Sunday 29 March 2015

Rest and Relaxation

So many of you in recent comments have wished me time for a bit of rest and relaxation over the past few weeks... You really are a very kind and concerned group of readers. But in truth, I find it quite hard to do rest. As I finish a busy period of teaching, I fill my time with other things, but maybe that is a form of rest. There has been time to do gardening, more time for reading and best of all for me, lots of time for cooking too... All of which I find relaxing. So when I say I don't do rest, I guess I mean I don't do sitting around doing nothing!

This weekend has been a particular relaxing weekend, despite having put in many hours working in the kitchen. It all started with friends suggesting we went to see The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel... And me coming up with the idea of a curry evening to follow.


We went to see the film on Saturday afternoon... How decadent was that... Cinema in the middle of the day! That's pretty relaxing in my book! It was lovely, colourful and full of fun and laugh out loud moments. A feel good movie with the added benefit of Richard Gere! I'm now going to make a confession... If I had to choose a one all time favourite film of all the wonderful films I've seen it would be An Officer and a Gentleman. I know... It is sentimental tosh... But sentimental tosh with Richard Gere in that uniform on a motorbike. I just love it... So now you know my guilty secret! 
 

Anyway... I digress! After the film it was back to our house for the curry evening. Well, more of an Indian inspired menu than actual curries. I made deep fried spicy fish to start. There was then a version of sag aloo with kale rather than spinach...


Tandoori style chicken, spicy lamb kebabs, herb coated paneer all with various chutneys and raita... But I was far too busy to remember to take photos! I made naan bread too...



But the highlight of the evening for me was dessert. Over the week I experimented with ice cream flavours and came up with three Indian inspired ice creams.... An orange and cardamom gelato, a mango and coconut ice and a pistachio kulfi.


And today has been another relaxing day... A morning spent cooking resulting in a family lunch that involved cake... Followed by a very blustery walk!


So that's my weekend of rest and relaxation... Friends and family, a good film, long walks and lots of good food to share that has given me hours of pleasure in the kitchen. And what's more, there are plenty of leftovers for supper followed by Poldark this evening... can't be bad! What is your perfect way to rest and relax?
 
 
After all that excitment I nearly forgot... After a bit of random selecting of names, Christina has won one of my little birds. I'm not making any promises, but if I get time I'll do a tutorial so you can all make one should you choose.

18 comments:

  1. Gorgeous food, it really looks delicious. I'm especially impressed with the Indian inspired ice-creams, wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's what ever turns you on - or off!! I have reached the age where my energy is non-existent and have forgotten that when I was your age I could keep going from morning till night. If you do a giveaway of some energy put my name in the hat!! Your Indian menu sounds delicious and I can't wait to see Marigold 2 - I loved the first one.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Funnily enough, I've just sat down to read some blogs after a day of cooking indian food for the daughter's birthday sleepover! But I confess to naan bread out of a packet, and birthday cake as pud. Your Indian ice creams look gorgeously creamy and the flavours sound delicious - any chance of a recipe?!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh Gina, that ice cream looks absolutely amazing.
    V x

    ReplyDelete
  5. Mmmm, what would I like to do to relax .... I should probably not say, except that it would definitely involve Aidan Turner!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sounds like your idea of a time to relax and mine are about the same. I will have to wait for Poldark on DVD though. I don't often do two days together to relax, because I take a day off when the sun shines if I can, so I can do some gardening, but yesterday I made two nuno felt scarves and did a little knitting rather than read more academic papers. Let the writing begin!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thank you Gina for pulling my name out of your hat, I am very exited. A good way to start a week.
    I like your way of relaxing, doing something enjoyable is the best way to chill out. I have not made ice cream for 20 years but I have been eying an ice cream attachment for my Kendwood recently. I like unusual flavours like the ones you made. x

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sounds busy to me, but enjoyable busy, and if that is relaxing for you then that is good isn't it! Your indian meal with your friend sounds utterly delicious!!! xx

    ReplyDelete
  9. Sounds like the perfect weekend Gina! I was just thinking yesterday that I need to not sew one weekend and just enjoy baking and cleaning and goofing off around the house. We saw Marigold too and really liked it!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Sounds like a great weekend. I find cooking relaxing too, but not sure I could have made an entire Indian meal plus home-made ice-cream! It all looks delicious.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I can't sit either, I'm no good at watching TV for that reason. I relax by doing - whether it's gardenin, walking, sewing, knitting or something else, I get twitchy just trying to sit! I can only watch TV if I'm knitting!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hope you enjoyed The 2nd Marigold Hotel. I too have loved Richard Gere, even at my age, but some how thought my much older dh had worn better than he had this time round. Love the food, think I know how to make those fun birds but a tutorial would re enforce it. Sometimes my brain gets a bit addled!!Having panics about shoulder replacement is probably the reason. 2 weeks to go.

    ReplyDelete
  13. We went to see that film in the afternoon as well, it does feel decadent. This, as well as the first film really do have the feel good factor for me, all the colour, beautiful fabrics and music and dancing make me feel so ligh hearted.

    I have to admit that I had no idea who Richard Gere was up until then...

    ReplyDelete
  14. Drooling over the ice-cream and Poldark! Your weekend sounds like my idea of relaxing. I like to have time to cook, not the stressful getting something on the table after work type of cooking though.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'm pleased you've managed some 'you' time and provided us with some film critique too :-) I'm looking forward to seeing the new Marigold film too. Aidan Turner is very drool worthy :-)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Oh Poldark. Oh the thought of that icecream and curry. Oh.

    I've been meaning to go and see the second exotic marigold hotle for a week or two. It's ace to hear that it's a good one. Your indulgent cinema trip and dinner sounds ace Gina x

    ReplyDelete
  17. It all sounds like a rather splendid weekend to me!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I am playing catch up so I am lost to the reference to birds. What have I missed? Have had differing reports about the Marigold Hotel and someone even suggested Richard Gere was superfluous to the film.... but I suspect you'd disagree! I love the look of that last cake. Is it apple? I am salivating from a distance.

    ReplyDelete

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.