Last Minute Christmas Gift Guide 2014

It's not too late for you to pick up the perfect Christmas present for the foodie in your life (including you!). All these gifts can be bought instore or ordered online in time for the big day.

Let's start with a plug - snap up my Noodle Secret Weapons Cookery Kit from Sous Chef - last orders for standard delivery at 3pm today! You'll find a whole range of fantastic gifts for the amateur or professional chef, and express delivery is available till the 22nd http://www.souschef.co.uk/noodle-secret-weapons-cookbook-set.html

 

Gorgeous macarons, sumptuous marshmallows, luxury nut brittle and more from Macarons and More - last orders 23rd Dec! http://www.macaronsandmore.com/macarons-online

Run to Brompton Food Market in South Kensington. Tell them your budget and throw yourself upon their mercy or opt for one of their set Hampers - I've got my eye on the Best of Brompton http://www.bromptonfoodmarket.com/

How adorable is this hedgehog mug from Paperchase? There's an equally covetable owl mug too - whimsy at its best from their Dreamscape range http://www.paperchase.co.uk/dreamscape-hedgehog-mug.html

I *hate* the name, but love everything I've tried so far from Manfood. This set from Harvey Nichols must be another winner - The Cocktail Jam Gift Box comprising Mojito, Bramble, Negroni and Bellini jams  http://www.harveynichols.com/1928881-cocktail-jam-gift-box/

Tassen face bowls from the Southbank Centre Shop. Jolie laide as the French would say. There are chirpy egg cups and a lugubrious teapot too, all reminiscent of John Tenniel's Alice illustrations for Lewis Carroll http://shop.southbankcentre.co.uk/happyohpleasebowls.html

Adventure Time Cookie Jar - it's Jake! Jake! From Forbidden Planet https://forbiddenplanet.com/118392-adventure-time-ceramic-cookie-jar-jake/

Toasted StayPuft Marshmallow Man - look at his cross little face. From The Cinema Store http://www.thecinemastore.co.uk/

Blade Runner whiskey glasses. Make like Deckard with these chunky beauties. Oh yes. From Firebox - order by midday Thursday 18th! http://www.firebox.com/product/4346/Blade-Runner-Whiskey-Glass

Last but not least, these toy food shopping sets are aimed at the little foodie in your life. I (not so) secretly want all of them for myself. From IKEA http://m.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/functional/18681/18734/?chapterId=18737

So run / order online as fast as you can to make sure you have the perfect Christmas gifts!

Perfect Christmas Present - Signed Copy of NOODLE! with Free P&P!

Snowman noodles

So it's that time of year when you're thinking, 

"I can't possibly get Mum a gift of smellies again", 
"I've no idea what to get for Dad!", 
"Would Gran want another scarf for Christmas?", 
"What am I meant to get for my brother this time?"

Rudolf eating tamen

Here's the perfect Christmas present solution for my readers in the UK - a signed copy of my book NOODLE!

Your friends and family will love you, and you'll reap the benefits as they lavish noodle dish after noodle dish upon you.

As for the book itself, not only will it have my beauteous signature inscribed on it, I will even draw you an exceedingly shabby Christmas-themed doodle inside!

• Ever wanted a picture of Rudolf eating ramen?

• Or Frosty the Snowman wistfully eating summer rolls?

Just let me know what you want (awful puns and all)!

And for a limited time running up to Christmas, post and packaging is free, so you'll only pay £12.99.

Click on "Add to Cart" below - last orders by Friday 12th December to ensure delivery by Christmas - UK readers only.



SIGNED COPY OF NOODLE! - UK ONLY £12.99 WITH FREE P&P

Doodle Desired

Message Required

Last orders by Friday 12th December to ensure delivery by Christmas - UK readers only.

Santa loves NOODLE!

The Naws have it - on the question of Scottish independence

Then let us pray that come it may,
(As come it will for a' that,)
That Sense and Worth, o'er a' the earth,
Shall bear the gree, an' a' that.
For a' that, an' a' that,
It's coming yet for a' that,
That Man to Man, the world o'er,
Shall brothers be for a' that.

