What Sophie Said

Wow, my reading list posts have been a little neglected of late! Not to worry though, I’ve been keeping a list of everything I’ve read and I’m planning to write a few posts today to have them lined up and ready. The posts may have slowed, but the reading definitely hasn’t, and I have so many to talk about over the next few weeks. So here it is, the next four books on my reading list: Five Quarters of the Orange, Joanne Harris Widow Framboise works at a creperie, working on and refining old family recipes. Her nephew tries to exploit her success and claim the family secrets. Throughout the novel, details of Framboise’s wartime childhood tumble out, and it becomes clear that a lot of her memories are more constructed than they originally appeared. The story had potential, and was intriguing. I loved the childlike perspective of Framboise’s memories, but at times the narrative was a bit too disjointed. I didn’t feel like I particularly warmed to any of the charact...

The beginning of a new month means it’s time for a new challenge, and this one revolves around food. When it comes to lunches, I’m really fussy. I don’t like a huge variety of sandwich fillings, or a lot of typical dressings like mayonnaise. This makes my typical lunches – I take a packed lunch to work each day - very uninspiring and repetitive. I want to try and break out of this trap, and cut down on the amount of bread I’m taking as lunches, in favour of other alternatives. Realistically, you can’t change everything overnight, so this month’s challenge is: Try out two new lunch options per week. This could be leftovers of different meals, salads, wraps… I’m currently on the hunt for inspiration! If I can do more than this, great, but the aim is at least 8 new ideas. As always, I’ll be taking pictures and filling you in at the end of the month. Do you have any tips? What are your favourite lunches? 

Another month has flown by, and it’s time to fill you in on the results of my fifth monthly challenge. The challenge for April was: To walk to and from work (3.5 miles each way) every day, and not take the bus. I did it! There were 3 occasions – either the journey to or from work – that I had a lift from one of my parents as they were coming to the house or going in that direction, but every other time I have walked. I’ve not set foot on the bus. Here’s my top 5 benefits of my walk to work month, which is a routine I will 100% be sticking to: 1. Saving money – A bus pass costs money. The walk doesn’t. Simple! 2. Exercise – Walking a brisk 7 miles each day is already feeling so much easier, and my legs are toning up. 3. Wakes me up – I arrive at work feeling fresh and energised because of all the fresh air. 4. Time to think and reflect – As someone who has been dealing with panic and worrying, I’m finding it really helpful to have these periods in the ...

It can be easy to get stuck in a bit of a rut with restaurants, and keep returning to a place where you know the menu and you know you’ll have a good evening. A few weeks ago, Andy and I decided to swap our usual Italian choice for another Poynton restaurant, Ciao. We have eaten there before, but quite a long time ago, and we decided it was well worth another visit. It was a Saturday night, about 7pm, and it was packed. Whilst we were there, they had to turn a couple of groups away as every table was full. Despite that, it didn’t feel busy or crowded. Instead, there was a lovely atmosphere, and you could tell the restaurant owners knew plenty of their regular customers very well. The overall fell was friendly and bustling, and we settled in for some food. We had had a fairly large lunch that day, and baked cakes too, so decided to skip starters and go straight to main meals. Despite that, they actually brought over a complimentary round of bread and butter, whic...

I cannot believe how long it has been since I’ve published a reading list! I really want to get back to doing them weekly, as the amount of books I’m getting through has definitely not slowed down. I’ve kept lists of what I’ve been reading though, so there’s plenty to get writing about. Without further ado, here is the latest list: Sovereign, C J Sansom It is autumn 1541, and lawyer Matthew Shardlake is in York with his assistant, Jack Barak, to do some work for King Henry VIII. Whilst they are there, a glazier is murdered, and Matthew becomes entangled in the mysteries surrounding the man’s death. Matthew narrates the novel, and it is a web of intrigue, threats to the throne and the life of the church in Tudor England. I loved that this was set in York, because I went to university there and was able to picture some of the streets and landmarks, or moments in history it referred to. It was a brilliant murder mystery, complex and gripping. It’s certainly a long nov...

I can’t believe these photos have been sitting waiting to be blogged for so long… Andy and I made them on Valentine’s weekend, oops! Anyway, they were so yummy, and the most simple cupcakes. If you want simple, tasty cakes, keep on reading. The recipe is based on one from a Women’s Weekly baking book I found on my mum’s bookshelf a while ago. To make 8, you will need: 150g self-raising flour 90g butter, softened 1tsp vanilla extract 110g caster sugar 2 eggs 2tbsp milk For the buttercream  - This made FAR more than we used, so feel free to cut it back a little - 125g butter, softened 240g icing sugar 2tbsp milk Preheat oven to 160C for a fan oven. Line 8 holes of a muffin pan with paper cases and set aside. Sift flour into a small bowl, add the remaining ingredients and beat with an electric mixer on a low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the mixture is smooth and pale. ...

Sometimes, when you go out for dinner, you want simple food that’s done really, really well. A pizza at a restaurant just has so much more flavour than one you’d buy at home, and that’s what I went for when I ate out with the girls a couple of weeks ago. Anyway, I’m jumping ahead, so let’s start at the beginning… Piccolino is an Italian restaurant in Bramhall, and one you can rely on to have something for everyone. They have an extensive menu, incorporating pizzas, pastas, fish and meat dishes, and everything I’ve tried has been so tasty. Right in the centre of the village, it has a lovely bar at the front, then opens up into a restaurant, with an open kitchen where you can watch the food being prepared. It’s a favourite spot for many, and I’ve been there a lot, whether it’s just for drinks, or for food as well. A few weeks ago, me and two friends needed a bit of a catch-up, and went for an early Piccolino tea. I think we were there about 6pm on a Monday, so it was al...