I have been watching many cooking shows lately and one of them is Annabel Langbein's The Free Range Cook. I don't know why, but I like her New Zealand accent. It's kinda weird but kinda nice. Very similar to Australian but not quite.
Anyway. I have always found foreign accents fascinating. I am not the only one because one dude found Parikash uttered in a foreign accent so sexy that he had to cook Paprikash. Hah!
When I watch TV shows, I always find Spanish, French and Italian accents so exotic. I also love English, Scottish and Irish accents. It's pleasing and easy on my ears. That made me wonder if any foreigners find our Malaysian accent comely.
But much as I enjoy listening to foreign accents, I have trouble understanding what they are saying (sometimes). On TV it is fine. The actors/presenters speak clearly.
But on the phone I really sweat it out when I speak to my Scottish (and some British) clients. I have to make them repeat what they say and I wonder if they think that I am daft. Or deaf.
Coming back to Annabel Langbein, she made a Hazelnut Pesto on one episode of her show. She used the pesto to dress some new potatoes. As you know, I love anything green, so this pesto captured my imagination.
And guess what? I happen to have some hazelnuts in the fridge. So I roasted the lot and went out to get Italian Basil and some Arugula (Rocket).
And since I also had some pumpkin in the fridge, I made roasted pumpkin and tossed them with the pesto.
I thought it was very nice. Though I am not really fond of Italian Basil, but used in a small amount in this pesto, it was very pleasing. I liked the pesto very much and I believe I will be trying many different pestos to jazz up my food.
Hazelnut Pesto
Recipe source : Adapted from A Free Range Life
Ingredients :
- 1/2 cup roasted hazelnuts, skin removed (it's OK if some skin does not come off)
- 3 handfuls Arugula/Rocket
- 1 handful Italian Basil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
Method :
1. Put everything into a food processor and process in pulses to get a chunky mixture.
2. Taste for seasoning and store in an airtight container.
What the... how can hazelnut be an ingredient for pesto? I cannot imagine the taste!
ReplyDeleteAlso, for the record, I only find European accent sexy. If it is Aussie or Indian accent for example... well best for me to shut up. Never mind... :/
Traditionally, pine nuts are used but now other nuts come into the picture like cashew nuts even.
DeleteYes, I hear you. Some accents we many not find so appealing.
Hey, I've found someone who loves accents too...and my fav is British accents (followed by Australian)...don't care if it's English, Scottish, Irish or Welsh...all so sexy! Many of my fav actors are British and Australian ;) And I especially love food shows with such accented hosts (the newer ones being Beach Eats USA, Jonathan Pang's Gourmet Trains & Gok's Chinese Takeaway besides my old favs of Jamie Oliver & Gordon Ramsay...hehe!) ^_*
ReplyDeleteAnd, guess what? I'm also not fond of basil, so I've never thought of making pesto. Hmmm, we're beginning to sound like 'two peas in a pod'....haha! ;D
High 5! By the way, I love watching Gok hee..hee..I think he is cool :)
DeleteI am OK with Thai Basil though.
I like the green look of the pesto. Must taste very good!
ReplyDeleteYes, it's very good!
DeleteWow! You must be famous to have Scottish and British clients.
ReplyDeleteNo, I'm not famous. It is just this one client.
DeleteYou are always full of surprises and laughs to start my day. I can imagine the taste of roasted pumpkin and tossed with the pesto. This is appetizing and definitely my liking!
ReplyDeleteI have problems to understand the OZ peeps talking and rolling their tongues. Maybe I could only understand 30%! They don't speak the same as NZ folks at all.
Oh yah, those Aussies, very hard to make out what they are saying!
DeleteI have the same problems with understsnding when talking on the phone with British, interesting that American accent is not that difficult
ReplyDeleteI agree, American accent is the easiest to comprehend.
DeletePH, if you come SG conduct cookery classes, i sure go support you, hehe....
ReplyDeleteThank you, thank you....
DeleteMy girl would love this...and she loves pumpkin too!
ReplyDeleteThat's good to know. Pumpkin is also great in curries.
DeleteOh, I don't watch cooking shows, they make me salivating and drool only.. makes me yearn for the food and not getting any unless I stay next door to PH! LOL... The only shows I watch on Astro is HK dramas and movies... no food.. no drool...
ReplyDeleteYeah, me too when watching cooking shows will somehow go looking for snacks :D
DeleteWhich reminded me of a British boss I used to work. Took me some years to get used to what he said. Haha. Sometimes he was mumbling or talked in his liw vouce that I had hard time catching him. Lol.
ReplyDeleteIt is nice to make own pesto. Fresh. So far I had made basil pesto for my grilled chicken.
Pesto is also nice tossed with pasta.
Deleteone of the reasons meryl streep is my favourite actress is her ability to navigate numerous different accents over her 40-year career - and people say her accents are always spot on :D i like sweet basil very much, and i could happily eat it with everything - pastas, salads, sandwiches, soups, meats, fish, veggies ... and maybe even dessert! :D yours looks so fresh and beautifully textured! great appetising colour too! :)
ReplyDeleteOh yes, I love Meryl Streep! I wonder if she can do a Malaysian accent :D Pesto is my latest yummy discovery. Will experiment with other nuts as well.
DeleteI once ate prawns with basil pesto and it was so delicious. I do not have a food processor so can't make my own basil pesto. I will have to pay 100% attention to anyone speaking in foreign accents and that makes me very tired after that! Lol!
ReplyDeleteNancy, you can use mortar and pestle to make pesto, like making sambal belacan hee..hee...
DeleteHaving lived in different countries, my accent is of a mixed bag. Only one person, a Polish in Warsaw, Poland could pick the South London accent within seconds of our conversation.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear you have foreign clients. 👏👍
That is a delish pesto. I have had pesto made from carrot tops (tender young greens). Another was made from mixed wild greens (dandelion etc).
Oh, your South London accent will have me asking you to speak very slooowly for me to catch what you are saying :)
DeleteTrue!
ReplyDeleteIt's no problem understanding what is spoken on TV but real life, all those accents can be quite bewildering.
I bet foreigners feel the same hearing us talk too. Hahahs
I guess so, they will have to navigate our lahs, aiyohs and mahs too :D
DeleteThis pesto is something new to me so I would like to try it, got the hint, PH? *wink wink*
ReplyDeleteI think I will have a hard time understanding what they say with their accents because sometimes even English spoken by Foreigners in a movie, I find it hard to catch
DeleteThat's why I like it when the English shows that I watch on DVD has close caption so that I can read the dialogue.
DeleteI like this pesto with pumpkin. Looks very pleasing and healthy. I once made mint pesto with pasta. I like the combinations but not my the other half :D
ReplyDeleteI must try mint pesto too!
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