Hello You!

OMG long time no see.  How the devil are you???  Okay, so it has been a while - 9 months to be exact.  Enough time to have been pregnant and given birth but that's not what I have been up to!  Way too busy for that kind of stuff.

I got very despondent in the middle of last year during our kitchen renovation.  I couldn't be bothered to write because I had nothing note worthy to write. Unless of course you wanted to read about what a pain in the backside it all was having no floor in the middle section of the house, no Internet and no kitchen.  Then I suppose I just got out of the habit of putting fingers to keyboard.

But how things have changed since I last wrote.  I am now one child down, in that the boy has left and gone to University.  As far as that is concerned I couldn't be more please, he is happy to be out of the house and should have a first in drinking by the end, (obviously I am ever hopefully as far as his studies go).
In other news my kitchen sparkles and shines like no other before bringing me great joy, completely worth all the heartache.

The finished article 

And wonders of wonders I am learning the wonderful art of cooking at the very prestigious Leiths.  Truthfully I couldn't quite believe it during the first term, little ol' me at Leiths, how funny is that.  And even now, I still love every minute.  It's hard and takes a lot out of you but gives just as much back.  I have made the most wonderful things, pies with aspic - which I would never in a million years try on my own.

Something to reference my flavours with.

 Hot watercurst pie, something I am proud of.

Plucking and drawing (to pull its guts out) pheasants, okay I only plucked one feather out and that because I was told I had to.  And no I didn't touch it's innards.  If I can't pluck the creature I definitely can't pull its guts out!  We cook every day and have some wonderful demonstrations, a stand out one was offal.  Deep fried sheep's brains, marrow, sweet bread's and ahh yes some liver and kidneys to follow.  As part of each cooking session we have time plans to write, now they are a right pain but a necessity.  To top this, as part of the course we are doing a Wine and Spirits Diploma.  How my head hurts sometimes and yet I just love it.

Pate sucree tarts, obvioulsy I am still working on the presentation side of things.

Back in Touch

I am thrilled to have more followers, thank you all so very much. I know I haven't written much lately but given the state of my home at the moment I am finding it rather difficult.  Having no kitchen to speak of and dust coating every surface, it can be a bit too much. I know that the change of weather is on my side with beautifully hot days but it did rain solidly for the first 3 weeks of the build.  I am progressing though and with the good weather I have cracked out the barbecue.  More on the culinary delights it has delivered up in my next post.

Not quite ready for cooking in!

 Windows and doors would be good.

All this upheaval and lack of anything interesting to eat will be worth it.

We have been very fortunate though with a trip to Norway a few weeks ago to celebrate our friends 40th birthday and their move to Froya Island from Trondheim.  I enjoy going to Norway, it's always heart warming to see friends that make you laugh and smile from the off.  I was amazed how much Froya really reminded me of Connemara on the west cost of Ireland.  Perhaps it was the windswept barren isolation of our surroundings that had me thinking of home.

The Girl with her camera - Froya Island

An island community.

 A greyer day on the most westerly tip of Froya.

On our first night we were treated to a fantastic Norwegian dish of baked salmon with sour cream and new potatoes accompanied by the most delicious eggs which had been soft boiled, deshelled and then mixed with what must have been a pound of butter, this I am assuming as I was given a wry smile by our host when I asked. Not a combination I would have thought to put together but really fab. There is no picture evidence of this dish as it was in my gullet before my brain had time to react.

A very windy day.

My dear friend Kat having read my post on making krumkrakker gave me a wonderful present of a cast iron one, I could have cried it's so lovely. Now my ice cream cones will be tasty and beautiful.

 See how pretty my krumkrakke is!

The second evening was a celebration of crayfish and scallops. Having been cut in half and cooked over an open fire the crayfish was served with a simple salad and dressing. (I have never had lobster before but I can't imagine that they would be any sweeter or tastier than crayfish).  The scallops so fresh they were served raw. Nothing more was needed. The following night had more crayfish and scallops but with the addition of Bacalhau, a Portuguese salt cod dish, it was another evening of glorious dining.

