Thursday, 21 November 2024
Savoury Bread Pudding
Wednesday, 13 November 2024
Tom Cribb
Friday, 8 November 2024
Cherry Bakewell Tart
Tuesday, 5 November 2024
Tres Leches Cake
Wednesday, 30 October 2024
Samhain ~ Halloween ~ All Hallows Eve ~ Pumpkin Walnut Squares
Samhain - Halloween - All Hallows Eve - October 31 to November 1, in the Northern Hemisphere - is a Celtic festival marking the end of harvest season and the beginning of winter and is considered to be the darker half of the year. The skies are turning grey, the leaves have fallen from the trees and the garden is bare. It is a time where we honour the dead, protect the living and petition the spirits for wisdom and prediction.
Death is a reoccurring theme during this time as boundaries dissolve and the veils between worlds during equinoxes and solstices are at their thinnest. That is why it is believed that the spirits, faeries, ancestors and darker entities could more easily roam our lands as the portal between our world and theirs is considered to be at its thinnest; therefore we want to honour and hold offerings to our ancestors, the dead, the departed and the otherworldly for this reason.
Samhain is a magical time. As the dark half of the year begins, death is followed by rebirth, the end of the old year and the beginning of the new year, it's a time of rest and reflection as we go inward to honour the darkness as we descend into winter and the darker half of the year. Remember... light is born from darkness and darkness has potential and growth... through death we find rebirth.
Tuesday, 29 October 2024
St. John Bakery ~ Neal's Yard Bakery ~ Seven Dials
Thursday, 24 October 2024
Worlds End Bookshop ~ London
Monday, 21 October 2024
Books for Cooks ~ Notting Hill
Friday, 20 September 2024
Mabon ~ Autumn Equinox ~ Apple Yoghurt Cake
Mabon ~ Autumn Equinox, September 22nd to September 29th in the Northern Hemisphere, celebrates Autumn... the Autumn Equinox and the second harvest. It is also known as Harvest Home, the Feast of the Ingathering, Meán Fómhair, An Clabhsúr and Alban Elfed (in Neo-Druid traditions). At this time the moon is at its closest and is known as the Harvest Moon. Not only marking the midway point of harvest season it also marks the midway point between Summer and Winter.
Summer has turned to Autumn. Night and day are of equal length, and as the sun begins to wane, the nights grow longer and the days shorter and cooler. The leaves begin to turn and fall from the trees and the flowers are fading. Think rest, reflection and giving thanks as we gather and celebrate abundance and transition.
Other Autumn celebrations and festivals at this time are: Stonehenge Sunrise (UK), Dożynki (Slavic, August 15th/28th, September 23rd in Poland), The Snake of Sunlight (Maya & Mexico), Higan (Japan), Moon Festival (China & Vietnam), Michaelmas (Global, Christian), Chuseok (Korea) and Navaratri (Hindu, September 26th to October 5th, Goddess Durga), Rosh Hashanah (Judaism, Usually September, sometimes October), Yom Kippur, Judaism, late September, Sukkot, Judaism late September usually October, International Talk Like a Pirate Day (Global) September 19th, World Peace Day September 21st (Global) and Ganesh Chaturthi (Hindu).
Apples are symbolic not only of Autumn but of Mabon too. This lightly spiced butter cake is lovely around this time of year to celebrate both Mabon and the Autumn Equinox.
Apple Yoghurt Cake
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Serves 9
1/2 cup (125 ml) butter, softened
1/2 cup (125 ml) dark brown sugar
1/4 cup (50 ml) white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup (250 ml) plain Greek yoghurt
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
2 cups (500 ml) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking powder
1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking soda
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) salt
2 teaspoons (10 ml) ground cinnamon
2 cups (500 ml) diced unpeeled apples
Extra slices of apples for decorating
Icing sugar
Caramel sauce when serving
Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Butter and flour a 9 - inch square baking pan and line the bottom with baking parchment.
Dice the apples and set aside.
In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon. Stir together.
In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer cream butter, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy. Then beat in the eggs until smooth. Add the yoghurt and vanilla extract and blend until smooth.
Add the flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture and stir until blended. Fold in the diced apples.
Pour the batter into the prepared square pan. Smooth the top of the cake and place extra slices of apples on top. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake for 45 - 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Once cool sprinkle with icing sugar and serve with a drizzle of caramel sauce or custard.
Tuesday, 17 September 2024
Crunchy Chicken Salad
Friday, 13 September 2024
The Secret of Cooking ~ Recipes for an Easier Life in the Kitchen ~ Bee Wilson
Never before have a I met a cookbook with so much anticipation as this one. I had read reviews and such and even looked at other Bee Wilson books too, which all have been added to my book list. Bee Wilson is a food writer and journalist. She writes a column for the Wall Street Journal called "Table Talk" and campaigns for food education with the charity TastEd.
The Secret of Cooking, Recipes for an Easier Life in the Kitchen, is designed to discuss technique, ingredients and tools to help ease and navigate around your kitchen and everyday cooking. Among the thoughts on how to cook, whether alone, with children or just too tired there are 104 recipes that offer clever tips and advice on cooking, seasoning, cleanup and equipment. This cookbook speaks to the home cook and any possible trepidation one might have in their own kitchen. Speaking for myself, I am well versed around my kitchen, however I will take or read any advice or insight to help me reiterate that because let's face it sometimes and even at the best of times we may ponder our abilities in the kitchen, especially around holidays and gatherings, when so much goes into sharing and even when viewing online cooking and baking videos. Bee Wilson is ultimately reimagining everyday meals and cooking by bringing back that culinary spark which may have faded.
