Crewe-Read Photography

Flipping tosser!

2012-02-21T15:07:00.000-08:00

Theres nothing like a bit of stiff competition on pancake day, every year it's the same...

Whose pancake is the roundest?

What is the best filling?

Who can flip it the highest...?

Who forgot and burnt theirs?

So a pancake-off is the only remedy, but this time Harry won, hands down...

...but you cant win every time! He hee!

Into the snow... with a lovely full tum!!

2012-02-19T15:56:00.001-08:00


Zermatt and the Matterhorn

If you have been looking for the ultimate skiing holiday experience then look no further than Switzerlands finest luxury chalet specialists Mountain Exposure. www.mountainexposure.com

Having just come to the end of a week in the quintessentially Swiss resort of Zermatt, MX as it is known to the locals, is never shy of delivering the most delicious valley wine, cullinary wizardry morning, noon and night.
You would be a fool to go anywhere else...

So there are a number of ways to get here, but the most scenic and easily the most exciting is the train. Swiss trains are rarely late, the connections run from all major airports be it Geneva, Zurich (the most popular) Basel or even Milan, they are all equidistant. My train ride up was a little on the overcast side, but still, loads to look at and take in and some sheer landscapes if I ever did see some!

Man asleep on the train, sadly missing out on the fabulous view up the valley

This week I was looking after eight guests in Chalet Pollux, the most beautiful traditional yet modern Alpine designed Swiss chalet, set in the Zermatt hillside overlooking the valley with a view of the Matterhorn from the numerous balconies or the hot tub on the ground floor.

Five star luxury doesn't come without a colossal breakfast to kick start the day and what a fabulous feast, from eggs benedict to local dried hams, salami's, cheeses and yoghurt, cereals, fresh baguette, croissants, pain au chocolat, fruit, pancakes, and then off on to the slopes for a day on the pistes.

It was the menu that particularly interested me in this instance, I was paired with Theo,

Mountain Exposures finest Greek chef whose origins shine through in each dish with his love for dill, oregano and thhyme creates a signature that none other could beat!
Having eight peple to cater for each day really sparked the imagination and I found myself snapping away at the delicious treats that Chef Theo was making, and utterly blown away by the food this week, I decided to don my notebook and pen and learn properly how the 5 star chefs do it!

Evening menu:
Three canapes, one fish, one meat and one vegetable to accompany Champagne at 7pm.
Starters served at around 7.30.
Local wines red/white to be served throughout
Main course, dessert, cheese and then coffee/tea.
....and for those who can brave the hangover in the morning, a light digestif to round it all off.

Mountain air being the best hangover cure so... bottoms up!

Poached lobster in a saffron sauce with salmon caviar

Mushroom and mascarpone sushi sprinkled with paprika

Chef Theo prepares the mains...

Fillet of beef in a poivre sauce with caramelised onion and leek salad, pureed gruyere potatoes and broccoli.

Vanilla yoghurt mousse with a strawberry coulis and crunchy caramel garnish

Just on the last run down before going back to work and the sun dipped behind the Matterhorn creating these almost double vision rays of light. Utterly stunning and a real treat to see such natural beauty!


It happened to be valentines day in the middle of all this so Theo made some heart shaped strawberry jam biscuits for tea and dusted then lightly with icing sugar! Mmmm! Perfect hunger quencher for a hard day up the hill!

Shrimp, avocado and yoghurt shot

Baby tomato and mozerella kebab and ham salad tartines (in the background)

Mixed crab on a sauteed soy vegetable salad

VENISON TO FOLLOW and then the most fantastic Vacherin which exploded all over the plate and made a very happy cheese course for all to enjoy!

Vacherin cheese with fig chutney (left) and strawberry jam (right) served with grapes

A much needed ski after all that lot the following morning, so after breakfast and all our chores, I took the Gornergrat train from lift from Findelbach (bad ewather had closed the Furi/Riffleberg lifts so had to walk to the train round the corner, and when I got there there was no one there, and I saw a brilliant photo opportunity in this station mirror...

View from Furi on the Klien Matterhorn side, bad weather creeping in up the valley

Seabass on a celeriac mash with tomatoes and asparagus followed by a fruit pot drizzled in white chocolate sauce.

The Matterhorn looked particularly postcard-esque the next day so up I went, camera in hand ready to snap some RIDICULOUS outfits on the piste! Look what I found!

Alice, 25, neon addict... Top look!


There she is again, showing us how it is done! (View from the Sunnega side of the mountain looking the entire lenth of the village!)

We stopped off en route for a quick bite and found some grazers...

Last train ride up to then go down...


Henu Stall apres ski bar... for those who understand carneage... Where did I leave my skis?		That old cry!

...to be continued....

India

2012-01-27T04:26:00.000-08:00

Here it is, a little snippet of my time in India, I cant tell you how magical it was, the colours, the smells, the food and the people, utterly blew me away...

