Vlog: Saturday 18 February 2017
On Saturday night, I went with a couple of friends to the new development at Westquay to go bowling, see the festival of lights and have dinner at Wahaca.
Update (26/2/2017): Soundtrack now on Soundcloud
Daily Echo: You Know That Face
The Daily Echo very kindly offered to feature a short write up about my work with Southampton Music Hub as part of their "You Know That Face" series.
A little quote from myself in that feature:
"The thing I enjoy most is seeing the difference music makes with young people and seeing kids that might struggle to achieve in other areas of their life make a success of music, it is amazing."
That's why we do it!
First February Weekend
It's been a busy first weekend in February....
Auxy Remix:
Auxy is an app I use all the time. Recently, the company that make the app have been running a “Beat the Clock” competition, which I've had a lot of fun entering, and even had one of my pieces shortlisted. This weeks challenge was to remix a previous winner's short track, in to a full length piece. I spent most of my Saturday lazily working through ideas, and piecing together my remix:
Sunday Walk:
Keyhaven is one of my favourite places to visit for a walk: the view across the Solent to the Isle of Wight and the Needles is stunning, and despite the bitterly cold wind, it was a beautiful day to take some photos across the water too. I took lots of pictures with my new Canon 80D, and a few with my faithful old Nikon D5100. It was nice to get some more use out of my new wide-angle lens.
Sunday Lunch:
Even when I'm cooking for just myself, I do love a good Sunday Lunch. Today's lunch included pan friend pork chop, rainbow carrots and baby parsnips all served with a side of roasted cauliflower and broccoli cheese.
Honestly, my only regret, was not going full veggie: the roasted broccoli and cauliflower cheese was hearty, and tasty enough to be the main dish — there was no need for meat at all frankly. The trick to keeping this recipe big on flavour, but cutting down the calories is to roast the broccoli and cauliflower before stirring through the sauce and baking again. The big flavours of the roasted vegetables mean you need less cheese and less sauce, which is great for keeping the calories low.
Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower Cheese — Recipe:
- Half a head of cauliflower
- Half a head of broccoli
- 12g butter
- 12g flour
- 225ml whole milk
- 25g parmesan
- 25g extra mature chedder
- 1 bay leaf
- a few pepper corns
- a fine grating of nutmeg
- a dash of mustard (english ideally, but any will do)
- 1 shallot, skin removed and cut in half
- Salt, pepper
- Split the cauliflower and broccoli in to florets, season with a little salt and pepper and roast until golden and a little crispy around the edges, around 10–15 minutes
- Meanwhile, make the sauce, buy first warming the milk with the bay leaf, peppercorns, nutmeg and shallot. Melt the butter in another pan, adding the flour and stirring to make a roux. Let this cook out for a few minutes before adding a dash of mustard. Slowly add the warm milk, straining through a seive to remove the flavourful extras you added earlier. Stir until you have a silky smooth sauce, and let it gently simmer for a few minutes. Finally, strain through a sieve to remove any lumps.
- Melt the most of the cheese in to the sauce, saving back a little for the top.
- Stir the roasted broccoli and cauliflower in to the sauce, and tumble in to an oven proof dish.
- Top with the remaining cheese and bake for 10–15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden
This recipe serves two as a side, or one as a main dish.
Putting this in to MyFitnessPal, it works it out to to be about 260 calories as a side, or 520 as a main. Your milage may vary.
Engagement:
My brother and his girlfriend — now fiancee — are engaged! I couldn't be happier for them both, but also, very happy for myself, to be gaining a new sister-in-law too. After two Christmases shared with Helen and her family, she felt like part of the Brombley's already, so it feels even more special that it will finally be official.
Auxy: Beat the Clock #4 (Remix)
This week's Auxy “Beat the Clock” Challenge was to remix a short track by DeCruz in to a full track. This is my remix:
Update (6/2/2017):
My track made first place on the shortlist!
Music Fayre 2017
Last weekend, Southampton Music Hub hosted a Music Fayre at Central Hall to celebrate and highlight the wide-range of musical opportunities in Southampton. I made a short video about the day.
Auxy: Beat the Clock #3
Each week, Auxy set a short composition challenge.
This week's “Beat the Clock” challenge was to create a track with no drum sounds. On Monday, they pick their favourite tracks.
