This was the kit I took to the Arctic Circle in March last year. I was so excited to get all this together and to learn about it along the way. Phew though, there was a lot to pack and try to fit into the stipulated size and number of back packs and I can […]

I have never eaten at Harvey Nichols Bar and Brasserie before, but last week I went for lunch there on both Thursday and Friday. If you read my previous blog post, you will already be aware that on the Thursday, I was treated to lunch there by a very special friend and had been really […]

This is a #1 fabulous recipe for ease of preparation combined with flavour, if you want to eat well but don’t have the time or inclination to fuss about in the kitchen. With only a handful of ingredients (I went and forgot the onions though didn’t I ?!) it takes minutes to chuck together and […]

This is a beautiful hymn about Christ’s sacrifice and Resurrection written by Keith & Kristyn Getty. In Christ alone my hope is found He is my light, my strength, my song This cornerstone, this solid ground Firm through the fiercest drought and storm What heights of love, what depths of peace When fears are stilled, […]

This is one of my favourite pictures ever. A view looking into the wonder that is Hong Kong. I took this leaning against our hotel window on my Nikon D700. I’m still amazed to this day how much of the colours and shapes that make up this complex and beautiful city scape have been captured […]

I’m feeling in the mood for Swedish cooking a lot at the moment, which has certainly been aided by the generous sprinkling of snow we’ve experienced over the last few days. I adore Rachel Khoo’s profoundly creative approach to cookery and food writing, not least her personally hand drawn illustrations and exquisite photography that eloquently […]

Scrumptious Nigella’s Chocolate Yule Log Christmas Day isn’t the easiest day to photograph your food stylishly while you cook and eat it, so please accept my apologies for some pictures that aren’t remotely worthy of the exceptionally beautiful bird we brined and roasted. Or the sausages and bacon we used to make our pigs in […]

I’ve uploaded some short videos of what we did as a team at X Platoon & Cold Skills at Camp Faravid in Arctic Sweden to my YouTube channel. Please find me at Alison Allmand-Smith and check them out! I’m enjoying these pictures I took too, because they remind me of the staggering quality of light […]

Over the Christmas period we had a fire in our cabin, which thankfully wasn’t serious despite burning for over an hour. Phew!!!!! I’m always so careful so I have been very cut up to have failed to prevent such a situation. I am relieved beyond words the fire was contained and my cabin saved! Come […]

So this was really fun! We learnt how to smoke moose! Which… like you’d imagine for smoking something, it’s really important your fire doesn’t cook the moose but only smoke it; although, that’s not necessarily something you would twig before being told that. So we built a tent and got set to making it nice […]

As World Book Day 2021 is virtually upon us and the one year anniversary of my Arctic Adventure expedition with X Platoon and Cold Skills arrives simultaneously, I would like to share some books and photos that provide some celebratory musings for remembering both. As part of this treat, for you and definitely for me, […]

Hi everyone, I am so sorry not to have a blog post fro you today. I am having trouble with my computer, so it’s going in for a service. I do have some really fun things to tell you about though, so please come back and by next week I should be sorted (hopefully)!

Since childhood I have had an ardent love for the shipping forecast broadcast on BBC Radio 4. I do believe I’m not alone in this and many more of us than first appear, have been soothed by that seafaring repetition, always followed at midnight by the very distinctly old world melody of ‘Sailing By.’  Nowadays […]

I know that crumble may not be the first thing that comes to mind during the summer months but I assure you, this is so light and bursting with flavour and juiciness, you’ll want to make it. And because… if you have a food processor, preparing this is lightening fast. I originally started writing this blog post […]