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Food 2.0 Project: Nom, Nom, Nom event
2008-05-17 21:14:00
Tomorrow I?ll be teaming up with Sara from The Kitchen Pantry to take part in a fun cook-off being organised by Annie Mole of Going Underground, in partnership with TrustedPlaces.com. The event brings together food bloggers, TrustedPlaces.com members, food photographers, food journalists, food authors, everyday regular cooks, influential bloggers & senior members of leading UK based internet companies. 12 teams of 2 will be creating a 3 course meal to be judged by a panel of experts and the general public online after the event. The event will be supporting the charity Action Against Hunger. You can read all about it here.Next week I?ll be posting a diary of the day and you?ll have the chance to judge the best on line record of the day and vote for your favourite. Watch this space!
More About: Food , Event , Project

BBC Olive Magazine: Bloggers? Local Haunts
2008-05-14 23:39:00
Recently I was interviewed by BBC Olive Magazine for a feature on food bloggers? favourite local restaurants across the country. It?s a great article and nine other bloggers appear in it including my ?In the Bag? co-host, Scott from Real Epicurean. You can read it in the June edition which is out now.While I?m here I?d like to say a very big thank you to Sylvie at ?A Pot of Tea and a Biscuit? for awarding my blog the 'Arte y Pico Award', how lovely! As the lucky recipient of the award I get to pass it on to 5 other bloggers. It?s always difficult to choose just a handful for these things as there are so many fantastic blogs out there. But after some thought here are the bloggers I?d like to give the award to:A Wee Bit of CookingFood Stories Frolicking FoodieCafe LynnluThe Belly Rules the MindThe guidelines for the Arte y Pico Award are:1. You pick five blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also contribute to the blogging...
More About: Local , Bloggers

Messing about in Boats (and on bikes and in Parks)
2008-05-13 00:32:00
We?ve been so fortunate with the weather here in the UK; it was gloriously hot all weekend long in Kent. We certainly made the most of it and did the typical Brit thing of dragging out the barbecue (or in our case buying a new one) as soon as the sun comes out. In fact we had a barbecue two nights in a row - well hell, it?s not often you get such great barbecue weather here in good old Blighty and even rarer to get it over an entire weekend.Saturday was spent pottering around, doing washing, mowing the lawn and sitting out in the garden, and I planted up some herbs in pots. Let?s hope I don?t kill them like I do every other plant that has the misfortune to be owned by me. I think these herbs stand more of a chance though as I?m going to be able to get some good, and well needed, advice over on my forums. We?ve now got a forum dedicated to growing your own produce; 'The Veg Patch', which is great. Hopefully this will mean that my herbs last me throughout the summer and perhaps even...
More About: Boats , Thoughts , Bikes , Parks

Asparagus: In the Bag
2008-05-11 01:00:00
The short but glorious British asparagus season is underway now, and we can enjoy this fabulous vegetable in its prime once again. Be sure to make the most of it while it lasts as it?s only here until the end of June.The sooner you can eat asparagus after picking the better, as its sugars turn to starch very quickly, so try to buy it as fresh as possible and don?t leave it lying around for days in the fridge. It hardly needs any cooking at all - just 3 to 5 minutes depending on its thickness ? and you can boil, steam, grill or roast it; you can even serve it raw.Asparagus not only tastes fantastic but it?s really good for us, being full of vitamins. It?s particularly good for pregnant women, as it?s high in folic acid; 80g contains 60% of the recommended daily allowance*. It?s also said to be an aphrodisiac so perhaps a good pre-pregnancy vegetable too!Over at Real Epicurean Scott is hosting May?s ?In the Bag? event and how could we not make asparagus the feature? The bag also conta...
More About: Vegetables

