Besides the finger numbing painfully cold weather, I love being in Scotland around the start of the year as the Scots really know how to celebrate.  Not only do they bring in the New Year, or Hogmanay as it is called there, with great style but only a few short weeks later they are back partying hard celebrating the life and works of their most famous poet, Robert Burns. These events obviously all require copious amounts of whisky which is why this postcard recipe shows you how to make the most stupendous whisky sour cocktail.  Perfect to start your evening in style or for when you can’t drink any more neat.

My New Year started by travelling to as far North as you can go whilst staying on the mainland to cook for a delightful group. The epic scenery on the way up was sadly lost on me as it was pitch black and as I headed into the wilderness the snow began to attack my windscreen, making driving rather challenging.  Luckily the 4×4 had more confidence than me on the icy forgotten roads of the highlands so I boldly pushed on.  After 1 ½ hours of driving without seeing another soul on the road, and the fact I could not get a signal for any radio station, not even a Gaelic one which although utterly baffling would have seemed delightful company,  the voice of doubt began to get louder.  “You cannot be going the right way!”.  I zoomed out to check the wider surrounding area on my faithful companion – a tomtom sat nav… there was not another road for miles around so chances were, yes I was on the right road.   Eventually I came across a signpost signalling the start of a town or village, hurrah I thought I can ask someone there. The ‘town or village; turned out to be one house. In complete darkness.  I kept going.  Next I drove past 5 stags in a lay by ( stagging?) which for some  reason lifted the spirits knowing I wasn’t the only living thing out on the moor that night.

I did of course eventually reach the remote lodge and ice skated to the door with my red suitcase.  When the sun came up the next day I discovered I had arrived at one of the most stunning landscapes on earth.

Part of the reason Hogmanay ( New Year) is celebrated with such gusto in Scotland is that Christmas was effectively cancelled by the Presbyterian Church there for about 400 years and only became a recognised holiday again as recently as 1958.  This all kicked off when Cromwell banned the celebration in 1647 but even when the ban was lifted in England after his demise, the Scottish Presbyterian church decided they would continue to abstain from the celebration due to its Catholic overtones.  This led to a much greater emphasis  being put on Hogmanay.

As with any great celebration the run up and rituals are very much all part of the fun.  Firstly on the days up to it you are meant to get on with ‘redding the house’.  This is an exciting word for… clean.  So far, not much fun I confess, but stay with me as the whisky part starts soon. Once the ‘hoose’ (house) is clean and the ashes have been cleared from the hearth you can wander round the house with a smoking juniper bush warding off evil spirits and keeping illness at bay.  You are also meant to clear all debts before midnight strikes so you can start the new year with a clean slate all round.

When the bell chimes midnight, first footing begins. This is where you toddle off round all your neighbours houses bringing gifts, traditionally like shortbread, coal or black bun ( a hearty fruit cake) and in return there is usually  a warm welcome and a wee dram of whisky.  In an ideal world the first guest to cross your threshold should be a tall and dark haired man as this will bring you luck for the year to come (an excellent tradition to start I must say).   Sadly if a fair haired lad enters first it is bad luck and if it’s a woman with ginger hair it’s even worse.  Perhaps this superstition is a result of when red heads were believed to be witches, werewolves and vampire and clearly before we had all fallen in love with the likes of  Amy Adams, Emma Stone, Prince Harry and Bendict Cumberbatch.  (Yes Mr C is a natural red head).

The celebrations of partying and fireworks  in Edinburgh are world renowned and if you have never seen the Stonehaven fire-ball swinging I will not be offended if you immediately open a new tab to check it out on You tube. ….

Impressive don’t you think?!

The town of Biggar to the south of Edinburgh should also be mentioned as for hundreds of years they have lit a bonfire in the high street to welcome in the New Year.  Even during the war, when bright lights were strictly forbidden, they continued the tradition by lighting a candle under a bucket so as not to attract the attention of enemy aircraft.  Nowadays the town is back in full swing and spends days building a massive bonfire.  In fact it has now got so big that all the shops within 30 meters of the blaze gets a free repaint  by the town each year if they get singed.

Midnight all over Scotland will be the signal to drink more whisky and start singing ‘Auld Lang Syne’ which brings me to the next glorious Scottish celebration, Burns Night.

In my experience this has always been a whisky fun fuelled evening full of song, dance, food and poetry.  If you have been to one and it wasn’t then you weren’t doing it right.

The evening celebrates the life and works of  Scotland’s most famous poet, Robert Burns,

The evening begins by the guests being led into the candle lit dining room by a kilt clad piper. The host will give the welcome and grace is said before the first course begins.  Generally a soup like Cullen skink (smoked haddock and potato), or cock- a- leekie, leeks, chicken and barley is served.

