tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78899180567008358992024-03-13T13:56:40.669+00:00The crumbs and dirty dishesRecipes from around the world, random musings and delicious dinners (breakfasts and lunches). Julianna Barnaby dishes it up - all that's ever left is The Crumbs and Dirty Dishes...
Julianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889918056700835899.post-16051301935219242042017-06-28T18:25:00.001+01:002017-06-28T18:26:15.288+01:00The Luxury Guide to Paris<div class="p1">
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<span class="s2">We've all heard the stories about Paris - it's the city of love, the city of chic and one of Europe's classic destinations. None of that has changed but from time to time, we all need to go one step further and really treat ourselves. Here's a step by step luxury guide to Paris for your ultimate weekend getaway. </span></div>
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<span class="s2"><b>Where to Stay - The Ritz Paris </b></span></div>
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<span class="s2">When it comes to places to stay, few places are more evocative of old world grandeur, definitive style and effortless elegance than The Ritz. The name alone means over a century of the best service, style and quality. </span></div>
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<span class="s2">The hotel has earned a place in the hearts of stars from Coco Chanel to Elton John, and has maintained an impeccable standard throughout the years. Spacious bedrooms with luxurious decorations make a delightful base for a trip to the city. </span></div>
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<span class="s2">Pampering too is all in hand, The Ritz Health Club is a sight to behold, and the treatments do not disappoint. Only using the finest brands such as Clinica Ivo Pitanguy and Russie Blanche, you can guarantee that you will be leaving fresh of face and light of step. The Quintessence Facial Treatment is particularly recommended. </span></div>
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<span class="s2"><b>Desirable dining </b></span></div>
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<span class="s2">When it comes to dining, the options are almost endless. Of course one can dine at restaurants with more Michelin stars than we have fingers but for those that want to try something a bit different, Thomieux is the place to go. </span></div>
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<span class="s2">The restaurant is fast making its name as the hottest dining place to be seen. A joint venture between head chef Jean-François Piège and Thierry Costes, the two have excelled at the bold richness of traditional French food. At Thomieux you find the style and elegance of a restaurant of its oeuvre without the stuffy and overly formal atmosphere too often encountered. French favourites such as foie gras, steak frites and riz de veau (lamb sweetbreads) and creme brûlée are given a new lease of life under Piège's hands. Dress up and book early and you will not be disappointed. </span></div>
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<span class="s2">Still, it would be a shame not to try a Michelin-starred dish or two when there are so many places willing to oblige (this is a luxury guide to Paris after all). Joel Roubouchon’s L’Atelier is a culinary performance worthy of a visit. The seats encircle a central bar, behind which the chefs put on the main show. A drizzle here, a flip there - it's a performance without parallel in the city. Tapas-sized portions make it easy to sample various parts of the menu and can be paired with wines from the expansive wine list.</span></div>
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<span class="s2">Just a stone’s throw from the Louvre and the Jardin des Tuileries on Rue de Rivoli, Angelina’s is the stop for a little afternoon treat. They are particularly famous for two things: the decadently thick hot chocolate <i>l'Africain </i>and the Mont Blanc. The Mont Blanc is a meringue dessert that incorporates chestnut cream and cream for a pleasure to remember. </span></div>
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<span class="s2">Around the corner, master chocolatier Jean Paul Hevin serves up a range of toothsome tartelettes and confectionery to satisfy even the most fanatic chocolate lover. Browsing the vast array of delicacies behind the counter can be difficult when deciding what to have. But you shouldn't worry, if other things catch your eye (or your palette) they can be wrapped up and taken away for later consumption, or even a present. </span></div>
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<span class="s2"><b>Savvy and stylish</b></span></div>
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<span class="s2">A city as famous as this for its stylishly chic inhabitants is going to have a vast choice when it comes to shopping. Luxe shoppers should make Faubourg Saint-Honore a priority for picking up their designer pieces. Perfectly located a few minutes from the Louvre, names such as Hermes, Versace and Yves St Laurent name the area as their home.</span></div>
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<span class="s2">The Emirates certainly has its share of large department stores, but for ones with the quintessential Parisian touch Printemps and Galeries Lafayette on Boulevard Haussmann are must-dos. An afternoon in either of these provides a lesson in the various fashions and collections of almost every designer brand. </span></div>
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<span class="s2">Printemps has the largest floor space dedicated to cosmetics of any department store worldwide - even more impressive in reality than it is on paper. Service is haughty but the choice is unrivalled, with homeware, gourmet food, jewellery and electronics on sale. So much so that picking up an extra suitcase or two along the way is always advisable. </span></div>
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Julianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889918056700835899.post-42545045614459552812011-12-02T16:40:00.001+00:002011-12-02T16:40:14.814+00:00Bloody beetroots: the pickle duo part one<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3MUiP2Pzrv8/Ttj-6TrQ12I/AAAAAAAABLU/k1VbTzTgvmI/Photo%2525202%252520Dec%2525202011%25252016%25253A36.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3MUiP2Pzrv8/Ttj-6TrQ12I/AAAAAAAABLU/k1VbTzTgvmI/s400/Photo%2525202%252520Dec%2525202011%25252016%25253A36.jpg" id="blogsy-1322843903545.9783" class="aligncenter" width="400" height="598" align="center" alt=""></a></div><p>Like Marmite, beetroot splits people. Love it, or hate it - it's mad bad and dangerous to know. Well maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration but I've heard people go on rants about this humble veg that would make Russell Brand cover his ears and partake of some smelling salts to recover himself. My ma for example. Get her started on the many reasons she hates beetroot and you will be sitting around for a long time. Prime complaints include the staining of fingers and anything else it comes in to contact with, not to mention the fact that is 'just horrible, quite horrible'.</p><p>I beg to differ. Which is why, when we spied a large box of said stuff in our favourite Sussex farm shop, I may have got a little tooooo enthusiastic and bought far more than even I could eat before it went off. </p><p>The solution? A bloody good beetroot pickle. Simple, a million times better than the shop bought beetroots in vinegar and a doodle to make. </p><p>If, like me, you can get your hands on some yellow and red beetroot, it makes for a nice contrast while the pickle is fresh but, be warned, the reds will soon put paid to the delicate colouring and everything will look pretty uniform after a few days. <br><em><br>Beetroot pickle (makes one jar) <br>500g Beetroots - as many varieties as you can get your hands on <br>500ml pickling vinegar - we used cider vinegar with 1 tsp black onion seeds, 1 tsp coriander seeds 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, 1 tsp celery seeds, 1 tbsp muscovado sugar and a cinnamon stick. Leave to simmer on a low heat for half an hour. You may want to evacuate the kitchen in this time as the fumes are pretty hefty. </em></p><p><em>Boil the beetroots in water until they soften but are still quite firm. This normally takes 45 mins for normal sized beetroots but vary depending on size. Remove from the pot and leave to cool. </em></p><p><em>Once cool, peel the beetroot. At this point, you can decide whether to leave them whole, or chop into slices as I did (handier for quick grabs). </em></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GC7qq6j-1zo/Ttj-yfyZV8I/AAAAAAAABLE/KflOTlkEkt8/s500/Photo%2525202%252520Dec%2525202011%25252016%25253A36.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GC7qq6j-1zo/Ttj-yfyZV8I/AAAAAAAABLE/KflOTlkEkt8/s400/Photo%2525202%252520Dec%2525202011%25252016%25253A36.jpg" id="blogsy-1322843863905.9312" class="aligncenter" width="400" height="598" align="center" alt=""></a></div><p><em>Put the beetroot into a sterilised jar. If you are pouring the vinegar on whilst warm, you will need to ensure the jar is warm - best done in an oven on a low heat (around 140 Celsius). Otherwise, wait for vinegar to cool then pour into jar. </em></p><p><em>Seal tightly and leave for a week or two for the best flavours before tucking in. </em></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Lq7bWa2scjI/Ttj-2QZGrCI/AAAAAAAABLM/En8gDcKKKYo/Photo%2525202%252520Dec%2525202011%25252016%25253A36.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Lq7bWa2scjI/Ttj-2QZGrCI/AAAAAAAABLM/En8gDcKKKYo/s400/Photo%2525202%252520Dec%2525202011%25252016%25253A36.jpg" id="blogsy-1322843926895.999" class="aligncenter" width="400" height="598" align="center" alt=""></a></div>Julianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889918056700835899.post-78430006118636818622011-12-02T15:42:00.000+00:002011-12-02T16:43:50.370+00:00Crunchy onions: the pickle duo part two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-W2v6jRsRj_s/Ttj9Eqe2pTI/AAAAAAAABK4/Z8ItX6q6F1k/IMAG0201.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-W2v6jRsRj_s/Ttj9Eqe2pTI/AAAAAAAABK4/Z8ItX6q6F1k/s300/IMAG0201.jpg" id="blogsy-1322844219295.4702" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="300" height="500"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><p>Pickled onions rock. Especially when you make them at home. </p><p>Ok, so the shop bought ones aren't terrible. They do their job. Particularly when that job involves a ham sandwich and a bit of mustard. But these are the easiest things in the world to make. And they're cheap. Did I mention easy? The clincher, however, is the taste. With a crunchy kick, these pickled onions will brighten up your life, or at least your lunch* </p><p><em>* I of course take no responsibility for this statement but you'd have to be a dour old mutt for it not to be true. Or you're a freak who hates onions. Either way, that's your problem, not mine. </em></p><p>Without further ado.... </p><p>PICKLED ONIONS <br>1kg pickling onions <br>Pickling vinegar for vinegar recipe see pickle duo part one - though for this I like to add 1 tbsp of mustard seeds too. <br>50g Salt <br>1 litre water <br>Litre capacity sterilised jar </p><p>Peel the onions. Put the onions in a bowl and cover with the water and salt. Place a plate inside the bowl with weights atop. Leave for 24 hours. </p><p>Rinse the onions. Place into The sterilised jar. For a softer onion, cover with the vinegar and seal whilst the vinegar is still warm. For some serious CRUNCH, leave vinegar to cool and then pour over onions and seal jar. </p><p>This is better at the two weeks onwards mark but I wouldn't blame you if you tucked in sooner. It still beats the crap out of shop bought ones. </p><p>Ps we've also tried a slightly different recipe from Lindy Wildsmith's Cured. A recipe book that everyone should have on their shelves, if only for the jaw-droppingly sexy pictures of the cured meat, fish and other goodies. We are yet to crack that jar open. If you're lucky, I'll keep you updated. </p>Julianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889918056700835899.post-75099296362599536222011-11-22T10:45:00.001+00:002011-11-22T10:49:44.636+00:00Chilli and spice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-GIQo7i3sCc0/Tst5Dp3sM0I/AAAAAAAABKM/OJFYemIzVj0/IMAG0177.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-GIQo7i3sCc0/Tst5Dp3sM0I/AAAAAAAABKM/OJFYemIzVj0/s300/IMAG0177.jpg" id="blogsy-1321958931355.9604" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="300" height="501"></a></div><p>There are two truths in my life when it comes to Mexican food. The first is that I love it. The second is that I only have the haziest idea of how to cook it. So it was with quite a bit of excitement that I opened an invitation for an event from <a href="http://www.discoveryfoods.co.uk/home.aspx">Discovery Foods</a> and <a href="http://www.benitos-hat.com/">Benito's Hat</a> for a Mexican food cook off. