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A Slice Of Cherry PieA Slice Of Cherry PieA British food blog. To me, cooking and good food is about comfort, pleasure, indulgence, relaxation, looking after body and mind, creating a home and welcoming friends. Articles
First Taste of the New Season
2008-02-24 19:25:00 What an absolute delight; my first purple sprouting broccoli of the year. I picked it up from my local farm shop today and combined it with softly scrambled duck eggs and chives on toast for a late afternoon snack, washed down with a chilled glass of Sauvignon Blanc. An embodiment of Spring in one meal.The mildly onion flavour of the chives balances out the rich duck eggs and the deliciously fresh tasting purple sprouting broccoli gives contrasting texture, having been blanched in boiling water for just a few minutes. A very light sprinkling of sea salt brings out the broccoli's flavour. This dish is perfect evidence that good quality, seasonal ingredients need only be cooked in the simplest of ways for stunning results.Purple Sprouting Broccoli with Scrambled Duck Eggs and ChivesIngredients2 duck eggs2 stems of purple sprouting broccoli1 slice of breadA few chivesSea saltWhite pepperA knob of butter1. Lightly combine the duck eggs with a fork and add in a pinch each of white peppe... More About: Vegetables , Season , Seasonal , Taste
Perk Me Up!
2008-02-21 21:27:00 It?s quite unusual for me to crave chilli; I don?t like too much of it and it?s not something that I cook with very often. But today I wanted something with a bit of a kick, to really excite my taste buds, and so a Thai-inspired beef salad was perfect. Everything about this dish woke me up; the vibrant colours, the crunch of the textures, the heat of the chilli and the zing of the lime. I went easy on the chilli here but you could use as much as you want to suit your own taste.Chilli Beef Salad 2 sirloin steaks1 red pepper, pulp and seeds removed and sliced length-ways.A combination of watercress, spinach and rocket leavesA couple of handfuls of bean sproutsA little vegetable oil for fryingFor the marinade1 crushed garlic clove2 tablespoons soy sauceFor the dressingThe juice of ˝ a lime1 red chilli, de-seeded and finely sliced2 tablespoons of soy sauce1 tablespoon of brown sugar1. Marinade the beef in the soy sauce and garlic for at least half an hour.2. Prepare the salad; lay the wa...
In the Bag: Cooking the Month of February!
2008-02-17 21:57:00 It?s time to share this month?s ?In the Bag? selection with you. We have a colourful line-up for you this month which I?m sure you?re going to have lots of fun with. The 3 ingredients are:Forced rhubarbAn orangeSugarAll you need to do to enter is to create a dish using these ingredients, then post about it on your blog or website and drop me an email.Entry DetailsSend an email with ?In the Bag in the subject line to asliceofcherrypie AT yahoo DOT co DOT uk by Friday 29th February with the following information:your namethe name of your blog or websitea link to your postthe name of your disha picture of your dish RulesHere are the loose rules - but ultimately remember the objective is to have fun whilst highlighting seasonal food: 1. Participants should attempt to use all the ingredients 'in the bag' for that particular month, but may leave one out if they prefer. The dish should be based around the seasonal ingredient, with it acting as a central ingredient. 2. Participants can in... More About: Cooking , Month
Nice Matters
2008-02-16 18:13:00 I've had a funny sort of a week, very much a roller coaster ride with big ups and big downs. There have been surprises, disappointments, moments of doubt and glimmers of hope. My cart was travelling down another dip today when I discovered that the lovely Antonia from Food Glorious Food had chosen me for the Nice Matters award, due to my work on the UK Food Bloggers Association and 'A Slice of Cherry Pie' discussion forums. Sometimes a lovely gesture comes just at the right time, when you need it the most, and this is one of those times. Thank you so much Antonia, I?m truly touched.I hope I can make someone else?s day now by nominating a few bloggers myself. I?m not sure how many I?m allowed to choose but I?d nominate you all if I could ? isn?t the food blogging community fantastic? But as I can?t choose everyone I?d like to use this opportunity to thank some key members of the forums for their input, which makes the forums such a great place to hang out and helps them to attrac...
