"Drive My Car" the Beatles

When the letter arrived at my home I nearly threw it away thinking it was junk mail! As it turned out how wrong I was. I looked at the letter again, 10 days later, before I put it into the paper recycle trash and could not see any mention of cost so I rang the Porsche hot line and was told that the whole event was free including the flights and transport to Silverstone.

On the day it turned out to be a fantastic experience. Porsche GB laid on a very well organised event. I enjoyed the whole experience of my time at the centre. The Centre is well laid out to view all the Porsche car range and you can take any of the cars out to have a test drive. You can even take your own Porsche out on the circuit. The handling circuit roads are well laid out with varying camber and blind corners and my driving consultant, Ian, knew everything about the new cars that we were driving on the day, the 2009 update of the Porsche Boxster. The low friction skid pan and ice hill roads were a revelation and taught me that breaking on ice should be part of my instincts from now on with a car fitted with the PSM. A point worth noting, if you have a car with anti-lock braking (ABS)installed. And the food; the food is exceptional! You will have to go far to get food as well prepared and presented as this. We arrived at the Porsche centre just in time for lunch, had our 2hours of great driving and then returned inside to receive afternoon tea with sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and strawberries, cake and home-made biscuits.

There were 20 new Boxsters waiting for us to drive and we all got a drive in both engine sizes; the 2.9 ltr and the 3.4 ltr. They were all washed and ready for our use. I have to say that I do not know how the Porsche engineers can make the best handling road car better but they have done it. The standard Boxster is now better to drive than my 8 yrs old Boxster S with a bigger engine; Increadable.

Now where is that money box?

"Photographic" by Depeche Mode

I am please and delighted to have been asked to display some of my photos on Flickr.

Here are Two of them:

1. A Visit to Cypress Gardens, Florida

2. Schmap Leeds Sixth Edition: Photo Inclusion

Hi Iain,
I am delighted to let you know that your submitted photo has been selected for inclusion in the newly released sixth edition of our Schmap Leeds Guide:
Bolton Abbey : www.schmap.com/leeds/sights_water/p=105039/i=105039_19.jpg
If you use an iPhone or iPod touch, then this same link will take you directly to your photo in the iPhone version of our guide. On a desktop computer, you can still see exactly how your photo is displayed and credited in the iPhone version of our guide at: Bolton Abbey: www.schmap.com/?m=iphone#uid=leeds&sid=sights_water&p=105039&i=105039_19
Finally, if you have a blog, you might also like to check out the customizable widgetized version of our Schmap Leeds Guide, complete with your published photo:
www.schmap.com/guidewidgets/p=67872859N00/c=SJ1008248
Thanks so much for letting us include your photo - please enjoy the guide!
Best regards,
Emma Williams,
Managing Editor, Schmap Guides
www.schmap.me/emma.williams

Bolton Abbey, originally uploaded by IainCameron.

See my Bolton Abbey photos on Flickr by clicking ==here==

"She's A Rainbow" by the Rolling Stones

I enjoy cooking as many of my friends already know. I made this curry taken from a programme on ITV.

It is called Rainbow Curry and is quite delicious.



Here is the Recipe:

For the rainbow chicken
1 chicken breast, skin removed, cut into pieces
2cm/¾in piece ginger, peeled and grated
2 lemons, juice only
5 tbsp Greek-style yoghurt
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp ghee
2 small onions, finely chopped
½ red pepper, seeds removed, thinly sliced
½ green pepper, seeds removed, thinly sliced
½ yellow pepper, seeds removed, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 green chilli, seeds removed, flesh finely chopped
1 tsp ginger paste (made by blending 1cm/½in ginger with 1 tsp water)
1 tsp garlic paste (made by blending 1 garlic clove with 1 tsp water)
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp ground coriander
½ paprika
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp chilli powder
small handful fresh coriander, plus 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander, to serve

For the pilau rice
4 tbsp ghee
½ onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
100g/3½oz basmati rice, rinsed
½ chicken stock cube, crumbled
150ml/5fl oz boiling water

Method
1. For the pilau rice, heat two tablespoons of the ghee in a frying pan over a medium heat until foaming. Add the chopped onion and garlic and fry until softened and golden-brown.
2. Add the rice, two more tablespoons of ghee and the crumbled stock cube and stir well to combine.
3. Pour over the boiling water, return the mixture to the boil, then turn down the heat, cover with a lid and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 12-15 minutes, or until the rice has cooked through.
4. For the rainbow chicken, place the chicken pieces into a bowl and add the ginger, half of the lemon juice and two tablespoons of the Greek-style yoghurt. Stir well to coat the chicken in the marinade. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then set aside for five minutes.
5. Meanwhile, heat two tablespoons of the ghee in a frying pan over a medium heat, add half of the onion and fry for 2-3 minutes, or until softened.
6. Add the sliced peppers and fry for 4-5 minutes, or until softened and golden-brown. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
7. Place the remaining onion, the garlic, chilli, ginger paste, garlic paste, cumin seeds, ground coriander, paprika, turmeric, chilli powder and coriander into a food processor and blend to a paste.
8. Heat the remaining tablespoon of ghee in a frying pan over a medium heat, add the spice paste and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the marinated chicken pieces and fry for 4-5 minutes, stirring well to coat the chicken in the spice paste, until the chicken is completely cooked through and golden-brown.
9. Add the remaining lemon juice, the remaining three tablespoons of Greek-style yoghurt and the reserved fried peppers and onion to the pan. Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring well. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
10. To serve, spoon the rainbow chicken onto a serving plate. Spoon the pilau rice alongside. Garnish with the remaining chopped coriander.

I hope you enjoy eating it.