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-9zu7raAQlQI/Tst5OdqZBXI/AAAAAAAABKs/Kpb6BdEU-BM/IMAG0173.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-9zu7raAQlQI/Tst5OdqZBXI/AAAAAAAABKs/Kpb6BdEU-BM/s300/IMAG0173.jpg" id="blogsy-1321958931386.4275" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="300" height="500"></a></div><p>The premise was simple. Ten food bloggers watch Benito's Hat head chef Felipe whizz up two delicious and doable Mexican dishes in half an hour. Then they are given free reign over ingredients to make their own dishes inspired by Mexican cuisine. </p><p>Watching Felipe cook, I was impressed by how down to earth he was. Unafraid to create new dishes with new flavours, he also stressed the importance of being able to compromise and work with what you have in the kitchen. 'After all, this is what they do in Mexico - the food varies from region to region, even family to family and, you often need to work with the food that is available'. </p><p>Now I don't know about you guys but I don't normally think Mexican and think salad, but that was what Felipe whipped up for the first course... A Mexican salad with Parmesan, jicama and lettuce - well worth reproducing at home. You can often get hold of the jicama in Chinese food shops. Yummy. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l4icV__pPFE/Tst5CAYHyBI/AAAAAAAABKE/6UdrCSffOqA/IMAG0178.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l4icV__pPFE/Tst5CAYHyBI/AAAAAAAABKE/6UdrCSffOqA/s300/IMAG0178.jpg" id="blogsy-1321958931404.1128" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="300" height="500"></a></div><p>The second dish was one that I have particularly fond memories of: Shrimp Tacos. Made from just a handful of ingredients, they were fresh, zingy and perfect for bringing a taste of summer to the increasingly chilly and damp winter's nights. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-V36Sl8gUJVc/Tst4ujWIRqI/AAAAAAAABI0/EDwM0Qwn9S0/IMAG0188.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-V36Sl8gUJVc/Tst4ujWIRqI/AAAAAAAABI0/EDwM0Qwn9S0/s300/IMAG0188.jpg" id="blogsy-1321958931409.5522" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="300" height="500"></a></div><p>With that, the demonstrations were over and it was time for us to go create. Spoilt for choice, we were presented with a huge work top of fresh ingredients such as sea bass, shrimps, avocados and chillies, not to mention the biggest array of Discovery products I had ever seen. </p><p>Inspired by the shrimp tacos and with a Rick Stein recipe from Baja California in mind I set about making Fish Tacos. They were quite similar to the shrimp tacos Felipe made, the main difference being that the fish was battered before it was fried and put in the taco. When I say battered, I don't mean a heavy oily creation, this was a simple batter with flour, bicarbonate of soda and water. Simple. add a bit of fresh salsa and soured cream and you're set. </p><p>When I looked along the tabletop of ingredients, I spied the hero of the second dish - a plantain and avocado salad with chipotle and red chilli dressing. I was quite proud of that one and rather won over by Discovery's chipotle paste - a handy substitute when fresh ones can be quite difficult to come by. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-bV00UMgiWIk/Tst4sbXpciI/AAAAAAAABIs/byFUIOanmt4/IMAG0189.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-bV00UMgiWIk/Tst4sbXpciI/AAAAAAAABIs/byFUIOanmt4/s300/IMAG0189.jpg" id="blogsy-1321958931319.9763" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="300" height="500"></a></div><p>Of course, while I was busy being creative, so was everyone else - guacamole, enchiladas, black bean soup - tasting time was really rather good. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-VGnFiDqsbeY/Tst4ndSvSMI/AAAAAAAABIU/_QxOSTaYJWE/IMAG0192.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-VGnFiDqsbeY/Tst4ndSvSMI/AAAAAAAABIU/_QxOSTaYJWE/s400/IMAG0192.jpg" id="blogsy-1321958931342.4507" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="400" height="240"></a></div><p>The winner was <a href="http://www.nutmegsseven.co.uk/">Nutmegs Seven</a> with her delicious dishes - which together won her a Kitchenaid blender. Jealous? Me? No :p </p><p>And that was it. One evening, a whole lot of chillies and a date in the diary to go and visit Benito's Hat to see Ben and Felipe in action. Let's hope it's as good as it promises to be.... </p>Julianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889918056700835899.post-15544219548884896992011-11-19T07:43:00.001+00:002011-11-19T07:43:58.377+00:00Redcurrant delight<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-AgpeYH93MmI/TsddxgGHzoI/AAAAAAAABHo/7d4Pt5flC3o/s500/Photo%25252019%252520Nov%2525202011%25252007%25253A34.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-AgpeYH93MmI/TsddxgGHzoI/AAAAAAAABHo/7d4Pt5flC3o/s400/Photo%25252019%252520Nov%2525202011%25252007%25253A34.jpg" id="blogsy-1321688563771.15" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="400" height="300"></a></div><p>For those of you who saw the brief appearance on the Great British Food Revival - here's the recipe of what I was making - a delicious redcurrant chutney that goes brilliantly with cold meats and stronger cheeses. Yummy yummy </p><p>Redcurrant chutney </p><p><em>250g cooking apples chopped into cubes<br>900g plums stoned and quartered<br>400g red onions, chopped into large chunks<br>30g fresh ginger chopped into small pieces<br>500g redcurrants stalks removed<br>500ml red wine vinegar<br>200g dark muscovado sugar<br>2tsp mustard seeds</em></p><p><em>Put all the ingredients into a large saucepan</em></p><p><em>Bring to the boil</em></p><p><em>Turn down and leave to simmer for an hour</em></p><p><em>Spoon into sterilized jars and seal when cooled</em></p><p>Simple! </p>Julianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889918056700835899.post-27870375078223095572011-11-08T16:04:00.001+00:002011-11-08T16:04:35.233+00:00Duck soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-heZv5mgZeWs/TrlSW-teHEI/AAAAAAAABDI/nRLvGMCiCXg/s500/Photo%2525207%252520Nov%2525202011%25252010%25253A55.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-heZv5mgZeWs/TrlSW-teHEI/AAAAAAAABDI/nRLvGMCiCXg/s400/Photo%2525207%252520Nov%2525202011%25252010%25253A55.jpg" id="blogsy-1320768188764.4849" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="400" height="598"></a></div><p>New restaurants open in London all the time. You would need a hell of a lot of time and money to try them all. Some things however, stand out from the crowd. A restaurant headed up by Julian Biggs and other team members from Hix's Oyster and Chop House? This was something I had to see. </p><p>There began my surprisingly easy quest to eat at Duck Soup in Soho. Twitter had told tales of long queues and significant waiting times but we strolled in for dinner at 7pm on a Tuesday night and were immediately seated at a place in the bar. So that was nice and easy. </p><p>Now I don't mind eating dinner at the bar, some people might, but then if they do, I suspect that Duck Soup isn't the kind of place they would enjoy at all. The atmosphere is, on the whole, very laid back. Vinyl records spin in the corner, belting out an eclectic mix of tunes apparently chosen by both the staff and the customers. Laid back is fine, but it should also go hand in hand with comfortable, and there was a significant failing on that front. </p><p>The bar wasn't deep enough for you to sit straight ahead without bruising your knees, so unless you have incredibly short legs, you are pretty much forced to adopt that legs to the side, torso to the front eating position. Not comfortable. </p><p>Even less comfortable when halfway through the meal, more people were squeezed onto said bar and I spent the remainder of my meal being jolted in the kidney vicinity by my new neighbour's elbow. Don't get me wrong - he wasn't doing it out of spite but there simply wasn't enough room for him to eat without said rather annoying kidney jabbing action. </p><p>Gripe over, the food was stellar. The menu changes daily, and it was nice to see a handwritten menu - small things really do make an impression. We started with smoked crab roe on toast (can't get enough of the little things it would seem) and followed it up with veal shin (me) and gurnard with scallops and clams (Jon). </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-NkiER9dUKYM/TrlSVUg_9cI/AAAAAAAABC8/DVi6S15nQdY/s500/Photo%2525207%252520Nov%2525202011%25252010%25253A51.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-NkiER9dUKYM/TrlSVUg_9cI/AAAAAAAABC8/DVi6S15nQdY/s400/Photo%2525207%252520Nov%2525202011%25252010%25253A51.jpg" id="blogsy-1320768197332.9314" class="aligncenter" width="400" height="598" align="center" alt=""></a></div><p>The veal was melt in your mouth tender with a depth of flavour that is rarely encountered in that meat. The gurnard was firm and fleshy albeit bony, and came with a generous portion of scallops and clams.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6431zYMVaKo/TrlST1Eu0pI/AAAAAAAABC4/x4tP9j763O8/s500/Photo%2525207%252520Nov%2525202011%25252010%25253A51.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6431zYMVaKo/TrlST1Eu0pI/AAAAAAAABC4/x4tP9j763O8/s400/Photo%2525207%252520Nov%2525202011%25252010%25253A51.jpg" id="blogsy-1320768188781.6433" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="400" height="267"></a></div><p>Both dishes had us dipping into each other's plates and generally thinking that all is well with a world where you get to eat such things for dinner. The creme caramel was a little on the eggy side, and could have done with a stronger caramel to counterbalance that but was still a good finish to what had been a mostly enjoyable dinner. </p>Julianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889918056700835899.post-9834307071696176602011-11-07T11:09:00.001+00:002017-06-28T18:21:35.357+01:00To catch a crab<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Growing up, I was very much a child of the city - I loved the Science Museum, the sandpit in St James Park and Hamleys, not necessarily in that order. I'm not saying we never left London - we did - there were summer trips to Brighton and Cornwall, walks in the countryside etc etc but there was one thing missing. Crabbing.<br />
The lazy but pleasant pastime of settling down with a bag of bacon tied to the end of a line and spending the day catching as many little shore crabs as possible before setting them free.<br />
So, a few weekends ago Jon and I decided to head down to the Suffolk Coast and put things right. We were going to go crabbing but with one essential development. The little critters were going to come home with us for our supper.<br />
Walberswick is one of the <a href="https://www.thediscoveriesof.com/20-best-beaches-united-kingdom/">best beaches in the UK</a>, and a lovely day trip but more than that, it's a crabbing hotspot.<br />
A mere hop, skip and a fairly long drive away from Sussex, Walberswick is the home of the national crabbing championships and therefore a very good place to go crabbing. Before we knew it, we were settled down, waiting for the first pull on the line.<br />
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We didn't have to wait long - there was barely time for the anticipation to build before we had both successfully caught our first little crabs with our smelly bacon. After that, the day flew by in a haze of competitive crabbing. I am reluctant to admit that Jon caught the biggest crabs but what mine lacked in size they made up in number.<br />
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Our lunch stop was The Anchor, which was absolutely lovely. Oysters, halibut with salsa verde and fish and chips - all perfectly cooked and washed down with some white wine in the sunshine. Perfect.<br />
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Post luncheon we decided to explore and try out some alternative spots, but like Goldilocks and the three bears, none of them were quite right so we returned to our original place, caught a few more then set off home.<br />
Because shore crabs are quite small, they're not really suitable for dishes that require a lot of crab meat - we settled on a bisque as the best option for our catch of the day. This one was taken from Rick Stein Seafood. The end result was a punchy and intense bisque - and a worthy end for our crabby friends.<br />
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<em>Shore Crab Bisque <br />900g/2lb shore crabs or other shellfish<br />50g/2oz butter<br />50g/2oz onion,chopped<br />50g/2oz carrot, chopped<br />50g/2oz celery, chopped<br />1 fresh or dried bay leaf<br />2 tbsp cognac<br />4 tomatoes<br />1 tsp tomato purée<br />85ml/3fl oz dry white wine<br />1 good-sized sprig of fresh tarragon<br />1.75l/3pt fish stock<br />50ml/2fl oz double cream<br />a pinch of cayenne pepper<br />juice of ¼ lemon<br />salt and freshly ground black pepper</em><br />