Think English Summer, Think Pimm's
2008-05-08 21:59:00
After the snow in April we now have a heat wave in early May. It?s all very bizarre but I?m not complaining. For a start I?m enjoying lunching in the garden, slathered in sun cream; wearing sandles and strappy tops; and having every window in the house flung wide open. I?ve also enjoyed my first Pimm's of the season; a bottle picked up on my way home from work yesterday and poured into a tall glass with lemonade, ice, fruit and mint.Pimm?s is surely the quintessential English summer drink and it?s not difficult to see why. It?s wonderfully refreshing with a hint of spiciness and is absolutely delicious laced with summer fruits and mint. And here?s a random fact for you; it was the very first alcoholic drink I had as a married woman! We said our vows on a gloriously hot summer?s day in June on the terrace of a beautiful Kentish house in front of our friends and family. We signed the register and then descended the steps onto the green lawns and were offered the most welcoming glass...
More About: Drink , Summer

Fresh Mussels for a Late Lunch
2008-05-05 23:15:00
It?s been a beautiful weekend here in Kent, and it?s not often you can say that on a Bank Holiday! Yesterday Rob and I took a trip to my favourite fish monger at Whitstable Harbour (which I think I may have mentioned once or twice on this blog!) and I picked up some beautiful fresh mussels for a late lunch. They?re the quickest thing to cook and are so delicious, especially when served with a broth and lots of crusty bread to soak it all up. I tried this recipe from Antony Worrall Thompson which was very nice, although a little too buttery for my taste so I?d cut back on that if I made it again. Don?t forget the golden rule with mussels; discard those that are open (and don't close when you tap them) before you cook them and discard those that are closed after you?ve cooked them. I hope you?ve all had a fabulous weekend too. It may be back to school tomorrow but it looks like the good weather?s here to stay so that?s something to smile about. Have a great week!
More About: Fish , Lunch , Fresh , Late

In the Bag: Cooking the Month of April - The Round up!
2008-05-01 22:19:00
Sadly the seasonal Jersey Royal potatoes in April 's bag have been somewhat hard to come by this year, and those that can be found have been very expensive. We've therefore only had a handful of entries, which is a shame, but nonetheless they've been fantastic entries; as always. If you are able to get hold of these potatoes and can splurge out I hope these recipes inspire you, but not to worry if not; we'll have May's bag stocked full of brand new seasonal ingredients for you very soon - so watch this space.Ian of 'The Pie Times' was so inspired by the event this month that he entered not one, but two dishes! Take a look at his inspirational Watercress Soup with Feta, Potato and Thyme Bread and the Spring Salad he made with what he had left over. How frugal!The lovely Helen from 'Food Stories' baked a beautiful sounding and looking Jersey Royal, Watercress and Feta Bread with Greek Basil.Our 'In the Bag' co-host Scott presented us with a mouth-watering Poached Fillet of B...
More About: Cooking , Round Up , Round , Month

Sweet Little Lollipop Cakes
2008-04-27 20:01:00
I?m thrilled to tell you that I?ve joined the Daring Bakers, that fearless group of blogging bakers that dare to go where no other baker has gone before. OK well maybe that?s over dramatising things a touch but nonetheless I?m sure that they?ll help me to push my baking boundaries and experiment with recipes that I otherwise wouldn?t have come across or tried.For anyone who?s unfamiliar with the Daring Bakers, they?re a group of over 400 bloggers across the world that each bake the same recipe each month, chosen by fellow members. For this month, and my first challenge, the recipe was for these Cheescake Pops from the book ?Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey? by Jill O?Connorc.To make these cute lollipops you bake a cheesecake, create little balls from it and coat them in chocolate. It was all very straightforward but I found forming the balls quite messy and at times the cheesecake mixture came apart in my hands. I also found, as did several other Daring Bakers, that the cake took much lo...
More About: Cakes , Sweet

