Monthly Archives: May 2011

May 31, 2011

Culinary wisdom, insights and how to get your kids to eat greens! Kitchen chat with My Daddy Cooks

Last week, I recreated a stunning grilled lemongrass and coconut chicken dish from My Daddy Cooks star Nick Coffer’s new cookbook. Today, we’re going to find out more about what makes Nick tick. Plus, I’ve got two My Daddy Cooks books to give away to the first people to get in touch by answering the question at the bottom of this post (UPDATE: We have two winners already. See the comments below)

Nick, a life-long foodie, found that the kitchen was the perfect place for he and his toddler Archie to entertain each other. Soon they started a video blog about their home cooking. Within a matter of weeks, MyDaddyCooks attracted a worldwide following and led to Nick’s propulsion into the spotlight on TV and with his own BBC Three Counties radio show.

Reluctant Housedad: Hey Nick, what’s your story?
My Daddy Cooks: I was running a small business and got hit by the recession when Archie was a year old. My wife Jo was due to go back to work as a part-time school psychotherapist so I became a stay at home dad and the business slowly closed. Jo was in effect the main bread winner but I had a little bit of money left in the business when I closed it.

RH: How did being a housedad affect your relationship with your wife?
MDC: At times great, others difficult. Jo has been known to say there is not room for two mothers in one house!

RH: And with Archie?
MDC: He just loves hanging out with his parents! Continue reading →

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Filed under Blogger Insights, Recipe Shed

Tagged as Advice, Blogger, Recipe Shed, Recipes, Tips

May 30, 2011

MyMissusMonday: Relationship Maths: ‘Computer says we’re doomed!’

Before my wife and I swapped roles and my wife went back to work, she wrote a weekly column about family life for one of Britian’s biggest selling women’s weekly magazines. Every Monday, I’m going to go through her archives and reproduce one of her ramblings on my blog.

This week’s theme: Can science predict if a relationship will last? If so, I may be in big trouble…

The table was booked, my outfit was washed and ironed and everything was set – finally – for me to celebrate my birthday with a night out.

I’d had to cancel the first attempt when the babysitter fell ill. But now, at long last, I was about to hit the town. There was just one snag.

‘Did you manage to find a new sitter?’ asked The Partner Who Is Not My Husband.

‘Oh,’ I said. ‘Erm, about that…’

After coming down with a cold on my big day, our regular babysitter had moved away. I’d promised to find someone else but, in usual fashion, I hadn’t quite got around to it.

‘All you have to do is ask the other mums on the school run,’ said The Partner. ‘It’s not difficult.’ Continue reading →

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Filed under Wife's Archive

Tagged as My Missus Monday, Relationship, Wife

May 29, 2011

Silent Sunday: The pictorial highlight of my week: An awesome night at a blues bar

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Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as Photos, Silent Sunday

May 28, 2011

The Listography: KeithTakes5…for one week only!

Well, it’s finally happened. I’ve finally been trusted with something that has a plug and isn’t called an iron or a kettle. This week – and for one week only, you’ll be pleased to know – I’ve been given the honour of hosting the great KateTakes5 Listography while the lady herself takes a much-needed break from the hectic pull and thrust of, er, coming up with an idea for a list every week.

Mmm, actually, it’s harder than I thought. You’re trying to prompt your readers into anecdotal inspiration, prod them into delivering a blend of humour and poignancy, push the very boundaries of their creative souls into generating content that will connect with as many people as possible.

Unfortunately, Kate isn’t here to do all that pushing and prodding, so I’ll have to do. C’mon, it’s only a week. One. Week.

So, after much head-scratching and several pints of Doombar, the best I’ve come up with for this week’s Listography is: FINALS

Here’s the premise. A couple of weeks ago we were told the world was going to end. It didn’t (did it? have I missed something?) so The End has now been re-scheduled to December 21 2012.

That leaves us with 18 months to prepare our Final Farewells, Final Suppers, Final Words, Final Destinations, Final Resting Places, Final Shags and lots, lots more.

SO WHAT WOULD YOUR 5 FINALS BE?

PLEASE ENTER BY CLICKING ON THE LINKY AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST.

Here are my 5 Finals:

FINAL SUPPER
…Wagyu sirloin, gently poached under vacuum in a sous vide water bath at 55C for two hours, then rolled in crushed black pepper and oil and flash fried in a white hot cast iron frying pan for 30 seconds each side. Served with thrice-cooked chips and a mushroom-Stilton sauce. No need to die to go to foodie Heaven!