The Delectable Lake District!

We recently returned from a wonderful week in Cumbria - the Southern Lake District to be exact. I'd never visited this part of Britain before and left wondering why I'd let so many years go by without seeing it. It's truly an amazing place - not least for the quality of local produce and food in the area. It is the only holiday we've been on where we've walked (literally) miles every day - up hill too - and actually put weight ON! It was worth it, though. I would heartily recommend the area for a gourmet break that would be hard to surpass in the UK, combined with the most beautiful countryside....true foodie heaven!

Highlights were:

The Angel Inn in Bowness on Windermere, which was a lovely mile walk from where we were staying (this walk helped burn at least SOME of the calories....)

Especially good for a wonderful brunch on Sundays....lovely Bloody (or virgin) Marys, friendly staff and gorgeous food!

The Drunken Duck at Barngates, Ambleside

which boasts one of the most amazing views I've ever seen from it's garden tables. Unfortunately I forgot to take my camera!! The bar was cosy and just modern enough but with plenty of tradition intact.

 Great wine selection too!

The Samling is a super- luxurious hotel with fantastic service. We only went for dinner but were bowled over by the beautiful interiors, superb food and little extras like the canapes served to us in the garden overlooking Lake Windermere while we mused over the menu...

The service was young and friendly but impeccably professional too.

Finally, my favourite (I think - so hard to choose!) It was extravagant and total luxury but we had a truly wonderful evening at Gilpin Lodge

It helped that we were joined by our great friend David and his new partner - we always laugh so much when we're together and the wine flows - ahem - generously! But everything about Gilpin was superb. Service - immaculate, lovely french and local waiting staff with a touch of humour too! The restaurant was so beautiful,-there was also a zen-like garden (although sadly it was too chilly to sit outside)

We sat in the conservatory

at the far table in this picture.

Of course, the food is what made it an unforgettable experience. David is a restaurateur with two successful businesses and, as you know, I've been in the professional food world for a long time too....but the two of us are still waxing lyrical over this meal, especially the pre-dessert we were given. This was a shot glass of intense, deepest purple blackcurrant mousse topped with an aniseed granita. It may sound a little strange, but it worked so well that I was surprised to see my 'real' pudding arrive, so happy was I with that little piece of heaven in a  glass!

We could have eaten out every night, easily, but restricted ourselves to these 4 divine places as our wallets, livers & waistlines wouldn't have stood much more.

It wasn't only the restaurants & inns that were marvellous either. There were superb independent butchers, grocers...and a family-owned supermarket chain called Booths which supports local producers and has the most fantastic range of goods.

Truly a region to be savoured in more ways than one!

The English Lake District - 10/10

                                        

All Cakes Considered....Review

I have so many cookbooks that it's almost ridiculous....although I justify buying more and more because baking IS my job (and I can claim back the tax, YAY!) Where baking books are concerned (as opposed to more general cookbooks) I am quite choosy, however. I bake 6 days a week...so they really have to say something new and give me inspiration.

I saw this book when we were in the US last year and made a note of the title(far too heavy to buy there and bring home!) American books are usually my favourites for baking ideas as I find the cakes are just the kind my customers expect - tall, beautiful & unusual. A little bit different to the normal coffee shop offerings.

The first thing that attracted me was the fact that it's published by my VERY favourite company, the San Francisco based Chronicle Books. Their titles are always beautiful, well laid out and in a wonderful format (smaller than average) and I can spot them anywhere!

Melissa Gray has produced a gorgeous book,packed with unusual recipes that I couldn't wait to try. As I write, the smell of her Key Lime Cake is wafting it's way from my oven. Mmmm!

The author works for National Public Radio and, every Monday, brings a different cake into the office for her co-workers. This book is a collection of the recipes, often accompanied with a little story about where the cake idea originated. She writes in a contemporary, witty & chatty style that I find very appealing - she feels like a friend.

Most importantly, I've made many recipes...stand outs include Cinnamon Almond Coffee Cake, ATF Gingerbread, Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting & Triple Chocolate Orange Passion Cake...they are all delicious & they ALL WORK first time.

There are also cookie & pie recipes and great, informative sections on ingredients and equipment that would be really useful for someone who doesn't bake so often (or isn't too familiar with American ingredioents etc)

This book is at the front of my shelf and I use it regularly when I need a new, zesty idea to stun my customers. Highly recommended to all who love baking!

