Paris street art

I am compiling some traditional sightseeing photos from Paris for a post.  Meanwhile I will share some less well known sights from Paris.  These street art photos are fun and thought provoking in turns.  Most of them were taken around the Marais where we stayed.  The last one was near the Pompidou Centre and the two above were by the Hotel de Ville. 
 

Pumpkin and kale soup with tempeh crumbles

There has not been a lot of innovative cooking in our place since we got home from Scotland.  In fact I haven't been posting many soup recipes of late because I feel all my soup recipes are a variation on many that I have already posted.  What makes this soup different is the addition of tempeh crumbles.  It is definitely something I will do again and would recommend to those who are shy of tempeh.

On the weekend I went to our local farmers market for the first time in ages.  I bought kale which I knew would go into this soup.  It is fairly easy to make.  The pumpkin soup is made and simmers away while you steam the kale and make the tempeh crumbles which were very similar to these.  I need such simple recipes while we are trying to get back into the swing of life at home.

Returning to my own pantry has been a bumpy ride.  I have despaired of no tahini for this stew and only after I bought a new jar did I discover an unopened jar in the pantry.  I have made soup without smoked paprika because I forgot the new place I found for it after it fell all over the stove.  I even grabbed the wrong bottle and just stopped myself adding sushi seasoning to pizza dough instead of agave syrup.

As if my discombobulation isn't enough, the days are so much shorter since I got home.  The natural light is usually gone by dinner time.  Daylight savings has finished.  (I find it a cruel cruel thing that we are going to have to put our clocks forward twice this year!)  So when I made this soup, I took a photo (above) and the light just wasn't right.

So the next afternoon when I picked up Sylvia from school, I served a bowl of soup so I could take a photo in the fading natural light and set it aside for dinner.  The textures of wilted kale and soft flavoursome tempeh crumbles was lovely and quite light.  The recipe comes from a clean eating collection.  However for a bit of substance I really enjoyed adding a couple of spoonfuls of cooked quinoa.  Perfect autumn fare!

I am sending this to No Croutons Required, Healthy Vegan Fridays, Gluten Free Fridays, Eat Your Greens and Meat Free Mondays.

Pumpkin and kale soup with tempeh crumbles
Adapted from BuzzFeed
Serves 4-5

For the soup:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 brown onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1200g wedge of pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and chopped into chunks
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 1/2 tsp old bay seasoning
4 cups vegetable stock
2-3 generous handfuls kale leaves, ribs removed, roughly chopped
Steamed over soup for about 5-10 min until wilted but still green

For the smoky tempeh crumbles:
2 tsp olive oil
300g plain tempeh, crumbled
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp liquid smoke

To serve (optional):
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
bread or cooked quinoa

Heat oil in a large saucepan or stockpot.  Fry onion for a few minutes over medium heat and then add garlic, carrots and red pepper and fry for 5 to 10 minutes until softened.  I did this while I chopped the pumpkin.

Stir in pumpkin, paprika, old bay seasoning and a pinch of salt.  Pour in stock.  Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until pumpkin is soft.

While soup is simmering, start the tempeh crumbles.  Squeeze water out of tempeh and then pat dry with a paper towel.  Crumble tempeh into small pebble sized pieces.  Heat oil in heavy based frypan and fry tempeh for 10 to 12 minutes over medium heat until it is dried and browned (ie not totally dried but just dry enough it will separate into pieces and had lots of patches of golden brown).  Once cooked mix in soy sauce and liquid smoke until absorbed (this is pretty quick).  Set aside until required.

While soup simmers and tempeh fries, it is time to prepare the kale and wilt slightly.  I did this for one half of soup in a steamer basket above the soup (5 minutes).  I did it in the microwave for the second half of the soup.  It should be wilted but still green.  Set aside until required.

To serve the soup, puree the soup.  Ladle into a bowl and top with kale, tempeh crumbles and a spoonful of yoghurt.  The soup is delicious by itself or with a couple of spoonfuls of cooked quinoa stirred through or with some bread on the side.

Notes: Instead of using yoghurt, serve with coconut cream, coconut yoghurt or nut cream to make it vegan.  Or you can leave it out altogether.

On the stereo:
Vaudeville: Saphyre

Edinburgh sightseeing: National Museum of Scotland with balcony cafe

On our last visit to Edinburgh, one of the places where I didn't get time to eat with the National Museum of Scotland.  This time we ate there twice.  Sylvia dragged me back because she was besotted with the kid's boxes where she could choose a few small things for her lunch.  I was quite happy to go along because the view is magnificent and the food was lovely.

The museum is centrally situated in Chambers Street just along from Greyfriars Kirk which is at the top of Candlemaker Row leading down to the Grassmarket where we were headed to visit the market.  We were running late and needed to eat so we dropped in.

As you can see it is an imposing Victorian museum and in the early 21st Century the very modern Museum of Scotland, was built adjacent to the former Royal Scottish Museum (on the right of the photo) to focus on Scotland's history.  In 2006 they merged to form the National Museum of Scotland.  To E they are still just the Royal Scottish Museum or the Chambers Street Museum.

While today I am writing about the balcony cafe, there is also a basement Museum Brasserie for more restaurant-style meals and the Tower Restaurant that is very posh.  I was lucky enough to be taken there in 2002.  The food was fantastic and fancy, and the views of the castle were superb.  Maybe one day I will manage to return.

But back to the Balcony Cafe.  Can you see the heads of the people sitting in the cafe on the first floor?  This grand gallery is just magnificent.  Edinburgh is such a grey and gloomy city that it is a surprise that someone thought to design such a light filled space.

I really like this drinking fountain that is on display in the great hall.  But for a drink, we headed to the Balcony Cafe.

The balcony cafe is more about views than fancy food.  However sometimes it is good to have something simple and quick.  Though initally I thought this self service part was all there was and I had chosen a cheese baguette. 

Then I saw there was a toasted sandwich called the Parisian which consisted of brie, spinach and caramelised onions in a ciabatta.  It was lovely though it was forgotten and had E huffing and puffing at the service.  He had a baguette and irn bru.

Sylvia was very pleased to get a kid's box.  She got to choose five things from the kids section.  She had a cheese sandwich (I was pleased it wasn't just hot chips), two packets of pom bear crisps, a Tunnocks caramel wafer bar and an apple juice.  It all came with a box and crayons.  The box required colouring in which is good to while away the hours while slower people eat.

We didn't stay at the museum long unless you include a convoluted route to the toilets.  E was set on getting to the Grassmarket Market.

A few days later Sylvia and I had a day out while E was helping his sister.  We walked to the museum via Sylvia's favourite playground in the Meadows.  I had stopped for a sandwich at Summerhall so I headed for the cake display while Sylvia chose the kid's box again.

My hazelnut and chocolate truffle muffin was very good.  I was particularly impressed that it had an actual rich dense chocolate truffle buried in it.  I also had a cup of tea but cannot remember the flavour.  Sylvia was set on bringing her kid box from the previous visit but one of the staff was very set on her having a new box.  He won.  I busied myself colouring it in while she ate her meal.

Sylvia and then set off to look about.  I am quite fascinated by all the taxidermied animals on display but she didn't like them at all so we didn't stay there long.

The real reason for our visit was the Lego exhibition.  A few Lego structures were on display but what she really wanted was a go at one of the tables with a bucket of lego pieces.  She enjoys her Lego at home and enjoyed this activity.

I helped out but I am no Lego enthusiast.  I was more interested in the exhibitions on the wall of the grand gallery.  It is like a cabinet of curiosities.  We had fun with the interactive display giving information on all sorts of historic and space age items.  Then she was itching to get back to the playground.  Perhaps next visit we will have more time to explore.

