Book Review: The Rosie Project

I’d been hearing lots about this book and after The Guardian named it as one of 2013’s best reads, I was starting to wonder what exactly it was I was missing out on, so after mum had finished reading it for her book club I swiped her copy and delved straight in. 

The Rosie Project is by Graeme Simsion and follows Don Tillman, a 39 year old associate Professor of Genetics living in Melbourne, Australia. Don, we learn, is borderline autistic, which means he has a peculiar and obsessive penchant for order and rules. He has, for instance, a set menu for every day of the week, which he follows religiously; Tuesday, is designated lobster salad night and he knows exactly how long each meal takes to prepare and any disruption to the normal routine throws him completely off track and unable to cope, on the verge of a psychotic breakdown. Due to his meticulous calculations he buys the same ingredients every week, meaning that his weekly shop takes a mere matter of minutes...sounds ingenius right? 

Yet the behaviour that may seem oddly endearing to us, also means his life is regulated by routine. 

Approaching every aspect of life through order and analysis, Don has only a few friends: namely fifty-six year old Gene, a fellow professor, and Gene’s psychologist wife Claudia- a couple who are entrenched in their own dysfunctional open relationship. Don’s inability to understand or emphasise with other human beings results in a romantically challenged middle aged man who has never been on a second date. He finds emotion and feelings hard to digest and assesses his own mental state in accordance with a post natal depression scale.   

After being told he would make someone a good husband, Don devises a detailed questionaire with the purpose of filtering out undesirable candidates in a quest to find the perfect partner (she will have the perfect BMI, be a good cook, a non-smoker, a moderate drinker, punctual, intelligent and logical).

And so The Wife Project is born. 

Entering a world of social rituals that are alien to his statistical and analytical mindset, Don meets his match in the fiery and red-headed Rosie, who is searching for something of her own- the love of the lost father. With the help of a genetics specialist (enter Don), The Father Project emerges and largely overtakes The Wife Project for the remainder of the novel, as Rosie, with the help of Don, attempts to find her biological father. 

Father Project replaces Wife Project and by the end of the novel, as you may have already guessed, both are eclipsed by the Rosie Project. 

Rosie is everything Don finds, or believes he finds, unattractive in a partner. 

Yet the meeting of scientific professor and spontaneous student soon becomes something more, transforming Simison’s narrative commentary on a socially regressive man into a oddly charming and truly hilarious rom-com. 

The novel in fact deals with some profound and complex issues; the orderly and evidence-based Don is clearly missing the vital human-connection component and Simison seems to suggest that he suffers from undiagnosed aspergers. The Rosie Project thus explores the complexity and incomprehensibility of human behaviour and the ways in which a socially challenged, grown adult man, might approach a human relationship. 

I found the novel enjoyable, eccentric and incredibly witty, but unfortunately not gripping- perfect for a light bedtime or feel-good beach read, but not a literary masterpiece. 

The book is also clearly written for a screen play and Simison initially intended it to be so, resulting in a novel that deploys several screen writing techniques and I suspect an adaptation is already in the pipe line. 

Did you know...

Professor Don Tillman is a real person (you can even follow him on twitter). In 2011 he actually embarked on The Wife Project and as well as being an expert in the field of genetics, he is an accomplished coctail bartender, and a licensed server of alcohol. 

In fact, he’s not alone: apparently Amy Webb from Baltimore found her husband using analytics to narrow the dating field...might have to try it myself!

The Stonehouse

I was back in London this week and it just so happened to be the hottest day of the year yet.

London in the summer is a double-edged sword: whilst you can sit out at restaurants and bars on the streets until late and laze in the shade of the parks, sample some of the city's finest lidos and summer events, you also have to manoeuvre the tube and throngs of tourists in 30 degree heat, which leads to a combination of grouchy commuters and a distinct lingering smell of sweat. Not so pleasant...

Anyway, after I was finished racing around the city for the day, I met a friend in Clapham for dinner and drinks.

We began with cocktails in one of the many bars that line the high street.

It also happened to be the start of the world cup so there were even more people than usual out and about enjoying the last of the sun.