Apart from the Introduction, I adore how the chapters are titled with a statement sentence, like Cut yourself some slack and Treat time as an ingredient, rather than a one word headline. The recipes include her acclaimed Adaptable Âsh, a Red Curry Sauce, simplest Chicken Stew, 7 ways to cook a Carrot, Zucchini and Herb Fritters, a Grated Tomato and Butter Pasta Sauce, and an all-purpose curry powder; plus desserts... which are universal, gluten free and diary free like the Vegan Pear, Lemon, and Ginger Cake. This is one cookbook which the majority of the recipes will make the rounds multiple times in our kitchen. To find out more information on this cookbook and other Bee Wilson books, visit her website, beewilson.com.
I will share the delicious and straightforward recipe of Chana Masala from the cookbook...
Ten - Minute Chana Masala
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By using green onions instead of regular yellow onions and fresh tomatoes instead of canned, you get a full-flavoured chana masala (Indian chickpeas) on the table in under 10 minutes. I would happily eat this for lunch every day, and leftovers are good for breakfast with a fried egg.
Serves 2
2 tablespoon oil
4 green onions, trimmed and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and grated
3/4 - inch/2cm piece of ginger, grated
9oz/250g fresh tomatoes, rinsed and blitzed with an immersion blender
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon Chile flakes
1 x 15 oz/425g can of chickpeas, drained
In a wide sauté pan or fry pan, heat the oil and cook the green onions until just softened - 1 minute. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute more, then add the tomatoes and tomato paste plus 1/2 teaspoon salt. Simmer for about 2 minutes, then add the apices and chickpeas and simmer for a couple of minutes more or until the sauce is thick and delicious. Check for seasoning.
Serve with flatbreads and cool yoghurt or on hot buttered toast.
Friday, 6 September 2024
Creamy Pasta Salad
Wednesday, 4 September 2024
Brownies ~ Lii kokii brun
Wednesday, 28 August 2024
Leftovers #69 ~ Korean Keema Fried Rice
Wednesday, 21 August 2024
Leftovers #68 - Chicken Teriyaki
Monday, 19 August 2024
Food Photo of the Day ~ Dill Pickle Poutine
Friday, 16 August 2024
Food Photo of the Day ~ Peppers
Thursday, 15 August 2024
Food Photo of the Day ~ Nachos
Friday, 9 August 2024
Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
Wednesday, 31 July 2024
Lughnasadh ~ Lammas ~ Golden Raisin Bran Loaf
Lughnasadh ~ Lughnasa ~ Lammas, August 1st in the Northern Hemisphere and February 1st in the Southern Hemisphere, is one of four fire festivals in the Celtic year and marks the beginning of harvest season and corresponds with other harvest festivals such as the Welsh festival Gwy Awst, also known as Gathering Day. It also marks the halfway point between Summer Solstice (Litha) and Autumn Equinox (Mabon) and honours the Celtic Sun God Lugh as August is Lugh sacred month because in Irish mythology Lughnasadh was founded by Lugh. According to Lugh's mythology it's a funeral feast and a day of athletic competition also known as funeral games, which commemorates the death of an earth goddess.
The days are beginning to grow shorter and the sun is beginning to wane and the darker days of autumn and winter are calling. As we gather and reflect over the past months, think fulfillment, abundance and giving thanks while expressing gratitude for nature's abundance and the nurturing spirit of the land. The first harvest emphasizes kindness and generosity.
Other festivals celebrated around this time are: Lammas/Loaf Mass Day (Christian), Calan Awst (Welsh) and Puck Fair (Irish, August 10 - 12th, 16th Century), International Friendship Day (August 2nd), International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples (August 9th), International Lefthanders Day (August 13th) and the Assumption of Mary (August 15th).
This moist and abundant bran loaf is a substantial way to honour Lugh, Lughnasadh and the beginning of harvest season, especially served with butter and marmalade.
Happy Lughnasadh!
Golden Raisin Bran Loaf
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2 cups wheat bran
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 cups golden raisins
2 cups buttermilk
extra wheat bran, sprinkling on top
pumpkin seeds, sprinkling on top
Lightly grease and flour a 3 lb. loaf tin or two 2 lb. loaf tins and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl combine the wheat bran, whole wheat flour, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, grated nutmeg, brown sugar and raisins. Stir together.
Add the buttermilk and stir until the batter comes together. If the batter is a bit dry add a bit more buttermilk, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time. Once the batter is thick and sticky and mixed together, cover and let stand for 15 to 20 minutes.
While the batter is resting, preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf tin, lightly sprinkle wheat bran and pumpkin seeds on top and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Serve with butter and marmalade.
Thursday, 25 July 2024
Upside Down Omelette
Friday, 19 July 2024
Leftovers #67 ~ Coronation Chicken
Thursday, 18 July 2024
Pineapple Coconut Cake
Wednesday, 10 July 2024
Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks