Tag: jamie oliver

Let’s get cooking

Hola everyone.

Today I’d like to talk about something I myself am and probably the whole population (at least I hope so) is very passionate about. Food and cooking.

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I just love cooking. And food. I mean, of course. It’s food. How can you not love food? But according to other people, cooking and food are two completely different and separate things. And I in some points have to agree. And this may come as a shock now, but sometimes I truly enjoy the cooking part more than the eating one. Super crazy, I know. But I just love it so freaking much.

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But actually I think the whole cooking aspect and the huge interest for food pretty much lie in my genes. My mum is a professional health manager, dietologist and vegan nutritionist. And it was always normal for us to cook meals at home. So it was always normal for me to think about food and the ways you can work with it and turn it into amazing, super delicious meals. That’s the most fascinating aspect of cooking. For example, you take a plain potato and just by boiling it and then frying it in butter in a pan you can turn it into one of the tastiest pieces of food ever. I mean, who doesn’t love fried potatoes with ketchup? Everyone. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The possibilities in cooking are literally endless and that’s what I love so much about it. It’s so creative.

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I actually know quite a lot of people who don’t cook themselves and it shocks and surprises me every single time. Because cooking is such a big part of my life and such a big hobby of mine. It’s something I do to calm down. I forget everything around me. And it makes me so happy. I even have my own Spotify playlist just for when I’m cooking. I think that says it all, right?

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But of course I understand that some people just don’t get so often in touch with food as I do. And most of the time those people actually want to cook and want to learn how to do it. An here comes my tip for everyone who wants to start cooking – find yourself someone, preferably a cook of course, who inspires you. That special person was Jamie Oliver for me. Besides my mum and my grandma, of course. But Jamie is and always has been my biggest idol when it comes to cooking. I still have no idea how he does it, but somehow this guy can take a plain carrot and peas and turn them into the most beautiful dish you will ever lay your eyes upon. I mean, even just a bowl full of cabbage looks mouthwatering beautiful in his books. Plain cabbage. Seriously? Jamie, please teach me your ways. And besides that, all of his recipes are just so damn inspiring and creative and tasty. Whenever I’m looking for a nice meal to cook, I usually just search for something on this website, because he and his recipes never let me down. And judging from all the videos and articles I’ve seen from him, he seems like the nicest person ever. And his kitchens in his TV shows are always literally kitchen goals. I know they are sets, but I have no doubt that his kitchen at home looks just as amazing or even better.

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Okay, so that’s that. But in order to not just repeat myself in a post I’ve already written, I thought, as I’ve been cooking quite a lot in the past months, I’d share my favorite meals with you guys. Let’s go.

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  • Pasta with tomato sauce and tuna
    • This is literally my go-to comfort food and I usually cook it at least every two weeks if not even more often. Also it’s pretty easy too. Just grab your favorite noodles and favorite tomato sauce, elevate them and make them tasty and there you have it – super fast and easy comfort food for all you pasta lovers out there.
  • Mashed potatoes with pretty much anything
    • This is the kind of meal that I immediately associate with my home. Mashed potatoes is the meal my mum raised me with, because she never wanted to feed me those typical baby food glasses. So she just made her own. And since then her mashed potatoes are the best mashed potatoes I will ever eat in my entire life. Nothing can beat the love of a mother.
  • Ramen or Pho
    • Here comes the asian aspect of my culinary favorites list. I actually had my first Ramen last summer, in Brighton at the local Wagamamas. It was a seafood ramen and the moment I tasted it, my life changed. Since then I’ve been on the mission of finding the best ramen / pho in the world. Right now my favorite is the bowl you get at the popular restaurant called Monsieur Vuong in Berlin. It’s freaking amazing. If you ever get to Berlin, you need to check by this awesome restaurant.
  • An amazing salad
    • Since I’ve been living on my own here, I’ve discovered my special love for a good salad. The important part is the dressing. If the dressing is good, I could eat tons and tons of salad. Like caesars dressing. Oh my god. So good. So yeah, I’m one of those people who actually love eating salads. But not for the healthy aspect, but because I could just bury myself in a good salad. Oh and of course the more colorful and freaky the salad is and the more various ingredients are in it, like fruit or nuts, the better.
  • Any kind of rustic stews
    • Yeah, I love stews. Comfort food right there and then. I mean, what’s easier than chopping vegetables, putting them into a pot of soup and just waiting for them to cook? That’s pretty easy. Seriously. And it’s literally one of my favorite dishes to cook in winter when it’s cold and rainy outside and I know that I can later curl up on the sofa with a nice, hot bowl of stew. What a dream.
  • Pasta, pasta and more pasta
    • I’ve already mentioned one of my favorite pasta dishes, but let’s be honest. It’s pasta. How could you not love pasta? And what else should I say? It’s pasta. It even tastes freaking amazing just by adding butter to it.