My Cullen Skink recipe can be found on The Field website

Next comes a truly theatrical moment where the host performs ‘Address to A Haggis’, a poem by Burns, praising the Scottish culinary triumph.  Now some believe the haggis is a creature that lives on the Scottish hills  that  has two legs shorter than the others to stop it tumbling down… it is of course in fact a pudding filled with sheep’s pluck (heart, lungs, liver) oats, spices and onion.  Although unlikely to ever win first prize in a beauty contest it is however truly delicious.  Now if you get a choice, try not to sit too close to the person delivering this ode as in my experience you tend to get literally showered in enthusiasm.

Before, during and at the end of the poem more whisky is generally drunk and then the haggis is tucked in to traditionally with neeps (sweeds) and tatties ( mashed potatoes).

Dessert is often a cranachan or tipsy laird, both variations of boozy, creamy trifles. The feast ends with Cheese and oat cakes then the ‘Immortal Memory’ is said.  This is a combination of poetry or songs by Burns complemented by a tale about his life and work, and yes at this point more whisky is drunk. Scotland by the way makes incredible cheese that are well worth hunting down.  These are some of my favourites at the moment:

Isle of Mull, a full flavoured cheddar style cheese.

Connage Gouda and Dunlop, both made near Inverness by Connage dairy,  where the cows get to graze overlooking  some epic scenery.

Bonnet, a mild goats hard cheese from Ayshire

Whisky by the way goes surprisingly well with cheese.

Next on the agenda is a friendly battle of the sexes as both sides take in turn to give a speech in the ‘Toast to the Lassies’ and ‘Reply to the Laddies’ section of the evening.

No whisky is drunk in the next part of the evening where more of Burns great works are said and sung ( only joking of course more whisky is drunk) and the floor is opened out to guests to share some more Burns or a piece from their native lands.

The evening ends with a vote of thanks, a standing rendition of Auld Lang Syne ( complete with complicated hand holding) and the start of a hangover.

For this postcard recipe I want to share with you how to make the perfect whisky sour.  I confess I’ve made and drunk a few to bring you this perfect version.

Next stop ….. Singapore.

Whisky Sour, straight up.

Serves 2

75ml / 3 parts Whisky (I love Famous Grouse Smoky Black as its smoky but doesn’t feel like sacrilege mixing it in a cocktail.)

50ml / 2 parts Lemon juice

25ml 1 part Sugar syrup

1 Egg White

Dash of angostura bitters

2 maraschino cherries skewered on a cocktail stick.

Place your stem glasses in the freezer to get very cold

Place the whisky, lemon, sugar syrup in a cocktail shaker with 6 cubes of ice then add the egg white.

Shake vigorously for 15 seconds.

Strain into your chilled glasses, going back and forth between the two rather than filling one then the other.  Take the lid off the shaker to top off with the foamy head.

Top off with 3 drops of angostura and a maraschino cherry

F.Y.I. In my experience the only place that makes a whisky sour almost as good as the ones made at home is the American bar at the Savoy Hotel.

The post Whisky Sour Recipe appeared first on Philippa Davis.

Did you have a very merry Christmas? I do hope so. Mine was spent nestled in Dorset trying to work my way through a leg of local ham, a fridge filled with cheese, the House of Cards box set and my favourite Gin. All of which I did exceedingly well. I am however a firm believer in the importance and benefit of a balanced diet so I also consumed a lot of clementine’s and winter kale. I admit one of which mostly in cocktails…no doubt you can guess which.  Although you never know as alarmingly on a recent visit to a bar  in London and they tried to convince me their avocado margarita was the next best thing.

Balancing out the cutthroat viciousness of Washington politics I also binged on a large helping of Nigellas cooking shows. I tell you, that woman uses almost as much butter as me!

My December was also a happy balance of weekends cooking in large country houses, warmed with log fires, Aga’s and spaniels and trips home to party and feast with family and friends.

Cooking at home gave me a great opportunity to taste and champion some of my amazing local produce from the West Country. I got to try the first release from Dorset’s now third producer of sparkling wine, D’Urberville Vineyards, which although still young shows very exciting potential. Dorset has south facing chalky slopes, geologically the same as found in the champagne region, which is partly why our bubbles are so bloody good!

We made a dent in the ½ Gotland hogget I bought from one of my favourite farmers, Malcolm Seal of Thunderbolt Farm.   Hogget, is the meat from a sheep that is between one and two years old.  It’s no less tender than lamb but it has a much more complex flavour as has had the time to graze on delicious grass and pasture.

Then we also welcomed Cornish Kern onto our cheeseboard, which has just been voted the world’s best cheese at the Cheese Awards. It was delicious and well worth trying if you can get hold of it. Expect long nutty with sweet notes and a satisfying crystal texture. Augmenting it with our home made medlar jelly which, although not award winning, was a worthy companion and added to the occasion. I am ashamed to admit that continuous travel and the excitement of pastures new sometimes makes me forget the impressive ingredients to be found just outside my own door.