 Crayfish ready for the BBQ.

We had waffle's almost every day, I absolutely love them with raspberry jam and sour cream - I know I could have waffle's here, but they wouldn't be the same.

The decadence of our foodie weekend was not lost on me and so I savoured it as we started our journey over land, sea and air to our nonexistent kitchen on the Monday morning.

 Strangely they were giving away the mug in a craft shop we were looking in - can't think why!

Ham Hock Terrine

 Too much butter, not enough meat perhaps.

To celebrate the addition of my one member - more always welcome - I have decided to make a Ham Hock Terrine.  There is no explanation for this choice other than I wanted to give it a try.  This is an Australian MasterChef recipe and as they say on the show it is a good adult breakfast together with poached egg and brioche.  This recipe uses butter which I prefer the sound of, as opposed to using gelatin.  I am planning to serve it as part of a brunch menu with warm homemade crusty bread to spread it on.

I am happy with how the terrine has worked out although I don't think my hocks gave out as much meat as I needed, as the recipe called for 250g of butter.  Having thought about it, you need to get the meat off the hock first and then add say 200g of butter to see how it comes together and add more if necessary.  I have found that if you are eating it at room temp and not having it with something hot it can be too solid in texture.

Smoked ham hocks, pretty hidous looking but once cooked, yum!

It isn't a cheap dish to make as the hocks cost £8.50 from my local butcher and they can be more bone than meat.

You can use either chicken stock or water to cook the hocks.

I chose to use water to cook the hocks and the resulting stock once sieved taste's really good with a lovely smoky edge.  Am freezing the cooking liquor to use with a different pork dish at some stage.

All tucked up wrapped in Serrano Ham and cling film.

The end result is a rich smoky terrine ideal for a summer lunch.  As a snack on hot toast it is delicious!

If you want to have a go at this recipe you can find it at this web address http://www.masterchef.com.au/eggs-benedict-with-ham-hock-terrine-and-hollandaise-sauce.htm

In the end there was too much for us so I gave a third to our friends up the road and have stuck the rest in the freezer.  Let me know if you do have a go and how it turns out.

Writers Block

So I have been doing a writing course for a few weeks now just to try and better my blog, and I am sure of two things.  One, writers block is real and two, writing doesn't come easy to me.  It's an odd thing really, it seems that if I try and force myself to write the articles for the homework we have been set I just can't pull it together.  I write different paragraphs starting in different ways to try and find a style that allows me to flow freely, but I think it still reads in a disjointed way.  I don't want to plagiarise someone else, so my head aches with trying so hard while finding it so difficult.  Perhaps it's the style of writing itself which is being asked for that is beyond me.  I don't seem to be able to write with a dispassionate voice.  I like to just be me, whether that means nobody reads what I have to say I don't mind so much - well maybe a bit.

I have learnt quite a few things which I'm putting into practice, like using my new grammar book which is actually very useful - it's amazing what you forget.  Trying not to start all my sentences with 'I' and being as factual and acurate as I can needs to be a constant.  Something that's been very interesting is meeting different people from the foodie industry that have come to talk to us about their area of expertise.  We had the restaurant reviewer Andy Lyons one week and  I particulary liked Jennifer Joyce who came to talk about her cook books and how she got published having not been a TV chef.  Although, it wasn't new news to hear that it was hard work and determination (with a good pinch of luck) that got her recipes into print.

So to make a point, instead of doing my homework like a good girl, I wrote this instead!

Here's a rant I made earlier.

