Walking through the food market and brushing past piles of curry leaves that released their exotic scent into the warm Singaporean morning certainly put a spring in my step.  Curry leaves have a whole heap of nutrients and other health benefits including helping to protect the liver.  This may have been useful for many of us to know before the first big party I had offered to help with took place.  Hindsight is a wonderful thing…

The theme for the party was carnival and inspiration for the menu was taken from Rio, Venice and New Orleans.  The menu went as follows.

Cocktails

( (R )Caipirinha – Cachaça, lime and sugar topped with soda

Food

(R)Pão de queijo  – warm cheese mini buns

(V)Arancini  – fried rice balls – Mushroom, mozzerlla and truffle oil

(N.O) Shrimp gumbo with rice

(R) Pastel de Queijo, fried pork and cheese pastries with chili and spring onion

(R) Grilled fillet steak skewers with Chimichurri sauce (chili, oregano, parsley and onion)

(N.O.)  Blackened chicken skewers with creole mayonnaise

(V) Grilled aubergine and peppers marinated in balsamic, basil and garlic.

Sweet

(V) Coffee cake with mascarpone icing and cocoa ( finger food style Tiramisu)

Brigadeiros

The kitchen was a bajillion degrees and the dance floor even hotter.  Its always interesting watching serving food and drink being served at parties, you have to be so sensitive to the mood of the crowd.  Rarely is there a big charge for food at the beginning but as the night evolves people relax and start to eat and drink more.  There is usually a lull in appetites an hour or so before the end and then the midnight munchies kick in.  Our pick me up snack was warm Brazilian pork and cheese pastries that  got gobbled up as soon as they appeared.

Its worth noting that serving something sweet often helps bring the party to the end, not only does it signify the end of the feast but people tend to drink less once they have had something sweet (In theory).

Other feasts that took place was a seafood extravaganza where we went to the best fishmongers in Singapore and bought live prawns.  This isn’t a particularly big deal for out there but in the U.K. they are obviously mostly sold frozen, or  nowhere near as fresh.  They leapt around in my bag like a beating heart all the way to the car then proceeded to jump about in the back all the way home.

We did a bbq for the masses, you can check out my buns below, an afternoon tea for a super star and a  beautiful, delicious and nutritious vegetarian feast that lacked nothing , well except meat obviously.

Singaporean markets are fantastic and should defiantly be on your to do list if you visit/ live there.  Each one either focuses on or has different areas for various cultures and cuisine.  This could be Chinese, Malay, Indian, Arabic,  Peranakan etc.

Peranakan cuisine, tipped to be the next food trend ( in my book anyway) comes from the descendants of Chinese immigrants who settled in Singapore and married into the local community.  Creating one of the first forms of fusion cuisine inspiration is taken from Chinese, Malaysian and Indonesian cookery.  Dishes are colourful, fragrant , often spicy and contain a long list of ingredients.  The picture below shows the traditional Peranakan houses in all their glorious technicolour.

The markets are called ‘wet markets’ and will have the freshest fish, meat and vegetables, The floors are sprayed down with water each day, so thin flip flops are not advised.  I find myself having mixed reactions when I visit them.  Mostly I love them. The noise and energy are energising and infectious. Note. if you want to buy ingredients you have to learn to hold your ground as that sweet looking Chinese granny will not think twice about poking you out the way to place her order first.  Perhaps fair enough though if it’s a gawping English girl slowing her down whilst  trying to work out what the hell that green vegetable is called.

It is also not unusual to see the butcher casually smoking over the piece of meat he is hacking up and about to sell.  That said, Singapore is a country filled with rules and regulations so I doubt that there are many cases of food poisoning.  The produce itself is generally incredibly fresh and varied so for any food lover it’s fun to see so many ingredients, most of which you don’t have a clue of what they are.

For this postcard recipe I would like to share one of my most popular dishes at the moment, a chicken, noodle fresh ginger and garlic broth. I (and others) can think of nothing they would rather eat when its cold or they feel ill or they want a simple, fresh yet warming dish to throw together.

The other recipe I would like to share is a sauce that can be used on rice, chicken, fish and as a dip for what is one of the most addictive foods on earth. The spring roll.

Chicken noodle, ginger and garlic broth

Well reared chickens that have had time to grow, a good diet and are well looked after taste better.  Not only is this clear from tasting the meat but also from tasting the broth from the bones and looking at their structure, size and often colour.  They are usually darker, bigger and firmer. 

Serves 4

1 whole free range or better still organic chicken.

8 spring onions ,washed.

2 inches ginger, peeled

20g coriander, washed, stalks and all.

6 cloves of garlic, peeled

4 nests of egg noodles

2 x small baby gem lettuce finely shredded

1  green chili finely chopped , some of the seeds and membrane kept in.

Splash of soy to serve

Place the chicken in a large pan filled with cold water.

Add the dark green parts of the spring onions, coriander stalks, ½ of the ginger roughly chopped, 3 of the garlic cloves and 1 tsp of fine sea salt.