<em>Method<br />Bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil, drop in the crabs then bring them back to the boil and cook for 2 minutes. Strain and let the crabs cool a little, then chop with a large knife.</em><br />
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<em>Melt the butter in a heavy-based pan and add the chopped onion, carrot, celery and the bay leaf. Cook without browning. Stir once or twice then add the crab. Stir, then add the cognac. Allow to boil off then add the tomatoes, tomato purée, wine, tarragon and stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes.</em><br />
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<em>Remove the tough claw shells from the soup before liquidizing in a liquidizer or food processor in two or three batches. Process in short bursts until the shell is broken into small pieces about the size of your finger nail. Avoid producing puréed shell, the aim is to extract all possible flavour from any meat left sticking to the shell, particularly in the body section, rather than to extract flavour from the shell itself. Strain the soup through a conical strainer pushing as much liquid through as you can with the back of a ladle to extract all the juices.</em><br />
<em>Then, pass the soup through a fine strainer before returning to the heat. Bring to the boil, add the cream then season with cayenne pepper, lemon juice, salt and black pepper. Reduce the volume by simmering if you think the flavour needs concentrating.</em>Julianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889918056700835899.post-84614606727210035542011-11-05T03:27:00.001+00:002017-05-10T11:36:54.784+01:00Whisky galore; whisky amore...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Two very different worlds collided recently with a rather splendid outcome. I was extolling the (many) virtues of my gastronomic adventures with Julianna to a long-time mountain biking acquaintance when I happened to mention our mutual love of whisky. 'You should come to one of my whisky group's meetings then' announced Adam, and the seed was sown...<br />
Jump forward several weeks and I found myself bound for Brighton on a packed commuter train as driving to a whisky tasting evening is perhaps inadvisable. Julianna unfortunately had another engagement (hence my guest slot here) so I was on my own and on a mission! <br />
Malt 'n' Copper meet once a month a stone's throw from the railway station and always have an interesting and unusual selection of malts to try. My inaugural visit was no exception with its Islay focussed choices: A Laphroaig 12 Bourbon Hogshead refill and a Bowmore 20 Bourbon Barrel refill from the Scottish Malt Whisky Society provided exclusivity as neither is still available to buy, which together with an Ardbeg Alligator, a Bunnahabhain 1997 and a Kilchoman Spring 2011 promised a peaty, smoky evening's tasting with around 25 like-minded souls.<br />
First up was the Bowmore and very tentatively I dipped my nose in and sniffed... Whisky! Hmmn, maybe this was going to take some acclimatisation. Resisting the temptation to abandon my olfactory inexperience and start swigging I inhaled once again and much more deeply revealing something more than just boozy vapours – pineapple fruitiness and dolly-mixture no less! <br />
And so the beast was released and as the sipping began the inhibitions tumbled and the waxing lyrical started in earnest. My journey next took me from the oily, Marmitey (yes really!) Bunnahabhain, via the incredibly good Kilchoman, which as a very young marriage of a three and a four year-old was utterly stunning, to the limited release Laphroaig. I cut my single malt teeth on the regular Laphroaig and this version, although very different in character, did not disappoint; sweet, slightly medicinal and honeyed with a big peat smokiness.<br />
So finally, somewhat squiffy, it was time for the Ardbeg Alligator. Ardbeg is the most heavily peated malt, so the limited release Alligator, matured for 13 years in heavily charred barrels was going to have some bite! Seaweed, slight notes of aniseed (yes I was tipsy, wasn't I..) and another big peat smoke style rounded off the evening perfectly.<br />
Oh, and for the record, try saying ' Bunnahabhain' after 5 whiskys... Jon<br />
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Want more whisky chat? Check out the <a href="https://www.thediscoveriesof.com/islay-festival-of-whisky/">Islay Whisky Festival</a></div>
Julianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889918056700835899.post-52304688497469820962011-10-12T12:11:00.001+01:002011-10-12T12:11:57.416+01:00Damson jam<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-XtrjzXJiK3M/TpVxbzrfnTI/AAAAAAAAAqU/L0dveCuXAmo/Photo%25252012%252520Oct%2525202011%25252009%25253A11.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-XtrjzXJiK3M/TpVxbzrfnTI/AAAAAAAAAqU/L0dveCuXAmo/s400/Photo%25252012%252520Oct%2525202011%25252009%25253A11.jpg" id="blogsy-1318417826971.061" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="400" height="598"></a></div><p>I'm a girl of my word. If I make a promise, then I'll go to pretty much any length to keep it. Come hell or high water, it takes a lot for me to break my word. So when we promised Jon's parents that we were going to take some of their damson harvest off their hands, it was a promise that I wasn't going to take lightly. </p><p>And that is how it came to pass that we ended up with four bags of damsons. </p><p>Four bags. Not four piddling sandwich bags. But four plastic bags worth of damsons tucked away in our freezer, waiting for us to work our magic on them.</p><p>Two into the damson wine their way went. (soon to be blogged) <br>One still sits in the freezer. <br>And the other? <br>Well that took the path of damson jam. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-W9F-eNtZItc/TpVxVwXXUJI/AAAAAAAAAqM/7rwqkrhtpNU/Photo%25252012%252520Oct%2525202011%25252009%25253A11.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-W9F-eNtZItc/TpVxVwXXUJI/AAAAAAAAAqM/7rwqkrhtpNU/s400/Photo%25252012%252520Oct%2525202011%25252009%25253A11.jpg" id="blogsy-1318417890440.7122" class="aligncenter" width="400" height="598" align="center" alt=""></a></div><p>I love damson jam. In a world where you can get strawberry jam all year round, likewise for apricot, blackberry and raspberry, I've never understood why damson jam seems to be the one that gets left behind? It's like the bad egg of the jam family - except it isn't. Nothing can beat the velvety richness of a homemade damson jam on doorstep thick slabs of bread and a smear of butter. Mmmn. </p><p>So thank you to Jon's parents. And cheers to promises left unbroken. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SIBUfNzRzEY/TpVxRDWlLbI/AAAAAAAAAqE/4vfCvaLW714/Photo%25252012%252520Oct%2525202011%25252009%25253A11.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SIBUfNzRzEY/TpVxRDWlLbI/AAAAAAAAAqE/4vfCvaLW714/s400/Photo%25252012%252520Oct%2525202011%25252009%25253A11.jpg" id="blogsy-1318417827019.3616" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="400" height="598"></a></div><p><em>Simple Damson Jam<br>1kg damsons <br>1kg granulated or Preserving sugar<br>300ml water </em></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-33lVB7hKb6o/TpVxhMiK4DI/AAAAAAAAAqc/JKFQQndDo1A/Photo%25252012%252520Oct%2525202011%25252009%25253A11.jpg" target="_blank" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-33lVB7hKb6o/TpVxhMiK4DI/AAAAAAAAAqc/JKFQQndDo1A/s300/Photo%25252012%252520Oct%2525202011%25252009%25253A11.jpg" id="blogsy-1318417827013.3906" class="alignright" alt="" width="300" height="200"></a></div><p><em>Put your jam jars into an oven on a low heat for 15 minutes or in the dishwasher on a hot wash to sterilise <br>Chop the damsons into half, removing the stones from the centre. <br>Add the damsons and the water to the pan and cook until soft and pulpy<br>Add the sugar, stir until dissolved on a low heat<br>Once the sugar has dissolved, turn up the heat and bring the jam to a rolling boil until it has reached setting point<br>To test for setting point either take a very cold plate from the freezer and drop a bit of jam onto it. Leave for a few seconds. If it sets on the plate, it's ready. Or use a thermometer - setting point is 105 degrees <br>Funnel into sterilised jars and seal <br></em></p>Julianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889918056700835899.post-29834897517036812732011-10-12T11:58:00.001+01:002011-10-12T12:00:34.193+01:00A Seashore Ramble<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-0bhfCihAHa0/TpVxj2b4lYI/AAAAAAAAAq0/CyQy3raTCVA/s500/Photo%25252012%252520Oct%2525202011%25252009%25253A11.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-0bhfCihAHa0/TpVxj2b4lYI/AAAAAAAAAq0/CyQy3raTCVA/s500/Photo%25252012%252520Oct%2525202011%25252009%25253A11.jpg" id="blogsy-1318417205028.531" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="400" height="333"></a></div><p>Last weekend saw the continuation of the seafood foraging odyssey documented <strong>here</strong> few weeks ago. So last weekend we thought we would spread our wings a little further ashore in search for rock crabs, winkles and other rock Poole life.</p><p>Everyone knows that a forager, not least this one, is pretty useless on an empty stomach. I'd wanted to visit Rye for a long time and, as it was on the way to our foraging destination, it made for the perfect lunch stop. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-uldPw6csmmE/TpVyif7SLxI/AAAAAAAAArk/P7ZhHfNrE2Q/s500/Photo%25252012%252520Oct%2525202011%25252009%25253A10.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-uldPw6csmmE/TpVyif7SLxI/AAAAAAAAArk/P7ZhHfNrE2Q/s400/Photo%25252012%252520Oct%2525202011%25252009%25253A10.jpg" id="blogsy-1318417205064.9531" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="400" height="598"></a></div><p>Seafood was the theme of the day, so what else were we going to have for lunch? Twas brilliant and tasty, even though Jon's scallop with chorizo and parsnip puree was very much on the meagre side. Lots of scallops but very little parsnip puree .....which made for an odd combination. </p><p>My seafood platter was a treat - prawns, mussels, shrimp, crayfish with lemon and bread and butter to mop up the juices. So simple but so good.</p><p>But there's no rest for the wicked, so we jumped back in the car and made our way down to Seven Sisters with nets and buckets in hand. </p><p>Unfortunately our catch was pretty limited... There wasn't much going on in the rock pools apart from an enclave of mussels tucked into a cleft between the cliffs, a few small crabs and one solitary sea snail. We declined to take them because the area was pretty dirty. A shame, but a fun day no less. Any day where I get to wear my wells and prowl around with a pink net and a big bucket is going to be pretty high up in my books! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vlaOrg-eVIE/TpVxpyHSZCI/AAAAAAAAArE/1HYlwfMHKVE/Photo%25252012%252520Oct%2525202011%25252009%25253A10.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vlaOrg-eVIE/TpVxpyHSZCI/AAAAAAAAArE/1HYlwfMHKVE/s500/Photo%25252012%252520Oct%2525202011%25252009%25253A10.jpg" id="blogsy-1318417205025.3916" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="400" height="747"></a></div><p>Still, I'm not cowed - the next few weekends are going to be packed with further explorations of the seaside and hedgerow nature. Keeping a lookout for a mushroom foraging expedition in the Sussex / Kent area - if anyone knows where to find let me know! <br> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/--1mMFxTPiVU/TpVxoNf_u-I/AAAAAAAAAq8/V-ypF9hZKn8/Photo%25252012%252520Oct%2525202011%25252009%25253A11.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/--1mMFxTPiVU/TpVxoNf_u-I/AAAAAAAAAq8/V-ypF9hZKn8/s400/Photo%25252012%252520Oct%2525202011%25252009%25253A11.jpg" id="blogsy-1318417205059.7212" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="400" height="598"></a></div>Julianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889918056700835899.post-62522392959666361312011-10-08T08:12:00.001+01:002011-10-08T08:22:18.562+01:00Sloe going in Sussex<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LyJ4of0p_vw/To_2aiWp3vI/AAAAAAAAAoA/LzMwFam6wog/IMAG0149.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LyJ4of0p_vw/To_2aiWp3vI/AAAAAAAAAoA/LzMwFam6wog/s354/IMAG0149.jpg" id="blogsy-1318058339147.868" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="354" height="592"></a></div><p> </p><p>Tis the season when you kick back, mourn the passing of summer and start looking forward to that time when you get to eat nice food, have a few days of, drink a few nice tipples and of course, the obligatory spats with the siblings. You know what I'm talking about - Christmas. And what is a festive period without a sip of sloe gin? Beats me.