Turning Japanese

Every month or so, three girlfriends and I get together at each others houses in turn to eat, chat & have a glass of wine. We are all so different, with very different lives & opinions - which makes it so much fun! Recently, I've noticed that at each brunch or dinner the host has encountered a longer & longer list of dietary requirements from her guests...no wheat, no dairy, no red meat....it goes on!

As it was my turn to host last night, I decided to bypass all the problems and go Japanese - it was a huge success! We chatted over drinks while we waited for everyone to arrive, nibbling wasabi almonds & rice crackers. One of the girls turned up in a kimono top, which she looked gorgeous in despite her decidedly UN-oriental auburn hair & freckles!

I cheated on the starter by serving a platter of store-bought (but very good quality!) sushi....we ate from square white plates and I put a little crackle glazed green bowl of tamari/brown rice vinegar dipping sauce in the centre of each. This was perfect for grazing and talking - and washing up afterwards, as we mainly used our fingers!

For the main course I prepared Crispy Black Pepper Tofu and Soba Noodles with Edamame, Broccolini, Green Beans, Bok Choy & Enoki Mushrooms. WOW! The tofu recipe was again from my wonderful new book Plenty and was absolutely stunning. Every bit went which was quite a feat with 3 committed meat eaters! And for dessert I prepared a plate of fresh pineapple & mango with a lime & chilli syrup which we ate with jasmine or roasted rice genmaicha tea.

I would definitely recommend this if you have to cook a special meal for people with allergies or dislikes. It was so easy to prepare in advance, the kitchen was clear and I had plenty of time to enjoy the company of my guests

Sayonara for now! xox

Plenty....

This week I bought the new and very eagerly awaited book by Yotam Ottolenghi

I loved the first Ottolenghi cookbook so much that I couldn't wait to plunge into this one!

It's lived up to expectations so far, I'm happy to say. Unusually - since it's author isn't one - it's a totally vegetarian cookbook, which is fantastic. The cuisine of the Middle East (Yotam is Israeli) is one of my very favourites....and the book also has Far Eastern influences, which makes for mouthwatering descriptions & photographs! I can't wait to work my way through it, but wanted to share the first recipe I made with you to give you an idea of the wonderful flavours you can expect! I made a few changes (as always - I can't resist tweaking!) to the recipe below, but I'll give you the original first and then let you know what I did slightly differently. But I'd urge you to try it - especially as the weather gets warmer, it's the perfect outdoor lunch food!

Lentils with Grilled Aubergine

from 'Plenty' by Yotam Ottolenghi

Serves 4

2 medium aubergines

2 tbsp top-quality red wine vinegar

200g small dark lentils (I used Puy)

3 small carrots,\peeled

2 celery sticks

1 bay leaf

3 thyme sprigs

1/2 white onion

3 tbsp olive oil + extra to drizzle

12 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 tbsp  each roughly chopped parsley, coriander & dill

2 tbsp creme fraiche ( or natural yoghurt)

salt & black pepper

Cook the aubergines first. If you have a gas hob, put them directly over 2 moderate flames and cook 12/15 minutes, turning frequently with metal tongs until the f;lesh is soft & smoky & the skin burnt all over. Alternatively, pierce with a sharp knife in a few places, put on a foil lined tray & place directly under a hot grill for 1 hour turning a few times until completely deflated & the skins are burned and breaking.

Remove from the heat, cut a slit down the centre of each & scoop out the flesh into a colander avoiding the blackened skin. Leave to drain for at least 15 mins, then season with plenty of salt & pepper & 1/2 tbsp vinegar.

While aubergines are grilling, place lentils into a medium pan. Cut one carrot & half a celery stick into large chunks and throw them in with the bayleaf, thyme & onion. Cover with plenty of water and bring to the boil. Simmer over a low heat until the lentils are tender (about 25 mins) Drain in a sieve, removing and discarding the onion, carrot, celery, bayleaf & thyme and transfer lentils to a mixing bowl. Add the rest of the vinegar, 2 tbsps olive oil and plenty of salt & pepper and set aside.

Cut the remaining carrot & celery into 1cm dice and mix with the remaining oil, the tomatoes, 1/2 tsp brown sugar and some salt. Spread in an oven-proof dish and cook in oven at 140 degrees/Gas Mark 1 until carrot is tender but still firm.

