D e l i s i o u c i t y

It seems like an eternity since my last post. Often times this website has become just a distant memory to me. At this rate, baking itself is often like a distant memory too! What a shame, I hear you say. That is,… if anybody is still out there, reading these words. In any case, thank you for either stumbling upon my website and staying for even 2 seconds to read these words, or for still having hopes in me and this site. To be honest, I am quite active elsewhere as a netizen, you see… in places that require much lesser words, and more pictures (like Instagram, nowadays). Perhaps I should have just gone off and done the Tumblr thing instead of having to fork up serious dosh for this website. Speaking of which, it was precisely having my webhost deduct money from my bank account about a week ago that made me realize that I haven’t blogged in a while. Not the best of reasons, but at least it has induced enough guilt to make me write ^_^

We’ve just entered 2012 here where I am in UK, about 1.5 hours ago. So how has it been for you, there, temporally ahead of us? Too soon perhaps, to ask. I know for a lot of people, it’s that time of the year again to be re-launching their diets. I usually do so, but funnily enough I start in Decembers (of the year before). I can’t quite put my finger as to why I choose December to start a ”new year’s resolution”; well maybe because it is never a new year’s resolution, really. Especially back in 2011 (woooo! I can say that now!) when I spent half the year in Brunei (for a well-deserved break & research purposes, mind you) and consequently gained 10kg thanks to all that glorious food. Oh it was the best time, of course. But man, have I got a battle to fight! Sadly though, December 2011 marked the first time that I actually failed in relaunching a diet. Am I saying this right? What I meant was, I started the diet, then I ate a whole box of Domino’s Quattro Formaggio with a generous heaping of Roquito Pepper and a side of Mozzarella sticks. And it all just spirals out of control,.. everytime people around will say the overly-used words of ‘encouragement’ to me: ”Ah but it’s winter, you need to be fat”. Nonsense.

Without the risk of sounding like an idiot on a perpetual yo-yo dieting obsession, I am now officially joining the bandwagon of starting my diet in January! Yay! I’ll tell you right now that I wish I can keep you posted (or to say the much cliched sentiment: ‘watch this space’), but I can promise nothing based on my blogging behaviour -_- Nevertheless, you and I know, that 10kg needs to be shed, most definitely. And I always make sure I attain my goals. Once I finish my constant cravings for these babies, that is:

I have been eating far too much of these and they are seriously delicious (and costly too – at £33 for 16 pcs, plus £13 by unglamorous coach/bus travel to London. And I simply just don’t share!)

Right. My dieting banter aside, I’ll just casually mention here several things I want to ‘fix’ or improve on for this new year:

1) Stop being an insomniac
2) Read more before going to bed, instead of playing ‘Angry Gran’ on my phone. (She is a proper laugh, by the way.. a lot more entertaining than Angry Birds)
3) Bake at least six times this year so I can post at least six times on this blog.

Oh. Now I see why I’m an insomiac. Angry Gran! Ahhh the joy of beating random passersby with a piece of french loaf.

I shall leave you now with more random musings (dreadfully-overdone edits using an app I’m trialing) from my last trip to London, to get me a box of macarons, of course… of course! I hope you have a wonderful year ahead, and a very successful and productive one, to boot!

 Toodles for now! xx

A quick post to say that I’m still around! It had been a busy term for me at uni, having to prepare for my thesis proposal defense. I apologize to you all & hope you haven’t scrapped me off your bookmarked pages list.. not just yet! I was practically inundated in books & keeping my confidence up.. after all, exams are never easy, especially the oral exams kind ^_^ I’m happy to report that I have survived this one, and will be heading home soon to carry out *fieldwork*.

So enough about that. I know that my last post was last year, so let me just say happy (belated) new year to you! How have things been so far? It’s already April now and sometimes I cannot believe how fast (and yet slow) time goes by. I’m not sure if that makes sense, but that’s how I feel. Sundays come and go so quickly and yet when you are waiting for something to happen, it can feel like forever.

But not pesto, apparently! I think it’s ridiculous that only now have I had the inclination to try making my own! And it. Is. Simply. Amazing. Bottom line is, it is so quick & easy to make:

Simple pesto
By Nikki A., www.delisioucity.com
Ingredients
3 packets of fresh basil (or a few good bunches)
A handful of pine nuts, toasted
A handful of cashew nuts, also toasted
About 100ml (or more) of fine quality extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
About 140gm of hard cheese (usually parmesan. I used a vegetarian substitute)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
Wash the basil, and toast the nuts lightly with no oil, on a hot frying pan. Add all of the ingredients in a food processor and blitz away, adding more olive oil as needed so you get a nice pesto consistency.

Toasted nuts. I may have left them on the pan too long.. eep!

I managed to make a bagful of pesto and have been trying it out with all sorts of things… most notably, as a pasta sauce, and the classic mozzarella/pesto (or just basil)/tomato salad ensemble. It is just so divine, I seriously feel like I have wasted all these years not knowing the beauty of basil. (ok, maybe that’s a bit over the top). Anyhow, the pictures you see here show the yummiest salad ever,..because they’re so very fatty. I was inspired by Jamie Oliver’s 30-minute meal where he was shown tearing apart a ball of creamy mozzarella, and topped them off with store-bought pesto. Of course, that’s only because it’s a 30-minute meal programme and it’s ok. But just like those pancake mix that you can get at the store, do NOT buy bottled pesto as they can be quite vile *_*

Isn’t she a thing of beauty?! This salad is so sweet and flavourful. Finish off your presentation
with a drizzle of olive oil.

Here’s one of a quick and easy chicken pesto pasta! Just cook with oil, garlic, and slices of chicken breast. Then mix in.

Hey, pesto pasta!

You might notice that lately, whenever I do update a post that is, it’s always something quick and simple to whip up. Like.. can you count the number of pasta dishes I’ve featured so far…? -_- Ahh but they’re really filling and satisfying. I might just show you my hips to prove how much pasta has been a savior to me!

Luscious carbs~

So yes I hope you try out the pesto recipe. I know it can be a challenge to find basil in Brunei, but elsewhere in UK it should be easy. If you’re reading this from Brunei, do try out how Thai sweet basil work out as a pesto.. In fact our good comrade Thanis, from the blog linked on the sidebar here (labeled cookiemonster), once posted up some purple basil of some sort that he found at the local market. Wonder how that would turn out – as I love visual feasts, just for the opportunity they provide for photography!

”It’s not easy being green” – Kermit the Frog.
(Whaaat? Everybody seems to be quoting someone these days.. I might as well!)

See you again soon ^_^

nikki