Blog Talk and Mojitos
2008-04-25 19:12:00
Earlier in the week I spent a very enjoyable evening with the lovely Walid and Laura from Trusted Places. They are doing a series of great interviews on the Trusted Places blog and had asked if they could interview me. Of course I was delighted to accept.Trusted Places is an online social network where everyday people review bars, restaurants and other leisure places in London and across the UK. You can create a profile on the site and discover new places while sharing your experience of the places you know. You can find out more here.Walid and Laura made me feel right at home and after the interview they took me out for the best Mojitos in town! They were absolutely delicious; no wonder they come so highly recommended by the Trusted Places community.Watch the interview.
More About: Blog , Talk

Shake it, Baby!
2008-04-22 21:31:00
Stir frying is such a great way of cooking; it?s healthy, quick and easy, and offers so much variety. It?s a really fun way to cook too; chopping the vegetables, throwing ingredients into the wok, making the food jump around - child's play! But as easy as it is, as with anything, there are some things it pays to do to make sure you get really good results. I'm no expert but I?ve picked up a few tips over time:? Stir frying is all about keeping the food moving all the time? The wok needs to be very hot ? hotter than you may think? Have all your ingredients prepared, chopped and to hand so you can just throw them into the wok when you need toAs I say, I?m no expert, so I thought I?d ask the lovely Nilmandra from ?Soy and Pepper? for some advice. She kindly agreed to an interview so that we could all find out a little bit more about her at the same time. I?m sure you?ll enjoy reading it and afterwards pop over to her fantastic blog for some really great recipes.1) Tell us about yours...
More About: Baby

Courgette, Mint and Buffalo Mozzarella Salad
2008-04-17 19:49:00
The lone courgette that I’d retrieved from the back of the fridge lay on the chopping board for some time this lunchtime before I finally decided what to make with it. I was determined that it wouldn’t end up in the bin and besides, I was hungry. I turned to Jamie Oliver for inspiration, flicking to the pages on courgettes in his ‘Jamie at home’ book, and sure enough there was the inspiration I was looking for; the suggestion of teaming courgette with mint. This was perfect as I have lots of mint in the kitchen at the moment, as I'm currently going through a phase of experimenting with it. I’m finding that mint works very well with a whole array of ingredients, and that there’s much more mileage in this astonishingly fragrant herb than just lamb and new potatoes!To turn back to my lunch, I had a bag of green leaves and some buffalo mozzarella in the fridge so put together this salad, which of course had the benefit of being quick and easy to prepare. It all married toge...
More About: Salad , Buffalo , Mint

Six Words
2008-04-17 00:37:00
Holler from Tinned Tomatoes has tagged me for a meme that’s doing the rounds in the blogsphere, asking me to choose six words to describe myself. I thought about it as I walked to the office this morning, picking up a croissant on the way, and these are the words that came to mind - well five of them to my mind and one to Rob’s as I asked for his opinion on the sixth this evening:It would be interesting to see which six words my friends and family would choose, and whether any of them would be the same.As is customary in these memes, I need to tag some fellow bloggers, so I tag:A Forkful of Spaghetti A Wee Bit of Cooking Food, Glorious Food! Food StoriesGreg Cooks
More About: Words

Jersey Royal Potatoes with Feta and Watercress Sauce
2008-04-13 20:49:00
Our 'In the Bag' event features flavoursome Jersey Royal potatoes and fresh, peppery watercress, both in season in the UK right now, along with feta cheese. I was initially going to make a simple salad to enjoy these great ingredients more or less untouched - and of course fresh, seasonal produce is always fabulous this way - but then I got to thinking about how else I could combine them. Feta is a strong, salty cheese and I thought it could combine well with the peppery watercress to make a good sauce to smother the potatoes in; and indeed it does.Jersey Royal Potatoes with Feta and Watercress Sauce Ingredients500g Jersey Royal potatoes100g feta cheese100ml double cream2 handfuls of watercress1. Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water until tender.2. Crumble the feta into a saucepan and pour in the double cream. Heat gently until the cheese melts, then simmer until the sauce starts to thicken.3. Chop the watercress and stir it into the sauce. Cook for a few minutes more then tak...

