"Remember My Name!"

I had the most enormous craving to watch Fame tonight. I love this movie - how it starts off so great, gets really dark and twisted, and instead of offering the slightest inclination of resolving any of the subplots, it just ends with the main characters singing a song. A great song, admittedly - the soundtrack is fantastic. (Also, am I the only one who thinks that had Irene Cara been born ten or fifteen years later than she was, that she would have made a spectacular Mimi in Rent? Crossover appeal!) Furthermore, did you know that the guy who directed Fame also directed Pink Floyd The Wall? Tim is in Napier tonight, having a boy's weekend (even though it's only Wednesday) with Paul and a couple of his colleagues, watching the NZ/England cricket game. I had to work today and although I don't really enjoy cricket in the slightest I am a bit miffed to be missing out on the fun. Perfect time though, to be watching self-indulgent movies. So I thought. Could not find Fame for love nor money anywhere in Wellington. I didn't know it was that obscure... Eh, I guess I'll just watch Rent again, like I usually do.

Speaking of fame, I made up a recipe that I really think is The One. Nay, THE ONE. I don't like blowing my own trumpet (truly) but this really is something. It is - tentatively titled - Cinnamon-Date Ice Cream. I was going to call it Sticky Date Ice Cream but I thought it didn't convey the cinnamon aspect so well and also I didn't want it to seem like an icecream version of a pudding, you know? Anyway, as soon as I tasted a spoonful I said to Tim that if I ever get famous, it will be because of this recipe.

Above: Pity it doesn't look that great. It was nobody's fault really; the ice cream was too melty and I just ain't that great at taking photos.

Above: Even when I did that whole, "close up and dusted with cinnamon" thing it didn't really mesh. In fact...it kind of looks like hummous.

Nevermind - it tastes brilliant! Brilliant I say! Dense, fudgy, intensely caramelly and warm - somehow amongst the cold - with cinnamon. Really, ridiculously moreish. I meant it when I said that I'm not one to boast, but this really is pretty special. There are a whooooole lot of posts below where I don't talk myself up like this, if you are a new reader thinking I am some kind of egomaniacal, er, maniac. Honestly, I'm so amazed that I of all people managed to come up with something like this.

The recipe is still in its loose stages but I will write it up soon so you can try it (if you like - I'm pretty bashful about it, in spite of all the shameless self promotion.) I have bought myself a little red notebook to write my recipes in. Who knows what will happen if I get enough of them! "Remember my name...FAME!" Ahem, etc. At the very least, I'll have a collection of recipes that I made up.

Above: Well...you probably don't need to see another photo on here of roast veges, least of all beetroot (no cauliflower though!) but I liked the colours of this. I can't even remember which night we ate this, since I make roast beetroot so regularly.

Above: This is another recipe I made up (I need a more sophisticated term than made-up, I think...) I dubbed it Hearty Lentil and Chickpea Soup, since that's what was in it (y'all know I'm a fiend for lentils) and to be honest...I wasn't 100% taken with it. It sort of felt like it was missing something elusive.

Surprisingly though, Tim absolutely flipping loved it, so it might still be going in the notebook. I used red lentils - which I love for their ability to dissolve into mush - and canned chickpeas - along with a selection of vegetables and a can of tomatoes. It was nice, don't get me wrong, it just didn't make me want to jump on a couch a la Tom Cruise the way the ice cream above did. More garlic next time, I think...

Above: I went to the public library the other day, having quite forgotten what a treasure trove it is, and found Vatch's Street Food, written by the same guy (with one heck of a name that I can't even begin to spell off the top of my head) who did my Healthy Salads of Southeast Asia book. Judging from a quick read, the main difference that street food has over healthy salads is that everything is fried. And it's pretty seductive reading...Last night I made some pork satay, which was incredibly delicious. I looove satay sauce and this one, coconutty and tangy with tamarind, was amazing, and not the slightest bit throat-catchingly peanut buttery.

Uni starts next Monday so my Thoroughly Modern Millie phase comes to a close. I'm looking forward - yes - to learning, but I'm not looking forward to essays...First term papers are - Renaissance Lit, some media paper I'm doing to make up my major, and - get you this - beginner's digital photography class! Everyone wins!