One Hundred And One Things

Why do I want to do this?

I'm a bit of a magpie when it comes to cookery books - well, books in general, but cookbooks in particular. I have a suspicion that I possess rather more than I need, and that some of those I possess are actually not very good. This is a way to weed out the dud ones.


How will I know I've done this?

I'll be sticking a sticker to the cover of the appropriate book each time I try a new recipe, so when they've all got three stickers, it'll be done.


I'll record this at stapsreads.

English Food - Jane Grigson
Cooking in a Bedsitter - Katharine Whitehorn
The Top One Hundred Pasta Sauces - Diane Seed
Grub on a Grant - Cas Clarke
French Country Cooking - Elizabeth David
Schwartz Herbs and Spices: Seasonal Hints and Menus
Microwave Cookery Book (uncredited - probably came with the microwave)
Cooking with the Choir - the choir of St Mary's, Guildford
Slow Cooking - Katie Bishop
Kenwood Food Processor Cooking
The Picnic - Jane Pettigrew (not strictly a cookery book, but does contain recipes)
Best of Greece
Best of Thailand
Best of Morocco
Best of China
Best of Spain
Best of India
Best of Ireland
Best of Japan
Best of Mexico
Best of Italy
Sweet Pies and Tarts - Linda Collister
Cooking for Blokes - Duncan Anderson and Marian Walls
200 Delicious Desserts - Sara Lewis
Flavouring with Herbs - Clare Gordon-Smith
Best-Kept Secrets of the Women's Institute: Breads & Bakes - Carrie O'Regan and Jill Brand
Best-Kept Secrets of the Women's Institute: Chocolate - Sîan Cook
Best-Kept Secrets of the Women's Institute: Home Cooking - Jill Brand and Carrie O'Regan
Best-Kept Secrets of the Women's Institute: Tarts - Liz Herbert
Cookies Galore - Jacqueline Bellefontaine
From Bath Chaps to Bara Brith: the taste of South-West Britain - Laura Mason and Catherine Brown
The River Cottage Cookbook - Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
More-With-Less Cookbook - Doris Longacre
The Bishops' Cookbook
Cakes - Janice Murfitt
The Students' Sausage Egg and Beans Cookbook - Jane Bamforth
Slow Cooking Just For Yourself - Catherine Atkinson
The Best of Polish Cooking - Karen West
Mary Berry's Complete Cookbook

What's this about?

A veg box service is like the milkman, but with vegetables. A bit less predictable than the milkman, too, as I understand it.


Why do I want to do this?

I'd like to support local farmers (if there actually are any around my way, which I must confess is something that I have no idea about). I'd like to eat better, and to push myself into eating things I wouldn't usually try.


How will I know I've done this?

I'll have found out about what kind of veg box services are offered in the Woking area. I will have made a decision whether or not to pursue any of these further.


I'll record this in posts in this journal.

What's this about?

Platski are potato pancakes - Polish (I've also met them in Germany: Kartoffelpfannkuchen)
Pierogi are stuffed dumplings - Polish again - think a cross between ravioli and a cheese and onion pasty
Piernicki are Polish ginger biscuits
Lebkuchen are German ginger biscuits
Churros are Spanish doughnut things
Crumpets are small bread-like cakes, and fantastic.

And I've just thought of another one. If I can find a recipe for Staffordshire oatcakes, I shall be a very happy woman. I don't even know where one can buy them, around here. That'll be a bonus, though.


Why do I want to do this?

The above are all things I love to eat, but have never tried making for myself, because I'm convinced that they're too fiddly/difficult/not my dish, or whatever. But there's no harm in trying.


How will I know I've done this?

I'll have attempted to make all the above items at least once. I may even have produced something that resembles the foodstuff as I understand it.


I'll record this in posts in this journal.

Pierniczki, or, My In-Laws Are Trying To Kill Me

Why do I want to do this?

I like food. I much prefer eating decent food to eating boring food when I have the chance, and not having to a) think about it; and b) cook it; is something I very much enjoy.


How will I know I've done this?

I'll have eaten six meals (of at least two courses each) at restaurants. Two of these meals will have been eaten at restaurants I've not visited before.


I'll record this in posts in this journal.

[One - Charlie Choy's (new to me)] [Two - Jamie's Italian - new to me] [Three - Rumwong - new to me] [Four - Pizza Express] [Five - Da Mario's - new to me] [Six - Shabab Pavilion - new to me] [bonus Seven - Safran - new to me]

What's this about?

A murder mystery dinner: it's like a dinner party combined with a parlour game, with certain props and storylines pre-prepared.

Why do I want to do this?

This is a stupid thing I've got really het up about for no good reason. Should I invite the people I went to the last murder mystery dinner with? Should I invite the people who've expressed in interest in going to one? Who is on speaking terms with whom? This goal is designed to make me do the damn thing, whoever comes or doesn't come.


How will I know I've done it?

People will have come to dinner and solved a mystery. Either the one in the picture or another one. I could even write one myself.


I'll record this in posts in this journal.

Don't eat holly berries, kids. This photograph is for illustrative purposes only.

What's this about?

The Omnivore's 100 is a list of foods that the blog owner thinks every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food – but a good omnivore should really try it all.


Why do I want to do this?

My worst enemy couldn't call me a picky eater - I will try pretty much anything if it's put in front of me. I won't, however, go out of my way to eat it. This is designed to push me a little bit further, to be a little more adventurous.


How will I know I've done it?

I'll have eaten ten items in the list below that I hadn't previously tried.


I'll track this below:


Strikethrough indicates that I've already tried this food, so can't count it towards the challenge.
Bold indicates that I've tried this as part of my 101 in 1001

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea - post
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche (leaving this one unstruck, because, while I've had dulce de leche flavoured ice cream, I've not tried the thing itself.)
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips - post
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst - post
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini - post
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

Why do I want to do this?

Two words: food miles. I couldn't manage even one meal of food I'd grown myself, but I'm pretty sure I could do a day of local produce.


How will I know it's done?

For 24 consecutive hours, I will have eaten only food from Surrey or adjacent counties.


I'll record this in a post on this journal.