</p><p>I first discovered sloe gin at uni, along with other things like a (now lost) amazing capacity to drink White wine, my intolerance of flavourless food and general love of cooking. Anyway, this year I finally sorted my act out and got down to starting off some sloe gin that, fingers crossed will be ready for Christmas. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-tF3lAPeRhDo/To_2FZe5NEI/AAAAAAAAAn4/Kynzoh46z6Y/IMAG0151.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-tF3lAPeRhDo/To_2FZe5NEI/AAAAAAAAAn4/Kynzoh46z6Y/s289/IMAG0151.jpg" id="blogsy-1318058339199.7798" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="289" height="482"></a></div><p>Now is the perfect time for a spot of sloe picking - the Blackthorn tree is by no means an unusual one, even in London, so the urban folk can get in on the action. Safe to say, there are plenty where we are. .I have discovered a spot of sloe heaven that I shall not, will not divulge to anyone so there :p </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--ylHQl5EVdc/To_1Xczd8-I/AAAAAAAAAnc/oGZ26QC6dqY/IMAG0158.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--ylHQl5EVdc/To_1Xczd8-I/AAAAAAAAAnc/oGZ26QC6dqY/s327/IMAG0158.jpg" id="blogsy-1318058339116.6653" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="327" height="546"></a></div><p>Anyway, we decided to follow the recipe from the WI's book (this has played a large part in our soon to be blogged fruit winemaking odysseys) and so far it is looking hot. Worth what felt like endless pricking and chilly fingers from the still defrosting sloes (bunged in freezer for few days until we had time to pack em up) Check back in December for a further update and our verdict on the final tasting.... We'll be giving them a shake week by week to keep them excited. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-0tgj2eDMDqE/To_05EaSyRI/AAAAAAAAAnI/tC0qlpQQh-Q/IMAG0163.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-0tgj2eDMDqE/To_05EaSyRI/AAAAAAAAAnI/tC0qlpQQh-Q/s353/IMAG0163.jpg" id="blogsy-1318058339152.852" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="353" height="589"></a></div><p><em>Recipe <br/>1lb sloes<br/>3oz White sugar<br/>1.5 pints gin</p><p>Stalk and clean the fruit, prick and pack into jars. Add the sugar and gin, seal and shake every other day for two to three months. Strain, bottle and cork. </em></p>Julianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889918056700835899.post-7512911913549985242011-10-04T15:28:00.001+01:002011-10-04T15:28:12.827+01:00Eerie eerie quite contrary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--xMAkmGatrM/TosXUVZxV1I/AAAAAAAAAms/dGEoIMOR5XI/s500/Photo%2525202%252520Oct%2525202011%25252010%25253A33.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--xMAkmGatrM/TosXUVZxV1I/AAAAAAAAAms/dGEoIMOR5XI/s500/Photo%2525202%252520Oct%2525202011%25252010%25253A33.jpg" id="blogsy-1317738514304.0735" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="334"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-D_SzKlNokxo/TosXQd05eTI/AAAAAAAAAmk/OOO6JRAl5xE/s500/Photo%2525202%252520Oct%2525202011%25252010%25253A33.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-D_SzKlNokxo/TosXQd05eTI/AAAAAAAAAmk/OOO6JRAl5xE/s500/Photo%2525202%252520Oct%2525202011%25252010%25253A33.jpg" id="blogsy-1317738514248.931" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="747"></a></div><p> </p><p>This weekend it was also time for an event I've been looking forward to for months, our village's annual Bonfire Carnival. One of the villages in the Weald that has hung onto the tradition of having a bonfire carnival of it's own, it was, Jon assured me, going to be a sight to behold. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-2I9eGyQ3xFI/TosXSF7WNbI/AAAAAAAAAmo/kjkUvKawRgM/s500/Photo%2525202%252520Oct%2525202011%25252010%25253A33.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-2I9eGyQ3xFI/TosXSF7WNbI/AAAAAAAAAmo/kjkUvKawRgM/s500/Photo%2525202%252520Oct%2525202011%25252010%25253A33.jpg" id="blogsy-1317738514276.7285" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="335" height="500"></a></div><p>It wasn't a lie.... I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it. A procession of village bonfire groups, kitted out in an imaginative array of costumes and uniforms. The muggy night was made even warmer by the hundreds of lit torches wielded by the revellers. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-YKccarcBlpg/TosXYXWR_NI/AAAAAAAAAm0/kRiFgW7lTyA/s500/Photo%2525202%252520Oct%2525202011%25252010%25253A32.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-YKccarcBlpg/TosXYXWR_NI/AAAAAAAAAm0/kRiFgW7lTyA/s500/Photo%2525202%252520Oct%2525202011%25252010%25253A32.jpg" id="blogsy-1317738514243.3618" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="747"></a></div><p>After the procession, floats from various other local societies passed by, each one blaring a chant or in the case of the Scout group, an unintentionally terrifying chorus of children's voices that wouldn't have been out of place in The Omen or some such film. </p><p>And then, fireworks that put the ones I've seen at Battersea Park for the last few years to shame. Absolutely brilliant. </p>Julianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889918056700835899.post-22936747119264563102011-10-02T19:15:00.003+01:002011-10-03T07:08:26.723+01:00Cockles, cockles, cockles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ghrTN8l4BYFftAkijCmeLIGXvBViiRcU6C3fu8lhD6vcuR5tR28twTi8vWIuRabh399VlGfWWXVMqEz2gTdFS0yDQDgUQWGLYahzwHJC9ifDuylRxjrW9yaveVPvwUJR0YNHhCBgDw/s640/blogger-image-1803354237.jpg" target="" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ghrTN8l4BYFftAkijCmeLIGXvBViiRcU6C3fu8lhD6vcuR5tR28twTi8vWIuRabh399VlGfWWXVMqEz2gTdFS0yDQDgUQWGLYahzwHJC9ifDuylRxjrW9yaveVPvwUJR0YNHhCBgDw/s640/blogger-image-1803354237.jpg" id="blogsy-1317622075780.8108" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="322" height="480"></a></div><p>It's been a while, so hello to you all. I promise to be a bit better from here on in. </p><p>Now, those of you in the UK would have to be pretty dopey not to have noticed that it is October and well over twenty degrees outside - providing ample opportunity for fun times in the sun. </p><p>Yesterday we decided to capitalise on said sunshine and head down to Camber Sands. This wasn't any old trip though. We didn't have towels, bikinis or swimmers. What we did have was a kick ass big bucket and spade and an iron will. We were on the hunt, the hunt for cockles.</p><p>Camber sands, love it or hate it, it looks pretty damned good first thing in the morning. The sun glittering on the shallow water, the glitter of potential finds to our still sleepy eyes. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-0tCcJHDkvUw/TolRAc0TklI/AAAAAAAAAmY/i8vuz_wSXVs/s500/Photo%2525202%252520Oct%2525202011%25252011%25253A16.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-0tCcJHDkvUw/TolRAc0TklI/AAAAAAAAAmY/i8vuz_wSXVs/s500/Photo%2525202%252520Oct%2525202011%25252011%25253A16.jpg" id="blogsy-1317622082897.053" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="334" align="center"></a></div><p>Having got up at 7am for low tide on a Saturday morning, it would have been disappointing to come back home empty handed. Luckily that was not the case. </p><p>We struck treasure pretty quickly, one errant cockle poking out of the sand led us to another, and another and another. They often live in "nests" meaning that there's a very good chance if you have found one, that you are going to find quite a few in the same area. </p><p>And so passed the next hour. We picked and picked, sometimes getting the spade of for extra help but mostly filling our bucket of seawater with our newly found produce.</p><p>We set off home with the bucket in the boot and covered from head to toe in sand and silt. </p><p>Cockles need to be cleaned before eating to get rid of the sand and grit inside the shells. </p><p>Again, the process was pretty simple. We filled a bucket with clean water and cleaned the cockles off. After emptying the bucket, we refilled it with fresh water, this time adding salt and oatmeal and left them for a few hours to clean themselves out. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVzyJC8rO7KrDOD9kZk5YB9mr-XCEaJr5dviiqkQmIJfCdDa7rHFpFKbYlDHf-F55VA0oX-_uGcW96kPem2nqS9JmIwN964irfp4AvZ_mcaSu-v_n98uLVm0XyzBfzWOlW9HDI_t4WQ/s640/blogger-image--1610788362.jpg" target="" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVzyJC8rO7KrDOD9kZk5YB9mr-XCEaJr5dviiqkQmIJfCdDa7rHFpFKbYlDHf-F55VA0oX-_uGcW96kPem2nqS9JmIwN964irfp4AvZ_mcaSu-v_n98uLVm0XyzBfzWOlW9HDI_t4WQ/s640/blogger-image--1610788362.jpg" id="blogsy-1317622103458.8809" class="aligncenter" alt="" align="center"></a></div><p>And that was it. Cooking involved a bastardised version of Rick Steins Moules Mariniere, substituting the mussels with cockles and leaving the bay and parsley free rather than tied into a bouquet garni. And voila, the final product.... Delicious! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DV8t_rdLg7w/TolRDGLlydI/AAAAAAAAAmc/oJqIogGoRbo/s500/Photo%2525202%252520Oct%2525202011%25252011%25253A17.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DV8t_rdLg7w/TolRDGLlydI/AAAAAAAAAmc/oJqIogGoRbo/s500/Photo%2525202%252520Oct%2525202011%25252011%25253A17.jpg" id="blogsy-1317622118440.5789" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="334" align="center"></a></div><p>Now, does anyone know anywhere good on the Kent / Sussex coast for razor clams?? </p>Julianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889918056700835899.post-29957915631253626152011-09-27T23:17:00.001+01:002011-09-27T23:17:04.607+01:00Supper club octoberHey all<br />
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Just to let you know that the supper club will be on the 23rd October - get in touch at crumbanddirtydishes@gmail.com for more information<br />
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Ya<br />
Julianna<br />
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Ps blogs are in pipelineJulianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889918056700835899.post-52591672639924665242011-09-02T09:39:00.007+01:002011-09-02T14:32:30.567+01:00Camping in the Loire Valley<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Gpps5p4FXqOCmUkPISkURTd3mLv92XxcagaisPL_keT9vAOKic0RRFMgSJrlUofVDPYsX1zttdeh2lOIvkZ3gUgGgKb_uqTB_GxulQRwjRnfw89gqflDGCc2Cq3j5ON65ei9wVBeGA/s1600/Camping+Loire+120.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Gpps5p4FXqOCmUkPISkURTd3mLv92XxcagaisPL_keT9vAOKic0RRFMgSJrlUofVDPYsX1zttdeh2lOIvkZ3gUgGgKb_uqTB_GxulQRwjRnfw89gqflDGCc2Cq3j5ON65ei9wVBeGA/s400/Camping+Loire+120.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647680665973987698" /></a>
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<br />Sorry I've kind of disappeared for a few weeks but don't fear - I have been cooking up a few brilliant things that will be making their appearance on the blog soon. Blackberry brandy, redcurrant wine and elderberry wine anyone?
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<br />In the meantime - we went to the Loire Valley on a camping trip - near to Blois and perfectly located to pick up some Cheverny and Cour Cheverny wines. So far, the drinking of said wine has been remarkably restrained. But it's only a matter of time....
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4JYRhaA_-eGFFr3_7JOQ-4r2AVvGVfXyXT9muGeThK82cOxA9cXvEuUyTC4E3ctumG3WzY0BDyClLBCTh_TS6mdB-qQFRy17E0-1xu7L6m0Hn05jmYnjvux17XnTrHmq-a0tMEP7gWw/s1600/Camping+Loire+053.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4JYRhaA_-eGFFr3_7JOQ-4r2AVvGVfXyXT9muGeThK82cOxA9cXvEuUyTC4E3ctumG3WzY0BDyClLBCTh_TS6mdB-qQFRy17E0-1xu7L6m0Hn05jmYnjvux17XnTrHmq-a0tMEP7gWw/s400/Camping+Loire+053.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647748882404182162" /></a>