The above is Kentucky Fried Pheasant, the perfect way to serve it to pheasant virgins.

I’ve noticed when cooking for jobs at this time of year whether they are long weekend house parties, one off dinner parties or big Christmas parties they require extra thought and organisation. Shops always are super busy, supplies often low and fellow shoppers not at their most cheerful. It’s also all too easy to get over excited when it comes to deciding what and how much to eat.  When planning menus I of course find myself naturally drawn to winter comfort foods and festive treats, I mean who’s mouth honestly doesn’t start to water at the thought of fridges and larders groaning with edible delights. No one feels great however after several days of continuous over indulging. Increasingly I’ve noticed people like to tuck into piles of greens and vegetables and love any interesting seasonal salads that accompanies the main event. My most popular one at the moment seems to be a honey roasted root vegetable salad with lots of soft herbs, toasted seeds and a really good sherry vinegar, apple and mustard dressing. That said it is all about balance so spiced ginger cakes, roast ribs of beef and comforting pies and tarts are still devoured.

With New Year celebrations creeping up quick on Christmas’s heal it can seem like the never-ending party. Now is totally the time to get experimental with your left overs to make sure nothing goes to waste with the added bonus you don’t have to face the shops and although its been said many times, many ways, get as much sleep as possible and drink lots of water, it really does help you to feel functional.

Once you have had your dose of water, sleep and feel ready for action again try this postcard’s recipe, which is definitely in the spirit of Christmas. Well two spirits actually. Firstly rum, which gives the cocktail a warm, spiced edge and secondly rye which adds a vanilla and oaky twist. Both of which are guaranteed to make even Scrooge merry.

A huge thankyou to you all for following and sharing my culinary adventures and I wish you all a very Happy New Year.

(This bespoke jumpsuit is made by a very exciting emerging talent in the British fashion industry Emily Bowers  – Clark, )

This week

Clementine’s eaten: 27

Clementine’s drunk: 32

Strawberry flavoured quality street left: all of them

I’m driving : a reindeer

Every home should have: a bottle of Dorset’s new sparkling wine D’Urberville

Rum, rye and clementine sour

A delicious cocktail is a brilliant way to get the party started/ keep the party going and keep every one in a merry mood. Seasonal additions are a fun twist and in this drinks case the clementine juice is a much needed source of vitamin C to help keep the winter lurgies at bay….OK who am I kidding drinking this cocktail is not really going to help with that but it defiantly tastes great!

Serves 2

2 limes, juice only

2 clementine’s, juice only

2 shots rye

2 shots rum

1 shot sugar syrup

1 egg white

ice

a sprinkle of ground cinnamon

Place your cocktail glasses in the freezer

Pour into a cocktail shaker the lime and clementine’s juice, rye, rum, sugar syrup and egg white, Place the lid on and shake vigorously for 30 seconds.

Add a handful of ice and shake again – shaking with out ice first seems to give a better head.

Strain into your cocktail glasses (filled with fresh ice if you want a longer drink) and top with the egg foam. Sprinkle with cinnamon and drink. Guaranteed instant merriness.

Next Stop…the North of Scotland!

The post Rum, Rye and clementine sour appeared first on Philippa Davis.

Doping, prima donna like behaviour, wild drunken nights out and faking injuries aside I am always totally in ore of what training and lifestyles sports people put themselves through. (I feel free to say this as I have very few sports clients – even less after this blog post…).

One of my latest jobs took me to Toulouse then across towards the Pyrenees to cook for a group who thought it would be fun in their spare time to cycle three cols of the Pyrenees, part of the cycle route of Tour de France. Yes that’s the really tough looking steep rocky mountain parts, super tough and even more so in the heat. Again I was totally impressed though totally unmoved to try anything like that myself. My challenge was to keep them well-fed and watered pre, during and post cycle … which is not without its logistical challenges and also requires stamina and much planning.

Working out banana intake for a group of serious cyclists for three days is not something Google has an answer for.

The Pyrenees according to Greek mythology was named after Pyrenne ( meaning fire) a rather attractive daughter of a Mediterranean king. Whilst Hercules was performing his labours he accepted hospitality from the king but took rather more, in the shape of his daughter Pyrenne.

The unfortunate Pyrenne ends up giving birth to a snake and fleeing in fear to the woods where she is attacked and killed by wild animals. Hercules upon finding her body is filled with shame and remorse and piles rocks on her as a tomb. Obviously, in Hercules like fashion, these rocks are so big and many they form what today is known as the Pyranees.

The first Tour de France was staged in 1903 and just for your interest, before I get back to the food part of this post, there was drug taking back then in the form of strychnine and alcohol, to help participants get through the pain. Though after WW1 alcohol was said to be purer than water as many of the water tables and pipes had been destroyed or polluted so they probably had the right idea.

