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The Knowledge: Bye bye barbecues
It's Friday – and our experts are here to tell you how to get the most out of your weekend. Jayne Dawson talks to them
Nest building
You may have had your fill of alfresco eating experiences, or more likely you're mourning the passing of summer and the end of another season of picnics in the park, and barbecues.
It's time to put away the patio furniture and return to cooking and eating indoors.
If it's been a while since you've really used your dining room, you might find the furniture suddenly seems dated and a bit lacklustre.
The Tulip range of dining furniture at Barker and Stonehouse will inject some brightness into your dining space, while the marble table top creates a luxurious feel. It mixes modern style with organic shapes which will set your dinner party apart, no matter what you serve your guests.
Visit www. barkerandstonehouse. co.uk for more dining room ideas.
Listen to it
Klaxons – Surfing The Void
Fresh, exciting, innovative – Klaxons have come back with a stomping, vibrant and thrilling follow-up to their Mercury Music Prize-winning debut.
The concept of the difficult second album has been thrown out of the window by this London-based quartet who, under the direction of US rock producer Ross Robinson, have ripped off the manacles of their nu-rave beginnings.
Echoes, the album's opener and first single, sets the scene with its booming bass and catchy chorus while title track, Surfing The Void fizzes with the band's frenetic enthusiasm.
These 10 songs are much broader with a harder punch than their first outing, Muse. watch out, there's a new pretender on the big gesture rock scene.
Get fit
Your metabolism is affected by what you eat and when, but also by your level of physical activity.
Regular cardiovascular exercise helps to rev it up in two ways. First, you burn additional calories whilst performing the cardio. Second, the number of calories you burn following a cardiovascular workout remains elevated for a few hours after you finish.
By going for a walk, jog, run, bike ride, swim (or whatever other cardiovascular exercise takes your fancy) a few times a week you can burn extra calories and boost your metabolism.
Visit it
Birds of prey are the most spectacular of creatures and you can see them at work in the grounds of Kirkstall Abbey, Leeds, on Saturday from 2pm to 4pm. The display is back at the abbey by popular demand and a variety of birds will fly during the event.
Eat it
Bananas in Coconut Milk (Kluay Buad Chee)
As the school holidays come to an end, try this for typical Thai desert with the children to keep them away from the computer.
Choose bananas that are not too ripe as they need to hold their shape after cooking.
This simple dessert is traditionally eaten warm, and sometimes as a snack. Remember to treat coconut milk as you would fresh milk or cream and refrigerate any that is left over. The addition of a little salt is important as it balances the sweetness of the sauce with the richness of the coconut milk.
Ingredients
4 bananas (cut each into 4 or 6 pieces)
400ml Mai Siam Coconut Milk
56g Mai Siam Palm Sugar
teaspoon salt (to taste)
Preparation
Peel the bananas and cut each into half down the middle of the fruit using a knife and then cut the banana across to make 4 or 6 pieces.
Heat the coconut milk in a pan and add the palm sugar and salt.
Simmer gently until the sugar has melted. Do not cover the pot with its lid.
Gently add the banana to the coconut milk and simmer until bananas are soft. This should take about 2 minutes.
Take care to keep the bananas submerged or they will change colour.
Adjust sugar and salt to taste.
Serve immediately in shallow bowls, allowing one banana per person.
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Weather for Leeds
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