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1gnfXZmQKqzH5jOkn4tzl7d6ixxqHBN4D9G3ovhS6R4XqF0BsqXjgO0UPf1sZkiksyQV7BA_RNWlAOpgFhb2gvYpnFwlX1LaiWY3Sbrr2OSFGSD5W2qUMDRLMDxi2gNnR6iWYySU6w/s1600/Camping+Loire+058.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1gnfXZmQKqzH5jOkn4tzl7d6ixxqHBN4D9G3ovhS6R4XqF0BsqXjgO0UPf1sZkiksyQV7BA_RNWlAOpgFhb2gvYpnFwlX1LaiWY3Sbrr2OSFGSD5W2qUMDRLMDxi2gNnR6iWYySU6w/s400/Camping+Loire+058.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647750074066045282" /></a>Julianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889918056700835899.post-88688701386432937892011-07-26T10:11:00.006+01:002011-07-26T10:48:17.183+01:00Stuffing down the seafood<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGQ3xw7ZSyFsZmg8DTsHE4vI3nt_amlvXuOxu5wlcteXUktF9vnIBsTwGhXu3nknxRlAKmKCdrvPI76U5Ql9znjmF7uz9sDKHtKQushzekOubon8OFQELwHCQMEJLAAzAB4q8hzGWQg/s1600/July+food+adventures+036.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGQ3xw7ZSyFsZmg8DTsHE4vI3nt_amlvXuOxu5wlcteXUktF9vnIBsTwGhXu3nknxRlAKmKCdrvPI76U5Ql9znjmF7uz9sDKHtKQushzekOubon8OFQELwHCQMEJLAAzAB4q8hzGWQg/s400/July+food+adventures+036.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633595543372543266" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitO1uD8pNOO_pMCzqAlD0uc5Rq4F6QzfRyBsMuyX16HQbWcxe_uN5RGR-jhjHQQP5ick77tEvZI_h9AYv27GtQc3HdGciTo8aLdR_thHjzqInuulpUnHw4si2DaQpSAaleJArn3RUByA/s1600/July+food+adventures+061.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitO1uD8pNOO_pMCzqAlD0uc5Rq4F6QzfRyBsMuyX16HQbWcxe_uN5RGR-jhjHQQP5ick77tEvZI_h9AYv27GtQc3HdGciTo8aLdR_thHjzqInuulpUnHw4si2DaQpSAaleJArn3RUByA/s400/July+food+adventures+061.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633594987454058802" /></a><br /><br />It was one of those perfect summer days – the sun was shining, I was sated, sated I tell you, with all things piscine and delicious. It could only have been the Whistable Oyster Festival. <br /><br />Earlier in the week, I’d been agreeing with the <a href="http://foodurchin.blogspot.com/">Food Urchin</a> about the sad dearth of really fun food festivals in the UK. Well, less than 3 days later I had eaten my words, along with a score of oysters, pots of crayfish, whelks and cockles. I don’t think there were many days where I have had so much fun and it definitely wasn’t the stuffy, restrained affair that you can sometimes encounter with events of the type. <br /><br />One of my main gripes about British food festivals is that they are often so ridiculously expensive – anyone who has been to Taste of London or Taste of Christmas can attest to the fact that on top of spending the money on the entrance, which is no small fry, you can easily much your way through ten pound note after ten pound note. And that’s before you start getting goodies to bring home. <br /><br />I had no such complaints at Whistable. You will frequently pay three quid a pop for your oystery goodness in restaurants around the country, but there we were slurping these saline goodies for sixty pence a pop. Their freshness needed no accompaniment – perhaps a dash of lemon juice or Tabasco for those that fancied it. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGJxgwqRV2gfYshLy_8_5QdGb50e8lqvPhEyS58LLQ3uYw9CSXpga9zFij3pwZB9kwHhPOQlf9UKhCl-O5G_JTbTTwdsbhAWAJyngkZdTVgbRQUUc3TWOcMKQYhIKBQjusrbft5twR6A/s1600/July+food+adventures+021.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGJxgwqRV2gfYshLy_8_5QdGb50e8lqvPhEyS58LLQ3uYw9CSXpga9zFij3pwZB9kwHhPOQlf9UKhCl-O5G_JTbTTwdsbhAWAJyngkZdTVgbRQUUc3TWOcMKQYhIKBQjusrbft5twR6A/s400/July+food+adventures+021.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633593464150355170" /></a><br /><br />There were brass bands, local ditties and a rather random three women dressed up as what I can only assume was Big Bird from Sesame Street as part of the entertainment but most of the fun came from wandering from stall to stall and talking to the owners. <br /><br />It wasn’t just fishy fun – for those that were that way inclined (ME) there were a range of local wine and cider producers, all of which have been added to the increasingly lengthy to visit list. The tipples from Biddenborough Cider, Meopham Valley Winery and Sedlescombe Winery caught my eye in particular – I imagine there will be blog pieces on them in the future. In the meantime... picture time. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0F2PCQzMQhAvTDUgNp5yOY6zWS5LhdHflbg_5Y_JSuDeMdU8WIxyU_6KSVKaqxN3Qmrjzoc7MBFJ1co_B729Rx87XSgRDAZlnke3lMDE6JCpH1QSs5Y1hUs4ZBCreWauAaHfSxtJ8lw/s1600/July+food+adventures+050.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0F2PCQzMQhAvTDUgNp5yOY6zWS5LhdHflbg_5Y_JSuDeMdU8WIxyU_6KSVKaqxN3Qmrjzoc7MBFJ1co_B729Rx87XSgRDAZlnke3lMDE6JCpH1QSs5Y1hUs4ZBCreWauAaHfSxtJ8lw/s400/July+food+adventures+050.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633594111678960434" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0S5azGGm4PSFVWtmrdlRw4rD6_0zLHOt4eX4n4b14WZr5gD4CDZQfnt2ManKoJFdRNT61Si1IJ8MDIu6vT0rGVAcX8VeExaYhWG052vuTPFpT02d30Xid1eZuVsFg2ZiD_Xyor51eQ/s1600/July+food+adventures+057.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0S5azGGm4PSFVWtmrdlRw4rD6_0zLHOt4eX4n4b14WZr5gD4CDZQfnt2ManKoJFdRNT61Si1IJ8MDIu6vT0rGVAcX8VeExaYhWG052vuTPFpT02d30Xid1eZuVsFg2ZiD_Xyor51eQ/s400/July+food+adventures+057.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633594562377979890" /></a>Julianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889918056700835899.post-24002205285187619912011-07-23T07:46:00.001+01:002011-07-23T07:46:23.219+01:00Supper club dates<div><p>Hello all - just to let you know that next two supper clubs are August 14th and September 11th. </p>
<p>20 for four courses including tasting glass of Cordiniu Cava. </p>
<p>Mail crumbsanddirtydishes@gmail.com for more info...</p>
</div>Julianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889918056700835899.post-71333513090604092392011-07-19T12:58:00.007+01:002011-07-19T13:46:43.006+01:00Jam, jam khazam<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47rFe5Pxe6DZ2hwihyOwr-zr5zQ48z9xBuK55LkBpL6T5BL9MRc_kNMrW_9VArhtdzuW7uyX8VZbyCpVvstNr4RZcHDc-3s17VkWD-HQSORF9a3Bfi0GGExGtQF2yNd0lwf7K-gow6w/s1600/Jam+pics+2+002.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47rFe5Pxe6DZ2hwihyOwr-zr5zQ48z9xBuK55LkBpL6T5BL9MRc_kNMrW_9VArhtdzuW7uyX8VZbyCpVvstNr4RZcHDc-3s17VkWD-HQSORF9a3Bfi0GGExGtQF2yNd0lwf7K-gow6w/s400/Jam+pics+2+002.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631042307704383522" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Yeah yeah I made them yesterday I've already started tucking into the one at the front. Whatevs. </span><br /><br />Long live the pissing British summer. It may be raining every few moments, thus scuppering plans for long walks, barbecues, beach days and lots of general outdoor activities but it’s still pretty fun. On Sunday, we took a trip to the nearby Maynards Fruit Farm where we got thoroughly wet but it was worth it. Why? For the jam. <br /><br />The fruit farm is a wonderful trip, for those of you in the area or even Londoners looking for something a bit different to do with a few hours. Hidden down a small lane in Ticehurst, the farm sprawls over acres and acres of land, belching out (at the moment) raspberries, blackberries, redcurrants, loganberries, blackcurrants and more. In less than an hour, Jon and I gathered an impressive amount of produce with one thing in mind – jam making day. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrUhE2aCH7bwtiQltf7_XE3_RCTqEtyUO0uzClyRA8SSQcuoKPppP8lxFb4G5Fop2KbQU-2CYua1eVnm85cpJnxHnHxrjp6eA-nTKYAX6bChO1FF-qFcroJCGvHP7pvrleRz-VMngzBw/s1600/Blog+-+Jam+Day+July+2011+017.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrUhE2aCH7bwtiQltf7_XE3_RCTqEtyUO0uzClyRA8SSQcuoKPppP8lxFb4G5Fop2KbQU-2CYua1eVnm85cpJnxHnHxrjp6eA-nTKYAX6bChO1FF-qFcroJCGvHP7pvrleRz-VMngzBw/s400/Blog+-+Jam+Day+July+2011+017.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631040705305621522" /></a><br /><br />It’s been a while since Natalie and I have had one of our epic jam/chutney/pickle making days – so what better time to jump back on the wagon than in the middle of summer when the produce for experimentation is right at our fingertips? <br /><br />Having tried my hand at the basics a few times now, I thought it was a good time to start making/ adapting recipes of my own... so the menu was spiced blackberry jam, blackberry and redcurrant jam, raspberry and gooseberry jam and redcurrant vodka jelly. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jDoJDXANIu95Kf-xubp2SOh3SWPY-ntS0PnIE9UyIkjMPBMNnGs8HGAwqmb_L8SmCAsx5wUDdss2ixdNfx4hLDHV4ZPNYFzEr4WzOymCs7-hdFx86Uqpnwsz9CZAAwBgoyOhYBUS9A/s1600/Blog+-+Jam+Day+July+2011+012.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jDoJDXANIu95Kf-xubp2SOh3SWPY-ntS0PnIE9UyIkjMPBMNnGs8HGAwqmb_L8SmCAsx5wUDdss2ixdNfx4hLDHV4ZPNYFzEr4WzOymCs7-hdFx86Uqpnwsz9CZAAwBgoyOhYBUS9A/s400/Blog+-+Jam+Day+July+2011+012.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631033393106967378" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Redcurrant vodka jelly</span><br /><br />I can’t even begin to say how much fun it was. Gossip and preserving go together like bees and honey... the one definitely runs smoother because of the other. Before we knew it, we were 30 jars down and sipping on the last of our daytime tipples. I think we’re finally at the stage where we may start selling some of the jams, pickles and other preserves that we make so if anyone has any advice or knows of any good farmers markets easily reachable/ in East Sussex I’d be delighted to hear from you.<br /><br />Of course, one cannot have a jam making day without the odd bottle of wine or two consumed along the way. It was almost predictable that I was going to turn up for my first village WI meeting either in a mild state of inebriation or with the beginnings of a slight hangover. Having realised the error of my drinking ways, I stopped early enough to ensure that it was the latter. Still it was an interesting and enjoyable evening – the local ladies were lovely and many have been living in the village for over thirty years....vive le Rotherfield! <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Raspberry and gooseberry jam </span><br />1.5kg raspberries<br />0.5 kg gooseberries <br />2kg preserving sugar <br />Juice of 4 lemons <br /><br />Put the gooseberries into a preserving pan and cook on a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring to release their juices. Add the raspberries and cook for a further period until they are soft and quite mushy.<br /><br />Add the lemon juice and sugar, stir on low heat until sugar has dissolved. <br /><br />Bring to the boil and boil for 15 minutes or until setting point (105 degrees Celsius) is reached.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidJcgwyW12_BWd6DhRdL2nt6w0nohPxrNSuIBRcTxdai9nxozGTeD8CGsANyxCR9FkPeDyOgJ6XBFt-2T_LuQoNOxzPVuL-K4OOtiXbYvRm7GfjbRqOSjldqiSt3ekRcsU9XcBAVjSzA/s1600/Blog+-+Jam+Day+July+2011+020.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidJcgwyW12_BWd6DhRdL2nt6w0nohPxrNSuIBRcTxdai9nxozGTeD8CGsANyxCR9FkPeDyOgJ6XBFt-2T_LuQoNOxzPVuL-K4OOtiXbYvRm7GfjbRqOSjldqiSt3ekRcsU9XcBAVjSzA/s400/Blog+-+Jam+Day+July+2011+020.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631041790570435618" /></a><br /><br />Skim any scum from the surface. Test for a set using a cold saucer from the fridge. <br /><br />Put into sterilised jars, label. <br /><br />Makes about 8 jars <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Redcurrant vodka jelly </span><br />1800g redcurrants <br />600ml vodka <br />375 preserving sugar for every 500ml juice. <br /><br />Put the redcurrants in a preserving pan with the vodka, bring to the boil, cover then continue to simmer for 25 minutes. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebvulXV05GJkBlBLErOWyyqzNthydqSsWOJKo4GXvbzb09RkmzaBkUDzO4DgArwGNUZVMnZ0MzmDSYBSAiovGmRatYjIMurcoj27yZnd78mlW_D40XQquEVn_sRjcS1M2NZO1v-BcTA/s1600/Blog+-+Jam+Day+July+2011+009.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebvulXV05GJkBlBLErOWyyqzNthydqSsWOJKo4GXvbzb09RkmzaBkUDzO4DgArwGNUZVMnZ0MzmDSYBSAiovGmRatYjIMurcoj27yZnd78mlW_D40XQquEVn_sRjcS1M2NZO1v-BcTA/s400/Blog+-+Jam+Day+July+2011+009.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631041329201544338" /></a><br /><br /><br />Put the redcurrant and vodka mash into a muslin sheet or a jelly bag and secure over a large bowl. Leave to drain for at least six hours. <br /><br />Take the liquid from the bowl and measure. Measure the amount of sugar needed. Add the liquid and the sugar to the pan and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil until setting point (around 105 degrees Celsius) is reached). <br /><br />Jar up – making sure jars are sterilized first, cover and label. <br /><br />Makes two large jars<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Spiced blackberry jam </span><br />1 vanilla pod<br />1 stick cinnamon<br />3 cloves <br />1.8kg blackberries <br />1.8kg preserving sugar <br />Juice of 2 lemons <br />Water<br /><br />Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod into the pan. Tie the spices and the remains of the pod into a small muslin bag. Place into the pan with the blackberries, water and lemon juice, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. <br /><br />Add the sugar, stir on a low heat until dissolved. Bring to the boil on a high heat until setting point is reached. Test for a set using a cold saucer. <br /><br />Remove from the heat. Ladle into sterilized jars, cover and label. <br /><br />I’m not going to put in the recipe for the blackberry and redcurrant jam as it’s very similar to the one above. Omit the spices and replace half the blackberries with redcurrants for a tangy but delicious jam. <br /><br /></span>Julianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889918056700835899.post-17387433490056250332011-07-14T19:12:00.002+01:002011-07-14T19:19:40.198+01:00Greece Greece you sexy beast – the week of heat or tales from the barbecue<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9zuBWt2ZlJyI4AQtuzC-rsEAjkXAzzlb2wfqHKMGxH4x9JNrS_QYn8dCD9zOhDix7VY1NXLunSy4tp4dzJ0G02cG-kqJzau0EaGjVHiDQhcAFXv2UIfWxskVsITAXe0x2kXtgJR7Sg/s1600/Summer+2011+232.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9zuBWt2ZlJyI4AQtuzC-rsEAjkXAzzlb2wfqHKMGxH4x9JNrS_QYn8dCD9zOhDix7VY1NXLunSy4tp4dzJ0G02cG-kqJzau0EaGjVHiDQhcAFXv2UIfWxskVsITAXe0x2kXtgJR7Sg/s400/Summer+2011+232.