Balcony Cafe
National Museum of Scotland
Chambers Street
Edinburgh, EH1 1JF
Tel: 0300 123 6789
http://www.nms.ac.uk/national-museum-of-scotland/

Edinburgh cafes: Southpour, Lovecrumbs, Forest, Scottish Storytelling Centre

While I love Edinburgh pubs, many seem to be run by large corporations, whereas the cafe scene is far more exciting and innovative.  We spent more time in cafes on our recent trip.  Our visits to Edinburgh often find us returning to old favourites.  Of the four cafes I write about today, only one was new to us.

Southpour

In fact Southpour was new to all Edinburgh.  It had very recently opened when we arrived.  At first we just passed on bus and saw many people enjoying themselves in a cafe of quirky furniture and sparkly fairy lights.  Then we moved to our Newington holiday flat and were walking distance.  So we visited.

I really wanted to like it.  The place had a lovely design aesthetic with old signs spraypainted on brick walls, high bookcases with old books and bottles, a grill with love locks on it, a bar with lovely cake displays, a wall of polaroid photos and those alluring fairy lights.  Only our waitress was a little inexperienced.  But she was very sweet and as helpful as could be.  I loved the little starry kids cutlery set she gave Sylvia.  Who ate chips.

I had the black bean burger, with mull cheddar, caramelised onions and sides of fries and coleslaw.  It was delicious but was a mighty huge meal.  I was stuffed at the end of it and the large burger did not want to stay in the brioche bun.  I really wanted to come back and try a simpler soup and sandwich.  Meanwhile E got the haggis loaded potato skins which he really enjoyed.

Then E and Sylvia wanted to dessert.  Can you blame them when the menu offered chocolate, salted caramel and hazelnut tart with tablet ice cream.  We asked for three spoons.  It was amazing.  Rich and gooey.  I confess I don't remember the ice cream well but I think it was really good.

Scottish Storytelling Centre

One of our favourite places on previous trips to Edinburgh has been the Scottish Storytelling Centre in the John Knox house on Royal Mile.  It has been a warm and cosy place for a bite to eat.  We ate here a couple of times but E was not so impressed by the service this time.

I really loved my ploughman's platter with cheese, oatcakes, bread, roast vegies, waldorf salad and fruit.  E enjoyed a haggis tzatziki wrap.  The brownie was rather good too.  And I love an elderflower presse to drink.  This was the place where Sylvia learnt to have hot chocolate with some cream on the side.  She ordered this as often as possible while in Edinburgh.

Strangely enough last time the only time I really wanted something off the specials board I wasn't there for a meal.  Likewise this visit.  I would have eaten the vegetarian shepherd's pie but when I saw it I had just had lunch.  Sylvia still enjoyed playing with these little doorways into famous Scottish books just as she had as a baby and a toddle.  And we enjoyed some singing here for St Patrick's Day.  I hope to be back.

Forest Cafe

We have a particular sentimental fondness for Forest Cafe because it used to be quite close to our flat in Edinburgh and my brother volunteered there for a time.  It now moved to the Tollbooth and is expanded but still has a touch of student bohemianism about it.  You can see photos of Forest Cafe from our last trip and notice a little has changed but not much.

On its website, Forest is described as "a volunteer-run, collectively-owned, free arts and events project."  The cafe is vegetarian and helps to fund it.  Signs of the broader activities are all around the cafe.  It is the sort of place where you sit at a table and find a box of chalk and no one minds if you use some even though it seemed to be for the notice board.  By the way, I would love to go to a Bread Party!

The service I had at Forest was pretty underwhelming.  (I was ignored at the counter for about 10 minutes before I asked if it was table service and was told "yes but" ... as I walked to my table .... "only after you order at the counter"!)  However that is the nature of a place with volunteers.  Soon after we were served I noticed that another woman was serving and doing an excellent job.