Bring to a simmer and cook for about 1 hour 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. ( Check by poking a knife into the leg at its thickest point, it should look cooked and not weep any bloody juices.

When the chicken is cooked remove it and leave it till it is cool enough to handle and shred the meat from the bone, discarding the skin.

Meanwhile carry on simmering the chicken stock and reduce by 1/3.

Then strain it through a sieve into a new pot to get rid of the bits of veg etc.

Bring back to a simmer and check to see if it needs more salt.

Just before you are ready to eat add the noodles and cook as per packet instructions.

Add some of the shredded chicken, the lettuce then on the fine side of a grater grate in the remaining raw ginger and garlic.

Stir in as much green chili as you fancy then eat straight away with a splash of soy.

Ginger sauce

This will keep well in the fridge for a couple of weeks and I should I admit I nicked the recipe from a friend;).

This would be enough for a serving it as a sauce for fish for 6 people.

20g ginger peeled and finely grated

1 spring onion, really finely chopped

150 ml olive oil

A pinch of Chili flakes

1 tsp lime juice

Heat the oil in the pan till just about to smoke.

Place the ginger and spring onion in a heat proof bowl or jug then pour over the hot oil.

Season with salt and a pinch of chili flakes.

Give it a stir and leave for at least an hour.

When cool stir in the lime juice.

Serve at room temperature.

Next Postcard … Where and What to eat in Singapore

The post Chicken Noodle Broth with ginger recipe and Ginger sauce recipe appeared first on Philippa Davis.

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.

and a spoon with a stew

“Darling, I am taking you to Italy and we are going to buy a diamond”!

Although many a person would be disappointed when they discovered that rather than a sparkling stone to be worn, your lover was talking about an edible underground fungus that resembles a dirty pebble, any food enthusiast (like myself) would be totally excited. The tuber Magnatum Pico a.k.a. the White Winter Truffle, White Alba Truffle or ‘diamond of the kitchen’ is one of the most prized, unique and decadent ingredients you can eat. Current London prices can be as high as £10,000 a kilo.

Where do they come from?

The most highly regarded white truffles are found in Italy. The most famous are from around Alba in the Piedmont area of Northern Italy however they also grow in Acqualagna in Marche, Molise in Abruzzo and around San Miniato in Tuscany.

White truffles also grow in parts of Slovenia, Crotia and the Drome area in the South East of France but are generally not quite as highly prized. 

When are they in season?

The short season runs from late October to early January and globally causes much excitement in the culinary calendar with entire fairs, menus and parties dedicated to them. Many of my clients will ask me to come and cook one-off dinners around now just so they can celebrate this luxurious delicacy in their own homes.   Although most people treat it as a special occasion I did once cook for a family who had it on baked potato as their tv dinner.

Why are they so expensive?

No one has yet been able to farm white truffles as they are super sensitive to the soil, climate and surrounding vegetation and live in a complicated symbiotic relationship with their hosts, the roots of oak, chestnut, hazel, poplar or beach trees. This means they have to be foraged for.

Truffle hunters set out with their dogs into the woods, usually in the morning when the pungent aroma is at its strongest, and search their favourite patches. They keep the exact locations of their finds a closely guarded secret, as it can be a very lucrative but competitive business.

The price of truffles varies from year to year and is affected by supply and demand. Demand is constantly on the increase especially now with added interest from the far East and Asia as well as Europe and the U.S.

Unfortunately for several reasons supply is on the decrease. This is possibly due to factors like climate change, an increase in wild boar (the truffle loving wild pigs are generally not hunted as much so with no natural predator are quickly multiplying and causing various problems) and issues with overall land management.

Hog or Dog?

Traditionally truffle hogs were used to find them as they have an acute sense of smell. The female pigs were particularly keen to sniff them out as they have the same aroma as the sex hormone of the male boar.   Since the mid 1980’s however using pigs has been banned in Italy as they were deemed too destructive to the fragile environment in which they grow. I also imagine its much easier to train a dog and less dangerous persuading them not to eat the find!

(note this is not a truffle hog…its just a cute pig)

Buying a White Truffle

Truffles are sold by the gram. The largest one ever found weighed 2520g and was found near San Minato in Tuscany in 1954. It was given as a gift to president Eisenhower. Other very large truffles that have been discovered over the years are usually sold at auction to the highest bidder and can fetch hundreds of thousands of pounds. Fortunately most of the truffles found are much smaller and therefore far more ‘affordable’.

Lets try this at home…

If the idea of buying a truffle appeals there are several elements to remember. The most important factor to check first is the smell, which is an indication of quality and how long ago it has been found and dug up. The fresher the better, so providing it has been stored correctly, up to a few days is fine, but you don’t want any thing older than a week. Pick it up (ask first) and give it a good sniff, it should give off a strong funky aroma that will be like nothing else, but still familiar, leaving you to wonder what it compares to.

You can also give it a gentle squeeze, it should feel firm, any softness will indicate it is too old. A little dirt on the outside is good as it will have reduced the amount of moisture the truffle will lose but as you are paying per gram you don’t want it to be caked in mud.