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629271550678974530" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNKNccdOPFqUUNpTiNFeGNASSRTQAx-kQPcsSHIHdA6vaDLOUGrB4wIzJvYXOlm51TyCy-JZJJjmJEliuWBgx3290Gk5U8XTOgR-4jGPFhJM5n0RxhyphenhyphenYxDcIUJmIEQIxd6bJEcmkKCNw/s1600/Summer+2011+122.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNKNccdOPFqUUNpTiNFeGNASSRTQAx-kQPcsSHIHdA6vaDLOUGrB4wIzJvYXOlm51TyCy-JZJJjmJEliuWBgx3290Gk5U8XTOgR-4jGPFhJM5n0RxhyphenhyphenYxDcIUJmIEQIxd6bJEcmkKCNw/s400/Summer+2011+122.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629271201136028658" /></a><br /><br />Sitting here in sussex looking out at the blank greyness of yet another summer’s day, it is difficult to believe that just over a week and a half ago I was eating far more than is good for me, drinking far more than is good for me and sunning myself on the sunny shores of Greece’s Pelopponesse. <br /><br />The Peloponnesse, a peninsula off the mainland, is often overlooked by tourists, who instead seek the cultural immersion of Athens or island adventures. Their loss was indeed my gain. The peninsula is huge, with some glorious beaches and stunning mountain landscapes laid out at our fingertips (well, at the wheels of our little rented bipabout). <br /><br />Our villa was amazing and our hosts Jackie and Pete, who lived in the villa next door were the best source of knowledge for exploring the area. A big thank you! <br /><br />Obviously, being the gluttonous little lady that I am I was very very interested in the food and it did not prove to be a disappointment – it was unabashedly punchy sunshine food. Food that you couldn't possibly eat in the depths of winter (unless you are under one of those fake sun simulator things) but that makes you revel in the summer sun like a pig in shit. <br /><br />Want an experience? held on a Wednesday and Saturday, this is the place to go to get your fresh produce. I don’t know whether I’ve been going to the wrong markets recently but in comparison to those I go to at home, it was so down to earth – take it at face value. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiENJmg5bin-H5MfltW0TdH0QeTntFgbjjj0J0_SlcXMoJueE-UkehrDbjvHpVDEMLOLQji2ZU2L6LWlYT-PH-axwDcA_dXUfzlgHGmK4AHMRtfjqwqxxHr3DfQJZ8xdNT-oA-q6rfrRQ/s1600/Summer+2011+118.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiENJmg5bin-H5MfltW0TdH0QeTntFgbjjj0J0_SlcXMoJueE-UkehrDbjvHpVDEMLOLQji2ZU2L6LWlYT-PH-axwDcA_dXUfzlgHGmK4AHMRtfjqwqxxHr3DfQJZ8xdNT-oA-q6rfrRQ/s400/Summer+2011+118.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629266119414339154" /></a><br /><br />There were no fancy labels, extortionate prices, sellers yelling in your ear. In fact, half of the stallholders looked like they were plump and ready for their siesta, whether you bought the produce was up to you. But of course you were going to. Why? Because it was fresh and lovely. The market sellers didn’t have to do the shouting. The food did it for them. Although sometimes it was shouting something on the gorier side of things. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdWOjMXtAt47myQbYCFFop7awtVze8phfrXo3FVFYKUSSYgKHsqiawWrWjUSBAjH069LWqxlINhm48vV9Kf61A1fgIJXG8cMLYLkF7b3_vQh1TR6vRswnkuMlPG_RUgNwGB54WLeFpg/s1600/Summer+2011+127.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdWOjMXtAt47myQbYCFFop7awtVze8phfrXo3FVFYKUSSYgKHsqiawWrWjUSBAjH069LWqxlINhm48vV9Kf61A1fgIJXG8cMLYLkF7b3_vQh1TR6vRswnkuMlPG_RUgNwGB54WLeFpg/s400/Summer+2011+127.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629262740573701378" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbblf2zxb-KJZlgozufq-7VJvFvQ4eKT2eQOaJM8EEwDm8DcMqJNQxwzPPYvOrmE6roD-mobLBIv-MFXZFkbNlrqpHoUzOifTnrCOj-xu52e6CIIth7239ps0bRlirQkxAP-E3hC32mA/s1600/Summer+2011+131.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbblf2zxb-KJZlgozufq-7VJvFvQ4eKT2eQOaJM8EEwDm8DcMqJNQxwzPPYvOrmE6roD-mobLBIv-MFXZFkbNlrqpHoUzOifTnrCOj-xu52e6CIIth7239ps0bRlirQkxAP-E3hC32mA/s400/Summer+2011+131.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629263888016658354" /></a><br /><br />Based in Kalamata, it would have been a sin not to try an olive or two. Or three. But there’s more to the story than just popping olives. No no my friends, Jon and I geared ourselves up for some serious eating pleasure. We ate deep fried anchovies and sprats drizzled with lemon juice, moussaka, kleftico with hefty chunks of lamb sitting on the plate, salted pork by the sea and obviously mounds and mounds of greek salad with slabs of shiny white feta perched atop the veg.<br /><br />But as much as eating out was a pleasure, I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun cooking as we did that week. <br /><br />The first thing we rolled out on the barbeque were some pork and vegetable kebabs with our very own Greek salad. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaaX8Mn1s-seOgdfsWf-526j7Bfv3LiAshzmFXo4bCTcfdv3E-va3sIrMe-yD69q8Ew0fZQwwV2tJQAIiJbgjPtAIr3y5KVDHT9FyWp8yZn9_-NGSb3PeRwNabFLVguiPQNT1KCw1_6w/s1600/Summer+2011+093.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaaX8Mn1s-seOgdfsWf-526j7Bfv3LiAshzmFXo4bCTcfdv3E-va3sIrMe-yD69q8Ew0fZQwwV2tJQAIiJbgjPtAIr3y5KVDHT9FyWp8yZn9_-NGSb3PeRwNabFLVguiPQNT1KCw1_6w/s400/Summer+2011+093.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629264612553444578" /></a><br /><br /><br />There was a return of one of my favourite ever Nigella recipes quick preserved lemons with sea bass, in bastardised form with a local fish (what it was we never quite discovered but dammit it flaked like a lovvie and soaked up the flavour of the preserved lemon marinade beautifully so thank you to the fish man). Ps if anyone can read Greek, help would be appreciated in solving the fish mystery, it was wonderful and I would like to get it again... <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY50yTVbYNwk9mD7-9d0o9nUOxad8-zrma-eJJisSAb3LJl1I055qail3j0wvxsIyU2l5xmPhtyWCdX66RDlOqHogNc5trYAEGkYhmV3Te3-0LdI-S80ujfMvUjl5d0Gm3L2QKwEojBA/s1600/Summer+2011+134.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY50yTVbYNwk9mD7-9d0o9nUOxad8-zrma-eJJisSAb3LJl1I055qail3j0wvxsIyU2l5xmPhtyWCdX66RDlOqHogNc5trYAEGkYhmV3Te3-0LdI-S80ujfMvUjl5d0Gm3L2QKwEojBA/s400/Summer+2011+134.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629274168328156338" /></a><br /><br /><br />Although the making of the preserved lemon syrup takes a little bit of time, it’s not remotely fiddly and, once it’s done you can just slap it onto the fish, wrap it in foil and put it on the barbeque. It is every bit as easy as it sounds. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVynAhoKgLmdm9QLWZHtyHOEfp11t-cwscZUuxXkcLH5fAClb1bTaN0Giu27xlPzcF8OQ02IYecr7DU3gtmf2Im0JhkIZlw8FMyRLhl8bFtMHryzOFl-9sYlkshl4xQZ27CjRowsU-Q/s1600/Summer+2011+149.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVynAhoKgLmdm9QLWZHtyHOEfp11t-cwscZUuxXkcLH5fAClb1bTaN0Giu27xlPzcF8OQ02IYecr7DU3gtmf2Im0JhkIZlw8FMyRLhl8bFtMHryzOFl-9sYlkshl4xQZ27CjRowsU-Q/s400/Summer+2011+149.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629267148702723794" /></a><br /><br />From that particularly gory little lamb pictured earlier, we had a very meagre but flavoursome rack of ribs, marinated with a little bit of oregano and olive oil, again barbequed for a quick meal. We served it with courgette flowers stuffed with beetroot, feta and chilli and quickly fried. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiT4EMVcumfbClrVM3twx1DWHCZ6fG0sGMYvNO2XejUyrq7RzAIvSizXllLA1sy7gfK5Y-p41TByH5_nlJBBiHVl-gn3n036gTCo9iwLatnjUWIuUOrwJ6y9J1r1yovgONE0Edsidytg/s1600/Summer+2011+155.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiT4EMVcumfbClrVM3twx1DWHCZ6fG0sGMYvNO2XejUyrq7RzAIvSizXllLA1sy7gfK5Y-p41TByH5_nlJBBiHVl-gn3n036gTCo9iwLatnjUWIuUOrwJ6y9J1r1yovgONE0Edsidytg/s400/Summer+2011+155.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629267860812693618" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnuHiESsI1vSshgJFNysmMgG4eFGNecYGeOIiAcXu5mFyri2_w9bqYK4y1bnac_5D12Dyq0solL7uGBgYRID5pN50SfFaHy43DB6A54_j3qbXoG3rxTXpWxkdguv3kgHuwN2m2uQJFCQ/s1600/Summer+2011+172.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnuHiESsI1vSshgJFNysmMgG4eFGNecYGeOIiAcXu5mFyri2_w9bqYK4y1bnac_5D12Dyq0solL7uGBgYRID5pN50SfFaHy43DB6A54_j3qbXoG3rxTXpWxkdguv3kgHuwN2m2uQJFCQ/s400/Summer+2011+172.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629268394648782114" /></a><br /><br />I still dream about that dinner. <br /><br /><br />And the last barbecue - king prawns and Greek sausage with butter bean salad and our local vineyard wine... four euros for 1.5 litres. And it was NICE. I know you won't believe me but it really was. Thank God booze isn’t that cheap here (unless you make it) or I could run into a few problems. <br /><br />To wind it all up, I’d love to say we had a smooth trip back but no, there was a 6 hour delay in Kalamata Airport. Our local Morrissons is bigger than that airport, not fun and Thomas Cook were right old pains in the arses but, it was a brilliant trip. Get to Kalamata my friends. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZnunShQSq0i0mM0EonwqTVAqsTHg7R_w0ginT4EXF0YgZI72uHaVwFqUs7WBNtm7_IziwO5M0EVpiiE18BZi8XDrUF6jGYpjvD58D58T5QoOovOVjtyRbjw-NGR0bsf7xn11qT20hQ/s1600/Summer+2011+215.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZnunShQSq0i0mM0EonwqTVAqsTHg7R_w0ginT4EXF0YgZI72uHaVwFqUs7WBNtm7_IziwO5M0EVpiiE18BZi8XDrUF6jGYpjvD58D58T5QoOovOVjtyRbjw-NGR0bsf7xn11qT20hQ/s400/Summer+2011+215.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629268892381825682" /></a>Julianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889918056700835899.post-34796825901709347672011-07-14T16:27:00.009+01:002011-07-14T16:46:20.437+01:00Sweet and savoury and all things nice.... Truffles and Pickles<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipXKWkDifvBf3Fk05uHVhz4bbQAdGhEvV-dnEvPdeBWRFXWHaNcq9aa3VgD_V_uj4TUfE1IdnD84x7Xr3sRgBLweJ53-QzdKw6I4gdY8bUDXgJxozyYvVpNv5ll-eZc-ujXN1SSfr2Rg/s1600/Summer+2011+024.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipXKWkDifvBf3Fk05uHVhz4bbQAdGhEvV-dnEvPdeBWRFXWHaNcq9aa3VgD_V_uj4TUfE1IdnD84x7Xr3sRgBLweJ53-QzdKw6I4gdY8bUDXgJxozyYvVpNv5ll-eZc-ujXN1SSfr2Rg/s400/Summer+2011+024.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629234738962951506" /></a><br /><br />It was coming up to Father’s Day and I was stuck in the yearly bind of what to get my pops for his special day. When I was younger so assured was I in my father’s love for cricket and Bruce Lee that I used to get him something every year, without fail, in some way connected with one of those two things. But you know, by the age of 25, you’d hope that I’d come up with something new. So I did. Part one was that time tested and rather tasty pressie. Truffles. <br /><br />Truffles are so simple but so very munchable. Week after week I teach hen parties and corporate parties at <a href="http://www.mychocolate.co.uk/">My Chocolate</a> how to make a simple dark chocolate truffle and week after week people literally squeal with joy when they taste their hand made, dipped truffles. I’m sure that half of them do not make it home to the husbands/ wives/ flatmates/ kids eagerly awaiting some chocolaty treats. While I wasn’t counting on my father squealing with delight, it seemed fitting that I took my work home with me and improvised a bit. <br /><br />Although I’m a fan of the dark chocolate truffle, I wanted something that would look pretty. Also bearing in mind that when the inevitable happened and my little bros and sisters dipped their hands into dad’s stash, I didn’t want them to think I was trying to poison them with such strong flavours. So I settled on a whisky milk chocolate truffle dipped in white chocolate. <br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />Whisky truffles dipped in white chocolate <br /><br />200g milk chocolate melted <br />4 tablespoons double cream <br />4 tablespoons whisky (or whichever spirit of choice) <br />Makes around 30 truffles<br /><br />Making a truffle is pretty simple – two parts chocolate to one part cream. You want to get the chocolate to around 32-34 degrees Celsius (do this by adding chocolate solids to the hot melted chocolate until a ribbon of chocolate drizzled on the top will stand for a few seconds before melting into the rest of the bowl) and then mix it with cold cream to make a ganache. <br /><br />There are plenty of ganache recipes that do it the other way round i.e hot cream and cold chocolate, but I find this easier and it still makes for a brilliant truffle. To make your truffle boozy, simply replace half the cream with alcohol and bobs your uncle. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOzW7q2WBJhf2EGCtu8KFOHY8ehpF85iWX6XzxQRG9BWQCYfx1yb-PEqn2vWznp61s3WVfZ6gUuWmkK-Yu9JsdohyNjGvsziYKpX8lC8chghOcaTkNEOE5_3yUz-IoZC1HLALaUNqqbw/s1600/Summer+2011+011.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOzW7q2WBJhf2EGCtu8KFOHY8ehpF85iWX6XzxQRG9BWQCYfx1yb-PEqn2vWznp61s3WVfZ6gUuWmkK-Yu9JsdohyNjGvsziYKpX8lC8chghOcaTkNEOE5_3yUz-IoZC1HLALaUNqqbw/s400/Summer+2011+011.