Why in heavens name do some people insist on telling you everything they did to the food you are eating!  If I sit down to a meal I want to chat and perhaps comment on its deliciousness, discuss it maybe for a moment or two, but then move on to the next subject. But my husband won't let go of his captive audience and bores us all to tears with his trip to the kitchen.  You only have to give him an inch and there he is telling us about how he chopped the coriander and made an effort to dice the red onion particularly small.  Please Stop! His food is good, we all love eating it but don’t take the enjoyment away from us, by prattling on.  The kids of course think he’s funny and it’s funny that I get so cross.  But I suppose the plain truth is, is that I am jealous.  How dare he produce good food in my kitchen especially when he only cooks once in a blue moon.  Typical man.

My New Gadget

Today I got a metal potato ricer which, just in case your wondering, is the best thing since sliced bread!  I am loving it.  Now I too can have silken potatoes and no longer will the mash that I envy so much be only the domain of others. 

Of course given it is only my first time using it, (not that you'd think it should be difficult) I managed to under cook my potatoes and so have ended up with slightly grainy mash.  Perhaps some more butter/milk/cream will sort it.  But not to worry, I'll get it right next time.

An Empty Fridge

I have just been reading Trish Deseine's blog 'Feeding my World' and she was talking about getting your kids used to seeing an empty fridge, unfortunately mine are only all too used to it.  And the reason is this, I plan ahead with weekly meal plans.  As organised as it might seem, the fridge only looks full for so long and not as long as you might think.  I do my best not to buy too much quick gratification food stuffs.  Firstly because they are expensive and secondly because they never last long - hence quick gratification.  Although the kids tend to kibosh me regularly with demands for crisps, I try to ignore their pleas but even I know what simple pleasure a packet of crisps can give you!  

As always with me its onwards and upwards and so I am trying to teach myself to be a better cook.  I can't afford an intensive year long course as much as I would love it.  I have an awful lot of cookbooks on a variety of topics and my thinking is, if I have to make thing's from scratch then my understanding will be greater and hopefully my food will taste better.  Thanks to Darina Allen's Forgotten Skills of Cooking my chicken stock is knockout and a brilliant base for my soups and sauces.  Last weekend I got 5 chicken carcass's from the butcher for 50p, so there really is no excuse.  I don't add any salt into the stock base as advised by Darina, enough will get added in later.  A good vegi option is Kerstin Rodgers vegetable stock from her Supper Club cook book.  She adds in garlic cloves which I think raises the stock up a level.

 Homemade chicken stock

Too Chicken?

Happy New Year to one and all.  I haven't been in the mood to write for a while, Christmas had me cream crackered what with driving to Ireland to collect my mother, stopping off at my friends house in Kildare for a catch up drink which never ends that well for my head but I always enjoy.  Then driving back to London again.  Obviously not all in the same day but still, its tiring.

Yesterday I got a call from a chap up the road who was going shooting and wondered if I would like a bird once the day was over.  Even though I agree that it is wrong to kill a bird for sport and then not eat it, I did have difficulty with the fact that I would have to pluck the thing and I think that that was a bridge too far for me.  On this years Masterchef they had to pluck a pigeon prior to trussing it and how badly some of them did it was just upsetting!  I wouldn't want to do a disservice to the creature.  By the end of the conversation it was agreed that if the butcher took a few from him I would pay to have it plucked and the innards taken out.  So as it turns out I am too chicken to pluck a bird!

Scandilicious Krumkaker

An afternoon of making and baking - now what to make?  Scandilicious has a recipe for Norwegian Kurmkaker (cornets)  I think. I had a look to see what a cornet iron looked like, for some reason thinking it would look something like a clothes iron but longer.  It doesn't.  Rather it is an electric round press, more like a Tortilla Press.

I have been holding off making these cornets, as I couldn't be bothered to make the template.  I wrongly assumed it would take more time than the 2 minutes it actually did.  They turned out really well and taste really good although it did take me a couple of goes to get the shape going.  Now I can impress the Norwegian lot - well the kids mainly - when I see them again in the new year.

 Template and batter discs prior to cooking.

Disc's prior to rolling - if you don't do it when hot they crack as they roll.

 Finished cornets with homemade blackberry icecream, not too bad for a first go.