My cyclists addictive substances came in the form of sugar and I was asked to make sure there was plenty of it…

As the athletes arrived the days before they were fed with the usual potatoes, pasta and slow releasing carbs like sweet potato and brown rice. As the temperatures were reaching a barmy 35 °C there was much chat at how much water should be drunk.

On average they say now that men should drink 3.7 litres and women 2.7 l but if depends on how activate you are, general health and how hot it is. The best guide apparently to tell if you are drinking enough is to check the colour of your pee – its should be a light lemonade colour (the home made stuff rather than the scary mass processed one). If you find it tough to drink enough water remember it can be consumed via fruits and vegetables (watermelon, tomatoes, cucumber and celery being particularly high in it) and yes generally it is believed tea and coffee can count. Alcohol… maybe not so much so but I had come up with a cheeky solution for that little problem.

The night before the big ride the group were taking it all very seriously having done a warm up bike ride, checked their wheeled steeds and got all their lycra ready for the early off. I was also getting ready for an early start (4 am) to prepare their packed breakfasts, bike ride snacks and victory ride home sustenance.

As it was going to be particularly hot day they had been advised to drink at least 8 litres each during the day to keep hydrated which looked an impossible amount of water when all lined up. They were also advised to hydrate well before the day ( our bodies are 60%) so in order to help I swapped the pre dinner cocktails with water. The crowds were hardly high fiving me for it but no doubt appreciated it by the second col the next day. I did however chop some apple and spike it with a few sprigs on mint to jazz it up a bit (wild I know but some food bloggers write whole posts about that kind of exciting stuff).

For the celebratory dinner when the athletes returned we had a Mexican style feast along with a few canapés and most importantly cocktails to start. Still anxious to make sure their water intake was as it should be and just as keen to make them some of my current favourite cocktail the Daiquiri I decided to use watermelon in it to create a happy compromise. A watermelon is made of a refreshing 90 % water and rum is…. well rum is delicious so it was win win and yellow shirts for everyone! Or maybe more watercolour red ones, which are for those in the Tour de France, who have shown combative riding and look like they have put in a few decent attacks throughout the day.

This week

Bananas eaten 84

Water drunk: not sure and I didn’t like to ask about peoples pee

I’m driving: a citron… so French!

Every home should have: a bike (riding them over mountains optional)

Watermelon Daiquiri

The daiquiri is highly likely to have originated in Cuba, an area with conveniently plenty of rum and limes, around the 1890’s. American enginer Jennings cox was said to have ran out of gin to top up his punch in the middle of a party so out came the rum. The well received new drink was named after the nearby port in Cuba where the Americans first invaded in the Spanish American war, Daiquirí.

In the 1920s in Havana in a bar named Floridita the bar man whizzed ice through the daiquiri creating the frozen daiquiri which became one of Hemingway’s top tipple choice, although in true Hemingway style he asked for the sugar to be omitted and rum doubled.

This is a starting point for ratios as everyone has their own preferences on sugar and alcohol strength.

makes 2

300ml watermelon juice ( about two big slices deseeded and whizzed up)

2 limes  – juice only 

2 Dsp. caster sugar

80ml white rum

8 ice cubes

mint to garish ( or slices or lime or extra watermelon ) 

Whizz the watermelon, sugar, lime juice and rum. 

Taste and adjust as preferred. 

Pour into a tall chilled glass filled with ice then top with mint. 

Next stop … Boston.

The post Watermelon Daiquiri appeared first on Philippa Davis.

Armed with my lists, menus, timings, recipes, dietary requirement sheets and suitcase of red aprons I was totally ready for this job. Five days of feasting and festivities for 20 people heading to the ice blue skies and rustic, rural, rolling landscape of South west France.   I was prepared for the fast and furious few days I knew it was going to be but the one big problem was… there was no one there to pick me out from Toulouse airport.

I rang the number of the contact I was given and was told by a grumpy French man that I had the wrong one. Texting base to enquire a bit more about who I was looking out for I was told he was very French, medium height, suave looking and around 50. Looking around arrivals there were about twenty men who fitted this description (worse case scenario I guess I could have gone round them all to see if they were waiting for a chef sent to cook Christmas dinner but I deduced this probably wasn’t wise).

“There are about 20 of those !” I texted back.

“….. he is afraid of cows, you could try mooing ?”

“mmmm… I think not…” maybe I will start asking.

Spared at the eleventh hour by a text with his exact location with suitcase in tow  I speedily wheeled my way to meet him. First part of the mission accomplished we now had to go and do the big shop. He cheerfully told me that he had never had to shop in his life before and under no circumstance was I to tell his wife about what I was about to make him do.