Enjoy... Xx

Dharavi Slum.

The largest slum in the world, inhabiting over a million people.

View from Haji Ali temple looking over the bay in Mumbai

(the temple itself was being renovated, so scaffolding all over made it a bit of an eyesore)

View over Marine Drive

aka. 'The Queens Necklace'

given this name because when viewed at night from an elevated point (in this case the Dome Bar) the street lights resemble a string of pearls forming a necklace.

Traditional thali

Dhobi Ghat

the largest outdoor laundry, servicing most of the hotels and restaurants in Mumbai

Anjuna market

We met a Babu along the way who was preaching wise words and spreading love in the form of free yoga and meditation.

Paradise Beach, Gokarna

Kudli Beach, Gokarna

Mapusa market, women selling Goan sausage

(a definite no-no, tried, tested, vomited! Definitely stick to fish and veg!)

Bangle shop

Powdered paint for dying clothes

Babu Huts, Aswem, Goa.

Beach sellers

The Banyan tree, considered sacred by many.

In Hinduism, the leaf of the banyan tree is said to be the resting place for the God Krishna.

Henna tattoo art

Beach ladies selling sarongs and fruit

Arambol beach at sunset

Ashwem beach at sunset

La Plage restaurant, absolute benchmark of any food ever eaten.

Particular favourite: Sesame and soy sauce Tuna steak with wasabi mash -HEAVEN!

Curlies Bar, Anjuna

Graffiti is a lot more beautiful in India

Palolem and Arambol beach at sunset

Last sunset of 2011, and what a moment that was!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Watch this space....

2012-01-10T03:10:00.000-08:00

...just got back from India, WOW! Such excitement as I begin sorting and sifting through the mountainous piles of memory cards ready to start editing.

'Patty & Bun' Pop-up Burger Bar

2011-12-04T10:58:00.001-08:00

The Tabernacle, Notting Hill

Notting Hill's Tabernacle was definitely this weekends hottest spot, the place to be seen on Friday night.

The converted church was awash with hungry twenty-somethings dying to get their hands on a burger from Joe Grossmans new venture, 'Patty & Bun.' Hundreds descended on the venue eager to share the excitment and completely max out capacity.

Cocktails flowed and music and chatter carried on until close and extremely satified customers left wanting more! Watch this space for Joe's next pop-up dining experience! You'd be a fool to miss it!

'The Regulator'

Classic 4.5oz beef patty

+ smoked streaky bacon and Gruyère cheese.

'Mozza Mama'

(Veggie burger)

Portabello mushroom, grilled courgette, chickpea, chilli, mint and mozzarella in breadcrumbs.

'Ari Gold'

3 mini reg's' with shredded iceberg lettuce

+ smoky bacon and mature Cheddar cheese

'Trip-Chips'

Triple cooked, hand cut, skin on chips with sea salt

Amazing illustrations done by Hoags and Rosie

...and absolutely RAMMED from start to finish!

This lot know a good burger when they see one!

Could this be any more delicious?!

Quirky touch: £50 note napkins! Brilliant!

Joe Grossman
(the genius behind Patty and Bun)

Chef was happy!

All images on this blog are ©Crewe-Read Photography. 2011.

Brixton Village

2011-12-02T03:51:00.001-08:00

What wonders was I to find upon entering Brixton Village last night, to only the jovial atmosphere of all its habitants but despite the torrential downpour, the merriest of merry people all going about their shopping, eating, singing and dancing routines. Not to mention the excitement of visiting the famous 'Electric Avenue' just off Coldharbour Lane, which is where the market is placed.

WONDERFUL!

The evening began with six utterly delicious oysters from Dagons Fresh Fish stand, who trade during the day as a regular fishmonger and have just created a pop-up, after hours oyster bar for all those salty snack lovers!
AND an absolute steal - SIX oysters for £4.50! We had to order more!

...then a light bit of late-night shopping while waiting for our table.

After a jolly good browse our table was ready at 'Honest Burgers and after hearing great things about them were seated and served and ready to devour.

An extremely reasonably priced burger and a fantastic taste!

Practically inhaled it!

...and then the bill comes in a little old fashioned cigarette case, which just adds to the absolute charm of the place and the easy going, make do-and-mend attitude that seems to go with the marketplace.

Most enchanting!

On full tums and a thirst for more adventures we found ourselves at the Effra Hall Tavern which sports a live music night on Thursdays.

This week's delicacies were a 5 piece jazz band who banged out all the classics and judging by the shoulder-to-shoulder dancing, was another successful Thursday night at the Tavern. The lively crowd applauded the musicians through until the early hours and everyone went home grinning, skipping down the streets.

Found, LOVED and definitely going back...

2011-12-01T03:04:00.001-08:00

Fornata, Soho.

Last night I was taken to Fornata in Soho by one of my absolute bestest, and what a treat it was.

The Italians have sure got this one right!

