It's a King Thing

Monday, 6 February 2017

Seasonal Favourites - Winter

“In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan, earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone; snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow” – In the Bleak Midwinter, Christina Rossetti. January 1872

Hello everyone! I hope 2017 is treating you well so far. The hymnal lyric above was one of my favourites growing up and the chilly weather in Boston has gotten the tune stuck in my head lately. If it does leave my head, it is quickly replaced with California Dreamin’ (all the leaves are brown and the sky is grey. I’ve been for a walk on a winter’s day…) Suffice it to say, I could feel a theme emerging in my head. At the end of last summer, I compiled a few of my favourite things (Cue: Julie Andrews and some Austrian children) from Summer 2016. So, I thought the best thing to brighten up my winter would be to do something similar and share with you some of the products that are helping me to survive these long months.

So, here we go:

CLOTHING

L.L. Bean Ultrawarm Coat, Long

The first item up is this deep chocolate coat from L.L.Bean. The down insulation has kept me toasty warm in some truly frigid Boston winters. Furthermore, the coat comes with ample storage space; two zipped pockets on the outside, one smaller pocket with a Velcro closure on the inside and a very deep breast pocket with a zip to keep items safe.

We all know that quality winter apparel can be a bit of an investment; and at $239, this supremely soft winter coat may be a bit pricey. However, it is still a fraction of the cost of similar Canada Goose products that can retail upwards of $1300. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love the style and design of the popular Canada Goose coats but we can’t always afford such an expense; so it’s great to have this gem from L.L. Bean. Furthermore, it’s exquisite craftsmanship, comfort and utility have made it well worth my while.

Sorrel - A Traditional Jamaican Christmas Drink

As some of you know, I grew up in England until I was about ten years old before moving to my mother's native Jamaica. My first Christmas in JA was a bit of an adjustment due to the heat, but one thing that helped to ease the transition was this splendid Christmas drink called "Sorrel". The beverage is made from the sepals of the sorrel plant and the earliest references to the plant in Jamaica can be traced to the late 1600s and the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.

The vibrant, rich red of the sorrel petals, along with a generous helping of sugar and rum combine to make a flavourful and refreshing Christmas treat. This year, my mum is coming to visit me in Boston and no Jamaican Christmas is complete without a glass or two ~~(or twenty)~~ of sorrel. So, I figured I'd better get a move on! The recipe I'm using is one that was passed down from my grandma to my mum and now to me; and it's absolutely delicious!

What's for Dinner? ~ Quick & Easy Weeknight Pasta Dish

Recently, I shared a recipe for homemade meatballs in marinara sauce. I know some people don't enjoy spending a lot of time in the kitchen, but for me chopping up parsley, rolling the meatballs in the palm of my hand and making the sauce from scratch is great fun. However, I will admit that all that jazz can be far more time-intensive than I can always manage on a weeknight. So, if I end up with a weeknight craving for pasta I often turn to this meal. It's an updated version of a cheesy pasta dish my mum used to whip up after I got home from school. Now, I will admit that this isn't one of my healthier options, but it reminds me of home. It's delicious and comforting and at the end of the day life is all about balance.

Winter Staple | Caheez Satin Lined Hats

Hello everyone! As December steps in and it's only getting colder I felt it was time for another chat about some of my wintertime staples. If you missed my last Winter Staple post about one of my favourite hoodie brands: Jobedu, you can check it out here. As for today, I'm talking about hats; specifically the brand, Caheez.

I stumbled upon Caheez hats quite by accident while scrolling through Instagram about a year ago. The stylish woollen beanies claim to "enhance and protect the hairfrom elements within and beyond our natural control." Having lived through a couple of truly dreadful New England winters, I was desperate for something that could keep me warm while also not damaging my hair. I love the look of woollen beanies, but often the wool can strip curly hair of moisture; which coupled with the dryness of Boston winter, only creates more issues. I've always know that satin and silk products counter this problem by locking in moisture but I'd never heard of woollen hats that were lined with satin before, so I was eager to find out more about this product.

I'm always sceptical about companies that I hear about on the Internet but after learning about the founder Carla Helené 's commitment to the quality of the materials and overall product, it became clear that this was a respectable brand run by passion, hard work and determination. I decided to give it a go. My first purchase was The Purled Newsboy Cap in Cranberry** with a 10" diameter.