Ignoring his raised brow and tuting at my insistence at getting two massive trollies I boldly strode into the supermarket to start my Dasher round… There would be no time for shopping once the job had begun so it all had to be got now and I knew that would take at least two and a half hours. Realising I had to keep him sweet if we were to survive this ordeal I sent him off to choose some wine for mulling and charcuterie and cheese. I was greatly relived that by the time we had got to the end of the list and had successfully negotiated the check out that  patience and moral was still intact (mine, his, the cashiers and other shoppers – waiting for multiple over flowing trollies to check out for some reason in France is really not appreciated). Car jammed full we headed back to base to get cracking.

As it was to be a big weekend communication was of up most importance so we set up the ‘Jingle belle’ messaging logistics and action team. Our Jingle Belle leader had gone impressively all out with sourcing Christmas decorations. Whilst rolling out the mince pies and whipping up the first batch of brandy butter in the kitchen the stash of decorations were brought through the kitchen each more glorious and dazzling than the next. Tinsel, wreathes, meters and meters of lights, table glitter, candles, sparkling table runners, live camels 😉  and perfect bunches of mistletoe and holly all came through  –  I had more boxes than I could ever dream of to play with to decorate the tables!

Christmas decorations I am well aware are a great matter of personal taste, some go for the tasteful ideal home look, some let the kids have carte blanche on the putting up (or sneakily taking down depending on their age and enthusiasm) and some go for the all out kitsch approach. I love it all ! Though personally at home I still have a thing for gold-sprayed small dinosaurs.

With the Christmas tunes on and someone revealing themselves to be quite the Dancer, the kitchen was a solid hive of activity, fun and a few challenges. Excited children running through every five minutes, a stone coloured dog on a stone coloured floor that encouraged me to make Prancer like moves every time I went to the oven, an impressive list of dietary requirements that made menu planning like an advanced Sudoku puzzle and at one point we even had a power cut, raw Brussel sprout salad anyone? Actually I have a very nice cranberry, chestnut and raw Brussels sprout with clementine dressing Christmas salad recipe.

There was an impressive fashion show of Christmas jumpers including ones with Christmas puddings, snowman, sparkly trees and a rather foxy Vixen. During the days of feasting there were dumpling stews, honey roast hams, pasta bake, risottos, pies, steamed puddings, two roast turkeys and some punchy Christmas cocktails that could make you see Comets!

The top cocktail that seemed to be embraced with Cupid like love by the group was our twist on the champagne Cocktail which has made it as this weeks postcard recipe. Taking into consideration our location I replaced the brandy part with Armagnac and to give it a festive twist rubbed the sugar cube on clementine’s. Served with warm cheese swirls they were delicious and I have to say very classy (the absolute antithesis of a Jager bomb and a Donner Kebab).

Another part of the Christmas I really enjoyed was being given their family recipes to use for the traditional Turkey feast particularly the chestnut and breadcrumb stuffing, even though I had to stand there for quite a while Blitzen the bread in order to get the right consistency.

By the time the weekend was over everyone was really well fed, watered and festivised, my job was done and it was time for me to fly…

This week

Mince pies made 94

Brandy butter: 1.250 kilo

Clementine’s Ive eaten: 153 ( not joking I can not get enough of them)

Christmas Kitsch love: 100 %

Reindeer in blog : all 9

Champagne Armagnac Cocktail

Makes 8

8 white sugar cubes

2 washed and dried clementine’s

16 drops angostura bitters

200ml Armagnac

1 bottle of very cold champagne

Rub all sides of the sugar cubes on the clementine’s to release the citrus scent, carefully drop on a dash of angostura bitters (I admit I find this bit tricky as the pourer and I do not get on well) and place the cube in the bottom of a flute.

Add 25 ml Armagnac to each glass (clearly if you want a merrier Christmas feel free to add a larger dash) then top with the very chilled champagne. Serve straight away.

Next stop Flying home for Christmas!

(Though as Rudolf is currently busy it will have to be Easy Jet sorting the transport).

The post Recipe | Christmas Champagne Cocktail appeared first on Philippa Davis.

Wishing you a very merry Christmas…

Dear All,

I hope you are feeling super festive and are already in the full swing of Christmas. Here in the West country the fires are lit, the music is on and preparations are well under way in the kitchen.

Thank you all for sharing this year’s adventures and recipes with me and for all your lovely responses and comments to the postcard recipes.

For my short but sweet (like lark the Papillon below) Christmas blog I would like to share with you a warming festive cocktail that makes a delicious alternative to mulled wine.

I hope you all have a very merry and delicious Christmas and I very much look forward to sharing more postcard recipes and adventures in what looks like is going to be a very exciting 2016…

Lots of love

Philippa x

Mulled cider with cinnamon and sloe gin

Serves 4 large glasses

500 ml cider

250 ml best quality apple juice

1/2 apple lightly studied with 15 cloves

½ apple cored and cut into small chunks

10 cardamom pods lightly crushed

4 cinnamon sticks

1   – 4 dsp. honey

2 clementines sliced

3 cm ginger peeled and finely grated

250ml sloe gin

In a saucepan bring everything apart from the sloe gin to a simmer, cook for 5 minutes then turn off the heat.