Some Things get Better with Age
2008-02-12 23:04:00 Like a good Bordeaux, a pair of worn-in shoes and women (of course!), lamb is even better when it matures, as I learned this evening when I cooked it for the first time. I?ve wanted to try it for some time and was urged to do so by the readers who commented on this thread but until today I?d not seen it available. It was in the John Lewis Food Hall yesterday that I saw a sole packet of organic mutton, which I snapped up.Mutton comes from a sheep at least two years old and it needs good hanging and long, slow cooking. But the flavour is nothing short of spectacular ?deep, rich and almost gamey. Mutton is increasing in popularity through the good press it?s receiving, from celebrity chefs and the like but, as I?ve found, it can be difficult to get hold of, so if you do see it I urge you to try it.There?s nothing fancy about the dish I put together this evening, it?s just a simple, homely casserole and in it?s simplicity it?s perfect ? after all why dress mutton as lamb rather than app... More About: Things
In the Bag: Cooking the Month of January - The Round-up!
2008-02-07 19:31:00 Wow, what a great start to the New Year for our monthly food event. Last month we challanged you to come up with a dish using pears, nuts and a lemon and here is the round-up of all the fantastic entries.The lovely Pixie at 'You Say Tomato.....I Say Tomato' entered this mouth-watering Pear and Chocolate Crumble.'A forkful of spaghetti' entered these delicious Pear and hazelnut brioche toasts.Lovely Miss Bliss of Frolicking Foodie made us this Pear Kulfi.How about this sweet offering from Mike's Table? Caramelized Pear Ice Cream with Toasted Pecans.San, The Artful Cook, gave us these San's Spiced Pear and Walnut Galettes along with a spectacular illustration.This enticing Pear and Almond Tart was baked up by Laurie of 'Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska'.The Modern Apron went savory with Pecan Crusted Roast Pork Loin with Quince Glazed Pears.Take a look at this very artful dish from Greg over at Greg Cooks Tart aux Poires en Cage.The fabulous Holler over at Tinned Tomatoes made ... More About: Round Up , January , Seasonal , Round
Gone Skiing...
2008-01-26 22:19:00 Just a quick note to let you know that I'm off for a week's skiing tomorrow, so the blog will be quiet while I'm on the slopes. It's my first time skiing, so wish me luck!There's still plenty of time to enter this month's In the Bag event event; I've had lots of fantastic entries in already and I'll be doing the round-up when I'm back.Take care, and happy cooking! More About: Skiing
January Newsletter
2008-01-22 22:31:00 The January newsletter is on it's way to all subscribers now! If you'd like a copy simply enter your email address in the box below and I'll get one sent out to you.Enter your e-mail addressto receive the monthly newsletter: More About: Newsletter
Pear, Smoked Cheddar and Walnut Salad
2008-01-17 20:08:00 Lay seasonal salad leaves on a plate.Slice some smoked cheddar cheese and place on the leaves.Cut a pear into slices, core and halve each slice and soak in lemon juice to prevent browning. Place the slices over the salad.Scatter over a handful of roughly chopped walnuts.Mix lemon juice and olive oil in equal parts and drizzle over the salad.This is my entry for this month?s In the Bag event. How are you getting on with the challenge? More About: Fruit , Cheese , Salad , Seasonal , Pear
Sea Bass Cooked in a Sea Salt Crust
2008-01-13 17:18:00 When I first came across sea bass cooked this way I have to say I wasn't sure about it. I imagined it being salty, a waste of salt and, well, a bit of a gimmick really. But then I saw James Martin cook it on his Christmas Feasts show. He talked about how the fish steams in its salt crust and raved about the taste. He caught my interest. Then I found a recipe for cooking fish this way in ?The River Cottage Fish Book?, and when I watched Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall demonstrating it on YouTube my mind was made up. I had to try it.James Martin's Recipe uses lemon zest, thyme and rosemary in with the salt and I love that idea, but this first time I was keen to taste the fish itself and didn?t want to complicate it with too much else, so I kept the flavourings to a minimum, using just lemon zest mixed with the salt and a few bay leaves in the cavity of the fish.Hugh suggests mixing water with the salt to dampen it thus making it easier to pack around the fish. You need to place a thick ... More About: Bass , Salt , Crust
In the Bag: Cooking the Month of January
