Cocoa muffins, an upcoming trip, and a vegan lunch

Cocoa muffins.

Where does the time go? It's been almost a week since I gloated about my recipe making accomplishments. I guess a girl can only gloat for so long before it starts to get a little excessive. And anyway, that braised chicken picture was starting to bore me. But I will say that I made my version of that recipe again last week, but I stewed some meatballs in the sauce, and man, that was some good stuff.

In the meantime I did make some really disappointing cocoa muffins last weekend. They had such potential--just look how they are bursting through at the tops. The taste, however, was about as boring as.. hmm... I'm trying to think of something really boring.. Let's just say it was as boring as boring is when you are really, really bored. A complete waste of 2/3rds of a cup of Valrhona cocoa powder. Adding insult to injury I had even used my madeleine pan for some of the batter which made the cutest little chocolatey madeleines. They did look cute in my garbage, but it was still quite heartbreaking.

In other exciting news, exactly one week from today this girl is going to be on a train to Paris.
I haven't decided which suitcase I'm going to bring yet because in Paris it's such a pain in the ass pushing your suitcase through the metro turnstiles. I know, you can get the attendant to open the gates at the side but sometimes it takes far too long to get their attention.
Ahh Paris.
How I missed you.
It's no coincidence that my trip coincides with the Salon des Saveurs, that mecca for gourmet food lovers that occurs twice a year in Paris. I never missed one while I lived there and I certainly don't intend to miss it now. My friend Alisa and I are experts at weaving our way around the French madames with their grocery trolleys and their "if it doesn't get out of the way, just run it over" attitudes. When the finest of French food products are at stake, all sense of order gets thrown out the window.

And people, you know I'm going to Mariage Frères. I stocked up before I moved, so it's not as if I'm running low, but I need my aromatherapy and there are always flavours that I have yet to try. I might even give that jaunty little tea boy that works in the shop in the 3rd a big old hug, just because I missed him and his cute little white outfit.

Alright, enough with the rambling. I should talk about something useful, like that nice little lunch I had recently at a place called Vitaorganic in Soho. It's vegan and organic and they seem to have this thing for raw and "gently cooked" foods to preserve the living enzymes.

For 4£ you can select 3 items from the many prepared dishes on display (behind glass of course).
I settled on a mixed plate with carrot and parsnip salad, a lentil salad and some lightly steamed broccoli. This maybe doesn't sound like the kind of lunch that gets your mouth watering, but it's right up my alley. And I'm neither vegan nor even vegetarian for that matter. But it's healthy and fresh and no matter what you pick you are doing your body good.

They also make fresh juices and smoothies to cure whatever ails you, such as the BlueBooster, which will apparently soothe and strengthen your throat.
You can either sit in and enjoy the general healthiness in the air or take your meal away. Oh, and you can get more or less than 3 items if you want, the price will vary accordingly. Makes sense, right?

Vitaorganic
74 Wardour St.
corner of Wardour and Meard Streets
Soho, London
W1F 0TE
Leicester Square Tube



Ok, I'm done rambling now..