Plan to eat the truffle as soon as possible, they lose around 3 % of their weight in moisture per day and dramatically decline in quality. If you need to store it for a day or two, wrap it in a piece of kitchen paper and place it in a clean jam jar with the lid on in the fridge.

Cooking with White truffle

Never cook a white truffle! The intense heat will quickly destroy the aroma and taste. It should only be thinly shaved raw on top of your dish, for which you will need to buy a special grater. You need to allow around 7 g – 10 g per person (many suggest 5g but I think that is just too mean).

Just before you want to eat get a new toothbrush and gently scrub away the dirt, you can moisten the brush with a little cold water to help, then pat it dry. Once your dish is plated using a truffle slicer or mandolin shave the white truffle over the top and enjoy the room being filled with that incredible aroma.

Serve it with dishes that are simple and that wont over power the flavour. Lightly buttered fresh tagalarini with a very small amount of Parmesan is my absolute favourite, using the pasta cooking water to slacken off the dish and make an emulsion for sauce. Plain risottos, baked or scrambled eggs, semolina gnocchi, baked potato with a little butter and wet polenta are also great ways to showcase the flavour.

San Miniato Truffle Fair

Every year for the last three weekends in November the picturesque hill top Tuscan town of San Miniato becomes infused with the smell of White Truffle.

Getting There

Fly to Pisa (generally the cheaper option) or Florence then take the train to San Minato. Don’t forget to validate your train ticket at a machine before boarding or be prepared to pay an unpleasant fine.

Once at San Miniato a free shuffle bus will heave you up the winding hill giving you some spectacular views across the undulating Tuscan hills and drop you off at the bottom of the town. The busses run fairly regularly and are the easiest way to get there as the town is not car friendly and gets very busy. You cannot walk there from the train station and there are very few taxis.

What to Expect

There are two main areas of tents. The first is packed full of truffle related products like cheese, paté and cured meats. The second is truffle heaven.

There is also wine tasting area, championing the local produers, a chef demo tent – totally worth going to even if you don’t speak Italian and an impressive pop up restaurant serving truffle, truffle and more truffle.

How Long to Spend There

Aim to get there around 11 am and allow a whole leisurely day at the festival as although small there is a lot to enjoy. Tasting of truffle products ( 1 hour), chefs demos,( 1 hour) talking to the truffle sellers (1 hour), local wine tasting (1hour 30) and of course there is no such thing as a quick lunch in Italy( 3 hours).

Buying a Truffle

Take note of the points above but the truffle association seems very slick, prices are pretty much the same at each stall so just choose a seller who you like the look of. They all are very enthusiastic about their finds, willing to answer any questions and generally speak excellent English to help you complete your purchase in confidence.

Eating at the festival

You can graze your way around the truffle product tastings and there are a few good looking restaurants but the pop up restaurant in a marquee next to the truffle sellers is by far your best option.

At the door of the tent choose from the menu one of the white truffle dishes including tagliarini, risotto and baked eggs, a bottle of local wine (red, white or pink)and pay. Then go and join a table of revellers and hand your receipt to the waiter who will bring you your feast.

A spoon with a stew…

If you have planned your trip to the San Miniato White Truffle Fair it would be a great shame to miss out on the culinary and scenic delights of near by Florence and Pisa. Here are my recommendations on where to eat…

Pisa

La Grotta

Suitably Italian style Trattoria coupled with suitably Italian style service (they almost tell you how and what to order).

We had rich and earthy chicken liver pate, the Tuscans often add capers and anchovy which takes it to a whole new level, served warm spread over the traditional Tuscan unsalted bread. Followed by Pig jowl pasta, obviously cooked to perfection and then braised rabbit stuffed with artichokes. Accompanied by some excellent local wine this is the kind of local traditional joint you aim to find.

Wallet Damage: Minor/Medium

What to wear: something casual but stylish

Suitable for: couples

Pizzeria Da Giorgio

This was the wild card of the trip in that not one but two of the restaurants on my list we couldn’t get into. Stumbled across this place, packed with Italians and despite being absolutely packed they clearly saw my immanent melt down if I was to be turned away so squeezed us in. Good pizza, fun fast service and a great way to feel local.

Wallet Damage: Minor

What to wear : casual

Suitable for: families and averting restaurant melt downs

Florence

Florence is the home of the much loved t-bone steaks, peposo ( a beef stew) the negroni and also the rather less popular tripe.

Zeb Gastronmia

This is a typical example of a new Italian eatery.

The food is still very much how nonna made it but the décor has defiantly been done by the next generation.   Gone are the wood panels, bottles of dusty wine, low level soft lighting and chequered table cloths. Instead there seems to be a trend for clinical white walls, bright lights and minimalist artworks. Don’t let this put you off. At Zeb Gastronmia the freshly made pasta was some of the finest I have had, potato and truffle with butter and pecorino wining the prize. The mains are all out on display in large dishes, with nonna herself brining them out as they are ready. We tried perfectly cooked rabbit stuffed with herbs. They serve a lovely small selection of home made tortes and cakes for dessert and have a fantastic selection of local wines that they will be happy to explain.