Sylvia ordered a hot chocolate and a brownie.  I ordered a fruit tea, E had a latte and the two of us shared a plate of nachos.  That dish is a sentimental favourite that we have had a Forest many times.  The drinks and brownie came first.  The brownie was probably one of the best bakes we had in Edinburgh.   Sylvia didn't like her hot chocolate because it wasn't sweet enough and I didn't like the spiciness in my tea.  So we swapped and were quite happy.

The nachos took quite a while.  I wasn't surprised as the volunteer dealing with them wasn't really the sharpest tool in the box.  When they came it was a generous plateful that was piping hot.  Forest does manage to get the corn chips nice and crisp with lots of melty cheese.  It was a shame that we had bad luck with the service as it is a fun place with good food.

lovecrumbs

It was with delight that we returned to lovecrumbs cake shop which we had really loved last time when Shauna had taken us there (thanks again Shauna).  We went there at the start of the trip and I was sure we would get back but like so many other places we never had a chance.  Such a shame.  It is fun to swoon over the cake cabinet.  Such gorgeous layer cakes and surprising flavours.

We discovered that you have to be quick.  We chose three cakes and by the time I ordered the people in front of me had nabbed the last slice of the White chocolate, hazelnut and thyme cake and the White chocolate pink peppercorn tart.  Instead E had the Beetroot walnut cake with lots of pink flecks and lovely cream cheese frosting.  Sylvia shared the Chocolate bramble cake with me.  It was lovely but so long again.  I think there was bramble jam and chocolate ganache between the layers.  I also really enjoyed the part of my Kitsch Rhubarb and Thai Basil Soda that Sylvia did not knock over the table.  Probably just as well we did not get a seat at the old piano that has been converted into a table!

Finally I leave you with a photo from our walk back through the Meadows to our flat after eating at Forest.  It was one of those sunny spring days when everyone seemed to have come out to enjoy the glorious mild British evening.  People were sitting in groups on the grass, kicking a soccer ball about, jogging, walking their dog, playing tennis, or at the playground.  We stopped to watch a squirrel, looked at the street art and took Sylvia to the playground.  I wish we had gone to more cafes in our time in Edinburgh but sometimes other places beckon.

Southpour
1-5 Newington Road
Newington, Edinburgh  EH9 1QR
www.southpour.co.uk

Scottish Storytelling Centre
43-45 High Street Edinburgh, EH1 1SR
Tel: 0131 556 1229
http://www.scottishstorytellingcentre.co.uk/ 

Forest Cafe
141 Lauriston Place 
Tollcross, Edinburgh EH3 9JN
Tel: 0131 229 4922
http://blog.theforest.org.uk/cafe

lovecrumbs
155 West Port
Edinburgh EH3 9DP
www.lovecrumbs.co.uk

Edinburgh pubs: World's End, The Southern and Tiles

There is nothing like a ye olde cosy British pub.  They usually have some good vegetarian food on the menu and a delightful ambiance.  I have already written about the pub highlights of our recent trip to Edinburgh.  Today I am going to write about meals at three different types of pubs.  Though not as spectacular as at the Auld Hoose and The Beehive, they nevertheless produced impressive vegetarian pub grub.  The World's End is an iconic tourist pub, Tiles is an after work city centre pub and The Southern is more for the locals and students.  As I had brunch, lunch and dinner at these pubs, I will write about them in that order.

The Southern 
22-26 South Clerk Street
Newington
Edinburgh, EH8 9PR
0131 662 8926
www.thesouthern.co.uk



Sylvia and I had brunch one day at The Southern, which was near our holiday flat in Newington.  I liked the dark exterior which suggested a cosy interior.  More importantly, the menu promised a good veggie fry up.

Inside was actually brighter and more modern than I expected albeit cosy.  Leather benches, copper table tops, high tables, heavy stools, and lots of bare white walls.  Yet it still had a touch of vintage charm with the fireplace and little window nooks.  I can imagine it is popular with students.