Add the sloe gin.

Serve in large cups with pieces of the fruit and a cinnamon stick to garnish.

Next stop, New year in Val d’Isère…

The post Recipe | Mulled cider with cinnamon and sloe gin appeared first on Philippa Davis.

An accent waiting to happen.

I just can’t help myself. Whenever I hear an accent I naturally seem to try and copy it. Last week I was in Dublin giving a cookery class and whipping up a birthday supper for a group of friends and family. Having spent a fair bit of time in an around Dublin (and having spent much of my childhood larking around on the stage) I found myself all too quickly slipping back into the lyrical accent and starting to use numerous fun expressions the Irish are so fond of.  This of course is fine except I find the Irish accent (or my version of one) particularly sticks with me for a couple of weeks after exposure so when I returned home my sister, who has some training in sociolinguistics, instantly picked up that I had been in Ireland. Though in a way I was pleased, as at least she didn’t ask from the way I spoke if I had just returned from Wales

The cookery class was for a group of 10 female friends who were all rather experienced in the kitchen and were mostly looking for new inspiration. Throughout the day we whizzed up many dishes and talked through various techniques. This was in-between everyone chipping in with stories and catching up on news. I had forgotten how many conversations begin with,

“ You know your man….” And then proceed really speedily with the story.

Of course if you don’t know whom ‘ your man’ is referring to, one can feel rather lost. Also if there are about 6 stories about various “man’s “ going on, pretty much simultaneously, you can feel completely bewildered, as I did about half way through the day. However we were all having a good time and the cooking was going ‘grand’ so I decided not to worry.

The birthday dinner, which was the take place in the same kitchen, was to be a relaxed affair. Canapés and cocktails to start then a sharing main course and dessert to finish. The cocktail, this postcards recipe, is my current favourite and I totally urge you to give it a go, especially as we swing into the festive party season.

No sooner though had I felt myself getting back into the Dublin vibe it was time to pack my bags, hop back across the Irish Sea and begin the journey north to Perthshire.

This week

Every home should have: a boiling water tap.

Times ‘T’anks a million’s “ was said : a million

Candles blown out: too discreet to say.

I’m reading: I am Malala

Creatures I have been compared to: an octopus and a panther (!?).

Hunters delight – Mezcal, gin hibiscus, lime and fizz cocktail

A friend who has just returned form Mexico bearing gifts is the inspiration for this new party piece. Mezcal is similar to tequila but has a wonderful smoky flavour. The hibiscus flowers are mostly used to make lemonade out there but as she handed them to me with a twinkle in her eye she suggested I would probably think of something else to do with them…

300ml Mezcal or tequila chilled

300ml Gin chilled

1 x bottle Prosecco or cava chilled

1 small handful of dried Hibiscus flowers

300g White Sugar

200ml water

5 x Limes, zest and juice. Plus 6 thin round slices.

Serve 6 coups (or 2 with guaranteed top ups)

In a pan heat the sugar, water, the lime zest and hibiscus flowers, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 mins. Leave to cool then strain (keep the flowers for decoration) and pop in the fridge till chilled. Once cool stir in the lime juice.

To serve mix equal parts gin, mescal and the lime/hibiscus syrup and fill the coups 1/3 full.

Top with prosecco and decorate with a hibiscus flower and slice of lime.

Next postcard from Perth’s weekend pheasant shoot..

The post Recipe | Hunters Delight appeared first on Philippa Davis.

Out of the woods….

Confused by which way to head in 2015 ? No one more so than this pheasant…

I found myself whirling from 2014 into 2015.  I was cooking up in Scotland for a Hogmanay celebration for about 25 guests.  With the help of a sensational sidekick we conjured up feast after feast.  Curry nights, Middle Eastern table spreads, hearty lunches, big breakfasts, game pies and decadent afternoon teas.  The group threw themselves into their weeks celebrations with shooting days, mammoth walks, ceilidhs nights and by even having a piper lead them into supper.

I am delighted to say the job also gave me some record breaking statistics for my ‘this weeks’ section (see below) as well as a stunning setting to see the old year out and welcome the new one in.

Having cooked a lot of game over the last couple of months I have to say I feel a tinge of sadness as the season comes to a close.  Grouse are well ‘out of the woods’, as their season closes early December with some of the more Northern Scottish estates ending it even earlier as frankly no matter how much of an enthusiast  its just too darn cold to stand out on a moor and wait for a bird to fly your way in November or December. Partridge and pheasant still have to be wary but by the 31st they too can sleep sound at night.

You may be thinking that I will wistfully be giving you a game recipe for this postcard…

but I have a far more important list of ingredients to share with you.