Seating is all on bar stalls mostly overlooking the food counter and bar.

Wallet Damage: Medium

What to wear: casual/ish

Suitable for: pasta lovers/ solo travellers.

Mercato Centrale

A visit to any towns/ city market is a must if you really want to see the heart of a place. Florence’s heart (market) is filled not only with tripe and gigantic cuts of beef but also an amazing selection of Italian salads, often bitter or peppery, seasonal vegetables, cheese and wine. Having looked round the ground floor and worked up an appetite head upstairs to a floor littered with bars and mini restaurants.   The choice was so good it took me two laps to decide on where to eat, we chose the truffle bar in the end but it all looked great*. There is a wine bar at one end with a top selection of Tuscan wine, look out for Sassicaia and Tignanello in particular if you are feeling lush.

Wallet damage: depends what you go for but its all good value

What to wear : casual

Suitable for : solo travellers, quick lunch, small groups

*My only regret on this trip was not also trying some wood roasted chicken thighs stuffed with artichokes and lemons turning on a spit but makes for a good reason to return.

Santarpia

In my view the best pizza joint in the world is strangely in Dublin (Paulies Pizza) even after having torn my way through hot cheesy slices all the way from New York to Naples. Santarpia comes a close second. Despite looking decidedly modern and chain like the pizza here is truly amazing. We had a smoked mozzarella and pumpkin with sage, whose instagram picture I still fondly stare at, and an anchovy and olive with tomato one that got scoffed before we remembered to pap it.

Wallet Damage : Minor

What to wear: casual

Suitable for: large groups or couples.

Ristorante del Fagioli

This is one of the oldest trattorias in Florence and is famous for that great Tuscan dish, the Florentina steak/Bistecca alla Floerntina This is the same as the T – Bone so has some fillet and sirloin which comes on a bone shaped like a T. Arriving ½ an hour after the doors opened ( they didn’t answer the phone all day) we were told we could get a table 2 ½ hours later. So after one or two negronis in a typically charming local square we returned.

The restaurant is in two half’s with a rather stark front dining room and a very charming one out the back. Steak is really a must as is red wine. In charming Italian fashion they cook it how they cook it, perfectly rare, and I expect they glare at you if you ask it to be done any other way. A side of borlotti beans ( fagioli) and salad made for the perfect accompaniment. A real treat.

Wallet damage : medium

What to wear: smart/ casual

Suitable for: family get together and meat feasts.

The post San Miniato Truffle Festival and where to eat in Florence and Pisa 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!

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No my friends, the title is not yet another typo, I did mean to put an accent on the ‘e’ cleverly* transforming the famous French song into a play on that marvellous pinkish coloured wine that is an essential part of any trip to Provence where I have just had my latest culinary adventure.

*in the loosest sense of the word

I always love Provence as there is just so much going for it. No matter what time of year there is fantastic light, Van Gough spent a lot of time painting there, the villages are charming, the scenery spectacular, the food markets are some of the best in the world (trust me I know) and providing you are brave enough to get over the initial briskness of some of the locals, the people are generally charming.

I find the markets extra special around here as they are always heaving with local produce. I know this is true of many other areas too but because of  Provence’s climate and terroirs it supports a wider range of produce and due to its popularity with regulars and tourists the markets are well attended and the turn over fast.

With a house full of family and guests the weeks were spent doing mammoth shops (I think the local intermarche and veg shop thought I had opened a restaurant with the number and size of my trolleys), helping lay long tables decorated with lavender and adorned with beautiful French linen and preparing large platters of food to feed the crowds.

There really is something that is just so chic about French style tables, the classy greys, with the occasional alarming splash of colour coupled with earth hand painted coloured crockery and wine goblet glasses.

Its very easy to come up with ideas to cook here as every crate, table and basket at the market gives you an idea of what you would to cook. Around July the peaches are extraordinary ( you can smell them before you see them) cavaillon melons are stacked like canon balls on every corner, the tomatoes are so sun kissed their sweetness and depth of flavour put every other one to shame and the apricots all taste of actual apricots ( sadly a novelty for most of us in the UK). At other times of the year there are perfect cabbages, pumpkins, cardoons and cherries.

The area produces about 80 % of Frances black truffles and is home to the amazing truffe du Perigord. The season lasts from November to March and I will clear my diary to get a job in the area around that time just so I can go and play with and eat them in abundance! The area also produces superb olives and olive oil, nougat, almond lozenge sweets called calissons , perfectly dry rosé and Pastis an aniseed flavoured drink flavoured with local herbs that is rather refreshing drunk as an aperitif on ice or with a splash of water.

This postcard recipe is inspired by the bold flavours of Provence and also a variation of what I cooked at the Game Fair. I must say a huge thank you to all those who came to support and watch my cookery demo with Tim Maddams at Hatfield House it was great to have such a fun crowd and to put faces to names!

The dish is a pot roast pigeon ( or partridge when in season) with pastis, rosé, olives , tomatoes and herbes de Provence.