The Lighthouse Bakery

What a trip.  I got lost twice and it took me over an hour more than I had anticipated to get there.  Got myself into such a state I was actually screaming in the car at my own stupidity - I haven't done that before!  When I did finally arrive they had only just finished their talk about breads and the practical bit was starting.

We were taught by the lovely Liz.  She had a good way with people and had everyone at their ease very quickly getting everyone smiling and chatting.  All the starters had been made that morning, at about 2am or something ridiculous, and were ready for us to use in our wonderful bread creations.  I learnt how to get a tight form for my dough and actually its the dough I should spray to get a nice crust on my bread hence, I am not going to bother spraying the inside of the oven again.

Lunch was a great mushroom risotto with our first batch of bread rolls and salad for lunch.
We left with enough bread to feed an army.  I think we came away with 6 types of bread each, a cottage loaf, wholemeal loaf, epis, baguette, caraway loaf and some other loaf which I can't remember the name of.
I do feel like I bought the shop out, but I had only bought what I felt I needed and no more, a (very heavy) baking stone, a lame (a handled razor blade to slash the dough), a lined proving basket and couches.  It was great fun and I feel like my bread will be improved, so now all I have to do is put it all into practice. 

 A selection of loaves

Liz with our cottage loaves

Once I got home and showed off my breads to the fam.  The girl ate the epis, a baguette which has been snipped and twisted prior to baking to look like a shaft of wheat.  With the baguette I made a quick sandwich for myself and the hubby with fried off cured ham, tomatoes, onions, thinly sliced red pepper and drizzled with olive oil not forgetting the seasoning.  I toasted the slices of bread on the griddle & rubbed on some garlic clove.  To give it some heat I smeared on some of my homemade hot chilli jam - not too much, its hot stuff. And wha-la a very delicious end of day fix.  Although, not quite enough to fill the hubby, who then proceeded to have some of the wholemeal bread with smoked salmon as a chaser.  Needless to say lots of bread left over and to the freezer it shall go.

Carb on Carb

Just a quickie - yesterday I was so hungry that I knew just eating Spaghetti Bolongnaise wouldn't fill me.  It had to be made into a sandwich.  Nothing fancy just plain bread and butter, but boy was it delicious and filling.

I had already eaten the first before I took a breath to take a picture.

Yum, yum, in my tum!!

MsMarmite's Underground Farmers Market

Had a great time being chief person stamper at MsMarmite's market's over the weekend.  Friday night was great fun and more importantly it didn't rain.   I was on the door with Colin and Jane who were brill and really good craic.  Seemingly I managed to get a little bit blotto, something to do with Alexander coffee's and fancy cocktails, there might also have been a bottle of wine in there somewhere.  I do know that I wandered home with not a donner kebab tucked under my arm but, a very tasty Fosse Meadows Farm rotisserie chicken - it was delicious!  As Fosse Farm says "Happy chickens are tasty chickens", a bit more expensive but worth it.  I usually buy my chickens free range from the butcher, but I like the thought of knowing a bit more about the provenience of the bird.  The Fosse guys have a stall at the Sunday market in Queens Park, so that's where I shall be venturing to get my chicken in future - shush don't tell my butcher!!!!!

It never ceases to amaze me, who comes to these events.  People I think, enjoy the subversive note it has while being within the law, being part of that clique perhaps, of not being too conformist.  Maybe its as simple as just doing something different.  The vibe really was phenomenal.  I'm sure there was somebody from every country represented.  There was a whole spectrum of types, from early 20's hip and happening peeps to couples with babies and even a crowd in their early 60's turned up.  Although they seemed very trendy, so perhaps not too surprising.  There was great coffee and ice cream at the front, live music on the terrace and a Jail House cocktail bar serving through the bars of a bedroom window.  Cooking demo's in the kitchen and a bar in a bath with oysters on the side, served by Big Dave (who was just lovely).  I did have a feeling of deja vu on the Saturday afternoon but it turns out that some people came on both days.  As I was soooo busy stamping people I have no photos to post, other than the one Kirsten sent me, so have a look at MsMarmites blogspot for lots of great pictures of the event over the two days.  http://marmitelover.blogspot.com/