2008-01-09 21:36:00 It's a brand new year and we have a brand new bag for you to start it off with. I hope you're looking forward to the challange!But firstly let me tell you about a couple of changes. Cherry has decided to move her food blog over to her main blog, Tales from Pixie Wood, as she doesn't blog about food as much these days. She has therefore decided that it's best if she withdraws from hosting the 'In the Bag' event, so Scott and I are going to take it forward, taking it in turns to host. On behalf of both Scott and myself I'd like to thank Cherry for all her hardwork on this event, and for helping to make it possible.Secondly, we found that by making sure that all 3 of our ingredients in each bag were seasonal we were coming up with some mixes that were rather difficult to put together in one coherent dish. We've therefore decided to choose 1 seasonal ingredient with 2 others that are likely to be 'staples', such as potatoes or rice. Having said that, there may be months where ... More About: Cooking , January , Month , Mont
Miso Soup
2008-01-06 19:07:00 I?ve always loved clear broths, whether they be a noodle soup, a vegetable broth or even chicken stock just as it is. I find them incredibly soothing and full of flavour. After the richness of the Christmas food I?m, like most of us, craving lighter, fresher food with a cleaner taste and less fat content, and an oriental broth is just the thing. I was on the lookout for a base for such a soup in the supermarket yesterday and picked up a box of instant miso soup sachets. I normally avoid anything ?instant? in the supermarkets but these looked pretty good ? no artificial additives and a produce of Japan.I knew very little about miso (pronounced mee-so) soup, so did some research. I found that it?s eaten daily by most Japanese people, being an important part of most meals; it?s even eaten for breakfast. The base of the soup is miso paste, made from soy beans, and a stock called dashi. The ingredients added to the base are chosen according to the season and provide contrasting colour, t... More About: Soup
Reflections
2008-01-02 18:34:00 Looking back over 2007 I can see much happiness and much to be thankful for. Like every year there were ups and there were downs, but all in all it was a good year.I?ve been busy with ?A Slice of Cherry Pie? and I?m finding it more and more enjoyable and rewarding as time goes on. I particularly love the new level of interaction that I can now enjoy with my readers, made possible by the newsletter and discussion forums I introduced last year, and also by the regular food blogging event 'In the Bag'. Through these things, and through all the comments and emails I receive, I?m getting to know people from all over the world who share my interest in food. I?m also making friends with fellow bloggers and discovering new blogs all the time ? have you visited the wonderful blogs in the list of those who link here? They really are quite remarkable.In March last year I started the UK Food Bloggers Association, so that my fellow British bloggers would have somewhere to chat, share ideas and... More About: Reflections , Thoughts
Merry Christmas!
2007-12-25 07:48:00 I'm sitting here watching The Snowman with a cup of tea before the day properly begins and I wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas . I hope you have a wonderful day! More About: Merry Christmas
The Biggest Gig of the Year
2007-12-22 23:12:00 So it?s almost upon us guys; the big one, the Christmas Lunch. For us foodies who love to cook this is it, the most important meal of the year. Are you ready? Are you nervous? Do you have a plan? You most certainly don?t need military precision but a little bit of advance planning will take away the stress and make things so much easier for you on the day.I?ve heard it said that Christmas lunch is just a roast dinner and while that?s true to an extent it?s also the once-a-year family feast that creates months of anticipation and much expectation. And what's more, it usually involves what is probably the trickiest bird to cook well; the turkey. So quite understandably it often causes much worry and stress for the cook. But having said all that, with good guidelines and good planning it really doesn't have to be difficult.In order to avoid all the stress, which I too have experienced, and to make sure my Christmas lunch is a feast to remember, for the right reasons, I?ve taken note ... More About: Year
It's Starting to Look a lot like Christmas
2007-12-20 23:05:00 The Christmas magic is really in the air now, you can feel it. The shops are bustling with people buying final gifts and food for the holiday. There?s excitement on the forums and Rudolfs and elfs are being flung around on Facebook. No you didn?t misread that. I?ve laid marzipan over my abomination of a Christmas cake and I?ve bought brandy butter, and a slab of pancetta from the butcher. The preparations are well underway.Tonight?s dinner was roast leg of pork, mouth-wateringly succulent and flavoursome, washed down with a fruity, full-bodied red wine. Let the feasting begin!
December Newsletter
2007-12-19 22:35:00 Just a note to let you know I've just sent the December newsletter out. If you haven't already signed-up to the newsletter and would like a copy you can sign up by entering your email address in the box on the left-hand menu, and I'll send a copy out to you. More About: Newsletter
A Piece of Cake?