Now… many people are quite snobby about dried herbs and it is true that fresh generally is best but Herbes de Provence should definitely have a space in your cupboard. It can include rosemary, fennel seeds, thyme, basil, marjoram, parsley, oregano, tarragon and bay leaves. Occasionally it has or you can add some chopped culinary lavender and as the ingredients grow well in the hot climate they have flavour compounds that survive being dried out then release well when cooked. HOWEVER vintage dried herbs of any sort will never be a great addition to your food and as much as I hate waste are not worth cooking with so chuck them out. Admittedly I am also talking to myself here as there may be one or two jars in my cupboard that qualify to be on the antiques road show.

In amongst the shopping, cooking and doing a spot of baking with the kids ( I wont share with you what the 4 year old told me the secret ingredient was that they put in the cookies to make them taste so good) there was an incredible trip to Chateau la Coste , a vineyard coupled with fantastic outdoor art and one of the best restaurants ‘Loussin’ I have eaten at this year ( and I’ve eaten at quite a few!) which is well worth a visit when in the area.

Once my bags were packed, good byes said and they could prise me out of the lavender field it was back to Marseilles and the start of the next adventure…

This Week

Table places laid :331

Dishwasher cycles : 48

Doughnut peaches eaten: 136

Olive Oil used x 8.2 litres

Rosé drunk : a lot

Every home should have : Kapla ( its engrossing )

Provençal Pigeon with Pastis, olives, tomato and herbes de Provence .

serves 2 as a main

2 x pigeon or partridge

2 tbs olive oil

1 red onion peeled and finely sliced

4 cloves of garlic peeled and sliced

1 dsp herbes de Provence

1 fennel, finely sliced

4 medium ripe tomatoes

2 tbs olives , de stoned

splash pastis

1 x bottle of chilled rosé ( a glass for the pigeon and the rest for you)

Pistou

2 cloves garlic

1 big handful basil leaves

2 tbs olive oil

½ lemon , juice only

Method

Pistou

Smash the garlic in a pestle and mortar with a pinch of salt.

Smash in the basil till well pounded then add the olive oil and a squeeze of lemon

Season with pepper and leave at room temperature.

Pigeon

Bring a pot of water to the boil and poach the fennel for a couple of minutes so just soft, scoop out then blanch the tomatoes for about 30 seconds – you just want to split the skin, then peel it off and roughly chop, keeping all the flesh, seeds and juice.

Wipe the pigeons inside (remove the head and feet if still attached as so often the case in France… I like to tell the butcher to leave them on so I can see the surprise on his face and earn some kudos points).

In a heavy based pot with a lid ( le cresuet are perfect for this ) fry the onions in the olive oil along with the pigeon and season. Sear the birds on all sides to add a sweetness and depth of flavour.

Then add the garlic and herbes de Provence and fry for a couple of minutes more before adding the chopped tomatoes with all their seeds and juice and the poached fennel.

Throw in the olives, a splash of pastis and a healthy splash of Rosé.

Pop the lid on and simmer for about 15 – 20 mins. Turn off the heat and let it rest for five minutes. Check the seasoning

You can serve it whole or I like to take the breast and legs off and serve it on a platter along with the veg and sauce. Serve the pistou on the side or dollop a little on top and serve with crusty bread and of course a glass or two of chilled rosé

Next Stop … les Gers.

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To start with a completely different subject ….

I would love you to come and watch my cookery demo at the Game Fair at 12 pm on Saturday 29^th July. I will be sharing some delicious ideas on what to do with game along with cookery writer Tim Maddams. The Game Fair is at Hatfield House (just 20 min by train from London Kings Cross) and is a fantastic day out for anyone interested in the countryside, shooting, fishing , horses, dogs, falconry and of course food !

Meanwhile back in the USA….

“I’m having a little trouble with my tackle” chortled the fisherman…

He had been quietly fiddling with it for at least ten minutes without the desired effect and being British I wasn’t sure what was the polite thing to do. Do I offer to help or is it one of those things you just leave them to until you see their rod waving high in the air ready for action?

Fortunately for me, soon after this confession he had it all sorted and was merrily casting his line out to sea and was ready to help me do the same. It had been a 4.30 am start at the harbour, loading the boat with the nets and thingamajiggies , OK it was too early to pay total attaention and write notes but there were more bits of stuff than was needed to catch fish. We set out onto the big blue and watched the sunrise which frankly would have been reward enough for getting up that early.

My fishing companions had been doing this for years, and one, a professional lobster catcher (he has 800 traps), loves this so much he even gets up really early to go and ‘play’ on the sea on his day off. I could see the theraputic side of drifting out on the ocean calmly watching the horizon, watching your reel to see if there are any sudden movements signalling you may be about to net a big one. The banter was gentle and I was aware that I was in basic ‘man shed’ terratory so refrained from asking too many questions but they both seemed happy to let me join in on their fun.

