#15 A challenge to TV Chefs & Help an Artist

ART
This weeks artist comes courtesy of Twitter. Not sure how I stumbled upon him, it was probably someone Re-Tweeting one of his paintings.
Matt Forster started watercolour painting when he was 13 and lucky him sold his first at 14! You may think looking at his painting that the watercolour medium is an easy medium to use, but, that's where you could be wrong. Matt doesn't use any white paint, highlights or, masking agents, only the paper! Now if you are an artist you know that if you mess up that's the end of that mood in the watercolour painting you are creating. No dappled light, no sail for the boat, a swan with no neck and no life in the eyes of the character you are portraying. In his words “It must be executed perfectly first time around, like an actor on a stage”.

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Matt's travelled the World in pursuit of expanding is repertoire and his drawing techniques and as a result of that produced a 64 page 'Retrospective book' I love some of the abstract paintings he has produced, but, one that stands out is a blue 'Nude in Triangles'. Check out one of the videos of him painting, it's strangely hypnotic.
Matt's needing your help though! Are you an artist, know of an artist that uses Windsor and Newton paints? Well Matt needs the empty tubes. Yes I said EMPTY tubes. He's embarking on a project that involves the redundant/empty Windsor and Newton watercolour tubes. Can you help him out? Click here for a bit more information and where to send them.

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BEER
Tiny Rebel – Cwtch – 4.6%
According to the Urban Dictionary Cwtch is Welsh for an affectionate hug. Bless the bear he looks like he could do with some love.
Cwtch is a Welsh Red Ale with six malts and two lots of Hops added to this beer. It has a Tropical fruit aroma, maybe Papaya with a hint of Dragon Fruit too. It's definitely has a Tropical taste too. Not an Um Bongo 'You drink it in the Congo' sweet taste. More like a minuet sweetness with the Tropical taste, alcohol, hint of hops, malt and less viscosity (that's a big posh word for me!).
It's very drinkable and nice too. Let’s get one thing straight though I did buy the beer for the arty Teddy Beer! Oh and it read well on the side of the bottle. See you can judge a beer by it's cover. I will definitely go back for more and even grab the 'Dirty Stop Out' Want to Know more about Tiny Rebel? Here you GO.

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COVERED IN WEEDS
All is coming along nicely in the garden. Things are starting to pop up. The little bulbs I planted very late in November have started to poke through. Can't remember what they were now, I'm hoping they are Grape Hyacinths and Crocus. My 'Is it dead?' corner looks to have a bit of life too. Yes I did just say I have an 'Is it dead' corner, it's not a compost heep, it's an old mini cheap green house shelving thing that the cover ripped to shreds in the wind. The plants get to stay for two years – moving further down the shelving (just in case) before they get the black spot of 'Yep I'm completely dead bury me!'. So this year looks like I may keep stuff alive.
JoJo from the Big Allotment Challenge has planted her Tomato seeds already! But which ones? Find out here and check out those Thai fish cakes just below that blog. They look lovely, may have a go myself.
Whilst trying to find a photo of a Grape Hyacinth (mine aren't out & I have no photo) the picture I found made me stumble upon it's origin. Meet Florence Finds and the blog it's connected too by Becky Hay. Some useful tips and a great site in general.

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MUSINGS
I had my Shrove Tuesday on Sunday this year. I'd forgotten the eggs and flour and didn't have time to make them till then. So my Sunday Roast turned into a Sunday Pancake. I followed Jamie Oliver’s fool proof recipe, except instead of a cup I used a mug (we have no cups). But, hey I was impressed with myself I did not burn anything, not even a wiff of smoke hit the air. But I was more impressed with the topping I was given from Judith over at Kin Vodka.
Some sliced apples fried in butter, sprinkle of brown sugar and a good glug of Kin Toffee Vodka and then reduce it down to a nice syrup. And a dollop of Ice cream on the side. Wow wee, it was gorgeous just the ticket, except I ate the Ice cream the night before – whoops.
I had to have the whole lot though My Man can't have egg (or chicken), so home made cake is off the menu. Since moving in with him I didn't realise how much food actually has egg in – including some wines. I'm not the worlds best cook nor am I the worst (I don't think) but I find it hard trying to make cakes with an egg replacement substitute, they don't seem to come up looking right. I know egg can be used as a binding agent and a rising agent, but would a Egg replacement powder do both?
So I have a challenge for Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and the lovely Nigella Lawson. I choose you guys cause I basically think you are all great and I love your recipes. The challenge, to come up with a recipe book that is dedicated to having no chicken or egg in it and it MUST contain CAKE a plenty. I look forward to such a book.

Tune this week goes to... (drum roll) Beck  'Heart is a drum' (2014) who is still after all these years getting nominated at the Brits!! To be fair I'm out of touch with the music scene and didn't realise he was still producing music. Hats off to Beck! This is what I remember him for way back when in 1994 'Loser'
According to Wikipedia, the all knowing add it yourself encycolpedia, Beck In the summer of 2010 contributed songs to The Twilight Saga: Eclipse soundtrack, with "Let's Get Lost" (a duet with Bat for Lashes), and True Blood (HBO Original Series Soundtrack, Vol. 2), with "Bad Blood".
Feel free to comment or share to the world. Hope you liked this weeks Blog. Have a great weekend and week ahead. See you this time next week.

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