped chili, garlic and coriander.  The next day this made an incredible sauce for a tuna stir-fry.

Man, now I want Thai food.  I wish there was some place nearby that delivered!

Burns Night in Somerset

Two weeks ago I was brave enough to battle the few centimetres of snow we received and head down to Somerset to visit some friends.  I stayed a few nights with Aimee and her sweet family.  I actually went to high school with her back in Canada but she too was swept off her feet by the charms of an Englishman and has lived here for years.  We hadn't seen each other in about 15 years - my husband even saw her before I did when he dropped off their puppy Poppy back in December.  We pretty much spent the entire time talking non-stop - the only quiet time had when sleeping and eating.  It was great!  As for what we ate - I brought a few Canadian treats and we baked some Reese's peanut butter chip cookies and Aimee helped solve my pierogi problem by revealing that Asda sell them!  All this time, pierogies (which I mentioned I'm hoping to make from scratch here) were right under my nose and I was travelling to Canada to eat them (and visit family).

Poppy the puppy

I was then off down the road to visit my friends, Beccy, Darek and their gorgeous girl Ruby.  Darek is originally from Scotland and as January 25th was Burns Night, the whole family had gathered together to celebrate poet Robert Burns and feast on a wonderful meal.  Food plays such an important role at so many of our celebrations. The star of this meal was most definitely the haggis.  A first for me but I really liked it.

There is quite a ritual to this meal.  First, the haggis was piped in - I say piped, more liked hummed as we lacked bagpipes and anyone who could play them (sidebar: my neighbour at university used to play the bagpipes nice and early on the weekends - we were not friends).  Next, we said The Selkirk Grace, together in our best Scottish accents.  Then came the Address to a Haggis.  We went around the table, taking turns to each read a verse and I was given the high honour of slicing into the haggis when reading the third verse.

Then we feasted.  I love trying new foods and I especially love when someone else has done the cooking.  The surprise and wonder of how everything will taste gets me really hyped up.  I tried to help in the kitchen and managed to peel a few potatoes but I think we were all most helpful outside of the kitchen to let Darek the chef work his magic.  The starter was absolutely brilliant - a traditional Scottish soup, Cullen Skink, which is a smoked haddock chowder and soooooo good.

 

The main event was the haggis, served with neeps and tatties (mashed turnips and mashed potatoes) with a little kale (gotta have those green leafy veggies).  I didn't take a picture because I was too busy stuffing my face!  And though the description of haggis (and even the name) can be off putting, give it a try before you knock it.  The texture was very interesting and the flavour was so rich.

This meal was traditional through and through topped off with Cranachan for dessert, which is made from raspberries, cream, oatmeal and honey.

We ended the evening with some Scottish whisky and a few readings of Robbie Burns' works.  Beccy had chosen each one to suit each guest, which was a lovely touch.

I tried my best with the whisky but it took me back to a rough night at university where one too many shots took me over the edge and I pretty much went blind.  I haven't touched the stuff since so on Burns Night I toasted the poet with my third (fourth? ok fifth) glass of wine.

I really enjoyed this celebration and hope to someday be a part of it again.  Although it won't be with the other half - he doesn't like fish, haggis or raspberries - so glad I was on my own for this one!  

So, what are you celebrating these days?  Which foods are the stars?