Easter Cake Bake 2008 Winner
2008-04-12 21:28:00
The votes have been cast and the poll is closed. I'm delighted to announce that the winner of the Easter Cake Bake 2008 is.....Feeding Maybelle ! Here is the winning entry, a Vegan Bunny Cake (Vegan Pistachio Spice Cake): Many congratulations!Thank again to everyone who entered and everyone who voted; I hope you've enjoyed the event as much as I have.
More About: Winner

Sweet Pepper and Chickpea Salad
2008-04-10 19:04:00
When I saw the beautiful bright orange pepper I picked up the other day I immediately wanted to make it the centerpiece in a dish to celebrate its colour and sweetness. These green salad leaves make the perfect backdrop and the nuttiness of the chickpeas complements the sweet pepper. It all combines well to make for an interesting salad, both in terms of texture and taste.Sweet Pepper and Chickpea Salad Ingredients1 orange, red or yellow pepperA large handful of cooked chick peas (tinned is fine)1 small packet of watercress, spinach and rocket saladFresh lemon juiceExtra virgin olive oilSea salt1. Lay the salad leaves on two plates. Season the chickpeas with salt and scatter them over. 2. Remove the seeds from the peppers and thinly slice them, halving each slice. Place them in the middle of the salads. 3. Mix together the dressing using 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and lightly drizzle it over the salads.Serves 2

Spring Snow
2008-04-06 18:22:00
I?m sitting here sipping hot chocolate made with squares of dark chocolate, honey and brandy, feeling the warmth seep back into my hands as I type. I hadn?t seen the weather forecasts so I wasn?t expecting the thickly falling snow I woke up to this morning. I think I?ve told you before how snow brings out the child in me and this morning was no exception. I wanted to capture this beautiful moment in time so I took my camera and macro lens to a local park. I thoroughly enjoyed my solitary walk, looking out from under my colourful umbrella, crunching snow underfoot, passing children making snowmen; a father and daughter having a snowball fight; a fellow photographer (with a larger lens then me, I?m rather pained to report). The scenery was wonderful under its blanket of snow. Blossom-filled trees dipping with their heavy loads, flowers in full bloom peeking out from beneath cotton wool snow, how beautiful snow is in the springtime. Let me share with you a handful of the photographs I ...
More About: Spring , Thoughts , Snow

Easter Cake Bake 2008 - The Round-Up
2008-04-04 22:43:00
Last year I found it immensely difficult to choose a winner from all the fabulous entries in my Easter Cake Bake event. This year I find it impossible, so I?m not going to choose a winner.......you are! I figure you, my dear readers, are the very best judges of good food and therefore I open the voting polls to you.Here's a slideshow of all the entries and a list of the blogs they came from (click on the slideshow to pause it or navigate back and foward):A Yankee In A Southern KitchenAiry Fairy Cupcakes (listed on the poll as 'The Airy Fairy', I can't change this as voting has started so please accept my apologies.)Antics Of A Cycling CookBakergirl CreationsCorumBlogDomestic Goddess In TrainingFeeding MaybelleFruittartGood Things CateredGrey Salt Is My FavouriteI Think I Have A Recipe For That...Isa's CookingKitchen DelightsMegan's CookingMele CotteMera PyaarMorsels & MusingsMunchkin MailNot Quite NigellaNotes From My Food DiaryPassionate About Baking Soy & PepperSpoon ...
More About: Round Up , Round

Knife Skills
2008-04-03 18:38:00
Knife Skills is collaborative book from Charlie Trotter, Lyn Hall, and Michelin-starred chefs Marcus Wareing and Shaun Hill. Together they tell you everything you need to know about buying and using kitchen knives, with clear instructions and step-by-step photographs.This extensive book covers every aspect of kitchen knives, from their anatomy and history through to how to choose one, safety, storage and caring for them. It even covers other cutting accessories, such as graters, peelers and slicers. The part on using knives is vast and covers general handling techniques and has sections on specific skills for vegetables; fish & shellfish; meat, poultry & game; doughs & desserts; and fruit. Butchering is also covered, such as how to joint a chicken and butterflying a leg of lamb, as is how to carve different meats.This is a fantastic book, and one that I know I?ll refer to time and again. It?s the essential guide to kitchen knives and skills, and a must-have for keen cooks.
More About: Books , Knife

