Tag.. I'm it too !

I just got tagged by Alison of  http://prairiestory.blogspot.com/ to answer the following eight questions in this fun game.

It works like this, you get asked to answer eight questions, you then tag a further eight bloggers to answer your selected questions. I like the sound of this already! Deep breath, and here goes...

1) What inspired you to start a blog?

Well, I'm quite a chatterbox and I have a few areas of interest - cooking , sport and reading for example ... and I also enjoy writing, but don't get to write much, so I thought how can I combine those interests?? A blog seemed to be the answer. I could try and write a book, I guess, but I lack the imagination to come up with an interesting, funny story line and I prefer to write about what I know. Saying that, the blog does seem to be a juxtaposition  of the very different things that inspire me and I guess the swinging between subjects could be a little disconcerting. I'm still working on that one, that and linking this to Facebook and Twitter etc; but so far, I'm really enjoying my blog journey and the folks I am meeting along the way...

2) What is your all time favorite food to eat?

There are so MANY things !!! It's really difficult to choose just one ! If I was really pushed it is probably Cha gio (nems) which are vietnamese crispy spring rolls served with an acidic dipping sauce which always has chopped carrot in it. I have yet to see these in the UK, I'm sure they're to be found in a supermarket somewhere here, but I haven't found it yet... so I only get to eat these when in my beloved France. When answering this I wanted to answer with something that I could happily eat every day for the rest of my life ... and yes, even I am surprised by my answer.

If you want to take a look, I found what looks like a good recipe for Cha gio here:

http://www.gastronomydomine.com/?p=431



3) If you could take a trip any where in the world where would it be?

India.

I would really like to explore the spiritual side of 'me' in more depth (whatever that means). No, I know what I mean, I want to practise yoga, I want to meditate, I want to see all of the beautiful (and not so beautiful) things in the country. I want to smell the spices in the Indian markets, and eat street food. I could go on and on, but I will stop there. Suffice to say, that other than a bit of yoga and meditation and a little bit of Indian cookery that's all I've managed so far...

I would also take Cupcake with me, at just nine years old she is infatuated with India and has a full sari and for her birthday we went to see the show 'The Merchants of Bollywood' in London. I know she would love it, as would I. Maybe when she is older we will go...

4) Who would play you in a movie of your life?

Probably Honor Blackman, but only because I have a friend who says I look like her...

5) What has been your worst kitchen or cooking disaster?

The one that springs to mind is when I was eighteen and my parents were away and I decided to cook Paella for my boyfriend. My Mom isn't really into recipe books, and I think I must have found the recipe in a 'Microwave Recipe book'. Cut a long story short, I overcooked it,in the microwave, big time ! I  had spent an absolute, absolute fortune on the ingredients and it was inedible. Looking back, I should have stuck the lot in a pot and tried to hydrate it, but at the time there was no one to tell me that, so the whole thing went in the bin. I was gutted. Paella is still one of my favourite things to eat, but interestingly I have NEVER since that day cooked it myself.


6) What is your favorite restaurant?

This is easy. It has to be L'Entrecote in France. This is a chain of restaurants. There is now one in London (in Marylebone) although I have never eaten there. I have eaten at the one in Paris and the one in Toulouse. I first went to the restaurant when I was either 20 or 21 and living in France. The beauty of the restaurant is it's simplicity. This is how it goes:

Starter: Green salad and walnuts, dressed with the most amazing dressing.
Main: Steak with French fries served with the most amazing 'secret' sauce, which is a herby/cheesy/buttery just divine sauce
Dessert: Chocolate Profiteroles or Chocolate mousse

It is the same menu in every restaurant. There is no other choice, and people queue round the block to go there. I haven't been for a number of years, but I am going to take Biscuit Boy to the one in London or the one in Paris one of these days - and I've been saying that for ages....

Check them out here: http://www.relaisdevenise.com/ 
Having just looked at the web site I see there is a branch in New York now too.

7) What will you do for yourself today?

This sounds odd perhaps, but write this blog. It's my 'creative outlet'.

8) What will you do today to "pay something forward" or "random act of kindness"?

This is going to sound funny, but today, by chance, I managed to find a whole lot of discounted kitchenware for my kitchen in France. I like to think this is paying something forward as I am so looking forward to cooking for all of my .friends and neighbours in France. They have made us some lovely meals over the years whilst we have had no kitchen, and I will finally be able to give something back. In fact, I think my first repertoire is going to be a 'Curry challenge' with my Indian neighbour (who lives in Brussels, but has a house in France) that is planned for this Christmas holiday. Saying that, we still haven't fitted the oven yet. (That's later this month...). 

Here are my eight questions:

1) What do you most enjoy about blogging ?
2) What is your personal acheivement or moment that sticks in your mind and why ?
3) What is your favourite party drink ?
4) If you could go on holiday tomorrow, where would you go ?
5) What is the most unusual ingredient in your store cupboard right now ?
6) What do you do in your 'free' time ?
7) What is the name of the last restaurant you went to ?
8) What is your favourite style of cooking to eat out (rather than cook yourself) ?

and here are the people I am going to tag:

The Cottage Smallholder
The Idiot Gardener
Recipe Rifle
Appetite for Good
Susi's Kochen und Backen
Caveman Cooking

Please leave me a comment to let me know once you've answered the questions! Lastly, I understand that you might not want to play, so if you choose not to do this, that's alright!


Enjoy !