A Slice Of Cherry Pie

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Honey Cake for Tea
2007-05-13 19:23:00
Despite the rain, we?ve been out and about today, taking a leisurely lunch with my Mum and her partner then, after dropping them back home, browsing the shops for half an hour or so. Back home it was dark and dreary with more rain threatening; perfect cake-baking weather. But what type of cake to bake? Out came the cook books for inspiration. Carrot Cake , Lemon Drizzle Cake, Moist Chocolate Cake? Maybe the chocolate cake?.no, wait, what?s this?Honey Cake? Now that is just right for a rainy Sunday afternoon.As it happens, I didn?t use the recipe in my book for this as the cake was covered in thick icing which I wasn?t in the mood for. I wanted a simple cake, with nothing but honey, so I searched on the internet and found this from James Martin. Not only is this a lovely, comforting cake to eat on a rainy Sunday afternoon, but it?s comforting to make too. Standing at the pan slowly stirring the honey, sugar and butter as it gently melts together is immensely pleasurable, especially wh...
More About: Baking

What's Cooking?
2007-05-10 21:05:00
Don't forget this month sees the first ever 'In the Bag' event, run by myself, Cherry from Cherry's English Kitchen and Scott at Real Epicurean.The idea is that we select three seasonal ingredients for you to whip up something spectacular with. This month we've chosen asparagus, sea trout and spring onions.The entries are coming in fast and we're seeing some fantastic creations. Don't miss out, join the fun! Get your entries to me by Saturday 26th May.See more on this event here.
More About: Cooking , Seasonal , King , Cook , Cookin

Nibbles
2007-05-08 20:32:00
Why is it that no matter how large my lunch, I still end up feeling peckish in the evenings? Perhaps it?s the routine of having 3 meals - no matter how large the previous one, skipping a meal would completely throw me out and I?d feel like I was missing out. Despite the huge pub lunch Rob and I had today my mind keeps wandering to the kitchen as I sit here on the sofa. I don?t want a meal as such, but I do want picky food. The champagne I?m sipping as I type is accelerating my need to eat. I find that I usually want picky food when I?m drinking alcohol; drinks and nibbles go hand in hand, don?t they? Hell, who am I kidding, alcohol or not I can?t go long without nibbling on something. And on that note, I?m off to the kitchen.
More About: Thoughts

Delectable Posts
2007-05-06 22:54:00
Here are some more fabulous posts from fellow bloggers:Eleven Madison Park Revisited (An Anniversary Dinner) from The Amateur GourmetVideo Podcast: The Olive Oil Experiment from The Amateur GourmetThe Yellowing Countryside from The Tracing PaperRhubarb and Custard from NordljusTeddy Bear Breads from Cafe Lynnylu
More About: Table , Posts

The Spaghetti Fan
2007-05-05 15:16:00
When cooking spaghetti do you stand at the cooker holding it in a pan of boiling water, waiting for it to soften so you can gently feed it, bit by bit, into the water? I always used to, until my Father-in-law taught me this little trick. Simply pop your spaghetti into the centre of the pan and let go so that it fans out around it. You may need to help it spread out around the sides of the pan. That's all you have to do. No holding, no waiting, it will drop further and further into the pan as it softens all by itself. So that?s one less job. Now, what do I need to be getting on with next??
More About: Pasta , Spaghetti

Solitary Night In ? A Recipe
2007-05-03 21:29:00
This recipe is perfect after a tiring day when your husband is out for the evening.IngredientsQuick and comforting food of your choice for dinnerFood magazinesWineGirlie filmSofa1. At the station on your way home take a potter around Marks & Spencer for something quick and comforting for dinner such as honey roast salmon flakes to mix into a large plate of lemon and butter coated pasta, and a naughty chocolate desert-in-a-pot2. Walk into WH Smith at the same station and grab several just-out food magazines3. Jump on train and get self home4. Pour a large glass of wine5. Prepare dinner6. Turn on TV7. Put a girlie film on the DVD player8. Put feet up on the sofa9. Sit back and relax
More About: Recipe , Thoughts , Night , Reci , Soli