The music was fun British classics and the pub very quiet at about 10.30am so Sylvia and I had fun dancing while we waited for our meal.  It gave us a laugh.  However most of our laughter came when Sylvia thanked the man who brought in the barrels of beer and then told me she had  embarrassed her pants off!

I ordered the veggie breakfast which consisted of vegetarian sausages, vegetarian haggis, baked beans, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms, and sourdough bread.  I enjoyed it but I think I have been spoilt by the likes of Melbourne's Glass Den and wished for more vegies with my meal.  Sylvia enjoyed baked beans on toast.  She had a lovely apple juice and I had a more astringent cranberry juice.

It was an excellent way to start the day and we had fun watching people and buses going by out the window.  If I had had the chance I would have liked to try the vegetarian burgers.

The World's End
4 High Street, Royal Mile
Old Town, Edinburgh EH1 1TB
0131 5563628
www.worldsend-edinburgh.co.uk



It amazes me that it has taken me this long to eat at the World's End pub on the Royal Mile.  I first noticed it on my first trip to Edinburgh 20 years ago.  I just never went in.  There are so many pubs and so little time in Edinburgh.  In 2006 I ate at the opposite pub (then called The Tass) and took this photo of the exterior through the window (apologies that it is the only photo I could find).  On our last visit, I tried to get in but they would not let Sylvia in with the stroller.  Finally this year we ate there.

This is the cosy British pub of my romantic imagination.  Thick stone walls, some painted a warm burnt sienna and hung with old photos, gilt edged mirrors, cute wee nooks, a curved wooden bar, axes above the doors.  It is in the heart of heritage Edinburgh with a backpackers hostel above it.  Hence it is very popular with tourists.  You can spot all the foreign bank notes around the bar.

Unfortunately pubs are traditionally places for drinking too and I am not so interested in alcohol.  I asked about the alcohol free Kopparberg berry cider on the drinks menu.  It was dismissed as being just juice.  Hurrumph!  It was actually a very nice fizzy fruity cider.

Sylvia wanted chips as usual.  We didn't mind as she had been having lots of kids boxes with cheese sandwiches. E and I decided to share the plate of haggis nachos.  It was great to find some haggis nachos but a pretty ordinary plate of nachos.  The corn chips had cheese melted over them with a pile of veg haggis on top and some sour cream and salsa on the side.  No guacamole.  And not enough salsa.  But a good solid meal while out and about.

I was pleased to eat in a cosy ye olde worlde pub.  And one with a great story.  The name comes from the location of the pub at the end of the walled city of Edinburgh in the 16th Century so it was the end of the known world to the citizens.  The intersection outside the pub has gold markers to show where the gate once stood.  (The Museum of Edinburgh has a great little model of Edinburgh during this period.)

Tiles Bar and Bistro
1 St. Andrew Square
Edinburgh, EH2 2BD
0131 557 3228
www.tilesbar.co.uk



I arranged to meet with an old work colleague one evening in Edinburgh.  She suggested Tiles, a bar that she goes to after work regularly.  It is in the old Prudential Insurance art deco building and is really worthwhile to spend your time there staring up at the amazing ceiling.

Tiles offers a fairly traditional Scottish menu of soup, ploughman's board, haggis, burgers and sandwiches.  I ordered a vegetarian burger (on a brioche bun with salad) with cheese, tomato chutney, coleslaw on the side and a cute basket of chips.  The burger was lovely and I really enjoyed the chips too.  I confess I didn't focus too much on the food as I was enjoying catching up with Anne whom I had not seen for a few years.

It was great to visit these pubs in Edinburgh.  I wish I had found more time to sit in pubs enjoying the pub grub and the general ambiance.  It is hard to get into them as laws mean that a 7 year old is not welcome in many of them.  Hopefully we will visit a few more next time. 

Meanwhile, you can check out other Edinburgh pubs I have written about: The Kenilworth, The Last Drop, Sheep Heid Inn, The Beehive Inn, The Auld Hoose.