After several rounds of cocktails we started to feel somewhat peckish and headed to our dinner reservation.



The Stonehouse is only 5 minutes from Clapham Common high street but on the short walk there you are transported a million miles away from the hubbub of a busy London street. The restaurant is tucked away at the end of a quiet and peaceful residential area lined with leafy trees.

The pub is modern, light and spacious, with an outside garden.

The Stonehouse is part of Renaissance Pubs; a small collection of South London pubs run by three local boys, Tom Peake, Mark Reynolds and Nick Fox. In addition to two locations in Clapham, they have pubs in Battersea, Dulwich and Kennington.

The menu at The Stonehouse is modern European brasserie style, best known for its steaks which are aged in-house.

The restaurant is linked to Locks Drove Farm in Hampshire and all of the free-range chicken, pork and lamb on the menu comes from there. The pigs are a mixture of Gloucester Old Sport and Saddleback Cross pigs and are allowed to freely roam the surrounding woods, fed on organic fruit and vegetables.  All their fish is sustainably sourced from English boats on the south coast.

To start with we ordered a vegetarian and a meat mezze to share.

The meat board was laden with a range of cured meats, a homemade bright yellow mango chutney and foccacia bread.



The vegetarian mezze included homemade hummus, foccacia, roasted vegetables, feta, piquillo peppers, olives and lentil croquettes- which were mouthwateringly tasty, crispy on the outside and filled with a flavoursome soft lentil filling.

As you can see we demolished both boards pretty quickly.

For the main course my friend went for the 10oz beef burger with cheddar and bacon. The burger was huge and you could certainly tell it had been lovingly handcrafted as it didn't exactly look like your average burger patty.






I fancied seafood and chose the seared Shetland scallops with crispy sage and pancetta, a truffle oil, served on a broad bean puree. The scallops were superbly cooked and really meaty, wrapped in crisp, sweet pancetta and you could really taste the truffle.

The menu is simple, featuring several pub classics, but the food is really exceptional.

In fact, this is the nicest meal I've had out for ages. Not only can you choose from burgers, ribs and steaks, but if you fancy more of a fine dining experience they have dishes such as duck, pork belly and seafood risotto.

Definitely worth a visit, I'll certainly be back soon: http://www.thestonhouse.co.uk/
 

 

 

JAM

Last week I was in London for an appointment so I decided to make the most of a trip to the Big Smoke and met a friend for dinner at The Jam Tree in Clapham. 

The Jam Tree is a gastro pub located in Clapham Old Town, about a ten minute walk from Clapham Common high street and underground station. 

Immediately upon entering the restaurant you are greeted by a glass cabinet of jam jars, well, what else?

The restaurant is open plan and spacious, with a large and light dining area featuring a wall of windows that look out onto the street. The decor is modern and vibrant, matching the menu which serves Colonial-inspired dishes. 

A wall divides the dining and drinking area and through a curtain of leaves I could see the bar section with its dimmed lighting and wooden furniture. 

We were asked what fruits tickled our fancy and had cocktails especially made to order by the barman.

Mine was a passion fruit and mango delight.

Whilst he went for a much sweeter strawberry flavor. 

The menu is small but interesting and there is still plenty of variety. 

The dishes on offer are inspired by the flavors of Britain's former colonies- including specialties from South Africa, Canada, India and Malaysia. What you end up with is beautifully presented meals with a splash of color that combine local produce and exotic ingredients. 

I chose a Goan salmon and prawn curry (from Goa).

It was served with Cardamom Rice and Okra, which was my first time trying these little unusual vegetables. I can only describe them as a mixture between a small furry green pepper and some kind of gherkin. 

He went for a five spiced Barbary duck breast with chili-fried pok choi, rice noodles and pomegranate jus. 

The duck was plentiful and rich, expertly cooked and served on a bed of noodles with a sweet sauce and sprinkled pomegranate seeds. 

The menu also offers low-cal salads, steak and a 'Dude Food' section, comprising burgers, ribs and pulled pork.

After another round of cocktails we didn't have room for pudding despite there being a tasty looking dessert menu on offer.