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629231098497196626" /></a><br /><br /><br />Pipe the ganache onto a sheet of baking paper and leave to set. <br /><br />Whilst the truffles are setting, melt the white chocolate on a bain marie.... <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI-ydBl8mb7vzT6g1XaEVq8Xv77UwQ3YZxV7StvtBWrHClIHJqYXgu9T-luc68D0gxeWsykkIo2h5hei8VbEFEA-laY-fXGSkx9gMB1be5FNN2i2jzFE2FymNM84JjWMLLqyLNAYeBeQ/s1600/Summer+2011+014.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI-ydBl8mb7vzT6g1XaEVq8Xv77UwQ3YZxV7StvtBWrHClIHJqYXgu9T-luc68D0gxeWsykkIo2h5hei8VbEFEA-laY-fXGSkx9gMB1be5FNN2i2jzFE2FymNM84JjWMLLqyLNAYeBeQ/s400/Summer+2011+014.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629231572774949522" /></a><br /><br /><br />Once the truffles are set, dip them into the white chocolate and set them back onto the baking parchment. Drizzle with a bit of milk chocolate, leave to dry and voila. So simple but so tasty... </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUDLst4ML61RcufLL8sdHV5RiJ1Kk7IYeGXuHJPiYifmjZpHBMYNK2PmhXc5595JldGCsPCYRj6z352idBevjdFGHNhaAe-rhM-ysML-mmxQDbtcdMhQIPnRfzRIesMJ6dohyphenhyphenbJ9ed2w/s1600/Summer+2011+035.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUDLst4ML61RcufLL8sdHV5RiJ1Kk7IYeGXuHJPiYifmjZpHBMYNK2PmhXc5595JldGCsPCYRj6z352idBevjdFGHNhaAe-rhM-ysML-mmxQDbtcdMhQIPnRfzRIesMJ6dohyphenhyphenbJ9ed2w/s400/Summer+2011+035.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629232364726930002" /></a><br /><br />The savoury part of the present was an incredibly delicious cucumber dill and onion pickle from my new favourite food writer Joanna Farrow's Seasonal Preserves. Again, something so simple (and, might I point out, so cheap) but with a result that will make the most jaded eater sit up and pay attention. <br /><br />One of the best things of all is you can pretty much eat the pickle straight away. The flavour develops with time but we went for a walk on the Seven Sisters the next day and packed the pickle into our cheddar cheese sandwiches and it was heavenly. If all sandwiches tasted like that I wouldn’t steer such a wide berth when I encountered them on my supermarket lunch hunts. <br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br /><br />Cucumber dill and mustard pickle<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq4KAxk01SwnnC-hrznvEvd_NKJ57p17VKkuDeM2mC00gNZBsq3OE1andPbygjNQqadAkbY1yJFV-cfojY1w3UAWDw6LNPc_CQJsHLr-CC7ZVDaUNoO-gch9SOrH4RXb08C_8DLneiMw/s1600/Summer+2011+059.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq4KAxk01SwnnC-hrznvEvd_NKJ57p17VKkuDeM2mC00gNZBsq3OE1andPbygjNQqadAkbY1yJFV-cfojY1w3UAWDw6LNPc_CQJsHLr-CC7ZVDaUNoO-gch9SOrH4RXb08C_8DLneiMw/s400/Summer+2011+059.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629234212065896002" /></a><br /><br />Ingredients <br />2 large cucumbers <br />2 red onions thinly sliced <br />6 tbsp sea salt <br />2 tsp mustard seeds <br />2 tso celery seeds <br />25g dill finely chopped <br />600ml white wine vinegar <br />175g granulated sugar <br /><br />Slice the cucumbers thinly and layer in a colander with onions and salt.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlXXb0Kyaattfn9fHPB82JM3SmkoAJX3HGH7X4THSSgRL-a54sKnyR0gENYlIc9qV_kkRNM5Y4ZMQEzn-oVHP3lpGKHBEiJHTKiipnfpeme8yETxx9IaptsXxVuvFa4WBhZXu_p9v5g/s1600/Summer+2011+046.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlXXb0Kyaattfn9fHPB82JM3SmkoAJX3HGH7X4THSSgRL-a54sKnyR0gENYlIc9qV_kkRNM5Y4ZMQEzn-oVHP3lpGKHBEiJHTKiipnfpeme8yETxx9IaptsXxVuvFa4WBhZXu_p9v5g/s400/Summer+2011+046.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629233168655374226" /></a><br /><br />Leave to stand over a bowl for two hours. Rinse well and drain. <br />Heat the seeds in a saucepan until the mustard seeds start to pop. Put into a bowl with the cucumbers, onions and dill and mix thoroughly. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGtTMwSxzfxVbjPKjzAH83LeTzl7GvPA2cjwUikscMMJQg5CdsJH2syBXPLETid5AVvtbWd2lbouqXEH7g0yXnZJ6nxEzqcvdUpzNnxEawCGdJwiavhFWolvLWJp8xEuMCMQt2vOfiLw/s1600/Summer+2011+049.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGtTMwSxzfxVbjPKjzAH83LeTzl7GvPA2cjwUikscMMJQg5CdsJH2syBXPLETid5AVvtbWd2lbouqXEH7g0yXnZJ6nxEzqcvdUpzNnxEawCGdJwiavhFWolvLWJp8xEuMCMQt2vOfiLw/s400/Summer+2011+049.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629233722952651138" /></a><br /><br /><br />Pack into your preserving jars. Heat the vinegar and sugar in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Pour over the pickle and seal the jars. All done. <br />(Will store for up to 9 months) </span><br /><br />And Dad’s reaction was pretty positive. There was no squealing but they both disappeared pretty sharpish. And that is the highest praise of all.Julianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889918056700835899.post-29608108009371017052011-07-13T11:24:00.006+01:002011-07-13T11:31:10.831+01:00The second eldergoose episode<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2MefGoDIaC-Ce0W9uG5YP5EX9OKvakvYHWEp3IIUEAZ0vFCqJL6BjgerYF-GDH9IH9HOaAX7OjN7EnWsLC2ii_NzuUsinKJNDtVBGFdskBtyFyPY9uEpV3jT6FjyIbq6n09E_ZoCBw/s1600/DSC05324.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2MefGoDIaC-Ce0W9uG5YP5EX9OKvakvYHWEp3IIUEAZ0vFCqJL6BjgerYF-GDH9IH9HOaAX7OjN7EnWsLC2ii_NzuUsinKJNDtVBGFdskBtyFyPY9uEpV3jT6FjyIbq6n09E_ZoCBw/s400/DSC05324.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628782083962215810" /></a><br /><br /><br />Alas, the season has now passed for elderflowers but I’m a bit behind on t<br />he blog posts and thought I’d put this up for people to bear in mind next year! <br /><br />A short blog piece, in homage to John of River Cottage fame for this brilliant recipe.... ours has just finished bubbling so we will be siphoning it off soon and tasting the fruits of our labour. Excellent. Don’t get too worried if you don’t hear from me for a few weeks. I’ll be basking in a self-indulgent but happy elderflower and gooseberry wine stupor. I suppose I should let it develop for a few months but will definitely sneak a glass or two from the demijohn first. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCOja9BmBECPWrj9bvppx9s1kqwxPCt6HkEngzVhoT45zjATmZ5D14Dc7eFFDhe-zrM7SeUc6g_BsKkvW9gu9LZoDi3eqq5c4oCrfglTVrFFVyXe5SEylPJfdZBu35jzi8w5Qgq3SSRw/s1600/DSC05322.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCOja9BmBECPWrj9bvppx9s1kqwxPCt6HkEngzVhoT45zjATmZ5D14Dc7eFFDhe-zrM7SeUc6g_BsKkvW9gu9LZoDi3eqq5c4oCrfglTVrFFVyXe5SEylPJfdZBu35jzi8w5Qgq3SSRw/s400/DSC05322.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628781626399085986" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2011/jun/08/how-make-elderflower-gooseberry-wine">The original recipe </a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">2kg green gooseberries (washed, frozen, then defrosted)<br />Florets from 10 elderflower sprays<br />1.2kg sugar<br />3.5 litres water<br />1 sachet white wine yeast<br />1 teaspoon yeast nutrient<br />1 teaspoon grape tannin (optional – it fills a "gap" in the palate with many wines)<br />1 level teaspoon pectolase (there is a lot of pectin in gooseberries which must be removed to prevent cloudiness) </span><span style="font-style:italic;"><br /><br />The mucking about with freezing the gooseberries breaks down the cell walls to release the juices and makes the difficult mashing process a bit easier. Place the defrosted gooseberries in a clean ceramic mixing bowl and gently crush them with the end of a clean rolling pin. It is important not to crush the pips too much as this will release more pectin (and why a blender is no use).<br /><br /> The whole business is messy, with gooseberry juice squirting everywhere. Never mind. Once it is all nicely pulped, transfer to a large, food grade plastic bucket and pour on about three litres of cold water. Add all the other ingredients and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Cover and leave for three days, stirring occasionally.<br /><br />Strain through a sterilized, doubled muslin cloth, squeezing out as much juice as you can into a clean bucket. Make the quantity up to 4.5 litres with more water. <br /><br />Siphon into a demi-john and fit a bubble-trap. Rack off into a new demi-john at least once, then, when all fermentation has ceased and the wine has cleared, siphon into bottles.<br /></span>Julianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889918056700835899.post-29081292171380836662011-06-17T15:05:00.002+01:002011-06-20T08:50:48.856+01:00Edinburgh love (a short snippet)<div><p>We popped in to Edinburgh last weekend whilst taking a much deserved break from teaching chocolate making workshops. The task? A tasty but cheapish spot of dinner. Twitter of course, came to the rescue and suggested The Dog restaurant. </p><p>I love it when a plan comes together. While I've been to Edinburgh before, its normally been to write an article so I've had very little time to play with recretionally. Perhaps that explains why I've never come across The Dog before but I'll tell you one thing. <i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i>Once </i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i>you </i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i>have </i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i>found </i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i>it </i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i>you </i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i><i><i><i><i><i>won'</i></i></i></i></i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i>t </i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i>be </i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i>forgetting </i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i>it </i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i>in </i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i>a </i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i>hurry</i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i><i><i>.</i></i><i> </i>Mark my words. </p><p>Why?</p><p>Let me see... </p><p>Does that explain things a bit?</p><br /><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx5lO97e7CJFqOdqzSiCxLj6iQYEyeQ-aP95jxT6BBZLF8fuC0Yw0zWMiZYh4JfQGUn8n66qNCKl3-um1gjbDfatfVrrkPSmh_yMfxlJHtL_U0zsbLCUGoW2iEdrMSm3Z6n13ZxOUrfQ/' /><br /><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtL4Sjuker-XFhDUfSzz2wywcgGjqHFrMpw_ZTTCSjPtYpn0LuBlrsVcP08byFOnFZc5Au6aYAURVZ8nHEWjiMV0wUdGJfKzsKnLrOzyoD4Xxp1UjQc9z3EGybV8nCg_UjANWb6t7vKA/' /><br /><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil-3H9ENDTBz4VNrYO9xuuAJL_GMgR66Uycx898NVG_4CyuPiLYRActy5gTJxR6Wm5s5cSJ_idCjIN-5pAoA2HUm9INOa_rxaIoZdoluIV-GlTh8P3QLsr-Ou0Lw4vDswbQNKiE01KBQ/' /><br /><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Xe_-vzvrj18y6x8hbQt183a52c8LyggV1X-vWYg9zSTqC5BrSt5vg3d3Iamaw2W1o2y589Jo6ODNbV8ltv-lt5Z2NTqRnbUN74o129gvBqFr5TikplsvitZ0FrHuzLdeaPMcyyKigw/' /></div>Julianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889918056700835899.post-34448236579367501052011-06-16T08:31:00.001+01:002011-06-16T08:31:00.684+01:00Taste of Summer<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMsm9bBAS6E7pMH2SEjxHzzeMm_cxUwyv_sN7_2ir9EVjNUmY-dmn-m_RKro6tW0gxQvMEgj6ZJLdxtyeWiiL7bGdwCzqncJycJNx42qLJep0fKQIdiBFWpoDpkqFefGf6580WZkP9_w/s1600/Spring+2011+090.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMsm9bBAS6E7pMH2SEjxHzzeMm_cxUwyv_sN7_2ir9EVjNUmY-dmn-m_RKro6tW0gxQvMEgj6ZJLdxtyeWiiL7bGdwCzqncJycJNx42qLJep0fKQIdiBFWpoDpkqFefGf6580WZkP9_w/s400/Spring+2011+090.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618487354343824386" /></a><br /><br />Few things signal the beginning of the summer than the short-lived but much-loved elderflower season. Over the course of just a few weeks, the elder tree bursts into blossom with huge frothy heads of creamy white blossoms. That’s why every single opportunity over the last few weeks (amidst the hell of revision), I’ve been scampering off into the neighbouring fields and plucking a head here, a head there and turning it into some rather delicious things. <br /><br />Of course, now the exams are over the weather is being rather temperamental, so what better thing to do than hole up with some choice ingredients and make some jars/ bottles of good stuff? Well, apart from indulge my newly found love of Mad Men (why did no one tell me how utterly brilliant this programme is, I’ve devoted the whole day to its enjoyment and I don’t feel it’s a day much wasted). <br /><br />The first – a classic but a winner. The deceptively simple and eminently quaffable elderflower champagne. I love a bit of booze, especially when you can make it for almost free. Seasoned foodies will almost definitely have had a shot at making their own – those that haven’t will probably have to wait until next year now (although there was some excellent elderflowers lingering on in Scotland last weekend) but I thought I’d include the recipe anyway.... <br /><br />The golden caster sugar gives the final product a beautiful amber colour and I love the muskier taste it infuses the liquid with but normal sugar will do just fine and dandy. <br /><br />The second was my favourite, elderflower and gooseberry jam, bringing together the magical pairing of flavours in one delicious conserve. The elderflower heads are torn into smaller pieces and then left in the jam for a beautiful effect once it’s set. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UgzVkIrKQgdrxjRYnSD-AqGBSP1rKehzq6PRV5kBvq8S32izkKm0LH0tXO8eS41_t9Mqgrn9GFW5kV7I2LZCwUfCOMrWN5rrfMJEKabrPizZm4Ynb3w1p6eclOVku21jQKaxrH_EtQ/s1600/Spring+2011+104.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UgzVkIrKQgdrxjRYnSD-AqGBSP1rKehzq6PRV5kBvq8S32izkKm0LH0tXO8eS41_t9Mqgrn9GFW5kV7I2LZCwUfCOMrWN5rrfMJEKabrPizZm4Ynb3w1p6eclOVku21jQKaxrH_EtQ/s400/Spring+2011+104.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618486673337821474" /></a><br /><br />Unfortunately in my excitement I didn’t get to take pictures of the finished product but considering it’s got a thumbs up from Jon who rather detests gooseberries, I don’t think it’s half bad. The pungent taste of the elderflower is offset by the slight tartness of the gooseberry and the tonne of sugar you put in. Now all I need is to bake a load of bread to enjoy it with.<br /><br />And tonight? We’ll be trying our hands at John Wright’s Elderflower and Gooseberry Wine – today’s part sounds interesting. Mashing the gooseberries with a rolling pin and trying to stop them from ending up on the kitchen ceiling... I’ll let you know how that one goes. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Elderflower champagne </span><br />10 large heads of elder flowers - make sure that they are fully open, preferably facing the Sun<br />1kg of golden caster sugar<br />4 tablespoons of wine vinegar<br />2 lemons <br />10 litres of cold water <br /><br />Wash the lemons and use the potato-peeler to peel the lemon rind off as thinly as possible. Remove any insects, leaves or other unwanted objects from the elder flowers.<br />Squeeze the lemons and put the juice into the ten-litre vessel along with the lemon rind and flowers.<br />Add the sugar and the vinegar. Be careful not to crush the flower heads too much with the sugar.<br />Pour on the water. Put a lid or cover over the top of the vessel and leave to stand for 24 hours. Stir gently every six hours.<br />Sterilise the bottles either using sterilising chemical tablets or boiling water. If you use chemical tablets, rinse the bottles afterwards so that the chemicals don't kill the yeast in the champagne mixture.<br />Take the lid off the vessel and remove any large flower heads or bits of rind.<br />Use the small jug to bail some of the mixture through the sieve and into the large jug. When the large jug becomes full, place the funnel in the top of a bottle. Pour the mixture through the strainer into the funnel.<br />Once all the bottles are full, put the caps (or corks) on firmly and place somewhere not too warm or too cold. A garage shelf is ideal<br />Leave the bottles for at least two weeks... after that, it’s a game of whether you can keep your grubby mitts of the bottles or not... </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Gooseberry and elderflower jam (from Joanna Farrow’s Seasonal Preserves) </span><br />1kg gooseberries topped and tailed <br />Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon <br />900g preserving / granulated sugar <br />6-8 elderflower heads chopped into smallish pieces <br />Tip the gooseberries into a preserving pan with lemon zest and juice plus 150ml water. Cook gently for about 15 minutes until the gooseberries are tender and pulpy. <br />Stir in the sugar and stir gently until the sugar dissolves <br />Stir in the elderflower heads and bring to the boil – boil for about 10 minutes until setting point is reached. Ladle into sterilized jars and cover. <br /></span>Julianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889918056700835899.post-52229653222177991962011-06-15T11:50:00.007+01:002011-06-15T12:16:33.542+01:00A compendium of fun<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqa6jY7nlwulrGUynvkJFc9-90npXCYdes6WigY_uA6SyOY0VJ6IIT2za-6nsetEPSJq4rsd5xwlkMgcdBUOjVBOJiSDieWQn44c-2l4Q_8FR307V5Ru6-5k5nK7XdwjlNG5MJFC37kA/s1600/Jan-+March+2011+093.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqa6jY7nlwulrGUynvkJFc9-90npXCYdes6WigY_uA6SyOY0VJ6IIT2za-6nsetEPSJq4rsd5xwlkMgcdBUOjVBOJiSDieWQn44c-2l4Q_8FR307V5Ru6-5k5nK7XdwjlNG5MJFC37kA/s400/Jan-+March+2011+093.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618403850605411538" /></a><br /><br /><br />I have also been doing some schtuff over the last few months - it would take too many blog posts to cover them in detail but I thought a little photo compendium might just be the trick... enjoy! <br /><br />Chilli and parsley hot smoked salmon. Inspired by Lindy Wildsmith's wonderful book Cured <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy1-yBMCF8FMw_xLNU06FSJK7sOFnc2LatnEebiClQPyewjc-MoERpI5M0psPdBgMO1sTvC0RJPjSnfAi0L6XqUgI7sxXQARBCqt7qqf5HoO1P1QgpaH3cfClkYRhZ7SczmAzSBbhU9g/s1600/Spring+2011+046.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy1-yBMCF8FMw_xLNU06FSJK7sOFnc2LatnEebiClQPyewjc-MoERpI5M0psPdBgMO1sTvC0RJPjSnfAi0L6XqUgI7sxXQARBCqt7qqf5HoO1P1QgpaH3cfClkYRhZ7SczmAzSBbhU9g/s400/Spring+2011+046.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618398462700957602" /></a><br /><br />A trip to Dumfries and Galloway - possibly my favourite British Hotel Knockinaam Lodge - no photos of the food but with it holding one of the few stars to be found outside of Edinburgh, it's certainly something special.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDNB9F-KGc79te6mLPPh1tgQywkM4mPD81inR60QZWe1ctbPeog4vNfS07j2_wbeomgNydlJBpPfDOZOreNGfiDPkklypWrihVynLLsmPuFu0u9nh4vIQY70uU33VtwQgPF3oc4OIYFg/s1600/Jan-+March+2011+096.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDNB9F-KGc79te6mLPPh1tgQywkM4mPD81inR60QZWe1ctbPeog4vNfS07j2_wbeomgNydlJBpPfDOZOreNGfiDPkklypWrihVynLLsmPuFu0u9nh4vIQY70uU33VtwQgPF3oc4OIYFg/s400/Jan-+March+2011+096.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618400532692511394" /></a><br /><br />And the surrounding scenery is fairly impressive - cliff walks, gorse and heather<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5RbviI3Pl_o3yrsUwZU58es_BMva-xaXggbR5DSlqfB_UtcE-gyk5BrDJmnQGVvG1i5Hvb1RYPLqrQtdJug9ibO-Y66M6j7b9E6sKY7kjBYBeKDC1-3nyqJ7xkvvaUgKcrN2t9fpPbw/s1600/Jan-+March+2011+135.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5RbviI3Pl_o3yrsUwZU58es_BMva-xaXggbR5DSlqfB_UtcE-gyk5BrDJmnQGVvG1i5Hvb1RYPLqrQtdJug9ibO-Y66M6j7b9E6sKY7kjBYBeKDC1-3nyqJ7xkvvaUgKcrN2t9fpPbw/s400/Jan-+March+2011+135.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618399763003968194" /></a><br /><br />Not forgetting Hix Oyster and Fish House in Lyme Regis. I shiver. Yes shiver, when I think of that meal... <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKTMLGZ-Mcn2pe-pNnOCLFkm1y6YmMhS7pPPlw7EFnM9gGSiSstqYD0Mue9wKQ_ZWKhKMueHbI4KnsGFeB6C5okUTRpE9UP_X92MVMca0Lwg1_ZKEGelhdPx4_TM9zjpXrwo2b1D0Yuw/s1600/Jan-+March+2011+016.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKTMLGZ-Mcn2pe-pNnOCLFkm1y6YmMhS7pPPlw7EFnM9gGSiSstqYD0Mue9wKQ_ZWKhKMueHbI4KnsGFeB6C5okUTRpE9UP_X92MVMca0Lwg1_ZKEGelhdPx4_TM9zjpXrwo2b1D0Yuw/s400/Jan-+March+2011+016.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618401876189143106" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGW1W6WC56iq1_bVpurkZxJZY9u_Uxv39YoUXWHg8eQiZND4taHT10jgxPZ09Kk2DKhE7x6uMBgvnB1qKTtCYN7cTtqH8CaDiiMqmPYiN1-xmYsbA8vwb-3yE6kRDo_Scqw7Dup7pejA/s1600/Jan-+March+2011+021.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGW1W6WC56iq1_bVpurkZxJZY9u_Uxv39YoUXWHg8eQiZND4taHT10jgxPZ09Kk2DKhE7x6uMBgvnB1qKTtCYN7cTtqH8CaDiiMqmPYiN1-xmYsbA8vwb-3yE6kRDo_Scqw7Dup7pejA/s400/Jan-+March+2011+021.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618402332349504482" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheO4CUpIerGWrkVLOUnBmQ9jg_jp6MWdhO48zUmq1MfMylMqqqyAXRB6X6fgAEnfdt6IzwPMZj4ZZJiCyckDGwxMh9UXCl2aB1PYYF1Y_VreEoUCwF3N3dcPeO541wT4GUrQw6fhN4lg/s1600/Jan-+March+2011+026.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheO4CUpIerGWrkVLOUnBmQ9jg_jp6MWdhO48zUmq1MfMylMqqqyAXRB6X6fgAEnfdt6IzwPMZj4ZZJiCyckDGwxMh9UXCl2aB1PYYF1Y_VreEoUCwF3N3dcPeO541wT4GUrQw6fhN4lg/s400/Jan-+March+2011+026.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618402876086630978" /></a>Julianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889918056700835899.post-23733757006700661272011-06-15T07:53:00.003+01:002011-06-15T08:02:30.954+01:00Aloka – Brighton<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixXCK3HBGcn8bhF0CLIZcFTj2oGjjtvVpRXQwohwm8S22ZHBjJqMg9XKW-pYcwAGTuEt8eBhy7VEsfJ5-0woMwrsz8zaPFsRCib_-75RtuiY6N5yJpBoXkffOhsvnTyeJ4UvR7HMb3cw/s1600/IMAG0008.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixXCK3HBGcn8bhF0CLIZcFTj2oGjjtvVpRXQwohwm8S22ZHBjJqMg9XKW-pYcwAGTuEt8eBhy7VEsfJ5-0woMwrsz8zaPFsRCib_-75RtuiY6N5yJpBoXkffOhsvnTyeJ4UvR7HMb3cw/s400/IMAG0008.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618336498334645698" /></a><br /><br />I’ll be the first one to put my hand up to say that I am a dedicated meat-eater, as you’ve probably guessed from previous entries. But what I just don’t understand is the attitude I encounter from so many other carnivores – I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. If it’s not meat and two veg, it’s not worth looking at. What is the point in that? No, I’m a meat eater but I’m not a numbnuts, so when I heard about vegan restaurant Aloka in Brighton I thought I’d go along and try it. <br /><br />The restaurant is part of a wellness centre just off of the seafront – there’s a spa on site too for those who are looking to cleanse more than their dinner’s worth from their bodies. Alas, I was too concerned with eating and eating alone on this mission, but having checked out the treatment list, I think it’s safe to say that I’ll be rocking down there for a massage at some point in the not too distant future. <br /><br />Anyway, back to business. The restaurant itself is nicely laid out; the bright surroundings and large windows make for a pleasant backdrop to the stellar food the kitchen puts out. This isn’t vegan stodge, Aloka presents well thought out and presented dishes containing some very imaginative ingredients. <br /><br />My starter for one was fairly impressive – a trio of mushroom dishes: forest grilled oyster mushroom ceviche with mulberries, sea-black rice and shitake mushroom with cashew, miso paste and dakon radish plus country chestnut mushrooms with tarragon, spelt and pearl barley base. Of the three, the black rice and dakon with shitake was my favourite, and quite unlike anything I’ve ever tasted before. A definite thumbs up. <br />The mains were equally imaginative – my ‘chef’s special’ was good but nothing extraordinary – a round courgette filled with cannelloni bean, celeriac and cherry tomato white wine stew, smoked creamy polenta and grilled fennel and orange bruschetta. Most parts of the meal worked and worked well – the creamy polenta was excellent as was the courgette but the celeriac and cherry tomato could have done with more flavour. <br /><br />Jon’s seasonal risotto worked with many of the ingredients from the mushroom trio but even so, tasted fresh. Again, there was a spelt and parsley base with oyster mushrooms, cashew sour cream and tarragon. It was very tasty but did feel like a slight repeat of the earlier dish. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEF_P4cSH1X4UbzcLJV35JEVRZtnZcCxjkZ2ATaca4qENGtGhED4-0fpyqTBP19rA8gFngpulF4f6MV9GY__KOfKt8lWol15sJgQQRq03zk_ME7C6WQEx4gkKcvGS5DEwgMyEopJJp4Q/s1600/IMAG0007.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEF_P4cSH1X4UbzcLJV35JEVRZtnZcCxjkZ2ATaca4qENGtGhED4-0fpyqTBP19rA8gFngpulF4f6MV9GY__KOfKt8lWol15sJgQQRq03zk_ME7C6WQEx4gkKcvGS5DEwgMyEopJJp4Q/s400/IMAG0007.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618336734284310994" /></a><br /><br /><br />Although there’s no dessert list as such, diners can pop downstairs and choose one of the tempting cakes from the counter – my banana cheesecake was wonderful dense enough to have substance and with just the right amount of banana coming through – I would give anything to know how they could make a cheesecake with no cheese?! How do they do that? If you know, do spill...<br /><br />While vegetarian and vegan restaurants are ten to a dozen in Brighton, Aloka brings something completely new to the table. No mean feat considering this is pretty much the city that puts the V in vegetarian. If you want to try something different, mosey on down there – bring your meat and two veg friend too, who knows, they might just find that they enjoy it! <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Waiting rating: Excellent. Even the chef popped out to say hi<br />Scoffing potential: High, the menu is small but varied. <br />Wallet buddy: Mains between £11-14 <br />The crowd: Brighton's best <br /></span><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">14 East Street<br />Brighton, East Sussex BN1 1HP<br />01273 823 178</span>Julianna Barnabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519656039384763126noreply@blogger.com2