Inaugural Night @ the Livingstone Supper Club

I am pleased to announced that our fundraising evening in aid of Best Beginnings went really well and we raised a total of £280.  It was great fun and everyone said that they loved the food.  Myself and Anne split the cooking so we even managed to sit down and eat with our guest's at one stage.  Any worries I/we may have had before the evening melted away as it was all very relaxed and I think much more fun for having done it with someone else.  It was so nice to hear people chatting and laughing as we cooked.  Obviously not everyone knew each other, so to have all that chatter going on was calming for the nerves.  Things got forgotten of course, like Anne's wonderful Parsnip and Sage bread which was to go with the main (I am taking one for the team and happily munching through it).  The chocolate dipped candied peel which I spotted on the side as people were starting to leave,  "No no no" I cry, "it is but a wafer" and so they duly munch.  With smiles all round we were very pleased with how it went, so watch this space for up and coming events in the New Year. 

Table by candle light

Cook in action

Olive oil crackers with peppercorn salt

Poppy seed and Parmesan bites

Chocolate buttons with space dust

 Some guests enjoying themselves and still more came to enjoy the evening

Nervous

I am so nervous about our first supper club on Saturday.  I so want people to enjoy the food and have a good time.  I made my pate yesterday and I'm afraid to taste it, that it might be awful and then I will be all upset that its all going wrong already.  The main problem is that I made more than I usually do and maybe I didn't get the quantities right.  On the other hand the pesto is done and looking & tasting good, so that's one box ticked.  We tried the Fishermans Friend cocktail I found and we're happy with that.  Not sure we have enough glasses of course.

Certain things.

I amuse myself with some of the things I do, like when I'm going to sleep.  I have a thing for Action movies and last night I saw that Die Hard was going to be on TV at a time when I would be snuggling down.  If gives me that warm fuzzy feeling, I know the movie so well that I don't get into it and can just fall asleep.  I'm not half listening out for the dialogue and even the gun fire/explosions are soothing. On the other hand if I'm not that tired I can easily watch and enjoy it.  Con Air is another fav, although I do admit to keeping an ear out for my favourite scenes with that one.

Any ho - The grapefruit marmalade was a success this time I am happy to report.  4 jars and a bowl (ran out of jars) were produced.  My little pantry is starting to build up.  My next objective is to use some of it.  I also treated myself once more to another cook book - River Cottage Handbook No.2 Preserves.  Flicking through it I am making a mental note to myself to purchase fruits that are on special, ahh that creative gene is tickling me.  At the back of the book it has a list of some food festivals including a Citrus Fruit Festival - for marmalade's held in Cumbria.  That sounds interesting, I have never been to Cumbria I don't think. 

I tried to give my neighbour a jar of my marmalade which she was about to take until I mentioned that it was grapefruit at which point she steped back said that she couldn't have it as she was on Statins for her heart.  It turns out that there is something in grapefruit that interferes with the Statins so I made her treacle bread instead.

Why am I like that?

Why I can't follow instructions I'll never know.  I had a look on google to see where I went wrong with my marmalade and strangely enough its down to the fact that I didn't put the pith and pips into a muslin bag and in with the other ingredients that the marmalade didn't work.  It's not that the recipe didn't tell me to do that, its just that I didn't have any muslin and I wasn't aware that that's where all the pectin is.  Given that I am now fully clued up I shall be trying it again tomorrow and all going well I will have something to show for my effort.  My breads are driving me crazy at the moment too.  I can't wait to go on my bread making course in November and get some of my questions answered.  I should write the questions down so I don't forget.

It finally looks like the weather is on the turn and thanks goodness for that.  It all feels very odd to be considering sunblock in the middle of October.  And as the man in the garage said - 'it should be snowing by the end of October' - I wouldn't be at all surprised!