In the Bag: Cooking the Month of April
2008-04-02 00:14:00
Did you see the round up over at Real Epicurean of March's 'In the Bag' entries? There were some fabulous dishes made with one of my favourite vegetables, purple sprouting broccoli. It's still in the peak of it's season, so why not grab some and head over to the round-up for some inspiration?We've got a nice early start for this month's bag, and it's full of seasonal produce I just know you're going to love. Take a look:Jersey Royal PotatoesWatercressFeta cheeseI'm already thinking of the possibilites. Now that the clocks have changed and the weather's getting brighter these fresh ingredients will marry together perfectly for spring.As usual, to enter you just need to create a dish using these ingredients, then post about it on your blog or website and drop me an email. Enjoy!Entry DetailsSend an email with ?In the Bag in the subject line to asliceofcherrypie AT yahoo DOT co DOT uk by Wednesday 30th April with the following information:your namea link to your postthe name...
More About: Cooking , Month

The Frogs? Legs Social Experiment
2008-03-30 20:39:00
(Image: Michigan J. Frog? from the Warner Brothers? film ?One Froggy Evening? )What would happen if you took a family group of 8 people, of two generations and varying culinary tastes, and presented them with a plate of frogs? legs? Well that?s exactly what I found out on Friday night when dining at a Chinese restaurant to celebrate Rob?s birthday with our families.Now for any social experiment such as this you need to understand the group you?re dealing with. So let me give you a brief overview. I?d say we?re a fairly typical British family in terms of our culinary tastes, the older generation being generally more reserved than the younger, liking their meat well cooked and ingredients they know and trust. But we all share a love of good food and an interest in how it?s sourced, and we all enjoy home cooking to varying degrees.We were in high spirits on Friday night and looking forward to a Chinese feast. When it came to ordering Rob?s brother discretely pointed out to the waitress...
More About: Social , Experiment , Thoughts , Legs , Frogs

Lasagna, Salad and Garlic Bread
2008-03-27 22:11:00
Over the bank holiday weekend I invited our parents over for dinner. I wanted a relaxed, family meal and what better than lasagna with the classic accompaniments of salad and garlic bread? After all, the Italians sure know how to feed a family!For the lasagna I made my bolognese sauce, not an entirely classic ragù perhaps, but one that I like. I used 600g of beef mince for a lasagne to serve 6. Once that was cooked I whipped up a bechemel sauce. For this I gently heated 600ml of milk with a halved onion, a bay leaf and 6 peppercorns. A grating of nutmeg is nice but to be perfectly honest I forgot it! Once the milk started to come to the boil I took it off the heat, then in a separate pan made a roux, which is a cooked mixture of butter and flour used to thicken sauces. To make the roux I melted 50g of butter and then added 50g of plain flour, stirring quickly with a wooden spoon to form a smooth paste. Once that was done I whisked in the milk and heated gently until the sauce was of...
More About: Garlic , Salad , Beef , Bread , Lasagna