What's For Dinner? ~ Healthy Fish & Chips

Hello lovely people! I'm back at it again with a seafood recipe. Another delicious cod dish. Spending large parts of my childhood in London means that there are few things I love as much as some good fish and chips. And although I'm hoping to do a family trip back to the UK sometime soon, it has been quite a while since I've had decent fish and chips. That was until I puttered around the kitchen and came up with this gem.

Having lived in California and New England in my adult life, I've had my share of mouth-watering fish tacos, lobster and crab; but I must say I've been a tad disappointed with the American attempts at fish and chips I've sampled so far. BUT if any of you know of any great fish and chip places in New England (or the wider US) do let me know in the comments below. I'm always up for trying new places and would love to give them a whirl :)

With all that being said, there is still a bit of American flare to my healthy twist on fish and chips. I'm talking about sweet potato fries! I'm sure other places have sweet potato fries, but it was in America that I found them particularly ubiquitous. Right up there with clam chowdah in New England and BBQ ribs in the South, sweet potato fries are one of my favourite things to eat in America. As such, I thought I'd give them a try at home.

Trying to stay in the healthy lane, I rounded out the dish with breaded cod and steamed broccoli. So yes, while this is a far cry from the greasy seafood fare of my youth, it is still at its core simply fish and chips. Just with a bit of an update...and what's not to love about that?

For this dish to serve 2 people you'll need the following:

Winter Staple | Jobedu Hoodies

Image Source: mwahakikingphotography

As this blog is still very new it's good to give you all more background information about little old me, so we can get to know each other better. Back in 2011, I spent the first six months of the year living in Amman, Jordan. While six months may seem like a short time, they were truly some of the most exhilarating and eye-opening months of my life. To be honest, all of 2011 was a very transformative year for me in terms of personal development; as I spent the latter half of the year working with the United Nations on international finance and development issues. 2011 was a wonderfully exciting year that I could go on about for ages but that's another blog post all together. However, if you are interested in hearing more about those adventures, let me know in the comment section and I'll think about sharing them in a Throwback Thursday post.

But for today, I am discussing the Jobedu clothing line that I learned about while I was in Jordan. I was studying Arabic at the University of Jordan in Amman when some friends told me about this quirky store in Jabal Weibdeh that sold fun and interesting clothes that embodied the city’s growing youth culture. I had complimented the T-Shirt that one of my friends was wearing at the time; a black shirt adorned with the phrase “Parental Advisory: Jordanian Content”, and the conversation flowed from there. A few days later, a group of us were walking down the white cobbled streets of Jabal Weibdeh heading towards the Jobedu store. The buildings around us were all a similar blend of limestone and cement with a view of Downtown Amman in the distance, but we managed to find the store with ease. Outside, the powerful afternoon sun illuminated the streets, casting its light on roadside Nescafe and Tea vendors; but it left the Jobedu store in shadow making it difficult to see what lay inside. I pushed open the glass door and as my eyes adjusted to the light, I was enthralled by the brightly coloured fabrics that lined the walls from the floor to the ceiling.

I was drawn to a hoodie with the company’s signature yellow logo of Jordan’s ubiquitous “Camel Crossing” road sign, set against jet black material.

What's for Dinner? ~ Homemade Meatballs in Marinara Sauce

Hello everyone, today I'm sharing my recipe for turkey meatballs in marinara sauce. Evoking your favourite memories of "Lady and the Tramp", this is a delicious dish, sure to delight your taste buds. So, let's get started!

It's a King Thing

Pages

Monday, 6 February 2017

Seasonal Favourites - Winter

Wednesday, 21 December 2016

Sorrel - A Traditional Jamaican Christmas Drink

Thursday, 8 December 2016

What's for Dinner? ~ Quick & Easy Weeknight Pasta Dish

Monday, 5 December 2016

Winter Staple | Caheez Satin Lined Hats

Sunday, 27 November 2016

What's For Dinner? ~ Healthy Fish & Chips

Thursday, 17 November 2016

Winter Staple | Jobedu Hoodies

Monday, 14 November 2016

What's for Dinner? ~ Homemade Meatballs in Marinara Sauce