Seasonal Spring Lamb, Unseasonable Weather ? Is That Right?
2007-05-02 19:17:00
It?s been another scorcher today, with blazing sunshine and gloriously clear blue skies. This unseasonable weather has thrown my body clock right out, I can tell you. I?m thinking I?m in the middle of high summer, not mid-spring. Please don?t get me wrong, this is not a complaint ? far from it; I adore the sunshine. But there is a natural flow to the seasons; to the weather and indeed to the food we eat. This is spring; we should be experiencing mild sunshine and eating produce such as spring lamb....or should we?I discovered, through a little internet research and a flick through Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall?s ?Meat? book, that in actual fact the lamb available in the spring was born around November/December of the previous year and, sadly, sometimes reared indoors in order to meet demand. We have been led to believe that with the first rays of spring sunshine come the first lambs ready for our plate. The traditional meal at Easter is spring lamb so there is great demand. But spring...
More About: Weather , Spring , Seasonal , Lamb , Right

Another 5 Things You Didn?t Know About Me
2007-04-30 21:32:00
I?ve been tagged by Scott at Real Epicurean for this meme. I?ve done this one before so this time I turned to Rob for my 5 things. With little hesitation he came up with:1. I once dyed my hair blonde. (I also dyed it black when I was a teenager - you could say I like extremes! But hey, you?ve got to try everything once.)2. I have a thing for handbags (which is a rather expensive habit).3. I?m messy (I tell Rob it?s my creative streak but I don?t think he?s buying it).4. I once owned a red MGF (I loved that car, driving it in the summer with the roof down was exhilarating).5. My favourite colour is blue.I tag:Rice and NoodlesTarteletteHannah's Country KitchenCafe LynnyluHooked on Heat
More About: Know , Another , Things , Thing

Old Friends, Familiar Places
2007-04-29 15:35:00
I met a good friend, Viv, for dinner earlier in the week. We met through work and although we no longer work together our friendship remains, as does the restaurant we?ve been frequenting over the years. We regularly went there for lunch when we worked nearby and since then, when we meet for dinner, we meet there. It?s become our place. There are several practical factors in this, it?s central so convenient for us both, it?s reasonably priced for a night out and importantly, of course, we like the food and drink that?s served there. But more than this, we feel comfortable in this restaurant. I love its familiarity and how we are immediately relaxed in our environment.Viv told me of one of her favourite times at this restaurant when she lunched with another friend there. They shared several bottles of wine and before they knew it day turned to evening and they were given the evening menus, so they stayed for dinner too. What a great story - that is feeling relaxed and at home in a re...
More About: Friends , Thoughts , Places , Place , Liar

Clams with Linguini
2007-04-28 21:11:00
Fry 1 finely chopped shallot and 1 garlic clove in butter for a few minutes in a saucepan. Next add about 200ml white wine and the clams. Turn the heat up high and put a lid on. Remove from the heat when the shells open. At this point remove the clams from the pan and add 100ml cream, salt, pepper and juice of half a lemon to the pan. Bring to a boil and simmer until it is reduced to a sauce consistency. Meanwhile cook the linguini and once the sauce is ready and the linguini to the pan along with the clams to reheat them.
More About: Fish , Guin , Clam

How to Cook the Perfect?
2007-04-26 18:42:00
The latest in my cookbook collection is ?How to Cook the Perfect ?? by Marcus Wareing, Chef Patron of two London hotel restaurants; The Savoy Grill at the Savoy Hotel on the Strand and Pétrus at The Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge.With a title such as ?How to Cook the Perfect?? and written by a chef of Marcus?s calibre, you may be forgiven for expecting a little pretension and complex dishes from this book. But this is far from the case. Marcus offers his professional expertise in a very down-to-earth, easy to follow way and the book is packed full of classics you would want to cook at home and want tips for perfection on. In fact, the more I flicked through the book, the more pleasantly surprised I was to see homely, rather than restaurant style, dishes; fish pie; roast chicken; apple pie; fish cakes and even ?Mum?s Pork Chops?. Marcus was inspired by his mother?s home cooking and is father to two young sons, so home cooking is clearly important to him. He?s successfully combined th...
More About: Books

In the Pink
2007-04-25 22:13:00
Deliciously tart and comforting like a hug, Rhubarb is surely one of the feel-good foods. Just look at it - food this beautiful has got to lift your mood. It tastes fabulous on it's own, simply sweetened with sugar, but complimentary flavours such as orange, ginger, cinnamon or vanilla lift it to divine heights. You can poach it, roast it, serve it with ice cream, custard, Greek yoghurt or under a layer of crumble. There are so many ways to enjoy these fabulous pink sticks!
More About: Vegetables , Pink , Seasonal

English Food is Pretty Damn Good...
2007-04-23 22:19:00
...and so say all of us.Check out Sam's 'Fish & Quips' round-up of no less than 65 bloggers who prove that English food is not a joke.
More About: Food , Pretty , Good , Damn

