I have had a weekend of social networking craziness. Firstly a guy telling me to go and slit my throat on twitter, then a lovely fan on facebook making up a friendship and conversations we have never had, a photographer friend who has shot me getting asked for nude pics and I turn on my blog to this, which is the only one I want to respond to…

“you may well be a good cook…but please stop trying to copy the late great Audrey Hepburn..your pathetic attempt is an INSULT to the great lady.You couldn’t even shine her shoes..So please get your own image..or dont you have one…SHAME ON YOU.”

So…

A.McIntosh  You clearly have no idea what you are talking about. If you knew anything about me you would know that I am into rockabilly and 1960s music. Us people who are into this like to wear the clothes and the hairstyles of the time, one of which is a beehive and 60s dresses. There are lots of us around. While I adore Hepburn and her films, she is pretty straight laced and not one of my icons.

I imagine you are quite ’small-town’ and don’t understand people who have interests outside your small minded world and to have chosen Hepburn as my pinup of choice just shows this because she would be the obvious choice. If you had a massive interest in the era like I do, you would see that Hepburn would never have worn her hem so short, her fringe so long, her liner so thick. I would have said I was influenced Anna Karina or Julie Newmars style, but I don’t imagine you know who those people are because you are clearly not interested in the same things as me…

My image has nothing to do with what you think. I have looked the same since I was about 19 before that being a punk/psychobilly. After food, music is my biggest passion and it is simply my love of the time that means I look like I do, wear the clothes and hairstyles I do.

Your note to me was very short sighted, but then Tosh by name tosh my nature…

Was last Saturday with the likes of Jocky from the Fat Duck, Leon and Dock kitchen competing. I came a very respectable third with my chilli that was made from rib, cheek and shin of beef, smoked pigs cheeks, fire roasted chillies and tomatoes and lashings of Mexican beer. Super pleased about this BTW.

The event was so well attended and great fun. look out for them in the future by following them on twitter @tweat_up. I do believe the next one is all about the love of my life, the roast dinner!

It’s all I think about at the moment. Curing flavours, Is it okay to use saltpetre? Is Saltpetre and pink salt the same? How long is the right time for the perfect cure? How long do I braise the brisket for? Fat on or off? Bagel or rye bread.

I am very dull.

Now, I am the first to admit I have been really rubbish at blogging since I became addicted to twitter. I feel like I gass on about too much on there anyway, but I know I must do better so here goes.

Things have been going nuts. In the past 3 weeks I have filmed 2 shows, (BBC3s Young baker of the year and Perfect for Good Food) and a couple of tasters and pilots so fingers crossed I’ll be back on the telly in a big way soon.

In other news I have become obsessed with buying a smoker. Not a cold smoker but a proper all singing all dancing hot smoker. I want to learn how to make proper smoked ribs and smoke pork cheeks and butts and short ribs and garlic and potatoes (basically everything I can get my hands on).

I worked with some cool American barbeque dudes a few years back and learnt how to pit barbeque and brine and make badass rubs, barbeque sauce and slaws and now due to a weird obsession with Diners drive ins and dives I want to learn to barbeque properly. If anyone knows anything about proper USA bar-b-que then I want to know everything there is to know about it.

Bye for now I shall leave you with my favourite song on the subject… bar-b-que

Serves: 2
Cooking time: 9 m

4 large British Lion eggs, hard-boiled
2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3cm piece ginger, grated
1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
½ tablespoon tomato purée
¼ teaspoon sea salt
3/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon garam masala
1 tomato, finely chopped
200ml coconut milk
100g petite pois
2 tablespoons coriander leaves, chopped
Chapattis or rice to serve

1. Remove the shell from the boiled eggs (Gizzi uses free range), halve & put aside. Blend the oil, onion, garlic, ginger, green chillies and spices together. Heat a wok and add the paste and fry for 3-4 minutes.

2. Add the tomato, coconut cream and peas and simmer for 5 minutes. For the last 2 minutes of cooking add the boiled eggs. Serve the egg curry hot, garnished with coriander leaves, with chapattis or rice.

Serves: 1
Cooking time: 1 m

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large British Lion eggs
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
small pinch ground white pepper
2 spring onions, finely sliced
1-2 red chillies, finely sliced

1. Heat oil in a hot wok until the surface seems to shimmer slightly. Crack the eggs (Gizzi uses free range) into the hot oil and fry for 1 minute, basting the yolk continually with the hot oil for 1 minute.

2. Carefully slide a fish slice under the eggs, lift out of wok. Drizzle eggs with oyster sauce and garnish with pepper, spring onions and chillies.

Serves: 1 (hollandaise serves 4)
Cooking time: 11 m

To make the hollandaise:
2 large British Lion egg yolks
½ teaspoon tarragon or white wine vinegar
a pinch of sea salt
a splash of ice cold water
125g unsalted butter, ice cold and cut into cubes
a squeeze of lemon juice
cayenne pepper

For the rest of the dish:
2 large British Lion eggs
1 English muffin, halved
2 slices of good quality carved smoked ham from a deli or deli counter (from the bone)
1 large vine tomato cut into 4 width ways
½ avocado, peeled, stoned and sliced

1. Put two egg yolks (Gizzi uses free range), ½ teaspoon of tarragon or white wine vinegar, a pinch of salt and a splash of ice-cold water in a metal or glass bowl that will fit over a small pan. Whisk for a few minutes then put the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and whisk continuously until pale and thick (about 3-5 minutes).

2. Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the cubes of butter, bit by bit until it’s all incorporated and you have a creamy hollandaise (if it gets too thick, add a splash of water). Season with a squeeze of lemon juice and a little cayenne pepper. Keep warm until needed.

3. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil then poach two eggs for 3 minutes so the yolks are still soft. Lift each one out with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

4. To make eggs Benedict, toast 2 muffin halves, top each with a slice of ham, a slice of tomato, a few slices of avocado a poached egg and spoon over a generous helping of hollandaise.

So some of you may only have gotten to know me recently from Cookery school starting on Channel 4. But last year, I did another channel 4 show called Cook yourself thin and released my first solo book. Gizzis kitchen magic. I keep getting asked on Facebook and twitter if I have a book so for those of you that are looking. Here it is…  Gizzi’s Kitchen Magic

Stilton is my favourite cheese. I adore the stuff. Want it on or in most food I eat. Be it a simple Stilton and spring onion Rarebit, Melted into Mac and cheese or over my cauliflower cheese. I am always looking for new ways to cook with it so I am doing a twitter competition where I want a recipe written in 140 characters with Stilton as the hero ingredient. I will announce the winner on Friday 18th before lunch. The prize. A copy of Gizzis kitchen magic.

Good luck!

Serves: 2
Cooking time: 5m

200g Greek yogurt
1 small garlic clove, crushed
4 large British Lion eggs
25g butter
½ tsp hot paprika
a squeeze of lemon juice
sourdough bread, sliced, griddled and buttered to serve

1. Mix together the yogurt and garlic and split between two small bowls. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil then poach two eggs (Gizzi uses free range) for 3 minutes so the yolks are still soft. Lift each egg out with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

2. While the eggs are poaching, heat a frying pan over a high heat, add the butter and paprika and cook until it starts to go slightly brown and nutty. Add the lemon juice, watching out as it will splutter. Place two eggs into each bowl of yogurt. Drizzle the butter over the egg and yogurt.