The Great Vacation 2017: First Steps
One of my big plans for 2017 is a trip to America: The Great Vacation.
Preparations for The Great Vacation are in three parts this January:
- Healthier and Happier: I'm working on eating healthier, exercising more and feeling happier with myself and my body. To help the health and fitness part, I've been following lots of advice from The Body Coach, and Joe Wicks' January Bootcamp workouts have been particularly useful. To help the happiness part, I've been using the Headspace app, and the guided sleep exercises have been a surprising success too.
- Motivation Maps: I bought two map prints from Mujumaps and put them in two frames from Ikea to sit on my living room walls, above the dining table and overlooking my exercise space, to act as a motivation for eating healthier and being more active.
- New Passport: The last time I had to get a passport I was going to the Ukraine with work, and left it so late I had to drive to London to order a rushed one. It was crazily expensive, and I refuse to make that mistake again, so I'm ordering my renewed passport in plenty of time this year!
Auxy: Beat the Clock #2 Challenge
Each week, Auxy set a short composition challenge.
This week's “Beat the Clock” challenge was to use the existing drum beat and add instruments to make a track. Max Length: 30 seconds. 105bpm. On Friday, they pick their favourite tracks.
Shortlist Winners:
I was shortlisted in Auxy's top picks.
Black Bean Brownies
When these vegan, gluten free, low carb brownies popped up on Facebook today, I knew I had to try them.
The recipe comes from So Vegan and it's basically fool proof: you blend everything in a food processor and bake. The only thing I would do differently next time, is to smooth the mix down a little better before baking: the mix doesn't flatten out in the oven like a regular brownie mix does, so mine turned out a little gnarly, although still quite pretty thanks to the whole walnuts I put on top.
Honestly though — and it's not just the mid-January diet desperation talking — these tasted incredible. Gluten free needed or not, vegan or not, these were packed full of deep, rich flavour and a bunch of healthy ingredients... plus some less healthy ones... but a treat is a treat.
Links:
M-Tech Project: Autumn Term
After a successful bid for £30,000 from Youth Music, the M-Tech project got underway last term, helping disadvantaged children and young people in Southampton and the Isle of Wight compose music using iPads.
It was great to end the first term of the project, asking participants what they've taken away from the project. In particular, its been great to highlight the outstanding work of some of the young people taking part. The M-Tech project has been months in the making: writing a funding bid, planning the project, preparing resources, buying equipment, delivering sessions... it's been totally exhausting at times, but hearing what the young people taking part have taken away from it makes the all the work worthwhile!
Participant profiles are on the M-Tech website.
Find out more about the M-Tech project at www.mtechsouth.com
Banana Pancakes (Three Ingredient Recipe)
It's January and I'm trying to eat healthier. I had some over-ripe bananas to use up, and it felt like a great time to test out one of Buzzfeed's three ingredient recipes: banana pancakes!
For a quick and easy, healthy pancake alternative, they were fuss free and pretty tasty. Would I make these again? Sure. Will I never want to make a full stack of American style pancakes again? Not a chance!
Recipe:
- 2 bananas (mashed)
- 2 eggs (whisked)
- a dash of cinnamon
Plus your choice of toppings to serve: I went with pecans and maple syrup
The method is easy enough, mash the banana, whisk in the eggs, add a dash of cinnamon and fry til golden and fluffy. It's not even worth breaking down in to steps.
Buzzfeed says one banana to two eggs, but I had small bananas and large eggs (no giggling please), and the resulting batter looked a little thin, so went two-to-two. I actually only needed half of that mix for one portion, so feel free to adapt as you see fit.
My Seven Favourite Posts from 2016
Starting this blog has been one of my biggest highlights of 2016. Here are seven of my favourite posts:
- Music and Mental Health: World Mental Health Day
This was the post that I almost didn't post, but I'm very glad I did. - Video Blog: Cornwall
These video blogs, from a great family holiday, were one of the things that started the ball rolling in creating this blog. - Summer Shorts Compilation
The series that got this blog started. - A Special Announcement
Helping my brother's family announce a new baby, what could be cuter? - The Ultimate Christmas Cake
This might seem like a small, quick video, but the edit took me ages, and the combination of music and found sound is something I really love - Vlogmas (Parts 8–10): A Very Brombley Christmas
Christmas. No more needs to be said. - Autumn Pieces 03–06: Isle of Wight
Hard to pick an Autumn Pieces post for this list, as there are so many I love — shout out to Lepe — but I think this was one that I loved making most
2016
If my 2016 has a theme, it is probably this: finding comfort amidst the confusion.
