An encounter with Artichoke

On a rarely British sunny Sunday, I was out for food hunting. One of the beautiful things of living in Chester is   a handful choices of boutique restaurants or vintage pubs. It is never difficult to have a random encounter either when walking along the canal or in the park or sometimes it is just right at the corner if you just look more up and down, left and right. 

Artichoke is hidden next to my apartment. Comparing to the other famous ones next to the river, it is much more modest in a way that I almost neglect even though its symbolic tellurion demonstrates sort of the welcoming message. Never close to it, my perception tells me it is every thing but not a place for real food. However my boredness with the same food every day grows my curiosity to have a go on Artichoke.

Ya, it is dark, as dark as a stereotype of British pub, but these white retro S chairs can't help but lend the interior decor a hefty dose of character. A real piece of mix-match, love the sense of being contradictory.

Well, let's see the food. The menu has a familiar feel of British contemporary with a leaning towards a hearty flavour. Since it was Sunday, Sunday roast is undoubtedly a second to none choice. Pretty impressed by the portion (pretty good after a sweaty workout in the gym), and more amazed by the taste. I ordered chicken, chosen from thigh part, relishing by the mixed mash vegs. I have to say I enjoy every bite of the mash, with a good addition of a big gulp of gravy. The meat itself was prepared with a sensitivity and precision, very tender texture!

But no less interesting than the menu is the bar offer. Not only the locally brewed beers, surprised to see an fantastic selection of Belgium beers ( rarely seen in the market). Went for La Chouffee in the end. I recommend it as a good lady drink. More fruitness but it doesn't shove the beer into some overly sweet seirl of disjointed flavors that many of the pretenders have. There is a steady hand in it. A hint of berry without overpowering the rest of the beer. A good crispy drink , supplementing a gravy brunch like now.  

I am not eating happily

Usually great satisfaction arises after a food grocery shopping in summer. However, I do see the fade of the happiness lately, evidenced by the bigger consumption on the chocolate.
It is really controversial in my case, chocolate is one of my favourite food however endless pain, regret are always generated when my appetite on chocolate can't easily be stopped. I guess this is why chocolate is such a complicated goods.
I recalled a lecture when I was in the university first year. As an intro to basic economic term- marginal utility, my teacher asked a very interesting question, do you feel happy or sad when you eat chocolate? Boys gave an instant positive answer. For me, I have no idea. It is true a relief at first bite when you suffering so long of fighting your temptation, afterwards the negative emotion gives rise, which sort of justifies the existence of diminishing marginal utility. However, my psychological reaction can't be simply plotted as a converted U curve. Instead I think of a sine curve, up and down and then pick up until the last bit...then I want more. It is so hard to explain. I have been trying to use some scientific approach to overcome such appetite disorder, but failure happens with a higher probability in the cold & depressing weather.
Somehow I feel it may be feasible to run a regression between the people's happiness with the intake of the chocolate, also taking into account some other variables like weather, location... not sure if there's any related studies done in this field. but it may have some interesting findings.
Nevertheless, back to reality, even through constructive findings or solutions are sought, how practical it can be applied? Like me now, I know the reason why I lost the interest of enjoying food. but the change is out of my option or out of my control. I gain the strength and then relapse and then regain, one after one another sine curve... I don't know.....
A very sad entry, not sweet at all..... 

Marble Brownie

A very good choice if you want go something beyond ordinary. This is actually my first motive of making the marble brownie. Carried away by the lovely picture on the recipe website, chocolatey with a hint of swirling white, so here comes my brownie mood.

Sweet? not too much

My first entry in my first ever blog! Not bitter, not spicy, not anything sour, just  sweet, hopefully with a little bit quirky charm.