The mood had been set by the bustling night-time streets of Soho and so exciting to venture on a new found restaurant, almost falling into the warm and cheery atmosphere and instantly Italian flavour even before the Pinot Grigio hit the table!

There, half way down Kingly Street stands Fornata which welcomes you in and greets you with a roaring pizza oven fiery enough to make you shed almost every layer, which is exactly what the Italians want!

In true custom, the idea of 'aperitivo' is a selection of 'tapas' (if you can borrow the word from the Spanish) and are mini plates of wonderful Italian delicacies chosen from a menu as long as your arm, and presented beautifully in front of you.

Five 'antipasti' dishes seemed to do the trick, with a special mention to the Scamorza Panfried with Balsamic Vinegar. Delicious smoked cheese, a fabulous alternative to mozzarella and absolutely TO DIE FOR.

'Antipasti' quite litterally translated as 'before pasta' was enough for us on its own. (...and of course the chocolate hot pot treat at the end)

Bottle of wine and a full tum, would definitely recommend this place in an instant, for a girly dinner catch up or a raucous family meal, appeals to everyone.

Buon appetito!

(All images c/o fornata)

Winter Wonderland

2011-11-26T08:45:00.001-08:00

Festive season really is here and what a better way to set it off than with a trip to Winter Wonderland.
Hyde Park is awash with festive treats, from large steins of beer to spine tingling rides. The mirror maze easily the highlight of the night followed closely by the 'Blizzard!'

Dont believe me then check it out for yourselves at www.hydeparkwinterwonderland.com

Merry-go-round bar... AMAZING!

...going up...

View from the top

...and to walk home with a giant teddy won on one of the ring-toss games, just topped of the experience of the best nights of the winter so far!

Eggs 'ell HEAVEN!

2011-11-26T06:22:00.001-08:00

Posting about one of my favourite things in life is truly a very easy thing to do.

I LOVE EGGS!

Eggs are quite possibly the most versatile food we can get our hands on from egg and spoon races to meringues, there is SO MUCH in between that we can have fun with!

The most glorious autumn day and leaves slowly changing green to orange, donned my farmers hat and jumped in the freezer van, ready for a real countryside adventure!

So just imagine my luck when on a shoot with the Cotswolds finest food distributor 'Adlestrop Kitchen,' arrived at Patrick's Egg Barn, the first on our 'list of things to do' was collect a giant box of quails eggs, and deliver them to Daylesford Organic Farm near Kingham.

GOOD EGGS

BAD EGGS!

Also a couple boxes of Patrick's 'regular' eggs all of which had to go through the process of being stamped, (the registered producer number) and then boxed where the best before date would be printed and tagged on the side of the box before distribution.

Registered producer number

Straw feathers and eggs everywhere, I was in heaven! ...and that was even before breakfast!

Run a mile, jump a style or eat a country pancake?

2011-10-28T17:58:00.000-07:00

So being in the countryside has made me feel complete relaxation and un-wound me from the big smoke that is London. My appreciation of what is quintessentially Englands most fabulous garden 'The Cotswolds' has whet my appetite for more horizons and less tower blocks in the near future.

The colours I have seen over the past few days have absolutely taken my breath away. An extremely mild Autumn saw the beginning of the week with t-shirts and green leaves and today, after a fierce rainfall and an eerily misty morning the greens have turned to yellow and the oranges and reds have come into their own. A truly fabulous visual feast. I cant help but put my camera to my face and snap. Walking pace is the pace for me, no running thank you.

The fruit is hanging pregnant off the trees and waiting for their last pick before the winter hits, and juicy as can be are the apples, pears and even a few blackberries still to be found beside the road, too high for greedy passers-by to get their hands on.

The land is so generous down here, yet sometimes can be fickle. A warm pheasant on the road, a beautiful sight to a hungry predator or simply the next casserole at home. To study closer the colours of its feathers, would be a shame not to capture on camera.

Even something so mundane as a cow in a field -the vibrant greens of the chewed grass against our monochromatic milk making friends, is a feast for the eye.

So... run a mile, jump a style or eat a country pancake?
I know what I would always choose, as no good at running at all, a style is far the best option.

2011-10-24T10:54:00.001-07:00

I have been given a Rolleiflex Compur film camera, and have little, if any idea how to use it.
I can't tell you how beautiful she is, such a romantic looking object, holding it makes me feel immortal, powerful and enchanted.
I cant wait to take out and play with her! (anyone with any experience in using one, please get in touch and come and use it with me!!)

I was given it by Anne Brookes who lives in our village who is said to have used it all the time when she was younger. I can only begin to imagine what it was like to use this thing, and how much fun it saw in Anne's life! All the things she saw and captured and all the things she left as a memory.

I think the lens is a little fogged up, but hopefully with a little google searching, I will be able to fix up this baby and start a whole new journey into using my beautiful old camera.

Back into the land of film...bliss!

2010-08-23T05:36:00.000-07:00