Add the cooked vegetables to the warm lentils, followed by the chopped herbs and stir gently. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Spoon onto serving plates, pile some aubergine into the centre of each portion and top with a dollop of creme fraiche. Finish with a trickle of oil.

The things I tweaked:

I used sherry vinegar (didn't have red wine)

Instead of cooking the vegetables in the oven, I sauteed them in olive oil until softened slightly, adding in the aubergine flesh and an extra  finely sliced half onion....then I piled it all into a baking dish and mixed in the herbs (substituting fresh mint for the coriander as there was none at the market) and added some good feta cheese broken into rough chunks. I then drizzled the olice oil over the whole, ground some extra black pepper and baked in the oven at 180 degrees for about 15 mins. I omitted the creme fraiche.

Looking at my tweaks, I'm wondering if I did, in fact, make a rather different dish in the end?? But the inspiration was wholly there thanks to Ottolenghi! And that, surely, is the point of a good cookbook? To inspire the creative passion in us and drive us to produce wondrous food...and this truly was!

A highly recommended book. Enjoy! xoE

Lunch at the TownHouse

We just walked back from Easter Saturday lunch at The Dean Street Town House in London's Soho. I'm SO full, wanted to write about it straight away while it's fresh in my mind. The restaurant is fairly newly opened and has received a lot of press recently. It's owned by the same company that run the amazingly luxurious Babington House hotel in Somerset...and every attention has been paid to the detail, look and feel of this gorgeous space. We sat at one of the round tables (like the one pictured above)...really comfortable, velvet upholstered chairs, beautiful linens and cutlery.

There's a special vegetarian menu (always a welcome bonus!) and it was hard to choose from the delicious sounding selection....most of which came in small or large portions, so you could mix & match the menu as you liked. I decided on Goat Curd, Beetroot & Chicory Salad to start....absolutely gorgeous, jewelled with pomegranate seeds, fresh & delicate...then a Chanterelle & Onion Tart with side orders of jersey royal new potatoes & purple sprouting broccoli. The tart was flaky & light with plenty of onion and the wonderful flavour of the wild mushrooms permeating through.

We drank a bottle of our favourite wine in the world...Isabel Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand...not often found, always ordered when we do!

I had the most divine dessert too....Peanut Shortbread with Salted Caramel Ice cream. Oh my. The shortbread was rich and salty with the crunch of peanuts and soft chocolate contrasting the texture from the middle....and the ice cream was a taste I could happily die eating!

The service was slightly slow to start with, but once we got talking to the friendly Aussie sommelier it soon thawed out. A great place to people watch (such interesting types in Soho!!) and they're open all day, including breakfast & afternoon tea. You could even get a room and stay after dinner (I always judge a place by the standards of it's bathrooms....and this one was just beautiful, all black & white with blood red velver chairs & antique mirrors....)

The Dean Street Townhouse: a feast for the stomach & the senses in Soho  8.5/10

Mother's Day Delights

Yesterday was Mothering Sunday here  in the UK, so I created some delights for the local coffee shop to sell on Saturday morning (they're closed on Sunday!)

The first was a Salted Caramel Cake. I have to be VERY careful with this, to get it made & delivered as soon as possible because I absolutely crave it! The combination of sweet & salty is irresistible to me....I love salted peanuts & chocolate more than most things edible. Not good for the waistline, great for the soul (in extreme moderation!)

The recipe is adapted, once again from Baked's 'Sweet & Salty Cake'. The difference is that I make my own, failsafe, gorgeous, soft dark chocolate cake instead of theirs (and if you have a favourite recipe, try doing the same here....)

then I made a salted caramel by boiling together approx 1 cup sugar with 2 tbsp cold water (remember never to stir the mixture or it will crystallise...shake the pan if necessary instead) until golden brown and smelling toffeelike. You need to wait until it's on the edge of burning to give the right taste, but only on the edge - watch it like a hawk! Remove from heat & add 1 cup heavy (double) cream. Be careful as it will spit! Then stir gently until it melts into a beautiful burnished sauce. Add about 1 tsp sea salt flakes (I always use Maldon) and leave to cool, but don't refrigerate.