("Is There for Honest Poverty" - Robert Burns)

Wherever you stood on the question of Scottish independence, whether you were able to vote or not, a democratic decision has been made that the Union will continue.

Let's hope that real change will come now, as has been promised, so that the 45% of Scotland's population who said "Yes" to independence might be convinced that we really can be better together:

O let us not, like snarling curs,
In wrangling be divided,
Till, slap! come in an unco loun,
 And wi' a rung decide it!
Be Britain still to Britain true,
Amang ourselves united;
For never but by British hands
Maun British wrangs be righted!
No! never but by British hands
Shall British wrangs be righted!

("Does Haughty Gaul Invasion Threat" - Robert Burns)

In the meantime, the biscuit tin pictured above from M & S is a rather sweet way of highlighting just how great Britain can be (and contains some lovely Scottish shortbread, no less).

Hyper Japan 2014 is coming! Indulge in your J-Love this weekend 25-27 July

If you're a fan of Japanese food, fashion, art, books, film, music, pottery, video games, technology or culture, or interested in visiting the land of the rising sun for yourself, Hyper Japan is the event for you.

Starting next Friday and on till Sunday at Earls Court, it's a huge showcase of all things Japanese, but with a definite slant towards to popular culture, although traditional Japan is well represented too.

 

Each year is bigger and better - you can attend the Sushi Awards and the Sake Experience, sing along to a J-Pop concert , and even watch a bunraku puppet opera starring the legendary Vocaloid.

There are also smaller events running each day where you can learn to make sushi, watch a sword fight, see geisha dance, try calligraphy or origami, or download new video games for your DS.

You cam also stuff yourself silly with all the gorgeous food on offer, and load up on all things kawaii at Hyper Kawaii or uniquely Japan at the Hyper Fringe Market.

  

One of the best things to do is gawk at the amazing cosplayers or you can join in the fun yourself like I did.

Children under 10 go free with a paying adult - I'm taking my daughter with me.

Tickets cost £12 in advance here, or £15 on the door, main stage schedules here.

HyperJapan
Friday 25 - Sunday 27 July 2014
Earl's Court

Geisha dancing

Llama!

Beautiful (and cheap!) Japanese crockery from Doki Tableware

More crockery from Doki

That's Monkey D. Luffy but who is the girl?

Siro-A - a bit like the Blue Man Group

Llamas!

Amazing matcha kakigori from Nice Ice

Sasuke Ramen which rose from the ashes of Mitsukoshi London

Japanese Street Food galore

Eel Rice Bowl (unadon) and JFC (chicken karaage)

Japanese Cookery Demos

J Books and Magazines

The Nintendo 3DS Zone

Traditional Japanese clothing eg Haori and Yukata (both types of kimono) 

Neko! (cute kitty cats)

Japanese Confectionary = crazy Kit Kats

Maybe I should have helped this man

She seems jolly

Luigi!

#Noodlebook Launch

© Tim Anderson

Last month, I held a book launch for Noodle! at the Drapers Arms in Islington. 

It was an amazing night, and I was surrounded by so many lovely people, that I wanted to share some photos and say thank you to everyone who made it such a success.

The Drapers Arms - the beautiful venue

© Ozzy Beck / Karohemd Photography

© pp gettins / Gettins Images

Let Thohk Sohn - Burmese Rainbow Salad © Ozzy Beck / Karohemd Photography

© Martin Stirrup

Food Urchin as barman © Uyen Luu

Gary Fenn (Big Spud), Kavita Favelle (Kavey Eats), Catherine Phipps, and James Ramsden
© Ozzy Beck / Karohemd Photography

