>>How I feel today

>>Recipe - Fiery lamb shanks and mash

Who doesn't love a piece of meat that is so tender it falls of the bone! In a world of food, that is possibly one of my favourite dishes, and it can't fail to please. What is also really great is that it's super easy to make, especially if you know that you'll be having guest over. Just pop it in the oven and forget about it for 3 hours. A lot of people might think that lamb shank is super expensive an therefor they don't cook with it as often, however, I made this recipe with only two pieces of shank for us two and the whole dish cost just about R100. I recently got myself a very useful cookbook: Gordon Ramsey's ultimate cookery course (based on the tv series - 100 recipes to stake your life on). It's brilliant, and all the recipes are super easy to cook and doesn't include a load if weird ingredients. I got his recipe from that book and cooked it for us last Sunday. It's a winner, I promise.

Ingredients

4 lamb shanks

Olive oil, for frying

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 onion, peeled and thickly sliced

2 bay leaves

1 x 750ml bottle red wine

500ml chicken stock

Small handful of mint leaves, to garnish 

For the marinade

1-2 green chillies, deseeded and sliced, to taste

1-2 red chillies, deseeded and sliced, to taste

2 tsp smoked paprika

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 cinnamon sticks, snapped in half

3 garlic cloves, peeled, roughly chopped and crushed

Olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Method

1. First prepare the marinade. Mix the chillies (use only one of each if you don't like hot dishes), smoked paprika, oregano, cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, garlic, 1tablespoon of olive oil and seasoning together. Rub the mixture into the lamb so that it is well flavoured. You can cook the lamb straight away, but if you have time, cover and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour, or even overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas mark 3.
3. Heat a large casserole dish on the hob and add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Brown the lamb in it for about 6 minutes until coloured on all sides, then add the chillies and cinnamon from the marinade.
4. Add the carrots, onion and bay leaves to the casserole and brown for a minute or two. Lift the lamb so that it is resting on top of the onions and carrots. Add the red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up the bits from the bottom, then bring to the boil and cook for 7-8 minutes to reduce the liquid by half. Add the chicken stock; bring to the boil, then transfer, uncovered, to the preheated oven. Cook for 3 hours until the meat is really tender and the sauce reduced. (If the tops of the shanks look like they might be drying out, just baste and occasionally turn them.)
5. Remove the cooked meat from the oven and serve garnished with torn mint leaves and the cooking juices spooned on top.

>>Holland tourism ad, original cool

About 2 years ago, Johan and I had the privilege of living and working in Amsterdam for about 3 months. I just love this tourism ad for Holland and the concept of you call it this we call it that. 

Holland really is that cool, and I miss it terribly. I can't wait to go back some day!

>>The Winter Sculpture Fair at the Nirox Sculpture Park

On the weekend of 4 and 5 May, the Nirox Sculpture Park just outside of Johannesburg hosted a "sculpture fair" that Johan and I attended with our friends Heather and Marius.

It was a day of enjoying contemporary art combined with the best food and wine from Franschhoek. It was so nice just to get out of the city, and spend the day in one of Gauteng’s most spectacular outdoor venues. The luxurious fair was also complemented by a high-end retail space, where visitors could browse top whiskeys, scarves, bags, teas, books and more in a stylish and cosy environment.

Although the food and wine fair was only for that one weekend, the sculptures will still be on exhibition for another month or so, every Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. The theme of the exhibition is "After the rainbow nation", and the artworks range from truly beautiful to completely bazaar, but always interesting. I also really enjoyed how ever artwork interacted with the environment and light. It is the perfect relaxed weekend outing, and wonderful just to go and take a stroll through the park, especially with the Jo'burg autumn weather so sunny and mild at the moment. I attached some of my pictures, however, the harsh mid-day sun was just too hectic on some, so only a few artworks are shown below. Best to go and have a look yourself:-)

 

>>Happy mother's day

 

Sunday is mother's day, and I have a whole weekend of entertaining and cooking in front of me. But just before things get too hectic and busy, I thought I could take a moment to write something about my mother, and why I want to do something special for her on Sunday.

Like most people, I don't I take enough time to say "I love you mom". I thought I could make a list of 10 things to thank her for, so she can know that I appreciate who she is and what she means in my life. Here it goes.

Dear mom

1. Thanks for your hard work over the years to give me a good education. It is the best gift I ever received, really.
2. Thanks for keeping me innocent and a "girl" for as long as you could. I am glad that I had a chance to be a kid for as long as possible.
3. Thank you for your patience with me when I was young and hormonal and stupid, and that you still love me - unconditionally.
4. Thanks for teaching me (more that anything), how to be grateful for all my blessings.
5. Thank you for teaching me how to have faith.
6. Thank you for not spoiling me. I know how to make things happen for myself:-)
7. Thank you for encouraging my talents, and letting me know you are proud of what I've done with my life so far.
8. Thank you for teaching me how to be a strong and confident woman through your example.
9. Thanks for being adventurous. Because of you, I am not afraid of things.
10. It's not just about the things you did for me, but more about what you were willing to sacrifice to make my life a really good life, so thank you.

I am who I am today because I have an amazing mother.  Because of her, I turned out more that okay, and I love her.
Happy mother's day.

>>Don't compare

>>Dear Rae jewellery, new online shop

Oeeeee, this makes me happy!! I love Dear Rae jewellery, and since I don't own my own piece yet, it's fan-friggen-tabulous that I can now buy online:-))) Dear Rae was started in 2010 by Karin Rae Matthee and is another Cape town based creative studio that take great care in making all their beautiful jewellery by hand! I think their creations make the perfect little gift to spoil a friend...or yourself. Below is a selection of my personal favourite pieces, but why don't you go and have a look at their new website, and perhaps make a selection of your own. Enjoy.

>>Jozi craft beer festival

Last Saturday was another Jozi craft beer festival day. Heaps of fun!
This festival is where a bunch of micro breweries from all around South Africa come together to allow people to sample some of their most delicious brews. You'll find more than enough to drink, really yummy food, beer pong and be listening to sweet tunes. We went with a couple of friends and had a whole day of being silly:-)