An Unsure Start
Finishing university in 2015 meant I was back in my old job — the reason I had gone to uni in the first place — and wondering what my plan was going to be. In September 2015, I gave myself a year to find the next new challenge, and so had set about writing a funding bid to Youth Music for a new project at work. That application went off in January, and kick started so much of this years big moments.
M-Tech
By May, we found out that our funding bid was successful and my new role as M-Tech project manager had begun. It's meant incredibly long hours, and so much extra work, but it was the challenge I needed when I decided it was make or break last September. It's been an incredible start, and one of my first jobs when I'm back in January is to wrap up what we've learnt from the Autumn term, which I can't wait to share.
Pyra
Over the year, I've been recording with Pyra, continuing to work on new music together. This year, we both feel like we're creating our best work yet, and whilst much of it remains hidden until it is finished, 2016 did see two songs we worked on go out in to the world: ‘Ride U Better’ and ‘Bodies’ (embedded above).
Invaleurs
In August, I released an EP under the name Invaleurs:
I have a confession.
For too long, the anxieties I experience around sharing my music online have kept me from creating things I love. But when I set out writing these songs, I made them just for me.
With that freedom, I could explore more freely, able to push beyond the boundaries of my own comfort zone, to create songs I am proud of. And so, I am sharing them with you
If you enjoy them, if you share them too, then I feel honoured to know that these songs have found new connections beyond the ones I hold with them. If you don't, that's fine too. I've already done what I set out to do.
Family Holiday
This year we went on a big family holiday to Cornwall, and it was an unforgettable experience: a wonderful, special time spent with family in such a beautiful location. I video blogged the trip to try and keep the memories captured to remember in years to come.
The family holiday came accompanied by two big announcements:
1. Becoming An Uncle (Again)
My brother and his wife, and their two beautiful children, are adding to their family with another one. And later in the year, I got to help them make a special announcement about it...
2. My Sister's Engagement
And the second big announcement was that my sister got engaged!
Annora Bird
Two of my very best friend's a simply the most adorable little baby in to the world, and every time I see them together, my heart swells with pride and love for them all: I couldn't be happier. I wrote a song for her, on the day of her birth, and Emma writes the most incredibly honest, funny and frank blog about what it's like being an expectant, and then new, mum.
UK Music Award
As a result of the successful M-Tech bid, I was nominated by Solent University for the UK Music ‘Outstanding Contribution to Music’ award. It was an honour to be nominated amongst other high achieving new graduates.
Starting a Blog
Finally, in 2016 I started this blog. As I wrote about in October, I started this blog as a way of creating and releasing music that was better for my mental health. And I'm so happy with what I've started to build. As this blog grows, and develops, it's been fun to explore what shape music can take when you remove the constraints of the old methods of production and consumption. I don't feel like I have any answers yet, but asking the questions has been reason enough on its own.
It started with Summer Shorts...
Moving on to Autumn Pieces...
And finishing the year with Vlogmas.
So, to finish, I come back to the theme of 2016: finding comfort amidst the confusion. With all that has happened this year, I have tried to learn to bring myself more fully in to each moment, to enjoy and take comfort in friends and family, and to be a little kinder to myself. What did you learn in 2016?
Vlogmas (Parts 8–10): A Very Brombley Christmas
From Christmas Eve through Boxing Day, the Brombley clan, along with assorted others we've pick up throughout the years, come together for Christmas celebrations. Every year, I make the food.
