The Big 1-8

Yesterday I hit the big 1-8, and after my form's track record of celebrating birthdays, I wasn't sure what to expect.
The night before I had started churning out chocolate chew balls and sausage rolls in their masses ready for my form and my mum even made one of her specialities, brownies, complete with marshmallows and chocolate chips.

WARNING: FOOD PORN!

To start the day off I went out for breakfast to Crabtrees with my mummy and my godmother, Jill.

Crabtrees is the best café near me, their wedges are to die for! Sadly, I didn't get the chance to take a great deal of photos because I was so ravenous and over excited but all three of us went for smoked salmon with poached duck eggs on toast which had definatley been homemade.
It was incredible.
Ever since I can remember I have had an aversion to eggs, I don't mind it when I can't see them like in cakes but not any more!!

Both the meal and the company were the perfect way to start the day but I had bid my farewells and get off to school.

Our class have always organised joint presents, everyone puts in about £10 and gets the birthday girl a joint present, my class gave me such amazing presents, I mean just look at the card!

 

 

 

This is a cookie stamp, so before they jump into the oven I can make sure everyone knows they're homemade!

 

And obviously there were cheese pies...

 

I thought we were ordering pizzas for lunch, and I went to get them with I and M, but instead they drove me to the Suffolk Food Hall where the rest of my class and boyfriend were waiting, I don't think I've ever been so shocked, again I didn't get many photos at all because I was a little bit overwhelmed.

The week before M and I had had a mille-feuille and her lovely mum (who I've never met) made me this beautiful cake, layers of delicious puff pastry, sandwiched with cream and topped with berries and rosemary flowers, then surrounded by beautiful blossoms and sprigs of mint from their garden.

 

Outside the food hall is the most fantastic thing ever. A bouncy pillow.

After gorging ourselves silly we thought it best to work it off!

 

In the evening my boyfriend and mum cooked up a storm with some chicken satay, a delicious Jamie Oliver recipe that I must repost.
I wasn't allowed to do anything but arrange the lettuce, so here's my contribution.

 

Then it was time for cake!
I was literally so full, but you probably know by now that I can always manage some more!

I had the best birthday I've ever had, and today was my last day of school, as a little tribute to my lovely class I thought I'd include a couple of pictures of our day:

Yes, we did spend the day as chillis, there wasn't an actual reason why, and yes, one of our pranks was leaving dead mice we got from a pet food shop around the school, it wasn't my idea!


Zoom Zoom Zuma

 

My mum's birthday is on Saturday and she decided she would take my sister, my boyfriend J and me out for lunch to Zuma in London.

Hidden away on Raphael St in Kensington, Zuma is a japanese restaurant with the idea of sharing lots of dishes, rather than having one plate to yourself.



 

We started off with a bowl of Edamame beans and a bowl of crispy fried squid with green chili and salt, I didn't get a picture of this because it was snaffled down at great speed.

Mum recommended that we have the soft shelled crab with wasabi sauce, as when she went before she found it delicious.

 

Tempura king prawns were J's choice, and they were such a good choice, the sauce that came too was a great accompaniment.

 

Zuma tempura popcorn was a dish chosen on a whim, sweetcorn pieces in batter may sound a little bit odd but in my opinion pretty much anything that has been deep fried or is in batter sounds good to me!

 

My sister chose spicy octopus sushi, which for someone who doesn't like spicy things, wasn't really perhaps that spicy at all, or maybe I just got lucky.



 

 

The seared beef was really tasty, rare beef wrapped around what could be rice noodles or stringed vegetables and coriander.



 

 

The tempura vegetables were really fun, the batter almost disguised which vegetables they were, the carrot, below, was the most obvious but others included sweet pepper, asparagus, aubergine, okra and enoki mushrooms, which were really good.

 

Vegetarian sushi selection was one of my choices, while I'm a huge fan of sushi I prefer vegetarian sushi, the tofu hosomaki (brown triangles to you and me) were delicious and one of my favourites.

 

Crispy fried lemon sole with spicy ponzu sauce and green onions was one of J's ideas. As someone who doesn't like fish much at all, these were really good, and the ponzu sauce was perfect, the pot of sole seemed to be bottomless!

 

Sake grilled chicken wings with sea salt and lime were a really nice side, crispy on the outside and not at all dry, they had a barbequey aroma to them from being flame grilled infront of hungry customers.

 

The duck breast (cannot remember its full title!) was delicious, but for four stomachs that were getting filled a little rapidly it was a little rich. Mum and I agreed that if we went again (which I hope we do) we would get some rice to make a few of the dishes a little less rich.

 

 

Our penultimate dish was seafood sushi which apparently had seven types of fish, I would have been a bigger fan if I was mad keen on fish, but it was delicious nonetheless!

The meal itself was amazing, the presentation really made it more enjoyable and the staff were really friendly and clued up as to what everything was and what tasted the best. They knew exactly what order to bring out our mismatch of dishes and there was a constant stream of freshly cooked, hot food that arrived quickly and fluidly to our table.
I was really glad that I wore leggings because I ate so much that I was glad not to have a waistband restricting me!