good food show

I went to the BBC good food show yesterday, which was pretty good (it's the first time i've been). Lots of free samples, and i did end up coming back with a lot of bags of shopping (seafood, cheese, beer, pigeon sausages etc etc..)! I've been working pretty hard lately (I work for a plumbing compnay and as soon as the weather turns it gets pretty bad!) and have found that i don't have as much energy to cook in the evenings as i did when the work was easier, but going there really did reinvigorate my interest in cooking, as well as the fact i now own a decent set of knives!

Since i got home last night i have made:

pickled red cabbage (in balsamic vinegar after reading a thread here a few days ago!) onion marmalade leek and potato soup sun dried tomato and chilli pasta sauce chocolate mousse.

The soup and pasta sauce is going in the freezer for during the week when i'm too knackered to cook, but don't want to eat rubbish, domino's pizza last week was a real low point... The chocolate mousse is now in the fridge, but i'm dubious as to whther it's going to set properly. The marmalade and red cabbage are excellent though. Balsamic vinegar is my new most favourite thing ever!

In other news, i hear Nigel Slater has a new book out called "appebreaste"? I have already instructed the other half to get me the "Kitchen Diaries" for christmas, but now i have a dilemma. Anyone own both? Reccomendations on which is better would be welcome!

Sorry for mostly lurking, but i do find the posts here very informative and entertaining, so rest buttured, i might not say much, but am always around!

Esther