To catch a striped bass they suggested we catch some makerel first to use as live bait. That bit was pretty easy as they seemed to jump onto the bright lures within minutes of casting it into the chilly water. You then have to pierce the mackerel with the hook through its back to keep it alive to act as bait for the bass – I think that’s what the Lion King’s, ‘circle of life’ song was basically all about. To earn my place in the ‘floating man shed’ and beacuase I really wanted to catch a bass I had no qualms at hooking up the mackerel and throwing them back in the sea to attract the bass.

We then let the mackerel swim off (line attatched) having had intel from fellow fishing friends roughly where in the sea the bass were, and waited. and waited…and waited….and yes apparently waiting was big part of fishing….

One of lines then started to shoot out. We had caught one ! The trick is then to slowly tighten its leash then reeling it in. Obvioulsy the bigger they are the harder it is and you want to tire them out a bit before getting them close enough to scoop them up in your net and into the boat. This year they had to be at least 27cm long to keep and with our permits we were only alloewed to catch one each.

When my line began to zoom out and I had the fish versus lady fight to bring him in, all that waiting seemed more than worth it especially when my beauty was plopped into the boat and measured. You have to hold them by the gills or their teeth will leave quite a mark on you and you obviously need to be as gentle as possible especially if you are throwing them back.

After I had finally popped my fishing cherry… if that’s the correct terminology, we headed back to shore and I got to decide what we were going to do with them.

Possibly overexcited, I decided we could have them four ways:

Smoked in mesquite

Ceviche

BBQ with salsa verde

Steamed with soy and ginger.

Each dish was all the more delicious having caught the fish ourselves and it seemed very satisfactory that we caught it at sun up and ate it at sundown.

This postcard recipe however celebrates another prize ingredient that is in its prime right now…the cherry.

My favourite cherry facts are…

Cherries are members of the rose family and have a very short fruiting season, so get lots when you them!

For those numerically persuaded a mature cherry tree produces on average about 7000 cherries which will make about 28 pies.

Glacé cherries are generally left for about two weeks longer on the tree to sweeten them up.

Cherries with alkaline ( like baking powder ) react and make baked product go blue. You can help prevent this by adding acids like lemon or sour cream into the mix.

In Kansas it was illegal to eat cherry pie on the Sabbath

The furthest a cherry stone has been spat is 28.51 yards by ‘Young Gun’ a.k.a Brian.

…actually although totally un-lady like cherry stone spiting is quite a fun activity on a sunny afternoon and I’m not bad at it.

This Week

I’m driving : an all American Chevrolet

We ate: 9 kilos of cherries

I love: fishing for striped bass

We cooked : 70 lobsters…yes 70 but they are as common as sardines here.

Every home should have : a fishing rod

Cherry Pie

20cm pie dish

Pastry – or pie crust as the Americans would call it

350g plain flour

50g ground almonds

100g caster sugar

150g cold butter

zest 2 oranges

Filling

1 kilo Cherries

juice of 2 oranges

2 tbs kirsch

100g muscavado sugar

1 tsp vanilla paste

2/ ½ tbs cornflour

to glaze

1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tbs milk

1 tbs caster sugar

To make the pastry

Blitz the flour, almonds and sugar in a machine then grate in the butter and add the orange zest. Blitz for a few more seconds until it starts to form a ball, you may need to add a few drops of water.

Roll out half to line your pie dish, prick it with a fork then leave in the fridge to rest for 30 mins.

Meanwhile …

destone your cherries and toss through the orange juice and kirsch.

In a saucepan add the cherries, sugar and vanilla. Cook for about 15 – 20 mins, the cherries should release their juices.

In a cup mix the cornflour with 2 tbs water then stir into the cherries.

The mix will become thick.

Take off the heat and allow to cool.

Pour into the pie dish,

Roll out the rest of pastry and top the pie, forking the edges to seal.

Glaze the pie by brushing with the egg yolk mix and sprinkle with caster sugar.

Bake for 40 mins or until the pie is golden

Eat hot or cold with whipped cream.

Next stop Provence

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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.

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I spent 4 hours rolling, folding, cutting and meticulously filling the seafood pasta. The sauce alone used three different pans and the finished dish required me to make 4 different flourishes to decorate and add those precious final touches. It smelt amazing and tasted even better. My clients went wild for it. Instagram did not.

I photo and post on my instgram a sliced avocado and an egg at 11 am on a Sunday morning and that turns out to be the crack cocaine for the social media world. If I had included a picture of a kitten I guess I would have crashed the whole system. I was amused to say the least.

It was my fist time cooking for a group attending the Hay Festival (some readers may think, as this event takes place at the end of May, I am well behind with my blogs but I think you will find I am helping you forward plan for 2018) and I have to say I am hooked. Ten days filled with authors talking about anything from the importance of the biodiversity found in a mudflat (truly fascinating) to ‘how to date in the modern day’, there are concerts, workshops, book signings and in true British fashion enough bunting to stretch from Land’s End to John o’ Groats.

I highly recommend attending at least a few days next year, there will certainly be at least three events a day that peak your interest, and the surrounding area is truly beautiful with the Brecon Beacons and Herefordshire countryside providing a truly bucolic backdrop.

