A while back, I idly emailed my publisher to enquire when the deadline was for my next book, which is going to be about the Nordic region and its various weird and wonderful people (nothing to do with food). He told me it had actually been due in February. 2011. Oops.

Which explains my unforgivable radio silence here on the blog. Basically, I haven't been anywhere, I haven't eaten anything interesting, I haven't done anything apart from sit at my computer until my joints ache with repetitive strain and my eyes are square.

Anyhoo, to be getting along with, here are two disgracefully indulgent pieces which have just gone up on the High Life website on cooking schools around the world and Shanghai street food to be going along with. The Shanghai piece also has a great little video at the end where the photographer, Andrew, has tracked down a few of the amazing vendors whose food I inhaled so greedily.