St Bernard of Clairvaux wrote circa 1150 “L’enfer est plein de bonnes volontés ou désirs”. From this we have derived a more modern expression, widely used: “the road to hell is paved with good intentions”
But is it the thought that counts? How important is intention?
The Knights of the Oblong Table return to discuss the meaning of intention and its constituent parts. This will be based on poor recollection of legal intention from my first year criminal law module.
From misremembering case law to drag queens and murdering noisome children on airplanes, this podcast has it all!
The wise words at the beginning and end of the podcast come from Wayne Dyer, author of The Power of Intention.
Allow me to set the scene. It is a Tuesday morning. I am seated at my desk writing a ghastly piece of coursework. My hands are in pain from working all weekend. I say to myself, as I have many times before, that I need a superb hand cream or I will lose them. Like a good student, I did my research and found the cream of my dreams at House of Fraser.
Grace (my car); B (my housemate) and I went to Leamington. Sadly, my chosen cream was out of stock.
Dejected, I searched for something to do, having driven and paid for parking. I remember something I was told by one of the Di Maria brothers (read more about them here). Marco recommended a coffee house to me, Procaffeinate.
Little did I know, I would be bowled over by everything he predicted.
Procaffeinate is located in a less than inviting area of Leamington, but don’t let that frighten you. This is a safe haven from the horrors of the outside world. You are greeted with a smile, you take a seat and your coffee comes to you piping hot. The espresso I had was in the top three which I have had in this country. Closely tied with the espresso in Coffee Genius in Carlisle and that of Rising Cafe (read more about it here (https://cedricsuggests.co.uk/rising-cafe-coventry/).
But Procaffeinate has more to offer than great coffee. The fridge, pictured to the left, doubles as a door to a clandestine underground bar.
Whilst down there, I had the great honour of speaking to The Matriarch, mother-in-law of the owner and force behind the delicious food served here, which I shall sample in greater depth on my next visit. She told me all about Alex, who runs Procaffeinate. Alex used to run the Central Midlands Region of Starbucks and had been an employee of the American firm for some 13 years beforehand.
The decor downstairs is exceptional. There are Harley Davidsons propping up tables; there are deactivated guns as door handles and there is even a ray gun turned into a light bulb. I was awed by the ingenuity of the ensemble. Although I arrived in the morning when the bar wasn’t open, it left a strong impression and a desire to return before long.
Procaffeinate is run by expert makers and consumers of coffee. You feel the joy in each and every cup. I spoke with each member of staff and consistently got the impression that there is a real happiness in the work they do.
Making coffee is an art form, and one which I believe is deeply respected in Procaffeinate.
Opening the fridge door, one comes face to neon sign with some excellent advice. I shall leave you with it. In these tough times, it bodes well to remember that we are in charge of the choices we make.
I booked a table for two at Mida’s in on a Saturday night in June 2019. When I arrived, I found Mida to be closing down, chairs already piled high and staff leaving. When I asked him what was going on he told me his chef (his wife – he’d forgotten that I’ve eaten there many times before) was ill and had to go home. This is fine, but the thing which annoyed me was that I left him a phone number, at his request. I was not contacted with the news. This was extremely frustrating, on top of which it is nigh impossible to find a table in Stratford on a Saturday. Caveat Emptor – either call to confirm the booking or book elsewhere all together.
*** END OF UPDATE***
When I think of Mida, I am overwhelmed with joy. This wonderful man has one thing on his mind. From the moment you enter his restaurant, your happiness is his only goal. I first discovered this oasis of excellent service whilst visiting with some alumni of the Shakespeare at Winedale programme run by the University of Texas. Having only read 5 of the 37 plays Shakespeare wrote, I was somewhat out of my depth in the initial conversation. I was able to focus more fully on the service and the quality of the food, both of which were impressive. Mida has a unique way of making you feel at home and welcome. I returned some weeks later with my dearest. Except this time, I was able to take her to the upper floor of Mida’s. In a moment, we were transported to Morocco. Draped ceiling; authentic decor; comfortable seating and bar service. But I have yet to mention the culinary side of this restaurant. I called ahead of my second visit and asked Mida, who remembered me, to save some tagine for us. He exceeded all expectations. Now before you loose your minds, I should say we were too busy enjoying the food to take pictures of it, a rare trait which I encourage you to undertake. Mida’s wife had made us two Tagines, one lamb and one chicken. A tagine is “a North African stew of spiced meat and vegetables prepared by slow cooking in a shallow earthenware cooking dish with a tall, conical lid.” according to the Oxford dictionary. Now the rest of this picture-free lauding of Mida’s tagine can be enjoyed by all. The meat fell from the bone flawlessly. The prunes; onion; carrots and potatoes, mixed with innumerable spices, created an amalgamation of perfection which I cannot recommend enough. The portion size was vast, one could have been enough for two. The larger tagine was served alongside two smaller tagines filled with even more deliciously cooked vegetables. This meal left me feeling satisfied but not overburdened, which is the mark of excellent quality food for me. The decor,too, was very much to my liking. I love places which have various cluttered antiquities put together in an eclectic fashion. I was especially fond of the Three Wise Owls (pictured above on the top shelf in the middle). In all, Mida has consistently delivered quality in culinary concepts as well as excellent service. To top it all off he speaks fluent French and Italian. If and when you’re in Stratford looking for a top shelf Moroccan dinner, this is the restaurant for you.
