Hamming it up!

What is it about ham that makes Joe Public think it's acceptable to feed vegetarians? Of all the meat/fish I've been inadvertently given, ham has been the most common.

I've been asked to:

"pick ham off pizza"

"scoop ham out of soup"

"quit eating ham quiche" (after I'd ordered the veggie one)

"not be touchy if ham touches my food"

The latest incident was whilst eating out at a fabulous tapas restaurant called Riccis. Two of us chose vegetarian plates which included a cheeseboard and began tucking in. On closer inspection I noticed a slice of Parma ham hiding under the red grapes. Shocked, we complained and the waiter, also rather shocked, offered to replace it. As he whisked it away one of our meat eating friends confessed to placing her piece on the cheeseboard as she didn't want it. She was mortified when she realised what she'd done!

In my local town there is a cafe-bar called "Friends of Ham" serving craft beers and cured meats and cheeses. It has a great vibe and I enjoy bobbing in for a drink but feel like going undercover as I don't want people to think I'm a friend of ham!

I would like to be a friend of pigs though!

I'm thinking there should be a veggie cafe-bar across the road. Chums of Cheese? Amigos of Manchego? Lovers of Lentils?  

That Old Chestnut!

Last year I wrote about chestnuts and here I am again. It must be the time of year.

A friend had booked a restaurant for last night and had kindly checked the menu on the website to make sure there were vegetarian options. YESSS! Chestnut risotto! That'll do nicely! I was practically salivating all the way to the restaurant in anticipation only to find, NOOO! They'd run out! Gutted!

The same friend had spent time in Italy last month and sent me photos from a walk through the forest. They were walking on a spongey path of fallen chestnuts, literally hundreds of them. They then roasted them on an open fire. SOOO jealous!

My quest for this week is to make myself a chestnut risotto. A quick glance at recipes has shown the inclusion of pancetta! I guess it can just be left out. That and the chicken stock! 

I'm not a Celebrity (and won't eat worms)

Sooo excited! "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!" starts a new season tonight. Lovable duo Ant and Dec will be hosting as another set of celebrity wannabes-for-the-second-time-around put themselves through their paces. The challenges will include physical, mental and, of course, edible.

During the eating trials contestants are required to eat or drink foods made up of insects such as crickets, mealworms, witchetty grubs, cockroaches and spiders. Then there are the real meat dishes of animal genitalia, brains, tongues, eyes and tails. 

Obviously any Celebrity Vegetarians would not be able to compete. Those who remember vegan Gillian McKeith will recall her refusal to do almost all the challenges for fear of, well, everything. Heaven knows why she agreed to appear on the show. Probably the lure of being in the spotlight once again and earning a not-inconsiderable amount of money.

I love the programme and would relish some of the challenges, not least to overcome some of my own phobias (of heights and edges particularly). However, there is no way I could possibly eat or drink the meat and fish, neither in a challenge nor as a reward. The daily rice and beans would suit me just fine.

Somebody should come up with a vegetarian version. Eating slimy exotic mushrooms and drinking truffle oil would be my own idea of hell.

Instead, I shall sit back and enjoy the show, perhaps with a glass of Baileys ... after all, if IAACGMOOH is on ... it must be nearly Christmas!

Pie Eater? Pumpkin Pie Cheater!

This week has incorporated Halloween, Mischievous and Bonfire Nights with pumpkins, baked potatoes and toffee apples being the fare of choice.

I love pumpkin soup, roasted pumpkin (served with a salty cheese, herbs and nuts) and last year made a pumpkin pie. 

I cheated a little with the pumpkin pie by using a shop bought sweet pastry case but did make the filling by steaming and blending the pumpkin flesh before adding evaporated milk, sugar, nutmeg and eggs. This was poured in to the case, baked, cooled and sprinkled with icing sugar. It was a little like an egg custard and quite delicious. 

My children are now grown up and for the first time in many years I did not carve a pumpkin and trim the porch with skulls, bats, cauldrons and cats. Needless to say, we had no trick or treaters! I did miss sporting my pumpkin deely boppers and handing out sweets to little monsters and I have missed the pumpkin flesh. However, I do have a plan ...

A bought sweet pastry case

A bought pumpkin pie filling

Mix in the evaporated milk, sugar, spices and eggs

Bake

Cool and sprinkle with icing sugar

Eat!