Gluttony
2008-03-23 21:11:00
I am so stuffed. I have that very full, very contented, and slightly sleepy feeling that comes after a good roast dinner. I?ve installed myself on the sofa with my feet up and a blanket over me, laptop on lap. Thank goodness for laptops, now I don?t have to move at all.The roast dinner in question was in fact a feast of free range turkey stuffed with lemon and herbs, brussel sprouts, purple sprouting broccoli, carrots, roast potatoes cooked in duck fat, chipolatas wrapped in bacon and gravy made with fresh giblet stock. As I say, I?m stuffed. The problem I have with roast turkey, and chicken, dinners is that I never know when to stop. Even as my tummy starts to groan and protest I still keep eating. ?Just one more mouthful? I say as I aim my fork at the last potato. And then I find myself reaching out to pull some meat off the bird every time I go into the kitchen. Rob usually catches me, tells me off and takes it away from me as I look on, guiltily. What can I say, it?s my weakness...
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A Fun Day Out for Foodies this Summer
2008-03-20 20:43:00
This June the BBC Good Food Show Summer will be running at The NEC in Birmingham. The show is part of the BBC Summer Festival which also incorporates BBC Gardeners? World Live, dedicated Good Homes and Countryfile magazine areas, and a new central feature bringing a sustainable future to life.The show promises to be a great day out with lots going on food lovers. One of the highlights will be the Summer Kitchen* where celebrity chefs such as Gordon Ramsay, James Martin and John Torode will dazzle with their culinary creations.For more information and to book tickets visit www.bbcgoodfoodshowsummer.com.*Tickets to the Summer Kitchen cost £1.50 and must be booked in advance. Visit the website for a timetable.

Purple Sprouting Broccoli with Mint
2008-03-17 21:43:00
I'm so pleased that the beautiful purple sprouting broccoli is in season. I love this delicate spring vegetable which brings promises of the brighter, warmer days that you know are just around the corner when it makes its appearance.I wanted to try something a little different with the bunch of purple sprouting broccoli I picked up yesterday so I thought I?d try teaming it with mint, which is also in season now. I cooked it in simmering water for a few minutes along with a sprig of mint, just as you would new potatoes. The mint worked really well and gave the broccoli a lovely little tingle.Scott (my ?In the Bag? partner) and I like purple sprouting broccoli so much that we?ve stuffed March?s bag full of it. Head over to Scott?s blog, Real Epicurean, to join in the fun.
More About: Vegetables , Purple , Broccoli , Mint

Sausage, Red Pepper and Potato Bake
2008-03-15 22:10:00
Me: ?What shall we have for dinner tonight??. Rob ?I don?t know, what do you fancy??. Me: ?I don?t really know, how about you??. I?m sure you recognise this conversation. Tonight was one of those nights where you either opt for takeaway or throw something together from what?s left in the fridge. Having already had takeaway this week the fridge won. It wasn?t exactly bare; there were pork sausages and minced beef sitting in there, but they left me distinctly uninspired as I wasn?t really in the mood for either. The problem was I didn?t know what I wanted but rather than either of us going out to get something different I opted for the sausages. Things seemed a little more promising when I discovered the small pot of sour cream and the red peppers in the back of the fridge and in fact the resulting dinner, this sweet and comforting bake, was really rather nice.Sausage , Red Pepper and Potato BakeIngredients6 Pork sausages5 or 6 potatoes1 onion1 red pepperA small tub of sour cream (abou...
More About: Sausages

Easter Cake Bake, Round 2!
2008-03-09 20:25:00
Pat a cake pat a cake baker?s manBake me a cake as fast as you can! Last March I launched my very first food blogging event, the ?Easter Cake Bake?. I asked my fellow bloggers to bake themed cakes for Easter. The event went down a storm and had 29 amazingly creative entries. Take a look:If you click on each picture you'll be taken to the blog that it came from. It was so hard to find a winner but in the end I chose Cheryl at Gruel Omelet for this fabulous entry:I hope you're feeling inspired now because we're going back to our kitchens armed with wooden spoons and creativity for round 2! Here's how to enter.Entry DetailsAll you need to do is bake a cake, or several smaller cakes, with an Easter theme then post about it on your blog, including a link to this post so that people know what the event is about and how to enter. Feel free to use the logo too.Once you've baked your cake and posted about it send an email with ?Easter Cake Bake? in the subject line to asliceofcherrypie@...
More About: Baking , Round