The staff and service were excellent.

They are also a popular destination for brunch, with the menu including the Mexican breakfast dish Huevos Rancheros- eggs, tortilla, sour cream and refried beans- which I used to have all the time in America at my college cafeteria, cooked by a Mexican chef.

Of course our bill was delivered to the table in a jam jar complete with goodies.

If you're looking for a laid back and relaxing restaurant environment serving modern British pub food with a unique colonial twist then you should definitely pay The Jam Tree a visit. 

The perfect destination for dinner with friends or drinks with colleagues; they also have a venue of the Kings Road in Chelsea. 

Go to The Jam Tree for more info. 

Birthday Brunch

We began Jess' Birthday celebrations with a brunch at the Last Brasserie- yes, sorry, same restaurant again!

The food is just so good and so reasonably priced and of course it is only a short stroll away from home.

 

 

 

 

Jess opened her presents.

 

 

A strawberry print Cath Kidston teapot from us and a matching flask, perfect for the working life that is fast approaching us final year students! Available here.

 

We began with a selection of coffees and teas, including tea served in this rather funky Sporty Spice-esque teapot.

 

The Birthday Girl went for scrambled eggs and smoked salmon on wholemeal toast. The fluffy eggs concealed delicious flakes of cooked pink fish, served with a piece of delicately presented smoked salmon on the side as well.







Pancakes were a popular choice as always: with bacon and maple syrup and homemade fruit compote with natural yogurt.

I went for porridge adorned with homemade jam and fresh fruit. Tasty and light.

A perfect way to start the day; it's lucky we still had room for Afternoon Tea later!

I've posted it before but if you want to book a table at the Last Brass or take a look at the menu hop over to their website.

Afternoon Tea at the Assembly House

For my friend Jess' birthday we were treated to Afternoon Tea at the Assembly House in Norwich.

One of the City's most prestigious and historic buildings, the Assembly House features Georgian architecture, galleries, a Grand Hall and various ballrooms that would have once played host to some of the most distinguished guests of the Eighteenth Century.

We began our visit with a glass of champagne and a toast to the birthday girl.

Which was closely followed by a delivery of tea from the menu which boasts a whole array of unusual and unique blends.

I went for a peach infused black tea leaf which was divine, you could really taste and smell the peach. Their loose tea is provided by Wilkinson's of Norwich, a specialist shop in the city selling the finest leaf and fruit teas from around the world.

Elderflower was also a popular option amongst the girls.

After taking our fair share of photos we could no longer resist the tempting allure of the sweet and savoury snacks on offer before us and quickly got stuck into business, beginning with cheese, Colman’s mustard (we are in Norwich after all) and chive scones, which were still warm from the oven.

Next were the sandwiches, which included cream cheese and cucumber, Norfolk ham, Cley smoke house salmon and my personal favourite, egg and cress.

We may have wolfed the first round down alarmingly fast and had to order another. Then another...

In the interlude between savoury and sweet we watched Jess open her presents and took in the surrounding room and its Georgian features.

Luckily it had emptied out soon after our arrival and we had the place to ourselves so could be as raucous as we wanted.

We began the sweet tier of the stand with scones, heaped with clotted cream and strawberry jam. Do you adorn yours in the Cornish or Devon way? There was a lot of debate at the table over this.

Next were an array of beautifully presented dainty cakes and pastries to share.

A rather marvellous elderflower jelly creation, topped with a mouth melting lemon mousse and sprinkled with popping candy.

Mini eclairs laden with rich dark chocolate, carrot cake with its own mini carrot on top with a tiny halved pistachio nut for the head and green pecan macaroons.

The staff kindly packed up what we couldn't eat there so we could take the leftovers home to enjoy later.

Suitably stuffed we waddled out and took some pictures outside the beautiful building.

 

The birthday girl by the fountain.

Have a look here if you would like to book afternoon tea at the The Assembly House; it is a really lovely thing to do if you are visiting Norwich, or just want to treat yourself and some girl friends to a little luxury dining.

Happy Birthday Jess!