dimensionally transcendental

about me

I am Emma, a part-time photocopy girl and part-time PhD student working on the Flood story in children's books. It is much more exciting than it sounds (well, except for the photocopying bit).

I am English married to a Dutch bloke and we are both obsessed by food and travelling - hoorah! When I first joined Zaar my fave cookbooks were on the opposite ends of the spectrum: 'The Classic 1000 Quick and Easy Recipes' by Carloine Humphries and Gordon Ramsay's 'Just Deserts'. I hardly ever use the first book now because Zaar has replaced it. The second book can be extended to 'anything by Gordon Ramsay'. It is amazing that such a recognised chef can write recipes that always turn out well! What is particularly exciting about them is that when they aren't quite right I always know what I did wrong and can fix it the next time.

When all said and done though, I really am a pudding cook. Main meals are great and I love them but I get much more pleasure from outrageous deserts. They have to be really outrageous though, with 6 eggs, a pint of cream and giant bars of chocolate. None of this delicate mousse type thing. I made a bavorois the other day and when all said and done it was just a posh mousse.

I hope to post more recipes but finding the time is hard. When I review recipes I try to use the following ratings:
5 stars = great, I will make it again perhaps many times
4 stars = good, I will make it again but will probably adapt it
3 stars = ok, I may make it again but will definitely adapt it
2 stars = something went wrong
1 star = if I ever need to use this I won't post a review. I am too much of a scaredy custard
I will always be honest and will try to give constructive feedback as well as say what I did differently. In cases where something went wrong I will try to explain why.
Whatever rating I give though - thank you for posting. RecipeZaar has become my main recipe source (bar the genius that is Gordon Ramsey) and that is because of you.

Favorite Foods:

The best thing I have ever eaten:
A yoghurt bubble at Els Brancs, a restaurant at the hotel Bellavista in Spain. It was a perfect bubble of yoghurt jelly and when I bit into it yoghurt came running out. It was the smallest thing on the plate which was the 2nd of 7 amazing courses but it was most definitely the most amazing thing I have ever had. I have no idea how it was made.

My favourite cuisine to eat:
Chinese food - which I can't cook at all, restaurants every time I am afraid
English food - which I am great at

My favourite meal:
Roast lamb with all the trimmings closely followed by any other sort of lamb dinner

My favourite pudding:
Raspberry pavlova

What people always ask me to cook:
Banoffee Pie
Chocolate Biscuit cake

My easiest dinner party recipe:
Blackened chicken with dijonnaise sauce and balsamic goat's cheese crostini

I could go on but that is enough for now!

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