Food & Recipes
Christmas Dinner:
- Turkey
Local, organic, free-range bird from Uptons of Bassett, roasted with butter, lemons, clementines, garlic, onions, carrots, celery, sage and thyme - Gravy
Made from roasting juices and organic chicken stock - Pork shoulder stuffing with cranberries
A Jamie Oliver recipe with dried cranberries added - Sausages in bacon
Use thinly slice pancetta for wrapping for extra flavour and crunch - Roast potatoes
Par-boiled, left to cool, then roast in hot goose fat - Roast parsnips
Par-boiled, left to cool, then roasted in hot goose fat - Carrots
Cooked in butter, sugar and star anise from a Tom Kerridge recipe - Cauliflower cheese
Gently cooked cauliflower covered in a basic béchamel sauce, with lots of cheese in, and over the top - Brussels sprouts with chestnuts
A BBC Good Food recipe - Red cabbage with apple and balsamic vinegar
Another Jamie Oliver recipe - Cranberry sauce
Another BBC Good Food recipe with a cinnamon stick thrown in for extra festive cheer - Yorkshire pudding
I used this Jamie Oliver recipe
Boxing Day Lunch:
- Ham in Coca-Cola
4kg ham, from Uptons of Bassett, cooked according to Nigella's recipe - Coca-Cola sauce
I used a recipe from Rock Recipes, replacing soy sauce with tamari to make it gluten free for my sister - Dauphinois potatoes
I used a BBC Good Food recipe - Roasted sweet potato
Par-boiled and roasted in rapeseed oil - Carrots
Boiled and glazed with honey - Green Beans
Steamed and dressed in fresh lemon - Squash
Roasted whole, then mashed and served with toasted seeds - Whole Roast Cauliflower
I used a fairly plain recipe, as this was a side, not a main, but there are many more exciting versions out that would make an incredible main dish - Spinach
Quickly sautéed, and well drained - Broccoli
Steamed - Sausages in bacon
Just like Christmas day
A couple of staples I cannot cook without:
- Maldon sea salt flakes
The best salt for everyday cooking - Rapeseed oil
A British crop, with lots of the goodness of olive oil, but a higher smoke point
Vlogmas (Part 7): Festive Sausage Rolls
This quick three ingredient recipe was a bit of a freestyle, but sausage rolls are a must-have at Christmas, and homemade ones don't come easier than this.
Puff Pastry and Sausage Meat (plus optional egg wash). Easy. Buy the good stuff (it's Christmas) and make Sausage Rolls. Is it easy? Yes. Is it cheating? Sure. Is that worth worrying about? No.
Vlogmas (Part 5): Starbucks & Shopping
One of the blessings of time off work is when a two hour Starbucks and shopping trip with a friend can feel like a whole day's activity.
Vlogmas (Part 4): Christmas Dance Party
After helping them out this year, I joined the Integr8 Dance Company for their Christmas party in Winchester.
Vlogmas (Part 3): Wrapping Presents
I love wrapping presents. I know it drives some people mad, but I love it.
For me, at Christmas, it has to be brown paper. No other novelty, shiny, patterned nonsense will distract me from the pleasure of a lovingly wrapped brown paper package, tied with ribbon. I used two page this year, brown and glittery from Tiger, and red and christmassy from East India Company. I like to wrap gifts in tissue paper before they go in to brown paper: the extra layers prolong the opening, adding to sense of occasion and extending the ephemeral and momentary joy just that little longer.
Vlogmas (Part 2): Finishing the Ultimate Christmas Cake
After weeks of patient waiting, feeding my ultimate Christmas cake with rum, the time has come to enjoy the rewards of my hard work.
After much debate, I decided that I would ice my Christmas cake this year. Although, breaking with my usual shortcut of buying ready-rolled sheets to throw over the cake, I decided to just ice the top of the cake. Where too much icing can be too rich — yes, such a thing is possible, yes, even at Christmas — I could not resist the marzipan sweetness and bright white shell of an iced cake, and so icing the top seemed like a good compromise. I was going to leave the icing plain, but with lots of spare icing, I couldn't resist a little decoration: a few flat white shapes to create a simple winter scene.
Taking the first cut from the cake is always a nervous moment — even more so when a camera is pointing straight at it — so many mistakes can stay hidden until that first slice is taken — undercooked, overcooked, fruit all fallen to the bottom — but I'm pretty happy with how this year's cake turned out! And the taste, is, well, frankly, incredible!
Vlogmas (Part 1): A Very Beartooth Christmas
One of my best friends was over from Ohio this week, visiting Southampton and joining the end Beartooth tour, so we all went to the German Market and the Beartooth show.
The German Market in the centre of Southampton has been a regular fixture of Christmas for as long as I can remember: small stalls in wooden sheds appear in December alongside German Bars selling beer and mulled wine in the centre of Southampton High Street.