In the Bag: Cooking the Month of February - The Round Up
2008-03-08 20:19:00
Here we are again with yet another fantastic round up of 'In the Bag' entries. February 's bag contained forced rhubarb, an orange and sugar. Let's take a look at the dishes you made.Andrew from 'Spittoon Extra' entered this wonderful Sweet Risotto with Rhubarb Compote.Kevin from 'Closet Cooking ' made us this sweet Rhubarb Crisp.How about this Rhubarb Orange Cream Pudding from Caitlin of 'The Gooseberry Fool'?This tempting Rhubarb Souffle was entered by Jonathan of 'Around Britain with a Paunch'.I'd like a slice of Cakelaw's (from 'Laws of the Kitchen') Rhubarb, Orange and Yoghurt Cake.This Rhubarb Fool with lovely little Orange Poppyseed Biscuits was entered by Antonia of 'Food Glorious Food'.Now for a savoury entry from the lovely Kai over at 'Kai in London'. She made a Rhubarb Relish.Wouldn't you love to delve into this Rhubarb Fool from Pixie at 'You Say Tomato.....I Say Tomato'?Alexandra from 'Addicted Sweet Tooth' baked us a fabulous Rhubarb Custard Tar...
More About: Round Up , Round , Month

Chicken, Chorizo and Watercress Risotto
2008-03-04 19:02:00
I was really very pleased with how this turned out when I put it together for dinner last night, using leftover roast chicken and stock from the carcass. Chicken and chorizo is a great combination anyway, and the base rosemary flavour was a very complimentary backdrop. Whilst there wasn?t a great deal of flavour from the watercress it gave a really good texture and colour to the dish.I really do think it?s worth taking the time and trouble to make your own chicken stock for this, and in fact any, risotto. The stock is what gives the rice so much flavour, and as the main ingredient in risotto, you really do want the rice to be packed full of flavour.Whilst I?ve specified the amount of chorizo and chicken (yes, I actually weighed them just so I could tell you how much I used!), really just throw in a handful or two of each, roughly the same quantity. It probably is worth weighing out the rice because it can be deceiving and when it swells up you could end up with a lot more than you b...
More About: Risotto , Sausages

Orange and Rhubarb Jelly
2008-03-02 23:25:00
This was my second attempt at making this jelly. The first time the jelly set, but wasn?t firm enough, and the orange overpowered the taste of the rhubarb. I used more gelatine this time, which gave a better consistency, and less orange juice and no zest, so the flavours were more balanced.Even though I only used the juice from the rhubarb there was no waste as I used the pulp for a deliciously naughty rhubarb fool!Orange and Rhubarb Jelly Ingredients500g rhubarbJuice of half an orange orangeApproximately 150g caster sugar3 Gelatine leaves50ml of Cointreau1. Chop the rhubarb into equal sizes and add to a pan along with the sugar and orange juice. Cook over a low heat for about 20 minutes, until the rhubarb is soft and has released its juices.2. Take off the heat and stir in the Cointreau. Taste the mixture ? you may want to add more sugar, cointreau or orange juice.3. Soak the gelatine leaves in water for a few minutes then add them to the rhubarb liquid and stir to dissolve.4. Pour ...
More About: Fruit , Seasonal

The Full English Breakfast (or the big fry up!)
2008-02-27 13:20:00
Over at The Goosberry Fool Caitlin is running an ingenious food blog event ? The Global Breakfast Tournament. She wants to know who around the world makes the best breakfast and in order to find out has asked champions from different countries to enter a classic dish from their country. I?m very excited and honoured to be representing England in the tournament and I wanted to share my entry with you, which you can also read on Caitlin?s blog here. I hope you enjoy it!Global Breakfast Tournament - England I was delighted when Caitlin asked me if I would represent England in her Global Breakfast Tournament and immediately I knew the dish I would have to enter would be the Full English Breakfast, or 'the fry up' as it's also known. We're very lucky in Britain to enjoy a wide range of breakfasts from around the world, whether a croissant and latte grabbed on the way to the office, a bowl of muesli or even kedgeree. Toast and a cup of tea features heavily in British homes at breakfas...