As with any festival, once you are there it is best to stay put, so a decent breakfast for the group was a must. There are of course the usual array of food stalls on site for snacks and lunch but its not much fun queuing an eternity with your fellow bookworms and you don’t want to be late for your next talk on the ‘secret life of Xanthoparmelia’ or ‘lesser known knots and how to use them’.

The Booker Prize for breakfast went to this postcards recipe poached egg with tahini, avocado and ricotta with chilli flakes but before I give you the recipe I want to indulge in a little writing focusing on food in literature – oh the glory of having an indulgent uncensored writing platform. …

My childhood memories of food and books instantly flash up a few characters.

Our father would read to us each night, a little too well, so instead of having the desired effect of sending my sister and I off to sleep mum would usually have to come in and calm the situation down and prevent further jumping around and re-enactment of sword fights ( and that was just in attempt to control dad let alone us)!

I loved the image of Edmund scoffing the Snow Queens Turkish delight in The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe. The absurdity and brilliance of the never ending tea party in Alice in Wonderland ( the mad hatters punishment for attempting to murder time) and I cannot look at a tin of sardines without thinking of the comfort it bought little mole in the Wind in the Willows when he was tired and had been cold and lost.

This quote ftom A.A. Milne’s honey crazy bear I think is rather sweet and simple;

“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,” said Piglet at last, “what’s the first thing you say to yourself?”
“What’s for breakfast?” said Pooh. “What do you say, Piglet?”
“I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?” said Piglet.
Pooh nodded thoughtfully. “It’s the same thing,” he said.”

For those of us who think porridge is somewhat dull at heart just think of the adventures it led to for Oliver Twist when he asked for more (although extra oats in the morning does not guarantee a work placement in a undertakers, heavy involvement in a criminal gang or the discovery of a rich relative).

Food can also be used to describe a character with much effect. Clear favourites include the famous Belgium detective ( Hercule Poirot) who is naturally OCD about his

“Order and method are my gods. For my breakfast, I have only toast which is cut into neat little squares. The eggs – there must be two – they must be identical in size …”

Holly Golightly ,who favours carrots to set her up for the day in Breakfast at Tiffany’s though clearly these are the non edible kind.

Then there is the exciting, dangerous and variable life of the worlds favourite spy James Bond, and his preferred start to the day when at home in London providing a civilised and reassuring constant in his somewhat otherwise turbulent life.

‘Sitting down to The Times, he breakfasts on two large cups of “very strong coffee, from De Bry in New Oxford Street” brewed in a Chemex coffee maker and an egg served in a dark blue egg cup with a gold ring round the top, boiled for three and a third minutes. There is also wholewheat toast, Jersey butter and a choice of Tiptree ‘Little Scarlet’ strawberry jam, Cooper’s Vintage Oxford marmalade and Norwegian Heather Honey from Fortnum and Mason, served on blue Minton china’
On a more sinister note we have the control, torture and manipulation people can use through food like in Gabriel García Márquez exquisite novel Love in the Time of Cholera. The central character decides to shun love for money by marrying the towns most eligible bachelor on the condition he does not make her eat aubergines. However the mother in law insists they are served every day out of respect for her dead husband…no wonder mother in laws get a bad name.

In Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier (everyone should read this book and I defy them not to squeal out loud at certain seminal points) we finally see the timid and lost Rebecca manning up as she defies the overbearing house keeper by changing the traditional menu at Manderley. You have to read the book to get the full significance of this but I assure you it is time well spent.

Then there is Hannibal Lecter and his taste for human flesh but I would rather skip over that and get back to focussing on my infamous poached eggs and avocadoes . However for those of you who feel a little overwhelmed by all this creativity and fuss over the first meal of the day and feel somewhat belittled with your offerings ( try seeing how many likes you get for a bowl of all-bran) I will cheer you up with what the witty Oscars Wilde’s thoughts on the subject were…

“Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast.”

This Week

I love : The hay festival

Avocados used: 20

Eggs used : 176

I recommend: the OakchurchFarm shop

I’m Driving: a Vauxhall Astra, great for taking the corners and carrying the shopping

Every home should have : a river bank.

Poached eggs, tahini, ricotta, avocado and chilli flakes.

The richness of a good egg will help distract true foodies that this is actually a trendy healthy breakfast.

Serves 1

1 slice sourdough

1 dsp tahini

1/2 avocado

1 dsp ricotta

1 organic egg

I hate it when people put vinegar in the egg poaching water to help bind the whites – it’s a distracting unwanted flavour and can ruin the rest of the day ( ok maybe not the whole day but a disappointing breakfast is a bad start) . The fresher the egg the firmer the egg white so the better they will poach.   Make sure the water is gently simmering and be ready to serve and eat once the egg is cooked.

Bring a small pan of water to a gentle simmer, crack in the egg and cook for 2mins . Remove with a slotted spoon and let any excess water drip away.

Meanwhile….

Toast the sourdough and place on a warmed plate.