I also made a whipped milk chocolate frosting a la Baked by placing 1lb (500g) good quality milk chocolate broken into pieces in a heatproof bowl....heating 1 cup heavy (double) cream with 1 tbsp light corn syrup until just boiling, then pouring the cream mixture over the chocolate. Leave for a few minutes then stir gently. The chocolate should have almost melted, and should finish by the time you stop stirring! Leave to cool, stirring occasionally. When no longer too warm, whisk in (I use a hand held electric whisk) 1 cup (250g/2 sticks) very soft unsalted butter. It will whip into a glorious, shiny, pale brown delight!

To assemble the cake, cut in two......place the bottom layer on a serving dish or cake board....drizzle bottom layer with salty caramel....spread caramel with half the frosting...sprinkle lightly with salt flakes (trust me, it's divine!)....then top with the remaining layer and this time reverse things so you spread the frosting over first, the drizzle that with caramel....and finish with a final sprinkle of salt. You can add other decorations - I put some pastel sugar flowers around, as it was Mother's Day - but it's beautiful left alone too...

Et voila! Now get it OUT of my sight........please???

I also made some pretty little Vanilla Cupcakes, which gave me a license to sprinkle the sparkle...which I love to do!

I know that Mother's Day in the USA & Australia isn't until May...so maybe you could try these recipes out, just to perfect them in good time, of course!

have a HAPPY WEEK XOXO

Marble Cake, Birthday Cake....

I made this gorgeous Sour Cream Marble Cake for our local coffee shop yesterday. Sadly, because it was an order, I can't show you inside! But the batter tasted so gorgeous...

I glazed it with a simple dark chocolate ganache. It made a really big, tall cake that would be wonderful for a special tea or birthday party - I can just see it with gold candles all over it!

It's adapted - once more - from Baked. I can't recommend this book highly enough, constant ideas & surprises. The original recipe was for a bundt cake, but my customers prefer plain round ones so that's how I made it. It probably took an extra half hour to cook this way, but I'll reproduce the recipe as it was originally and leave it to you!

Sour Cream Marble Bundt Cake

{from Baked - New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito}

For the chocolate swirl:

6oz good, dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

For the sour cream cake:

3 1/2 cups all purpose (plain) flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup/2 sticks unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into small pieces

2 1/4 cups sugar

4 large eggs

16 floz (about 450ml) sour cream

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Grease the inside of a 10"(23cm) bundt pan & preheat oven to 350 degrees

To make the chocolate swirl, melt the chocolate over simmering water (again, I used a microwave but carefully!) and when completely smooth, whisk in the cocoa powder, remove bowl from heat & set aside

Sift flour, baking powder & soda & salt together and set aside.

Cream the butter until smooth (I use an electric hand mixer but a stand mixer - or wooden spoon if you're strong! - are also good) Scrape down the bowl & add the sugar, beating until the mixture is smooth & fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating each in well & scraping down the bowl in between. Add the sour cream & vanilla and beat until just incorporated. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, scraping down the bowl in between & only beat until each addition is just incorporated. Don't overmix.

Pour 1/3 of the mixture into the chocolate swirl bowl & mix gently to make a smooth chocolate batter. Spread half the remaining cake batter into the prepared pan, then dollop the chocolate mixture on top of the plain, leaving some plain batter peeking through. Pour the remaining plain mixture on top & pull a butter knife through the whole lot, swirling gently to create a marbled effect. Bake in the centre of the oven for approx 1 hour, rotating the pan halfway through. Check by inserting a skewer or cocktail stick into the middle of the cake - it should come out clean when cooked!

Cool in the pan,on a wire rack, for 30 minutes then loosen the edges with a knife and invert onto the wire rack before leaving to cool completely.

I made my glaze from about 1 cup dark chocolate, 1/4 cup double (heavy) cream & 1/4 stick butter which I gently melted together over a very low heat until shiny & smooth. Again you could do this over simmering water or in a microwave.

This morning I went over to a local restaurant that I supply - Annie Bailey's to build an 18th birthday brownie cake for a party at lunchtime today...

It takes quite a while to build one of these, using chocolate sauce as 'mortar' - but I think you'll agree it's worth it. I love the roman numeral candles especially (found on our Autumn trip to the States) and the long thin ones are sparklers...

Wish I could see it all lit up....but after a quick cup of coffee with my friends up there, I was off home!

No more baking today....time to relax!

Enjoy your weekend xox