Yum

I don't do desserts

Yum, originally by rantoutloud.

Raspberry, lemon syllabub, oatmeal needs chocolate.

Hexham Farmer's Market

Hexham, by rantoutloud.

Jazz folk band in Hexham playing this morning in less than balmy weather. The monthly Farmer's Market in Hexham is a real crowd puller and there's often street entertainment like this to keep the shoppers amused after they've spent all their money. The market itslef is healthy with a variety of sellers, an over abundance of organic meat stalls perhaps but in general the variety and quality food and produce is fantastic and the atmosphere is friendly and welcoming.

Food

Food, originally uploaded by rantoutloud.

Carpaccio, excellent.

Hot

Hot, originally uploaded by rantoutloud.

Heat haze
Beer
Steak
Barby
Sharp contrasts
Summer has arrived.

Re-Hydration

After the 13.1 miles and over 4,500ft of climbing yesterday in the heat and sunshine yesterday still trying to recover fluid balance.

On days like yesterday it's hard to overestimate the amount of fluid
and energy lost, don't hold back during or afterwards.

Topical Anesthetic

Topical Anesthetic, uploaded by rantoutloud.

"Well yes it is a bit late, 2:45 but I have been for a long and difficult walk, and I'm very hungry and thirsty and I'm you next door neighbour, please go ask the kitchen to get me some food"

My pleas were to no avail and I was left with the prospect of having to make my own lunch with or with out the Guinness. I decided with and collected my pint and went outside to sit on the terrace. On the way the manager asked me if I was 'OK?'. My reply made it obvious I wasn't and it was mainly because they'd stopped serving food. Hold on he says, I'll see what I can do. Several minutes later a roast pork sandwich together with several roast potatoes magically appear.

The moral, always pull rank and speak the the man or more likely the woman, in charge, not the gay one behind the bar.

Patio Food : Making a right mezze of it

Summer Food not Running Food

There's something about the sun and food and holidays and memories. It all comes together around a table with sharing at the centre.

With the sun streaming onto my south facing patio and a day off from work and training promised but needing to rest my ankle food seems the next best thing.

Lunch on the patio, salad, Romaine lettuce, mint, home made tzatziki, Kalkidis olives, plumb tomatoes, cheese and spinach pie, tortilla and elderflower.

Bloody hell it's grim up north.

I've fixed by bike and plan to try it out this afternoon, it'll be the first time in about 10 years!

Salmon Run on Tyne : Packing in the calories

Making Carbohydrate Loading a richer experience

Well it's about time this blog included something about my other passion, food and any way the Google map thing doesn't really work if the only exercise has been on a bloody treadmill because the weather's shite.

Salmon Linguine

• Enough Linguine for 4
• Salmon Steak - cooked 1 per person
• Cherry Tomatoes 10~12
• 1/2 Fennel
• Hand-full Rocket leaves - 2~3
• Red pepper - 1 medium
• Green Pepper - 1 medium
• Artichokes Grilled, the ones in olive oil - 4
• Sundried Tomatoes 2~3
• Birdseye Chilli 3~4 (8~10 if cooking at my strength)
• Fresh Mint - small hand-full

Put the pasta on to boil, a splosh of olive oil and a good pinch of salt in the water will stop it boiling over.

Flake the cooked fish and put it to one side. Finely chop all the veg, that is very finely this is only going to take 1 min to cook once the pasta is done. Do the same to the sun-dried tomatoes and the chillies. The cherry toms and the artichokes need only roughly chopping, the latter usually come in quarters anyhoo, just chop them in half. The mint is best shredded by hand into small pieces, this releases the aroma too.

Once the pasta is cooked, al-dente mind don't let it go soggy! drain and serve into warm bowls. Throw all the chopped ingredients into the hot pan with a little more olive oil if necessary. Warm through, this should only take a minute or so, then chuck in the fish and continue to warm that through for at most another min, try to keep the fish flakes intact, season with black pepper and maybe a little salt.

Now serve and eat!

Training : Running up hill

The training tonight was actually on the treadmill, just 3 miles and a high incline; 30 mins start to finish. Just a warm up really because Monday night is usually a night off.

Munich

Munich, by rantoutloud.

Traditional fare, sod the training for one day!

Cold Cure : Hot Cherry Chillies

Hot Cherry Chillies, originally uploaded by rantoutloud.

Kill or cure? These are fantastic tasting cherry chillies in olive oil from DeFine Food and Wine in Sandiway Cheshire. They also do the most gorgeous range of olives and other anti-pasta, chorizo sausages to die for and an array of cheeses that wouldn't look out of place at a French market (almost). Their wine rack is also one of the most comprehensive that I have seen in any independent merchants, too spoilt for choice, I can never make my mind up. Highly recommended.