What I Want This Week.

Zara Geometric Print Trousers, £29.99

These are just fabulous - need I say more? Get some in your life right now and flash a bit of ankle

Zara Necklace, £19.99

I love this tribal print necklace with its jazzy colours, perfect for spring. It will brighten up any outfit and can be worn day and night!

boohoo.com, £12

Pointy-toe shoes are definitely back and you couldn't get cuter than these little bow-adorned gems. I can't get enough of emerald green at the moment and these are sure to put a spring in your step. Snap them up now at a bargain £12 (plus postage)

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Dish of the Week: Jamie Oliver's Baileys and Banana Bread and Butter Pudding

Jamieoliver.com

Mother’s day calls for ultimate relaxation and indulgence….for mothers (ie. not me). It also calls for a super fabulous dessert, so this year I donned my pinny in the name of motherkind and made Jamie Oliver’s Baileys and Banana Bread and Butter Pudding.

I adapted it a little - instead of bread I used chocolate chip brioche and I didn’t use pecans but only because I couldn’t get any last minute at the shops. I’ve made this before with bread and pecans and I think I preferred it with brioche (soz Jamie) but I did miss the pecans this time round, so if you like a pecan definitely throw a few in. I find this recipe also has quite a lot of liquid and both times I’ve used it I end up with about 100mls left over so maybe cut out 50ml of cream and 50ml of milk and see how you get on. Finally, a little bit more Baileys than the suggested amount never hurt anyone, go for it, it’s delicious!

(Sorry, no photos! I forgot to take any!)

Recipe and photo from Jamieoliver.com:

·       75 g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing, softened

·       7 to 8 slices good-quality white bread

·       100 g golden caster sugar , plus 1 heaped tablespoon for sprinkling

·       1 vanilla pod, halved lengthways and seeds scraped out

·       4 large free-range eggs

·       600 ml double cream

·       600 ml semi-skimmed milk

·       4 ripe bananas

·       75 g pecan nuts

·       100 ml Baileys

·       Optional

·       100 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350F/gas 4. Lightly butter the bread on one side, then cut each piece in half diagonally.

Whisk the sugar, vanilla seeds and eggs together in a large bowl until well combined, then pour in the cream and milk and continue whisking until smooth. Peel and roughly slice the bananas, then roughly bash up the pecans and chocolate, if using. 
Rub the inside of a baking dish (roughly 25cm x 30cm) with a little butter, then layer up the bread (butter-side up), bananas, pecans and chocolate, if using, finishing with a final layer of bread (again butter-side up). Drizzle over the Baileys and custardy mixture, then leave to stand for around 20 minutes, or until the bread begins to soak up the liquid.
Bake in the hot oven for around 35 minutes, or until set around the edges but still wobbly in the middle. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly, then serve as is, or sprinkle over the caster sugar and blast with a blowtorch to caramelise the top. Delicious served with good-quality vanilla ice cream.

http://bit.ly/1bcWA0f

Scarves: Burberry Prorsum A/W 2014/15

If you didn’t see the Burberry Prorsum show at LFW then it really is my duty to show you the absolutely gorgeous creations that were their scarves. They have become a permanent fixture on my must-have list and they won’t be going anywhere until I get my hands on one. A girl has to accessorise doesn’t she?! (I’m also desperate for that green chevron skirt >>, so beautiful!) 

They really are so dreamy – they stole the show – they were what the show was all about (well, apart from those blankets of course). The rich colours with those floral patterns – these scarves would make an outfit – tuck them under your belt and you’re good to go.

My friend at Burbs tells me these will be around the £900 mark – oh despair, I may be waiting a while.  Maybe I need to write Christopher Bailey a letter of admiration and hope he takes pity….

A Few Glasgow Foodie Favourites

Gin and Tonic at Epicures

A trip to my old University stomping ground and 2^nd home before Christmas was the perfect opportunity for a completely indulgent weekend of feasting at every mealtime. I went back for a wee bit of shopping and catching up with some friends and I thought it would be a missed opportunity, dear reader, if I did not share with you just a few of the culinary delights Glasgow has to offer. It is a brilliant city, not least for its food but also the people and the culture and the amazingly cheap drink prices (£3 for a mojito on a Saturday, whaaaaaaat?!) Well worth a visit, forget any preconceived ideas you have - like most cities, it has changed since the 80s.