Grapefruit Marmalade

 Grapefruit Marmalade NOT!

And I was so looking forward to enjoying my marmalade it tasted so nice.  I had reduced it to the required level prior to putting in the sugar but once I had added the sugar it didn't get to the jammy stage quick enough as per the recipe, so i cooked it some more and then some more and then I it burnt!  Dame shame and what a waste.  Of course my next problem is how to get rid of it, old cat food tins will have to do wrapped in a plastic bag as not to completely destroy the grey bin if it all leaks.  Well onwards and upwards I'm going to give it another bash later in the week - 3 grapefruit for £1 @ Sainsburys that and a bit of googling to make sure I get it right this time.

Something that I am finding out about writing my blog as I read other peoples, is that you really can write about almost anything.  From what happened to your eyebrows at the beauticians to the sandwiches you make your children.  The reason I mention eyebrows is due to the fact that mine got dyed black today when they should have been brown and am now looking abit edgy but not in a good way.

Driving me crazy

Ahhh, my kids just drive me crazy.  I spent 5 hours in the kitchen yesterday making 4 hour lamb with white beans, only to be told that 'you know we don't like stews' before even trying it.  Turning their noses up, the cheek.  Obviously this is the rod I have made for my own back over the years, giving into their demands, trying to make them happy.  Firstly that lamb cost a small fortune, then there's my time and effort thinking I'm making a lovely Sunday dinner for my family.  It's a good job that the husband loves his meat whatever form it comes in otherwise I'd be lost!

Tonight myself and my friend are going to be trying out our menu for the Livingstone Supperclub.  So I need to make some fruit bread to go with the pate & pesto I made over the weekend.  I also need to source some pumpkins for the soup and perhaps some olive crackers to go.  Even before the day has really started I can see it not going my way.  The Girl needs collecting from school at around 6pm, Anne is arriving at about 7.30pm so if the Girl ends up being late arriving to school that might throw me right out of sync.  I think I drive myself crazy more than the kids do.

That Monday Feeling

Jose's Lamb Albondigas - very tasty.

The start of another week and I am happy to report that a successful dinner party was had over the weekend.  I have no pictures to show for it as I was so busy cooking I didn't have time but everything got eaten and second and third helpings were had.  Everyone happily hovered down the spicy popcorn but the radish's not so much.  Gizzi's chicken curry and the Rajasthani lamb went down a storm and my chapati's looked authentic and tasted great.  The potato curry ended up looking a bit grey after I added the coconut milk in so that may have put people off having too much of it.  To finish off the evening we played Beat the Intro on the turn table, brains V ipod with our selection of 80's albums.  The brains had it almost every time.  All in all a great night.

On Sunday the freezer needed defrosting and has needed it for some time.  The trouble of course with defrosting the freezer is the waste it causes i.e. the things I will plan to make with the defrosted bits but then forget or the things that need to be thrown out because they have defrosted like spring rolls.  With so much to do and so little time I am trying not to waste any of the meat, I am in the process of making chicken soup for tomorrow with the chicken wings.  Leafing through cookbooks for ideas for the duck breast.  And a Jose Pizaro recipe for the lamb mince 'Albondigas and skinny chips'.  I also have 2 pots of chicken liver, the question is how long does chicken liver pate last once made?  Brilliant idea, I will make one for us and one for our neighbour, they'll eat it.  Perhaps I'll make some bread to go with it.
Pre-cooked lobster - wasted - although it has been in there for an awfully long time.
Cooked chickpeas - wasted - took 5 hurs to cook as per recipe, not sure it was worth the bother.
Homemade puff pastry - wasted
Bits of bread - that can go to the birds so not wasted.
Spring rolls - wasted
Homemade pasta sauce - not sure how long it was in there, so not really wasted as it might make us ill.
Bits of ice-cream - wasted - but would probably never be eaten.