2013 - A Great Year For My Tummy!

Delicious grated chutney for Divali.
It'll make anything taste great!

This year, I tried more new places for dining than I ever have for most of my life. Of course it has only been recently that I really discovered my love for food - dining and cooking. Sometimes I feel annoyed at the fact that it has taken me this long to find something I like, but truth is, it hasn't. I've had few other passions in my life thus far, and I'm guessing there's a few more to discover.
I've always loved working with and being around children. Children are so raw and honest, and their innocence is very refreshing. Honesty is something I, as do most people, highly value. It's not impossible for children to learn deceit from a young age, but more often than not, they are honest and pure. They do not hold grudges and they are so good at forcing a smile out of even the grumpiest of people. My time I spent working at a children's Summer Camp for some weeks were some of the happiest days of my life (that I can remember, of course). I would wake up every morning and look forward to going to work and I would spend my entire day happy with no worries in the world other than exactly where I was and what I was doing in that moment.
Travelling and seeing the world is something most people want. Some people are content exactly where they are, and that's fine. When I was a child, I wanted to be a flight attendant. I thought they had it all... They were always so pretty and poised, travelling around the world and meeting so many people. I suppose then I didn't understand the dynamics of the job, but it showed me that there was something about discovering new places and meeting new people that had such an appeal.
And then came food... The aroma, the sizzle, its beauty and taste, what's there not to love about food? We eat to survive, but food can be so much more. It's more than just a vice. It the way food can do so many different things for/to different people. It's the way when you're sad, you eat ice cream. Or when you're happy, you eat ice cream. Okay... I just love ice cream. But, it the way that for our birthdays or any special occasion, we celebrate with a special meal. Even when our pets are good, they are rewarded with treats.
This combination of things can easily be transformed into a more fulfilling life, if I am willing to work for it. And I feel like that has been a big part of my problem for a lot of my life. I'm not sure which path I should take, it's hard for me to focus on the end result. Like most people, immediate gratification seems far more satisfactory. Too often than not, I let my feelings get the better of me. Sometimes it's hard for me to understand why I can't just suck it up and get on with getting on, but I'm learning, and that's most important!

Enough about that until my next post... Here's some of my most favourite things I enjoyed in 2013!

For starters, my very own scallop scampi with bacon.
It's beautifully light but still quite flavourful.

The pork belly at Restaurant Chaud.
You simply have to try this incredibly tender morsel yourself.

The apple beignets at Restaurant Chaud.
The most beautiful texture on a beignet... like a cloud.

The steak salad at Chaud Cafe.
Delicious and filling! And I mean... steak!

The amazing mussels soup at Chaud Cafe that I never got to have again. 

Perfectly cooked steak at Prime!

Take-out at La Cantina.
Bresaola, arugula and parmesan.

My favourite 2013 (I think) discovery that I wish I knew about sooner...
CLOTTED CREAM BABY!
Nothing like a warm scone piled with clotted cream at Jaffa.

And my absolute favourite thing I ate for 2013 (no lie)...

Just some mac and cheese at Prime.

Let me assure you... I ate a lot more incredibly things this year, things that make my heart smile and if I even think about, I can taste it. But these were just a few of the lovely things that you absolutely should not be missing out on!