Spread across the tahini ( tahini will often split in the jar so give it a good stir first .)

Layer the ricotta on top, then the avocado, sliced into a fan and finally top with the poached egg, a sprinkle of chilli flakes and most importantly a sprinkle of salt, an eggs best friend.

Next stop… the Pyrenees bike ride

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Skiing, when snowfall has been, poor gets rather tricky. Beach holidays without the sun are pretty miserable. Camping in torrential rain is not much fun ( well actually camping in any weather is not my idea of fun) and fishing weeks without water are impossible.   So when I headed up to the beats on the river Findhorn ( this is a technical term for parts of the river you fish and not a highlands music festival in case you wondered) it was somewhat alarming it had not rained in a while and none was imminently due.

Now being Scotland the group of 20 fisherman and fisherwoman we were to cook for were all pretty upbeat that some would be along soon. Anyone who has spent anytime north of the border will have had experience that this country does changes of weather extremely well.

As the week progressed the river got lower and sadly dead wild salmon were spotted on the bare bones of the river. This can be due to a lack of oxygen causing disease to spread rapidly amongst other factors.   Those fish that were alive had tried to bury themselves deep in the river as hate too much light as it makes them feel distressed, so fishing was impossible.

By day 5 no fish had been caught but somehow morale amongst the entire group stayed high. I would like to think it was entirely down to the amazing breakfasts, afternoon teas, dinners and spectacular picnics we were making for them…but I think Mr Berry Bros & Rudd had something to do with it.

On the upside of this, the lack of rain around May meant the grouse chicks, which hatch around then, stand a good chance of survival. They rely on moderate weather to survive their first few weeks as well as an abundance of insects and bugs to munch on. So hopefully it should be a great season come the glorious 12^th. 

Salmon fishing season roughly lasts in Scotland from February to October, Rainbow trout, which can be found in the same rivers, can be caught all year round ( though they weren’t playing ball either).  Wild salmon fishing is illegal on Sundays ( as is shooting game birds) and in Scotland unlike England you do not need a rod licence, just a permit for the river you would like to fish.

It was a fun busy week cooking for the group but I did manage a few little escapes to the river myself with my favourite Scottish spaniel. This however  resulted  in every outdoor shot I tried to take of the river being photo bombed by the dog.

Getting to cook a wild salmon next to the banks it was caught on is one of my top culinary moments every year so I think I was more disappointed than the group that none could be caught. The rain has come down since my week there, too much at some times which can be equally as devastating, but there are of course something’s we can’t control, interfere with and manage, especially in wild habitats.

It also means this postcard recipe has to focus on something other than wild salmon…..

Providing a delicious and varying picnic was a fun part of the week and as the group had expressed they were game to eat anything we enjoyed providing a diverse spread.

Every morning we packed picnic baskets full of goodies. There were game scotch eggs, spanakopita’s, freshly baked rolls stuffed with; rare roast beef, freshly made coronation chicken, peat smoked salmon Scottish honey and mustard roast ham, venison sausage rolls, freshly baked brownies, bakewell tarts, soups, salads and this postcard recipe… venison pasties.

This week

Wild Salmon caught: 0

Rainfall: 0 mm

Picnics packed : 120

I’m driving : the dependable range rover

Times Photo bombed by spaniel dog: 43

Venison Pasties

makes about 12

5 tbs olive oil

100g butter

700g Venison meat cut into small ( 1cm approx) chunks

2 onions peeled and diced into 1 cm cubes

4 garlic peeled and finely chopped

300ml game, beef or chicken stock

100ml Beer or Guinness

200g peeled and 1 cm cubed potatoes ( waxy best)

Lea and Perrins sauce ( to taste)

2 – 3 tsp Corn flour mixed with 2 tsp water water

2 egg yolks mixed with 2 tbs milk

1 kilo rolled all butter puff pastry,

Pre het the oven to 140ªc

In a large frying pan sauté the onions and garlic in 3 tbs of the olive  until soft ( about 15 mins)  then place into a large ovenproof dish .

In the same pan add the rest of the oil and butter and brown all the meat and add to the sautéed onions.

Deglaze the pan with the beer or Guinness and add to the meat.

Add the stock, season with salt and lots of pepper then seal with baking paper then foil.

Bake for 3 hours or until the meat is really tender.

Meanwhile cook the potatoes in salted water until tender and drain.

Once the meat is cooked, add a good few splashes of lea and perrins and check for seasoning . Then add the corn flour and water , stir well then gently mix in the potatoes.

Leave to cool completely.

Pre heat the oven to 180°C.

Cut the pastry into   16cm circles.

Brush one side with etc egg yolk mix.

Place a few spoonful’s of the venison mix in the middle then fold up the edges and crimp.

Brush the outside with the egg yolk mix and place on a lined baking sheet.

Repeat to you have used up all the meat mix or pastry.

Bake for 40 mins or until piping hot and golden.

Leave to cool then wrap and take to the river bank/ park/ kitchen table.

Nest postcard from my week at the Hay on Wye festival

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