2007-12-17 14:11:00 How are you getting on with your Christmas preparations? I?m feeling fairly relaxed, but then I have the luxury of having this week and next off work, so I can potter about at my own pace getting things ready. I?ll be stocking up on goodies, wrapping final presents, cleaning and tidying, baking and generally enjoying the Christmas magic.I?ll also be icing the cake which I?ve been lovingly feeding with brandy over the past weeks, but to be honest I?m not sure what it?s going to taste like. Here?s where I come clean and tell you I overcooked it (sob!). This was the first Christmas cake I?ve ever made and I have to say I was a little anxious about the length of cooking time and the instruction not to open the oven door until after four hours. Maybe I should have trusted my instincts and checked on it towards the end, but then would it have sunk?I must confess I didn?t wrap the tin in brown paper as the recipe said, as I had none. Would that have made a difference? I?m not sure. To be h... More About: Cake , Piece
A Quick Update on the Forums
2007-12-09 12:51:00 Just a quick note to let you know that you can now view the 'A Slice of Cherry Pie' discussion forums without having to log in, making them even easier to browse.The forums have got off to a great start. We have 65 registered users and between us we've posted 508 messages since the forums opened on 11th November! We now have a Resources section containing forums on Cookbooks & Television shows, Websites and Tools & Techniques, as well as forums on eating out in London, the UK and the rest of the world, British Food & Seasons, World Cuisine and Beverages. We even have our own Wine Bar for discussions about anything and everything else.Pop in now for a chat! More About: Forums , Update , Quick
O? Sweet Partridge
2007-12-08 11:44:00 I?ve found a good source of game birds from this small Kentish farm shop and I?m very much enjoying trying different ones. I picked up two partridges on my last visit which I stuffed with butter, garlic and shallots, wrapped them in bacon and roasted them in a hot oven. And oh my, they were good. Don?t let the small size fool you; these tiny little birds are big on flavour. If you haven?t tried partridge before you really must; and you?re in for a real treat.Roast PartridgeIngredients2 partridges (1 per person)2 peeled shallots2 peeled garlic cloves2 rashes of baconA couple of knobs of butter1. Remove any internal organs from the birds, wash them well and pat them dry with kitchen paper.2. Put a knob of butter, a garlic clove and a shallot into the cavity of each bird, and then wrap a rasher of bacon over each one.3. Roast at 230c for 30 minutes, or until the juices run clear, turning them over half way through cooking.Serves 2 More About: Sweet , Game
My Little Gingerbread Men
2007-12-05 18:53:00 OK so they may not be the prettiest gingerbread men in the world, but they certainly taste good. I used this recipe from waitrose.com and I was very pleased with the result. One word of warning though: the dough is tricky to use as it breaks up easily so you need to treat it with care. More About: Christmas , Gingerbread , Gerb
The 2007 Food Blog Awards
2007-12-03 20:42:00 Is it really that time again? It would seem so! Time to nominate your favourite food blogs in the annual Food Blog Awards . This year's categories are:1. Best Food Blog ? Chef 2. Best Food Blog ? City 3. Best Drink Blog Covering Drinks (Alcohol/Non-Alcohol)4. Best Food Blog - Family/Kids5. Best Food Blog ? Group6. Best Food Blog ? Humor7. Best Food Blog - Industry8. Best Food Blog ? Photography9. Best Food Blog ? Post10. Best Food Blog ? Theme11. Best Food Blog ? Rural12. Best Food Blog ? Writing13. Best New Food Blog14. Food Blog of the Year Nominations close on Wednesday, December 5th at 11:59 p.m. EST, so wander over to the Well Fed Network now to nominate your favorite food blogs. More About: Blog Awards
In the Bag: Cooking the Month of November - the Round-up
2007-12-02 11:25:00 We had a deliciously sweet bag in November , containing Chocolate, Chestnuts and Sugar. I've been so looking forward to this round-up, and here it is!This delicious Chestnut and hazelnut cake was baked by Myriam from My Kitchen Diaries.Priya from Food and Laughter made this fantastically named Chocolate Chestnut Bomb.This drool-worthy Chestnut and Chocolate Ice cream was dreamed up by Kevin from Closet Cooking .Pixie of You say Tomato I say Tomato really got into the baking and made not one, but two delights, these scrumptious Chocolate Chestnut Truffles and Pixie's Really Good Chestnut Cookies.Elizabeth of Mera Pyaar...My Love cooked us these fantastic Chocolate Crepes with Sauteed Apples.Cherry from Cherry's English Kitchen threw away the chocolate and sugar and made this beautiful Chestnut and Chicken Supper.And I made Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's Chocolate and Chestnut Truffle Cake.Thank you all for your wonderful entries, I hope you enjoyed the event as much as I did. More About: Round Up , Round , Month
Mushroom, Parmesan and Walnut Pasta
2007-11-30 20:52:00 I?ve wanted to try walnuts with pasta for a while now, ever since I saw Nigella Lawson's recipe for walnut pasta, and this dish is inspired by that recipe. Toasting the walnuts really enhances their nuttiness and they?ve worked fantastically here with the mushrooms, garlic, cheese and bacon. The dish is substantial enough without the bacon, so you could easily omit it for a vegetarian version. I really can?t tell you how good this is, it?s great for winter; full of texture, warming and comforting.Mushroom , Parmesan and Walnut Pasta Ingredients1 crushed garlic clove2 -3 handfuls of thickly sliced mushrooms4-6 tablespoons of mascarpone cheeseA handful of grated Parmesan cheese2 rashes of chopped bacon (optional)Salt and pepper1. Toast the walnut halves in a non-stick dry pan, shaking the pan now and then, until they start to darken a little and you can smell their aroma. Set aside.2. Fry the bacon, if using, and the mushrooms in a little olive oil until almost cooked through, then add... More About: Armes
Don't forget, this month's 'In the Bag' closes tomorrow!