I have noticed a trend that seems to have caught on in every house I visited lately and unfortunately it’s not a good one.  Colds, lurgies, coughs and fevers seem to be rife with some places sounding more like infirmaries than households!

So to battle this I decided my first recipe for 2015 should be a juice to help set you all back on track.  Packed full of fruits, vegetables and herbs that will help reboot the system, perhaps not the drink that you were hoping to celebrate the start of the year with but remember it will do you the power of good.

 You can now follow me on instagram by searching for phollowphilippa as well as twitter @phollowphilippa

New Year Job:

306 eggs (yes really)

41 packs of butter (ditto)

Percentage of ‘Auldlang syne’ choruses sang in tune: 50%

Pints of cream used:14

Pipers left to pay : 0

Fire alarms set off: 2

Last year;

Different beds slept in: 32

Food Markets visited: 23

Culinary Triumph :Verveine  cream

Culinary Disaster : gluten free scone attempt

Total numberof fire alarms set off : 4

Toothbrushes left behind : 0

Reboot juice

Serves 2

 Small bunch of Parsley stalks (loads of vitamins and may act as an antiseptic for teeth and gum disease)

50 g Watercress (helps with a healthy complexion)

2 Apples (boosts your immune system)

2 sticks of Celery (soothes the nerves)

2 large peeled Carrots (helps to regulate blood sugar and boost the immune system)

1 finger of Ginger (anti-inflammatory )

40g white cabbage (lowers cholesterol)

Put everything through the juicer and drink straight away and I admit it may not be the tastiest thing you drink this January or the most attractive but it will do you good so get juicing and ‘bottoms up’!

Next stop…. Dublin

The post Recipe|Re-boot juice appeared first on Philippa Davis.

Merry Christmas…

Well I hope you are in the full swing of Christmas.

Down in Dorset the cocktails have started (the sun goes past the yard arm rather early on the 25th) and I thought as a Christmas present to you all and to help it be even more merry I would share this festive cocktail.

Thank you all so much for following my adventures and recipes throughout the year and I wish you a very Merry Christmas

Lots of love

Philippa x

Sloe Gin Fizz

sloe gin

chilled fizz

Add one part sloe gin to 4 parts fizz.

The post Recipe | Sloe Gin Fizz appeared first on Philippa Davis.

 Paris, the city of light, love and lunch…

I confess the trip to Paris was a jolly.  It involved lots of walking to counter balance the lots of eating that always happens when I take a sojourn.  Fortunately  it is a very charming city to take a stroll around so it all worked out rather well.

 Besides being completely romanced by the bridges, grand buildings and general Parisian chic my ever lasting memory will be my final lunch there.   I had already consumed steaks, duck legs, oysters, calves kidneys, rabbit stew, veal chops, and the odd croissant, all of which were fine.  The Breton galette though on the last day….. now that was special.

Galettes are made from buckwheat flour which any gluten and / or wheat intolerant readers will be pleased to know is not actually a wheat.  It is in fact a seed and the plant is related to rhubarb and sorrel.  The flour has an extraordinary scent, like a snapped stalk or the freshly broken pea pod.  Galettes are traditionally from Brittany and only have savoury fillings such as cheese, ham and egg yolk.  My Galette in Paris had smoked herring, caviar, potato and sour cream and was SO good especially accompanied by some Breton Cider.

For this postcard I HAD to try making my own galettes at home. I chose some seasonal fillings of asparagus and wild garlic which fits perfectly as their spring like flavours are allowed to shine through.  As it is traditional just to use just the egg yolk, and there is nothing worse than food waste, I thought I would also give you a recipe to use up the egg white.  A seasonal Rhubarb Gin fizz cocktail that should solve the problem and make a delightful start to any spring party.  

Next I am off to Wiltshire where I am looking forward to cooking some delicious local pork as well using up some of the rhubarb that is flourishing in the garden.

Asparagus and wild garlic galette

makes about 6

Pancake Batter

250g Buckwheat flour

400ml  – 500ml water

good pinch of salt

150 ml cider

5  – 6 tsp buttter

Filling

1 handful of wilted wild garlic

10 spears of asparagus, prepped, blanched and sliced lengthways

150 g gruyere cheese

a free range yolk for each pancake

Method

1) In a bowl pour the cider then water into the flour while whisking.  You want the constancy of double cream. Keep whisking once combined for a few more minutes as apparently this helps  the mix hold together.

2)Leave to rest for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.

3)Heat a crepe pan or large non stick frying pan so really hot.  Add a small tsp of butter.  It will brown but this is a delicious wanted flavour.

4) Add a ladle of batter and drag it round the pan.  It should be thinnish and slightly lacy.

5)  Once it has started to go brown and crispy flip it over.  Add a thin sprinkling of grated gruyere cheese, a little wild garlic, a few sliced asparagus spears  and the egg yolk.

6)Once the other side is cooked fold in the sides to create a square.  Then eat.