Bombay Mix Shots © pp gettins / Gettins Images

Jason from Feast to the World and me © Uyen Luu

© Ozzy Beck / Karohemd Photography

Chef Tim Anderson and me with our lovely Laimon Fresh

Matcha from Japan Centre

Mini Ramen Burgers and Bombay Mix Shots

Edd Kimber and Danny Kingston © Shaan Mahrotri

Goodies from Sous Chef

© Martin Stirrup

Salted Caramel Brownies by Bittersweet Bakers © pp gettins / Gettins Images

© Ozzy Beck / Karohemd Photography

© Uyen Luu

Bun Cha - Vietnamese Pork Patties with Herbs and Noodles © pp gettins / Gettins Images

© Ozzy Beck / Karohemd Photography

Goodies from Clearspring

With my agent Juliet Pickering © Ozzy Beck / Karohemd Photography

Liang Fen - Spiced Mung Bean Jelly Noodle Salad © pp gettins / Gettins Images

Happy customer © Ozzy Beck / Karohemd Photography

More goodies from Sous Chef

© pp gettins / Gettins Images

© Martin Stirrup

Let ThohkSohn - Burmese Rainbow Salad © pp gettins / Gettins Images

© Martin Stirrup

Bags of joy from SeeWoo Foods © pp gettins / Gettins Images

© Feast to the World

Matt Inwood from my publisher Absolute Press © pp gettins / Gettins Images

With the Pork Pie Queen - Sarah from Bray's Cottage

In-laws!  © Martin Stirrup

Family! © Ozzy Beck / Karohemd Photography

Earl Grey and Yuzu Friands from Bittersweet Bakers © pp gettins / Gettins Images

With Vietnamese food writer and supperclub owner Uyen Luu ©  Uyen Luu

© Ozzy Beck / Karohemd Photography

With Jennie Brotherston from Free Cakes for Kids Hackney and Pete Fraser from Down I Go

Special thanks to Nick Gibson for letting me run riot in his beautiful pub and his staff for putting up with us.

Thanks also to:

• Danny Kingston (Food Urchin), Edd Kimber (The Boy Who Bakes), Paul Hart (How Not to Do a Food Blog), Chef Tim Anderson, and Ollie Thring for helping set up and bar-tend;
• Oliver Stirrup and Truly Johnston (MIlkwood) for serving all the food, and Andrea Naylor, Daniel Stirrup (Cognitive Media), Victoria Stirrup for selling copies of my book;
• Matt Inwood (Absolute Press) and Juliet Pickering (Blake Friedmann) for making the kindest speeches about me;
• Ozzy Beck (karohemd) and Pete Gettins (pp gettins) for taking beautiful official photographs, as well as everyone else from whom I pinched pictures; 
• Canvas Design for the brilliant huge canvas of my book cover; and
• Laimon Fresh and Naked Wines for keeping our thirst quenched!

Last but not least, I want to say a BIG thank you to: 

• SeeWoo and Way On (and Salt PR); 
• Japan Centre, especially Hannah Tokumine; 
• Sous Chef, especially Nicola Lando; and 
• Clearspring 

for  sponsoring the night and providing the incredible, gobsmacking goodie bags - I didn't really know what they were going to send me until it all turned up and, boy, did they deliver!

Look at all the loveliness! © Jordi Morrison

I ordered fabulous cakes from Bittersweet Bakers - Earl Grey and Yuzu Friands and Salted Caramel Brownies.

My dress, a cheeky cherry print number, was from Collectif in Old Spitalfields Market; my fantastic noodle hat was by Sara Sews Vintage on Etsy; and my ridiculous ice cream heel shoes were by Melissa + Karl Lagerfeld.

Snacks served on the night came from Noodle! (of course) and were as follows:

• Chevda - Cheat's Bombay Mix (p151);
• Ramen Burger (p152);
• Let Thohk Sohn - Burmese Rainbow Salad (p134); 
• Bun Cha (Grilled Pork Patties and Herbs (p120);
• Dipping Soba (p148); and 
• Liang Fen - Spiced Mung Bean Jelly Noodle Salad (p128)

With Tim Anderson, Paul Hart and Danny Kingston

Massive

You can buy signed copies of Noodle! here. I'll even draw you a crummy picture.