2007-11-29 19:31:00 How are you getting on with your entries for 'In the Bag' this month? We've had some mouth-watering entries in and I'm looking forward to seeing even more! With chestnuts, chocolate and sugar in this month's bag it's going to be a deliciously sweet round-up!Technorati Tags: food blogging event, In the Bag More About: Tomorrow , Morrow , Mont , Tomo
Have you visited the forums yet?
2007-11-23 00:25:00 I'm really enjoying chatting to 'A Slice of Cherry Pie' readers over at the forums. We're talking about seasonal food, cook books and foodie gifts, and we're sharing recipes and tips.I'd love to see even more of you there so why not register now and join in the fun! More About: Forums
Monday Night Pizza
2007-11-19 21:48:00 I know the thought of making your own pizza from scratch, dough included, on a Monday night is probably exhausting in itself, but honestly this was as quick as anything to make, and you?ll feel so virtuous for making your own rather than picking up the phone to the local pizza delivery service.The sauce will take a good 20 minutes or so, so start that off first. You just need to sauté a crushed garlic clove and shallot in a little olive oil until starting to soften, then add in a teaspoon of sugar and a 400g tin of tomatoes. I used tinned cherry tomatoes for a change, but you could use chopped or even whole plum tomatoes and just chop them down in the saucepan as they cook. You can also add a squirt of tomato puree to if you like, to deepen the flavour. Let the sauce simmer until nicely thickened. You can either sieve the sauce as I did, or use it as it is.While the sauce is cooking make your pizza dough. This recipe from the very lovely James Martin is so quick and easy ? it contai... More About: Pizza , Night
A Brace of Pheasants and a Chocolate and Chestnut Truffle Cake
2007-11-18 11:22:00 Last night Rob and I had a feast fit for a King, which celebrated the season in a big way. Pheasants, parsnips, chestnuts; we had the best autumn has to offer. The meal felt very festive and would make a spectacular offering over the Christmas period.I bought the pheasants already prepared (thankfully!), if somewhat bloody, from my local farm shop. They just needed a good wash and then they were ready for the fun part. Last time I cooked pheasant I casseroled it so this time I wanted to try roasting.It seems that the biggest concern when considering how to cook pheasant is preventing the birds from becoming dry, which they easily can. This is of particular concern when roasting pheasant. In order to prevent this I used plenty of butter and lay rashes of bacon over the breasts, and I basted the birds in the buttery juices half way through the cooking time. Finally I rested them for 10 minutes after cooking, breast side down to encourage the juices back into the breast.A few sprigs of... More About: Cake , Chocolate , Seasonal , Game , Chestnut
In the Bag: Cooking the Month of November!
More articles from this author:2007-11-18 10:59:00 We?re going for a change this month with a sweet bag, and I just know you?re going to love it. Take a peek at the goodies inside:ChestnutsChocolateSugarFor those new to this event, here's how it works. Each month we pick 3 ingredients, at least 1 of which is seasonal, for you to make a dish with. All you need to do to enter is to create your dish, then post about it on your blog or website and drop me an email.Mmmmm....I can?t wait to see what you come up with! My next post should give you some inspiration, as I?ll be posting about Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall?s Chestnut and Chocolate Truffle cake.Entry DetailsSend an email with ?In the Bag in the subject line to asliceofcherrypie AT yahoo DOT co DOT uk by Friday 30th November with the following information:your namethe name of your blog or websitea link to your postthe name of your disha picture of your dish RulesHere are the loose rules - but ultimately remember the objective is to have fun whilst highlighting seasonal food: 1. Pa... More About: Cooking , Seasonal , Month , Cookin 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