That’s the Way of the World was released in 1975 and is Earth, Wind & Fire’s sixth studio album. It’s my firm belief that the world’s greatest music was created between 1974 and 1989.
Earth, Wind & Fire’s name originated using their founder, Maurice White’s, astrological sign. It has primary elemental quality of Fire and the seasonal qualities of Earth and Air.
I’d like to say it speaks for itself but then I’d have nothing to write about. Honestly if you want to have a serious boogie, listen to this album. I’ve listened to it in every situation: on vinyl; driving around; in my headphones when I work on various projects. I’m currently listening to it on my record player now, as it happens.
This album provides some excellent pieces of advice in lyrical form; for example:
“Talking to yourself is fine, it will make you feel much better”
“You’re a shining star, no matter who you are. Shine bright to see, who you can truly be”
“Feel the power of the hour, every moment, that you’re living…”
When listening to That’s the Way of the World, it feels as though each song promotes the mastery of a different instrument. Yearnin’ Learnin’ has exquisite piano; Happy Feelin’ is all about the versatility of Maurice White’s voice and Reasons showcases the bass guitar skills of Verdine White.
Each time I listen to this album, I am awed by the strength of the combined power of this band to deliver a crisp, outstanding funk sound. The sequencing is wonderful, the tracks are exactly where they should be. The album artwork is not as strong as some other funk giants of the same time, like Funkadelic, but one must not judge a record by its sleeve. All round, this is a slid 10/10 album. I won’t give you the tracks in order of my own preference this month, because each one is made of gold.
Have a listen to the whole album, you won’t be disappointed.
Of all the dishes in this vast tome of cooking delights, this is the one which has made me the man I am today.
Jesting aside, this is a phenomenal hearty little treat, so full of calories that if you have more than five in the space of one hour, you need to be taken to A & E.
Ingredients:
-150g butter
-250g white cane sugar
-A dash of amaretto
-1 large egg
-500g strong bread flour
-100g cocoa powder
-1/2 tablespoon baking powder
-pinch of salt
– 250 g chocolate chips
Method:
You’ll need two large bowls. Make of that what you will.
First, cream the butter and sugar. Add a generous dash of amaretto. Don’t overdo it. The flavours must be subtle.
Then add the eggs and combine.
In your second bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Make sure you put the cocoa powder in first. It is much less dense than the flour and will go everywhere if you either stir too quickly or pour it out on top of the flour.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones, little by little. Don’t do it all at once. When both bowls have been amalgamated into one, the mixture will be solid.
Now comes the messy part, you need to take about half a handful of the dough and shape it into a sphere. Repeat until there is no dough left. This should make about 40 cookies.
Bake in a pre-heated 180 C oven for 9-12 minutes. Do prod them with a knife to see if they’re ready. If the cookie is slightly firm, they’re ready. If they’re rock hard, black and on fire, you’ve failed.
Tips:
If you value your tonsils, let these cookies cool down before you consume them. Don’t consume too many at once. Limit yourself to three in an hour at most. These are among the best things you’ll ever taste but they will give you a headache.
Serving suggestions:
Best served warm with an amaretto cranberry mixer.
I returned some weeks later with my dearest. Except this time, I was able to take her to the upper floor of Mida’s. In a moment, we were transported to Morocco. Draped ceiling; authentic decor; comfortable seating and bar service. But I have yet to mention the culinary side of this restaurant. I called ahead of my second visit and asked Mida, who remembered me, to save some tagine for us. He exceeded all expectations. Now before you loose your minds, I should say we were too busy enjoying the food to take pictures of it, a rare trait which I encourage you to undertake. Mida’s wife had made us two Tagines, one lamb and one chicken. 
A tagine is “a North African stew of spiced meat and vegetables prepared by slow cooking in a shallow earthenware cooking dish with a tall, conical lid.” according to the Oxford dictionary. Now the rest of this picture-free lauding of Mida’s tagine can be enjoyed by all. The meat fell from the bone flawlessly. The prunes; onion; carrots and potatoes, mixed with innumerable spices, created an amalgamation of perfection which I cannot recommend enough. The portion size was vast, one could have been enough for two. The larger tagine was served alongside two smaller tagines filled with even more deliciously cooked vegetables. This meal left me feeling satisfied but not overburdened, which is the mark of excellent quality food for me. 
The decor,too, was very much to my liking. I love places which have various cluttered antiquities put together in an eclectic fashion. I was especially fond of the Three Wise Owls (pictured above on the top shelf in the middle). In all, Mida has consistently delivered quality in culinary concepts as well as excellent service. To top it all off he speaks fluent French and Italian. If and when you’re in Stratford looking for a top shelf Moroccan dinner, this is the restaurant for you.