Cooked breakfast at The Left Bank

We arrived at 11, so obviously, brunch was needed. One of my favourite breakfast venues in the city is The Left Bank, an unassuming place, which offers wonderful food at reasonable rates. I went for the cooked breakfast – how can one resist? Sausage, bacon, poached egg, tomato, potato scone (or ‘tattie scone’ if we want to be proper) and homemade baked beans (also black pudding and mushrooms but those were palmed-off to my dining companions). In our student days this place and Stravaigin across the road used to be the place for hangover breakfasts (probably because we lived in the flat above and wouldn’t have been able to venture any further without collapsing in hungover self-pity). They also do other delicious dishes involving eggs and the like but my advice? If you’re coming here for breakfast go for the cooked breakfast, if you want eggs – eggs Benedict, eggs royale etc go to Stravaigin across the road. The best eggs I’ve ever had, their Nasi Goreng isn’t half bad either.

Agnalotti Pasta at Epicures

Epicures of Hyndland is another brunch favourite, but we went for dinner. First things first, and possible most importantly, their gin and tonics are epic and delicious and are a must to start the evening. To start I had the Hand Rolled Agnalotti Pasta filled with Sweet Potato and walnuts and topped with cherry tomatoes, Parmesan shavings and truffle oil. Although small, it was delicious and light – the perfect starter in my opinion. For main I opted for the Steak Frite accompanied by onion rings and béarnaise – cooked medium, just how I like it, succulent and delicious. These folk certainly know how to cook. 

Steak Frite at Epicures

 Pudding – hell, let’s go all out – was chocolate fondant with a berry compote. Probably one of the best fondants I’ve ever had. Perfect and gooey and wonderful. The berries made it deliciously rich and extra indulgent. This meal was excellent and I couldn’t find fault in any course. The restaurant itself is relaxed and cosy and a lovely place for an intimate meal with friends. 

Chocolate Fondant at Epicures

That’s it for now folks but I will be sure to update on great places to eat in this fantastic city with each visit I make.

Tartan! London Fashion Week 2014

Vivienne Westwood Red Label Autumn/Winter 2014/15

Staying true to our name, we loved the Vivienne Westwood Red Label and Simone Rocha shows at London Fashion Week who both flew the flag for tartan. 

Simone Rocha’s cut-out dress is effortlessly stylish with its jewelled neckline and frill waistline. 

Simone Rocha Autumn/Winter 2014/15

We also loved Westwood’s alluring red dress (we know, we know, not tartan), which, with its synched-in waist, creates a beautiful silhouette. On our most wanted list, however, are the Westwood tartan cropped trousers - fun, bright and just simply divine. We'd be wearing them day and night. 

Vivienne Westwood Red Label Autumn/Winter 2014/15

Vivienne Westwood Red Label Autumn/Winter 2014/15

American Apparel Enamel Collection

 

I’ve never been a great fan of American Apparel (I know, outrageous!) until I spotted their latest enamel jewellery collection. I absolutely adore the classic gold wire bracelet with diamond-shaped clasp and want one in every colour.  There are also bangles in the same colours, which you can team together. For now I’ve managed to refrain and gone for just one – the light blue clasp – which is beautiful and subtle. Now to start saving for the others.

Both clasp and bangle cost £15.

Get yours here!

Vauxhall, London: Dirty Burger

For those after a late night hit of greasy deliciousness look no further than Vauxhall’s Dirty Burger. Owned by the private members chain Soho House Group, this tiny cubby of a burger joint under Vauxhall station seems miles apart from their usual upmarket hipster dwellings. But, they should be applauded, for amongst the millions of burger chains across the capital (and with more opening all the time), Dirty Burger really does prove its worth.

The concept is simple; basic menu, low prices and minimal seating. A place one goes for a fleeting visit rather than a long, drawn-out affair. Don’t bother with the fries; they’re fine but nothing to brag about. The burger on the other hand was fantastic if you love a bit of a ‘dirty’ burger. It’s greasy, yes, but not in that disgusting McDonalds kind of way and it’s incredibly tasty. That’s the main thing isn’t it?

On offer – the classic cheeseburger and a daily special. The night we went, the special was a bacon cheeseburger. Both great and incredibly reasonable. Where else can you get a quality burger for £5.50 in London? So, forget the diet – who can be bothered? If you’re in the vicinity, checkout this little hidden gem, I promise you it’s worth it.

Pros: Delicious; quality greasy burger; value

Cons: Chips

Welcome to the Tartan Flamingo lifestyle blog! Blogging about everything we love – especially fashion and food - a good excuse to eat and spend!