Making the Most of a Lazy Spring Sunday
2007-04-22 16:33:00
Bluebells in my gardenAhh?this is the life. I?m writing to you from the bench in my garden with the sun gloriously shining down on me. The washing is blowing in the breeze on the line and I have a pile of cook books and a glass of cava next to me. It feels like mid-June rather than April and I?m enjoying every minute of it because who knows when the unpredictable British weather may change?I have a busy week ahead of me, meetings at work, cocktails with colleagues after work, meeting friends old and new outside of work (which you?ll hear more about later in the week), and to round things off a hen day and night on Saturday. I?ll need good organisation for my meals this week, to make sure I don?t skip them or just eat junk. I think a few hearty lunches will be in order to prepare me for the evenings out.There are the usual takeaway lunch offerings near where I work and although the selection is good they can become a little tiring. I?m very lucky to be able to work from home a few da...
More About: Lunch , Spring , Thoughts , Sunday , Ring

Warm Goats Cheese, Pancetta and Avocado Salad
2007-04-21 18:57:00
I made myself this lovely salad for lunch yesterday. The richness and creaminess of the avocado and goats cheese along with the salty pancetta make this a rather indulgent salad, which is surprisingly filling too.I cut some pancetta into cubes and fried them until crispy. You don?t need any oil in the pan for this as the pancetta has enough of its own fat. Meanwhile I scooped out half an avocado and lay it on a bed of rocket, spinach and watercress. I then tipped the pancetta out onto kitchen paper to soak up the excess fat and added it to the salad.Next I fried some rounds of goats cheese just for a few minutes to warm them through. They were then placed onto the salad and to finish it off I made up a dressing to drizzle over with 3 parts extra virgin olive oil, 1 part white wine vinegar and a pinch of sea salt.It was quite delicious and for a salad it felt rather naughty!
More About: Cheese , Salad , Sala , Goats , Oats

A Relaxed, Girlie Dinner
2007-04-20 18:42:00
My good friend Faye came over for dinner last night. It was another warm day and I wanted to cook something summery and casual. I also wanted it to be quick and easy as I?d been in the office all day so wouldn?t have much time when I came home and I didn?t want to neglect my friend whilst concentrating in the kitchen. So, I went for a big plateful of spaghetti with a creamy lemon sauce and beautiful pink salmon. We chatted in the kitchen over a glass of rosé wine while I assembled the dish, which took no time at all.Salmon and Lemon SpaghettiI didn?t measure my ingredients, I just went by taste. For the lemon sauce I used maybe 4 tablespoons of cream, a knob of butter, the juice of a lemon and about half the zest. I heated this gently until thickened, stirring occasionally. I fried the salmon fillets in a little olive oil and cooked the spaghetti. To assemble, I drained the spaghetti and put it back in the saucepan, then added the sauce and tossed the spaghetti to coat it before fl...
More About: Fish , Dinner , Pasta , Relax

Roast Rack of Lamb with Crushed Potatoes and Caramelised Garlic
2007-04-18 21:15:00
This recipe from ?Rick Stein's French Odyssey? is fabulous for tender, succulent spring lamb. The caramlised garlic is mild enough to not overpower yet strong enough to give a complimentary kick to the dish.I?m sure there are a million other users for this delicious garlic; served with chicken, over roasted vegetables, spooned over salad or perhaps even spread on thick, crusty bread.
More About: Garlic , Potatoes , Lamb , Rack , Rush

Scrambled Eggs
2007-04-14 23:12:00
When scrambled eggs are cooked well they are a far cry from the little rubbery balls of egg that all too often go by the same name. I think perhaps the name should be changed to ?Softly Scrambled Eggs ?, with emphasis on the word softly, in order to bring attention to the key to this dish. It takes a matter of seconds to overcook the eggs and this will instantly ruin them, turning them rubbery. You need to watch them constantly, but that really is no hardship as they take just minutes to cook.I used duck eggs when I made this, simply because I had some and I?ve become somewhat evangelical about their richness since discovering them. You would use exactly the same method for hen eggs.Scrambled Eggs with Crispy BaconServes 1Ingredients2 rashes of bacon2 or 3 eggs2 tablespoons of double creamSalt and freshly ground pepperA knob of butterFry the bacon until crispy and keep warm in the pan while you cook the eggs.Lightly beat together the eggs and cream just to combine and then add in a p...
More About: Breakfast , Ramble , Bled , Cram