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So, there you go guys. That’s my love for cooking and some of my favorite dishes. Honestly, I could go on and on and on with babbling about food and my most beloved meals, but I think it’s better to stop now. And I mean, I haven’t even started about my love for baking and desserts. God. Desserts. But I guess I’ll have to save this for another day, another post. Until then I hope you enjoyed this little one here. Please don’t hesitate to leave a comment down below so we can all talk about who much we love food. How amazing does that sound? That would be my favorite discussion ever. And yeah, besides that I wish you all an amazing week and, as always, thanks for reading. x

My heaven – the kitchen

Hola everyone.

Today I’d like to talk about something very exciting. About one of my biggest and favorite hobbies, actually. The art of turning ordinary ingredients like potatoes, cheese or salad into something magical. That’s right, I’m talking about cooking.

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I know what you’re all thinking right now. I’m 21 and live alone, of course I need to know how to cook. Nobody wants to live off just pasta with tomato sauce, right? But for me it goes far beyond just making lunch for myself. The funny thing is, nobody really ever pushed me into the whole cooking thing, I was never dragged into the kitchen. I mean, my mum spends her day at work telling people about eating healthy and learning about food and stuff, but she always says that I somehow developed this love for food and cooking all on my own.

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One aspect that clearly is one reason for this hobby is the fact that I’m a single child. When I was younger and got home from school, of course there was usually always something ready cooked for me. But as I grew older, the times changed and I had to take care of my meals myself. And since then I just fell in love with cooking more and more and today the kitchen is a sacred place for me and I usually cook two or three times per week.

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When it comes to my cooking style I’d say my heart beats for pretty down-to-earth and mediterranean food and spices, but I’m also a huge fan of the asian cuisine (god, I love ramen / pho). And besides that I also love to bake, chocolate brownies are something like my go-to-dessert. It’s chocolatey and fudgy, what more could you wish for?

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As none of my family eats meat (I only eat fish), I usually stick to vegetarian meals, but to be honest, the meat is not missing at all. I know how some people might say that vegetarian dishes are boring or that they miss the meat, but honestly, if you know how to handle your ingredients, veggies and fruit, a green salad with some nice toppings and an incredible dressing can create fireworks in your taste buds.

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Idolwise I’d say that Jamie Oliver is my favorite cook out there. I often use his recipes – though I always try to give all of my dishes my own special twist and personal stamp – and let’s be honest, he’s a god when it comes to cooking. His shows are amazing, everything looks just mouth-watering (even a plain carrot – please tell me your tricks Jamie) and let’s not forget his awesome books. I also love him for the fact that he always tries to adopt current food trends and wants to make the world a better place for us all by teaching people how to cook and eat better.

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Besides Jamie I also completely adore Heston Blumenthal. He’s one of those guys who aren’t afraid to experiment a little with food and turn an ordinary dish into a whole new adventure and experience. I really wish to once be able to visit his restaurant “The Fat Duck” in Bray, but I guess it’s quite expensive and I clearly don’t live in England, so I can just hope I’ll someday get my chance. Until then I’ll just stick to his amazing shows on TV.

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For me, personally, food and cooking is so much more than putting something into your stomach. It’s somewhat a way of life and a way of treating yourself, your body, soul, your family, friends and whoever gets to eat some of your meals. It’s a away of relaxing and calming down, forgetting everything else around me. And when I really put an effort into a meal and get to put something magical on the plate, that’s when I’m completely happy.

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So yeah, that’s my story about my love for food and cooking. Do any of you love it as much as I do? And what’s your favorite meal? I’d really love to hear your stories. And until then I hope you all had an amazing weekend and start of the week and are all doing well. And, as always, I hope you enjoyed this post and thanks for reading. x