riverford veg box

Leek, pancetta, blue cheese soup

Still working my way through the Riverford veg box. Coutesy of stockley farm, knutsford.
So today i made a leek and pancetta soup and swirled some blue cheese and cream through it at the end. Absolutely delicious and a total meal in itself.

Now working on an apple crumble, again a slight variation on tradition, but I won’t post until i see how it has turned out.

thanksgiving dinner

Blog

28.11.10

The Thanksgiving dinner seemed to go well. People tucked in and there was very little food left at the end.

There was lots of chat and to-ing and fro-ing as people arrived and settled down.

Due to space issues, the table did dominate the centre of the room and everyone had to fit round on the sofas until serving time as best they could.

But then it was all ready and we were able to bring on dish after dish until the final crowning glory of the turkey was revealed in all its lusciousness and crispy skin.

Again I can’t really carve at the table, so as in olden times of banqueting in England, the turkey is presented to the guests for them to ooh and aah over and then it is back to the kitchen for carving.

This is bearing in mind that most surfaces in the kitchen are already covered with food and the table has been moved into the living room in order to create a dining room.

(Port Sunlight houses may have been built to house whole families, but I still baffle about how, if they ever wanted to eat together. Then again they had their own dining rooms in the village, so it was probably not the same kind of issue. I must remember to ask my neighbour (one of 13) how they did it.)

Here is the menu. If you want to know more about any of the dishes, let me know.

My apologies to Zu, that we couldn’t incorporate your green bean recipe this year, though I have finally tracked down some French’s Fried Onions again (in bizarrely of all places Aldi).

The hunt for tinned pumpkin was not resolved in time, so we used butternut squash which we oven-baked first before turning it into pie. This is fine in taste just adds to the work, but then I do have the dessert king living here, which always helps, and as usual he turned out a masterpiece.

However, the really good news is that thanks to friends and an American Thanksgiving magazine discovered at Lime Street station I should be all set for next year and it is something I am already planning.

Hopefully I can do two next year so i can invite even more people.

The Day After

Despite everyone’s best efforts there were still left overs but that is all to the good sometimes.

pumpkin search

The Thanksgiving saga continues.

The hunt is now on to find the pumpkin puree, in order to make pumpkin pie for my annual Thanksgiving celebration. I have been through all the cupboards but no joy on the tinned pumpkin side, which we thought we did have.

Sadly Northern Harvest, who used to do pureed pumpkin at this time of year, can’t help me out either.

Though I have found all sorts of things in the cupboards.

It has even started me trying to list all the things hidden in the backs of cupboards again, so we will know what we have got.

One day I might get organised, but in the meantime would anyone like a number of tins of vegetable soup? Do they still do harvest collections at churches? Or would charities, who do tombolas be interested do you think? There were some at our village summer fair, but i never know who to contact.

Food Northwest Awards

Had a grand day out judging the Food NorthWest Awards.
Apart from getting stuck in horrendous traffic on the M6 and arriving late, it was great to catch up with so many people and try all the different products.
There were so many entries judging had to be divided up which resulted in some envious glances to those who scored the cake section.
We tasted goat, venison and ice lollies and the list can go on and on.
It is amazing how much great stuff there is out there and it is great that they are recognised with their own awards.
It was also great to catch up with old friends and make new ones, who were on our judging table. One of our judges had to leave early as he needed to pick up some stuff for his imminent wedding, so best wishes for the day to him.
Then the awards ceremony was in the evening so i bumped into producers such as the brilliant Neale's, who come to Wirral Farmers Market.
Then I treated myself to a stay at the absolutely fantastic Northcote Manor. More about that later, but as usual the food was sublime and the atmosphere so nice. I had a ground floor room with its own little pation to sit on and enjoy the view and the sunshine. I wish i could have stayed longer.

fresh fish

you really can't beat fresh fish and I have been happily tucking into fantastic lemon sole from Wards Fish, in Birkenhead. Ask them for their recommendations on what is good at the moment and go from there. I have picked some fresh sorrel from the garden to go with it.
Also got my first two stalks of asparagus - just enough for a treat but can't wait until more comes up.

wards fish

The great guys at Wards Fish brought fish to me today as I can't get to them.
So now I am looking at lemon sole and clams.
want to do spaghetti vongole and thinking what to do with lemon sole.
though there was a nice chorizo and clam dish I saw once just trying to find it again.

off judging tomorrow

Very excited as I am off judging a restaurant competition tomorrow. Sadly I discovered I am not required to eat in all of them but have to 'grill' them with a long questionnaire. (yes, pun intended).

Also cooked up some more rhubarb (a la Valentine Warner) for breakfast tomorrow before I go.

sunday cooking

Made a great thai satay chicken recipe for lunch.
layered sandwich a la Sophie Grigson lies resting in fridge for tomorrow
now bolognese sauce bubbling away.
thai beef recipe made yesterday.

will type up more recipe details later or at people's requests.

finally managed to order Plenty by Yotah Ottolenghi for mother's birthday - I know card security is important but Amazon can be frustrating. so hope the right thing turns up at the right time

chicken stock is now bubbling away.
rhubarb looking good for breakfast tomorrow.
aiming to make bagels next but might wait for tomorrow morning

sunday lunch

duh - posted last thing as comment by mistake.

southern fried chicken

we are having roast chicken for sunday lunch with a nice crust using Halen Mon with organic spices.
I have nicked some of the chicken already to try to make 'fried chicken' a la Valentine Warner. But also using some pieces from Edges' Butcher (best butchers in the UK). Hoping to convert Mark to real fried chicken - so wish me luck.

Also searching for a cockle and laverbread recipe I was taught by Dai Davies, a great and eccentric Welsh chef, but might have to make it up as I go along, as I can't find where I saved it before. I know he did it at the Denbigh show one year but can't remember where I wrote it down or filed it.

I also seem to have found my old bagel recipe, so might have a go at that later. As sadly I cannot get real bagels around here anymore and driving to Manchester first thing on a Sunday, is not something my other half is keen on.

Wirral Farmers' Market

Great farmers' market today. The weather was nice and sunny and it was nice and busy.

I managed to remember to buy everything I needed this time including some of the great Adesso Marinades.

For lunch we ate samosas, hog roast. Great meringues and eclairs were courtesy of the great tea bar volunteers.

Outside stalls returned this month as well.

All things foodie

Here I hope to talk about foodie things from meals I have cooked; restaurants visited; books read and reviewed and where possible it will touch on one of my passions - food history. I love looking back and finding out what people used to eat; how they used to eat and the influences they have on us today.

The North West area has fantastic produce and food is very much part of its history.

This will be very much a buffet rather than a set meal. Somewhere to dip in and out of, whether you are looking for something that little bit different. I hope you enjoy!