Easter Cake Bake Round up!
2007-04-13 14:20:00
Wow, just look at those fabulous cakes. If you click on each picture you'll be taken to the blog that it came from.I?m absolutely delighted by all the entries, each one was just delectable. You?ve made my job in finding a winner very difficult indeed, really you?re all winners to be able to produce such stunning cakes. But an overall winner there must be and after a lot of consideration I can say that the person is????Cheryl at Gruel Omelet for this fabulous creation:Isn't it fantastic? Even the pot was made by Chery's talented hands. Check out how she made it here.Here's a list of all the participants:Rachel from Baltimore, MD at Coconut & LimeSus from Griesheim in Germany at CorumBlogMargaret from the West Midlands, UK at Kitchen DelightsVeronica from Rome, Italy at La Testa nel piattoHelen at TarteletteY from Sydney, Australia at LemonpiBelinda from Wales. Belinda doesn?t have a blog but wanted to join in the fun.Victoria from Melbourne at OOOH!Cake Eliza from Oregon, USA...
More About: Baking , Easter , Round Up , Round

The Perfect Bacon Butty
2007-04-12 18:39:00
Having spent more than 1,000 hours testing 700 variations, scientists at Leeds University claim to have come up with a formula for the perfect bacon butty.This was an in-depth study, with fifty volunteers judging each sandwich according to its taste, texture and flavour. The results show that the key is the crispiness and the crunch of the bacon. Dr Graham Clayton, who led the research team, said "We often think that it's the taste and smell of bacon that consumers find most attractive. But our research proves that texture and sound is just as, if not more, important".The team's findings are that two or three back bacon rashers should be cooked under a preheated oven grill for seven minutes at about 240C (475F). The bacon should then be placed between two slices of farmhouse bread, 1cm to 2cm thick. I am surprised that there is no mention of the all important sauce and although quality and type of bacon was studied there is no conclusion given on that rather important point. I thi...
More About: Perfect , Butt , Bacon

In the Bag: Cooking the Month of May!
2007-04-11 20:08:00
I?m delighted to announce that I?ve teamed up with Cherry from Cherry's English Kitchen and Scott at Real Epicurean for a regular blogging event based around seasonal produce. Each month we will select three seasonal products and put them in a bag for you to create your own dish with. We will be hosting the event in rotation and I?ll be hosting the first one, which will be held in May.The May bag contains:AsparagusEagerly awaited by foodies all over the country, asparagus is surely the cream of the crop of spring vegetables. English asparagus is considered to be among the best in the world so we are very fortunate to have such easy access to it. The Asparagus season runs from May to June.Sea TroutThis pink-fleshed fish is full of flavour and in season from March to July.Spring OnionsThese are delicate young onions with a mild flavour. They are perfect raw in salads and are in season from May until September.Entry DetailsSend an email with ?In the Bag in the subject line to asliceof...
More About: Cooking , Seasonal , King , Cook , Month

A Long, Hot Soak and a Speedy, Tasty Dinner
2007-04-10 22:02:00
After immersing myself for some time in a steaming bath full of rose-scented water with a book and a glass of merlot, I wrapped myself in a bath robe and padded into the kitchen to cook a quick and effortless dinner.I took the lamb leg steaks from the fridge and marinated them in olive oil with fresh rosemary while I heated a griddle pan and sliced a courgette, red onion and yellow pepper. A brush of oil and in went the vegetables to char grill. The lamb steaks went into another pan with the rosemary and oil from the marinade. Ten minutes later dinner was ready to go.Ahh?that?s better.
More About: Dinner , Lamb , Speed , Long , Speedy

Two Ingredients, One Light Brunch
2007-04-09 15:11:00
Simmered purple sprouting broccoli, poached egg with a soft and creamy yolk, a sprinkling of sea salt, eaten in the garden late morning on a sunny bank holiday Monday. Perfect.
More About: Vegetables , Eggs , Brunch , Seasonal , Ingredients

Warm Bacon and Scallop Salad
2007-04-01 19:48:00
Bacon and scallops are fabulous together. The smokiness of the bacon compliments the sweetness of the tender scallops so well. I had this lunch in the garden yesterday with a glass of orange juice and the sun shining down, and it was just fabulous.Fry some strips of bacon and then remove them from the pan. Sauté the scallops in the same pan with a little butter and a touch of seasoning just for about 30 seconds to a minute each side over a high heat. Remove them and lay them on a bed of salad leaves with the bacon.Slosh a little white wine into the pan and stir while it reduces, scraping all the bacon bits with a wooden spoon. When the wine is syrupy drizzle it over the salad.
More About: Fish , Salad , Sala , Call , Bacon

