No. 2

Food for Thought

Good evening and welcome back to my blog. It has been so long I even forgot what the blog address was. Great start. 

Having been to Paris last weekend and it being the start of silly season at work, things are somewhat hectic and needless to say I am making the most of this period before I knuckle down to the hard work. 

Thinking of going teetotal, from Jan 2014... but then I remembered I'm on holiday until the 4th  Jan (4 days late is not exactly terrible if you consider the next four months), but I'm also going skiing (thanks mum) and its pretty hard to turn down the vino and the mulled wine on those chilly alpine evenings...

Boo bloody hoo. Yeah, you're right. Might as well do this properly if I'm going to do it at all.

The subject of food has come following a talk on nutrition yesterday by @AlexJamesRitson, as part of a workshop organised by the charity I will be running for, Whizz Kidz. (http://www.whizz-kidz.org.uk/)

To make me feel better about eating more healthily and avoiding all those toxic substances that make life so wonderful, I will be spreading my good cheer by advocating my healthy lifestyle and offering my services to anyone who fancies trying it out too. Enter 'Marathon Supper Clubs'. 

SO. The deal is, I cook for you/your friends/your partner. That is essentially it. In return for a charitable donation bien sur. 

BUT. The recipes will be sourced from a book I discovered over the summer produced by a company called Fitter London. Think simple, but very tasty. I have been demolishing the meals prepared using this book for the last few months and they are just great. Nothing fancy, I am no culinary genius. But I can follow instructions (luckily or this whole idea would not work out very well). 

The recipe book. 

EXAMPLES:

Coconut Prawn Curry (amazing)

Mackerel and Sweet Potato Fishcakes (way better than they sound - pictured with spicy kale and courgette)

Baked Tomato Salmon (simply brill)

Thai Chicken and Spring onion rice (haven't tried but can't be bad)

Slow cooked anchovy lamb (absolute fave)

Man maker pie (intrigued?!)

Mediterranean bake (exotic)

And not forgetting the sweet stuff:

Dark Chocolate and Almond Cake (what's not to like)

Chocolate Chestnut Fudge Cake (divine)

Blackberry and Apple Crumble (done)

...to choose a select few from this book of delights.

The question is - your place or mine?

In all seriousness, I love to cook and it would be an absolute pleasure to fundraise by presenting friends and their friends with 2 or 3 courses of deliciousness without the guilt. Alcoholic beverages are not included, that would be un-marathony of me, but of course you may indulge to your heart's content. 

All dinners will be customised to the host's instructions and will be based on a set menu (it would be a step too far to provide different meals at the same party - however, dietary requirements will obviously be catered for). 

If you would like to give this a go, (please humour me - just one meal?!), email me or text me or facebook me or call or tweet. (I'm so connected) 

07775997337

mortimerm@willis.com

Madeleine Mortimer (fb)
https://www.facebook.com/marathonsupperclubs (fb page to post on)

@madeleinemorti

Remember its for a great cause. For more info on the charity see www.whizz-kidz.org.uk or watch this video:

THE MONEY QUESTION. I have been deliberating this for a while. And spoke to quite a few people. And still have not come to a satisfactory conclusion. The best option I think is for you to donate whatever you think the meal is worth if you were going out to a michelin star restaurant and then factor in the charitable aspect, the sweat and tears that have gone into its preparation, times that by a factor of 2.89 and we will probably be about there.

Joking.

I expect the meals to cost me up to (but prob less than) £10/head for 2/3 courses. If you could please cover that and then whatever else on top. 

THE LOYALTY SCHEME. Yes, every self-respecting retailer/food outlet will now give you a little piece of card to stamp every time you have a coffee or whatever. My spin on this is entering you into a prize draw every time you have a meal with me. (i.e. the more meals, the more entries, the greater chance you have to win). Prizes to be whatever I can scavenge between now and April. Including a signed copy of the recipe book I will have used for the supper clubs and a free meal cooked by me (if you haven't had enough by then already, or you don't enjoy my cooking... I'm sure we can come to some sort of arrangement - alternative services? I will take suggestions. Not those ones. Cheeky buggers.)

That is far too much for a Sunday evening. 

Thank you for reading and I hope to hear from you soon. 

(what is an appropriate way to sign off a blog?)

Bye for now! 

(enthusiastic salvete)

Peace out

(not really me)

Kind regards 

(this is not a work email)

Morty x

(keep it simple)

Sea Bass Supper

Roast Chicken and Butternut Smash

No. 1

T minus 161 days

By way of a brief intro, I have a place on the London Marathon 2014. Whether I actually run it will depend on the next 5 months. Here I intend to document that period. The ups, the downs, the challenges and the successes, bla bla bla. As well as tips I pick up along the way and things I learn that will hopefully be useful for others. If you have any nuggets to share please feel free to add comments below. Or anything to share (blogs can feel a bit lonely...). 

I have been dead against running the marathon for years. Too far, too boring, apparently you are shorter at the end than at the start (I realise starting at 5 ft 6 3/4 isn't particularly short to start with, but I am the smallest in my family so I would like not to extend the gap more than necessary), the chaffing, the blisters, I could go on. And I am dreading the 'dark months' of endless training and tiredness.

So why the change of heart? Well. I'm not entirely sure, as all the above still apply. Possible factors in my decision:

1. I was in and then out and then in again.

Explanation: Applied through the ballot (in the post-2013 marathon inspiration - see point 2; ex-housemate told me I got the letter and was in.
First thought: S**t. This might mean I actually have to go through with this. 
4 days spent coming to terms with this reality - spoke to those who had done it. Most memorable comment from a past runner: "I am jealous, sort of." 
Day 4 I actually opened this letter and it was one of consolation, not congratulation.
First thought: Expletives aimed at ex-housemate who had made me go through the mental turmoil of coming round to the idea to then have it taken away again in an instant. 
Second thought: I have to go through with this now. 
So I applied through a charity. Thank you Whizz Kidz (more on them in the next post).

2. I watched the marathon for the first time in 2013 (Go J Nev)  

I was overwhelmed by the atmosphere. There is no other way to explain it. I believe this feeling must be multiplied many times over for those actually taking part.

3. In that event, I saw plenty of people that I assume I am fitter than. 

The only way to justify my arrogance is to put my money (or legs) where my mouth is.

4. I have not faced up to the harsh reality of training. 

Minus temperatures, in the dark, before the birds awake and when the working day looms long ahead.

5.  The natural next step...

Having completed a number of events this summer, like triathlon, duathlon and half marathons (oh stop!). Although I might be a little delusional about how far a marathon actually is.

6. I read 'Running Like a Girl' by Alexandra Heminsley. 

Sort of refers back to point 2. But perhaps you would like to watch this to see what I mean:

7. I like challenges. 

It is not the taking part, it is the completion, and the feeling of the warm shower and dull ache in your legs when you know you have worked hard and earned that second helping of pudding.

So the basic message here is that I am in, and despite my better judgment, I will be going through with this somehow.

Next installment coming soon. Maybe with a selfie video. If i work out how to do that.

Best,
Morty x

Cheeky plug: 
http://www.justgiving.com/madeleine-mortimer1