My galette in Paris was from Briezh Cafe and now appears on my edible map France/ Paris/where to eat section.

Rhubarb Ramos Gin Fizz

A traditional Ramos gin fizz was said to be shaken for 12 minutes.  I wouldn’t go quite so far as to insist on  this but it does need a good old shake and it is excellent exercise for the arms.

 1 part gin

1 part lemon juice

2 parts rhubarb syrup ( you will need rhubarb/caster sugar and water)

1 egg white

2 handfulls ice

2 good splashes of soda water

1)To make the rhubarb syrup bring to a simmer 1 part water to 1 part caster sugar. Add 1 or 2 sticks of chopped rhubarb for about 150 g sugar) and  cook till soft.  Leave to cool with the rhubarb in the syrup then drain retaining the syrup.  ( Eat the rhubarb)

2)Shake everything apart from the soda water in a sealable jar or cocktail shaker.  This may take a couple of minutes but you want the egg white to form a thick foam.

3) Serve with a sprig of mint and a good splash of soda water.

The post Recipe | Asparagus and Wild Garlic Galette AND a Rhubarb Ramos Gin Fizz appeared first on Philippa Davis.

A  bonnie trip……

I knew I had reached West Coast  Scotland. Sun, rain and mist battled to be the prevailing weather, all within ten minutes. Dark and glistening burns tore through the moody purple heather that carpeted the craggy rocks and my mobile phone signal became as rare and elusive as a golden eagle.

My destination was the Isle of Skye, one of Scotland’s most stunning west coast islands. A place brimming with opportunity to do strenuous activities such as walking, climbing, fishing and boating – I just came for the food.  There were several renowned restaurants that I had been longing to try and the local venison, scallops and wild mushrooms had been begging me to eat them. The trip also provided the opportunity for me to visit my first whisky distillery.

I will try and write about the process of whisky making but it is hard to relay the truly magical bits to you.  The Goliath noise the handsome machinery makes when grinding the malted barley into grist, the divinely scented warm air that fills the factory as the brewing process begins or the excitement of watching the bubbles rise in the gigantic tubs of pine wood  as fermentation takes over the wort ( the sugary juice produced by soaking the malted barley in unfiltered water ‘aff the hill’ ).

Only after these stages does the beery alcoholic liquid pass into the distillery room  — which looks like a mix of the old Moscow sky line and Willy Wonka’s experimenting rooms.

The stills ( large copper vessels) used for boiling  the liquid to separate the water from the alcohol are a different shape for each distillery, each apparently helping to add their unique flavor to the whisky ( I have it on good authority that this is romantic tosh, though I cant help but like the idea).  The liquid is distilled twice in Scotland and passed through an eccentric looking spirit safe  during  each distillation to measure alcohol content.

The spirit  is then poured into barrels and left to rest for a legal minimum of three years to be called whisky although most single malts are left for at least 8 – 10 years and others even longer.  The longer it is aged in the barrels the more mellow and complex the flavors become and of course the greater the price.  The barrels are usually second hand American bourbon ones , these are cheaper to get than other barrels as legally bourbon must be stored in a new barrel so there are lots of them.  Whisky can also be stored in other wood like sherry, Maderia or claret.

During storage in the earth floored locked warehouses, 1 – 2 % of the whisky is lost through the barrels by evaporation and this they call the “angels share” .  If you consider the amount of barrels aging whisky in Scotland at any given time thats one big continuous hangover for the angels.

I am going to give you a cocktail in honor of my new found deeper appreciation for whisky, try it before the summer is over to make the most of the juicy raspberries.  At great expense to my head I tried it with various whiskies and found the west coast peaty /smokey ones like Laphroig or Talikser went stunningly with the raspberries and mint.  I am anxious that Scotland may not let me back in if I start sloshing their single malts into cocktails but maybe I could persuade them if I made them one of my ‘Reach for the Skyes”

”Reach for the Skye”

Serves two – twice!

Sugar syrup

100g caster sugar

100g water

Heat the sugar and water in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved. Leave to cool

200 ml whisky – a smokey single malt if you dare.

juice of one lemon

juice of two limes

In a shaker  (I used a kilner jar) add the cooled sugar syrup, whisky, lemon and lime juice,  16 ripe raspberries  – or there abouts, 10 bruised mint leaves (rub then briefly between your hands) and 8 pieces of ice.  Close the lid and shake for at least 30 seconds.  The aim is to muddle the raspberries with the rest of the ingridiants to get a crimson liquid.  Pour over ice placed in your chosen drinking glass and add a few fresh raspberries and mint leaves to garnish.

Well its back to work for me and I am heading to the  Languedoc Roussillon region for what promises to be a fun week of cooking…..

The post Recipe | Reach for the Skye a.k.a. Whisky Raspberry and Mint Cocktail appeared first on Philippa Davis.