On My Bedside Table
2007-03-31 11:09:00
You may have noticed the sidebar on 'A Slice of Cherry Pie' where I have images of the books 'On my Beside Tabl e'. I mean this quite literally as I do a lot of my cook book reading in bed.Each time I buy a new book or decide to pick up an old one to read I'll change the image on the sidebar so you can see what I'm currently flicking through. I'll store the old ones in this post.I'd love to hear from anyone who's read any of the books that appear here.
More About: Books , Table , Side , Beds

Purple Sprouting Broccoli
2007-03-14 20:38:00
This beautiful vegetable has a much more delicate flavour than standard broccoli and it’s in season right now. It just needs light cooking and is delicious simply steamed, boiled or even stir-fried. The leaves, heads and stalks are all edible but you may want to trim the stalk to avoid toughness and take off a few of the outer leaves.
More About: Outing , Purple , Broccoli , Rocco

Simply Cooked Scallops, Fresh from the Sea
2007-03-12 20:19:00
We had another gorgeous weekend and another trip to Whitstable, where I bought some scallops. For some reason it didn’t occur to me to ask for them to be prepared so they were still in their tightly closed shells. ‘No problem’, I figured, ‘I can rise to this challenge’ (with a little help from Rick Stein and Gordon Ramsay). Out came their books and instructions. Once I got going it was actually easier than I thought it would be. The first thing you need to do is wash the shells to clean them. Next comes the opening, which is easier if you hold the shell rounded side down in your hand, with the flatter shell up most. Then carefully slide a sharp knife into the shell and cut through the ligament at the top of the shell which is attaching the scallop. Once you’ve cut through this the shell will open, then rip the top flat shell off of the bottom one, so you’re left with the scallop in the rounded shell. If you know what the white scallop and coral looks like then it’s ...
More About: Simp , Simply , Call , Cook , Fresh

Prime Meat
2007-03-11 11:01:00
Our weekly trip to the farm shop to get our vegetables yesterday was pleasantly enhanced by the surprise appearance of a mobile meat stall where a farmer was selling his high quality meat directly to the public.He had a great selection of meat including a couple of chickens that looked fantastic. These were not the artificially plumped up specimens you find in supermarkets but quality-looking chickens with all the hallmarks of birds well looked after and raised in a healthy environment. We bought one of those along with some smoked bacon, sausages and, the crème de le crème – two fillet steaks cut off in front of us from a beautiful piece of meat.Fillet steak is the very best cut, and this piece had been well hung and had a fabulous deeply dark red colour. Steak this good deserves the very best treatment. For me that’s very simple cooking and serving with complimentary flavours to show off the meat. So I served this seasoned and seared over a high heat for just a few minutes, ...
More About: Meat , Prime , Rime , Prim

A New Season
2007-03-10 09:49:00
It’s been lovely and sunny the past few days and as I type I can see the rays streaming through gaps in the blinds. Daffodils are growing in abundance and it’s getting lighter and warmer day by day. According to this article there is some debate as to whether we are actually in winter still, or spring. The Met Office says 1st March is the start of spring, but according to tradition it’s the 21st March. Well nature and my instinct are telling me spring is here and I’m going with that.Leeks have been in season for the past few months and I’ve certainly been making the most of them; they’ve been a staple in my kitchen. Their delicate, mildly onion flavour adds a wonderful base flavour to soups and casseroles. As a side dish I love them simply sautéed in butter.Purple sprouting broccoli is plentiful and one of my favourite fruits will soon be coming into season; rhubarb. I’m looking forward to bringing some home for an array of delicious puddings. Rhubarb crumble is the f...
More About: Season , Seas

Cod and Lemon Cream Cheese Parcels
2007-03-06 21:39:00
Mmm…I love fish, I love lemon and I love cream cheese, and they combine fabulously in this simple dish. Salmon would work well instead of the cod – in fact I think I’ll try that next time.Mix about 100grams of cream cheese with the juice of half a lemon, season well and add some chopped parsley.Lay a sheet of filo pastry out, brush it with melted butter and lay another sheet on top. Place the fish on the pastry and top generously with the cream cheese filling. Fold the pastry over to wrap up the fish in a parcel and brush it with a beaten egg. Bake at 180c for 20 minutes.
More About: Lemon , Cheese , Cream