Hyper Japan - Event Report

Gadzooks, it's been a long time since I last made a post here at Priss blog - BUT the report for my recent adventures at Hyper Japan in London is now up on Otaku News. Hyper Japan was a unique experience and a great occasion for Japanese culturephiles and figure fans alike with guests such as Goodsmile Company and Hobby Japan. I am looking forward to the return of this convention in 2011 and if you'd like find out why follow me (^_~)

Cat's Crumble - Rhubarb & Apple Crumble Recipe

Before I return to my typical topic of reviewing figures, I’m going to post about one of my other passions – cooking.
Sunday 19th July in the UK was Father’s Day and for me, that means one very important duty I must fulfil as a daughter – making crumble. Now, given the choice, “what would you like, apple or rhubarb crumble?” it was to be apple AND rhubarb... something for which I didn’t have a recipe of in my repertoire. Thus follows my own spin on the classic sweet treat adapted from a dozen adventures with Delia Smith dishes.
Crumble is the quintessential traditional British comfort cooking. It takes and makes the best of seasonal fruits, splicing and dicing them together in a spiced, sweet and sharp ensemble all buried under beautiful layers of buttery crumble topping.
When it cooks, the spices sing out amidst the rich aroma of the baked topping and the fragrance of the fruits within, bubbling away in the sultry depths of the hot oven.
For my Dad it’s irresistible. For me, it’s all about the fruit. I like it not too sweet and liberal with the crumble, the buttered crumb with scattered traces of Demerara sugar subsiding into the tender spiced fruit with just a teeny splosh of custard. Again, the conditions of crumble, according to my Father state that there is only one custard – Bird's.

In summer, crumble marries well with a nice vanilla ice cream (Haagen Dazs or Green & Black’s make excellenf choices).

Rhubarb and Apple Crumble

Serves 6

Ingredients

Filling:
♥ 600g rhubarb
♥ 500g Braeburn apples
♥ 75-110g of golden caster sugar (adjust to taste)
♥ 1 heaped teaspoon of freshly grated root ginger
♥ 1 level teaspoon of ground cinnamon
♥ A dash of brandy
Crumble topping:
♥ 110g of ground almonds
♥ 75g chilled butter, cut into small dice
♥ 175g self-raising flour
♥ 2 level teaspoons of ground cinnamon
♥ 1 level teaspoon of ground ginger
♥ 110g Demerara sugar
To serve:
Your choice of custard or favourite vanilla icecream
♥ Pre-heat the oven to 200°C (gas mark 6, 400°F)
♥Ovenproof baking dish measuring 7½ x 11 inches (19 x 28 cm) and 1¾ inches (4.5 cm) deep, or a round ovenproof baking dish with a diameter of 9½ inches (24 cm) and 1¾ inches (4.5 cm) deep.

How to make:

Filling:
1) Wash and chop the rhubarb into 2.5cm pieces and place in the oven dish
2) Peel and core the apples, slice thickly add them to the rhubarb
3) Sprinkle over the sugar and spices, the fresh ginger and toss the ingredients together
4) Finally, add a dash of brandy to the fruit
Topping:
5) Sift the flour and spices into the bowl of a food processor
6) Add the sugar and cubes of butter and stir before turning on the power
7) Pulse the mixture until it resembles crumbs
8) Spread the crumble mix over the surface of the fruit filling creating an even covering
9) Press the topping down on top of the fruit with the palm of your hands to make a firm and crisp crumble
10) Finally, lightly run a fork over the surface of the crumble to add an extra level of crispy goodness as it bakes
11) Put the crumble into the pre-heated oven on the centre shelf for 35-40mins until the fruit is cooked through, piping hot and bubby (if the top begins to scorch you can pop a sheet of foil over the surface to protect it).
12) Take it out of the oven, letting it rest while you dash to either whip up a batch of Bird’s custard or decant a dollop of suitable alternative to appeal to your own personal preference of crumble combinations.

Pia♥Carrot's Kinoshita Rumi presents the pudding! Maid with love!
めしあがって みんな! Coming soon! Neko Mimi Maids review

Cosplay coverage - Queen's Blade Airi at Aya 2009

ただ今皆!
Here is a shot of me in a complete cosplay project: Airi, the infamous spectral maid from the Queen’s Blade series. The picture, captured by photographer Peter Dench, summons many happy memories of both constructing and wearing costume. Airi has been a very popular choice, well received by devotees of the QB series and maid maniacs alike (as my preferences too fall into these categories it was a project that I was most enthusiastic about).

The picture appeared in a feature that ran on the 9th of May in the Sunday Telegraph and seems fuel enough to fire up a return to activity here at PorcelainePriss.
The newpaper supplement presented a small spotlight on UK cosplay culture. Many months after the press infiltrated the UK convention Ayacon (the 19th anime festival hosted at Warwick Arts Centre in August 2009) the public eye was offered a free pass and a little perspective into this creative subculture.

Peter Dench has a fantastic portfolio on his site and has a really unique eye when it comes to portraiture. Browsing his image sets gave me a great deal of pleasure and I am very to have become one of his subjects! He was great at catching a pose and his curiosity and enthusiasm made meeting him a thoroughly engaging experience.

In my life online, happy news is that I have finally bought my tripod to assist me in marvellous macro photography for figure posts… and since the collection seldom ceases to expand in great and gratuitous ways I feel more inclined to share the beautiful things from my collection with the world once more.
I’ve given the layout a little makeover and the illustration at the top, for those who are curious, is a little self portrait of the girl behind the moe. Tea and cats are two elements of my life independent of otaku culture that centre my being and invoke inner harmony. With a cat on my lap and a cup of sencha or first flush Darjeeling I am truly at peace (^_^)
I am also starting to populate Twitter with some of my many thoughts. Keep an eye out if you want to see what I’m reading, watching, cooking, eating and generally lusting after in my daily life.

Next event I will be attending is the MCM London Expo, where I will taking my latest costume, Konjiki no Yami from the fanservice extravaganza To Love Ru out for her second public soiree. At the moment I am contemplating the potential for boldly becoming Black ★ Rock Shooter in a future costume – whether I will find the bikini/hotpants combo to cold to bear, remains to be seen! Watch this space (^_~)