A new addition to the market is a flying robotic Santa — yes, it's as creepy as it sounds — which is accompanied by an equally robotic pre-recorded voice announcement. Totally bizarre, but it's Christmas, so lets embrace the weirdness. From the market we made out way to the Engine Rooms for the Beartooth show.
It was a total honour to get to watch the Beartooth boys perform from side of stage. They always put on an incredible show, and they certainly did not disappoint. During the encore, the guitar tone for Caleb's solo was truly righteous.
Christmas Decorations
Putting up the Christmas tree at my parents' house is always a family affair, and this year is no different.
With each passing year, Christmas brings new treats and surprises. Having little ones in the family, and with more on their way, each festive season brings new ways of keeping fresh what, as an adult, can so easily become so familiar.
Christmas, for me, is a time which serves as a reminder that little things have a big meaning: little acts of kindness and thoughtfulness shine far brighter than expensive gifts of large quantities of presents.
Black Friday Shoes: Oliver Sweeney
I'm a firm believer in buying the best quality shoes you can. After years of owning a wide variety of cheap footwear, I made the investment a few years ago in a good pair of shoes, and never looked back since.
The shoe brand I'm obsessed with it Oliver Sweeney: I now own three pairs. I bought my first pair a few years ago and have worn them basically every day since. They are well worn and well loved. After a re-soling a few months ago, they have had a new lease of life, but despite my love for them, they have a couple of short falls: the leather sole makes them unpractical in winter, and their well worn appearance makes them less suitable for formal occasions.
So, with 20% off in the Black Friday sales, I decided to buy two new pairs of Oliver Sweeney shoes.
I got a new pair of my current shoes, Aldeburgh Brogues, to keep for best, along with a pair of new Pennell Brogues, with a commando sole, to see me through the winter season.
The Ultimate Christmas Cake
Mid-November is the time of year to bake the annual christmas cake: leaving just enough time over advent for it to be fed and mature. With a mix of alternative Christmas songs playing, it is time to bake.
I must confess, despite the title of this post, I don't subscribe to the idea that there is any one ultimate version of a food. As someone who love to cook and bake, I do have countless personal preferences on ingredients and techniques, but I also love to try new things.
If you're looking for a tried and tested fail-safe christmas cake bake, then I suggest you use the Delia Smith recipe that forms the basis of my own and read no further. However, if you're interested in some of my own personal and opinionated takes on a classic, then read on at your own risk.
1. Say No To Currents
Currents — and candy peel whilst we're at it — are evil and wrong and have no place in a cake, let alone one of the most important cakes of the year. Currents, or "dead flies" as I prefer to call them, are a far lesser dried fruit than so many other great options. My personal preference is for raisins, dried cranberries and dried apricots. I also prefer a dried cherry (preferably sour) over a glacé cherry too. And totally avoid the deplorable ingredient that is candy peel.
But honestly, you do you: stick to 900g in total and you'll be fine. I've never once used the same combination of fruits, and I've not had a disaster yet.
2. Rum Not Brandy
It might seem like sacrilege, but honestly, swapping dark rum in place of brandy is one of the best ideas I've ever had. Sailor Jerry's works — the old recipe even more so — and Bacardi Oakheart is this years choice, and I've every faith it will be just as good. Delia says to soak the fruit in 100ml over night. I find that to be far to stingy. I soak my fruit in lots of rum and that works for me.
3. No Nuts
No nuts.
4. Maple Syrup Not Treacle
Honestly, I just go fed up of having a sticky red tin sat in the cupboard that only gets on tablespoon taken out once a year. So I've given up on treacle and, in danger of becoming someone who puts avocado in a cake and calls it "healthy", replaced it with maple syrup.
5. To Ice Or Not To Ice?
Whenever I do Ice, it is always ready rolled. I have no time for rolling my own icing, let alone making it. I've not decided on whether to ice or not this year, as sometimes even the minimal effort of unrolling single sheets of marzipan and icing seems like too large a barrier to place between the choice to take the cake's first slice and actually being allowed to cut it open. However, I always appreciate the seasonal joy that comes from the look — and additional sugar — of an iced cake, so I expect I will endeavour to do so again this year.
With the cooled cake fed with rum, wrapped in baking parchment and foil, and stored away in an airtight container, it will come out every two weeks to again be splashed in rum up until Christmas arrives.
So, what makes your ultimate christmas cake? What you would put in or leave out?