Food Glorious Food

Last week I found out that I had made it through to the regional heats of a new TV show called Food Glorious Food. The show is searching for a new dish to be sold in M&S stores.  The heat was held at Knebworth House on Saturday. I chose to make a faux chicken and mushroom pot pie and served it in a little dish which I customised with my own little doodle and message which is revealed after you finish eating the pie.

 My customised dishes

 View from my workstation

 Judge Stacie Stewart from the Beehive Bakery

 Judge Anne Harrison Vice Chair of the WI

 Judge Tom Parker Bowles, Chamilla's son and food writer

 Judge Loyd Grossman from the pasta sauce jar

 And the lovely Carol Vorderman

Schokoladen Museum

Oh yes... Chocolate Museum! I especially loved the vintage coco tins and vending machines.

 Me and the giant Lindt Bunny

 Me and Mr Lindt

Museum Ludwig

Whilst in Cologne I visited the modern art gallery, Museum Ludwig. Which includes works from Pop Art, Abstract and Surrealism and has one of the largest Picasso collections in Europe. I loved seeing the work of Roy Lichenstein, Andy Walhol and Picasso close up... so close you could see the brush marks, cracked paint and sometimes the drawing underneath. I also saw, for the first time, some of the mad and marvelous work of Claes Oldenburg, I especially loved his collection of ray guns and things that look like ray guns.

Me and Andy

 Picasso close up

 Me and Pablo

 One of Claes Oldenburg crazy kistch collections

Cologne Cathedral

Our Hotel was right in centre of Cologne and right next to the stunning Cologne Cathedral, the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe. Inside was just as stunning as the outside and I even attempted to climb the 533 steps up the 475 feet tower. Sadly my fear of heights kicked in at about step 490 and I started to shake and had to slowly work my way back down.